you Shh. Thank you. Thank you. We commence our service this
afternoon by singing hymn number 237, the first part. The tune
is Benediction, number 627. Let us ask the important question. Brethren, be not too secure. What it is to be a Christian,
how we may our hearts assure. Vain is all our best devotion. If on false foundations built,
true religions more than notion, something must be known and felt. In number 237, the first part, so ? Our Savior ? ? Those visits to
Thee, O Christ, were ? ? How we weep, how false the truth
? ? Gave it all away to Thee ? God bless the evolution in all
those foundations there. O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? ? In its love the stars shall see
? ? Kiss him forever, yet remember ? ? Lo, faith in faith is strong ? ? Christ will give ? ? To believe
that all is finished ? ? God's will, God's will is tender ? Thou didst make us, pure and
simple, pure in heart and soul. ? Disseminate our traditions forevermore
? O come, O come, all ye faithful
joyful and triumphant O come, O come, all ye faithful joyful
and triumphant ? Will heal them like Jesus ? ?
Never be able to be ? ? Still believe the Christ that spares us ? And the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? ? This new field of heavenly spirit
? ? From Canaan's new secret bed ? ? To rejoice in Jesus'
birth ? ? Yet continue sorrowing ? ? To
receive the recognition ? ? The world seeks for help ? ? So come, creation ? ? And in
that sea ? ? Let me die ? ? Till each new birth ? ? Living, living, living, living,
living, living ? Let me wonder, hear me speaking,
Strength and yearning in you between. ? To thee, Lord King be glory given
? ? Ever singing, ever to sing ? ? To God the King be glory
given ? Two parts of God's holy word
I would like us to read. Firstly, in the gospel as recorded
by John, chapter 13, and then from the first epistle to the
Corinthians, also chapter 13. We'll begin with the gospel as
recorded by John, chapter 13. Now before the feast of the Passover,
when Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart
out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were
in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended,
the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot,
Simon's son, to betray him. Jesus, knowing that the Father
had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from
God and went to God, he riseth from supper, and laid aside his
garments, and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he
poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples'
feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter,
and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus
answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now, but
thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt
never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash
thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him,
Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is
washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every
whit, and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray
him, Therefore said He, Ye are not all clean. So after He had
washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and were set down
again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye
call Me Master and Lord, and ye say, Well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master,
have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example
that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say
unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord, neither
he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know
these things, happy are ye if ye do them. I speak not of you
all, I know whom I have chosen, but that the scripture may be
fulfilled, he that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel
against me. Now I tell you before it come
to pass, that when it is come to pass, you may believe that
I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me, and he that
receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. When Jesus had thus
said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one
on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was leaning
on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter
therefore beckoned to him that he should ask who it should be
of whom he spake. He then, lying on Jesus' breast,
saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is
to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it. And when he
had dipped the sop he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of
Simon. And after the sop Satan entered
into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That
thou doest, do quickly. Now no man at the table knew
for what intent he spake this unto him. For some of them thought,
because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy
those things that we have need of against the feast, or that
he should give something to the poor. He then, having received
the sop, went immediately out, and it was night. Therefore when
he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified. and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God
shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify
him. Little children, yet a little
while I am with you. Ye shall seek me, and as I said
unto the Jews, whither I go ye cannot come. So now I say to
you, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another,
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Simon Peter
saith unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him,
Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt
follow me afterwards. Peter said unto him, Lord, why
cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy
sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou
lay down my life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
The cock shall not crow, until thou hast denied me thrice. And if you would turn on to Paul's
first epistle to the Corinthians, we read again chapter 13. Though I speak with the tongues
of men and of angels, and have not charity, which is of course
love, I am become a 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,
and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods
to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth
long and is kind, charity envieth not, charity vaunteth not itself,
is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not
