016: Peter King - God Hears the Inaudible and Sees the Invisible

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   Welcome to the Good Christadelphian Talks podcast. I'm Levi. And I'm Chris. Thank you so much for joining us this week. On this podcast, we select one talk a week to help each one of us get the Bible in our daily news feed. We post at the start of each week for you to listen with a short intro beforehand to kind of set the stage for the talk you're about to hear. And now let's hear more about this week's talk. This class is by our brother Peter King from the 1998 Southern California Fraternal.

2. 0:44

   His overall topic was Peter. The title for this class is God Hears the Inaudible and Sees the Invisible. This is a really, really good series of definitely in the Peter King style of going on lots of tangents, but it's all really good. Very easy to listen to and be engaged with. There's a couple of really good points in this class that are going to stick with me.

3. 1:07

   One of them was he said that Jesus knows more about your job than you do. And I liked that, that helping us to remember to keep our hope in Jesus and our relationship with him in all parts of our life. And then the other one, I'm going to go ahead and let you find it. It's around the 43rd and 44th minute, really the last quarter of the class, but he starts there in that 43rd minute and just has some really hard hitting lines that I can't imagine myself saying from a podium, but I do think there are some really good concepts. So here it is. God Hears the Inaudible and Sees the Invisible.

4. 1:41

   I don't do it on purpose, I promise you. But I'm regularly being asked to speak more slowly, change my accent. I was talking to a sister a little while ago in North America and she said, Brother Peter, if you could speak more slowly and if you could change your accent and put some half decent material into your talks, you'd be a reasonable speaker.

5. 2:20

   Well, I'm trying, I promise you I'm trying. I will speak as slowly as I possibly can. I can do nothing about the accent, I'm sorry. It's where I was born. My mum and dad spoke like this. But I'll try not to use English slang words like nipper, which I believe cause some people a problem.

6. 2:44

   It means little when I was little. Well, when I was younger, being not very big anyway. I'll go as slowly as I can, but the problem is, as I get a bit more excited, the acceleration takes over. I don't have a presider with me today who will willingly slow me down and to whom I can talk.

7. 3:06

   He's left me alone. I feel quite naked on the platform without anybody being here with me. So that's a little hint. Maybe he'll be here for the third and fourth talks. We'll see how brave he is. And I'll make up for the fact in one and two he wasn't here. Right. Now, brethren and sisters, I want to, in this session, look how the Apostle Peter was the author of the epistles.

8. 3:34

   Now, you can read all sorts of commentaries and critics, high and low. So, and they say, of course, Peter didn't write all this. You need to throw those books away. If the word of God tells us that Peter was the author, end of story, Peter was the author. But I want to have a look at the fact that Peter was the author.

9. 3:57

   So that even if the word didn't tell us that Peter wrote the epistles, we should know without any hesitation who did. So let's play Sherlock Holmes for a little while. That's an old English detective. And see whether we can, see whether, you really shouldn't have said that. You're going to be, you're going to be caught out ever so often.

10. 4:24

    And see whether we can decide from internal evidence who wrote the epistles. That's what I'm saying. Okay, we open our books then. First epistle of Peter, chapter 2. And I will read verse 21 while you're finding it. This is 1 Peter 2, verse 21. For even hereunto were ye called. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

11. 4:54

    We talked earlier on about great themes in the epistle. The great theme of epistle 1 is suffering. It will come. The word suffering, the word suffering occurs more frequently in the first epistle and second epistles of Peter than in the rest of the word of God put together. There is going to be suffering.

12. 5:16

    I'm telling you there is. And you have to be patient and withstand it. And now he says here, Because Jesus Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. Now if I said to you, brethren and sisters, which apostle do you think may have written that? I know you're going to say Peter now because you've got your books open.

13. 5:41

    But if you'd never heard that expression before. And I said, let's try and think. Who is the author? Who wrote this? And use your imagination if you will please. And see Peter mingling with the crowd when the Lord Jesus Christ is carrying the stake. And he's so exhausted, is the master, that he cannot manage to carry it.

14. 6:10

    I mean if ever you want to go down this road, you might just like to ask yourself, why the Lord Jesus Christ lasted such a short time on the cross? Because the Romans crucified people in the United Kingdom when they were in occupation. And there is a record of a man being nailed to a stake.

