1 00:00:00,140 --> 00:00:02,120 I'd like you to turn with me, please, 2 00:00:02,260 --> 00:00:05,060 to the book of Hebrews, chapter 12. 3 00:00:07,730 --> 00:00:11,410 Hebrews, chapter 12, and we'll commence reading at 4 00:00:11,410 --> 00:00:12,270 verse number one. 5 00:00:24,670 --> 00:00:27,310 Wherefore, seeing we are all so compassed about, 6 00:00:27,470 --> 00:00:31,229 with so great a cloud of witnesses, let 7 00:00:31,229 --> 00:00:34,350 us lay aside every weight, and the sin 8 00:00:34,350 --> 00:00:37,670 which doth so easily beset us, and let 9 00:00:37,670 --> 00:00:40,710 us run with patience the race that is 10 00:00:40,710 --> 00:00:44,430 set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author 11 00:00:44,430 --> 00:00:46,590 and finisher of fame. 12 00:00:47,530 --> 00:00:49,830 For the joy that was set before him 13 00:00:49,830 --> 00:00:54,670 endured the cross, despising the shame, and it 14 00:00:54,670 --> 00:00:56,890 sat down at the right hand of the 15 00:00:56,890 --> 00:00:57,790 throne of God. 16 00:00:59,030 --> 00:01:03,510 For consider him that endured such contradiction of 17 00:01:03,510 --> 00:01:07,650 sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and 18 00:01:07,650 --> 00:01:09,010 faint in your minds. 19 00:01:09,770 --> 00:01:12,130 Ye have not yet resisted on the blood, 20 00:01:13,010 --> 00:01:17,870 striving against sin, and ye have forgotten the 21 00:01:17,870 --> 00:01:20,910 exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. 22 00:01:21,950 --> 00:01:24,890 My son, despise not thou the chastening of 23 00:01:24,890 --> 00:01:27,830 the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked 24 00:01:27,830 --> 00:01:28,290 of him. 25 00:01:29,050 --> 00:01:31,990 For whom the Lord loveth his chastening, and 26 00:01:31,990 --> 00:01:34,650 scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 27 00:01:35,650 --> 00:01:41,250 If ye endure chastening, or discipleship, God dealeth 28 00:01:41,250 --> 00:01:44,210 with you as with sons. 29 00:01:46,580 --> 00:01:49,220 For what son is he whom the Father 30 00:01:49,220 --> 00:01:50,280 chasteneth not? 31 00:01:51,060 --> 00:01:55,520 But if ye be without chastisement, therefore, whereof 32 00:01:55,520 --> 00:02:00,640 all are partakers, then ye are illegitimate, and 33 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:01,320 not sons. 34 00:02:02,380 --> 00:02:06,540 Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, 35 00:02:07,139 --> 00:02:10,140 which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. 36 00:02:11,100 --> 00:02:13,840 Shall we not much rather be in subjection 37 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,740 unto the Father of Spirits, and live? 38 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,800 For they verily for a few days chastened 39 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,620 us after their own pleasure, but he for 40 00:02:24,620 --> 00:02:27,940 our profit, that we might be partakers of 41 00:02:27,940 --> 00:02:29,300 his holiness. 42 00:02:29,300 --> 00:02:32,640 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to 43 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:34,140 be joyous, but grievous. 44 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,140 Nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the feasible fruit of 45 00:02:39,140 --> 00:02:42,980 righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 46 00:02:44,140 --> 00:02:46,780 Wherefore, lift up the hands which hang down, 47 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,920 and the feeble knees, and make straight paths 48 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:53,740 for your feet, lest that which is lame 49 00:02:53,740 --> 00:02:56,600 be turned out of the way, but let 50 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,220 it rather be healed. 51 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,740 Now farther down the chapter, verse 28 says, 52 00:03:04,860 --> 00:03:08,300 Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be 53 00:03:08,300 --> 00:03:11,660 moved, let us have grace whereby we may 54 00:03:11,660 --> 00:03:15,960 serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. 55 00:03:16,740 --> 00:03:19,900 For our God is a consuming fire. 56 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:21,700 Now we know that God will bless the 57 00:03:21,700 --> 00:03:23,880 reading of his precious word. 58 00:03:24,620 --> 00:03:26,700 It's always good when we read the scriptures, 59 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,360 that we want to know what it really 60 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,640 means to take things in their context. 61 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:34,960 And when I was a lot younger, I 62 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,760 had a brother from England used to come 63 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,680 over, Mr. Fred Condig, who was a giant 64 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,280 in the scriptures, and he used to kind 65 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:44,460 of drill it into us. 66 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,080 First, interpretation, then application. 67 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:50,120 So we're going to try and give the 68 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,000 interpretation first of all, and of course we 69 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,360 need to apply it to ourselves. 70 00:03:56,260 --> 00:03:57,840 Now I don't want to go a lot 71 00:03:57,840 --> 00:03:58,700 into the background. 72 00:03:58,940 --> 00:04:01,540 I've done this a few times recently speaking 73 00:04:01,540 --> 00:04:03,920 at other parts of this book. 74 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,040 But what helped me years ago was to 75 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:11,080 find out that the book of Hebrews can 76 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,080 be likened unto the Pentateuch. 77 00:04:13,500 --> 00:04:15,779 That is the first five books of the 78 00:04:15,779 --> 00:04:16,079 Bible. 79 00:04:17,220 --> 00:04:20,019 And you likely would know if you read 80 00:04:20,019 --> 00:04:24,520 it, that chapter one and chapter two down 81 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:26,700 to the end of verse four would be 82 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:29,700 the Genesis section of the book. 83 00:04:30,100 --> 00:04:31,860 That's a seed plot of the Bible. 84 00:04:32,500 --> 00:04:35,080 It goes way back before the worlds were, 85 00:04:35,620 --> 00:04:37,140 and it brings us right down to the 86 00:04:37,140 --> 00:04:37,940 present time. 87 00:04:38,580 --> 00:04:43,540 The Holy Spirit and the angels, our ministering 88 00:04:43,540 --> 00:04:46,120 spirits, sent forth to them, there shall be 89 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:47,120 ears of salvation. 90 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,040 When we come to chapter two and verse 91 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,640 five, right into chapter four and verse eleven, 92 00:04:54,140 --> 00:04:56,240 we have the Exodus part of the book. 93 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,100 And that corresponds and speaks a lot about 94 00:04:59,100 --> 00:05:01,320 Moses and Aaron and so on. 95 00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:04,620 And of course, the main thrust of the 96 00:05:04,620 --> 00:05:07,320 book would be the book of Leviticus. 97 00:05:07,860 --> 00:05:09,980 It would correspond to the book of Leviticus, 98 00:05:10,660 --> 00:05:14,300 and especially to the day of atonement, right 99 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:21,160 from chapter four, sixteen is it, right through 100 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:26,200 to the end of chapter ten. 101 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,680 Then we have the numbers part, and we 102 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,720 have that in chapter eleven, where you have 103 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,380 all those worthies, the men and women, that 104 00:05:35,380 --> 00:05:38,640 are traveling through this world by faith. 