her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not
in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 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. But when that which is perfect
is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 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, I put
away childish things. For now we see through a glass
starkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then
shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith,
hope, charity, these three. But the greatest of these is
charity. Leave the reading of God's holy
word there. May he bless these portions to
us and help us all to pray. Gracious and almighty Lord God,
once again we receive thy favours, thy mercies in sparing us to
gather again in thy house. Lord, perhaps only a few hours
for most, but a year for us since we were last here. Oh Lord, how
we look back and have so much cause to be thankful for thy
goodness. Lord, we do pray that we may
come together now with a desire to record our thanksgiving unto
thee. Lord, do acknowledge that thou
has been far far more to us than we have ever deserved. Indeed, Lord, we deserve thy
wrath. We deserve that thou shouldest
forget us entirely, banish us away from thy thoughts. And yet, Lord, we still can come,
and we do still have to come and plead thy word, that though
I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me. Lord, we stand amazed at thy
goodness, to remember us individually, personally. O Lord, thou dost
look down from heaven and see us exactly as we are, in all
our imperfections, in all our need. And yet, Lord, thou hast
said that sin is a welcome to come unto thee, and him that
cometh to thee thou wilt in no wise cast out. O Lord, we Stand
amazed at the extent of thy mercy, the love that thou hast toward
sinners. O Lord, not to their sin. We
know that sin is always an abhorrence to God. O Lord, thou dost look
to those for whom thou hast suffered, those for whom thy blood was
shed. Thou hast a never-ending love
to them. O Lord, we Come and give thee
thanks for this, so that that love were more shed abroad in
our hearts, our poor, cold hearts. So often, Lord, we are cold and
indifferent to these things. We may come and go even to the
services of thy house and take no impression from thy word. Lord, we do pray that this afternoon
may not be such a time. Lord, do come and visit each
one that is come into the house of God this afternoon, and they'll
notice exactly how each has come, whether reluctantly, whether
perhaps some of the younger ones compelled to come against their
wish. Older ones may have had a free
choice in that sense, but Lord, it may still only be a duty or
to avoid trouble that we have come. Lord, even if those are
not how we come, we may still come hard-hearted. Lord, let
us look upon each one. Lord, that there may be, Lord,
that true seeking spirit. Lord, that self-examination,
even as we've been thinking. Lord, not to look and to judge,
is that one a real Christian? But am I a real Christian? Lord, they're those tokens the
things we've sung of in my heart, in my life. Lord, we do pray
that thou wouldst so work in each heart today to give that
gracious spirit, that desire, cleanse thou me from secret faults. Lord, we, no doubt all of us,
have those secret sins that only we know about in this world,
and yet thou knowest. when we come to confess our sin. There is no surprise there to
thee. There's nothing that we can confess that thou hast not
already seen. We pray then that we may come
humbly and confess all our sin. Oh, how thankful we are, Lord.
We've spoken with a friend in the week that the blood of Jesus
Christ cleanseth us from all sin. Lord, do help each one then
to come aright. Many do not come as truly led
by thy spirit. Lord, may it be a time today,
an appointed time. Lord, we've considered that in
this place. A year ago, the Lord appointed
a time. Oh, that it may be a time for
one or another to be blessed. The word, the work rather begun,
or it may be a time to deepen it. Lord, thou knowest what each
one needs to supply at the need of each heart that we do pray
before thee today. Lord, we do pray that there may
yet be a gathering in of others to come and worship here and
in all the places of worship where thy name is truly honored
and feared. Lord, there are many that are
diminished and brought low. Lord, there is so little general
desire for the things of God in this land. Lord, thou canst
make a difference, thou canst turn the hearts of many. Oh,
that thou wouldst shine, Lord, into that darkness of sinners'
hearts with the light of the marvellous, or the marvellous
light of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, Lord, that
light will reveal many dark things, that we might come to that light,
many might come to that light. Oh Lord, do work mightily in
our land, we pray. We pray for a new king and a
new prime minister, a new government. Thy word commands us to pray
for those that are in authority, that we might live a quiet and
peaceable life. And so Lord, we commit them to
thee. We ask thy favour to be upon them, thy blessing. Lord,
do give them wisdom in their responsibilities to make right
choices and judgments in what to do. May they be truly led
by thee and not simply to try to do what is popular. Lord,
we do pray that thou would raise up amongst them those that truly
fear thy name, those that shall have that desire for the spiritual
welfare and prosperity of the nation. Lord, there is rightly
a concern for providential things, but how neglected are those even
more important things, the things of God. And yet the carnal heart
cannot receive them, cannot understand them. Lord, do work mightily,
we pray, in our nation. Remember thy people throughout
the earth. We ask, Lord, that thou remember
those today who suffer much persecution for thy name's sake. Remember
thy people in Ukraine and other parts of the world where there
is so much violence and destruction, so much evil, so readily apparent. Lord, thou art able to stop these
things, to bring a peace bring a righteous settlement of these
things. Lord, we do pray, especially
for thy people who may be caught up in these things, that they,
Lord, may still be able to trust in thee. Thou who changest not. Lord, there may be change and
destruction and decay all around them, but thou changest not. Oh, Lord, and help us to lay
these things to heart. to be at such a great distance
from them, but, oh Lord, the teaching is still there for us.