15. 6:36

    I've no idea what kind of structure it was in the Middle East. But in the United Kingdom, in England and Scotland, when people were crucified by the Romans, they were crucified on a stake, a single piece of wood. With no crossbar.

16. 6:55

    So I assume that that's what they used in the day of Jesus. We cannot be sure. But whatever it was, he couldn't manage it. That there is a word used by Mark, which is used again in the account of the crucifixion of Jesus. And the word is only used twice. The first time it's used, I'll come to in a moment, the second time it is used is when they bring Jesus to Golgotha.

17. 7:31

    It says, and so they bring him to Golgotha. You know that. The same word is used once more only in the word of God. When it speaks of the four friends of the paralytic, who bring him to Jesus. You remember the occasion when they broke up the tiling and lowered him down. And it says in Mark, so they bring him to Jesus.

18. 7:54

    Something was done for the paralytic man that he could not do for himself. And so they bring him to Golgotha. And you can just imagine if you have half an ounce of wit. A Roman soldier on one side with his hand under the armpit of the Lord Jesus Christ. And another one on the other side.

19. 8:12

    And they bring him to Golgotha. And on his shoulder is this great cross. How long do you think it was, brethren? What was the diameter of it? What did it weigh? Did you ponder this?

20. 8:31

    And the back end is dragging on the floor. And the Romans bring him to Golgotha. But even so they cannot manage it. So the centurion looks round. And because a black man sticks out from the white crowd, he says, you'll do. Pick up the end and help him. And Simon the Cyrenian picks up the end of the cross.

21. 8:53

    And follows Jesus. And Peter's watching this. Peter's heard it. And he can see it. And he can see Simon the Cyrenian following in the steps of the Lord Jesus Christ. Carrying a cross, a stake, which he couldn't manage by himself. I mean, if you want to go down to the end of this road, you might like to ask yourself what happened to Simon the Cyrenian.

22. 9:14

    And I think there's good biblical evidence that he was converted. And his children became faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. But for now we see Simon following in the footsteps of Jesus. And Peter says that's how we should be. We should follow because Jesus left us an example. That we should follow in his footsteps.

23. 9:35

    Will you hear this, brethren and sisters? The man at the front of the cross dictates the route. The man at the back holding the end of the cross or the stake has of necessity to go where the man at the front is leading. And Peter says we must follow in his steps. And he will take us unerringly to a place of crucifixion.

24. 10:07

    Where, like he, we must put to death by nailing everything that offends. That's the only reason why we follow in the footsteps of Jesus. That we might put to death everything that offends the perfection of our Father. chapter 4, verse 7. Now if we didn't understand immediately what the Apostle is talking about here, I for one would be very disappointed.

25. 10:43

    But the end of all... Chapter 4 of the first Peter and verse 7. But the end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer. Now why do you think he wrote that? What has he got in mind when he writes that? Well it's obvious. I mean, it jumps off the page.

26. 11:01

    Even if a half-wit like me can see that without a second thought. Obvious, isn't it? But just to underline it, let's have a look at the event. And it's in the 22nd chapter of the Gospel of Luke. It really is worth pondering, is this.

27. 11:25

    While you're finding it, let me remind you what Peter said. The end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer. Luke chapter 22 and verse 42. I think we can start. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly.

28. 11:46

    And his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow. And he said unto them, Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. When the Lord Jesus Christ needed an arm around his shoulders, his disciples were snoring their head off.

29. 12:13

    The end of all things was at hand for the Lord Jesus Christ. He'd come to the end of the road, literally. And his disciples, who you thought might have had the wit to put their arm around him and tell him how much they loved him, were all asleep. And Peter said, Don't let that happen to you, will you?

30. 12:37

    I mean, the end of all things is near, you know. In that day they were waiting for the master to come to the end of his mortal ministration. Now we are waiting for him to introduce his immortal administration. Peter said, I was asleep and I should have been praying. Don't go to sleep, will you?

31. 13:02

    Have you noticed that strange expression of the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke chapter 22 and verse 46? Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. I would have thought somebody who was asleep was outside temptation. It's about one of the only few times in my life when the tempter isn't leaning on my shoulder.

