Class 2 from this series was used in GCT Episode 321.
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John chapter 1 verses one
through 17.
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John chapter 1 verses one
through 17.
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In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and
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the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning
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with God.
All things were made by him and
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without him was not.
Anything made that was made.
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In Him was light, and the light
was the light of men, and the
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light shineth in darkness, and
the darkness compreted it not.
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There was a man sent from God,
whose name was John.
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The same came for a witness to
bear witness of the Light, that
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all men through him might
believe.
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He was not the Light, but was
sent to bear witness of that
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light.
That was the true light, which
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lighteth every man that cometh
into the world.
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He was in the world, and the
world was made by Him, and the
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world knew Him not.
He came unto His own, and He its
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own received Him not, but as
many as received Him to them
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gave He power to become the sons
of God, even to them that
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believe on His name, which were
born not of blood, nor of the
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will of flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God.
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And the Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us, and we beheld
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His glory.
The glory is of the only
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begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth.
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John bear witness of him, and
cried, saying, This was he of
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whom I spake, He that cometh
after me is preferred before me,
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for He was before me, and of his
fullness have all we received.
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And grace for grace for the law
was given by Moses, but grace
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and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Thank you, Brother Tom.
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We will have four classes, God
willing, this afternoon.
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There will be a break in between
each one and during the break
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you may go up to the room to
your right, out the doors and
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there will be refreshments
there.
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There’ll be soft drinks, coffee
and tea and snacks so that you
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can enjoy those in between the
classes.
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Some of the rules of the
Arboretum is that no children
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under 18 are allowed to roam
around without supervision.
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Well, if your work, they’ve just
gone out well supervised, so we
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don’t have to worry about that.
Be sure if you have a child
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that’s young that they can’t
roam around the grounds on their
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own.
We’re thankful to be able to
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rent such a nice place, and
we’re glad for the beauty of of
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this spot to enjoy God’s
handiwork in nature as we enjoy
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His.
Word.
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Which is able to make us wise to
salvation.
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And so class #1 the subtitle is
The Word Made Flesh, the unique
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example of Christ, Brother
Palmer.
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Thank you, Brother Bob, and
thank you to the committee for
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the invitation and thank you all
for being here.
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From my perspective, I’m very
pleased to be here.
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It’s a beautiful day.
It’s a beautiful hall, but if I
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was you, I would be most
suspicious of the sanity of
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anybody who agrees to come from
Wales to Los Angeles for just
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two days.
You can put that down to two
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things.
One is the persuasive power of
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Uncle Bob, who it is impossible
to say no to.
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And secondly, we have a postal
strike back home and I had to
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deliver a letter from my young
brother in South Wales to a
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young sister in California.
But our subject to brethren,
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sisters and young people is to
look at the Word of God in our
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lives.
It’s about living and
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appreciation of the truth.
We know California back home as
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the place where trends start in
the world in general.
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And we’re grateful in fact to
the experience of the ecclesias
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in California for the example of
the seminar series.
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It was learning about the
seminar series and it’s success
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in California that led to its
take up in the United Kingdom
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last year.
And in fact, in Cardiff, we’ve
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started on the second round of
of seminars having heard Brother
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Tom Graham’s account of the
success in in the Los Angeles
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area.
So a good trend has started and
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wouldn’t it be wonderful if we
could start another trend of
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living and appreciation of the
truth because we need the same
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things Brans sisters the world
over.
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By chance, the day before
yesterday I was listening to the
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tapes of the class brother Harry
gave last year.
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Matthew came home and he had
them in the car and so I
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listened to them coming up to
the airport.
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And everything that Brother
Harry said last year is
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absolutely applicable to my own
ecclesia and to my own ecclesial
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area.
And we all need the same
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strength and encouragement to
live our lives in the right way
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so that when the Lord Jesus
Christ comes, and he will come
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soon, we assure there will be a
people prepared to enter into
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the Kingdom.
But there is a problem, and
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that’s the gap between what we
know we ought to do and what we
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do.
There’s a a difference between
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our intellectual understanding
and the way we live our lives.
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We are sometimes, too often, two
people.
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And in a way, it doesn’t matter
how many times I’m told what I
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ought to be like, it doesn’t
make me like I ought to be.
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In fact, human perversity is
such that there is a danger that
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the more you tell me not to do
something, the more I want to do
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it.
So somehow we have to get some
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power to change.
And the change that’s required
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is not an external change so
much.
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It’s not like we have to become
good actors that we canmore
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often put on the right front,
the right face, especially when
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we’re with our Bren sisters.
That’s not what it’s about.
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We have to be changed from
within.
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That’s the point.
We have to become what we ought
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to be like.
It’s not a matter of practising
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to conform externally, but we
have to change those feelings
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and those thoughts which lead us
to live in certain ways.
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And what we want to do in our
studies today is to try to tap
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some of the power that has been
given to us to change our lives.
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It’s not a mystical power, it’s
a very fundamental understanding
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we have.
That faith, which is what we
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need comes by hearing and
hearing by the Word of God.
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So what we need, brethren,
sisters, is faith, and we’re
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only going to get it in one
place, and that’s the Word of
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God.
And if we neglect the Word of
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God, we will not have the power
that we need to change our
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lives.
But if we apply ourselves to the
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Word of God, there will be power
and we will be changed because
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it is the work of the Father
that changed us into the image
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of His Son.
In the Lord Jesus Christ.
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We have the only one in whose
life there was no gap between
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the Word and the way He lived.
The two things were identical.
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He was the Word made flesh.
It was the mind of God living in
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a human frame.
He is the perfect example.
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And it is through that example
that we will get our
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inspiration.
Now, in each of the sessions,
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we’d like to do some study
together, not just exultational
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points, but actually some
expositional study so that we
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can understand some of the ways
in which the scriptures change
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the way we think.
And I hope we’ll all be prepared
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to have a go at following some
of these points.
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I’m standing in the way of some
people I know, and I’m sorry.
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You can move if you want.
I can’t.
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We want to look in John chapter
1 and compare John chapter one
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with the passage in Exodus
chapters 33 and 34, which speaks
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to us of the divine name that
was declared to Moses on Mount
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Sinai.
And what we find so often is
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that the New Testament
Scriptures, in giving us an
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understanding of the truth, call
upon the revealed word in the
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Old Testament Scriptures.
And we really need to pay
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attention to these echoes
because they are the basis of
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changing our thought patterns.
It is by addressing these
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issues, concentrating the mind
on the very words of Scripture
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and listening to what they say
and following the path they lead
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that our own thinking is going
to be shaped by God rather than
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by the the media and society
around us.
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Oh, what we want to notice in
John chapter one, verse 14.
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But John says, And the Word was
made flesh and dwelt among us,
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and we beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of
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the Father, full of grace and
truth.
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Just look at that expression at
the end of verse 14, full of
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grace and truth.
What we find is that that is a
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quotation from Exodus chapter 34
and verse 6.
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Exodus chapter 34 and verse 6.
And this is the passage where
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Moses is on the mounties in the
cleft of a rock, and the glory
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of Yahweh has passed before him.
