1 00:00:00,730 --> 00:00:03,930 Will you please turn to the letter to 2 00:00:03,930 --> 00:00:04,930 the Ephesians. 3 00:00:06,270 --> 00:00:16,350 Letter to the Ephesians chapter 1 verses 4 00:00:16,350 --> 00:00:18,250 9 and 10. 5 00:00:23,370 --> 00:00:29,470 Ephesians chapter 1 verses 9 and 10. 6 00:00:31,430 --> 00:00:35,490 Having made known to us the mystery of 7 00:00:35,490 --> 00:00:40,530 his will according to his good pleasure which 8 00:00:40,530 --> 00:00:46,390 he purposed in himself for the administration of 9 00:00:46,390 --> 00:00:49,630 the fullness of times to head up all 10 00:00:49,630 --> 00:00:53,030 things in the Christ the things in the 11 00:00:53,030 --> 00:00:56,910 heavens and the things upon the earth. 12 00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:00,540 Chapter 3. 13 00:01:03,489 --> 00:01:04,690 We begin with verse 8. 14 00:01:07,650 --> 00:01:10,010 To me less than the least of all 15 00:01:10,010 --> 00:01:14,490 saints has this grace been given to announce 16 00:01:14,490 --> 00:01:18,130 among the nations the glad tidings of the 17 00:01:18,130 --> 00:01:23,010 unsearchable riches of the Christ and to enlighten 18 00:01:23,010 --> 00:01:26,150 all with a knowledge of what is the 19 00:01:26,150 --> 00:01:31,030 administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages 20 00:01:31,030 --> 00:01:35,950 in God who has created all things in 21 00:01:35,950 --> 00:01:39,830 order that now to the principalities and authorities 22 00:01:39,830 --> 00:01:44,310 in the heavenlies might be made known through 23 00:01:44,310 --> 00:01:48,090 the church the all-various wisdom of God 24 00:01:48,090 --> 00:01:52,350 according to the purpose of the ages which 25 00:01:52,350 --> 00:01:56,930 he purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord in 26 00:01:56,930 --> 00:02:00,970 whom we have boldness and access in confidence 27 00:02:00,970 --> 00:02:03,990 by faith in him. 28 00:02:04,950 --> 00:02:07,710 Let us have a further word of prayer. 29 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:20,350 Dear Lord we are glad to be in 30 00:02:20,350 --> 00:02:25,150 thy presence we praise and thank thee because 31 00:02:25,150 --> 00:02:31,120 thou has the word of life we have 32 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:36,320 believed in thee and there is no one 33 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:40,020 else we can turn to but to thee 34 00:02:40,020 --> 00:02:45,120 our hearts do rejoice knowing that thou art 35 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,680 for us and if thou art for us 36 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:53,040 who can be against us we praise and 37 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:55,380 thank thee that as we come to thee 38 00:02:55,380 --> 00:03:00,680 we know we believe that thou will speak 39 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:08,000 to us speak Lord thy servants hearing we 40 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,140 ask in thy precious name amen. 41 00:03:18,530 --> 00:03:22,230 We all know that a theme of this 42 00:03:22,230 --> 00:03:32,840 conference is the eternal purpose of God and 43 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:36,440 we are going to look at this subject 44 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:40,040 from three different directions. 45 00:03:42,410 --> 00:03:47,150 First we will look at God's eternal purpose 46 00:03:47,150 --> 00:03:55,540 as seen in Christ Jesus and 47 00:03:55,540 --> 00:04:01,060 Colossians the letter to the Colossians will be 48 00:04:01,060 --> 00:04:05,740 the background and our brother Lance has already 49 00:04:05,740 --> 00:04:08,020 started on that last night. 50 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,800 Then we will look at God's eternal purpose 51 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:20,420 as seen in the church and the letter 52 00:04:20,420 --> 00:04:25,060 to the Ephesians will be the background and 53 00:04:25,060 --> 00:04:30,800 this will be my responsibility and then we 54 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,520 will look at God's eternal purpose as seen 55 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:40,760 in Christians and the book of Romans will 56 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,900 be the background for it and our brother 57 00:04:43,900 --> 00:04:47,580 Dana will speak very soon. 58 00:04:50,490 --> 00:04:54,930 God's eternal purpose we can look at it 59 00:04:54,930 --> 00:05:01,510 from three different in three different dimensions there 60 00:05:01,510 --> 00:05:06,610 is Christ there is church and there is 61 00:05:06,610 --> 00:05:12,410 Christian and yet all these are one. 62 00:05:17,780 --> 00:05:23,810 We read in the letter to the Ephesians 63 00:05:23,810 --> 00:05:32,670 chapter 1 verses 9 and 10 that God 64 00:05:32,670 --> 00:05:37,190 has made known to us the mystery of 65 00:05:37,190 --> 00:05:45,610 his will according to his good pleasure in 66 00:05:45,610 --> 00:05:48,390 other words even before the foundation of the 67 00:05:48,390 --> 00:05:57,110 world God has exercised his own will according 68 00:05:57,110 --> 00:06:01,890 to what pleases him and he purpose a 69 00:06:01,890 --> 00:06:09,880 purpose in himself and that purpose is to 70 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:18,890 be fulfilled at the fullness of time and 71 00:06:18,890 --> 00:06:23,530 we know that purpose is that one day 72 00:06:23,530 --> 00:06:32,110 all things will be sum up headed up 73 00:06:32,110 --> 00:06:36,650 in Christ Jesus the things in the heavens 74 00:06:36,650 --> 00:06:39,430 and the things upon the earth. 75 00:06:42,180 --> 00:06:46,340 In other words here we see the mystery 76 00:06:46,340 --> 00:06:47,640 of God. 77 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:56,920 God has a secret and the secret of 78 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:03,520 God is a person his beloved son. 79 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,560 You know if you look into the heart 80 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:11,720 of God what will you see in God's 81 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:12,020 heart? 82 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:18,940 In God's heart you only see one person 83 00:07:18,940 --> 00:07:22,660 that is his beloved son. 84 00:07:26,010 --> 00:07:28,610 His son is his fullness. 85 00:07:30,670 --> 00:07:33,550 His son is the mystery of God. 86 00:07:35,390 --> 00:07:39,810 No one has ever seen God but the 87 00:07:39,810 --> 00:07:42,490 one who is in the bosom of the 88 00:07:42,490 --> 00:07:46,150 father he has declared him. 89 00:07:48,370 --> 00:07:51,350 We say God is the greatest mystery in 90 00:07:51,350 --> 00:07:57,500 the whole universe unless he reveals himself. 91 00:07:58,940 --> 00:08:03,760 No one can know him but we praise 92 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:07,820 and thank God that he does reveal himself 93 00:08:07,820 --> 00:08:09,620 in his son. 94 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,660 You remember our Lord Jesus said if you 95 00:08:14,660 --> 00:08:21,770 see me you see my father because he 96 00:08:21,770 --> 00:08:24,950 is the mystery of God. 97 00:08:26,170 --> 00:08:28,430 He is what has been hidden in the 98 00:08:28,430 --> 00:08:34,190 heart of God all since the foundation of 99 00:08:34,190 --> 00:08:38,470 the world and he is the one who 100 00:08:38,470 --> 00:08:45,630 reveals the father who reveals that secret of 101 00:08:45,630 --> 00:08:46,130 the father. 