The Church

… Matthew 13 and verse 53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he deposited them. Now chapter 14 and verse 30 When Jesus said this, he deposited them, by sharing, into a desert plain above. And when the people that were there, thereof, they followed him on the coast, out of the city. Now chapter 15 and verse 21 Then Jesus went there, and departed into the courts of Tyre and Tyre. Now the next chapter is 16 The torn, a wicked, and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no tongue be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and deposited them in the city. When Jesus came into the courts of Tyre and Tyre, they asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I, the son of man, am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist, Some, Elias, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said unto them, Let all say, He is Elias. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Peter, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee that thou art bigger, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gifts of hell shall not prevail against it, and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt find on earth shall be found in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth shall be lost in heaven. Then charged him his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus to ask. From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go into Jerusalem, and come to Jerusalem, and suffer many things of these elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and he could. And he lived again. Now we may humbly say, having read these verses to you all, that the thought we have in mind tonight is to speak a little on the beginning of the church of God in this world. The time isn't sure yet, but the beginning, the Father's early vision of this book was confirmed. Coming to life in the ministry of the Lord at this particular moment, the very thing that we know of ultimately developed in all its parts and character in the epistles of the right way, belonged to the assembly of God. But in asking you to send back tonight to this well-known chapter, Matthew 16, we want to give the legend your simple word as to just how and why it comes in at this particular juncture. And as the Lord has spared us to come back again to continue this subject, to say a little more of its unfolding, and taking shape in this world, the assembler that you and I belong to today, as a patch to the cross, the son of the living God. But before just coming to the chapter, we intend just in mind, and I think you'll need to be following, running through these preceding chapters in Matthew's gospel. They're so orderly, and so far as I can see, so simply on the line for us, that it doesn't take a lot of intelligence to follow through. This is the gospel that we will know, that presents the features of the Messiah of Israel, the Messiah David. The first chapter, giving up his genealogy, the rightful king, the true king of Israel, the one who came into this world in manhood as the true son of Israel, to come turn to them the promises made unto the fathers, to establish in divine power the kingdom of God, to put Israel in their place as the head of the nation and not the tail, to establish Jerusalem as the center of the earth, and to fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the city. You may say, well that's a broad thing. It is, but a careful consideration of the opening chapters of this wonderful gospel will show these are the features that are in view. And you'll remember we've observed this broad before, certainly with those wise men honing him officially as the king of the Jews. His baptism, his temptation in the first four chapters that now present him fully qualified, divinely attested to, as the one whom God has sent into this world for the blessing of his people, Israel. Not only does John Baptist point him out, the father from heaven pointed him out, so that they could not be the slightest doubt about it. It was the true Messiah presented to them who had come to establish the kingdom of Israel. And you'll remember the crowd beginning to assemble under his remarkable ministry, repent for the kingdom of the heavens, as it had, John had said that, now the Lord is with you. The Father and I are meant alone in this world. And as the crowd began to assemble as a result of this ministry, we saw how he extended that message in chapter five, and in those chapters five, six, and seven, he outlined in words the principles of the kingdom, teaching them the principles that he had come to apply, with a view to their entering in and enjoying the blessings of the kingdom. We haven't time, of course, to go into items, but we can just take that picture together on the left hand. He outlined to them the word of the kingdom of heaven. And in chapter eight, he comes down from the mountain, and in chapters eight and nine, we have a series of ten miracles. The word of the kingdom at the top of the mountain, the power of the kingdom demonstrated at the bottom of the mountain. He gave public evidence that what he had thought at the top, he could establish at the bottom. I suppose among ten miracles that are moved together, beginning, you remember, with the letter, ending with the curing of that man that was down, the Lord has just given every evidence that he had the power to bring into being the kingdom. And all of these people who have received it and syndicated it understand him. And those you remember in chapter ten, with the calling of the twelve, and equipped them with the word of the kingdom, as you've got Prince saying, equipped them with the power of the kingdom, even if they raise the dead, et cetera. And hence we have it that we're in unbroken chain right up to chapter ten, when now he sends out the twelve, and the Lent, and the Thresh, and Israel, both with the word of the kingdom, and the power of the kingdom, in presenting it to Israel for their acceptance. And those situations we arrive at in chapter eleven, we find that Israel rejects it. They just will not have it. They refuse his message. And you remember that which began, blessed, blessed, nine blessings. There you remember it. You'll find them all in the book of Deuteronomy, all grouped together. Blessed, blessed, blessed. And you'll remember in chapter eleven, war, war, war. War unto thee, Chorazin. War unto thee, Bethsaida. War unto thee, Capernaum. That which was presented to them with a fugitive blessing, they gave ample proof that they would not receive it. And the result is, instead of a blessing, there was war. So in chapter eleven, we find that Israel rejected the king. But in chapter twelve, we must say the worst thing takes place. So