And he’s been allowed to see the
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the glory of the hinder part of
the Angel.
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As the Angel moves away and he
hears the voice proclaiming the
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name of Yahweh.
And verse 6 says of chapter 34
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and the Lord passed by before
him and proclaimed this is what
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the name proclaimed was Yahweh,
Yahweh ail in other words, he
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who will be the power here’s the
power of God revealed, merciful
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and gracious, long-suffering and
abundant in goodness and truth.
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At the end of verse 6 you see
abundant in goodness, in truth.
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And if you just compare these
two expressions in John, one
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full of grace and truth, and in
Exodus 34 verse 6, abundant in
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goodness and truth, you can see
there’s a parallel in the the
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form of the phrase.
And if you check the
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understanding of the words that
are used, you can see there is
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an equivalence.
Yahweh hail was abundant in
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goodness and truth, and it’s in
the context of the glory of God.
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Just go back to Exodus chapter
33 and this is a beautiful
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section of scripture where Moses
in verse 11 is having a
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conversation with the Angel of
God who bore the Yahweh name.
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He’s called the Lord.
And verse 11 it says, And the
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Lord spake unto Moses face to
face, as a man speaketh unto his
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friend.
That was a staggering thought,
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that Moses could speak to God as
a man speaks to his friend.
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As friends we get to know each
other.
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That’s the beauty of friendship.
We become closer as time goes
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by, and the more we know about
each other, the closer we get.
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It’s the basis of friendship in
sharing our ultimately with a
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close friend, our inner thoughts
and feelings in such a way as
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not to be judgmental.
We can confess our faults to our
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real friends, knowing that it
will remain confidential with
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them, that they will want to
understand us so that they can
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help and give us advice and take
advice.
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And there’s a a freedom between
friends and a bond in the
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thoughts and feelings.
And Moses was being spoken to by
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God face to face as a man
speaketh unto his friend.
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And here we find an intimate
conversation.
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Moses now is taking hold of this
and says, well God is speaking
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to me as a friend, but I don’t
know much about him.
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I want to know more about him.
I want a fellowship with him.
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And he wants God to go with him
through the wilderness, and he
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doesn’t want to go through the
wilderness unless God is going
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to be with him.
And in verse 12, Moses said to
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the Lord, See thou sayest unto
me, bring up this people, and
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thou hast not let me know whom
thou will send with me.
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Yet thou hast said, I know thee
by name, and thou hast also
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found grace in my sight.
Now therefore I pray thee, if I
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have found grace in thy sight,
show me now thy way, that I may
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know thee, that I may find grace
in thy sight.
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That was Moses’s desire to know
God.
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He realised he needed grace.
This wasn’t something he had a
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right to know, but since God had
shown this friendship towards
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him, he wanted to grow in grace
and learn to know God.
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And in answer to that, God says
that his presence would go with
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him.
But then in verse 18, Moses
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asks, I beseech thee, show me
like glory.
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That’s how Moses thought he
would come to know God if he
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could just see the glory of God,
not hidden in a cloud, but
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clear.
Just as God spoke face to face,
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couldn’t Moses possibly speak
and see face to face with
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Yahweh?
And the answer comes, Thou canst
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not see my face and live.
It wasn’t possible for a mortal
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man to see the glory of God face
to face, that splendor and glory
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that was there upon the mount.
But what God did for Moses was
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something even more than Moses
had asked for.
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He did show him His glory.
And that’s what verses 6 and
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00:16:29,920 –> 00:16:36,280
seven of chapter 34 are.
It is the glory of God not
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00:16:36,280 –> 00:16:43,000
revealed physically in shining
splendour, but the glory of God
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00:16:43,000 –> 00:16:49,360
revealed morally in the
character of God.
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00:16:51,040 –> 00:16:53,160
That’s the lesson that Moses is
being taught.
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00:16:53,920 –> 00:16:55,640
You want to see the glory of
God?
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00:16:55,640 –> 00:17:00,440
Well first understand this, that
it is the glory of character
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00:17:04,560 –> 00:17:09,680
before the splendor and glory of
immortality that God wants us to
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00:17:10,400 –> 00:17:13,680
develop.
Now just look at these passages
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00:17:13,680 –> 00:17:20,160
then and you can see that what
we have here in John chapter 1
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00:17:20,160 –> 00:17:27,359
verses 14 and 16 are the echoes
of Moses experience on the
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00:17:27,359 –> 00:17:33,360
mount.
Exodus 33, verse 18 Show me thy
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00:17:33,360 –> 00:17:43,080
glory, show me thy glory, Moses
says and John says, and the word
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00:17:43,080 –> 00:17:48,680
was made flesh, and we beheld
his glory.
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00:17:50,200 –> 00:17:52,600
Now whose glory is he speaking
about?
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00:17:53,040 –> 00:18:01,000
Is this the glory of Jesus?
No, it’s the glory of the Father
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00:18:01,960 –> 00:18:04,960
revealed in the only begotten
Son.
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00:18:06,480 –> 00:18:11,520
What they saw when they beheld
His glory was the glory of the
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00:18:11,520 –> 00:18:16,800
Father.
Instead of seeing Yahweh ail,
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00:18:18,840 –> 00:18:28,920
they saw the Son Yahshua, and He
was full of grace and truth.
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00:18:29,560 –> 00:18:33,640
Just using that phrase, John
captures the essence of that
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00:18:33,640 –> 00:18:37,280
which was revealed to Moses in
Exodus 34.
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00:18:37,920 –> 00:18:45,280
They saw a man who not only
spoke about the things of God,
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00:18:46,560 –> 00:18:52,480
He manifested them in the
character and the life which He
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00:18:52,480 –> 00:18:56,800
lived.
And you can see perhaps when we
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00:18:56,800 –> 00:19:00,800
put this parallel up, the
explanation of what might
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00:19:00,800 –> 00:19:04,360
otherwise be a a difficult
phrase to understand in verse
242
00:19:04,360 –> 00:19:12,000
16, it says and all his fullness
have all we received and grace
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00:19:13,320 –> 00:19:18,480
for grace and grace for grace.
Now, what does that mean?
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00:19:18,960 –> 00:19:20,960
You know, it’s good for us to
ask questions.
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00:19:20,960 –> 00:19:25,400
That’s how we should do Bible
study because we’re listening to
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00:19:25,400 –> 00:19:27,840
the voice.
If you’re like me and I’m, I
247
00:19:27,840 –> 00:19:30,080
don’t know what’s wrong with my
hearing, but it’s not as good as
248
00:19:30,080 –> 00:19:32,600
it used to be.
And I’m forever asking, excuse
249
00:19:32,600 –> 00:19:35,440
me, pardon.
Especially when I’m in a place
250
00:19:35,440 –> 00:19:40,640
where they speak with such
strange accents and not normally
251
00:19:40,640 –> 00:19:44,800
like we do in Cardiff.
And I’m always, you know,
252
00:19:44,800 –> 00:19:48,760
straining to hear.
And it’s like that with a word
253
00:19:48,760 –> 00:19:52,040
of God, you see, because there’s
so much background noise, I can
254
00:19:52,040 –> 00:19:54,400
hear the train in the background
perfectly.