Oh may we hold the things of this life loosely, ready to let
go. Oh may it be our chief desire
and priority to seek first the kingdom of God and thy righteousness. Oh Lord, let us not be swayed
and distracted by all the things around us in this life. They
are fleeting at their very best. We can take nothing with us when
we leave, or we pray that thou also work in us to understand
these things. Lord, to be thankful to be able
to look to thee, to be our sufficiency, the one thing needful amongst
all these other things. Lord, there's so much competition
for our natural affections and desires. Thou willest give us
those real desires of the soul that seek after Thee. Lord, we
do pray for the dear pastor here so far away in America. Lord,
do be with him at this time. Do help him with the services
before him today. Lord, as he no doubt feels his
dependence upon Thee, Lord, do draw near and supply his every
need this day, and those to whom he speaks there. Lord, thou knowest
their needs and their individual circumstances, but we do pray
that they may have a good day this day. Lord, in due course,
do bring him home again in peace and safety, we pray. May there be those blessings
in his meditations even as he travels, O Lord, that he may
come back here, though perhaps naturally tired, but refreshed
in soul and with those things to set before thy people here
once again. Lord, we do ask that thou would
remember all in particular need. We do pray, Lord, for the children
and the young people, Lord, how they do need thee to guide and
direct their ways and to set thyself before them. Lord, we,
if any, are starting new parts of their life today, or at this
time, rather, a new school, college, university, employment. Lord,
do be with them in that. Help them to commit their way
to thee. Lord, that they might bear that
yoke, that union with thee. even in their youth. Lord, they
aren't able to do these things. We do pray that they'll watch
over and keep them. Lord, all of us of every age,
we do not grow out of the need of thy safekeeping. We do not
become immune to temptations. Lord, thou knowest how easily
we fall, how we need thee to be with us throughout our life,
whatever age we may be, prosper the way that we go. Oh Lord,
remember each one then, for good we pray. Remember any, especially
Lord, that feel the burden of their sin. Lord, it may not be
in anything outward, it may seem strange to others that they should
feel so burdened, but oh Lord, thou knowest the things of the
heart, where thou hast put that spirit of true repentance. and godly sorrow for sin, or
that we might know more of that, and to come humbly before thee
and confess it and ask thy pardon. O Lord, do help us as we turn
to thy word. Bless thee the word that our
friend has brought before the people this morning. O Lord,
We do pray that that may not be swiftly forgotten, may not
be like that seed falling on the baked earth where the fowls
of the air were snatched away. Lord, let it be rather that which
has fallen in good ground, that it may bring forth a fruit to
the glory and honour of thy name in due course. Lord, do be with
all thy servants everywhere, be with us here. Lord, we all
depend upon thee. May thy spirit, Lord, be with
speaker and with hearers alike wherever they're found to bless
souls and that they might lift up their heart and their voice
in praise to thy name. Lord, look down in my mercy to
pardon all our very many sins. Oh Lord, how great must be the
sum of all of the sins, even of thy people that are in this
place. And Lord, as we think throughout
the world and throughout time, how great was that burden laid
upon Christ. Oh Lord, we cannot really understand
it, cannot comprehend it, nor that we might have that faith
to believe that that was a sacrifice made on our account. Lord, we have no other hope,
thou knowest, we have nothing to trust in except that, that
thy blood was shed for me. Oh Lord, so do bless us this
day with that sense of pardon for our sin we ask. To hear the
silent prayers and petitions, things that we may never know
have been asked, but thou knowest. Lord, do send answers, we pray. We ask it all in the name and
for the sake Through the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Continue our service by singing
hymn number 941. The tune is Arizona 284. Jesus, my Lord, my life, my all,
prostrate before thy throne I fall. Fain would my soul look up and
see my hope, my heaven, my all in thee. Here in this world of
sin and woe, I'm filled with tossings to and fro, burdened
with sin and fears oppressed, with nothing here to give me
rest. Hymn number 941. ? O say can you see by the dawn's
early light ? ? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming ? ? Triumph in thee ? ? In this proud ? ? Pacific land
? I'm filled with gossip, sin,
and woe, and with sin. ? That gives us rest ? ? Where
God is near ? ? Then here we rest ? ? In thankful praise ?
? I sing ? ? Now only heaven ?
? Can cast me ? ? Till in my wounds ? ? And crown I'm free
? ? God with my hope in God freely
? ? With earth thy peace and presence Lord ? ? God to the world ? ? And man,
and all ? ? I did not know ? ? I saw a man ? ? Blessed am I, Lord, who bless
thee today ? ? Glory, glory, glory to thee, my God and King
? ? Thus speak the people, so rejoice
? ? Stay peace, be still, O come, O come, O come to Bethlehem ?
? Come in ? ? By peace fulfilled
? ? Come home to me ? ? Then filled with praise ? ? My soul in praise would soar
above ? ? And with it I would joyfully go ? ? Thou, God, Christ, Lord, bestower
of love. ? The Lord may be pleased to grant
us all his much-needed help. Let us consider together words
we find in John chapter 13 and in particular verse 7. John chapter
13 and verse 7. Jesus answered and said unto
him, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Jesus answered and said unto
him, that is to Peter, what I do thou knowest not now, but thou
shalt know hereafter. I was struck as we read this chapter
aloud how this truth this teaching is evident throughout this chapter
really, isn't it? Not only did Peter and one would
assume many if not all of the other disciples, they didn't
really quite understand what it was that Jesus was doing,
I mean the teaching of it, obviously they understood literally that
he was washing their feet, but they didn't have that real understanding
of what it meant that the Lord would not only have service done
to him but more that he was a servant himself to do that which was
good for them. He was setting a wonderful example
here that what he did in humility and really out of love that should
be how We behave how his people behave one to another but He
was also teaching them and probably they did not understand this
at the time that that natural washing Was not saving Presumably
the feet of Judas were washed. He didn't leave this assembly
until later on and the Lord says, you are not all clean. He made
it very clear that he knew that Judas would betray him. They
didn't understand that at the time, did they? They all asked,
is it I? And yet, they all said, we read
later on, like Peter, it's recorded of Peter, but so often he was
the spokesman, but they all said how they would never betray the Lords,
didn't understand. And afterwards, no doubt they
all felt how they had forsaken him and fled. They all in a sense
betrayed him, although of course here he's specifically speaking
of Judas Iscariot. And then also how he speaks about
how the Son of Man should be glorified. Again, they didn't
really understand that at the time, but afterwards, no doubt,
they did. How they could not follow him.