102 00:08:47,570 --> 00:08:50,710 Now our brother has already started last night 103 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:57,780 how Christ is the mystery of God. 104 00:08:59,610 --> 00:09:02,350 How he is the heir of all things. 105 00:09:03,950 --> 00:09:08,210 One day everything will be summed up in 106 00:09:08,210 --> 00:09:08,950 Christ Jesus. 107 00:09:11,030 --> 00:09:13,690 He will be the head over all things. 108 00:09:13,690 --> 00:09:18,270 Everything will be under his feet and everything 109 00:09:18,270 --> 00:09:26,170 will manifest Christ Jesus. 110 00:09:27,410 --> 00:09:34,470 That is God's eternal purpose and how important 111 00:09:34,470 --> 00:09:37,270 it is that we know him. 112 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:42,760 But when you turn to Ephesians chapter 3 113 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:49,780 from verse 9 to verse 11 and here 114 00:09:49,780 --> 00:09:54,100 you'll find it is said and to enlighten 115 00:09:54,100 --> 00:09:59,080 all with the knowledge of what is the 116 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:03,480 administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages 117 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:07,660 who has created all things in order that 118 00:10:07,660 --> 00:10:11,580 now to the principalities and authorities in the 119 00:10:11,580 --> 00:10:15,480 heavenlies might be made known through the church 120 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:19,820 the all various wisdom of God according to 121 00:10:19,820 --> 00:10:23,660 the purpose of the ages which he purposed 122 00:10:23,660 --> 00:10:26,440 in Christ Jesus our Lord. 123 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:33,320 When you compare chapter 1 verses 9 and 124 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:39,560 10 with chapter 3 verses 9 to 11 125 00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:44,920 you'll find there are lots of points of 126 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:45,460 similarity. 127 00:10:48,590 --> 00:10:50,950 You'll find God purposed. 128 00:10:53,300 --> 00:10:57,180 You'll find before the foundation of the world. 129 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:05,080 You'll find the administration of the fullness of 130 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:05,460 time. 131 00:11:08,150 --> 00:11:12,570 You'll find God's counsel and you'll find God's 132 00:11:12,570 --> 00:11:18,070 working to the accomplishment of what he has 133 00:11:18,070 --> 00:11:18,610 purposed. 134 00:11:20,170 --> 00:11:23,150 And yet you'll find there is a difference 135 00:11:23,150 --> 00:11:23,510 here. 136 00:11:24,910 --> 00:11:29,210 And the difference is in the first case 137 00:11:29,210 --> 00:11:36,010 you'll find God has purposed in himself. 138 00:11:37,350 --> 00:11:43,530 In other words, God exercised his free will 139 00:11:43,530 --> 00:11:48,030 and he made a purpose. 140 00:11:49,470 --> 00:11:53,130 It is a purpose that is purposed in 141 00:11:53,130 --> 00:11:53,790 himself. 142 00:11:55,770 --> 00:11:58,450 And so far as that purpose is concerned 143 00:11:58,450 --> 00:12:02,410 it concerns his beloved son. 144 00:12:03,790 --> 00:12:04,810 That is the purpose. 145 00:12:06,590 --> 00:12:10,150 But then in the second case when you 146 00:12:10,150 --> 00:12:14,630 come to Ephesians chapter 3 you'll find again 147 00:12:14,630 --> 00:12:20,090 God purposed and it is before the foundation 148 00:12:20,090 --> 00:12:20,910 of the world. 149 00:12:22,090 --> 00:12:26,650 But it says he purposed in Christ Jesus. 150 00:12:28,270 --> 00:12:33,930 First he purposed in himself and that is 151 00:12:33,930 --> 00:12:35,490 concerning his son. 152 00:12:36,850 --> 00:12:40,170 Then he purposed in Christ Jesus. 153 00:12:41,570 --> 00:12:45,370 And what does he purpose in Christ Jesus? 154 00:12:45,860 --> 00:12:50,290 Even before the foundation of the world you 155 00:12:50,290 --> 00:12:53,230 will find it is the church. 156 00:12:56,700 --> 00:13:06,020 Because there, before time begins, God purposed in 157 00:13:06,020 --> 00:13:13,020 Christ Jesus that there will be a church. 158 00:13:15,660 --> 00:13:20,300 And in that church he is to pour 159 00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:24,260 forth all his grace. 160 00:13:27,450 --> 00:13:31,290 Through that church he is to even teach 161 00:13:31,290 --> 00:13:37,090 the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies the 162 00:13:37,090 --> 00:13:40,070 manifold wisdom of God. 163 00:13:42,060 --> 00:13:49,480 Brothers and sisters, the church is God's purpose 164 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,360 in Christ Jesus. 165 00:13:52,260 --> 00:13:54,140 Or we may put it in another way. 166 00:13:55,340 --> 00:13:58,500 The church is what God has purposed for 167 00:13:58,500 --> 00:13:59,880 Christ Jesus. 168 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:04,320 And to that church he will pour forth 169 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:11,810 all his wisdom that even the principalities and 170 00:14:11,810 --> 00:14:19,490 authorities in the heavenlies will see his manifold 171 00:14:19,490 --> 00:14:20,470 wisdom. 172 00:14:21,430 --> 00:14:24,690 So in other words, the testimony of the 173 00:14:24,690 --> 00:14:28,350 church is not only just to this world, 174 00:14:29,010 --> 00:14:32,730 but even to the unseen world. 175 00:14:33,730 --> 00:14:38,310 That is what God has purposed in Christ 176 00:14:38,310 --> 00:14:38,810 Jesus. 177 00:14:40,860 --> 00:14:49,070 The letter to the Ephesians is focused on 178 00:14:49,070 --> 00:14:53,430 the mystery of the Christ. 179 00:14:55,750 --> 00:15:02,790 When you look at Colossians, in Colossians chapter 180 00:15:02,790 --> 00:15:08,370 2 verses 2 and 3, you will find 181 00:15:08,370 --> 00:15:15,890 the full knowledge of the mystery of God, 182 00:15:16,670 --> 00:15:19,650 which is Christ Jesus. 183 00:15:22,510 --> 00:15:25,170 If we want to know the mystery of 184 00:15:25,170 --> 00:15:28,270 God, if we want to have any knowledge 185 00:15:28,270 --> 00:15:34,530 of the secret of God, it is in 186 00:15:34,530 --> 00:15:35,330 Christ Jesus. 187 00:15:40,940 --> 00:15:45,780 But, here in Ephesians, you will find Paul 188 00:15:45,780 --> 00:15:50,500 said, by reading you know that how I 189 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:56,060 know the mystery of the Christ that has 190 00:15:56,060 --> 00:16:00,240 been hidden throughout the ages, but now has 191 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,340 been revealed to the apostles and the prophets, 192 00:16:06,460 --> 00:16:10,540 and what is revealed is the church. 193 00:16:15,650 --> 00:16:18,830 So the letter to the Ephesians is concerned 194 00:16:18,830 --> 00:16:20,850 with the church. 195 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:27,800 But brothers and sisters, before we can deal 196 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:32,300 with this matter of the church in the 197 00:16:32,300 --> 00:16:36,320 eternal purpose of God, we have to remember 198 00:16:37,820 --> 00:16:42,420 that the church is not the center of 199 00:16:42,420 --> 00:16:43,100 all things. 200 00:16:44,740 --> 00:16:46,900 Christ is the center. 