255
00:19:54,560 –> 00:19:56,520
But I can’t you, is what you’re
saying to me.
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00:19:57,120 –> 00:20:00,920
I can pick up all the background
noise and the vibrations and the
257
00:20:00,920 –> 00:20:05,400
hums and so on in the air
conditioning, but I can’t hear
258
00:20:05,400 –> 00:20:12,280
what you’re saying.
Therefore, we have to listen
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00:20:12,400 –> 00:20:15,600
that much more carefully and not
be afraid to ask questions.
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00:20:15,600 –> 00:20:18,600
Now, when you read and Grace for
Grace, did you give it a
261
00:20:18,600 –> 00:20:21,600
thought?
Did you think it was?
262
00:20:21,760 –> 00:20:25,960
Well, I wonder what that means.
What does it mean?
263
00:20:29,840 –> 00:20:33,720
Perhaps it comes from Exodus
chapter 33 and verse 13.
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00:20:33,720 –> 00:20:39,680
You see, notice what it says.
Moses is repeating what God has
265
00:20:39,680 –> 00:20:43,360
just said to him.
Now, therefore, I pray thee, if
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00:20:43,360 –> 00:20:51,480
I have found grace, show me thy
way, that I may know Thee, that
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00:20:51,480 –> 00:20:57,400
I may find grace.
You see, he had, he had already
268
00:20:57,400 –> 00:21:01,040
experienced the measure of the
grace of God.
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00:21:01,200 –> 00:21:07,080
He had already found grace.
He was there on the mountain.
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00:21:07,080 –> 00:21:11,240
He wasn’t dead, was he?
He was speaking to God face to
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00:21:11,240 –> 00:21:14,080
face.
He was a recipient of the grace
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00:21:14,080 –> 00:21:19,920
of God, but he needed to grow in
grace and he sought more grace
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00:21:20,160 –> 00:21:24,040
that he might know God.
So he started in a position of
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00:21:24,040 –> 00:21:31,320
grace, but he wanted a full of
measure of that grace in order
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00:21:31,320 –> 00:21:35,160
that he might know God.
And that’s what John is
276
00:21:35,160 –> 00:21:39,560
explaining.
He say, he says in verse 16 and
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00:21:39,560 –> 00:21:43,960
all his fullness have all we
received.
278
00:21:45,120 –> 00:21:48,440
What’s he speaking about?
He’s speaking about verse 14,
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00:21:49,080 –> 00:21:57,400
that they beheld the glory full
of grace and truth, full of
280
00:21:57,520 –> 00:22:04,160
grace and truth and all His
fullness have we all received.
281
00:22:04,160 –> 00:22:09,520
We have received of the grace
and truth that has been revealed
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00:22:09,520 –> 00:22:17,200
by the Father through the Son
and grace for grace.
283
00:22:17,360 –> 00:22:21,920
We have received grace, but
there is yet more grace to be
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00:22:21,920 –> 00:22:27,400
manifest to those who are
growing in grace before God.
285
00:22:29,080 –> 00:22:32,320
The glory of God is a
transforming power.
286
00:22:33,480 –> 00:22:35,680
It doesn’t transform us in an
instant.
287
00:22:36,240 –> 00:22:42,280
It is a slow process of change.
And that is what we’re engaged
288
00:22:42,280 –> 00:22:46,680
in as we study together from the
Scriptures, that process of
289
00:22:46,680 –> 00:22:54,440
change of character where we
move from grace to grace, and it
290
00:22:54,440 –> 00:22:58,360
is the grace of God revealed in
the Lord Jesus Christ.
291
00:23:00,760 –> 00:23:05,280
So we need to address this point
now about spiritual growth
292
00:23:07,480 –> 00:23:12,440
through the Word.
I’d like to ask a difficult
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00:23:12,440 –> 00:23:20,560
question because, well, it may
be painful for us to answer it.
294
00:23:22,760 –> 00:23:26,240
It came to me, really, as I was
listening to the tapes from
295
00:23:26,240 –> 00:23:30,400
Brother Harry last year, and
there were a number of very
296
00:23:30,400 –> 00:23:34,240
practical points and suggestions
that were made.
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00:23:37,680 –> 00:23:42,240
You may remember some of them.
How about starting to do our
298
00:23:42,240 –> 00:23:43,840
Bible readings with our
children?
299
00:23:43,840 –> 00:23:50,280
Do you remember that point that
when he asked the young people
300
00:23:50,280 –> 00:23:56,280
how many did their readings with
the family at home, Far less
301
00:23:56,280 –> 00:23:59,600
than 20%.
I think the figure was that said
302
00:23:59,600 –> 00:24:04,160
they did, but when he asked them
how many would like to, most of
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00:24:04,160 –> 00:24:08,200
them did.
So the suggestion was, well, why
304
00:24:08,200 –> 00:24:12,080
don’t we say to our children on
the way home we’re going to
305
00:24:12,080 –> 00:24:13,720
start doing the readings
together?
306
00:24:14,600 –> 00:24:20,680
Isn’t that a good idea?
But my question is, have we?
307
00:24:22,880 –> 00:24:25,480
What have we done, brother and
sister, since last time?
308
00:24:26,360 –> 00:24:29,040
What have we put into practice
what we learned?
309
00:24:29,320 –> 00:24:32,160
How many of those good
suggestions have we acknowledged
310
00:24:32,160 –> 00:24:33,800
in our minds are good
suggestions?
311
00:24:33,960 –> 00:24:40,480
And they’ve done nothing about
them at all now.
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00:24:40,480 –> 00:24:52,240
I’m the same.
So we have a problem to face up
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00:24:52,240 –> 00:24:55,440
to that we don’t put into
practice.
314
00:24:56,280 –> 00:25:00,800
So we don’t.
Brethren, sisters, grow in grace
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00:25:01,360 –> 00:25:08,240
but can’t do so here.
God has given us one other
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00:25:08,240 –> 00:25:11,280
opportunity.
Another year has gone by.
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00:25:12,200 –> 00:25:15,640
The Lord hasn’t come.
Look at Second Peter chapter 3.
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00:25:15,640 –> 00:25:17,840
You know we’re told why the Lord
hasn’t come.
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00:25:19,280 –> 00:25:23,360
It’s called his long-suffering.
God is not willing that any
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00:25:23,360 –> 00:25:26,640
should perish.
The Lord hasn’t come because the
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00:25:26,640 –> 00:25:31,520
Lord doesn’t want us to perish.
He wants us to be in the
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00:25:31,520 –> 00:25:33,160
Kingdom.
He’s not willing that any should
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00:25:33,160 –> 00:25:37,560
perish.
So He’s given us another year,
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00:25:40,280 –> 00:25:43,720
but for how much longer will we
be given this extension of
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00:25:43,720 –> 00:25:49,120
grace?
The Lord will come and will not
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00:25:49,120 –> 00:25:54,280
tarry.
So it is even more urgent now
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00:25:54,560 –> 00:25:58,000
that we face up to the truth of
what the Word of God is saying.
