It's good to see you this morning
and I thank the Lord. Once again, giving us this precious
time to be able to meet, to sing, to pray, to thank our Lord for
His mercy. I think so often now, how good
it is to be with God's people. I'm gonna ask you to take your
Bibles. I'm gonna be actually, you know,
in two different books. First one's gonna be in the book
of John, the gospel according to John chapter 13. John chapter
13. And I'll just share this with
you. have often said when it comes
to proclaiming the message of the gospel, it never ceases to
amaze me how it's not automatic. You just, I know that there's
times that I'm able and we'll go through a book and I'll know
where I'll be systematically. But then there's times too that
the Lord just impresses my heart. with the passage of scripture,
and this was the case. Today, for me to be in two different
books, and I want to look first in the book of John, chapter
13, and I want to look at one verse that began with verse 35. John 13, 35. By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Now, I'm gonna be honest with
you. My heart was truly stopped when
I hit that second word. By this. By this. You know, if the Spirit
of God has moved, or has been pleased, let me say it like that,
to write these precious scriptures to us, oh Lord, help me to hear
what you've got to say. By this. The God of all mercy and grace
has been pleased to unveil himself, unveil his heart, his will, his
good pleasure to a people of his choosing. Now you imagine,
just think for a minute. God has been pleased to speak. And I realize we're going through
this world today Day in, day out. And there's so many that
don't hear. But the Lord has said something. By this, He has eternally purposed to
open the understanding of unworthy sinners and give them something
that is nothing less than a miracle of God's grace. The evidence of regeneration. Everybody in this world has got
some concept of being saved, being regenerated. Now brethren,
let me just say something right here. This is holy ground. This is holy ground. By this,
by this shall all men, by this shall
actually the word men is in italics. It actually says by this shall
all know that you're my disciples if you have love one to another,
by this All shall know. Now if we ever
needed some understanding on something, this is it right here. I was reminded just recently
how this life is a vapor. This life, we had one of our
friends, neighbors, part of a family here that was taken out of this
world. Death is all around us. This life is ending. Now, here's
what I want to know. I want to know what the Lord
has got to say concerning the laying down of His truth, laid
down the standard, the standard of Regeneration, the standard
of life, the standard of being called out of darkness, what
is it? By this, by this, that word this
right here, it means one. One. By this. And here's another
one of the meanings of that word this. It means here, here, right
here, right here, by this. And then the word shall all,
shall all men. That word right there, it means,
it can mean each or some of all types. But it's a particular
word. It's a word of particular. By this shall all men know. By this shall all men, and though
there are some things that are revealed to God's people, there
are some things that can be known in a veil, in a veiled light. When it says all, there's something
that can be known. Whenever, just flip over, hold
your place right there, just turn back to page two. John 11,
35. John 11, 35. Our Lord was speaking, and there
were some people that were listening to Him, and when I said that
there's some things that can be perceived, some things are
seen, but they're seen in darkness. And I mean, what I mean by this,
look in John 11, 35, whenever the Lord was at the tomb of Lazarus. John 11, 35, he's at the tomb
of his friend, one that he loved. And look what scripture says,
came to that tomb. Jesus wept. The Lord himself wept. Now, you
know, Read what some have said. Here's the bottom line. The Lord
was tender. He was a man. Fully, totally,
completely man. With feelings just like all of
us. And he wept. That just blessed
my heart. Jesus wept. And here he is, the
God-man. Here he is at the tomb of Lazarus,
and he wept. And then the scripture says in
verse 36, and this is what I meant when I said that there's some
things that can be perceived by men, even unregenerous, not
things pertaining to the regeneration of God's people and stuff, but
there's some things that can naturally, they saw what happened. In verse 36, then said the Jews,
behold how he loved them. How he loved them. They perceived
that. They saw that. They saw the tenderness. But even in the perception of
the tenderness of the Lord, they perceived that part of it. But
look at the darkness. Look at the next verse, verse
37. Some of them said, could not
this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that