32. 13:21

    When I'm tucked up in bed and I'm fast asleep, I'm free from temptation. The only time I am. I won't speak for you, you have to live better lives than I do, but I look forward to going to sleep. At least it's a few hours when I'm not being tempted. Why should Jesus say it then?

33. 13:43

    Don't go to sleep, you'll enter into temptation. He's not talking about normal sleep, is he? He's talking about being wide awake, brethren and sisters. We're going to hear Peter shortly ask us to perform a spring clean of our minds. Get up and do something about your life. Don't go to sleep. Don't doze off.

34. 14:03

    I'm not talking about dozing off while I'm talking. That's easy to do. Most people do it. So I can well understand. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about our way of life. I'm talking about our worship. I'm talking about our service of the King. We're either asleep or we're awake. And if we're sleeping, we're not praying.

35. 14:30

    And if we're awake, we should be. Our first epistle of Peter, chapter 5, back to the epistle now, and verse 2. Remember what we're trying to do. We're trying to show that Peter is calling on his days with the Lord Jesus Christ. Feed the flock of God which is among you. This is chapter 5, verse 2.

36. 14:53

    Taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly. Not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being in samples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Feed the flock of God which is among you.

37. 15:18

    What incident in the life of Peter, when he was with Jesus for three years, triggered this thought? Well, it's when Jesus said to him, do you love me? And Simon says yes, and it's repeated three times with a different word. You know that. And Jesus says, feed my sheep, feed my lambs, feed my sheep.

38. 15:43

    And here Peter is exhorting the elders. He said, you can almost hear him say it. I'm not going to be with you much longer. Will you take care of the oversight of the flock of God? It's a lovely word. Neither as being lords over God's heritage. The word is kleros, brethren and sisters.

39. 16:05

    In the established church outside this house, you have the clergy up here and the laity down here. Well, Peter says that's wrong. There isn't a gap between the hierarchy and the common members. Because they're all one. You're all clergy. You're all kleros. You're all God's heritage. Everyone. And one isn't better or more important than the other.

40. 16:34

    So see you, you serve the flock of God. As I was instructed, Peter is saying, so I'm telling you to care for the things of God. And in these days, of course, the elders of the ecclesias were rewarded financially. There's good evidence of that in many of the epistles. That they did it for a job.

41. 16:59

    And Peter says to them, don't do it just for the money, will you? Do it willingly, not by constraint. I have no experience of North American ecclesiasties, brethren and sisters. But the time is now in England when we're looking for ecclesial offices. Two or three weeks ago. Somebody has to be recording brother.

42. 17:26

    Somebody has to assist him. Somebody has to handle the loot. Sorry. Somebody has to be a financial brother. Then you've got the presiders. They all have to be voted in. My experience is in the smaller ecclesias, it's done a little more efficiently. But in bigger ecclesias, you have to twist people's arm up their back to serve.

43. 17:49

    Go on, please go on the board. Oh, I'm not sure I should, you know. Please, I beg you. We need you. We need your experience. You'll do a good job. Oh, I'm not sure about that. Persuade me a bit more. Go on, please. I mean, that's not our ecclesiasties, is it? I mean, that's not us, is it?

44. 18:10

    We're queuing up to put our name on the list, eh, brethren and sisters? Well, can't wait to say to the recording brother, if you need me, I'm your man. I'm not trying to push myself. Please, please understand that. But if you need any work done, look to me, will you please? Whatever it is.

45. 18:28

    You want the lawn cut? I'll do it. I'm going to preside for Sunday. If you're still stuck, tell me and I'll do it with pleasure. Not by constraint, you see. Shouldn't have to be persuaded. You don't want your arm up your back, brethren. You want to do it because you're serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

46. 18:47

    And you do it willingly. That's what Peter's saying. Don't do it for money these days. Although, sometimes we do. Where's the presiding? May I just... There is an ecclesia which I know, which isn't a million miles away from here. It's not in North America. And the ecclesia didn't have an organist. And so they...

47. 19:10

    This is absolutely true. I promise you this is true. The ecclesia didn't have an organist. And so they found a man who could play the organ well. And they said to him, if we pay you, will you come and play for our ecclesial services? We shall need you every Sunday morning and every Sunday evening and on Wednesdays.