201 00:16:49,410 --> 00:16:52,230 Without Christ, there would be no church. 202 00:16:54,870 --> 00:16:58,510 The church has its origin in Christ Jesus. 203 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:02,740 Christ is the head. 204 00:17:04,140 --> 00:17:05,700 The church is the body. 205 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,079 Christ is at the front. 206 00:17:14,579 --> 00:17:17,700 The church serves the background. 207 00:17:19,970 --> 00:17:25,900 We can never uplift the church above Christ, 208 00:17:28,740 --> 00:17:31,680 because if you look into the heart of 209 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:39,660 God, you see only Christ Jesus, his beloved 210 00:17:39,660 --> 00:17:42,080 son, nothing else. 211 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:46,480 If I may put it in such a 212 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:53,320 way, if it's not before because of Christ, 213 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:59,260 you cannot see in God's heart the church. 214 00:18:00,980 --> 00:18:04,240 You cannot see in God's heart you and 215 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:04,540 me. 216 00:18:06,140 --> 00:18:09,860 The reason why we are now in God's 217 00:18:09,860 --> 00:18:12,900 heart is because we are in Christ Jesus. 218 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:19,300 So strictly speaking, in the heart of God, 219 00:18:19,660 --> 00:18:21,200 you see only Christ. 220 00:18:21,940 --> 00:18:24,540 He is everything to God. 221 00:18:24,540 --> 00:18:28,440 As our brother already mentioned, all the fullness 222 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,520 of the Godhead dwells in him. 223 00:18:33,340 --> 00:18:35,380 He is the fullness of God. 224 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:39,700 He is the mystery of God. 225 00:18:40,340 --> 00:18:44,820 He is the manifestation, the revelation of the 226 00:18:44,820 --> 00:18:45,840 secret of God. 227 00:18:46,420 --> 00:18:48,020 That is our Lord Jesus. 228 00:18:50,020 --> 00:18:54,720 But thank God, when you look into the 229 00:18:54,720 --> 00:19:00,520 heart of Christ Jesus, you see the church. 230 00:19:03,030 --> 00:19:08,910 He loved the church and gave himself for 231 00:19:08,910 --> 00:19:09,190 it. 232 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:15,020 In the heart of Christ, you see the 233 00:19:15,020 --> 00:19:15,360 church. 234 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:26,000 He so loved the church that he came 235 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:27,980 down from heaven. 236 00:19:30,580 --> 00:19:36,000 He emptied himself of the glory and honor 237 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:46,120 that is his right as God, the Son 238 00:19:46,120 --> 00:19:46,620 of God. 239 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:53,350 Ego with God, and yet he emptied himself 240 00:19:53,350 --> 00:19:57,930 of all his honor and glory and position, 241 00:19:59,650 --> 00:20:04,150 and he took upon himself the form of 242 00:20:04,150 --> 00:20:05,110 a born slave. 243 00:20:06,230 --> 00:20:07,750 Even the fashion of a man. 244 00:20:09,490 --> 00:20:14,600 And he was born in a manger in 245 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:15,240 Bethlehem. 246 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:21,460 For the love of the church, he grew 247 00:20:21,460 --> 00:20:27,800 up in Nazareth, hidden for 30 years. 248 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:33,140 For the love of the church, he came 249 00:20:33,140 --> 00:20:39,520 out and preached the gospel of the kingdom. 250 00:20:41,540 --> 00:20:44,500 For the love of the church, he went 251 00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:48,840 to the cross and died for the church. 252 00:20:49,540 --> 00:20:54,820 So, brothers and sisters, even though we have 253 00:20:54,820 --> 00:20:59,480 to remember, we cannot emphasize the church more 254 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:00,660 than Christ himself. 255 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,360 And yet, on the other hand, we do 256 00:21:07,360 --> 00:21:12,020 find that how the church is the darling 257 00:21:12,020 --> 00:21:15,120 of our Lord. 258 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:20,360 And because of this, brothers and sisters, we 259 00:21:20,360 --> 00:21:23,200 cannot neglect the church. 260 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:29,000 If our Lord Jesus loved the church so 261 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:35,690 much, could we love the church less? 262 00:21:43,110 --> 00:21:49,610 Now, why is it the church is the 263 00:21:49,610 --> 00:21:52,590 mystery of the Christ? 264 00:21:56,710 --> 00:22:00,250 You remember in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 265 00:22:00,250 --> 00:22:07,910 12, the apostle Paul says, there is one 266 00:22:07,910 --> 00:22:10,810 body, but many members. 267 00:22:12,290 --> 00:22:15,610 Many members, but one body. 268 00:22:16,730 --> 00:22:22,090 So also is the Christ. 269 00:22:24,460 --> 00:22:27,720 Now, probably when you first read that verse, 270 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:33,380 your first reaction will be, there's a mistake 271 00:22:33,380 --> 00:22:33,720 there. 272 00:22:36,110 --> 00:22:41,050 Because the body is one with many members. 273 00:22:41,990 --> 00:22:45,290 The members are many, but only one body. 274 00:22:46,290 --> 00:22:47,530 Well, that is the church. 275 00:22:48,970 --> 00:22:51,730 So also is the church. 276 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:56,900 But the Holy Spirit makes no mistake. 277 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:03,060 Actually, he gave us the right interpretation. 278 00:23:04,580 --> 00:23:07,020 The Bible make it very clear. 279 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,860 So also is the Christ. 280 00:23:13,130 --> 00:23:14,170 Now, why is it? 281 00:23:18,890 --> 00:23:24,650 Because the church is nothing but the corporate 282 00:23:24,650 --> 00:23:28,530 expression of Christ himself. 283 00:23:30,930 --> 00:23:34,470 It is nothing less than that, and nothing 284 00:23:34,470 --> 00:23:36,290 other than that. 285 00:23:39,620 --> 00:23:43,880 I believe, brothers and sisters, we all know 286 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:49,140 that that building at the corner of the 287 00:23:49,140 --> 00:23:53,280 city square is not the church. 288 00:23:55,340 --> 00:23:57,800 Now, even though we all have the habit 289 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:02,700 of saying, well, look at the corner of 290 00:24:02,700 --> 00:24:06,580 the city square, and you can see maybe 291 00:24:06,580 --> 00:24:10,460 more than one church, big buildings. 292 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,220 We go to church, which means that we 293 00:24:15,220 --> 00:24:19,000 go to that building to worship the Lord. 294 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:22,560 But I believe, brothers and sisters, we all 295 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:25,380 know that church is not made of bricks, 296 00:24:25,900 --> 00:24:32,680 or stone, or wood, or whatever material it 297 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:33,260 may be. 298 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:34,760 That's not the church. 