105 00:05:39,500 --> 00:05:40,960 When we come to the last part of 106 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:42,880 the book, of course, that would have to 107 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:44,780 correspond to the book of Deuteronomy. 108 00:05:45,420 --> 00:05:46,820 And that's what we want to speak a 109 00:05:46,820 --> 00:05:49,820 little bit about, because these people are moving 110 00:05:49,820 --> 00:05:50,920 toward their inheritance. 111 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:53,820 And that's what the book of Deuteronomy was, 112 00:05:53,900 --> 00:05:56,580 and it was written by Moses, and it 113 00:05:56,580 --> 00:05:58,940 was written for those who were going to 114 00:05:58,940 --> 00:05:59,820 enter the land. 115 00:06:00,340 --> 00:06:02,800 So there was an inheritance that God is 116 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,120 bringing the children of Israel into, and of 117 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,580 course, is going to bring us into that 118 00:06:08,580 --> 00:06:09,680 inheritance as well. 119 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:11,120 Or maybe it has already. 120 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,240 So the thought is that here are people, 121 00:06:15,420 --> 00:06:17,840 or Jews, that were written to the Hebrews. 122 00:06:18,900 --> 00:06:23,020 Some of them were saved, some were considering 123 00:06:23,020 --> 00:06:26,000 salvation, and they're drawing back. 124 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:28,800 So what we have here is, there's a 125 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:29,120 race. 126 00:06:29,380 --> 00:06:32,840 We began the conference this morning by the 127 00:06:32,840 --> 00:06:35,860 paths, walking in the right path, but now 128 00:06:35,860 --> 00:06:37,540 we're in a race. 129 00:06:38,350 --> 00:06:41,460 And each one of us is part of 130 00:06:41,460 --> 00:06:41,920 that race. 131 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:43,760 We're not racing against one another. 132 00:06:44,660 --> 00:06:47,820 It's not a contest or a competition, but 133 00:06:47,820 --> 00:06:51,080 we're all going toward that inheritance. 134 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,440 And for these people to whom the book 135 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,000 was written, some of them were going back. 136 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,100 Instead of going forward, they were going back, 137 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,680 and they were going back into Judaism. 138 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:05,660 The race was too difficult. 139 00:07:05,660 --> 00:07:08,160 There were so many things in the race 140 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,000 that they didn't seem to be able to 141 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:10,420 overcome. 142 00:07:11,300 --> 00:07:13,680 So the writer is trying to encourage them, 143 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:16,940 and I want to encourage God's people as 144 00:07:16,940 --> 00:07:20,540 well, to keep on running in the race. 145 00:07:21,660 --> 00:07:23,280 Now, it's not likely that any of us 146 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,260 here are going to go back into Judaism. 147 00:07:25,820 --> 00:07:27,480 I don't think there are any Jews here 148 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:28,680 right now. 149 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:31,900 But you know, we can go back into 150 00:07:31,900 --> 00:07:35,140 Christendom, because if we read this book carefully, 151 00:07:35,300 --> 00:07:36,660 we'll find out when we come to the 152 00:07:36,660 --> 00:07:40,100 next chapter that we're called to go outside 153 00:07:40,100 --> 00:07:40,620 the camp. 154 00:07:41,580 --> 00:07:46,000 And while the camp here was Judaism, and 155 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,280 2 Corinthians 6, we're called to come out 156 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:54,260 of the idolatry, and today you have Christendom, 157 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,980 generally speaking, as a mixture of both. 158 00:07:57,440 --> 00:07:59,240 So that you wouldn't want to go back 159 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,460 to a place, would you, where they're still 160 00:08:01,460 --> 00:08:04,240 wearing the priestly robes, and things like that, 161 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,120 and they have the music, and things that 162 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,000 really pertain to Judaism. 163 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,400 And that's what you would do if you 164 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,620 ever had thoughts of leaving God's assembly. 165 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,240 But we've been encouraged to keep on going 166 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:20,160 on for God. 167 00:08:21,220 --> 00:08:24,660 And the greatest encouragement here, of course, for 168 00:08:24,660 --> 00:08:27,360 these Jews would be the encouragement from the 169 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:27,800 past. 170 00:08:28,660 --> 00:08:32,039 And that's why he said we're accomplished about 171 00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:35,059 with such a great cloud of witnesses. 172 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,260 A cloud is one thing, and I think 173 00:08:39,260 --> 00:08:41,919 it's because the one thing he's speaking about 174 00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:42,659 here is faith. 175 00:08:43,380 --> 00:08:45,600 We need faith to continue for God. 176 00:08:46,100 --> 00:08:47,660 God has the best for us. 177 00:08:48,260 --> 00:08:50,980 And while these people were maybe wavering, he 178 00:08:50,980 --> 00:08:54,180 said, you know, faith was always involved, even 179 00:08:54,180 --> 00:08:55,220 in the Old Testament. 180 00:08:55,220 --> 00:08:58,980 And if you read down to chapter 11, 181 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:01,680 you'll find all these men and women of 182 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:02,020 faith. 183 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:05,100 And, you know, they all continued for God. 184 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:06,840 It wasn't easy. 185 00:09:07,540 --> 00:09:09,060 Just you look at them, and look at 186 00:09:09,060 --> 00:09:10,220 the trials they faced. 187 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,500 For instance, think even of Abraham. 188 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,180 There's seven trials, at least, that I counted 189 00:09:16,180 --> 00:09:16,960 in his life. 190 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,320 And they didn't do too well in a 191 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,560 couple of them, but God didn't give them 192 00:09:23,560 --> 00:09:26,020 the greatest trial at the beginning. 193 00:09:26,820 --> 00:09:28,760 That was at the end, when he said, 194 00:09:28,860 --> 00:09:30,480 take now thy son Isaac. 195 00:09:31,020 --> 00:09:32,320 And they were going to offer Isaac. 196 00:09:32,420 --> 00:09:34,940 That was a tremendous thing that God was 197 00:09:34,940 --> 00:09:36,380 asking, but he had faith. 198 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,100 And he's asking these people to come out. 199 00:09:39,620 --> 00:09:43,820 And Judah has come out from the old 200 00:09:43,820 --> 00:09:45,680 systems, the old covenant. 201 00:09:46,380 --> 00:09:47,880 It's not going to be easy. 202 00:09:48,380 --> 00:09:50,500 But he said, you keep going on. 203 00:09:50,500 --> 00:09:52,040 You look at these men. 204 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:55,560 It's not the fact that they're looking at 205 00:09:55,560 --> 00:09:55,920 us. 206 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:57,520 We're in the race. 207 00:09:58,860 --> 00:10:00,400 How are you doing in the race? 208 00:10:01,620 --> 00:10:02,500 This is a marathon. 209 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:04,140 I don't think I would do too good 210 00:10:04,140 --> 00:10:05,720 in a regular marathon. 