Peter has this sense, doesn't he, towards the end of the chapter,
Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? He felt he was willing to
do it, he didn't understand it. Afterward, they would understand
it. though he completely rejected
the idea that he would ever betray the Lord or deny the Lord, afterwards
he was brought to understand it, wasn't he? And so there are
many things, even in this context, that show the truth of these
words. What I do, thou knowest not now,
but thou shalt know hereafter. Very encouraging, isn't it? That there is that teaching of
God. There is a deepening of the understanding
of his people. There are many, many things we
don't know and don't understand. There is that prospect of knowing
hereafter. I'll come to that more directly
later on. I don't know how it is with you.
I believe the Lord has sent this word this afternoon, so I must
believe that it is applicable to at least one. I hope it touches all of you
in some way. There are many things, aren't
there, in our lives that we don't understand. Why is God doing that or why
is God permitting that? General thought not this verse,
but this general thought has been with me for six months now
something Happened to me at the beginning of April, and I just
couldn't understand it Why? And I felt forgive me for just
speaking simply But it would have been so easy for God to
have not let that thing happen It caused me a lot of trouble
and a lot of upset It would have been so easy to prevent it. Why
did it happen? I didn't understand it. In a
measure, I think I still don't, although perhaps I have some
light upon it. But there are many such things
with us, aren't there? Why? It's a question that rises
up so often, isn't it, in our heart? Why? Why must I suffer
this? Why must the pathway be so difficult? Why should this happen? We need
so much grace, don't we, to realize that though it's obvious, and
I'm sure it's obvious really to all of us, that as we read
in Isaiah 55, as God says, my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways. I think that's obvious, isn't
it? We can look at our plans and our desires and all the things
that we would have, as it were, or have to be, and they don't
come. to pass, and we can see so obviously
and so clearly that God's thoughts have not been our thoughts. Maybe
you're much quicker to learn than I am, but it's not always,
I think, so apparent. Certainly the force of it hasn't
been so apparent really with me, if I'm honest, that God's
thoughts are not just different, are they? But they're infinitely
better. heavens are higher than the earth.
I was thinking about this last evening. For all the wisdom that's
given to man, all the wonderful inventions of powerful telescopes
and all those things, still nobody can calculate this, can they?
How high are the heavens above the earth? There's no answer
to that, is there? They are infinitely high. And
that's every time you look up and you see the stars. I have
no idea what is the most distant star that we can see. But every
time we look up, we know they're a huge distance away from us. But God's thoughts are even more
superior than that. Or that we might be taught by
these things. Look at these things even in
nature and realize the truth of God's word. As the heavens
are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Don't be tempted to think otherwise. Don't fall into thinking, well,
my way would be just as good as the Lord's way. No, we don't
understand, perhaps, what the Lord is doing now. It doesn't
mean it's wrong, does it? Oh, it's so easy, isn't it? Well,
if I was in control, I could sort this out. I have to keep
coming back to it. My times are in thy hand. I'm
being thankful that it's so. If my times were in my own hand,
oh, yes, things would be very different for sure, but they
wouldn't be better, would they? They would be infinitely worse. sinful thoughts, my sinful plans
and desires and so on, are restrained to some extent by the fact that
my times are in God's hands. So much better, infinitely better,
that it is so. But that word continues in Isaiah. We haven't had much rain generally,
have we? We were talking about this just
before the service Perhaps you've had a bit more here than we have
at home, but generally it's been a very dry season, hasn't it,
through this summer. But as the rain cometh down,
and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth
the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud. You see, there
is a purpose for the rain coming, isn't there, and the snow. And
it's a purpose of fruitfulness. We see it in the greening of
the grass and the growth of the grass and no doubt many other
plants and so on. It's a purpose of fruitfulness.
