Anniversary, but no other details
[0:00] As the Lord shall be pleased to help me, I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the book of Revelation, chapter 2, and the 17th verse.
[0:19] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
[0:31] To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.
[0:54] The book of Revelation, chapter 2, and the 17th verse.
[1:07] This is a word of unspeakable importance for preacher and people alike, as grace is given to contemplate.
[1:21] A word written, first of all, to one of the seven churches in Asia, and unto the angel of the church in Pergamos, write.
[1:38] These things, saith he, which hath the sharp sword with two edges, I know thy works.
[1:49] Many godly men have stated their thoughts as to the interpretation of the seven churches in Asia, as recorded in this book of Revelation.
[2:05] Many think that many think that the seven churches set forth seven successive states in the history of the church from apostolic times until time shall be no more.
[2:19] And that may be. I have not had any special light given me on prophetic truth. But one thing I am sure about, and that is that when these epistles were penned to the seven churches of Asia, they were then in existence in the world where they were situated.
[2:50] And the word of God says, whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort in the scriptures might have hope.
[3:02] And now, in the world, at the present time, there are churches belonging to the one church of Christ.
[3:15] And maybe the message given to one of these seven churches is suitable to one, and another message given to another church is suitable to another.
[3:27] And I will tell you why that is one of the interpretations that is according to the word of God.
[3:39] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Churches is in the plural. And now, this epistle was penned to the angel.
[3:54] The angel means, as you all know, the pastor. The pastor of the church in Pergamos. I have sometimes, along my ministerial life, looking into this part of the word of God, have had many searchings of heart, that if there should be sent an epistle to the angel of the church at Bethesda, how I should feel in opening to read what was recorded in that epistle.
[4:29] Here is a word which should cause searching of heart to all of you who belong to churches, whatever the church may be, wherever it is.
[4:42] The Lord bless you therein. But, do keep this thought uppermost. He who is the church's living head, says concerning every church, I know thy works.
[4:58] You come and you go, and much of your life is composed of chapel going. And, you desire to serve the Lord Christ, especially if your name is on a church roll.
[5:17] But, it is very healthy to contemplate, thou, God, seest, me. He knows the exact truth.
[5:31] All the details, every jot and tittle, about every one of the churches, making up the one church of which Jesus Christ is the church's living head.
[5:45] And now you find, in these epistles to the seven churches, there were four to five of them, that had that which was amiss.
[5:58] And Jesus Christ, the church's living head, made it manifest, and pointed out the needs be for repentance unto life and godly sorrow for sin.
[6:13] There were two of these churches who were very much commended. And there is much that is commendable regarding this church in Pergamos, where our subject is found.
[6:30] And, it says, Here, I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is.
[6:40] And even there thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
[7:03] Antipas, my faithful martyr. That is all the word of God tells us about him. The Holy Spirit is wonderful in how we can record the biography of a sinner born again and one of the servants of Christ.
[7:22] And now it says here, and I just look at that in approaching the subject, but I have a few things against thee.
[7:32] they held the doctrine of Balaam, some amongst them, they were the tares among the wheat.
[7:47] And also, thou hast them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. And now here, you see, the needs be for a pastor, wherever he may be stated, over a church, he is responsible before God when the need arises, as grace is given to exercise discipline.
[8:18] And so, Jesus Christ says, repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
[8:33] Discipline in the churches in our own denomination, I am afraid, has often become very lax. And therefore, mischief arises and the Spirit of God is grieved.
[8:54] And when that is the case, then it means there is not the power in the pulpit, in the preaching of the gospel, neither is there a realization of those who desire to hear the word of God to purpose and profit, to hear as their souls desire.
[9:16] Because Achan in the camp must be given notice to quit. And these things, they ought not to be, they must be attended to, according to the word of God which gives us instructions how to deal in matters of discipline.
[9:36] And now that is the setting of the subject. And now I come to it and I want to look at it as the Lord should help me from three or four viewpoints of it.
[9:50] And do look at the character as it is set forth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit set unto the churches.