48. 19:30

    And he said, yes, he would. And they agreed to pay him. But he enjoyed the services so much that he was converted and was baptized. Still played the organ, but they didn't pay him.

49. 19:43

    I felt a bit sorry for the guy. Not for filthy lucre. That's what they quoted, I think. But of a ready mind and ready hands. So don't lord it over God's kleros, brethren. Those in positions of authority in the ecclesia have to read this. Don't lord it over God's heritage. Because we're all the same.

50. 20:11

    And if only we could learn the lesson of verse 5 of chapter 5. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another. And be clothed with humility. For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble. It's Jesus again, isn't it? The man who could have exalted himself is glad to wear a towel and wash the feet of somebody like Judas is carried.

51. 20:43

    It begins service to the Lord Jesus Christ, brethren and sisters. Always, there's never any departure from this divine prescription. Always starts with humility. And ends with exaltation. It doesn't matter who you are. Whether you're Peter or Paul or the Lord Jesus Christ. Always begins with humility. And that's the difficult thing to measure, you know.

52. 21:13

    I suggest to you that humility is the most difficult thing to practice. You can practice all sorts of other things. You can say, as I might, I'm not a very patient person. But when I kneel down by my bed in the morning, I say to the Lord, please help me to be more patient today.

53. 21:34

    And for my part, I'll try as well. And at the end of the day, you can kneel down again by your bed and assess the day's work or your day's worship. And you say, well, to some extent, I didn't succeed very well. But to a little extent, yes, I was more patient than I might have been if I hadn't made the request at the beginning of the day.

54. 21:56

    Now, you try doing that with humility. Oh, different story altogether. Please, Lord, help me to be humble. At the end of the day, you kneel down and say, I made it. I was humble all right today. My word. I don't know anybody more humble than me.

55. 22:14

    But nevertheless, it's a tray that has to be practiced and considered and pondered and thought about. And the apostle says, be humble. And if you want something against which to stand it, to see how you're getting on with your humility, would you like that? The apostle gives it to us. He says, how are you serving other people?

56. 22:39

    Are you going out of your way to serve? Are you going out of your way to see what you can do for somebody else, considering that they are more important in the eyes of the Lord and of the Father than you are? Is that what you're doing? Every day. Not just on Sundays.

57. 22:56

    You ponder every day how you might serve. Little things. Washing people's feet or the equivalent in today's world. Because if you're not, maybe humility is a little more elusive than we originally thought. We are servants, brethren and sisters. And you can just imagine. You see, this is a bit off the subject, but I really do want to go down this road.

58. 23:26

    I'll just only be there for a second. I think when the Lord Jesus Christ was here, the disciples were convinced that the kingdom was going to be established very quickly. I think if we had time to go down this road properly, there's good Bible evidence for the fact that Jesus almost gave the impression that the kingdom was coming quickly.

59. 23:49

    So that when they had the feast, which is called the Passover, which wasn't the Jewish Passover, when they had the feast at which Jesus was president and he gave out bread and wine, the reason why Peter didn't gird himself with a towel and kneel down and wash everybody's feet, is that he was convinced that the kingdom was coming soon and he wanted to be found in a good light.

60. 24:15

    But if I'm kneeling down and washing somebody's feet and the kingdom is established, well, I might be doing that in the kingdom. And that isn't the position I want. I want something a bit more elevated than that. And I'm certain that that was the thinking behind their mind. Because in the very next verses you read, they were discussing with themselves who should be the greatest in the kingdom.

61. 24:43

    And that's why Peter didn't put the towel on. When the kingdom is established, I want to be found sitting next to the Lord, leaning on his breast and discussing important spiritual things, not washing somebody's feet. And so it was left to the Lord to do it. And there is the example. The second most important person in the whole of the world, every galaxy included, and he kneeled down and washed the feet of his disciples.

62. 25:15

    Now that is humility. The second epistle of Peter then, and now chapter 3, and verse 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? You know, conversation doesn't mean verbals, it means way of life. What manner of persons ought ye to be?