And God says that it may give seed to the sower and bread to
the eater. I love that word. It seems to speak so much, doesn't
it, of the fresh supply given to the one that has to sow the
seed, and how we need that. Now, not all are called to a
public ministry, but all the Lord's people have to sow the
seed, don't they, in some way. We're all sowing that seed daily
in terms of the way people look at our life, the way the conversation
that they hear from our mouth. We're sowing something, aren't
we? Is it good seed? Is it a good example? But here
the word of God, the thoughts of God, they come and they're
fruitful, both to the sower and to the eater, that is the one
that receives those things. So shall my word be that goeth
forth out of my mouth. And then this is very encouraging
too, isn't it? It shall not return unto me that
is empty or without purpose but it shall accomplish that which
I please and it shall prosper in the thing where to I sent
it. What God does with his words
we may not know at this time. We want to know, don't we? You
can be very impatient, not just about preaching, but perhaps
in our prayers, perhaps there are things that you're praying
for, praying that God's word would be blessed in a particular
way, either to yourself or to someone else. And it doesn't
seem to happen like that. And you can't understand it.
It may be a good thing that you're praying for, but the timing is
wrong. That's not God's time. You see,
God says that his word will accomplish what he pleases. Felt led to
preach last Lord's Day from that word, he hath done whatsoever
he hath pleased. Oh yes, maybe not what has pleased
us, but what is that? It's pleased God. And so his
word as it goes forth, as we read it, as we hear it preached,
as we preach it, It will accomplish what God pleases. We may not
understand that. We may not know what that is. I've found so many times I go
to somewhere to preach and we may think, well, I think this
is a word for such and such a person. And then that person's not there.
And so obviously my thought was wrong. If it was the word of God, then
it won't return to God void. It must have been someone else
that was blessed by it or taught by it. We must believe this. God's word is not in vain. Oh, and the prosperity. We may
have a very narrow-minded idea of what prosperity is, but God
says it will prosper in the thing to which I sent it. Again, we
may not understand that. We may look for immediate fruit,
as it were, but actually it may be that the roots are still being
established. The roots are being watered.
Generally speaking, roots are not an attractive part of the
plant, are they? We want to see the flower or
we want to see the fruit. We're impatient. But the roots
need to develop, don't they? There has to be that growing
down. that foundation, if you will, before the things come
to us are more attractive. What I do, thou knowest not now,
although we might be submissive to God's will, not to try to
rush things, as it were, not to be impatient, to have that
faith. Thou shalt know hereafter. I
was thinking of Job in all his troubles. He sought God, didn't he, in
the sense that he wanted to be feelingly in the presence of
God. And he couldn't understand it. It wasn't so. He looked everywhere, as you
might say. Behold, I go forward. He is not
there. I'm backward, but I cannot perceive
him. On the left hand, where he doth
work, but I cannot behold him. He hideth himself on the right
hand, that I cannot see him. Perhaps there's one in such a
place this afternoon. You just don't understand. It's
a good desire, isn't it, to feelingly to be in the presence of God,
to come before God. Can't speak against that desire,
but it's just not happening. that you're coming any closer. I once said to a friend how Job
looked in all directions and couldn't find that help, but
he rightly corrected me. He said there was one direction
he didn't look. I've just been singing of it.
I felt very encouraged and confirmed by that. He didn't look up, did
he? That's where God was, wasn't
it? up above all those things. You see, Job was looking around
on the plane of his own existence. And we're so prone to that, aren't
we? We can only see the things that are all around us. I'm the
center of all of these things, as it were. Center of my own
universe, we sometimes say, don't we? We don't look up. And God
is above all of that. Infinitely superior to all of
that. And he's doing his own thing.
He's doing his own purpose, he's accomplishing his own will. We
don't understand. It doesn't mean he's not working,
does it? Now you see, Job had to learn
this, didn't he? But, he knoweth the way that
I take. Oh yes, I don't know the way
the Lord is taking at the moment. That's where Job was, wasn't
it? I don't understand why I'm having to pass through all these
things. It makes no sense to me, to my human mind, my human
logic. But God knows. God knows what
he's doing. God knows the way that I take. He knows the way that my life
is going. And what's the purpose of it?
Oh, Job had to be brought to understand this when he has tried
me. I shall come forth as gold. You
see, Job, though so deeply enmeshed by his problems and all that
was going on in his life. He knew that one day God would
bring him out of it. It's very wonderful, the faith
of Job. I know he was guilty of some
self-righteousness and so on, but Job could look beyond it. At least at times, his faith
could look beyond it. This will all come to an end,
This trial, I'm being tried now, but when it's over, the Lord
will have refined me. That's really what he was saying,
isn't it? The dross in my life, the things that are wrong in
my life, will all be removed and I shall come forth as gold.
I'll be bettered by this trial. Oh, wonderful to be given the
grace in the midst of these difficult circumstances, whatever they
may be for any one of us, but to see God is using it to purify
me. My hold, perhaps, on the things
of this life is too tight. I'm not prepared to let go of
this part of my life, and God is saying, yes, that must be
purged away. It's only the gold that must
be left. It's painful to pass through
it, isn't it? thou shalt know hereafter. Nothing
comes by chance, does it? It was so easy to overlook those
things. We used to have a very quaint
man at chapel and when he used to pray in the prayer meetings,
sometimes he prayed over what seemed to me to be at the time
to be very trivial things that had happened to him in that day
or that week. And he was searching all the
time, why? What's the Lord teaching me? And I couldn't understand it
at the time. I used to think, well, these
things just happen. But he didn't feel that way.