299 00:24:35,500 --> 00:24:38,840 That is just a physical building. 300 00:24:40,260 --> 00:24:43,220 It can be used for the church to 301 00:24:43,220 --> 00:24:45,860 meet, but it is not the church. 302 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,740 Sometimes people say, I left my umbrella in 303 00:24:52,740 --> 00:24:53,300 the church. 304 00:24:55,940 --> 00:24:58,160 Now, you can never leave your umbrella in 305 00:24:58,160 --> 00:24:58,640 the church. 306 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:03,100 You can leave your umbrella in a building 307 00:25:03,100 --> 00:25:05,500 where the church meets. 308 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:08,820 So we know this is not the church. 309 00:25:10,980 --> 00:25:13,080 Now, what is the church? 310 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:21,200 We say the church is ecclesia, the called 311 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:23,920 out ones gathered together. 312 00:25:24,980 --> 00:25:28,660 Where two or three are gathered together unto 313 00:25:28,660 --> 00:25:31,860 my name, there am I in the midst 314 00:25:31,860 --> 00:25:32,380 of them. 315 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:37,960 Matthew chapter 18, verse 20. 316 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:40,600 We find out that's the church. 317 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:43,520 The church is not the world. 318 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:49,520 The church are the people whom God has 319 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:54,260 called out from every nation, every tribe, every 320 00:25:54,260 --> 00:25:55,460 tongue, every people. 321 00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:00,400 God called out a people, gathered them together 322 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:02,620 unto himself. 323 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:07,460 That is under his name, under his authority, 324 00:26:08,220 --> 00:26:09,520 under his headship. 325 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,540 And when there are two or three gathered 326 00:26:12,540 --> 00:26:18,480 together under the authority of Christ, his presence 327 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:20,140 is there. 328 00:26:20,620 --> 00:26:23,440 And we say now, this is the church. 329 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:31,860 But is this the church? 330 00:26:35,130 --> 00:26:38,470 Why is it when God's people, those who 331 00:26:38,470 --> 00:26:41,130 are called out of the world and gathered 332 00:26:41,130 --> 00:26:45,470 together, supposed to be under the name of 333 00:26:45,470 --> 00:26:47,950 Christ, and yet you find in the church 334 00:26:47,950 --> 00:26:51,570 there are so much fighting against each other. 335 00:26:52,570 --> 00:26:54,570 Can that be the church? 336 00:27:01,010 --> 00:27:07,460 Many years ago, I had the privilege of 337 00:27:09,540 --> 00:27:12,040 serving together with dear T. 338 00:27:12,120 --> 00:27:12,900 Austin Sparks. 339 00:27:17,220 --> 00:27:21,600 And I know Brother Sparks, he is so 340 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:29,710 spiritually minded, that if you mention anything 341 00:27:29,710 --> 00:27:35,010 earthly, it bothers him. 342 00:27:39,990 --> 00:27:43,990 So when we were ministering together, now I 343 00:27:43,990 --> 00:27:49,130 tried to explain what the church is to 344 00:27:49,130 --> 00:27:49,690 the people. 345 00:27:52,210 --> 00:27:54,750 So I turned to Brother Sparks and said, 346 00:27:55,290 --> 00:27:58,830 you have to forgive me, because I'm going 347 00:27:58,830 --> 00:27:59,870 to use a formula. 348 00:28:01,550 --> 00:28:04,570 Now if it is spiritual, there can be 349 00:28:04,570 --> 00:28:05,330 no formula. 350 00:28:08,940 --> 00:28:11,140 So I said, I feel sorry for it, 351 00:28:11,260 --> 00:28:13,380 but in order to make it clear. 352 00:28:13,940 --> 00:28:17,540 So I said, I will use a formula. 353 00:28:18,700 --> 00:28:19,940 Now what is the church? 354 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:26,520 Suppose in the very beginning, there are only 355 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:30,660 three Christians called out once. 356 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:39,160 And these three are Peter, John, and James. 357 00:28:41,430 --> 00:28:45,770 You cannot find a better gathering than these 358 00:28:45,770 --> 00:28:46,410 three people. 359 00:28:48,250 --> 00:28:49,590 So what is the church? 360 00:28:50,490 --> 00:28:58,520 The church is Peter plus John plus James. 361 00:28:59,540 --> 00:29:00,240 That's the church. 362 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:03,420 No, of course not. 363 00:29:05,540 --> 00:29:12,120 Because Peter in his natural self, John and 364 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,120 James in their natural selves cannot be the 365 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:15,380 church. 366 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:17,400 They had to be called out. 367 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:20,380 So we will say, what is the church? 368 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:27,420 The church is Christ in Peter plus Christ 369 00:29:27,420 --> 00:29:33,960 in John plus Christ in James equal church. 370 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:36,980 Ah, you got it. 371 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:38,960 No. 372 00:29:42,530 --> 00:29:43,010 Why? 373 00:29:43,970 --> 00:29:48,470 Because you know, Peter is a person who 374 00:29:48,470 --> 00:29:52,010 wants to be the head. 375 00:29:56,510 --> 00:30:01,810 And John and James are not more gentle 376 00:30:01,810 --> 00:30:02,650 than Peter. 377 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:10,280 You know, even at the last moment, when 378 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:14,560 our Lord was going to Jerusalem, all the 379 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:18,120 disciples had been struggling against each other all 380 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:18,860 these years. 381 00:30:19,020 --> 00:30:20,200 Who is the greatest? 382 00:30:20,940 --> 00:30:22,240 Now the last chance. 383 00:30:23,340 --> 00:30:25,320 And you'll find John and James are so 384 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:25,640 clever. 385 00:30:26,300 --> 00:30:27,560 They got their mother out. 386 00:30:29,060 --> 00:30:30,940 And the mother is our Lord's aunt. 387 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:33,620 And the word of the aunt has some 388 00:30:33,620 --> 00:30:33,900 weight. 389 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:37,040 So here you'll find their mother took the 390 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:38,960 two sons to the Lord and said, Lord, 391 00:30:39,660 --> 00:30:41,860 we want to ask you for one thing. 392 00:30:41,980 --> 00:30:44,960 Promise you will give it. 393 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:48,980 I think probably they are too ashamed to 394 00:30:48,980 --> 00:30:50,300 mention what that thing is. 395 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:53,320 Here is a blank check. 396 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:54,020 Sign it. 397 00:30:56,620 --> 00:30:59,180 But our Lord Jesus never signed a blank 398 00:30:59,180 --> 00:30:59,500 check. 