211 00:10:06,020 --> 00:10:07,140 I used to be able to run when 212 00:10:07,140 --> 00:10:07,780 I was younger. 213 00:10:08,680 --> 00:10:10,360 I used to tell my grandkids, I could 214 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,200 run a half hour in 20 minutes. 215 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:15,380 They're still trying to figure that out. 216 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:18,540 But anyhow, this is a different race. 217 00:10:18,700 --> 00:10:19,960 This is a marathon. 218 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:21,900 There's other races in the word of God. 219 00:10:22,540 --> 00:10:23,980 There's a relay race, isn't there? 220 00:10:24,420 --> 00:10:26,800 When Paul said, I'm passing on the baton. 221 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,660 I'm passing it to Timothy. 222 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:32,020 And he's passing it on to others. 223 00:10:32,100 --> 00:10:33,360 So it's good to know the word of 224 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,900 God in a way where we can pass 225 00:10:35,900 --> 00:10:36,380 it on. 226 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:38,660 And we really know why we're doing things, 227 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,100 not just doing them, as we've been reminded 228 00:10:41,100 --> 00:10:44,020 by Rote, but really having an exercise. 229 00:10:44,860 --> 00:10:46,480 So he said, there's a great cloud there 230 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:47,240 in the stadium. 231 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,400 The race is almost over. 232 00:10:49,940 --> 00:10:51,200 We don't have long to go. 233 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:52,100 The Lord's coming. 234 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:54,540 And if the Lord doesn't come, some of 235 00:10:54,540 --> 00:10:56,120 us may not have very long to go 236 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:56,380 either. 237 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,000 But we're still in the race, and we're 238 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,100 in the stadium, and we need to be 239 00:11:01,100 --> 00:11:01,580 encouraged. 240 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:04,040 And it's not that these people are cheering 241 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:05,500 us on like they would be in a 242 00:11:05,500 --> 00:11:08,060 marathon today, but we're looking at them. 243 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,640 And we're remembering the greatness of these people 244 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:14,440 and what they suffered. 245 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,200 Some of them lived in the dens and 246 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,280 the caves, and the word says, of whom 247 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:21,580 the world was not worthy. 248 00:11:22,500 --> 00:11:23,820 The world didn't want them. 249 00:11:24,340 --> 00:11:26,280 But they were so great, these people, the 250 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:27,800 world wasn't worthy of them. 251 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:33,020 So he's encouraging us by what took place 252 00:11:33,020 --> 00:11:34,840 in the past. 253 00:11:35,980 --> 00:11:39,120 But then the next thing he speaks about 254 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,300 is endurance in the present. 255 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,860 And they said, we run with patience or 256 00:11:44,860 --> 00:11:47,740 endurance the race that is set before us, 257 00:11:48,260 --> 00:11:49,440 looking on to Jesus. 258 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:52,360 He's the one that would move these people 259 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:53,480 away from Judaism. 260 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,200 He's the one that made the one sacrifice 261 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,860 for sins and is forever sat down. 262 00:11:59,580 --> 00:12:01,380 He's the one that endured more than them 263 00:12:01,380 --> 00:12:01,740 all. 264 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:03,540 Oh, you say, did he? 265 00:12:03,620 --> 00:12:03,740 Yes. 266 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:05,820 He endured at the hand of the Jews 267 00:12:05,820 --> 00:12:06,140 too. 268 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,200 The Jews were all against him when he 269 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,960 was here, at least the vast majority were 270 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:12,820 against him. 271 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,520 But he kept on living for God. 272 00:12:15,940 --> 00:12:17,540 And he was a great example. 273 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:18,680 Isn't that what it's telling us? 274 00:12:19,100 --> 00:12:22,980 The pioneer, the author, and the finisher of 275 00:12:22,980 --> 00:12:23,900 faith. 276 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,720 It's just telling us that he's the one 277 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:28,760 that we look on to, the leader, the 278 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,460 one who lived a perfect life of faith. 279 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:33,960 So he said, get your eye on him. 280 00:12:34,500 --> 00:12:37,040 Get your eye on the goal, not on 281 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:37,600 one another. 282 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:40,380 Not on yourself. 283 00:12:40,740 --> 00:12:42,160 It's not all about you. 284 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:43,400 It's not all about me. 285 00:12:43,540 --> 00:12:44,700 It's all about him. 286 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:46,880 And he's the one that would move these 287 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:48,620 people away from Judaism. 288 00:12:48,860 --> 00:12:51,060 He's the one that has won our hearts. 289 00:12:51,780 --> 00:12:54,060 And he will lead us outside the camp, 290 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:56,040 bearing his reproach. 291 00:12:56,940 --> 00:12:59,080 And I know reproach doesn't sound too good, 292 00:12:59,100 --> 00:12:59,420 does it? 293 00:12:59,460 --> 00:13:01,860 But you know, you ask Moses, Moses, what's 294 00:13:01,860 --> 00:13:02,420 reproach? 295 00:13:03,420 --> 00:13:07,020 Esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches and 296 00:13:07,020 --> 00:13:08,420 all the treasures of Egypt. 297 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:09,880 He said, it's treasure. 298 00:13:10,420 --> 00:13:12,300 It's something that's really wonderful. 299 00:13:12,820 --> 00:13:16,560 And you need to keep on enduring, because 300 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:19,160 we're getting closer to the end of the 301 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:19,560 race. 302 00:13:21,180 --> 00:13:24,120 So what do we have then, the next 303 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:24,420 thing? 304 00:13:25,300 --> 00:13:29,400 Well, we have the encouragement for the race, 305 00:13:30,860 --> 00:13:34,580 endurance in the present, and we have education 306 00:13:34,580 --> 00:13:36,100 in God's school. 307 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:38,960 You know, the things that have happened to 308 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,800 these people were they're educated in God's school. 309 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,380 If you ever read, I hope you do, 310 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,180 and read commentaries, it will be a help 311 00:13:51,180 --> 00:13:51,540 to you. 312 00:13:51,680 --> 00:13:55,220 There's a commentary by J.B. Stoney, one 313 00:13:55,220 --> 00:13:56,040 of the old brethren. 314 00:13:56,900 --> 00:13:59,360 There's 13 volumes of his ministry. 315 00:13:59,940 --> 00:14:03,320 The ones I have are little brown cases. 