far as that nation is concerned, for the king rejected Israel. That is the chapter where you'll remember he speaks of himself, one greater than the temple. Whatever you may have had at once, and in favor, as emanating from the temple, one greater than the temple, Israel. It was the ministry of our Lord while in this world, a ministry that would have enlightened them, as they but accepted it. He further done speaks of one greater than Jonas, looking on as we well know to his death upon the cross and its wonderful effect, greater than Jonas. And thirdly, in that same same chapter, greater than Solomon, looking on to that world to come, in his glory. After by this time, Israel has clearly demonstrated they will not have him. And as the Lord breaks that link with them, and opens up this new section, he stands greater than the temple, greater than Jonas, greater than Solomon. Something infinitely greater than this wonderful person and these typical things have taught. Things to come. The result, as I'm sure you well know, was the beginning of the parable in Matthew 30, which really is the introduction of Christianity, as we know it today, in this world. From chapter 30 to 18, the middle of this section, we prove in two, we have the fitting in of the principles of the assembly of God, the primary we want to speak about tonight as it all is finished. First of all, in the parables, as you well know, the kingdom presented in a distinctive way. And then in chapter 15, his last dealings with the old people, and each of them you see, as the Lord is departing. In chapter 16, that we have read from the assembly coming to light. In chapter 17, the kingdom seen in glory. And in chapter 18, the return of our Lord, such as this section. But no one else like that was distinguished. Unless we clearly see that there is an ending of the one thing in the ministry of our Lord, before the introduction of the other, we will never understand the heroic, spiritual, character of this assembly that you and I belong to today. It does not belong to Israel. It does not belong to Palestine. Jerusalem is not the center and the earth is not in view at all. He is about to speak of something heavenly, spiritual, and eternal. And that's the thing that comes to light in this section with the rest of us. And that's why I read chapter 14. He did part of this. In chapter 15, he did part of this. One place he changed the country. The other time he went into the wilderness. The third time he went into Gentile territory. And at last we find him in chapter 16, ready to unfold the truth of the assembly. But now, keeping our eye on chapter 16, the generation seeketh after the sign. And there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign that the prophet taught us, and he left them and departed. That's the first time that pronoun has come in. He may leave the country, leave the territory, leave the district. But this time it very pointedly says, having so clearly hath presented to them that which was rightly theirs, now having perused the dust and hand of the one who could have made it good in their faith, he left them and did not take them. Is that all the Son of God paid for? To give up sins because they would not have them? No, you see, when we come to verse 13 it says, I just want to bring those two together as we send out of the section. Leaving the long things, he comes to the other. And I think we're in quite likely sense of an application. He's leaving the earthless for the heavenless. He's leaving that which was prophetic for that which never has been prophetic for it has never been known in this world before. The other, and he didn't bring it to light as usual. No, no, he brought it to light in Caesarea, Philippi, the most northern point of that land of Israel to have gone beyond that point it had been out of the territory all together. I think you will note as well as I do that the Lord never left the confines of Palestine Caesarea actually this word Caesarea is what the Germans call the Kaiser. It's actually the same word as in the original and that's the place he was in entirely Gentile territory as it were, though still within the confines of Palestine. But would it not suggest to us that while the Lord was still in that land and still about to speak in the way that Gentile territory is going to be reached Gentile blessing is going to be secured and I cannot but think that at a place in which the Lord opens out this truth of the assembly the volumes of that which we know today do ask Gentiles one morning a hedge on that particular ground in Caesarea, Philippi, where the Son of Man and not noticed by this time the Son of David nor all that had gone in the first twelve chapters in there as you know and you know I think from chapter 13 while these terms are used David etc. yet the Lord is now presented Son of Man. You see if Son of David is limited to Israel but as Son of Man he takes the place in relation to all men and he doesn't say whom do men say that I the Son of David am but whom do men say that I the Son of Man am yet he has taken that place in relation to men in general the few or Gentiles that I think is having expedience in this chapter and as they have thought about this some Alackias others Jeremiah's are one of the prophets this beloved discourse is at least one thing and that is that their conscience has been affected by the word why all these men John Baptist, Alackias, Jeremiah's are not in any historical order of course but how they have this impression about the Lord what I'm sure because of a guilty conscience that the truth that they had been putting before them was ultimately landed in this judgment and they were saying well you know you see John Baptist sure enough they actually lived at the root of the dream or Elijah said yes he could have a blessing more to his grace than mercy most important salvation he was offering to them but their guilty state had at least awakened within them a guilty conscience and undoubtedly the ministry of these prophets and you know a guilty conscience never landed anybody in itself into the blessing of God I had one for years before I was converted you may have done the same but your consciences have been affected but they nevertheless did not accept him in simple faith as the Savior and so he turned aside from them and said but now who said ye that I am and immediately Simon Peter answered thou art the Christ the son of the living God what part of scripture did Peter find that in no scripture at all built it what is he referring to no Old Testament prophecy at all because it just isn't there to be found oh yes John Baptist might have done that and certainly Jeremiah said that trying to recall the people to the word of God I don't know