[10:04] He that hath an ear. And now that needs thinking about. It is not just to hear this preacher or that.
[10:17] it is to hear what the Spirit set unto the churches. And there is no doubt whatever in our own denominational life that the Spirit of God has got a controversy with us as a people.
[10:37] Because many causes of truth are brought low. Many are dying. And many alas have died out altogether. and therefore those of us who desire to see our denomination strong and prospering and a real witness for God and godliness we have to ponder in our hearts.
[11:08] Is there not a cause? And there is. And we have got to seek divine aid to humble ourselves before God to hear what the Spirit set unto the churches.
[11:25] You see, there may be organizations and people may get together with the best intentions in the world and prayerfully consider how shall we do in this matter and that.
[11:41] What can we do that we may see better days in our denominational life? Well, what can you do? when all is said and done it is not to be done from the outside.
[12:01] Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts. And now dear friends I do wish you dear people well.
[12:15] There is no other way for matters to be righted in our denominational life than to view it like this. You may say I quite agree with the preacher we look at our denomination to which we belong what a sad state it is in.
[12:36] Well, what is your state? And now if you can have your state put right before a God with whom you have to do that will be quite a contribution to better days dawning in our denominational life.
[13:01] Daniel was the most godly man of the age in which he lived. When he was confessing Israel's guiltiness what did he say? To us belong with shame and confusion of faith.
[13:16] Daniel was included in the confession. Yes. And now you get this truth set forth if you will look into the book of Nehemiah and see how Jerusalem's walls were rebuilt.
[13:35] There is one great word there. Every man repaired over against his own house. you and I have got to do likewise as grace is given and as our state is made right before God and all who desire to have matters right in their denominational life do likewise better days will dawn because that is what the spirit said unto the churches.
[14:11] These are the things which ye should do. Speak ye the truth every man to his neighbor. Amend your ways and your doings.
[14:23] Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord because you know as well as I do that it can be said whatever church you belong to I have a few things against thee and it is for us to wait on God if to be he will return in mercy to us and you and I to say turn us O Lord God of hosts cause thy face to shine upon us and we shall be saved and now look at this character here he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit said unto the churches and now you dear people young or old wherever you are in life's journey desiring to get good for your souls as you gather together to hear the gospel you must not be so much concerned to hear this preacher or that that has become a weakness in our denominational life what you must be concerned about is to hear what the spirit saith unto the churches
[15:39] I would hear what God the Lord will say a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven and whoever the preacher is he is only a poet he is made well aware of that if he is sent of God to do his work in laboring upon Zion's walls he is justified through which the golden oil shall flow and he must be connected with the seven branch golden candlestick for the oil to flow through yes either atheneer and now the dear saviour made it plain in the parable of the sower that there were more kinds of ears than one and they were all found in pews according to the present day interpretation there was one who was a hearer who heard like the seed falling by the wayside the wayside hearer and now is hearing he sat throughout the service went right to the amen but he was only a superficial hearer he did not hear what the spirit said to the churches and now he listened he did listen and it was well he should be where he was under the sound of the gospel oh it is good to be there but there is this possibility to hear the gospel and yet not hear it to purpose and profit a superficial hearer there was the stony ground hearer he seemed to look a little more like a hearer he heard the word with joy but then he had got no root there was no deepness of earth there was something that was pleasing in the worship of
[17:45] God he may have admired the preacher as it were but it withered away and alas there can be hearers still like that stony ground hearers I call those sentimental hearers they're carried away sometimes with the worship they may be very fond of music and delight in a sweet tune and they sing a hymn which goes to it but they know not the language of what they sing as to its depth or its height and that is just sentiment it is it is not out of the abundance of the heart the mouth is speaking no and now there was the thorny ground hearer and there was a springing up there seemed to be something that looked good at the first appearance of it but then it did not wear the thorn sprung up and choked it which is to say that while maybe the pastor looking on such an one felt quite a little hope that there might be something moving in this one's breast yet time proved that the world the spirit of the world choked it and there was nothing worthwhile it was not an ear to ear what the spirit set unto the churches but there were those of whom the saviour said that the seed fell on good ground these are they which received the word into a good and honest heart where they go home weigh matters up ponder things in their heart meditate on it and desire to live like the hymn writer says hoard up the sacred word and feed thereon and grow go on to seek to know the lord and practice what you know these are the people we want to see filling up our pews if god will grant them to be found therein either at an ear remember the saviour said to his disciples blessed are your ears for they hear now dear friends ere I look at the subject from another viewpoint let us get right down to bedrock can you dear people