316 00:14:03,500 --> 00:14:05,580 But the best one of all is chapter 317 00:14:05,580 --> 00:14:06,360 13. 318 00:14:07,020 --> 00:14:09,320 Thirteen's not a good number, but that's the 319 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:09,880 best one. 320 00:14:10,220 --> 00:14:13,220 It's called Discipline in the School of God. 321 00:14:13,820 --> 00:14:16,040 So it's a wonderful thing to know that 322 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:17,560 God is educating us. 323 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:21,040 Even though these people were suffering, they were 324 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:24,680 losing their jobs, and families were nothing more 325 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:26,140 to do with them, and so on. 326 00:14:26,140 --> 00:14:27,680 But he said, keep on. 327 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:29,960 It doesn't matter what is happening. 328 00:14:30,500 --> 00:14:32,300 Keep on living for God. 329 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:34,480 The race will soon be run. 330 00:14:35,060 --> 00:14:36,800 Don't fail in the end. 331 00:14:37,420 --> 00:14:38,540 Keep on running. 332 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:43,020 Now, maybe we're not being persecuted as they 333 00:14:43,020 --> 00:14:43,320 were. 334 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,000 But there are many things that come into 335 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,440 our lives, and I've been interested in this 336 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:48,860 recently. 337 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,220 So many of the Lord's people that we 338 00:14:51,220 --> 00:14:52,860 know have been laid aside. 339 00:14:52,860 --> 00:14:57,160 And some with illnesses that are sometimes deemed 340 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:58,060 incurable. 341 00:14:59,500 --> 00:15:02,060 And you wonder, why do all these things 342 00:15:02,060 --> 00:15:02,840 happen? 343 00:15:04,820 --> 00:15:07,960 Why would you lose a partner in life? 344 00:15:10,780 --> 00:15:13,580 And it would be very easy for us 345 00:15:13,580 --> 00:15:14,560 to say, why me? 346 00:15:15,460 --> 00:15:17,780 Who do we think we are better than 347 00:15:17,780 --> 00:15:18,480 anybody else? 348 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:19,100 Why not? 349 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:20,480 We should be thinking. 350 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:23,740 And if a loved one is ill, you 351 00:15:23,740 --> 00:15:25,620 say, why does that happen to my family? 352 00:15:26,340 --> 00:15:27,000 Why not? 353 00:15:29,170 --> 00:15:31,870 We learn from these things that are allowed 354 00:15:31,870 --> 00:15:33,370 to come into our lives. 355 00:15:33,930 --> 00:15:36,770 But we must know that people suffer today. 356 00:15:37,650 --> 00:15:39,950 Peter talks about testimonial suffering. 357 00:15:40,390 --> 00:15:43,490 Just because you're part of a testimony, that's 358 00:15:43,490 --> 00:15:44,170 why they suffer. 359 00:15:44,290 --> 00:15:46,150 And if we are living like part of 360 00:15:46,150 --> 00:15:49,570 a, if we are a testimony for God, 361 00:15:49,570 --> 00:15:51,890 well, there's going to be trials. 362 00:15:52,870 --> 00:15:54,510 In the book of James, there's a person 363 00:15:54,510 --> 00:15:55,210 laid aside. 364 00:15:55,410 --> 00:15:57,250 There's a man in chapter 5. 365 00:15:57,970 --> 00:15:59,030 And what's wrong with him? 366 00:15:59,530 --> 00:16:01,790 Why is he suffering? 367 00:16:02,550 --> 00:16:05,330 Well, I would take it as governmental suffering. 368 00:16:05,930 --> 00:16:07,690 If a man has done something wrong. 369 00:16:07,990 --> 00:16:10,050 But that doesn't mean that everybody that's suffering 370 00:16:10,050 --> 00:16:11,350 has done something wrong. 371 00:16:12,330 --> 00:16:14,510 And then you have educational here. 372 00:16:14,910 --> 00:16:16,770 It's part of our growing up. 373 00:16:17,590 --> 00:16:19,250 And you say, well, how can I be 374 00:16:19,250 --> 00:16:21,630 educated if a loved one's taken? 375 00:16:22,490 --> 00:16:24,470 What good could ever come out of that? 376 00:16:24,810 --> 00:16:26,250 Well, I'll tell you what it should do. 377 00:16:26,910 --> 00:16:28,670 And we know a little bit from experience. 378 00:16:29,230 --> 00:16:31,070 It draws us closer to the Lord. 379 00:16:31,810 --> 00:16:33,150 That's what it's all about. 380 00:16:33,670 --> 00:16:34,870 Get our eye on him. 381 00:16:35,010 --> 00:16:36,710 I was reading a book, and a man 382 00:16:36,710 --> 00:16:38,810 was likening it to a point of a 383 00:16:38,810 --> 00:16:39,110 compass. 384 00:16:40,170 --> 00:16:43,190 And he said, Paul had a compass. 385 00:16:43,190 --> 00:16:45,130 And no matter what direction he was going, 386 00:16:45,470 --> 00:16:47,150 it always pointed toward Christ. 387 00:16:47,950 --> 00:16:50,930 Everything in his life was for the propagation 388 00:16:50,930 --> 00:16:52,670 of the gospel of Christ. 389 00:16:53,470 --> 00:16:56,090 And how did he learn? 390 00:16:56,530 --> 00:16:57,730 Well, you know, he had a thorn in 391 00:16:57,730 --> 00:16:58,270 the flesh. 392 00:16:59,250 --> 00:17:01,630 So he knew what that was. 393 00:17:02,150 --> 00:17:03,589 And that was preventative. 394 00:17:04,369 --> 00:17:07,730 So sometimes things come into our lives that 395 00:17:07,730 --> 00:17:08,650 are preventative. 396 00:17:09,530 --> 00:17:11,790 And my grace is sufficient for me. 397 00:17:11,790 --> 00:17:14,510 He prayed thrice, but it wasn't removed. 398 00:17:15,250 --> 00:17:17,849 And sometimes we can pray about things in 399 00:17:17,849 --> 00:17:20,310 our lives or our families, and they're not 400 00:17:20,310 --> 00:17:20,829 removed. 401 00:17:21,190 --> 00:17:23,250 You know, one of the greatest things we 402 00:17:23,250 --> 00:17:24,849 need to learn in the word of God, 403 00:17:24,950 --> 00:17:26,170 or maybe I should say that I need 404 00:17:26,170 --> 00:17:28,270 to learn, is the grace of acceptance. 405 00:17:29,370 --> 00:17:31,530 Things are allowed to come into our lives 406 00:17:31,530 --> 00:17:33,270 that we do not understand. 407 00:17:33,650 --> 00:17:35,050 But we need to accept them. 408 00:17:36,030 --> 00:17:37,910 Who's the greatest example of that? 409 00:17:38,330 --> 00:17:39,770 Our blessed Lord himself. 410 00:17:40,610 --> 00:17:45,030 He's rejected by those in Capernaum and Bethsaida 411 00:17:45,030 --> 00:17:47,270 and Chorazin. 412 00:17:47,550 --> 00:17:48,770 Matthew chapter 11. 413 00:17:49,470 --> 00:17:51,890 What does he do when he's rejected by 414 00:17:51,890 --> 00:17:52,510 those people? 415 00:17:52,750 --> 00:17:53,730 What would you have done? 416 00:17:54,190 --> 00:17:55,430 Oh, what I would have done, I would 417 00:17:55,430 --> 00:17:57,870 have probably said, Father, here I am. 418 00:17:58,250 --> 00:18:00,870 You sent me down here to this nation, 419 00:18:01,090 --> 00:18:02,170 and they don't want me. 420 00:18:02,630 --> 00:18:03,870 They're rejecting me. 421 00:18:05,310 --> 00:18:06,510 But the Lord prayed. 422 00:18:07,830 --> 00:18:09,310 Do you know what he prayed? 423 00:18:09,930 --> 00:18:12,810 I thank thee, O righteous Father, Lord of 424 00:18:12,810 --> 00:18:14,870 heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these 425 00:18:14,870 --> 00:18:17,650 things from the wise and the prudent, and 426 00:18:17,650 --> 00:18:19,970 revealed them unto babes, even so it seemeth 427 00:18:19,970 --> 00:18:20,970 good in my sight. 428 00:18:21,890 --> 00:18:23,690 And then you could wonder, well, how could 429 00:18:23,690 --> 00:18:24,410 that be good? 430 00:18:24,850 --> 00:18:26,050 What good could that... 431 00:18:26,050 --> 00:18:27,910 Well, you know, if the nation hadn't rejected 432 00:18:27,910 --> 00:18:29,890 him, the church wouldn't have been brought in. 433 00:18:30,990 --> 00:18:32,610 There wouldn't have been any... 434 00:18:32,610 --> 00:18:35,550 Well, first of all, the kingdom in chapter 435 00:18:35,550 --> 00:18:37,410 13 of Matthew. 436 00:18:37,830 --> 00:18:40,110 And then the church in the wide aspect, 437 00:18:40,370 --> 00:18:41,030 16. 438 00:18:41,830 --> 00:18:44,570 Local assembly in chapter 18. 