how far Elijah went on that line it was rather a prophetic ministry for the moment but John Baptist he caught the Old Testament to them from which they had all fallen short ah but what Peter got at this moment he could never get from the Old Testament scriptures the Lord himself assured him he got this like sovereignly from God himself something entirely new shining into his heart I wonder sometimes as we have got so acquainted you know with these passages that the marvel of them you will belong to this church tonight yes of course I do and you will find in your soul why yes of course I have where did you get it you got it my friend where did Peter got it that sovereign revelation from God in your soul that's where we got it it's something so new and heavenly and spiritual that it falls together according to the Old Testament scriptures now don't you see why in this gospel where what is earthly is presented to them it's not till the moment completely closed and the Lord withdraws from that state of thought again telling you that this new light is coming down from heaven illuminating dark souls why press that word living the son of the living God by the very thing the Lord is about to tell Peter it's going to be established not by the son of God living nor it's going to be established by the son of God dying and if he is not the son of the living God in the power of life that death can never overcome then this assembly will never be brought to life for both the head and the center thou art the Christ the son of the living God who wields the power of death why Satan the scripture tells us let you remember he has the power of death who then wields the power of life the Christ the son of the living God and if Satan and that power of death will take man out of the hand of God the son of the living God in the power of life that death can never overcome he is the Christ the son of the living God if he is made to die to establish the kingdom not one biblical of us everything in power has subdued all their enemies but he must die to secure the New Testament and if this living system has got this living organism is going to be brought to life it can only be by one who has power to give it life and thank God he has it's the quickening voice of the son of God here he is the Christ the son of the living God let it up flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee nor all he might read the prophetic scriptures and no doubt he hath done but this revelation never came it was left to you it's my Father which is in heaven and has illuminated your soul in relation to this who he is then in the power of life that dwells in the sand is at the very foundation of this wonderful assembly that we belong to today so says the Lord I say also unto thee thou art the earth and upon this rock the gates of hell shall not prevail against thee you'll find that the derby gives a nod to the gates of hell by reminding us the article is not there and it isn't so much as it tells us the grip of the power that is there to destroy it if it can the gates of hell shall not prevail against thee we read these simple questions we mean of all the Lord shall not prevail against it why does it not look when the Lord dies upon the cross as though the gates of hell have prevailed against him yet it looks like it we know but the third day as he shall descend further down he shall rise again and in himself he gives that demonstration of his superiority over the power of death and the one who hath life in himself and in that life speaking to Peter of course thou art Peter Petra as I think some of us know in distinction from Petra the rock the shape of the rock then ultimately you know because a stone if you were to puzzle that out as to why we're dealing with this rock here and yet when Peter writes about it in his epistle he speaks of living stone but they are of the life and nature of the rock itself though the rock here is not quite right no it's Peter's confession that the rock upon this rock I will build my assembly everyone who like you has life concerning me and comes to me with that confession I never said it in such terms maybe not my dear friend but you believe it in such terms you know that he is the Christ the son of the living God you've received him as such it's the confession the ordination as to who he is that's the rock upon which he is building this assembly one here, one there, Jews there Gentiles there that confess him ordained as their Lord and that comes out in salvation there is the material that's the rock upon which he is building this assembly those who confess him as the Christ they take up the rock if you go to a quarry they'll talk about the rock in the prayer but once they've blasted it a bit out you know, got it shaped a little bit they don't go and tell rocks to the council not all the time, they don't it's when it's brought out it should be unshaped and that's exactly what Peter has looked at it a bit before not what is only basic but that which springing from that bit is shaped into thick material and that is in the power of the Holy Spirit of God and from this rock that I will build my assembly my church and in it any power shall not prevail against it which says to Peter I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven why didn't the Lord give them what he's saying is chief administrator he certainly is but as the chief administrator we ask why children of heaven we know why but when the moment came to open the doors of this heavenly kingdom the Lord couldn't hear his call the Lord had gone to heaven his work accomplished and because he had a view he's leaving this world and going to heaven and sending down the Spirit Peter he says you're going to be the one to open the doors of this kingdom eventually the Lord himself would be in heaven Peter the man whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven coming under the direct control of heaven whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven have we believed this of course we have we've received the apostolic testimony we have but did we receive it as only coming from apostles no no thank God we know that it came from the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven yes here we are today recognized by heaven freed by heaven on the one side and that which held us in the bondage built together by heaven on the other side in the power of the Holy Spirit of God the great idea behind this is this that what you're doing administratively on earth Peter is under the aegis of heaven under the control of heaven and indeed as we know though we couldn't yet learn it here but ultimately we shall learn it not only does it come under the control of heaven it is heavenly and thank God it's going