I don't feel that way now. Oh, there's a purpose in all
these things. I don't understand it. Thou shalt
know hereafter. You see, Philip, at that time
when that great multitude, I think it was the, well we speak of
it as the 5,000, but of course it was more than that, it was
5,000 men beside the women and children. But when the Lord would
feed them, the Lord said, He said to Philip, didn't he,
when shall we buy bread that these may eat? And this he said to prove him,
for he himself knew what he would do. This was the text at home
in the week. The Lord knowing what he will
do. Philip didn't know. Philip applied
human logic, didn't he? 200 penny worth of bread is not
sufficient for them, that everyone may take a little. Not to be
filled, but even just have enough to keep going. A penny, of course,
was a day's labour, or the wages for a day's labour. So this was
a lot of money, 200 penny worth of bread. But he said, even that,
even if we had all that much money, we couldn't feed all these
people. He didn't know what the Lord
was doing, did he? Or how the Lord was proving Philip,
wasn't he? Proving, first of all, the limitation
of Philip's mind, of Philip's understanding, and how we need
to be taught that, don't we? My logic, my rationality has
no place before the infinite power of God. Oh, I'm so constrained
as to what I can imagine that God is doing, but actually he's
doing something far, far greater. Oh, the Lord knows what he is
doing, doesn't he? The Lord knew exactly what he
was doing as he washed the feet of the disciples. They didn't
understand. Ah, but there is that encouragement,
and faith will take hold of that. Thou shalt know hereafter. Philip was to know afterwards,
wasn't he? As he went round with his basket
and collected up all the fragments that remained, and he personally,
along with the other 11, ended up with more than they ever started
with. He'd learnt something, hadn't
he? He'd learnt the power of God in Jesus Christ. He'd learnt perhaps the divinity
of Christ there. that no man could possibly have
done what Jesus had just done. What does the Lord sometimes
do? Peter uses the phrase, doesn't he? Exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think. You sometimes have to prove that.
I know there have been times when I've had to go before the
Lord and plead for forgiveness for the narrowness of my thoughts. I've only asked, as it were,
for so much, and God has done so much. Oh, it so exceeds what
we ever think about. And it's because we don't understand.
We don't know what the Lord is doing, what the Lord has in mind. Well, Joseph experienced this,
didn't he? Time will not permit to go through
all the life of Joseph by any means. Joseph is a great example. I commend his life and a study
of his life to you in the context of this word, for what I do thou
knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Joseph had his
dreams, as you know, that the family would all bow down to
him. And then he finds himself rejected
by his brothers, That must have tried him, mustn't it? How can
the Lord fulfill this vision that I've had when they won't
even hear me, when they can't bear to be in my company? And
then he was sold. Sold to be a slave. Sold to the
Midianites, who were a heathen nation. How can these things
be if I'm going into a heathen nation? Then he finds out he's
going into Egypt. Perhaps worse still, in that
sense sold as a slave how can these things ever be then as
he establishes himself in the or it's not like the way i was
saying is it as god established him in the household of potiphar
perhaps he began to see or thought he could see oh yes now this
is how the lord is going to work this out but he was mistaken
wasn't he through no fault of his own, cast into prison. There
for so many years thought, no doubt, then when he interpreted
the baker's dream and the butler's dream, and that came to pass,
perhaps he thought, oh, now I can see how the Lord is going to
work, but the butler forgot him. Another two years passed. read,
don't we, in the psalm, until the time that his word came,
that is, until the word of God was fulfilled. The word of God
tried Joseph. Oh, perhaps you know something
of that. Perhaps you have a promise or
something that God has spoken to you and the fulfillment of
it just seems to get further and further away. Maybe you're
thinking, well, it can't come to pass now. Maybe you're being
tempted to think, I was mistaken, wasn't really from the Lord,
or I mistook what that promise was for. Oh, you don't understand. Where does Joseph come to, though?