439 00:18:45,250 --> 00:18:47,690 So all these things we may not understand, 440 00:18:48,110 --> 00:18:50,870 but in some way, they're all for our 441 00:18:50,870 --> 00:18:51,370 good. 442 00:18:52,170 --> 00:18:55,150 You're always closer to the Lord. 443 00:18:55,290 --> 00:18:58,370 Of course, in 1 Corinthians you have 11. 444 00:18:58,370 --> 00:19:00,150 You have... 445 00:19:00,150 --> 00:19:02,330 I call it plumeria. 446 00:19:03,110 --> 00:19:05,510 They're not discerning the Lord's body, and so 447 00:19:05,510 --> 00:19:05,710 on. 448 00:19:05,770 --> 00:19:10,990 But I just want to impress this upon 449 00:19:10,990 --> 00:19:11,330 us. 450 00:19:12,210 --> 00:19:15,410 If someone you know, or yourself, if you 451 00:19:15,410 --> 00:19:17,850 have these difficulties or problems, we all have 452 00:19:17,850 --> 00:19:18,930 them in one way or another. 453 00:19:19,670 --> 00:19:20,590 Remember this. 454 00:19:21,350 --> 00:19:23,590 Keep on running in the race. 455 00:19:24,230 --> 00:19:26,530 Don't let these things distract you. 456 00:19:26,530 --> 00:19:28,790 Family can pull you down. 457 00:19:29,590 --> 00:19:30,930 And others can pull you down. 458 00:19:31,370 --> 00:19:34,710 And today, the most important thing, I believe, 459 00:19:34,830 --> 00:19:37,890 for believers, is to keep themselves right with 460 00:19:37,890 --> 00:19:38,330 God. 461 00:19:38,750 --> 00:19:40,570 And that's a big enough work, but we 462 00:19:40,570 --> 00:19:41,990 have a big enough job. 463 00:19:42,470 --> 00:19:43,750 But get our eye on him. 464 00:19:44,350 --> 00:19:46,810 Remember, the race will soon be run. 465 00:19:47,610 --> 00:19:49,530 And the glory shines before us. 466 00:19:49,870 --> 00:19:51,370 And that's what he's telling us here. 467 00:19:51,710 --> 00:19:54,910 So this will be a great encouragement. 468 00:19:54,910 --> 00:19:58,030 In fact, that's the next point I have 469 00:19:58,030 --> 00:19:58,310 here. 470 00:19:58,710 --> 00:20:01,010 It's the evidence of sonship. 471 00:20:02,910 --> 00:20:04,970 He said, the Lord... 472 00:20:04,970 --> 00:20:06,630 It's the sons that he feels with. 473 00:20:08,010 --> 00:20:10,630 You say, well, I don't like all of 474 00:20:10,630 --> 00:20:11,030 this. 475 00:20:11,130 --> 00:20:12,910 It's not easy to endure these things. 476 00:20:13,330 --> 00:20:14,470 Well, just remember this. 477 00:20:14,950 --> 00:20:17,030 That's a good proof that you belong to 478 00:20:17,030 --> 00:20:17,230 him. 479 00:20:17,870 --> 00:20:20,650 If you're being disciplined, just like your father 480 00:20:20,650 --> 00:20:23,730 or mother disciplined you when you were a 481 00:20:23,730 --> 00:20:24,090 child. 482 00:20:24,090 --> 00:20:28,550 I have to admit, my father never ever 483 00:20:28,550 --> 00:20:31,030 laid a hand on me when I was 484 00:20:31,030 --> 00:20:31,570 a child. 485 00:20:34,530 --> 00:20:36,630 My mother half murdered me. 486 00:20:37,870 --> 00:20:39,310 I don't know if she did it in 487 00:20:39,310 --> 00:20:40,790 love, but she seemed to love it. 488 00:20:40,890 --> 00:20:42,310 But I didn't love her that much. 489 00:20:43,350 --> 00:20:45,470 But my father just spoke to us. 490 00:20:46,610 --> 00:20:48,410 And that brought tears to our eyes. 491 00:20:49,170 --> 00:20:50,150 And he just spoke. 492 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:54,500 Well, we need to be disciplined. 493 00:20:56,060 --> 00:21:00,160 And then it draws closer to the Lord. 494 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:01,060 That's the whole point. 495 00:21:01,180 --> 00:21:03,520 That's what Peter brings up in 1 Peter 496 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:03,820 2. 497 00:21:04,180 --> 00:21:06,680 1 Peter, I mean, also. 498 00:21:07,900 --> 00:21:08,660 In 1 Peter. 499 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:10,600 It's suffering. 500 00:21:13,620 --> 00:21:15,320 What about those that are causing us to 501 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:15,580 suffer? 502 00:21:15,780 --> 00:21:17,920 Well, that would be 2 Peter, wouldn't it? 503 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:19,480 I'll take care of them. 504 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,960 You just keep on going on for God. 505 00:21:23,340 --> 00:21:25,180 Don't let anything stop you. 506 00:21:25,180 --> 00:21:26,360 Keep on. 507 00:21:26,900 --> 00:21:28,880 So that's the evidence of sonship. 508 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:31,780 And if you're a son, what does that 509 00:21:31,780 --> 00:21:32,100 mean? 510 00:21:32,580 --> 00:21:33,880 What does it mean to be a son? 511 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,140 Well, there's just one thing I want to 512 00:21:37,140 --> 00:21:38,160 say about it right now. 513 00:21:38,420 --> 00:21:39,720 It means you have an inheritance. 514 00:21:41,180 --> 00:21:42,080 So keep on. 515 00:21:42,300 --> 00:21:43,300 This is written. 516 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,680 Remember the Deuteronomy partner going into the land. 517 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:49,200 It might be difficult in the wilderness. 518 00:21:50,120 --> 00:21:51,380 But keep your eye on what. 519 00:21:51,380 --> 00:21:55,460 And, you know, he goes on to tell 520 00:21:55,460 --> 00:21:57,500 them, you can enjoy these things now. 521 00:21:59,660 --> 00:22:01,100 You know what happened in the wilderness? 522 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:05,600 Well, the grapes of Eskol were brought into 523 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:06,100 the wilderness. 524 00:22:07,620 --> 00:22:09,240 Why would God ever do that? 525 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,840 Well, spies brought them back to show them 526 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,640 what great a place of going into. 527 00:22:15,860 --> 00:22:17,280 You ever think about heaven? 528 00:22:18,900 --> 00:22:20,540 You don't know very much about it. 529 00:22:20,540 --> 00:22:20,920 You don't know. 530 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:22,520 If you want to know more about it, 531 00:22:22,540 --> 00:22:23,940 get to know more about the Lord. 532 00:22:24,620 --> 00:22:26,220 That's the important thing in heaven. 533 00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:26,860 He's there. 534 00:22:27,340 --> 00:22:29,520 I know we're going to recognize one another 535 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:30,040 in heaven. 536 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:31,960 I'm convinced of that. 537 00:22:32,420 --> 00:22:33,640 I've told this often. 538 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:35,900 There's only one person I ever met. 539 00:22:36,140 --> 00:22:38,740 It was a man in South Africa. 540 00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:39,800 Ronnie Benner. 541 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:41,400 I can't give you his name because he's 542 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:42,020 gone now. 543 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:44,480 He believed you wouldn't know each other in 544 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:44,740 heaven. 545 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:46,780 Do you know why? 546 00:22:46,900 --> 00:22:47,660 Find out why. 547 00:22:48,780 --> 00:22:50,860 Like me, he'd been married before. 548 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:53,580 He didn't want his first wife to know 549 00:22:53,580 --> 00:22:54,960 about the second one. 550 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,800 But we don't have to worry about things 551 00:22:58,800 --> 00:22:59,680 like that in heaven. 552 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:01,880 It's all together a different sphere. 553 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:03,640 How can we enter into it? 554 00:23:03,700 --> 00:23:04,460 We can't. 555 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:06,560 But these bodies are finite bodies. 556 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:09,120 We need a body suited to heaven. 557 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:10,700 And we're going to get one. 558 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:15,140 I have thought a lot about the dead 559 00:23:15,140 --> 00:23:15,980 being raised. 