63. 25:53

    Now what is Peter thinking about here? What triggered this thought in his mind? Well, it's when he was on the lake with the Lord Jesus Christ. And the boat was bobbing around like some demented thing. And then they wake him up. That's how tired Jesus was. If you were tired, brethren and sisters, and you're asleep in the back of a little boat, and there's a violent storm ensuing, I shouldn't think you'd stay asleep for very long.

64. 26:28

    But the Lord did. So much so that they had to shake him and say, Lord, carest thou not that we perish? And he wakes up and you can almost see him, oh, wherefore did you? How could it go under with me on board? It couldn't. But for their sake, he rebukes the wind and the waves, and there's a great quiet.

65. 26:48

    And they say, whoa, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and waves obey him? And Peter says, what manner of persons ought ye to be? In the whole of your way of life. It literally means, what is your country? Where have you come from? And what's your ambition?

66. 27:16

    So suffering, brethren and sisters, there's going to be, and there's going to be plenty of it. And Peter is warning them. Chapter 2 of the first epistle, please. Verse 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. Whether it be to the king as supreme or unto governors, as unto them that are set by him.

67. 27:39

    Submit. Fancy exhorting them to submit to a lunatic like Nero. Submit. Submit, says Peter. God knows who's in charge. In all suffering, brethren and sisters, this is very practical. In all suffering, the most difficult thing is prayer. I'm not talking about suffering when somebody takes your children away, or your grandchildren, or your wife.

68. 28:12

    That's bad enough. But there are other ways to suffer, apart from physical suffering. How about financial suffering? How about suffering a marriage when one partner is manifestly unfaithful?

69. 28:36

    How about suffering when employment seems impossible to obtain? And when you're at your wits' end, because you cannot provide for your own, and you've heard the Apostle say that he that can't is worse than an infidel. There's all sorts of suffering. And the difficult thing is, believe me, the difficult thing is to pray when suffering's upon you.

70. 29:00

    Now what we have to learn, what we should be teaching our young people at the top of our voices, is open a root to God while the days are good. Get a prayer line going in the good days. Don't wait for the bad days to come. You are doomed.

71. 29:20

    See, Joseph didn't wait until year six before he said to Pharaoh, I've got a good idea. He was out at it straight away. Don't hang about. Get something done. Don't put off what should be done. I recall Abraham who was told by God to enter into a covenant.

72. 29:45

    And the covenant was that of circumcision. Do you know how many servants he had? In excess of 300. And God said to him, circumcise all that is in your household, whether they've been born there, or whether they have been bought for money. Circumcise every male among you. Oh, just hear this. And Abraham did so the self-same day.

73. 30:12

    Now, I cannot speak for your ecclesia, but if it had been mine, there would have been all sorts of committee meetings to decide who was going to do it, when it was going to be done, the right circumstances. And Abraham did it the self-same day, there. And that's the thing that pleases God.

74. 30:30

    Come on, brethren and sisters, if you know something ought to be done, get it done. And prayer is one of the things so that in the time of hard, in hard times, the route is open, and we need only ask for help. When you're up against it, in suffering, or in finance, or in marriage, or in employment, or anything else, the difficult thing is to get down on your knees and pray about it.

75. 31:04

    You'll find words won't come. Believe me, words won't come. And the more serious the situation, the more difficult it is to find the words. So then, what we should be teaching is get a prayer route opened in the good times so that in the bad times you need only say, God help me, please.

76. 31:26

    God help me through Jesus Christ. And assistance, and assistance is there. The foreknowledge of God is something also that jumps off the page when Peter writes chapter one of the first epistle and verse two. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

77. 31:53

    Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. You see, the truth is the Father knew us before our birth. That's the staggering thing. Ever before we were born, the Father knew us and knew what was planned for us. This is something to which we don't really give enough attention, I suggest to you. I was thinking the other night about Luke chapter five.

78. 32:24

    You remember? Don't go there. Luke chapter five, where Peter is on the lake and he's heard the Lord Jesus Christ preach. and he sends the crowds away and then says to the disciples, launch out into the deep for a draft of fishes. And you can almost hear Peter say, no Lord. If we do that, it's going to damage your reputation because that's the way it happens.