At the end, at the end of the book of Genesis, really, almost
the end. Oh, he says to those brethren
that have been brought to him, who did have to bow down to him,
His father also, oh yes, it was a word from the Lord. There were
many, many years in the fulfillment of it. But Joseph has to acknowledge
this goodness of God. He says, but as for you, speaking
to his brothers, ye thought evil against me. But God meant it
unto good to bring to pass as it is this day. to save much
people alive. You see, God had a different
purpose for Joseph, not one he would ever have thought about. But he had to understand it afterwards,
didn't he? And how God had fulfilled the
word he'd spoken to Joseph, not in the way, not to the time scale
that Joseph thought. But it did come to pass, thou
shalt know hereafter That word that the Apostle Paul
writes to the Corinthians has been with me, as I've said, for
so many months now. We are troubled on every side,
yet not distressed. And especially this, we are perplexed,
but not in despair. It's a very wonderful word if
you think about it. I think. Many will come in with
that first part and say, yes there are these many things in
my life and I'm perplexed about them. I don't understand them. I've said this but I feel it
just come to mind. Perhaps there are those things
that you're praying for that are the right things to pray
for. And yet you don't seem to have
those answers, and it's very perplexing. To be perplexed means to not
be able to understand, not to have a clear vision, as it were,
of what is going on. And we can perhaps easily come
in with that part of it. We are perplexed. Perhaps you're
perplexed this afternoon, or you may come into a time when
you are perplexed. But the second part is not so
easy, is it? But not in despair. But this
is for the child of God, isn't it? You all, I'm sure, know what
despair means in a general sense. But when I looked it up in the
dictionary, I was very struck by the words that were used in
the dictionary. Despair is the absence of all
hope. That's not a state for the Christian
believer to be in, is it? We cannot say that there is no
hope. We have no, despair means have
no hope that things will ever get better or ever improve. But this word of our text shows
that that's not true for the child of God. Yes, you're perplexed
now. This is really what the Lord
is saying in substance to Peter, isn't it? Yes, you are perplexed,
but don't be in despair. Don't be without hope because
thou shalt know hereafter. The Lord has further teaching. The Lord has further revelations
to make to you, Peter. There will come a time when all
this perplexity is cleared away. the Christian has that hope. It's another subject I don't
want to digress too much but do you remember that word in
the Hebrews that hope, which hope we have. Oh there's a thought
isn't it. Can you come in there by faith
and say yes I have that hope, which hope we have. But it goes
on doesn't it, which hope we have as an anchor for the soul
or to the soul. Anchor. Something that won't
give way, something that holds fast. This is why whatever the
perplexities there may be, this is why the Christian is not in
despair. Because they have that anchor. They have that safe hold that
is entered into Jesus Christ. Perplexed but not in despair. we read in Hosea, come and let
us return unto the Lord, this is in chapter 6, for he hath
torn. Why has he torn? Why has he pulled
these things apart in my life? Well, and he will heal us. He will show what he can do. He will demonstrate his power
in those things. He hath smitten. Why has he smitten
us? I don't understand why that is. Well, and he will bind us up,
or he will show his kindness, his compassion, his love, his
mercy. After two days, I don't remember
if I referred to this verse last year when I spoke to you from
that word, the Lord appointed a time, but no doubt we did say
something along these lines These two days or the third day. These are appointed times of
God They are his days not our time periods but after two days
Will he revive us? We shall know hereafter in the
third day He will raise us up and we shall live in his sight
and then it's this then Shall we know if we follow on? To know the Lord There's something
here, isn't there, very wonderful, both about true discipleship. We were singing, weren't we,
what it is to be a Christian. What is it to be a true disciple
of the Lord? Oh, the Lord says, if a man,
I paraphrase, but if a man is not willing to give up all things
and take up his cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple.
You can look up in that Chapter there are several things there
where the Lord concludes he cannot be my disciple There are those
things that he must be brought to do and be willing to do Then
shall we know if we follow on? To know the law yes, there is
perplexity, but we have to walk by faith. Don't we this is it
not by sight If we could see everything then we wouldn't be
perplexed anymore If we could see in this sense, we would know
everything that the Lord is doing, but we don't. There has to be
a walking by faith. We have to believe that he is
both in control and that he is doing the right thing. But then
there's this also. Peter says, doesn't he, that
we must grow in grace and in our knowledge. of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. Oh, is our life, is our journey
through this life one where we are growing in grace and in knowledge
of Jesus Christ? Oh, so many things we don't know,
but as the Lord leads us on, as we follow on, if we follow
on, we shall know more. The Lord will gradually reveal
more. The Lord will gradually teach
us. More and more. It's a statement of fact here,
isn't it? Then shall we know if we follow
on to know the Lord. There's so much encouragement. Speaking this morning, some of
those encouragements to those who are true seekers after the
law. The words of the angel to The women, as they came to the
sepulchre, fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus. Oh, but we
don't have a revelation of everything immediately, do we? Seeking really
is a lifetime experience for the child of God. We go on, we
must gradually be taught more and more. Little by little, we
can't take it all in. Oh, what I know not. What sorry what you pardon what
I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know Hereafter I want
to come just in conclusion to what we read in the first epistle
to Corinthians chapter 13 the latter part of that chapter especially
seemed to stand out to me For we know in part That is, we have
a limited knowledge, we have a limited understanding. We don't
know everything that God is doing right now and we prophesy. The word prophesy in many contexts
in the scriptures really means to preach or to proclaim. We
can only do it in part because we have a limited understanding.