560 00:23:16,900 --> 00:23:18,400 Little children die. 561 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:20,540 People die with one leg. 562 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:22,780 Others could be eaten by a cannibal. 563 00:23:23,420 --> 00:23:24,480 What's going to happen? 564 00:23:24,580 --> 00:23:26,740 I don't understand it at all. 565 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,380 But I know there's a resurrection coming. 566 00:23:30,180 --> 00:23:31,840 And the person just isn't the body. 567 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:34,700 The person is the whole thing. 568 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:37,580 And it's the same person that was in 569 00:23:37,580 --> 00:23:38,940 the grave that's coming out. 570 00:23:39,540 --> 00:23:41,560 But someday it's going to be marvelous. 571 00:23:41,980 --> 00:23:43,960 We know a little more about these things. 572 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:45,780 God has it all worked out. 573 00:23:46,260 --> 00:23:48,340 There's nothing too difficult for him. 574 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:50,900 So he's just admonishing us now. 575 00:23:51,140 --> 00:23:51,820 Keep on. 576 00:23:52,820 --> 00:23:53,540 Keep on. 577 00:23:54,140 --> 00:23:55,900 We're sons and we're daughters. 578 00:23:57,060 --> 00:23:59,020 And sonship means we're fully grown. 579 00:23:59,500 --> 00:24:02,920 We should be enjoying the things of God. 580 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:08,060 And get our eye on him. 581 00:24:08,780 --> 00:24:10,220 Then what's the next thing? 582 00:24:10,220 --> 00:24:14,940 Well, it says, wherefore, verse 12, lift up 583 00:24:14,940 --> 00:24:17,540 the hands which hang down, and the feeble 584 00:24:17,540 --> 00:24:21,460 knees, and make straight paths for your feet. 585 00:24:22,120 --> 00:24:24,300 Lest that which is lame be turned out 586 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:27,160 of the way, but rather let it be 587 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:27,600 healed. 588 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,040 I thought here that this is an example 589 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:31,680 to others. 590 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,220 We're the heirs of sonship. 591 00:24:34,700 --> 00:24:36,580 Are we living in the light of that? 592 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,600 Am I an example to others? 593 00:24:40,940 --> 00:24:42,480 Well, I will tell you I am. 594 00:24:44,940 --> 00:24:47,100 Either a good example or a bad example. 595 00:24:48,820 --> 00:24:50,400 But we should be good examples. 596 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:53,680 It's wonderful to be in a fellowship. 597 00:24:55,300 --> 00:24:57,840 And in a fellowship we've been reminded about 598 00:24:57,840 --> 00:24:59,360 this so much at the conference. 599 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,000 The love that we have for one another. 600 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:05,300 Well, we love those that are going on 601 00:25:05,300 --> 00:25:05,880 for God. 602 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:08,000 But what about the ones that aren't? 603 00:25:09,020 --> 00:25:11,120 We love them too, don't we? 604 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:14,560 God loves me not because of what I 605 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:16,040 am, but in spite of what I am. 606 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:18,780 And we should love one another. 607 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,640 And there's a fellowship that we enjoy, and 608 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:23,280 the world can't understand it. 609 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:26,640 When I came to the United States, I 610 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:27,320 wasn't saved. 611 00:25:28,340 --> 00:25:31,340 And one of my good friends, probably was 612 00:25:31,340 --> 00:25:35,820 anyhow, over in Ireland, he said, You need 613 00:25:35,820 --> 00:25:36,920 to join a Masonic. 614 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:39,800 If you're really going to get along, you 615 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:40,700 need to be a Mason. 616 00:25:41,780 --> 00:25:44,660 I thought about it, but I was never 617 00:25:44,660 --> 00:25:46,400 taught things like that. 618 00:25:46,620 --> 00:25:48,820 I always knew what was right and what 619 00:25:48,820 --> 00:25:49,460 was wrong. 620 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:52,840 When I was younger, I went to denominational 621 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:53,320 places. 622 00:25:55,220 --> 00:25:57,340 And you could never have convinced me that 623 00:25:57,340 --> 00:25:59,560 they were right, because I was taught the 624 00:25:59,560 --> 00:25:59,860 truth. 625 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:01,600 We should teach our children the truth. 626 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,360 I'm sure we do. 627 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,060 But that's so important, to have a family 628 00:26:07,060 --> 00:26:07,420 altar. 629 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:10,100 And to gather the children around. 630 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,880 It's not easy today with so many things 631 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,020 going on all at once, and schools, and 632 00:26:15,020 --> 00:26:15,580 so on. 633 00:26:15,940 --> 00:26:18,440 But we should teach them the truth of 634 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:18,820 God. 635 00:26:19,620 --> 00:26:25,060 And when the time comes, after God saved 636 00:26:25,060 --> 00:26:27,340 my wife and I, first wife and I 637 00:26:27,340 --> 00:26:33,260 the same day, we sat down and said, 638 00:26:33,340 --> 00:26:34,220 Now what comes next? 639 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:38,220 Well, I knew what should come next for 640 00:26:38,220 --> 00:26:39,360 me was to be baptized. 641 00:26:40,500 --> 00:26:42,340 I hope that you're saved and you're not 642 00:26:42,340 --> 00:26:42,820 baptized. 643 00:26:43,140 --> 00:26:44,800 You think about these things. 644 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:47,540 See, what God wants you to do, that's 645 00:26:47,540 --> 00:26:48,140 what we did. 646 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:50,320 I'm not saying I knew all about it 647 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:51,980 when I was baptized, but I knew that's 648 00:26:51,980 --> 00:26:53,340 what the Lord wanted me to do. 649 00:26:54,700 --> 00:26:56,020 I've learned a lot since then. 650 00:26:56,020 --> 00:26:57,840 I was more involved in it than I 651 00:26:57,840 --> 00:26:59,060 ever learned. 652 00:26:59,940 --> 00:27:01,100 Where are we going to go? 653 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:06,400 There was a great denominational church where they 654 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:07,480 really preached the gospel. 655 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:10,360 Because I was there one time. 656 00:27:11,140 --> 00:27:19,580 Before I was saved, they had a choir. 657 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:22,560 And I like singing. 658 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:23,800 I like choiring. 659 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:26,480 They had the choir leader. 660 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:28,140 He blew a trumpet. 661 00:27:28,300 --> 00:27:30,200 They called him Gabriel, but that wasn't his 662 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:30,620 real name. 663 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:32,880 Anyhow, he chanted a horn. 664 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,740 And I was pretty good at it. 665 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,520 But I couldn't go there. 