79. 32:51

    There's somebody you love, somebody who's very good at a job and they go off at a tangent and get something wrong in another area. It damages their whole reputation and Peter didn't want that to happen to the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, you're the world's best preacher but you're the world's worst fisherman.

80. 33:05

    Let me tell you this, we've been fishing all night in the dark and caught nothing. You're telling us to go out into the shallows in daylight and catch something. Won't be there. Then to his eternal credit, he says, nevertheless, at thy command I will do it and that's why we love him. It proves that the Lord Jesus Christ, brethren, knows more about your job than you do.

81. 33:34

    Clever are you? Good degree? Doing complicated work? You're a non-starter compared with what the Lord Jesus Christ knows about it. And if you question the validity of what I'm saying, read hard the formative verses in Luke chapter 5. But because he knew us from before our birth, this demands three things from us, as Peter says, in verse 2, sanctification, obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus.

82. 34:08

    Strange expression. Sanctification means to be set apart. Because God knows you and you know him and you profess to be his children, you must be set apart. Set apart from the world and set apart for God. and the other thing is obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. We really must learn to take Jesus at his word.

83. 34:34

    Believe him and obey him. And sprinkling of the blood of Jesus. You know, under the Levitical law, anything that was sprinkled with blood was holy and was called to worship. It meant a lot to the Jews to be sprinkled with blood. And Peter says, you've been sprinkled with the blood of Jesus. And because you've been sprinkled with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, figuratively speaking, not literally, because you've been sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, you have become holy, special, called aside to worship.

84. 35:13

    Another great theme in the first epistle of Peter, especially, is that of things which are visible and invisible. And Peter is at pains to tell us that this is the principle. Corruptible things are visible and they are going. Invisible things are permanent and they are lasting. First epistle of Peter, chapter 1 and verse 7.

85. 35:39

    That the trial of your faith being much more precious than that of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen yet ye love, in whom though now you see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

86. 35:59

    Gold is visible. There is nothing more valuable in the world than gold. And it's going. Peter says that pile of gold eventually is going. It's going for two reasons. One, because you can see it and eventually it will go. And secondly, it's going because it can't purchase your salvation. But the blood of Jesus Christ, which you cannot see, will do it for you.

87. 36:26

    Fire will consume gold, but fire will refine faith. And that's what Peter is saying. Gold you can see, the world prizes it. But Jesus you have not seen, but you will rejoice in his presence. So because of this is a call to holiness. Verse 13. Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that he's brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

88. 36:54

    As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, but he which has called you, but as he which has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. And then to support that, he says in verse 16, because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy.

89. 37:16

    Now, that's a lovely quotation, be ye holy for I am holy. And if you trace back where it came from, and it's always a good thing to do that, you'll find it is taken from Leviticus chapter 11. Now don't go there because we don't have time. But if you look at Leviticus chapter 11, you'll find the whole chapter is devoted to that which is clean and acceptable, and that which is unclean and not acceptable.

90. 37:41

    That which is clean and which can be eaten, and that which is unclean and which cannot be eaten. That which is clean and can be used for worship, and that which is unclean and is unacceptable in worship. The whole chapter. Be ye holy for I am holy. Now, it seems that Peter shot himself in the foot because talking about clean and unclean things, has he forgotten Acts chapter 10 and the sheet where God said to him, don't call anything, don't call anything unclean.

91. 38:10

    You remember the great sheet that was let down by the corners on three occasions with all unclean beasts peeping over the edge of the sheet?

92. 38:19

    And Peter says, I'm not going to eat any of that Lord, although the Lord said, arise Peter, kill and eat. He said, I can't, I've never eaten anything that's unclean in my whole life. And now he's quoting that very scripture. It seems as though he's made a mistake but he hasn't, brethren and sisters.

93. 38:33

    He's elevating the scripture to show us that nothing, nothing, Gentiles included, are unclean in the sight of God. All, every sin, every sin is forgivable by that of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and the reason why that isn't forgivable is because the person who is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit wouldn't care whether it was forgiven or not and so therefore it isn't.

94. 38:57

    But every other one is nothing is unclean in the sight of our God. Every sin forgivable and made holy. Israel, you see, brethren and sisters, left the visible things in Egypt for something which they hadn't seen. God said, I want you to leave Egypt and I want you to come to your inheritance.