[20:32] I know you can many of you but I'm bound to question you on god's behalf as it were I say that with great reverence can you remember when you began first of all to hear the gospel as you've never heard it before you would heard it from baby days on it may be all your life long you would listen to it how long did you live 10 15 20 25 30 years before you suddenly listened to the gospel and heard what the spirit had to say to you it is a wonderful mercy to go back to when the gospel was made a reality to you and it was not just words the preacher was putting together and you looking most of all for the amen to conclude the sermon oh to be like
[21:35] Lydia Lydia heard us whose heart the Lord opened you can remember that some of you dear people when God wrote that miracle for you and what have you found since then many a time blessed is the people that know the joyful sound they shall walk oh Lord in the light of thy countenance what a divine harmonious sound the gospel trumpet gives no music can with it compare the soul that knows it lives he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches or how good it would be if you and I could hear what the spirit does say concerning us in our denominational light and those things of which it can be said my brethren these things ought not so to be matters that need to be readjusted and put right before
[22:41] God and man and now I look at the subject from the viewpoint I want most of all to dwell upon to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manner now you see I hope you do you see that if you are in a church state if your name is on a church roll if you have got this ear to hear what God will say to you and your concern is as it will be to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ you will want to be this character in the overcoming you see to live the life of the righteous means a fight you look it up in the word of
[23:48] God and see the illustrations the Holy Spirit uses and he uses illustrations like these fight the good fight of faith lay hold upon eternal light and there is a great word that he uses in the Ephesians epistle where he says for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness what a word that is think of an adjective used like that and in the word of God inspired to be recorded spiritual wickedness in high places wickedness done in the name of religion and many people deceive thereby and you need to hear what the spirit said about it and your eyes to be open to it and wage war against it and not fall afraid to it yes wherefore take unto you the whole armour of
[25:06] God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day in having done all to stand not only so let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus in godly John Owen says it means in the original looking off all beside and as Paul puts it elsewhere so run that you may obtain that I may win Christ and be found in him you see there is this illustration that if you and I are following on to know the Lord it will be a fight it will be a wrestling it will be as running a race and we all the while will have much to overcome within and without all that you and I might by the grace of God be him that overcometh and now let us look very briefly at what there is that you and I must overcome otherwise we shall not give the evidence that we are entitled to a name on a church throne and that our profession of the name of
[26:36] Jesus is what it should be you must be him that overcometh and now when a sinner is born again he will be given grace to overcome the world the spirit of it maybe in your teenage life or later on you had your ambitions quite lawful maybe and you desire to be this or that in the world and fill some niche in it some sphere maybe you were educated for it but at that time you had not got an ear to hear what the spirit set unto the churches then when the eyes of the blind were opened when you began to weigh matters up regarding your soul's eternal welfare you learned that eternity must take precedence of time and maybe you had to put aside some of your ambitions and go in that way that God ordained maybe you had to feel like Moses when he said if now
[27:59] I have found grace in thy sight show me now thy way which was not the way you had planned and purposed to go you desired to go in the way wherein God would be with you yes and regarding the world and what you hope to be in it you found something in your heart an aching void which this world cannot fill and this is how you overcome the world it is good if you know what it is from time to time your help to look round it with all it has to offer and then appeal to God let others stretch their arms like seas and grasp in all the shore grant me the visits of thy face and I desire no more to him that overcometh the world you are like Moses choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of