666 00:27:42,730 --> 00:27:44,390 Because I knew enough to know it wasn't 667 00:27:44,390 --> 00:27:45,350 in the Word of God. 668 00:27:46,210 --> 00:27:47,790 And that's what we're going to enjoy and 669 00:27:47,790 --> 00:27:50,010 go on in the Word of God. 670 00:27:50,730 --> 00:27:52,250 It's the only important thing. 671 00:27:52,350 --> 00:27:54,050 God has the best for his people. 672 00:27:55,330 --> 00:27:57,710 And we can't go where there's one-man 673 00:27:57,710 --> 00:28:00,490 ministry, because I knew enough that in the 674 00:28:00,490 --> 00:28:02,130 stories in the Bible, there was no such 675 00:28:02,130 --> 00:28:03,350 thing in the Word of God. 676 00:28:04,530 --> 00:28:06,930 Isn't it too bad that some aren't continuing 677 00:28:06,930 --> 00:28:07,630 in the race? 678 00:28:07,750 --> 00:28:09,110 They're falling out of the race. 679 00:28:11,390 --> 00:28:14,330 I'm not saying, not saying, but I'm applying 680 00:28:14,330 --> 00:28:15,050 it this way. 681 00:28:15,610 --> 00:28:18,010 We're all going towards an inheritance that God 682 00:28:18,010 --> 00:28:18,670 has given us. 683 00:28:18,990 --> 00:28:21,730 Something he wants us to enjoy and measure 684 00:28:21,730 --> 00:28:22,270 now. 685 00:28:23,250 --> 00:28:25,730 I started off talking about the grapes of 686 00:28:25,730 --> 00:28:26,290 Eschol. 687 00:28:26,290 --> 00:28:28,890 And how all that grape fruit was brought 688 00:28:28,890 --> 00:28:32,030 out into the wilderness to encourage the hearts, 689 00:28:32,170 --> 00:28:33,150 to stimulate them. 690 00:28:35,550 --> 00:28:36,910 What about all the grapes? 691 00:28:37,890 --> 00:28:39,410 That speaks of joy. 692 00:28:39,550 --> 00:28:41,110 Where are you getting your joy from? 693 00:28:42,930 --> 00:28:44,890 The Nazarite didn't get his joy from the 694 00:28:44,890 --> 00:28:45,650 things of earth. 695 00:28:47,230 --> 00:28:48,870 The Qur'an speaks of joy. 696 00:28:49,150 --> 00:28:52,270 You keep away from the joy that's in 697 00:28:52,270 --> 00:28:52,670 the world. 698 00:28:52,750 --> 00:28:54,010 There's something far greater. 699 00:28:55,050 --> 00:28:57,050 And that's living for God. 700 00:28:57,910 --> 00:29:00,210 And those grapes that were brought out, if 701 00:29:00,210 --> 00:29:01,750 you had been like me, you'd have wanted 702 00:29:01,750 --> 00:29:02,810 at least one of them. 703 00:29:04,170 --> 00:29:06,050 And I'll tell you, you never taste grapes 704 00:29:06,050 --> 00:29:07,170 like it in all your life. 705 00:29:07,990 --> 00:29:10,210 You say, my, what a place we're going 706 00:29:10,210 --> 00:29:10,470 into. 707 00:29:10,590 --> 00:29:11,610 A place of joy. 708 00:29:12,790 --> 00:29:15,250 So there might be problems in this life, 709 00:29:16,010 --> 00:29:18,110 but we're going to a place where there's 710 00:29:18,110 --> 00:29:18,550 joy. 711 00:29:19,950 --> 00:29:22,130 The Jews were all occupied with the outward 712 00:29:22,130 --> 00:29:23,090 thing, weren't they? 713 00:29:23,090 --> 00:29:23,990 Most of them. 714 00:29:25,590 --> 00:29:29,350 What about the water purification? 715 00:29:30,330 --> 00:29:31,950 I could only make them pure on the 716 00:29:31,950 --> 00:29:32,310 outside. 717 00:29:34,290 --> 00:29:35,650 What did they say? 718 00:29:36,370 --> 00:29:36,930 The groom. 719 00:29:37,690 --> 00:29:40,010 I was kept a good wine until now. 720 00:29:41,090 --> 00:29:45,130 Please, we need to read our Bible carefully. 721 00:29:45,830 --> 00:29:47,790 And it doesn't have to be too carefully, 722 00:29:47,930 --> 00:29:51,290 because I've heard this misquoted more than quoted 723 00:29:51,290 --> 00:29:51,890 correctly. 724 00:29:52,670 --> 00:29:54,490 Kept the good wine to the last. 725 00:29:55,690 --> 00:29:57,170 Where did you get that from? 726 00:29:57,590 --> 00:29:59,530 I don't think that's even in the ESV. 727 00:30:00,910 --> 00:30:01,910 Or any translation. 728 00:30:02,610 --> 00:30:04,530 Kept the good wine until now. 729 00:30:05,210 --> 00:30:07,050 There's no last, it's a joy. 730 00:30:07,270 --> 00:30:08,230 And then we're joy. 731 00:30:08,930 --> 00:30:10,750 It's not the water of purification. 732 00:30:11,490 --> 00:30:13,750 We're really entering into these things. 733 00:30:13,830 --> 00:30:14,510 We know them. 734 00:30:15,050 --> 00:30:16,270 But do we really know them? 735 00:30:16,390 --> 00:30:18,070 Then remind that we only know what we 736 00:30:18,070 --> 00:30:19,090 put into practice. 737 00:30:19,710 --> 00:30:22,070 So may the Lord help us to realize 738 00:30:22,070 --> 00:30:23,450 there is an inheritance. 739 00:30:24,570 --> 00:30:26,330 And not only grapes. 740 00:30:26,550 --> 00:30:27,670 There's pomegranates. 741 00:30:28,370 --> 00:30:31,010 And if you know what they are, they're 742 00:30:31,010 --> 00:30:31,690 little seeds. 743 00:30:32,870 --> 00:30:33,710 And you can eat them. 744 00:30:33,930 --> 00:30:34,890 Don't do what I did. 745 00:30:36,510 --> 00:30:38,550 I put them on top of ice cream, 746 00:30:39,070 --> 00:30:41,550 and pushed them in, and ended up with 747 00:30:41,550 --> 00:30:41,950 a shirt. 748 00:30:42,530 --> 00:30:45,690 A beautiful red garbage shirt. 749 00:30:47,530 --> 00:30:50,650 Fortunately, I know they won't like me to 750 00:30:50,650 --> 00:30:52,750 say this, but she's an expert at taking 751 00:30:52,750 --> 00:30:53,490 out stains. 752 00:30:53,650 --> 00:30:55,210 I don't know how she learned all this. 753 00:30:57,590 --> 00:30:58,570 Speaks of fruitfulness. 754 00:31:00,050 --> 00:31:01,370 My, it's going to be wonderful. 755 00:31:01,970 --> 00:31:03,910 It's not just going to be sitting in 756 00:31:03,910 --> 00:31:05,210 heaven, twiddling her thumbs. 757 00:31:06,330 --> 00:31:07,730 It's going to be serving Him. 758 00:31:09,030 --> 00:31:10,390 The figs they brought out. 759 00:31:10,770 --> 00:31:12,310 What do figs think of sweetness? 760 00:31:13,350 --> 00:31:14,950 My, I tell you, we need to eat 761 00:31:14,950 --> 00:31:15,730 more figs. 762 00:31:15,730 --> 00:31:17,130 It wouldn't be good for me as a 763 00:31:17,130 --> 00:31:19,830 diabetic, but we need more sweetness in our 764 00:31:19,830 --> 00:31:20,290 lives. 765 00:31:21,410 --> 00:31:23,930 Sometimes I wonder, we're just paddling on the 766 00:31:23,930 --> 00:31:26,170 edge of the ocean, instead of enjoying the 767 00:31:26,170 --> 00:31:28,650 things that God has brought us into. 768 00:31:29,250 --> 00:31:30,150 My, that's wonderful. 769 00:31:30,870 --> 00:31:33,170 And to think of the Lord's people. 770 00:31:34,010 --> 00:31:36,410 I don't know if I've ever even heard. 771 00:31:37,110 --> 00:31:38,770 And how they had a prayer for one 772 00:31:38,770 --> 00:31:39,130 another. 773 00:31:40,090 --> 00:31:41,670 And, you know, when they took up that 774 00:31:41,670 --> 00:31:43,970 gift that Brother was telling us about, and 775 00:31:43,970 --> 00:31:45,050 they took it to Jerusalem. 776 00:31:45,450 --> 00:31:47,430 And, you know, in Jerusalem, when they were 777 00:31:47,430 --> 00:31:49,690 saved, they all had one thing in common. 778 00:31:50,530 --> 00:31:51,910 And that saints were poor. 779 00:31:53,350 --> 00:31:56,630 And now God's cementing the whole relationship between 780 00:31:56,630 --> 00:31:57,750 Jew and Gentile. 781 00:31:57,850 --> 00:32:00,270 It's really marvelous the way God works. 782 00:32:01,630 --> 00:32:03,670 I was thinking of Brother Murray was speaking 783 00:32:03,670 --> 00:32:03,950 too. 784 00:32:04,090 --> 00:32:05,490 You know, my mind goes all over the 785 00:32:05,490 --> 00:32:05,710 place. 786 00:32:06,330 --> 00:32:06,930 But I was listening. 787 00:32:09,470 --> 00:32:11,150 You know, read your Bible. 788 00:32:11,310 --> 00:32:12,910 Read it consecutively. 789 00:32:13,670 --> 00:32:15,370 Hear Stephen at Stone. 790 00:32:17,690 --> 00:32:20,470 The parable is sent to the servant back. 791 00:32:20,550 --> 00:32:21,970 We will not have this man to reign 792 00:32:21,970 --> 00:32:22,650 over us. 793 00:32:23,810 --> 00:32:25,370 What happens in the next chapter? 794 00:32:25,510 --> 00:32:26,770 A man goes up to Jerusalem. 795 00:32:27,350 --> 00:32:28,070 What does he find? 796 00:32:28,450 --> 00:32:28,610 Nothing. 797 00:32:30,010 --> 00:32:31,430 God has finished with that. 798 00:32:31,930 --> 00:32:33,110 You go to the next chapter. 799 00:32:33,210 --> 00:32:33,770 What do you have? 800 00:32:34,110 --> 00:32:35,810 You have a man that God's raising up 801 00:32:35,810 --> 00:32:36,970 to rule the Gentiles. 