399 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:01,960 So our Lord said, now what do you 400 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:02,300 want? 401 00:31:04,290 --> 00:31:05,130 Speak it out. 402 00:31:06,170 --> 00:31:09,650 Ah, my two sons, one on my right, 403 00:31:10,090 --> 00:31:12,870 one on your right, one on your left. 404 00:31:14,970 --> 00:31:20,370 And the Lord said, are you able to 405 00:31:20,370 --> 00:31:22,850 drink the cup that I'm going to drink? 406 00:31:23,810 --> 00:31:26,370 To be baptized with the baptism that I'm 407 00:31:26,370 --> 00:31:27,490 going to be baptized? 408 00:31:28,490 --> 00:31:29,610 Oh, they say we will. 409 00:31:30,290 --> 00:31:34,230 They do not know even what it involves. 410 00:31:35,550 --> 00:31:36,930 And the Lord said, you will. 411 00:31:38,230 --> 00:31:39,950 But to sit on my right and left 412 00:31:39,950 --> 00:31:41,630 is not for me to give. 413 00:31:42,250 --> 00:31:44,870 It's for the Father to give. 414 00:31:46,090 --> 00:31:49,030 And the other ten were indignant. 415 00:31:49,930 --> 00:31:50,350 Why? 416 00:31:50,350 --> 00:31:52,290 Because they were outmaneuvered. 417 00:31:55,500 --> 00:31:58,280 Now, if you put Peter, John, and James 418 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:02,020 together, how they will fight? 419 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,480 And maybe two against one. 420 00:32:07,700 --> 00:32:08,920 That's not the church. 421 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:15,500 Peace should be the church. 422 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:25,800 Brothers and sisters, you know, that's why you 423 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:30,580 and me and all of us, we are 424 00:32:30,580 --> 00:32:31,180 the church. 425 00:32:32,380 --> 00:32:34,560 And we fight against each other. 426 00:32:37,580 --> 00:32:38,160 No peace. 427 00:32:39,740 --> 00:32:40,580 No unity. 428 00:32:43,340 --> 00:32:44,280 Where is Christ? 429 00:32:48,590 --> 00:32:51,690 So I said, what is the church? 430 00:32:52,570 --> 00:32:59,290 The church is Christ in Peter minus Peter 431 00:33:00,670 --> 00:33:06,290 plus Christ in John minus John and plus 432 00:33:06,290 --> 00:33:10,890 Christ in James minus James equal to the 433 00:33:10,890 --> 00:33:11,250 church. 434 00:33:11,770 --> 00:33:12,630 Now you get it. 435 00:33:15,540 --> 00:33:16,960 And that's the reason why. 436 00:33:18,420 --> 00:33:21,200 So also is the Christ. 437 00:33:22,340 --> 00:33:25,980 In other words, the church is nothing but 438 00:33:25,980 --> 00:33:29,640 the corporate expression of Christ. 439 00:33:31,550 --> 00:33:38,630 You and I have to be eliminated by 440 00:33:38,630 --> 00:33:41,830 the working of the cross in our lives. 441 00:33:42,810 --> 00:33:47,190 So what's left is nothing but Christ himself. 442 00:33:49,010 --> 00:33:51,030 It is his corporate expression. 443 00:33:51,930 --> 00:33:56,230 He expresses himself, the fullness of Christ. 444 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:01,000 The church is the body of Christ, the 445 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:05,660 fullness of Christ, who feels all and in 446 00:34:05,660 --> 00:34:06,080 all. 447 00:34:06,860 --> 00:34:09,580 He feels you, he feels me, he feels 448 00:34:09,580 --> 00:34:12,600 all and in all of us. 449 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:15,060 Nothing but Christ. 450 00:34:15,860 --> 00:34:19,500 So anything that is not of Christ has 451 00:34:19,500 --> 00:34:25,800 to be eliminated by the cross before you 452 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:29,500 enter into the reality of the church. 453 00:34:30,580 --> 00:34:34,360 So dear brothers and sisters, what is the 454 00:34:34,360 --> 00:34:34,659 church? 455 00:34:35,940 --> 00:34:38,420 The church is the Christ. 456 00:34:39,380 --> 00:34:44,159 The mystery of the Christ is the church. 457 00:34:50,650 --> 00:34:57,590 When we talk about the church, usually we 458 00:34:57,590 --> 00:34:59,770 begin with Pentecost. 459 00:35:02,020 --> 00:35:05,480 Because on the day of Pentecost, two thousand 460 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:11,380 years ago, the Holy Spirit came down and 461 00:35:11,380 --> 00:35:13,480 a hundred and twenty who gathered in that 462 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:20,010 upper room, they were baptized in the Spirit 463 00:35:20,010 --> 00:35:22,630 into one body. 464 00:35:26,900 --> 00:35:29,600 So we say that is the beginning of 465 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:30,140 the church. 466 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:35,620 Why? 467 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:40,880 The church begins before the foundation of the 468 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:41,200 world. 469 00:35:43,830 --> 00:35:46,550 Even before the world was, is. 470 00:35:48,150 --> 00:35:56,370 God has already purposed in Christ Jesus that 471 00:35:56,370 --> 00:36:01,750 purpose, that he is going to have a 472 00:36:01,750 --> 00:36:04,170 church for his son. 473 00:36:05,590 --> 00:36:10,690 So actually you find the church is conceived 474 00:36:10,690 --> 00:36:18,320 in the heart of God, even before the 475 00:36:18,320 --> 00:36:19,400 ages began. 476 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:24,220 It has its origin in God. 477 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:29,900 The church is not a result, product of 478 00:36:29,900 --> 00:36:30,360 history. 479 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:33,920 Today we look at the church as a 480 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:34,920 product of history. 481 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:40,580 So when we write church history, you'll find 482 00:36:40,580 --> 00:36:42,980 we look at it from that viewpoint. 483 00:36:45,310 --> 00:36:49,350 But we have to remember the church is 484 00:36:49,350 --> 00:36:51,530 heavenly in its origin. 485 00:36:53,270 --> 00:36:56,450 And therefore it is spiritual in nature. 486 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:06,480 It is conceived in the mind of God 487 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:11,240 before the foundation of the world. 488 00:37:15,190 --> 00:37:21,370 But one day it appears upon the earth, 489 00:37:21,990 --> 00:37:24,870 and that is the day of Pentecost. 490 00:37:28,790 --> 00:37:31,470 When you look into the gospel according to 491 00:37:31,470 --> 00:37:36,600 John, you know the whole gospel of John 492 00:37:38,810 --> 00:37:43,610 tries to tell us that our Lord Jesus, 493 00:37:44,170 --> 00:37:48,970 he came into this world for one reason. 494 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:55,620 Now if you read maybe Luke, you'll find 495 00:37:55,620 --> 00:37:59,820 that he came to seek and to save 496 00:37:59,820 --> 00:38:00,700 the lost. 497 00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:05,360 Because the gospel according to Luke is the 498 00:38:05,360 --> 00:38:06,320 gospel of grace. 499 00:38:08,900 --> 00:38:11,440 But when you read the gospel of John, 500 00:38:12,980 --> 00:38:16,260 you will find the reason why our Lord 501 00:38:16,260 --> 00:38:18,100 Jesus came into this world. 