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00:25:58,360 –> 00:26:02,520
And should we not be as Moses
was, we have found grace,
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00:26:02,520 –> 00:26:13,440
otherwise we wouldn’t be here.
Let’s get to know God a little
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00:26:13,440 –> 00:26:17,680
bit more.
Let’s see the glory that’s been
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00:26:17,680 –> 00:26:22,640
revealed.
Moses faced Shawn after that
332
00:26:22,640 –> 00:26:31,320
experience, and I was can too.
The qualities of character
333
00:26:31,320 –> 00:26:34,600
revealed in Exodus 34 are
something we need to focus on.
334
00:26:34,600 –> 00:26:47,310
In verses 6 and seven we have
this list of of qualities and
335
00:26:47,310 –> 00:26:50,070
verse 6.
Merciful is sometimes translated
336
00:26:50,230 –> 00:26:58,670
full of compassion, gracious,
long-suffering. long-suffering
337
00:26:58,670 –> 00:27:07,430
is sometimes translated slow to
anger, abundant in goodness and
338
00:27:07,430 –> 00:27:10,070
truth.
The word goodness is the same as
339
00:27:10,070 –> 00:27:15,440
the word mercy in verse 7,
keeping mercy for thousands, and
340
00:27:15,440 –> 00:27:20,080
it’s the word chess head, the
loving kindness of God.
341
00:27:21,800 –> 00:27:29,280
The loving kindness of God
extended to thousands of people,
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00:27:29,720 –> 00:27:34,000
forgiving iniquity,
transgression and sin.
343
00:27:35,160 –> 00:27:37,520
All wonderful positive
qualities.
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00:27:37,520 –> 00:27:44,160
And then at the end, a serious
warning, and that will by no
345
00:27:44,160 –> 00:27:48,600
means clear, says in the AB the
guilty.
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00:27:49,720 –> 00:27:52,600
And what that’s telling us is
that God is extending these
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00:27:52,600 –> 00:27:56,280
qualities of character.
That is what God is like.
348
00:27:57,600 –> 00:28:02,880
But there comes a time when God
says, well, my justice, my
349
00:28:02,880 –> 00:28:07,480
righteousness requires the
removal of sin from the earth.
350
00:28:09,200 –> 00:28:13,800
There comes a time when all will
give account of how they have
351
00:28:13,800 –> 00:28:17,920
responded to the extension of
grace that has been revealed to
352
00:28:17,960 –> 00:28:23,320
us.
It’s not a limitation on the
353
00:28:23,520 –> 00:28:27,480
love of God, it is a
manifestation of His character,
354
00:28:27,640 –> 00:28:30,480
the goodness and the severity of
God.
355
00:28:31,680 –> 00:28:37,480
This is the character we wish to
honour and come to know, and in
356
00:28:37,480 –> 00:28:41,320
that character, rightly
understood, there is power to
357
00:28:41,320 –> 00:28:45,520
change us.
Want to show this in Psalm 103,
358
00:28:47,120 –> 00:29:01,370
Psalm 103, and verses 7 and 8.
All we’re going to do is look in
359
00:29:01,370 –> 00:29:04,490
the Psalms at one or two
passages where the
360
00:29:04,490 –> 00:29:09,290
characteristics of God’s name
are revealed to us.
361
00:29:13,760 –> 00:29:19,160
Psalm 103, verse seven.
He made known His ways unto
362
00:29:19,160 –> 00:29:23,240
Moses, His acts unto the
children of Israel.
363
00:29:24,480 –> 00:29:30,480
The Lord is merciful and
gracious, slow to anger, and
364
00:29:30,520 –> 00:29:35,160
plenteous in mercy.
Have you seen in verse 8?
365
00:29:36,280 –> 00:29:39,320
We have some of the
characteristics that are listed
366
00:29:39,320 –> 00:29:42,360
here.
The Lord is merciful and
367
00:29:42,360 –> 00:29:47,680
gracious, slow to anger, and
plenteous in mercy.
368
00:29:49,640 –> 00:29:55,400
See, that’s what God is like.
And this Psalm is really a
369
00:29:55,400 –> 00:30:00,480
reflection upon how Israel had
been made beneficiaries of
370
00:30:00,480 –> 00:30:04,600
knowing the qualities of God.
Verse three.
371
00:30:05,160 –> 00:30:07,360
Who forgiveth all thine
iniquities?
372
00:30:07,640 –> 00:30:13,440
Who healeth all thy diseases?
Who redeemeth thy life from
373
00:30:13,440 –> 00:30:16,160
destruction?
Who crowneth thee with loving
374
00:30:16,160 –> 00:30:22,400
kindness and tender mercies.
Israel were overwhelmed, or
375
00:30:22,400 –> 00:30:28,320
should have been overwhelmed by
the blessings of the mercy of
376
00:30:28,320 –> 00:30:31,840
God that was shown to them.
He had forgiven all their
377
00:30:31,840 –> 00:30:35,800
iniquities.
He had healed all their
378
00:30:35,800 –> 00:30:40,760
diseases.
And so should we, brethren,
379
00:30:40,760 –> 00:30:46,480
sisters, look at verse 13 like
as a father pitieth his
380
00:30:46,480 –> 00:30:50,320
children, so the Lord pitieth
them that fear him.
381
00:30:50,880 –> 00:30:55,520
For he knoweth our frame, He
remembereth that we are dust.
382
00:30:56,640 –> 00:31:01,760
That’s the God we come to know,
a God who understands the
383
00:31:01,760 –> 00:31:08,360
frailty of our nature, who is
compassionate, full of
384
00:31:08,360 –> 00:31:12,960
compassion to those who come
before him and confess their
385
00:31:12,960 –> 00:31:18,320
faults.
He is long-suffering.
386
00:31:19,400 –> 00:31:23,680
We can come again and again and
again to the throne of grace.
387
00:31:26,600 –> 00:31:31,120
It’s not too late this year to
change those things we know need
388
00:31:31,120 –> 00:31:35,560
to be changed.
He is slow to anger.
389
00:31:38,720 –> 00:31:44,920
He is keeping mercy, keeping it
not away from us, keeping it for
390
00:31:44,920 –> 00:31:50,640
us to show to us in the
forgiveness which is provided to
391
00:31:50,640 –> 00:31:55,120
His Son.
And that love of God which has
392
00:31:55,160 –> 00:31:59,760
been revealed to us ought to be
a power in our lives.
393
00:31:59,760 –> 00:32:03,160
Let’s look at 2 New Testament
passages which tell us this
394
00:32:03,920 –> 00:32:12,040
first John chapter 4, the first
Epistle of John and chapter 4
395
00:32:17,600 –> 00:32:28,760
verse 9 and 10.
In this was manifested the love
396
00:32:28,760 –> 00:32:34,520
of God towards us, because that
God sent His only begotten Son
397
00:32:34,520 –> 00:32:39,920
into the world, that we might
live through Him here in His
398
00:32:39,920 –> 00:32:45,560
love.
Not that we loved God whether He
399
00:32:45,560 –> 00:32:50,680
loved us and sent His Son to be
the propitiation for our sins.