to end in heaven at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ yes we have in this place on earth the assembly doesn't belong to earth it may be here in testimony today but it doesn't belong to earth at all it's altogether a heavenly conception and hence the keys are given to a man on earth to open these doors that will do and enter we know don't we have to and ask him the doors were opened that this living material should be brought in he charges his disciples now that they should tell no man that he was the Christ no longer presenting him then to Israel as their Messiah on the earthly side for as we have seen the moment has come when the earthly has willingly decided that the heavenly might be brought into being and hence he charged them don't present me anymore to Israel as the Messiah no the material that's going to get the blessing today is material sovereignly brought on by the Father that they mourn this wonderful person than the son of David or the son of man and recognize in this person thank God that now what is going to come to light and all together it's going to spring from the working of the Father in their hearts we can well understand in verse 21 from that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders he breathes and scribes that he left them and departed oh yes the Darius cast as far as they are concerned and the Lord knew of course what the end of that was going to be that the very leader of this nation who ought to have gladly accepted him they are ultimately going to put him to death as we well know on Calvary's cross and they are going to kill him and he is going to be raised again and the assembly doesn't belong to this side at all no thank God it belongs to the other side of death nor is that assembly formed until death itself is dealt with hence we can understand in some of these details it's in Europe he is going away and of necessity he is going away but the thing doesn't belong to earth at all it belongs to heaven and if the power of Satan were on that moment the gates of Hades that unseen world here is one with the power of life that will never be defeated by the power of death and I suppose the greatest demonstration as yet we have had of that power is that on the third day he shall rise again well now I think looking simply on this chapter we may use a word that often we have used about it it is the assembly not yet being formed no the rabid brethren it could not be formed yet even the son of God could not yet form it for what is earthly must be dealt with what is sinful must be dealt with death must be dealt with if this is going to be brought into being and having foretold it he has made preparation for it in its incoming into this world that which was in prophecy still in prophecy so far as the Lord was concerned foretold we'll see how wonderful it was formed and in the hands of this man who's given priority in this wonderful confession I simply mean my priority he was the one that was allowed to say it though I do not doubt it was in the hearts of every one of them whom did ye that's not an individual no no that's a collective pronoun that I am priority is given to Peter the voice that's the Christ the son of the living God and in his hands is placed the administration that he is going to use when the moment comes that this assembly which is foretold is going to be formed the assembly that you and I belong to we'll see for I hope the very fact that we are so well acquainted with this chapter the subject of a sovereign work of God in every one of our hearts superior to the power of the devil as high above the heavens and the earth as the heavens are above the earth heavenly, earthly, spiritual this is the assembly the assembly we belong to and I hope we might say a little more about it next time we come together well shall we sing together number 57 Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming And the rocket's red glare the bombs bursting in air Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave Let there be light on the way let there be light on the way Through the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watched Were so gladly streaming And the rocket's red glare The bombs bursting in air Gave proof through the night That our flag was still there Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave Let there be light on the way let there be light on the way Through the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watched Were so gladly streaming And the rocket's red glare The bombs bursting in air Gave proof through the night That our flag was still there Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave Let there be light on the way let there be light on the way …

… This one, for that soul. And when the day of Pentecost was fully passed, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, and there was a great, mighty wind, and it filled all the house with a great wind. And it appeared unto them, through all the tattoos, light as a fire, and it stood upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tattoos, as the Spirit gave them a voice. Now further down the chapter, verse forty-one. Then they had gladly received his word, and were baptized. And the same day there were added about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' monastery, and fell to him. And he prayed in a prayer, and he prayed, and still he came upon every soul. And many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common. And so they presented the goods, and pardoned them of all that every man had need. And they continued in daily with one accord of the devil, and breaking bread from house to house, did he faithfully reflect and sing the words of the Lord. Praising God, and having faith with all the people. And the Lord added to the church, he made such as should be seen. Now those of us who were here last week will remember that we looked primarily at the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. Where the first, the intervention of the assembly was given by our Lord Jesus Christ. And I think we know that that's the reason the truth had not been known before. It was not an apostolic writing, not in the prophetic writings, not in prophecy of the Old Testament. But something that could only come to light subsequent to the Lord Jesus Christ coming into this world. When you remember Peter having confessed Him, the Lord said to him, Blessed blood hath not revealed this unto thee but by our head which is in heaven. We don't want to go too much over last week's meeting. But we saw the completely new character contained in this wonderful revelation. That as for his bearing the son of the living God at his center. And the reason being that death has yet to be