95. 39:24

    But I'm sure the Father is very patient with his people. He didn't bring them out of Egypt and say, great, that's lovely, now it's about two and a half months hard march up to the land. Right? You come out of Egypt, head straight on up to the land of Canaan and that's your possession.

96. 39:46

    He doesn't work like that. God doesn't work like that in our lives. Watch how the Father prepares them. First of all, there's hard manual work.

97. 39:57

    Now, if you'd given the Israelite leaders, barring Moses and Aaron, a list and say, what's the preparation for the journey? They would have said, plenty of rest, get plenty of rest before you start on this hazardous journey across the wilderness. That's not God's way. The way God prepared them is to make them work twice as hard as they did in the first place.

98. 40:18

    Not only do they have to make their own bricks and the tail shall not diminish, but they have to get their own straw and stubble as well with which to bind them together and insulate them.

99. 40:29

    And so already they're being prepared. And God says, I'll make you strong. That's the way I'll do it. And I don't expect you to suddenly develop faith overnight. You don't go to bed faithless and wake up faithfully. Would God you could, you can't. And so just watch these plagues wrought out on Egypt and all ten of them destroy the land.

100. 40:50

     And God brings them into the wilderness and says, now, watch the water part. And they say, it's very hot and I'll put a cloud canopy for you. We don't know which way to go. The light will lead you. It's baking hot. I'll make it rain on you. And the psalm says, it did.

101. 41:06

     We're starving. I'll give you bread. We love meat. I'll give you quails. We've no water. Watch the water come out of the rock. Do you see how God's teaching them and leading them? And then he says, now you've seen all that go into the land. And they say no. And they could not enter in because of unbelief.

102. 41:25

     Now that's the way the Father's treating us, brethren and sisters. In our lives, we have ample demonstration of God making our faith to grow. It should be growing. We ask ourselves, is it? And walk to the kingdom demands self-discipline. First epistle of Peter and chapter 2 tells us all about that. Verse 11.

103. 41:49

     Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts. Having your conversation, your way of life, honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil do as they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. It's hard, but you must do it.

104. 42:06

     You must submit to every ordinance of man. You don't want to pay taxes. I know that. Do you fudge your way around so that you pay as little as possible? Or do you submit unto every ordinance of man because you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ? And Jesus was obedient even before evil men.

105. 42:28

     And finally, brethren and sisters, we come to chapter 3 of the first epistle. And we read some strange words. He's talking to wives particularly for the moment, be in subjection to your own husbands so that if they're not believers, they'll see your way of life and they might be converted. Now then, sisters, verse 3, whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of the plaiting of the hair and wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel.

106. 43:02

     Let it be the hidden man of the heart. You see, we're back to visible things and invisible again. I can't, I can't see what sort of heart you've got, sisters. Cannot tell what sort of lives you're living. I can see how pretty you look. And therein could lie a problem. And you must ask yourself this.

107. 43:23

     Before which, sisters, particularly for the moment, brethren, we'll come under the microscope in a moment, but sisters for the moment, honestly, really and truly, before which do you spend the most time? The mirror or the word of God?

108. 43:43

     Fair's fair, be honest. How much time do you spend looking in the mirror and then how much time do you spend looking into the word? Do you see where I'm coming from? Visible and invisible things. You look in the mirror and you put your lipstick on or brush your hair or make yourself look beautiful.

109. 44:02

     Don't get me wrong. Oh, please, don't misunderstand me. I'm not here to say we want you to attend the meetings, please, sisters, as though you've been pulled through a hedge backwards. No, we don't want that. We like to see you looking pretty. We think you look gorgeous. We like to see beautiful sisters in our midst.

110. 44:21

     We really do. But not at the expense of that which goes on inside, you see. Visible and invisible things. And we hear these sisters, deadly serious. You look beautiful today, but if the master remains away in some year's time, those lovely faces which you have are going to be creased. that lovely hair which you have is going to change colour.

111. 44:49

     That lovely figure which you have will sag. I'm sorry, but it's absolutely true. And the world says, I must stop it. At all costs, I must stop the process of ageing. Just before I came out here, I did a little research. I went into a pharmaceutical company called Boots. You might see them.