even this man should not have died? There is some things that
are seen. There's some things that are
understood by even the natural heart. Not the things of regeneration,
not the things of life, but there's some things. They saw him. They
said, look how he loved him. Well, if he loved him so much,
couldn't even this man, you know, couldn't he have caused this
man to not die? You see what I'm saying? There's some things
that, you know, can be known, can be seen without the fullness
of regenerating grace. But to God's people, back in
John 13, verse 35, God's people, here's a truth set forth. By
this shall all men know that you're my disciples. What is that, Lord? If you have
love, L-O-V-E, love, one to another. If you have love, one to another. Brother Henry Mahan made this
comment concerning this verse. He said this concerning if you
have love one to another. He said, not only by God's grace
and love shed abroad in your heart will you know that he has
done a work of grace in you. But by this new heart, this new
nature, Brother Henry said, this new attitude, there'll be a new
conduct toward others. All men, he said, even the world
will know that you're a disciple of Christ. There's something
that just manifests itself in a believer. When Almighty God
does something, other men see it. was Brother Scott, some of
you will probably know this, Brother Scott said, if Almighty
God saves a man, even his dog will know it. Did Brother Scott
say that? I heard some, I thought I heard him say that. Even his
dog will know it. There's a difference, there's
a difference, there's just a difference in an attitude. That distinguishing
mark of a believer, it's not an outward garb, it's not a,
Peculiar talk, or even a holier than thou claim of self-righteousness,
like the Pharisees had. But when the Lord does something
for His people, there's a love, there's a brotherly love. Look at Ephesians chapter 4.
Ephesians chapter 4. Chapter four, verse 31, 32. Here
where he said, let all bitterness and
wrath and anger, clamor, evil speaking be put away from you
with all malice and be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, even as God for Christ's sake. has forgiven you. Oh, how desperately,
how desperately do I need for the Lord to do something for
me, to teach me, to teach me, to
help me. Well, concerning this, this love,
by this, shall all men know It's going to be manifested. All men
know that you're my disciple. By this shall all men know. Again,
I'm going to reiterate what I just said a while ago, because I'm
preaching to me. You're welcome to listen in and hear what I've
got to say, but I'm going to tell you something. This is me.
I know something a little bit about me. I need the Lord to speak to me. Again, if you'd like to listen
in, Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 13. And I'm gonna, I'm
gonna just stay here for a few minutes for the rest of this
service here in 1 Corinthians. By this shall all men know that
you're my disciples. You have love. Love. Well, you know, that's
a grand subject. Everybody, we talk about it,
love. I love you, I love you too. What is this love? Lord, tell me again. I've heard
this before. I've looked at 1 Corinthians
13. You have too. But I want to hear it again.
I'd like the Lord to rehearse it again in my heart. 1 Corinthians
chapter 13. The Apostle Paul was moved in
verses 1, 2, 3 to say this. Though I speak with the tongues
of men and of angels and have not charity, have not love, I
am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though
I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and
all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove
mountains Well, that's a mighty act, isn't
it? If I had all faith and I could
remove mountains, and have not charity, have not love, this
is what the Lord told Paul to say. I'm nothing. I'm nothing. And though I bestow all my goods
to feed the poor, Though I give my body to be burned and I have
not charity, it profiteth me nothing. The Apostle Paul was moved to
say, without love, and he's going to tell us in just a minute the
manifestation of love. Without love, I'll just, I'll try to simplify
this. We're just making noise. Without love, we're just clanging
cymbals, tinkling cymbals, sounding brass. You're just making noise
is all you're doing. If we could foretell the future
with great knowledge, he said, and remove mountains, move a
mountain, without love, gave our bodies to be burned. It profits nothing without love. So my question is this, for me. How is love? How is charity? When you see charity in here,
you know what it means. It means love. This is true love. Doesn't matter what anybody else
says it is. Whatever the Lord says it is,
that's what it is. What is it? What's the manifestation
of it? How do you know it? How do you
know it when you see it? How can I know that the Lord
has taught me something? Oh, how desperately I need the
Lord to teach me. You that know Him, you do too.