400
00:32:51,120 –> 00:32:58,680
Beloved, if God so loved us, we
ought also to love one another.
401
00:32:59,960 –> 00:33:03,520
What John is saying, if we have
an appreciation of the love of
402
00:33:03,520 –> 00:33:08,040
God, if we really feel that our
sins have been forgiven us, if
403
00:33:08,040 –> 00:33:11,920
we really feel that we are now
in fellowship with the Father
404
00:33:11,920 –> 00:33:18,520
through the Son, we will show
that same quality of love to one
405
00:33:18,520 –> 00:33:24,120
another.
If we are living in the presence
406
00:33:24,120 –> 00:33:29,440
of Christ, then we will behave
in a way which shows forth his
407
00:33:29,440 –> 00:33:32,240
glory.
You know, when we get involved
408
00:33:32,240 –> 00:33:36,560
in quarrels in ecclesial life,
or we are upset with somebody or
409
00:33:36,560 –> 00:33:39,080
we, you know, we’re, we’ve got a
grudge.
410
00:33:39,600 –> 00:33:42,040
Don’t like to admit it, but you
know that happens.
411
00:33:45,000 –> 00:33:48,000
There might be a two sisters in
an ecclesia 2 brethren who can
412
00:33:48,000 –> 00:33:50,040
never speak civilly to one
another.
413
00:33:50,560 –> 00:33:54,320
They can never really be
wholehearted in their handshake.
414
00:33:55,440 –> 00:33:57,120
There’s always something in
their mind.
415
00:33:58,120 –> 00:34:01,920
But when that sort of situation
happens, the love of God is
416
00:34:01,920 –> 00:34:06,680
nowhere near.
We couldn’t possibly feel like
417
00:34:06,680 –> 00:34:11,960
that with a full awareness of
what the Lord Jesus Christ did
418
00:34:12,239 –> 00:34:19,639
when He washed Judas’s feet.
We couldn’t hold a grudge, We
419
00:34:19,639 –> 00:34:25,239
couldn’t be spiteful, We
couldn’t say unkind things if
420
00:34:25,239 –> 00:34:27,880
our mind was full of the
forgiveness which God has shown
421
00:34:27,880 –> 00:34:30,400
to us.
And when we deal with the faults
422
00:34:30,400 –> 00:34:35,639
and failings of others, we will
be sympathetic and
423
00:34:35,639 –> 00:34:39,000
understanding, not to condoning
because we don’t want God to
424
00:34:39,000 –> 00:34:44,080
condone our sin and He hasn’t,
but understanding that we might
425
00:34:44,080 –> 00:34:48,880
recover that one as we have been
recovered ourselves.
426
00:34:49,560 –> 00:34:53,880
What we need to do then is to
concentrate on the work of God
427
00:34:53,880 –> 00:34:57,120
through the Lord Jesus Christ
and come to know Him and
428
00:34:57,120 –> 00:35:00,800
appreciate Him so that it has an
effect in our lives.
429
00:35:02,640 –> 00:35:07,240
And it’s not once a week we do
that, but it may be maybe less
430
00:35:07,240 –> 00:35:11,040
than once a week, and even then
it only takes half an hour.
431
00:35:13,840 –> 00:35:20,120
But everyday, brethren, system,
of course, simply doing our
432
00:35:20,120 –> 00:35:26,400
Bible readings each day will
make us live in the atmosphere
433
00:35:27,000 –> 00:35:33,840
of the love of God.
Have a look how the Apostle Paul
434
00:35:33,840 –> 00:35:37,480
expresses it in Second
Corinthians chapter 5.
435
00:35:40,080 –> 00:35:42,520
He speaks about the love of
Christ.
436
00:35:43,480 –> 00:35:46,720
The love of God manifests
through the Lord Jesus Christ
437
00:35:48,320 –> 00:35:54,560
and how it has an effect upon
his own way of life. 2nd
438
00:35:54,560 –> 00:36:07,140
Corinthians chapter 5, verse 14
For the love of Christ
439
00:36:07,580 –> 00:36:14,640
constraineth us, because we thus
judge that if one died for all,
440
00:36:15,480 –> 00:36:19,800
then we’re all dead, and that he
died for all.
441
00:36:20,160 –> 00:36:23,840
That they which live should not
henceforth live unto themselves,
442
00:36:24,200 –> 00:36:26,440
but unto him which died for
them.
443
00:36:27,000 –> 00:36:32,880
And rose again.
Verse 17 Therefore if any man be
444
00:36:32,880 –> 00:36:38,440
in Christ, he is a new creature.
Old things are passed away,
445
00:36:38,480 –> 00:36:42,000
Behold, all things are become
new.
446
00:36:44,840 –> 00:36:49,080
Verse 14.
The love of Christ constraineth
447
00:36:49,320 –> 00:36:53,080
us.
That word, so the lexicon tells
448
00:36:53,080 –> 00:36:59,800
us, means to press in on and
hold together.
449
00:37:02,240 –> 00:37:07,480
Have you ever felt that your
life is falling apart, Grand
450
00:37:07,480 –> 00:37:10,920
Sisters?
Have we ever felt that we
451
00:37:10,920 –> 00:37:15,760
ourselves are falling apart?
That the pressure that has been
452
00:37:15,760 –> 00:37:19,600
placed upon us by whatever
difficulties we’re in, whether
453
00:37:19,600 –> 00:37:26,920
it’s work or home life,
financial difficulties, personal
454
00:37:26,920 –> 00:37:30,240
problems, there’s such a
pressure upon us that we feel
455
00:37:30,240 –> 00:37:37,160
we’re cracking under the strain
and the way we live is falling
456
00:37:37,160 –> 00:37:39,880
apart.
Our language is deteriorating,
457
00:37:40,760 –> 00:37:49,560
our thoughts are contaminated,
our decisions are in error, and
458
00:37:49,560 –> 00:37:51,920
we are all under such pressure
today.
459
00:37:52,640 –> 00:37:55,600
We make that pressure worse very
often by the things that we
460
00:37:55,600 –> 00:38:02,640
allow into our homes.
But here the apostle says the
461
00:38:02,640 –> 00:38:05,200
love of Christ is holding him
together.
462
00:38:06,560 –> 00:38:10,800
The love of Christ is pressing
in and holding him from falling
463
00:38:10,800 –> 00:38:14,560
apart.
It’s a beautiful picture of the
464
00:38:14,560 –> 00:38:19,880
pressure of the love of God
counteracting the pressures of
465
00:38:19,880 –> 00:38:23,960
the world.
What he says is that the love of
466
00:38:23,960 –> 00:38:28,880
Christ is holding him together
so that he is not living unto
467
00:38:28,880 –> 00:38:36,000
himself, but unto him which died
for them and rose again, is
468
00:38:36,000 –> 00:38:40,000
living the new life through the
pressure which Christ is
469
00:38:40,120 –> 00:38:42,840
bringing to bear on his own
life.
470
00:38:43,440 –> 00:38:46,280
He’s not living for himself,
which is what the world is
471
00:38:46,280 –> 00:38:50,200
trying to teach us every day, to
please ourselves, to indulge
472
00:38:50,200 –> 00:38:53,000
ourselves, to think for
ourselves.