conquered. But he belongs and has power over death. He was going to demonstrate his ability to bring to light this wonderful assembly that every one of us belongs to. Just one more thought, here we come down to this chapter. We notice that while the Lord very clearly intimated to Peter what the end of that revelation was going to be. Upon this rock I will build my assembly. We point it out a lot like we first pointed out. The Lord did not say I have a building, my assembly. But I will build my assembly. For when the Lord means that His culture, the work hath not yet begun. For it was a work that was going to be entirely heavenly and spiritual. And if that was going to be brought about so far as we are concerned. Then the Lord must destroy the power of death. Imposing it in from among the dead. And ascending up to heaven sent down the Spirit. And now we arrive at the moment. Not now this time the Lord would say I will build my assembly. But would have sent to them that He said I am building my assembly. All together in the power of the Holy Spirit of God. The assembly of the Lord. That may be a simple fact to most of us in this meeting tonight. But as all the christened of the farms have realized. That the assembly of God has not come for the wood and stone and jewels however elaborate it may be. No it is living, spiritual, heavenly and destined for eternity. And has nothing whatever to do with material things in this world. And hence the beginning of that we find has now come to pass. In this record elect two. That when the days of Pentecost was coming up. They were full with one accord in one place. And had been said you remember earlier. Two gathered together in one. The children of God that were scattered abroad. But here we find out the form of the Spirit of God descended. In that company now it is not our own. In Jerusalem. Why the very first picture that comes to light about this is. One accord. One place. One indivisible undivided unity. Indeed it is a unity that cannot be divided. Formed as it was at the outset. In the power of the Spirit of God. We may thank God. That the assembly of God is no more broken up today. Than it was on the day of Pentecost. In regard to the work of the Spirit of God. There is only one church. One assembly in this world. And every believer and all who keep us right. Be they wherever they may be. Throughout this whole wide world. They belong to this one assembly. Formed by the Spirit. It may have any weight on the assembly. At all. We may think of God naturally. One might think the whole thing is confidential. But we must distinguish between what man has been doing. And what the Spirit of God is still doing. And what the Spirit of God is still doing. In bringing to life spiritual material. Is to bring us into this one assembly. This human being. That you and I belong to. Unity. That is the first thing that is brought before us here. One God. In one place. Suddenly at death. There came a son from heaven. Here again we meet the fault in these days. And ask ourselves. Just what may be conveyed by that. From heaven. Well surely we'll have at once a simple thought of this. Christ was in heaven. Who is the head of this assembly? Christ is the head of this assembly. Who does it belong to? Christ. Who is going to give instructions and lordship to the assembly? Christ. Yes. This sound comes from heaven. Said to say you know. Many things of God are prepared to take direction from wrong. Others are prepared to take it from cancer away. Many are on my way taking it on Edinburgh. The beloved is with us. Only one citizen of this assembly. We take it only from heaven. Not all at the administration centre. Whatever man might have grown up. In his own way. There is only one spot of control. It is in heaven. Where the Lord Jesus Christ is sitting. At the right hand of God. And wise we are. If we want to be under full blessing of this wonderful thing. If we ever look heavenward. Christ would. For all the light. All the guidance. All the support we need. To function for himself. In this wonderful system. This wonderful assembly. That we belong to. This sound then came from heaven. And the description of it is this. A rushing mighty wind. Of course if the spirit is gone. We shall see. In a moment it is being described. Yes but being described. In this remarkable way. What they have heard. Is a description of the spirit. A powerful movement. A rushing mighty impetuous blowing. Yes. Very conscious of some spiritual power. And yet this power that just could not be seen. By the natural eye. These are simple things. That have been sent in. There is not much as we would say. In man that is the minimum. And we can't do a church in a building like this day. But before we defeat it. It doesn't look much like a good church does it. Not often. But here is the power that binds together. What is living in the assembly. A rushing mighty wind. Oh there is nothing static about the spirit of God. It's in movement. Constant movement. Living movement. Though it may be unseen to the natural eye. It's there. You remember what the Lord said about the wind. It blows where it lifts up. Thou canst hear the sound thereof. We are conscious that it is such a thing. But can't not tell when it blends in colour. Or whether it draws. And of course he was speaking of you there. Here is a similar simile. About the same person. The holy spirit of God. We shall be dwells in the heart of every believer. Why of course he does. For after that he believes. He will steal with the holy spirit of promise. This living mighty unseen force. Yes. It dwells in the heart of every believer. Who belongs to this wonderful assembly. Of which we are speaking tonight. A rushing mighty wind. And it fills. Fills. All the house. Where they were sitting. I thank God. It just doesn't need any help from you or me. In regard to this business at all. The spirit of God is quite capable. It's worth level money. Filled to the very brim. No room for anything else. Absolute completeness. Do I want power to preach the gospel? It's there in the spirit. Do I want power to stand in the midst of the conflict? It's there in the spirit. And so we might along. Let us remember. That whatever it may be. Circumstantially. Or in service. The spirit of God completely fills this wonderful assembly. Because it fills. Every heart. And every soul. We don't need human ideas about something. Planning it out. The spirit of God is quite capable. Of looking after the affairs of Christ. In the light of his people. Yet it filled. All the house. Where they were sitting. Not standing as it has been pointed out. Sitting. Just waiting. For this event. And to take place. Moreover it said. There is a fear unto them. Globant arms. Provided the fire. They