You want that. How is it manifest? Back in 1
Corinthians 4, Here's what he said, 1 Corinthians 13, verse
4. Charity, love, suffereth long
and is kind. Charity envieth not, charity
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Now, I'm going to try to
keep it simple because I don't want to just elaborate and too
long, but I want to say what God's got to say. Charity is
kind. It's tender and it's compassionate
and it's not easily offended. It doesn't boast of itself. It doesn't puff itself up. Not
love. That's what he said. Charity
suffereth long. Oh, it's just patient. Long suffering. And it's kind. It doesn't envy. It doesn't lift
itself up. Look at me. not puffed up. Verse 5 says,
It doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, and is not
easily provoked, thinking no evil. Charity, love, doesn't act in
an unbecoming way. Here again, Brother Henry, I
got this from him. He made this statement. He said, love isn't rude. It's not rude. It's kind. It's not conceited. It's not arrogant. It doesn't
burn with heated anger. Doesn't insist on seeking its
own way. My way or the highway. Not easily
provoked, but rather it thinks no evil toward others. Oh my,
my, my, my. I'm guilty. I'm guilty. Lord, I need you to do something. Lord, help me here. Help me.
I am so guilty, and you that know him, I know you, you're
saying the same thing. But you know there's nothing
better than just to let the Lord just teach us something, isn't
it? Look at verse six. It rejoiceth
not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. Love doesn't rejoice
in unrighteousness. It doesn't rejoice in that. But
rather it rejoices in the truth. In Him who is the truth. The
truth of Christ. It rejoices in the truth. I need
the Lord to teach me about me. It rejoices in the truth. I want
to know about Him. I want to know about me. Because
I'm the one that He's going to deal with. Lord, teach me. Teach
me. It rejoices in that which is
the truth, according to the truth. Don't you love it when you sit
down and you hear the scriptures expounded? You hear what God
has to say, and you think, that's it. That's what I want right
there. That's what I need right there. I need, Lord, I need you. I need you to teach me. I'm so
sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Look at verse seven. It beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love covers, and here's
a good word. I looked up different places
try to find out the heart of this passage. And I kept coming
across this word right here in the description of these different
writers. Silence, silence. Love beareth all things, hopes
all things, all the burdens, the infirmities of the weak,
It believes the best toward others. I know, okay, I'll just, I'll
go ahead and admit me, here's me. This is my attitude. I hear somebody say something,
I say, well, I heard what you said, but I know what you mean.
I heard you, don't worry, I heard what you said. It believes the best believes
the best toward others. It believes the best toward others.
It hopeth or it waits with joy and confidence. upon the lord Can I give you, can I give you
a word of of something that it's kind of been a help to me. painfully I've told you, I've told you
about how I grew up. You know, I know most guys and
women did too. You know, my dad's attitude,
we're going to do something today if it's wrong. It usually was. It was just, it was filler. It
was filler. So help me, I'm telling you,
he'd have me dig a hole and fill it up. so I wouldn't be standing
there. He did not want me to be doing
nothing, nothing. It waits on the Lord. That's
life. It hopeth, waits with joy and
confidence. Beareth all things, believeth
all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, It perseveres
under trials. It doesn't leave, it doesn't
quit, it doesn't flee. Oh, I know there'll be people
that'll hear this if they listen to this on the internet or something
like that, but I'm just, again, I'm just bearing my heart with
you. We go through something, a trial tribulation, you lost
a loved one, You've gone through a sickness, something's happened,
something's happened to your body. And before I can stop it,
before I can stop it, before I can stop my thinking, why did that happen to me? Why
did that happen to me? The struggles now, the trials, Trials that I never
knew. Trials that I never knew. It's
been good that I've been afflicted. It's good. Why? That I might learn of your statutes.