473
00:38:53,000 –> 00:38:55,880
Of course, it means to think
like they want us to think, and
474
00:38:55,880 –> 00:39:00,680
not to think for ourselves.
To mould our children, to press
475
00:39:00,680 –> 00:39:06,080
them into a mould that will make
money for big business
476
00:39:06,080 –> 00:39:09,960
throughout their life so that
they will always purchase that
477
00:39:09,960 –> 00:39:15,000
which men want them to purchase,
whether it’s in music or clothes
478
00:39:15,000 –> 00:39:20,000
or whatever.
Until we have another pressure
479
00:39:20,680 –> 00:39:25,880
to mould us into a form which is
the character building form of
480
00:39:25,880 –> 00:39:31,320
God.
So there’s the power of the love
481
00:39:31,320 –> 00:39:37,160
of God, and that’s what we must
concentrate on in our studies of
482
00:39:37,160 –> 00:39:41,280
Scripture to understand God more
clearly.
483
00:39:41,880 –> 00:39:44,560
Let’s just do that for a minute
by looking at the example of the
484
00:39:44,560 –> 00:39:47,240
Lord Jesus Christ.
Let’s just take each of these
485
00:39:47,240 –> 00:39:50,680
phrases and just quickly go to a
New Testament gospel record
486
00:39:50,680 –> 00:39:54,600
passage which shows the Lord
Jesus manifesting those
487
00:39:54,600 –> 00:39:59,840
qualities full of compassion and
gracious.
488
00:40:00,480 –> 00:40:09,320
How about Mark chapter 1?
Mark chapter one, verse 41,
489
00:40:09,320 –> 00:40:14,040
we’ll just take one example
where the Lord was full of
490
00:40:14,040 –> 00:40:17,720
compassion in a very special and
unique way.
491
00:40:19,200 –> 00:40:22,240
It’s the incident of the leper
in the Luke record.
492
00:40:22,240 –> 00:40:28,880
He was a man full of leprosy and
he comes to Jesus believing that
493
00:40:28,880 –> 00:40:34,120
Jesus can make him clean.
And in verse 41 it says, and
494
00:40:34,120 –> 00:40:39,520
Jesus moved with compassion, put
forth his hand and touched him,
495
00:40:39,880 –> 00:40:43,760
and saith unto him, I will be
thou clean.
496
00:40:45,320 –> 00:40:47,880
Unless we know a little bit
about leprosy, we won’t really
497
00:40:47,880 –> 00:40:50,600
understand the power of verse
41.
498
00:40:51,240 –> 00:40:53,760
I will tell you a little about
an incident.
499
00:40:53,760 –> 00:40:56,520
I’ve mentioned it on numerous
occasions whenever leprosy is
500
00:40:56,520 –> 00:41:00,280
mentioned, but it’s struck me so
forcefully that I, it’s
501
00:41:00,600 –> 00:41:04,600
indelibly impressed on my mind.
That’s when I went to Africa and
502
00:41:04,600 –> 00:41:08,920
outside the Ministry of Health
building in Addis Ababa and
503
00:41:08,920 –> 00:41:11,000
Ethiopia, there was a man
begging.
504
00:41:11,440 –> 00:41:14,720
I had a pocketful of money.
The exchange rate was such that
505
00:41:14,720 –> 00:41:18,280
you know, to change £10 or
$15.00, you know, my pockets
506
00:41:18,280 –> 00:41:20,000
were bulging with local
currency.
507
00:41:20,120 –> 00:41:24,280
So it was nothing to me to give
him some money, you know.
508
00:41:24,280 –> 00:41:28,040
And the poor chap was, was
begging, not like the beggars we
509
00:41:28,040 –> 00:41:32,640
get in London now, which are
Social Security problems.
510
00:41:33,440 –> 00:41:37,160
This man was destitute like the
others, living on the street.
511
00:41:37,600 –> 00:41:41,480
I’d walk past a woman with a
baby to stand over her to walk
512
00:41:41,480 –> 00:41:43,560
down the road.
That was a hoe.
513
00:41:45,920 –> 00:41:49,720
But here was a leper.
Well, I realised he was a leper
514
00:41:49,720 –> 00:41:51,760
when he put his hand out to me
because he didn’t have any
515
00:41:51,760 –> 00:41:55,800
fingers on it.
And I had some money in my hand.
516
00:41:55,800 –> 00:42:01,560
And I froze because the thought
dawned on me that to give him
517
00:42:01,560 –> 00:42:07,240
the money, I’d have to touch him
ever so slightly.
518
00:42:07,240 –> 00:42:13,880
But I’d have to touch him now.
I knew, brothers and sisters,
519
00:42:13,880 –> 00:42:15,080
that he wouldn’t be on the
street.
520
00:42:15,080 –> 00:42:19,960
If his leprosy was active, he
would have been under treatment,
521
00:42:20,360 –> 00:42:22,840
he would have been registered
and he would have been on
522
00:42:23,200 –> 00:42:25,440
treatment.
That would have rendered him non
523
00:42:25,440 –> 00:42:27,440
infectious.
And anyway, even if he had been
524
00:42:27,440 –> 00:42:29,920
infectious, for me to touch him
like that wouldn’t have
525
00:42:30,560 –> 00:42:32,800
contributed at all to any risk
to me.
526
00:42:33,800 –> 00:42:37,200
And even though intellectually I
knew that the very thought of
527
00:42:37,200 –> 00:42:39,960
touching a leper is the first
leper I’d ever seen in my life,
528
00:42:42,760 –> 00:42:46,840
I was very reluctant.
I did in the end give him the
529
00:42:46,840 –> 00:42:53,560
money, but the Lord saw a man
who was full of leprosy, and
530
00:42:53,560 –> 00:42:56,240
this was the plague which put a
man outside the camp.
531
00:42:56,240 –> 00:42:58,440
He had to walk around unproved,
unclean.
532
00:43:00,000 –> 00:43:04,880
He wasn’t allowed in the camp.
He was a man who represented sin
533
00:43:04,880 –> 00:43:11,560
in all its ugliness, disfiguring
the glory of God, the image and
534
00:43:11,560 –> 00:43:13,360
likeness in which Adam had been
made.
535
00:43:16,000 –> 00:43:17,720
And the Lord didn’t need to
touch him.
536
00:43:19,880 –> 00:43:22,840
Do you remember?
He could have said a word, as
537
00:43:22,840 –> 00:43:25,320
the centurion understood, and
his servant would have been
538
00:43:25,320 –> 00:43:31,680
healed.
But he put forth his hand and
539
00:43:31,680 –> 00:43:32,680
touched him.
Why?
540
00:43:33,320 –> 00:43:35,640
Because he was moved with
compassion.
541
00:43:36,120 –> 00:43:38,800
There was one thing that would
have thrilled, that leper more
542
00:43:38,800 –> 00:43:42,200
than anything else, and that
would have been to be touched.
543
00:43:45,160 –> 00:43:47,400
There would have been like an
electric shock going through his
544
00:43:47,400 –> 00:43:48,920
body.