were given less of the outset. To have some idea. As to what was happening. And the spirit of God. Told them only. I am going to suggest tonight. Not that I think the others are wrong. There may be many things involved in it. The first thing I would like to think about it. In divided tongues. That while the spirit of God had come down. Upon these human beings. Just as we were. At that 120th week. Gathered in that hall. There was a dividing in themselves. Between what was of themselves. And what was the work of God. In each one of their souls. Now which of us tonight. Are not conscious of these two things. In our souls. A desire on the one hand. To please God. And a desire on the other hand. To please ourselves. Or as that is worked out. In the epistle to the Romans. When I would do good. Evil is present with me. And let us thank God. The spirit of God could come down. And could fill us up. Until that we can be sure. We know there was a divine capacity there. Formed in every one of their souls. As born of God. The Lord had told them that on all but one occasion. There they were born of God. And that new nature. Filled by that spirit. There was a dividing you see. Between what the Lord would do with them. Or what sin would have done with them. And that is why. We accept their testimony. In particularly of course. Their apostolic testimony. Knowing that the spirit of God. Could speak through them. In clarity and purity. The very things of our Lord Jesus Christ himself. As he has done. And here are part of it. Let's not record for this evening. That living one thought of these divided tongues. Dividing between flesh and spirit. In their own soul. With the beautiful. The service of God. He said we wanted to pass on. A few practical words about this. And I ask you tonight. To have a little service for the Lord. Till we have achieved that before our minds. Some of us have merely had the idea you know. That if we are waiting for this thing or that thing. Or the other thing. We might be better able to serve the Lord. If here are no things like that. There comes a time when we must realise. If I am guided or anything. For the Lord is all. It must be entirely. The spirit of God. And not merely the product. Of my intellect. However I am curated. Or however other folks may read it. It doesn't deal with my intellect at all. The spirit of God will use the vessel. Providing it is heated up. Into his own hands. There is that dividing. To begin with. And others thought merely. That the effect of the spirit. Was quite out at the time it was made. And we know this was the beginning. It was reached that day. The beginning of the gospels going on. Eventually. To every creature. On the heavens. If Paul told you that. Yes I know Paul told me that alright. But that's where the thing began. In the descent of the spirit of God. Before we close this book of Acts. We find men of all nationalities. And inferior countries. Having been baptised by that spirit. And brought into this wonderful circle. Of the assembly. The glow and tons of fire. Might have had an internal effect. And an external effect. In the use of the spirit of God. Of these vessels. Serving Christ. In this book. And we're still not done with that verse. It's sat sat. Upon each of us. I remember as a young boy. When I was in the age of brother. And our local meeting. I said Mr. James. What does it mean about sat? He said well that's an explanation. I can give you a letter of this. Did you ever read in the end of paper. That the Chancellor sat on the whole sack? I said yes. He said you know what that means yes. That when he sits on the whole sack. The palace of the Lord is over. And he's in complete control. I said he said. And I thought it was a pretty good idea. To explain this. Sat. Upon each of us. And the Chancellor. Took possession of these men. Henceforth. For the service of God. There may be another thought in it. That's the one I like about this. The spirit of God. Taking possession of these men. With the view to them serving Christ. In this world. And Mark you just one more thought again. It sat. Upon each of us. That's why we said a little earlier. Because it fills the heart of each one. Individually. It sat. Upon each of us. Moreover. It said these were all filled this way. Filled again with the Holy Spirit. Each one of them. All that they needed. In the power of the spirit of God. Filled with the Holy Spirit. And soon there came unto evidence. They began to speak with other tongues. And the spirit. Gave them a glance. Some people think this is the. Acme of spiritual. Well. We ought to make the reading of the Bible. A little further. Why put it in here. It was just the precise need of the moment. That's why. But Paul had to tell the Corinthians. At a later date. This they probably heard about it. Perhaps the book of the Acts. As far as I know of that day. But Mary did say about this thing. Well that's the Acme of spiritual gift. Speaking with tongues. Not that the Apostle didn't. It was needed at that day first of all. Because of the conglomeration of people. Around them on every hand. But to speak by the spirit of God. A word of instruction and reassembling. Or enlightenment. Or counter for the same. Far less as the Apostle. Than this speaking with tongues. That was the evidence of that day. Because as we've said you see. The task was about to go out. From these men. As it had been at Cambridge in Oxford. And then about a half a dozen languages. On and on. But the spirit of God was quite capable of using them. Just as they were in that day. With a view to the beginnings. Of this wonderful assembly. As we know comes out. In the succeeding chapters. From this beginning. But now I must say this. I'm always interested in these open verses. Of this chapter. Let us just gather just a little in. Christ was in glory. And God. Filled everyone that was in that company. Glowing tongues of fire. It had come down in a judicial way. Dividing us under I believe them. Between flesh and spirit. And going to use them. In divers way. In the proclamation of the gospel. And there they were. Filled with that spirit. Having every resource they needed. To run with this word. And there the assembly began. With its original endowments. Are you sure of this? The original endowment of the assembly. Is the greatest endowment. The assembly ever will have. And that it is a vessel. In which the Holy Spirit of God. Is dwelling. Many years ago. I heard a brother say you know. The best blessing the greatest blessing. We're ever going to get we've got now. What was that? The gift of the spirit. I doubted it at the beginning. I don't doubt it today. But you know what. There dwelling there is a divine person. The Holy Spirit of God. O that we value