It's good. This is love. Love for God. Love for God's people. Love for
God's gospel. It bears all things. Doing what? It's the Lord. Let him do what
seemeth him good. Lord, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Lord, for what you've
been pleased to do, and thank you, Lord, for keeping me in
the midst of it. Thank you for these that want
to still come and have anything to do with somebody like me.
Thank you. Look at verse 18, 19. Charity never faileth. But whether there
be prophecies, they shall fail. Whether there be tongues, they
shall cease. Whether there be knowledge, it
shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy
in part, love. True love, God's love, love,
charity, never becomes obsolete. Never becomes obsolete. The love
that God Almighty gave us last time we met together, it's the
same love. It's kept us right up until right
now. It never perishes. never becomes
powerless. According to God's word here,
prophecies will end. Prophecies will end when the
will of the Lord is complete for His people. When it's over,
when this is all over, the prophecies the tongues, whatever the Lord
was pleased to use. That'll end. That'll come to
an end. We know in part, we prophesy
in part, we have some knowledge, but it's partial. That's what
scripture says. But when all these things are
completed, Verse 10 says, when that which
is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done
away. When that which is perfect, perfect knowledge, perfect understanding,
perfect sight, that we don't have right now, but it's coming for God's people.
It's coming. When that which is perfect is
come, then all that's in part, that's partial, that which the
Lord's been pleased to use to give us some understanding, all
this is gonna be superseded with perfect sight, perfect knowledge. Right now, we're going through
this time right now. But there's coming a time for
God's people when this partial is going to be put away and perfect
is going to be there. Boy, there's a, there's a, Lord
help me. Lord, right now, help me to see
this. The scripture says in verse 11
and 12, when I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a
child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, the
apostle said, I put away childish things, for now we see through
a glass darkly, but then face to face, for now I know in part,
but then, but then. shall I know even as also I am
known. Paul says, when I was a child,
I talked like a child. I understood like a child. I
reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away
those childish things. He said, I was done with infant
ways. God's people can hear what is being said right
here. And we say, Lord, verse 12, how truly do I see through
a glass darkly? Told you again and again and
again. It made such an impression on me just before Brother Don
died. Told me, I've told you this before, you know what I'm
going to say. He said, Marvin, we never know what God's doing.
But that stuck with me. We never know. You think you
know. I think I know. We don't know.
We see through a glass darkly, dimly, obscure. What is the Lord
doing in this world today? Look at the political world.
What's He doing? I don't know. I don't know. Oh, I got all my,
you know, my deductions and, you know, surmises and things
like this. I tell you what, if so-and-so
and so-and-so don't happen, I tell you, no, I'm gonna tell you this.
God is on the throne. And doesn't that settle your
heart? It's got to, because ain't nothing else going to. Oh, now we see through a glass
darkly. dimly. My margin says in a riddle, doesn't
it? Doesn't it just, that's true.
What's going on right now? Well, as far as we're concerned,
it's just a riddle. Oh, but then, but then face to
face to see the Lord. Now I know in part, then I shall,
shall I know even as Also, I am known. Oh, there's coming a time. This will all be over. We'll
see the Lord face to face and behold something of the wonders
of his mercy. Right now, while we're looking
darkly, dimly, in an obscure way, and we see in a riddle,
we don't know, but we know him. It causes us to fly to Him, then,
but then, face to face. No more need of these things
that are not completely seen by us. Everything's
going to be legible. Everything's going to be seen.
Now, though we know in part, we see in part, we still know,
we still see, dimly, that last verse. Now, right now abideth
faith, hope, charity. These three, but the greatest
of these is charity. The greatest of these is love.
We're traveling through this world, and right now, this is
what we have right now. Faith, the conviction of who
he is. God's people know Him. Faith,
hope, the anticipation of what He said is so. Faith, hope, charity. Charity. True affection for Almighty
God and God's people wrought in the hearts of God's people
from Him who is love. Brethren, I pray that the Lord
be pleased to remind us again of the blessed hope, peace, and
comfort that we have in Christ. Lord Jesus, keep us according
to your will and your purpose for your sake and our good. Amen. Okay.