But when, notice that in verse 10, not if, but when, that which
is perfect is come. Again, the word translated as
perfect in the original Greek in many contexts, and I think
it is so here, it really means completed. Not, as we might use
the word perfect as being without any blemish, although of course
when the work of God is complete, it is without blemish, but especially
here, you see, is contrasting that which is partial, where
we only know a part and where we can only preach a part, but
when that which is complete, that which is whole is come,
then that which is in part should be done away. You see there's
a growth, there is that progression in that sense. I need to be careful
with that word, I don't want to be misunderstood, but there
is a deepening of the word. When I was a child, I spoke as
a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. Well, I
expect we all at times have the opportunity to observe children
and we might see very easily how narrow sometimes is their
understanding. But you see, he says, well, this
is how I was like really. I only had a little bit of knowledge,
I only had a small understanding of things. But then, there was
this growth, I became a man and I put away childish things. For now, we see through a glass
darkly. Particularly for younger ones,
just to try to illustrate this, went on Friday afternoon to pick
up some new spectacles from the optician. And I had these glasses
with clear lenses and I'd also ordered a pair of prescription
sunglasses. And the optician gave me the
sunglasses first of all to put on and she said, well, look out
of the window and what can you see? Can you see clearly? And
I had to say no, I can't really and it wasn't the fault of the
lens, it was just a dark overcast afternoon at home and by putting
on these dark glasses I really couldn't see very well at all.
And then I tried these ones on and everything was much clearer. I thought of that in connection
with this word. Now we see through a glass darkly. It's not clear, it's not the
clarity that we want to have of understanding and knowledge.
Ah, here's the latter part of the verse, isn't it? Then, face
to face. Oh, in glory, face to face with
the Lord. And I love this next part. I stand, truly, I believe I can
say, in awe of this last part. Now, I know in part. Well, yes, I can certainly say
that. I feel very much the limitation
my knowledge and understanding of God's dealings. I know in
part but then, then in glory in heaven shall I know even as
also I am known. Think about that. So what the
Apostle is saying is then I will have this full and complete understanding
even in the same way as God knows me. I will then have that knowledge. No a partial understanding, not
understanding now, but hereafter. All this revelation and this
knowledge that is imparted. Now, it doesn't end there though,
does it? You see, with that knowledge,
with that full revelation in glory, in eternity, then there's
no need for faith and hope. This is why these things are
of limited duration. When we see those things all
fulfilled, when God imparts that knowledge, we no longer need
faith. We don't need hope. We don't
need that anchor anymore because there the Lord's people will
be in heaven. But love will still abide, won't
it? Love is never done away with.
That's why it's the greatest. of those three great things there. Our love will continue forever,
throughout eternity. The love of God to his people,
the love of those people now understanding what God was doing
in their life, now coming with that full knowledge. Oh, it's
a wonderful thing, isn't it, to praise God now. If we can
praise God with our whole heart now for the For the bit of knowledge,
if you like, that we have, how wonderful will be that song of
praise in heaven with a full understanding, with that full
revelation. Oh, we could, we're sure, praise
him more and more, won't we? Worthy is the Lamb. Oh, what
a joyful prospect that is. You see, yes, we're perplexed,
but we're not in despair. We have that hope now. And then
when that time comes, even hope will be done away with. But love,
all the love to God, the love of God, how that will fill that
eternity. Well, we must leave these things. Trust, I pray to God, that this
word may be a word in season for one or another. Jesus answered
and said unto him, What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou
shalt know hereafter. Amen. Conclude our service. today by
singing hymn number 315. Tune is Credence, 586. Righteous
are the works of God. All his ways are holy. Just his judgments fit his rod
to correct our folly. Why through darks and paths we
go, we may know no reason, yet we shall hereafter know, each
in his due season. Hymn number 315. ? To confess your love ? ? For
this gift of glory ? ? Justice, justice, with faith strong ?
? Keep your heads above the wind
? ? For this year is Christmastime
? ? Give way to the valiant ? ? Her laced in blood written near ?
? Crossed to fight for Tralia ? ? Jesus Christ, our heavenly King
? ? Heaven and earth receive Thee now ? ? Earth, heaven and
earth adore Thee ? Still wish her happy birth. O say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Rejoice, O Lord! Where is he now? All is quiet
Where are you? Do you hear us? Out I've entered,
not by sight Christians in the freedom. ? Let all goodness search its path
? ? Which purpose can teach us ? ? With its learning obtaineth
? Lord we do pray for that grace
of submission to thy will when things are not as we would have
desired. Lord, may we understand that
thy way is always right, always so much superior to our way. Lord, help us in this life to
walk in faith, but Lord, give that love also, that love that
trusts thee not to make a mistake, that love that would be obedient
whatever it may cost, whatever Lord, we are required to let
go of. Lord, in thy mercy, give us these
things and that prospect of that full revelation in heaven above. Now may the love of God the Father,
the grace of Christ the Son, the fellowship and communion
of the Holy Spirit be with us each. Amen.