this more. And were more exercised about this wonderful person. Dwelling in one soul. That's where you're set with a view to useful in this world. For the service of God. But now we've jumped under a little bit more. The end. Now while we find at the beginning what the spirit formed. Now that the gospel has gone out. And many more have been. And again should raise another question with us. Is that I am the same way. If I am same with the spirit of God. Not a doubt. But the fact is that I am. What is expected of me. What would the spirit have me doing. How do I answer to this thing. And I think we get very simply to walk into this chapter. Just so they could answer to the thing. So in verse 4. Not the original 120. No. They went out of the company to whom the gospel had gone out. And all this other crowd. Were you told 3,000 of them. All this other crowd. That received through them. This spiritual gospel. And have been brought in. To the same system. To the same island. The same building. Living organism. The same church. The same church. And that is the word I should try to speak to. The assembly. And as they brought in. That means they severed their links. With the Jewish nation to whom they belong. We believe these were all Jews and Jewish proselytes. Severed their links with the nation to whom they belong. And they put their attachment to Christ. To whom they belong. Baptism has that twofold thing. The ending of one history. With a view to the opening up of another. In practice. If baptism didn't bring them into the assembly. It brought them into the madness. Company of Christians. As distinct from the Jews. And there were. Seven from the Jews. And a lot from the temple. Either way now in this wonderful system. Baptized. And on the same day were they added on to them. About 3,000 souls. When they were raped. They continued steadfastly. In the apostles company. They kept praying. And pressing on. That was the point. Now that they were in this company. They come under the apostolic picture. And the desire obviously. Of every one of their hearts was. To know more and more. About this wonderful new thing. Into which they had been brought. And had received the Lord Jesus Christ. As they say. Let the courses higher up the chapter. When it reached Christ's length. But brought now into the circle. And apparently the first thing. They stood in the circle. Was spiritual illumination. You remember. How the apostle Paul. Writing to the Ephesians. Was praying for a few things. But the first thing was. That the eyes. The pure heart. Being enlightened. I think we said it was a year last week. That spiritual illumination. Where are we going to get that? Why in the apostles circle? We meet things of God's time. As they say sometimes. Being on the road 40, 50 years. And they don't seem to know any more. About the assembly. Than the day they were converted. Why? Obviously without a brethren. Why they're not coming under the doctrine. And the teaching. That would tell them of these things. I would like to think. Well we do sometimes. Take a spiritual examination. Looking over one's diary at the end of the year. I don't think we're getting any more. I'm afraid I haven't made much progress this year. Doesn't do us any harm. But we'll piece things up a little bit you know. How are we getting on? In the truth of these things. The truth of the assembly. They continue to set us where. In the apostles doctrine. If I want to broaden the knowledge of these things. Then I have to come where they are not. And there's something else we must say. People may say. Listen you think. They can't give the call. I love to the spiritual enlightenment. Moral and epic. Spiritual they are not. Don't let us be deluded by these things. Time is too precious. Truth is too valuable. Let us see to it then. If we do welcome to this assembly. The doctrine of it is there. The function of it. The service of it. Call it what you like. And the truth of it in doctrine is necessary. And I can grow up. And I can persevere. That I think is the word. Persevere. In the apostles doctrine. Why that led them to another thing immediately. And that was fellowship. It was about to do. Why they found these other things. They could not undo. I was not trying to them here. So we might say. Not that one establishes any right. But here it is. The truth of God. The very thing that the apostles had. And they discovered. It was there for them. Doesn't John write in his epistle. A little later today. These things rightly unto you. That ye might have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father. And with his Son. Jesus Christ. There are different elements of the fellowship. But here I take in this one word. Fellowship means. This is realized. That all that was available. In the divine circle. That led them to a co-partnership. A unison together. And an enjoyment together. Of these wonderful things. Just now coming to light. In the fact that they have been converted. Sealed by the spirit. And brought into this wonderful. Christian company. If they were in fellowship about the doctrine. They were certainly in fellowship. In another way. In celebrating. The bond of that fellowship. And in breaking. This wonderful function. Of the assembly. People say we love it. I am certain beloved brethren. We do not. It is only on a day. One meeting a week. Let us make it the breaking of bread. Christ himself ascended. Our hearts going out to him. Not now what we know in doctrine. But how good we can preach the gospel. And upon the time to bring it into this system. Having requested of us. These two in remembrance of me. This wonderful service. That the assembly ever enters. I believe why in this world. Is the remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the breaking. Of the bread. It draws our hearts out to him. As the God who has loved us. And died for us. And could there ever be. A greater expression of this wonderful fellowship. Than the breaking of bread. We might of course have turned on. To passages like. The 10th chapter. Where. As an answer to the sins of God. Coming together to break bread. He writes to them. We. Being many of one bread. One Lord. For we are all partakers of that. One Lord. I must not get into these things. The night time hardly permits. But it has been said. That in a secondary way. The Lord speaks to the saints. I am perfectly sure and carefully regarded. We. Being many of one bread. One Lord. For we are all partakers of that. One Lord. Not the saints. The body of Christ. But the point is. If you do it. And I do it. And we do it in fellowship together. We then become a spiritual unity. One bread. One Lord. The unity then of the fellowship. Expressed in the breading of the bread. For there is of