No one would have touched him.
545
00:43:51,240 –> 00:43:53,920
But here was a man whose
compassion overcame any
546
00:43:53,920 –> 00:43:58,480
prejudice to stretch out and
take in his hands the very sin
547
00:43:58,480 –> 00:44:04,440
of the world.
Now that’s the character of God
548
00:44:05,720 –> 00:44:09,040
manifest through the Lord Jesus
Christ.
549
00:44:09,040 –> 00:44:14,200
Do you remember how
long-suffering the Lord was?
550
00:44:15,840 –> 00:44:19,200
Remember what he said when he
looked at Jerusalem, about to be
551
00:44:19,560 –> 00:44:22,640
overthrown by the Roman armies,
in the prophecy that he was
552
00:44:22,640 –> 00:44:30,000
about to speak?
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou
553
00:44:30,000 –> 00:44:33,520
that killest the prophets, and
stonest them which are sent unto
554
00:44:33,520 –> 00:44:38,680
thee, a city that had killed the
prophets, what would we have
555
00:44:38,680 –> 00:44:40,520
said?
How often would I thought of
556
00:44:40,520 –> 00:44:46,200
destroying you?
But no, how often would I have
557
00:44:46,200 –> 00:44:50,280
gathered thy children together,
even as a hen gathereth her
558
00:44:50,280 –> 00:44:54,160
chickens under her wings?
And he would not.
559
00:44:56,120 –> 00:45:01,160
Here was a man slow to anger.
What would we be of said
560
00:45:01,160 –> 00:45:05,720
brothers and sisters to Judas
Iscariot when he came up to us
561
00:45:05,720 –> 00:45:18,200
and gave us a kiss on the cheek?
Slow to anger, full of goodness
562
00:45:18,480 –> 00:45:23,920
and truth.
The loving kindness of the Lord
563
00:45:24,800 –> 00:45:27,280
is revealed in so many placed
it.
564
00:45:27,880 –> 00:45:36,640
How about Mark chapter 1?
Mark chapter one, verse 41.
565
00:45:36,640 –> 00:45:41,360
We’ll just take one example
where the Lord was full of
566
00:45:41,360 –> 00:45:45,000
compassion in a very special and
unique way.
567
00:45:46,520 –> 00:45:49,560
It’s the incident of the leper
in the Luke record.
568
00:45:49,560 –> 00:45:56,120
He was a man full of leprosy and
he comes to Jesus believing that
569
00:45:56,120 –> 00:46:01,320
Jesus can make him clean.
And in verse 41 it says, And
570
00:46:01,320 –> 00:46:06,720
Jesus moved with compassion, put
forth his hand and touched him,
571
00:46:07,120 –> 00:46:10,960
and saith unto him, I will be
thou clean.
572
00:46:12,440 –> 00:46:15,080
Now, unless we know a little bit
about leprosy, we won’t really
573
00:46:15,080 –> 00:46:17,800
understand the power of verse
41.
574
00:46:18,400 –> 00:46:20,960
I will tell you a little about
an incident.
575
00:46:20,960 –> 00:46:23,720
I’ve mentioned it on numerous
occasions whenever leprosy’s
576
00:46:23,720 –> 00:46:28,440
mentioned, but it’s struck me so
forcefully that I it’s indelibly
577
00:46:28,440 –> 00:46:31,680
impressed on my mind.
It’s when I went to Africa and
578
00:46:31,680 –> 00:46:35,960
outside the Ministry of Health
building in Addis Ababa and
579
00:46:35,960 –> 00:46:38,040
Ethiopia, there was a man
begging.
580
00:46:38,480 –> 00:46:41,680
I had a pocketful of money.
The exchange rate was such that
581
00:46:41,680 –> 00:46:45,240
you know, to change 10 lbs of
$15.00, You know, my pockets
582
00:46:45,240 –> 00:46:46,920
were bulging with local
currency.
583
00:46:47,040 –> 00:46:51,320
So it was nothing to me to give
him some money, you know, and
584
00:46:51,640 –> 00:46:55,280
the poor chap was, was begging,
not like the beggars we get in
585
00:46:55,280 –> 00:46:59,480
London now, which are Social
Security problems.
586
00:47:00,280 –> 00:47:03,960
This man was destitute like the
others, living on the street.
587
00:47:04,480 –> 00:47:08,320
I’d walk past a woman with a
baby to stand over her, to walk
588
00:47:08,320 –> 00:47:13,880
down the road that was a home.
But here was a leper.
589
00:47:15,200 –> 00:47:17,720
But I realized he was a leper
when he put his hand out to me
590
00:47:17,720 –> 00:47:19,360
because he didn’t have any
fingers on it.
591
00:47:21,160 –> 00:47:26,800
And I had some money in my hand.
And I froze because the thought
592
00:47:26,800 –> 00:47:29,760
dawned on me that to give him
the money, I’d have to touch him
593
00:47:32,760 –> 00:47:35,120
ever so slightly, but I’d have
to touch him.
594
00:47:38,840 –> 00:47:41,200
Now I knew, brothers and
sisters, that he wouldn’t be on
595
00:47:41,200 –> 00:47:43,240
the street if his leprosy was
active.
596
00:47:45,120 –> 00:47:47,440
He would have been under
treatment, he would have been
597
00:47:47,440 –> 00:47:50,320
registered and he would have
been on treatment.
598
00:47:50,320 –> 00:47:52,720
That would have rendered him non
infectious.
599
00:47:52,720 –> 00:47:55,400
And anyway, even if he had been
infectious, for me to touch him
600
00:47:55,400 –> 00:47:58,800
like that wouldn’t have
contributed at all to any risk
601
00:47:58,800 –> 00:48:01,800
to me.
And even though intellectually I
602
00:48:01,800 –> 00:48:05,120
knew that the very thought of
touching a leper is the first
603
00:48:05,120 –> 00:48:10,760
leper I’d ever seen in my life,
I was very reluctant.
604
00:48:12,400 –> 00:48:13,800
I did in the end, give him the
money.
605
00:48:13,800 –> 00:48:20,760
But the Lord saw a man who was
full of leprosy, and this was
606
00:48:20,760 –> 00:48:22,920
the plague which put a man
outside the camp.
607
00:48:22,920 –> 00:48:25,120
He had to walk around unclean,
unclean.
608
00:48:26,680 –> 00:48:31,560
He wasn’t allowed in the camp.
He was a man who represented sin
609
00:48:31,560 –> 00:48:38,200
in all its ugliness, disfiguring
the glory of God, the image and
610
00:48:38,200 –> 00:48:40,000
likeness in which Adam had been
made.
611
00:48:42,720 –> 00:48:44,360
And the Lord didn’t need to
touch him.
612
00:48:44,360 –> 00:48:49,520
Do you remember?
He could have said a word, as
613
00:48:49,520 –> 00:48:52,000
the centurion understood, and
his servant would have been
614
00:48:52,000 –> 00:48:58,360
healed.
But he put forth his hand and
615
00:48:58,360 –> 00:48:59,320
touched him.
Why?
616
00:48:59,960 –> 00:49:02,280
Because he was moved with
compassion.