802 00:32:37,610 --> 00:32:39,150 That's marvelous, isn't it? 803 00:32:39,490 --> 00:32:42,070 Really, we need to get into it more 804 00:32:42,070 --> 00:32:44,090 and get more of it into us. 805 00:32:45,470 --> 00:32:48,910 So, anyhow, we're an example to others. 806 00:32:49,910 --> 00:32:51,770 And the assembly that you're a part of 807 00:32:51,770 --> 00:32:54,290 should be an example to other assemblies. 808 00:32:54,830 --> 00:32:55,970 Think of Thessalonica. 809 00:32:56,890 --> 00:32:58,490 Again, think of their sufferings. 810 00:32:59,710 --> 00:33:01,910 And the word of God sounded out from 811 00:33:01,910 --> 00:33:02,330 them. 812 00:33:03,290 --> 00:33:06,510 We're speaking of Ghana and Alpena, but the 813 00:33:06,510 --> 00:33:09,370 silver trumpets of beaten work. 814 00:33:10,670 --> 00:33:13,130 That's what Paul was a silver trumpet of. 815 00:33:13,310 --> 00:33:13,770 Beaten work. 816 00:33:14,310 --> 00:33:16,070 He had suffered so much, but there was 817 00:33:16,070 --> 00:33:17,790 no uncertain sound. 818 00:33:18,490 --> 00:33:20,690 And the saints of Thessalonica were the same. 819 00:33:21,450 --> 00:33:25,590 Suffering, but enduring it and spreading out with 820 00:33:25,590 --> 00:33:26,230 the gospel. 821 00:33:26,950 --> 00:33:32,240 My, I think, and I include myself, I 822 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:33,100 think of Jacob. 823 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:35,860 Do you know what he did? 824 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:39,180 He was a Teniel. 825 00:33:40,740 --> 00:33:46,340 He woke up and said, God is in 826 00:33:46,340 --> 00:33:47,740 this place, and he was sleeping. 827 00:33:48,420 --> 00:33:49,480 Maybe that's what we're doing. 828 00:33:50,220 --> 00:33:51,700 Maybe we need to be wakened up. 829 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:55,440 To be brought into a greater enjoyment of 830 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:55,880 these things. 831 00:33:56,060 --> 00:33:58,660 But I'm going to stop. 832 00:33:59,660 --> 00:34:01,740 And the reason is that there's much more 833 00:34:01,740 --> 00:34:02,480 to say here. 834 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:04,800 But we come down to the end of 835 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:05,320 the chapter. 836 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,040 It says, we're for receiving a kingdom. 837 00:34:08,860 --> 00:34:11,159 And that means that we have received the 838 00:34:11,159 --> 00:34:13,460 kingdom from the hand of another. 839 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:17,480 They tell us the verb, and it started 840 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:18,280 with the gospel. 841 00:34:19,179 --> 00:34:19,840 A kingdom. 842 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,639 They were looking for, but they didn't know 843 00:34:22,639 --> 00:34:24,219 too much about what was going to take 844 00:34:24,219 --> 00:34:25,159 place in the land. 845 00:34:25,260 --> 00:34:27,940 But anyhow, the Jews of this was written 846 00:34:27,940 --> 00:34:29,560 to, they were waiting for a kingdom. 847 00:34:30,340 --> 00:34:32,639 For the Romans to be overthrown and the 848 00:34:32,639 --> 00:34:35,000 nation would be ahead of the nations. 849 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,239 Only thing is, he left Calvary out. 850 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:39,960 The price of redemption. 851 00:34:40,860 --> 00:34:43,300 But he said, you're in a kingdom now, 852 00:34:43,360 --> 00:34:44,380 is what he's saying here. 853 00:34:44,639 --> 00:34:46,400 We're going into the land. 854 00:34:46,739 --> 00:34:48,880 But we can enjoy these things now. 855 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:52,480 I wonder, do I realize we're subject in 856 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:53,320 God's kingdom. 857 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:55,920 Are we enjoying the things? 858 00:34:57,560 --> 00:35:00,220 I'll tell you, the glory shines before. 859 00:35:01,220 --> 00:35:02,700 You cannot linger here. 860 00:35:02,700 --> 00:35:05,080 So may the Lord help us to enter 861 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:07,280 into these things in a way, maybe we 862 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:08,100 all know them. 863 00:35:08,580 --> 00:35:10,820 But we need to be stirred up, don't 864 00:35:10,820 --> 00:35:11,060 we? 865 00:35:11,720 --> 00:35:16,440 And we can take this encouragement from the 866 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:16,920 past. 867 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:18,960 Go into chapter 11. 868 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:20,400 Beautiful. 869 00:35:20,620 --> 00:35:21,980 There's not one mention of sin. 870 00:35:22,940 --> 00:35:24,880 There's sins in their licorice that I remember 871 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:25,540 no more. 872 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:27,460 Far as the east is from the west, 873 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:30,540 so far have we removed our transgressions from 874 00:35:30,540 --> 00:35:30,800 us. 875 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:32,540 And here they are. 876 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:34,700 But what characterizes these people? 877 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:37,780 They're characterized by faith. 878 00:35:40,940 --> 00:35:45,800 They have faith's power in these men and 879 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:46,060 women. 880 00:35:47,240 --> 00:35:49,040 Here we have faith's pathway. 881 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:52,500 And I think the next chapter we end 882 00:35:52,500 --> 00:35:53,960 up with faith's priorities. 883 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:56,640 We're men and women of faith. 884 00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:57,620 We're in the race. 885 00:35:58,500 --> 00:36:00,120 And it's almost over. 886 00:36:04,180 --> 00:36:05,720 And we need to keep on running. 887 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,060 For our own benefit and our own blessing. 888 00:36:09,780 --> 00:36:12,120 And to be an encouragement for others. 889 00:36:12,980 --> 00:36:15,520 May the Lord help us to encourage one 890 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:15,840 another. 891 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:18,020 It's easy to bring one another down. 892 00:36:20,430 --> 00:36:22,750 I haven't found to get to criticism in 893 00:36:22,750 --> 00:36:23,670 my Bible yet. 894 00:36:24,730 --> 00:36:26,910 Although some people think it's more blessed to 895 00:36:26,910 --> 00:36:27,850 give than to receive. 896 00:36:28,050 --> 00:36:30,330 And it refers to a brother's brother. 897 00:36:31,310 --> 00:36:33,030 May the Lord help us to be men 898 00:36:33,030 --> 00:36:33,990 and women of faith. 899 00:36:34,810 --> 00:36:36,090 And keep on running. 900 00:36:36,090 --> 00:36:39,390 No matter what the problem is. 901 00:36:39,930 --> 00:36:42,510 I should have really taken time. 902 00:36:43,170 --> 00:36:45,090 They despise not thou that shakest near the 903 00:36:45,090 --> 00:36:45,470 Lord. 904 00:36:46,270 --> 00:36:48,190 Neither faint nor be yoked at him. 905 00:36:49,630 --> 00:36:52,210 Don't despise it when God deals with you. 906 00:36:52,950 --> 00:36:54,350 We don't know the reason. 907 00:36:54,590 --> 00:36:56,090 But God will show you the reason. 908 00:36:58,590 --> 00:36:59,850 Don't take it too lightly. 909 00:37:01,350 --> 00:37:03,030 But don't take it too heavily. 910 00:37:03,950 --> 00:37:05,870 Don't be bowed down by it. 911 00:37:05,870 --> 00:37:09,890 Because it's going to bring in a peaceful, 912 00:37:10,150 --> 00:37:11,290 free and righteous man. 913 00:37:11,790 --> 00:37:13,310 So may the Lord help us to get 914 00:37:13,310 --> 00:37:15,070 our eye on the Lord. 915 00:37:16,050 --> 00:37:17,950 That one who is finished in perfection. 916 00:37:18,590 --> 00:37:20,110 In spite of all the difficulties. 917 00:37:20,330 --> 00:37:21,830 Even the cross itself. 918 00:37:23,450 --> 00:37:23,990 Obedience. 919 00:37:24,370 --> 00:37:25,270 Faith in God. 920 00:37:25,910 --> 00:37:28,710 And a great example for you and for 921 00:37:28,710 --> 00:37:28,810 me.