502 00:38:19,580 --> 00:38:24,100 Yes, he came to seek and try to 503 00:38:24,100 --> 00:38:27,300 find, but it's more than the lost. 504 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:31,420 He came to seek for his bride. 505 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:34,920 That's the gospel of John. 506 00:38:38,260 --> 00:38:40,960 That's the reason why the first miracle, first 507 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:44,280 sign he performed, is in a marriage feast. 508 00:38:46,870 --> 00:38:51,190 See, as the bridegroom, he came into this 509 00:38:51,190 --> 00:38:57,230 world, try to seek and find his bride. 510 00:39:03,500 --> 00:39:06,860 John the Baptist understood that. 511 00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:13,480 Because he said, he is the friend of 512 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:14,140 the bridegroom. 513 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:17,880 When he hears the voice of the bridegroom, 514 00:39:18,500 --> 00:39:19,840 he's happy. 515 00:39:21,820 --> 00:39:26,940 He, the bridegroom, must increase, and he, the 516 00:39:26,940 --> 00:39:28,600 friend, must decrease. 517 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:32,840 So the purpose of our Lord Jesus coming 518 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:36,800 into this world is to find his bride. 519 00:39:39,850 --> 00:39:44,090 You know, just like Adam, our brother mentioned 520 00:39:44,090 --> 00:39:49,950 last night, God brought all the animals before 521 00:39:49,950 --> 00:39:50,350 Adam. 522 00:39:52,670 --> 00:39:54,090 Now, why God did that? 523 00:39:56,260 --> 00:39:58,700 Because God knew Adam was lonely. 524 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:02,920 So he brought all the animals before Adam, 525 00:40:03,740 --> 00:40:07,120 and Adam gave names to all these animals. 526 00:40:07,900 --> 00:40:10,900 But he could not find his like. 527 00:40:13,950 --> 00:40:15,830 And because of this, God put him to 528 00:40:15,830 --> 00:40:16,130 sleep. 529 00:40:17,150 --> 00:40:19,250 And out of his sight, God took out 530 00:40:19,250 --> 00:40:25,390 something, and used that something that came out 531 00:40:25,390 --> 00:40:29,510 of Adam to make a woman. 532 00:40:30,590 --> 00:40:33,390 And the word make is an architectural word, 533 00:40:34,010 --> 00:40:34,810 to construct. 534 00:40:39,420 --> 00:40:44,030 And you remember, Adam woke up. 535 00:40:45,170 --> 00:40:46,630 God brought that woman to Adam. 536 00:40:47,490 --> 00:40:49,150 Adam looked at her and said, this is 537 00:40:49,150 --> 00:40:49,450 me. 538 00:40:54,230 --> 00:40:56,950 And they joined together in one. 539 00:40:58,570 --> 00:40:59,990 You know, this is just a type. 540 00:41:02,940 --> 00:41:09,120 The anti-type, the fulfillment of that type, 541 00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:11,400 is Christ and the Church. 542 00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:18,170 Because you'll find in Ephesians chapter 5, Paul 543 00:41:18,170 --> 00:41:22,970 says, this mystery is great, but I'm speaking 544 00:41:22,970 --> 00:41:26,030 of Christ and the Church. 545 00:41:27,950 --> 00:41:31,150 So, brothers and sisters, when Christ came to 546 00:41:31,150 --> 00:41:34,110 this earth, he's looking for his bride. 547 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:42,060 But you'll find not the animals passing before 548 00:41:42,060 --> 00:41:42,400 him. 549 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:46,200 You'll find all the men, people, passing before 550 00:41:46,200 --> 00:41:46,540 him. 551 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:56,880 The sick, the blind, the lame, even the 552 00:41:56,880 --> 00:41:59,840 dead, passing before him. 553 00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:03,280 He couldn't find his counterpart. 554 00:42:04,740 --> 00:42:09,840 He couldn't find anyone that answers to his 555 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:10,180 heart. 556 00:42:13,180 --> 00:42:20,560 Because man had fallen into sin, unfit to 557 00:42:20,560 --> 00:42:21,360 be his bride. 558 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:25,700 And for that reason, he had to go. 559 00:42:30,720 --> 00:42:31,720 He had to die. 560 00:42:34,230 --> 00:42:39,000 And our brother mentioned also last night, the 561 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:43,100 soldier came and found the Lord has already 562 00:42:43,100 --> 00:42:43,640 died. 563 00:42:44,260 --> 00:42:48,080 To make sure that he did die, he 564 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:51,140 thrust a spear into his side. 565 00:42:52,100 --> 00:42:56,360 And out of it comes a water and 566 00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:56,780 blood. 567 00:42:58,280 --> 00:42:59,700 And John was there. 568 00:43:01,580 --> 00:43:03,740 And he make it very emphatic. 569 00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:06,020 He said, I saw it. 570 00:43:06,980 --> 00:43:10,640 I witnessed to it that out of that 571 00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:13,680 side came a water and blood. 572 00:43:14,700 --> 00:43:20,980 Now why he testified to it emphatically? 573 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:28,680 Mention it, because the blood for the remission 574 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:33,780 of all sins, the water is his life. 575 00:43:34,680 --> 00:43:37,400 He gave us a new life, his own 576 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:37,760 life. 577 00:43:38,620 --> 00:43:43,560 And with himself as the material, he built 578 00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:44,840 the church. 579 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:52,700 Brothers and sisters, that is what the church 580 00:43:52,700 --> 00:43:53,720 is. 581 00:44:06,340 --> 00:44:06,840 How? 582 00:44:08,260 --> 00:44:15,510 When our Lord Jesus was on earth, he 583 00:44:15,510 --> 00:44:18,850 mentioned only twice about the church. 584 00:44:21,290 --> 00:44:26,770 One in Matthew, chapter 16, verse 18. 585 00:44:29,130 --> 00:44:34,470 You know, when he asked his disciples, who 586 00:44:34,470 --> 00:44:37,030 do men say I am? 587 00:44:38,730 --> 00:44:43,050 And they brought to our Lord all these 588 00:44:43,050 --> 00:44:43,910 good reports. 589 00:44:45,570 --> 00:44:49,150 They purposely withheld all the bad reports. 590 00:44:51,820 --> 00:44:53,040 Try to please the Lord. 591 00:44:54,160 --> 00:44:56,360 Oh, you are John the Baptist coming into 592 00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:56,720 life. 593 00:44:57,860 --> 00:44:59,540 You are the prophet. 594 00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:02,480 You are Jeremiah because you wept a lot. 595 00:45:05,180 --> 00:45:06,840 But the Lord was not satisfied. 596 00:45:08,380 --> 00:45:10,880 The Lord said, whom do you say I, 597 00:45:11,180 --> 00:45:12,240 the Son of Man is? 598 00:45:13,360 --> 00:45:16,000 You who are with me, you who should 599 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:16,620 know me. 600 00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:19,100 Who do you say I am? 601 00:45:20,020 --> 00:45:22,940 And Simon Peter said, you are the Christ, 602 00:45:23,500 --> 00:45:25,760 the Son of the living God. 603 00:45:26,860 --> 00:45:29,140 And our Lord Jesus blessed on you, Simon 604 00:45:29,140 --> 00:45:32,280 by Jonah, because this is not something shown 605 00:45:32,280 --> 00:45:34,320 you by flesh and blood, but it is 606 00:45:34,320 --> 00:45:36,580 my Father who is in heaven, who has 607 00:45:36,580 --> 00:45:38,180 revealed it to you. 608 00:45:38,980 --> 00:45:42,560 And I say unto you, you are Peter, 609 00:45:44,940 --> 00:45:49,080 a little stone, a living stone. 