course. But one Lord. In the breaking of bread. And then fourthly on the list. Praise. What does that mean? Why it means exactly where we began the first verse. Do I believe the spirit of God came down from heaven? I certainly do. Do I believe that's because Christ is in heaven? I certainly do. Do I believe that he's headed the body of man? I certainly do. Do I believe he's Lord to every servant of his diet? I certainly do. Don't you see if I believe that. He's the one I'm going to come to. The last for life. And guidance. Why should I come to you? No beloved. We're not to go to each other with this. Prayers you see would express at once. Their knowledge of dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ himself. In heaven and on earth. These people. Many of them. Have probably been used to take their difficulties to the temple. Find a rabbi. There's very seldom at all that the high priest I did. But there's like one of these rabbis. These doctors of the law. That's where they were used to go with their difficulties. No, no. Thank God. Now we don't need to get up and run for our eyes. There's one. Thank God. One master and he's in heaven and earth. And all the difficulties underneath. We bring to himself. I believe the great value of prayer. And on my side. I express my absolute dependence upon him. And on his side. I express my confidence. That he can give me all that I need. To serve him. In this world. Let us hold to these simple things. Living in your saints success or otherwise. In our service for the Lord. In this world. Growing in the doctrine. Coming on in practical fellowship with the saints of God. Who are growing in the doctrine. Remembering our Lord Jesus Christ. And the breaking of this bread. The bond of the fellowship to which we belong. Constantly expressing my dependence upon him. Life and guidance. In every way. To the end that I may be. Functioning here. Serving here. As I ought to do. As one who has been sealed by the spirit of God. And while we've spoken tonight. About the assembly. We've urged very much on another candidate. Of the assembly. One of them. The body. It's the same as that leg. And as a member of that body then. I am going to function right for our Lord. I must keep in ceaseless contact with him. In breaking of bread. And. In praise. I just want a little rundown here. Fear came upon every soul. Many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. I do not doubt that at the assembly. Kept externally. To the character of which it was internally. These things would still be abroad today. According to the incursion. Or that of various men's ideas. Instead of using them. As Paul himself said. We are not ignorant of his devices. Much of the external power of Spanish. Never did the same with the internal power of Spanish. Nor are we worried. The spirit of God is as much in the heart. And the sense of God today. As it has been. And if we don't see much of the external. In the spectacular. And that is why. It would give. Again the attention of people. Never let us think the spirit of God. Has been just the same. In every one of us. Here just a moment. You remember when God was dealing with the material things. In the days of Padilla. Zachariah. Zerubbabel and Joshua. The leaders in that day. Probably the four carpenters of Zachariah. But what went on with that work? The Lord said to them. Now through the prophet. Today was the temple of Solomon. Is it in your eyes or not then? The Lord said you go on with that building. For I am with you says the Lord. Number one. My spirit remaineth among you. Number two. And my word which I commandeth with you in Egypt. Number three. And thank God we still got God with us. We still got the spirit with us. We still got the word with us. And why think that the thing is failing? No. The Lord has made us confident. Because the spectacular events have been withdrawn. It's the failure of the assembly that has come to that. Internally the thing is still going on. As we can go on. In the power of the Holy Spirit of God. All that believe were together. Yet had a lot in common. Here's a practical working of the fellowship. Some of them sold their possessions and goods. The other had them taken from them as a hindrance. Because they were others that don't juggle it. The spoiling of their goods. Some of them got interest and sold them. Sold their goods. Parted to every man as every man had named. And we hear these features about no love amongst the saints of God. No practical love. It isn't right you know. I can only find that from the people that commit themselves so over to the Lord. He's only going to build them. No how it's there all right. It's sure as it was there at the beginning. I'm perfectly sure it's still there. Even to every man. As they had named. And then they continued. Dearly just one moment. I wanted to get this before finishing. Dearly. Just one moment. I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. I want to ask you about the saints of God. I know only Christian. It's the only time the brethren say your. See. These people were there every day. Not in the meeting. Of course we can't be in meetings every day. But they continued. Dearly. Young after that. With one accord. They had to go to the temple. Nowhere else in Ottawa. In the temple. Breaking bread from house to house. That is they were enjoying fellowship at their homes. As well as in the camps together. I suppose they hadn't any other place to come together. But in their home. They had to break bread in the temple. Even though they weren't there in the courts. They conversed together. In their home. Simplicity. Quite content. Shall we use the word. Content with such things as they had. So enjoying the blessing of the Lord. And the result was praise to God. Favorable to all the people. Yes. Favorable to the people. When we go simply on. In the service of the Lord. In this world. Praise to God on the one hand. Testimony to mankind on the other. And yet going on. The Lord. Not the apostles. The Lord added to the church. Healing such as should be seen. Well now. These were the pictures of the assembly. Coming to life nearly 2,000 years ago. At the altar today. Beloved if we are wise we say no. The same power is here. The same Lord is there. The same word is here. And in the light of this that he has brought us. The same functions are going on. And we must then today. Who belong to it. Seek not only light and relation to it. But the rest of answers of that light. And we might be functioning. For the pleasure of the Lord. Now shall we sing number 327. Lord Jesus how do we walk with thee. Oh I fall in love. And crucified and dead with thee. Oh I fall in love. And crucified and dead with thee. Now walk in heavenly love. 327. …