Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Natural men will join hand
in hand in any message except that which is designed to humble
men in the dust and take away all grounds which they might
have to glory. Thus we see men unite to oppose the absolute
sovereignty of God, to choose one vessel unto honor and another
to dishonor as it pleases Him. There is no clearer illustration
of this natural hatred of the rulership of Christ than in the
unity of Jew and Gentile alike to destroy him. And the same
day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before
they were at enmity between themselves. Now the chief priests and elders
and all the council sought false witness against Jesus to put
him to death. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king?
The chief priest answered, we have no king but Caesar. These
same Jews despised Caesar, yet they were unified with Rome in
this one desire, to unseat the king of glory. Peter declared
this very fact to the nation of Israel on the day of Pentecost.
Him being delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of
God, ye have taken him by wicked hands and crucified and slain.
This very wickedness serves to illustrate the unified resolve
of all men by nature to not have this man to rule over them. But
last of all, he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence
my son. But when the husbandmen saw the
son, they said among themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us
kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they called
him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. Religious
men will be confederate in their attempts to dethrone him by opposing
the definite atonement of the Lord for his elect bride. In
order to exalt the free will of men, they will minimize the
extent and purpose of the work of Christ as they promote the
notion that he died for the sins of all men, merely making salvation
a possibility. which depends upon their action
of belief to make it effectual. In doing so, they deny that he
actually purchased the redemption of his elect with his precious
blood, which then ultimately negates his power to rule in
his kingdom, making men to have the final say. In contrast to
this natural bent of men, we see the Lord's work in those
whom He has purchased with His blood, as He works in them both
the will and to-do of His good pleasure. Paul's exhortation,
Let brotherly love continue, does not fall on deaf ears, but
upon those whom the Lord gives ears to hear. He has both bought
His sons with His blood and ordained them unto good works and the
love of one another. For we are His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them. The natural man is not disposed
to love his neighbor even as himself, let alone above himself. The unity of brethren in Christ
can only occur as he is pleased to cause them to see eye to eye
by the indwelling of his spirit. We see this unity and brotherly
love exhibited in the life of the only perfect man who has
ever walked upon the earth. For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even
dare to die. But God commended his love toward
us, and while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He has shown
us the proper extent of true brotherly love, as he willingly
and gladly denied himself for his brethren. Can any of those
for whom he prayed be satisfied with a measure of love, one to
the other, which is not like him? Certainly he is our ideal
and example, The very pattern of the sons of God are called
upon and led by the Holy Ghost to follow. Let nothing be done
through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let
each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man
on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. This
is that oneness which Christ desired would be found in those
for whom he prayed. To be satisfied with something
less is to deny Christ. Paul's exhortation to let brotherly
love continue is not given to the world, but to those who were
called to be his children. Something cannot continue unless
it has already begun. We love him and those whom he
loves, because he has first loved us. 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. We know
that we have passed from death unto life because we love the
brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone
that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not
knoweth not God, for God is love. To be without brotherly love
is to deny the gospel. Do you love the brethren with
a pure heart fervently? Christ did. For a free CD containing
15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at
windstream.net.