610 00:45:50,460 --> 00:45:54,480 I will build my church upon this massive 611 00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:59,500 rock, myself, and the gates of Hades shall 612 00:45:59,500 --> 00:46:01,520 not prevail against it. 613 00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:06,800 That's the first mentioning from the mouth of 614 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:08,520 our Lord about the church. 615 00:46:09,680 --> 00:46:12,060 Then the second mentioning is in Matthew chapter 616 00:46:12,060 --> 00:46:12,600 18. 617 00:46:16,220 --> 00:46:18,180 And they say, if your brother sin against 618 00:46:18,180 --> 00:46:23,020 you, you go to him. 619 00:46:26,020 --> 00:46:28,500 Try to restore him. 620 00:46:29,080 --> 00:46:31,760 If he didn't listen to you, you get 621 00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:35,100 another one or two brothers with you, and 622 00:46:35,100 --> 00:46:36,220 try to convince him. 623 00:46:37,060 --> 00:46:39,920 If he doesn't, then you tell the church, 624 00:46:40,580 --> 00:46:43,380 and the church will have to deal with 625 00:46:43,380 --> 00:46:43,600 him. 626 00:46:45,690 --> 00:46:48,430 Now, of course, from these two mentionings, you 627 00:46:48,430 --> 00:46:53,610 can see very clearly, in Matthew 16, it 628 00:46:53,610 --> 00:46:57,070 gives us the spiritual principle of the church. 629 00:46:58,110 --> 00:47:01,670 Because everything is spiritual there. 630 00:47:05,270 --> 00:47:07,610 I will build my church. 631 00:47:09,350 --> 00:47:10,790 It is my church. 632 00:47:12,370 --> 00:47:19,010 Build on the rock, myself, that confession. 633 00:47:20,430 --> 00:47:24,070 Build with living stones, like Peter. 634 00:47:25,850 --> 00:47:28,290 And there will be spiritual conflict. 635 00:47:29,670 --> 00:47:33,150 But Hades gates shall not prevail against it. 636 00:47:33,530 --> 00:47:35,850 So you'll find everything is on a spiritual 637 00:47:35,850 --> 00:47:36,310 realm. 638 00:47:37,550 --> 00:47:38,790 That's the church universal. 639 00:47:40,750 --> 00:47:43,690 And then in Matthew 18, you'll find it 640 00:47:43,690 --> 00:47:49,150 is being condensed and applied practically on earth. 641 00:47:49,930 --> 00:47:54,950 What happened where the churches are. 642 00:47:56,470 --> 00:48:01,400 You will find there will be sin against 643 00:48:01,400 --> 00:48:02,000 each other. 644 00:48:04,420 --> 00:48:05,860 And there has to be forgiveness. 645 00:48:06,640 --> 00:48:07,840 Has to be love. 646 00:48:09,240 --> 00:48:10,420 Try to restore. 647 00:48:12,040 --> 00:48:13,220 There has to be discipline. 648 00:48:14,440 --> 00:48:16,440 And there has to be prayer together. 649 00:48:17,220 --> 00:48:20,640 So, brothers and sisters, there you'll find it 650 00:48:20,640 --> 00:48:28,390 is the practical application of the spiritual heavenly 651 00:48:28,390 --> 00:48:29,750 principles. 652 00:48:31,370 --> 00:48:33,690 Now, even though our Lord mentioned the church 653 00:48:33,690 --> 00:48:34,430 only twice. 654 00:48:34,990 --> 00:48:35,970 Now, why is it so? 655 00:48:36,850 --> 00:48:39,150 Because there's no church. 656 00:48:39,610 --> 00:48:40,530 He's not ready yet. 657 00:48:41,430 --> 00:48:44,170 He has to die for the church. 658 00:48:45,730 --> 00:48:50,430 And only after he died, then the church 659 00:48:50,430 --> 00:48:51,910 becomes a reality. 660 00:48:55,460 --> 00:49:01,600 Now, let us go to the beginning of 661 00:49:01,600 --> 00:49:04,940 the history of the church on earth. 662 00:49:07,930 --> 00:49:09,550 We say that it is Pentecost. 663 00:49:10,610 --> 00:49:13,990 But actually, you'll find the birth of the 664 00:49:13,990 --> 00:49:14,350 church. 665 00:49:17,310 --> 00:49:20,490 We have to go back to the cross. 666 00:49:21,390 --> 00:49:25,790 Because as we have already mentioned, that it 667 00:49:25,790 --> 00:49:28,630 is on the cross that our Lord Jesus, 668 00:49:30,810 --> 00:49:32,430 how he prevailed. 669 00:49:41,050 --> 00:49:45,730 We notice how our Lord Jesus, knowing his 670 00:49:45,730 --> 00:49:47,770 time, has now come. 671 00:49:48,950 --> 00:49:51,930 So he set his face towards Jerusalem. 672 00:49:53,030 --> 00:49:57,610 You know, his disciples were amazed, frightened, because 673 00:49:57,610 --> 00:50:02,090 they knew that the Jews were going to 674 00:50:02,090 --> 00:50:02,630 kill him. 675 00:50:03,790 --> 00:50:07,990 But our Lord set his face towards Jerusalem. 676 00:50:10,700 --> 00:50:14,700 And you remember that night, how he was 677 00:50:14,700 --> 00:50:18,780 agonizing in the garden of Gethsemane. 678 00:50:23,320 --> 00:50:26,440 He said, I was sorrowful even unto death. 679 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:31,740 He was oppressed in his spirit. 680 00:50:36,100 --> 00:50:42,980 He told his three disciples, wait with me. 681 00:50:46,130 --> 00:50:47,950 Watch with me. 682 00:50:49,680 --> 00:50:54,190 And he went forward and he prayed, Father, 683 00:50:55,010 --> 00:50:58,990 if it be possible, let this cup be 684 00:50:58,990 --> 00:51:03,130 removed from me, but not my will. 685 00:51:04,010 --> 00:51:05,310 Thy will be done. 686 00:51:06,410 --> 00:51:12,430 Brothers and sisters, the scene in Gethsemane is 687 00:51:12,430 --> 00:51:13,150 so sacred. 688 00:51:15,930 --> 00:51:20,230 There you'll find our Lord Jesus, the Holy 689 00:51:20,230 --> 00:51:20,650 One. 690 00:51:21,970 --> 00:51:23,970 He who knows no sin. 691 00:51:26,310 --> 00:51:31,050 He who pleases the Father, even from eternity. 692 00:51:31,050 --> 00:51:37,680 And yet there you'll find he was going 693 00:51:37,680 --> 00:51:40,080 to be the sin offering. 694 00:51:51,030 --> 00:52:00,750 No wonder his holiness, his purity, his 695 00:52:00,750 --> 00:52:10,190 righteousness, rebelled against all the awfulness, the wickedness, 696 00:52:10,700 --> 00:52:13,010 the sinfulness of sin. 697 00:52:14,550 --> 00:52:17,690 How could he be defiled? 698 00:52:19,430 --> 00:52:22,350 He who knows no sin to be made 699 00:52:22,350 --> 00:52:25,590 sin itself, as it were. 700 00:52:28,290 --> 00:52:29,310 He could not bear it. 701 00:52:31,030 --> 00:52:34,610 The temptation is tremendous. 702 00:52:38,500 --> 00:52:40,760 He can ask the Father to remove that 703 00:52:40,760 --> 00:52:44,340 cup, if he insists. 704 00:52:46,900 --> 00:52:49,700 But he said, not my will, but thy 705 00:52:49,700 --> 00:52:50,460 will be done. 706 00:52:51,880 --> 00:52:55,020 And when he was praying, he agonized. 707 00:52:55,920 --> 00:53:00,260 His sweat comes down like blood drop. 708 00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:06,840 He was so weakened physically that an angel 709 00:53:06,840 --> 00:53:09,640 has to appear to support him. 710 00:53:10,180 --> 00:53:15,840 Brothers and sisters, we cannot understand how much 711 00:53:15,840 --> 00:53:21,590 he loved us, how he gave himself so 712 00:53:21,590 --> 00:53:24,450 much for us. 713 00:53:28,380 --> 00:53:31,480 The travail of birth. 714 00:53:33,790 --> 00:53:38,150 It is through his travail that the church 715 00:53:38,150 --> 00:53:38,850 is born. 716 00:53:40,290 --> 00:53:45,260 You remember on the cross, the first three 717 00:53:45,260 --> 00:53:49,360 hours, he suffered from the hands of man 718 00:53:49,360 --> 00:53:54,460 and of the enemy, Satan, and the evil 719 00:53:54,460 --> 00:53:55,680 forces. 