112. 45:10

     You see them out here, Brother Bob, Boots of Nottingham, England. Big pharmaceutical company. They're ever so kind to you. If you go in with... Excuse me, one moment please. I haven't got a programme. Do I stop it in about five minutes? He says, five minutes is okay. I love that sort of presider.

113. 45:31

     Tells me five minutes and I hold up ten. Now, I have many faults. Going over time doesn't happen to be one of them. So let's get this out of the way quickly. If you go into one of these pharmaceutical places, a chemist shop, and you have a clipboard, they're generally very kind to you and will answer your question.

114. 45:49

     You say, I'm just doing a little research for a Bible talk, which I have to do at wherever it is, and I just wonder if you could help me please. You're not going to have to buy anything. You're just helping me personally. It's a good way to start, doesn't it ever such a lot, it's a good way to start a Bible conversation.

115. 46:05

     And they say, go on then, I don't have long, but how can I help you? And you say, well, I just want to know what item brings in the most revenue for your shop. That is to say, is it a prescription medicine where your doctor gives you a prescription, you cash it because they won't sell you the stuff over the counter, or is it hair shampoo or hair colorant or is it nice smelling stuff?

116. 46:32

     smelling stuff? You know, what brings you the most? And this girl said to me, three years ago, just three years ago, it would have been prescription medicine. Now it isn't. It's anything that will delay the process of aging. Whether it's creams or lotions or potions or pills or whatever it is, people are popping them and eating them.

117. 46:58

     It must delay the aging process at all costs. And I said, oh, that's the ladies we're talking about, is it? She said, oh no. Oh no. This applies to the men just as much. So there you are, brethren. So when we talk about the ladies changing the color of their hair, we might point the finger at ourselves as well and say, which is the most important to us?

118. 47:25

     How we look to other people or how we look to the Lord Jesus Christ and his Father? Which is most important? How you appear to me or how you appear to him? Before which do you spend the most time? The mirror or the word of God? Because the mirror will change you. It will delay the course of aging for a while but it won't stop it.

119. 47:45

     And the older you get, the worse you become. The less attractive, oh that needs qualification, the less attractive you become. The sisters who are 80 years old, you're a bit different from what you were when you were 15, eh? They'll tell you that, they'll tell you that. I'm not making it up, it's true.

120. 48:08

     But how about the things of God? How did you look to God, sisters, when you were 15 compared with how you look to him now when you're 80? Do you see what's happened? The world cannot stop you aging, you will deteriorate. but you become more beautiful to God. Visible and invisible things, and Peter shouting it from the housetop.

121. 48:34

     And then he says, I just want to underline this with one point. I want to show you how God not only sees the invisible, but he also hears the inaudible. I've nearly finished, and I'll close in my book. Peter says, as Sarah was obedient to Abraham, calling him Lord. Now, there you are.

122. 49:04

     Here's a question for you. Where in the scripture did Sarah call Abraham Lord? Where did she say to him, good morning my Lord, or how are you my Lord, or what do you want for breakfast my Lord? And the answer is she didn't. You can't show me a scripture where Sarah called Abraham Lord, but Peter says she did.

123. 49:27

     And the answer is, brethren, oh, this is staggering. The answer is that God heard it, although she didn't say it. The angel comes and says to Abraham, your wife will have a child at the set time of the year. And Abraham laughs. This is a question for Bible class. How come Abraham isn't criticised for laughing and Sarah is?

124. 49:51

     Abraham laughs and says, shall a child be born to her that's old? And Sarah standing outside the tent wall, which must be pretty thin, heard this dialogue. And she laughs and she says, in her heart, shall Abraham, my Lord, bear, and I bear a child? God, it wasn't mentioned, but God heard it.

125. 50:15

     You see, what we have to watch, brethren and sisters, God hears the inaudible, he hears what we are thinking, and he sees what is invisible. And because of that, Sarah was rebuked. But there's an upside to it, isn't there? Because we struggle with our prayers, but the Father can hear what we want to say.

126. 50:37

     and hearing what we want to say through the Lord Jesus Christ, he's glad to hear our prayers and help in time of need. Amen.

127. 50:55

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128. 51:17

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129. 51:37

     Thank you for listening. God bless, and talk to you next week.