617
00:49:02,760 –> 00:49:05,440
There was one thing that would
have thrilled that leper more
618
00:49:05,440 –> 00:49:08,600
than anything else, and that
would have been to be touched.
619
00:49:08,600 –> 00:49:14,000
It would have been like an
electric shock going through his
620
00:49:14,000 –> 00:49:15,560
body.
No one would have touched him.
621
00:49:17,800 –> 00:49:20,480
But here was a man whose
compassion overcame any
622
00:49:20,480 –> 00:49:25,040
prejudice to stretch out and
take in his hands the very sin
623
00:49:25,040 –> 00:49:30,760
of the world.
Now that’s the character of God
624
00:49:32,320 –> 00:49:35,640
manifest through the Lord Jesus
Christ.
625
00:49:35,640 –> 00:49:40,720
Do you remember how
long-suffering the Lord was?
626
00:49:40,720 –> 00:49:44,840
Do you remember what he said
when he looked at Jerusalem,
627
00:49:45,120 –> 00:49:48,960
about to be overthrown by the
Roman armies, in the prophecy
628
00:49:48,960 –> 00:49:56,760
that he was about to speak?
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou
629
00:49:56,760 –> 00:50:00,280
that killest the prophets, and
stonest them which are sent unto
630
00:50:00,280 –> 00:50:05,400
thee, a city that had killed the
prophets, what would we have
631
00:50:05,400 –> 00:50:07,240
said?
How often would I thought of
632
00:50:07,240 –> 00:50:10,360
destroying you?
But no.
633
00:50:11,800 –> 00:50:15,760
How often would I have gathered
thy children together, even as a
634
00:50:15,760 –> 00:50:18,160
hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings?
635
00:50:20,080 –> 00:50:26,520
And he would not.
Here was a man slow to anger.
636
00:50:26,640 –> 00:50:29,440
What would we have said,
brothers and sisters, to Judas
637
00:50:29,680 –> 00:50:34,200
Iscariot when he came up to us
and gave us a kiss on the cheek?
638
00:50:38,240 –> 00:50:45,760
Slow to anger, full of goodness
and truth.
639
00:50:48,600 –> 00:50:54,160
The loving kindness of the Lord
is revealed in so many places.
640
00:50:55,240 –> 00:50:58,520
He was the one who act with
publicans and sinners, who went
641
00:50:58,520 –> 00:51:03,640
into their homes, who sat down
with them, the despised class.
642
00:51:06,440 –> 00:51:12,160
Yet His mercy extended out
toward them, full of truth.
643
00:51:13,120 –> 00:51:17,840
We read in our readings this
last week of an example in Luke
644
00:51:17,840 –> 00:51:23,280
Chapter 11, a remarkable example
of how the Lord was full of
645
00:51:23,280 –> 00:51:26,840
truth.
A Pharisee had invited him home
646
00:51:26,840 –> 00:51:30,120
to dine and he went in and sat
down to meet, it says at verse
647
00:51:30,120 –> 00:51:34,760
37 of Luke 11.
And the Lord said unto him, but
648
00:51:34,760 –> 00:51:37,680
what would you have said, grand
sisters, if you’ve been invited
649
00:51:37,680 –> 00:51:41,080
to somebody’s home?
Of course we try to be polite,
650
00:51:41,560 –> 00:51:45,120
courteous.
We try to be on our best
651
00:51:45,120 –> 00:51:48,560
behaviour.
I’ve already been invited into
652
00:51:48,560 –> 00:51:55,600
this man’s house, but the
Pharisee marvel that he had not
653
00:51:55,640 –> 00:52:02,720
first washed his hand.
And the Lord said unto him, Now
654
00:52:02,720 –> 00:52:05,560
do we Pharisees may clean the
outside of the cup on the
655
00:52:05,560 –> 00:52:10,560
platter, but your inward part is
full of ravening and wickedness.
656
00:52:10,760 –> 00:52:12,240
What do you think to say to your
host?
657
00:52:15,840 –> 00:52:18,480
But the Lord put truth the head
of everything.
658
00:52:18,480 –> 00:52:20,920
You see, He knew exactly what He
was saying.
659
00:52:21,000 –> 00:52:23,280
That was the only way to get
through to a Pharisee.
660
00:52:23,840 –> 00:52:27,280
He had such a polished exterior
that you couldn’t penetrate it
661
00:52:27,880 –> 00:52:30,600
with the words that the
publicans and sinners accepted.
662
00:52:31,840 –> 00:52:37,880
But He had to cut through it
with a power that cut them to
663
00:52:37,880 –> 00:52:42,360
the quick.
He was indeed full of truth.
664
00:52:42,360 –> 00:52:44,760
Master, we know that Thou
speakest the truth.
665
00:52:45,840 –> 00:52:52,960
They had to say of Him keeping
mercy in the prayer.
666
00:52:53,120 –> 00:52:56,840
In John 17, the Lord Jesus
speaks of that which He had
667
00:52:56,840 –> 00:53:00,680
kept.
He says while I was with them in
668
00:53:00,680 –> 00:53:05,760
the world, I kept them in thy
name.
669
00:53:06,360 –> 00:53:09,240
That is the name.
That was what was revealed.
670
00:53:09,400 –> 00:53:15,000
That is the Yahweh name.
That’s what He will be.
671
00:53:16,000 –> 00:53:19,640
And the Lord says, I have kept
them in thy name, in the mercy
672
00:53:19,640 –> 00:53:28,080
and grace of the name of God,
forgiving iniquity,
673
00:53:28,080 –> 00:53:36,840
transgression and sin.
Whether it is easier to say thy
674
00:53:36,840 –> 00:53:41,200
sins be forgiven, or to say rise
up, take up thy bed and walk,
675
00:53:42,040 –> 00:53:45,000
here was the man who could
forgive sins.
676
00:53:45,880 –> 00:53:49,040
You remember, brethren and
sisters, in John chapter 21,
677
00:53:49,040 –> 00:53:54,720
when Peter is called to task for
his threefold denial of his
678
00:53:54,720 –> 00:53:58,040
Lord.
Do you remember the withering
679
00:53:58,040 –> 00:54:03,360
words of the Lord Jesus Christ
when he tore Peter apart?
680
00:54:07,160 –> 00:54:15,160
When he said to Peter, Lovest
thou me more than these?
681
00:54:20,000 –> 00:54:27,440
Lovest thou me, Peter?
And the third time it was
682
00:54:27,440 –> 00:54:33,800
savage.
Peter was distraught because the
683
00:54:33,800 –> 00:54:39,880
Master said to him, Peter, are
you my friend?
684
00:54:45,520 –> 00:54:52,240
There will come a time, we
believe it to be soon, when this
685
00:54:52,240 –> 00:55:01,400
final attribute of the name of
Yahweh Ale will be manifest in
686
00:55:01,400 –> 00:55:09,080
the Lord Jesus Christ, and there
may be only one question the
687
00:55:09,080 –> 00:55:14,040
Master will need to ask us to
reveal the truth.
688
00:55:16,120 –> 00:55:21,000
Love us down me are you my
friend?
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