720 00:53:56,340 --> 00:54:02,360 How he was surrounded by evil, seen and 721 00:54:02,360 --> 00:54:02,900 unseen. 722 00:54:03,800 --> 00:54:06,900 They attacked him, but the Father was with 723 00:54:06,900 --> 00:54:07,440 him. 724 00:54:08,260 --> 00:54:12,440 So he can pray, Father, forgive them, for 725 00:54:12,440 --> 00:54:14,300 they know not what they do. 726 00:54:16,320 --> 00:54:20,840 But then at 12 o'clock, suddenly the 727 00:54:20,840 --> 00:54:21,620 sun was gone. 728 00:54:22,840 --> 00:54:24,820 Darkness filled the place. 729 00:54:26,120 --> 00:54:29,380 And for three hours, he was there alone. 730 00:54:32,020 --> 00:54:34,340 Towards the end, he cried out, my God, 731 00:54:34,440 --> 00:54:38,220 my God, why has thou forsaken me? 732 00:54:39,520 --> 00:54:44,520 During those three hours, he tasted eternal death 733 00:54:44,520 --> 00:54:46,340 for each one of us. 734 00:54:47,240 --> 00:54:56,160 Separated from the Father, out of the travail 735 00:54:56,160 --> 00:55:01,520 of his soul, he shall see a seed, 736 00:55:05,590 --> 00:55:07,310 and he shall be satisfied. 737 00:55:08,270 --> 00:55:16,980 Brothers and sisters, the church is not something 738 00:55:16,980 --> 00:55:18,760 that man can make. 739 00:55:21,470 --> 00:55:24,990 The church has to be born. 740 00:55:28,030 --> 00:55:33,820 And it is born through the travail of 741 00:55:33,820 --> 00:55:34,620 our Lord Jesus. 742 00:55:37,860 --> 00:55:45,290 But sometimes, I think, when our Lord Jesus 743 00:55:45,290 --> 00:55:50,610 was crying, my God, my God, why has 744 00:55:50,610 --> 00:55:51,750 thou forsaken me? 745 00:55:54,440 --> 00:55:57,360 Is he the only one who is in 746 00:55:57,360 --> 00:55:57,720 travail? 747 00:55:58,440 --> 00:55:58,720 No. 748 00:55:59,960 --> 00:56:04,720 The Father is in travel too. 749 00:56:08,090 --> 00:56:10,170 The Father had to hide his face. 750 00:56:13,570 --> 00:56:16,070 He couldn't see his Son. 751 00:56:21,370 --> 00:56:24,450 He had to give up his Son for 752 00:56:24,450 --> 00:56:24,850 us. 753 00:56:26,870 --> 00:56:30,830 What travail it must be to our Heavenly 754 00:56:30,830 --> 00:56:31,290 Father. 755 00:56:34,520 --> 00:56:41,450 On the day of Pentecost, when 120 were 756 00:56:41,450 --> 00:56:46,290 there praying, suddenly a sound. 757 00:56:51,040 --> 00:56:55,720 In the original, it says, like a wind. 758 00:56:56,780 --> 00:56:59,680 But it is a hard breathing. 759 00:57:01,540 --> 00:57:03,680 You know, when a woman is in travail 760 00:57:03,680 --> 00:57:08,060 to give birth, she has to have hard 761 00:57:08,060 --> 00:57:08,620 breathing. 762 00:57:10,220 --> 00:57:12,960 It is the travail of the Holy Spirit, 763 00:57:17,590 --> 00:57:18,850 the Triune God. 764 00:57:20,310 --> 00:57:26,290 They travail together for the birth of the 765 00:57:26,290 --> 00:57:26,690 church. 766 00:57:27,610 --> 00:57:31,710 So how precious it must be to God. 767 00:57:34,160 --> 00:57:36,000 You know, we today look at the church 768 00:57:36,000 --> 00:57:36,860 as nothing. 769 00:57:38,620 --> 00:57:39,860 We play the church. 770 00:57:44,230 --> 00:57:46,510 But if you really see what the church 771 00:57:46,510 --> 00:57:53,480 is, what a great price our God has 772 00:57:53,480 --> 00:57:57,340 paid to bring it about. 773 00:58:00,320 --> 00:58:04,440 And because of this, brothers and sisters, you'll 774 00:58:04,440 --> 00:58:09,740 find, even in the early days, the 120, 775 00:58:10,740 --> 00:58:15,700 they also travail with God for the birth 776 00:58:15,700 --> 00:58:16,680 of the church. 777 00:58:21,820 --> 00:58:28,440 They saw the Lord ascended, but the Lord 778 00:58:28,440 --> 00:58:29,600 said, go to Jerusalem. 779 00:58:30,760 --> 00:58:31,140 Wait. 780 00:58:33,990 --> 00:58:35,650 So they went back to Jerusalem. 781 00:58:36,530 --> 00:58:40,230 At one time, 500 saw our Lord Jesus. 782 00:58:41,730 --> 00:58:46,030 But only 120 went back to Jerusalem. 783 00:58:47,330 --> 00:58:58,570 And they spent 10 days praying, travailing, waiting. 784 00:59:02,280 --> 00:59:08,760 And through the travail of these 120 early 785 00:59:08,760 --> 00:59:13,520 believers, the church is born. 786 00:59:16,540 --> 00:59:21,860 You know, wherever a church is born, it 787 00:59:21,860 --> 00:59:24,320 has to come through travail. 788 00:59:25,860 --> 00:59:33,050 Even in our time, there must be some 789 00:59:33,050 --> 00:59:41,510 people who travail for the church, for the 790 00:59:41,510 --> 00:59:42,970 testimony of Jesus. 791 00:59:44,150 --> 00:59:49,730 And out of their travailing prayer, something is 792 00:59:49,730 --> 00:59:50,250 born. 793 00:59:51,390 --> 00:59:52,690 And that is the church. 794 00:59:56,800 --> 01:00:03,410 The Apostle Paul, he knew what it means, 795 01:00:04,610 --> 01:00:12,460 how he to travail, how he toil in 796 01:00:13,840 --> 01:00:15,440 the power of the Holy Spirit. 797 01:00:18,140 --> 01:00:22,940 And he is willing to fill up that 798 01:00:22,940 --> 01:00:26,140 which is behind of the affliction of Christ 799 01:00:26,140 --> 01:00:28,760 for the church, which is his body. 800 01:00:30,240 --> 01:00:35,220 And because of this, you'll find the church 801 01:00:35,220 --> 01:00:37,620 in Ephesus was born. 802 01:00:38,800 --> 01:00:43,120 The church in other places are born. 803 01:00:44,300 --> 01:00:49,370 And the same principle apply to us. 804 01:00:49,570 --> 01:00:56,810 So dear brothers and sisters, first of all, 805 01:00:59,050 --> 01:01:07,510 if God so loved the church, how about 806 01:01:07,510 --> 01:01:08,190 you and me? 807 01:01:12,620 --> 01:01:14,760 Do we love the church in the right 808 01:01:14,760 --> 01:01:15,100 way? 809 01:01:19,640 --> 01:01:23,820 Now, if our Lord Jesus himself is willing 810 01:01:23,820 --> 01:01:26,640 to travail for the birth of the church, 811 01:01:28,360 --> 01:01:35,640 then should we not also have fellowship with 812 01:01:35,640 --> 01:01:36,540 his sufferings? 813 01:01:37,500 --> 01:01:42,380 That we too are willing to travail, to 814 01:01:42,380 --> 01:01:48,320 pay a price, to pray, so that the 815 01:01:48,320 --> 01:01:54,160 church may become a reality, something that is 816 01:01:54,160 --> 01:02:00,340 Christ, something that is his like, that can 817 01:02:00,340 --> 01:02:01,960 be his helpmate. 818 01:02:02,640 --> 01:02:04,960 So may the Lord help us. 819 01:02:05,880 --> 01:02:06,620 Let us pray. 820 01:02:16,260 --> 01:02:21,550 Dear Heavenly Father, we do thank thee for 821 01:02:21,550 --> 01:02:24,190 giving us thy beloved son. 822 01:02:27,860 --> 01:02:30,860 He is everything to us. 823 01:02:34,000 --> 01:02:37,560 Lord, we want to thank thee that you 824 01:02:37,560 --> 01:02:41,500 are willing to give yourself, your own life 825 01:02:43,460 --> 01:02:49,980 to the church, that it may be your 826 01:02:49,980 --> 01:02:54,140 like, your helpmate. 827 01:02:56,460 --> 01:03:00,760 Lord, pray that thou will open not only 828 01:03:00,760 --> 01:03:05,720 our understanding, but that thou will touch our 829 01:03:05,720 --> 01:03:06,160 heart. 830 01:03:09,030 --> 01:03:13,490 That we may love what thou lovest, and 831 01:03:13,490 --> 01:03:22,260 we may be willing to suffer for that 832 01:03:22,260 --> 01:03:23,720 which thou dost suffer for. 833 01:03:25,200 --> 01:03:26,720 And to thee be the glory. 834 01:03:28,480 --> 01:03:30,260 We ask in thy precious name. 835 01:03:30,860 --> 01:03:31,200 Amen.