[29:03] God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season to him that overcometh and now there is what you are by nature that must be overcome you know it will never do with your name on a church roll when you fall afraid of what you are by nature to say in extenuation it is just what I am by nature I cannot help it you have got to help it you have got to be him that overcome it it will never do for you to fall afraid of what you are by nature and think that you can let it go because that is what you are by nature there is help to be had there is hope in God yes though the corruptions of thy heart daily new cause of grief in part still pray that all thy lust be slain nor shalt thou see his face in vain you have got to wait on
[30:09] God that the act shall be laid at the root of the great eye in you that would strut about and be somebody yes and remember what you sing it would do you good to remember it more oh crucify this cell that I know more in me but thee may live you do not need to be told that crucifixion is a slow lingering and the most agonizing death that is known and now that is how you and I have got to die daily overcome what you are by nature as grace is given like the psalmist when he said let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight oh lord my strength and my redeemer yes to him that overcometh then there are
[31:14] Satan's temptations to be overcome and you must remember as soon as your mind is made up and you say like Bunyan tells us about his pilgrim put my name down sir the next thing was the man drew his sword and set out for the celestial city he desired to be him that overcometh and so if you are a pilgrim then you will find there are Satan's temptations and they may not always be the fiery darks of the devil and as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour he may come upon you as an angel of light oh but you and I do need to watch and pray like the saviour said watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation it can only be done as you and I are kept watching on to prayer but
[32:22] Satan will be opposing you and you are not to give place to the devil the word of God tells us you desire as grace is given to be him that overcomes and remember it is not against you if the devil comes to question you about your religion he will never know what is the truth of the matter between your soul and God for he is not omniscient I tell my dear people that often but he will seek to oppose you distress you harass you cause you to be dejected he tells us we are weak our hope is in vain the good that we seek we we shall obtain but watch and pray then you will be him that overcometh the Lord will make the tent to flee and as thy days thy strength shall be there is this to be overcome and do listen our inability to do good you see people sometimes
[33:42] I'm not fitting any caps on people say sometimes they quote the scripture that dropped from the saviour's lips without me ye can do nothing and they do nothing sit down in a kind of fatalistic attitude but that is not the right way to be following on to know the Lord what did Paul say then I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me and now this is the way walk ye in it you find your inability to do good you were born like that but it was not till you were born again you had any concern to do good until you were born again you just lived as you were born after the flesh the things of the flesh but now being born again you say
[34:49] I would do good but evil is present with me and now your inability to do good God has made provision to help you what does he say if ye being evil know how to give good things unto your children how much more shall your father in heaven give the holy spirit to them that ask him when you feel your utter inability in things divine when you try to pray and there seems no prayer in you when you would thank God for his great goodness and mercy to you and yet you feel your heart to be so hard that nothing but almighty power can ever do anything in the way of breaking it to him that overcome it Lord teach us to pray and you can sigh and cry all for a glance of heavenly day to take this stubborn stone away when you look into the word of
[35:57] God and there seems nothing that takes hold of you from time to time and you shut the book with a kind of despair that there is no help in God for you what are you to do you are to remember what the word of God declared then shall shall shall shall know if we follow on to know the Lord when you come up to worship and you feel altogether unfit for the worship of God your inability is before you and now this is to be overcome the devil may say here you are in the state you are it is useless for you to be going up to worship God and feel as you do you better stay atone no no look you when you get in a frame like that if you are helped as grace is given to overcome it you will often find there is something special for you in the house of
[37:06] God at that time and how glad you will be that you did overcome you will feel like Eliezer when he said I have been in the way the Lord met with me and he will meet with you when you are in the way yes to him that overcometh another thing that we must seek as the Lord helps us to overcome his formality in our worship alas how much there is that is just cold formal mechanical and going through a routine and yet deep down in your heart you do one out of the abundance of the heart for the mouth to speak I can only give you hints to think about for the subject is vast to him that over cometh and now there is another thing to overcome and it needs some doing you need much grace to do it some of us especially and that is our own spirit he that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh the city you know dear friends in what is called the news of the churches as it goes around
[38:31] I very much dislike the phrase you hear of sometimes a trouble in this course and in that and the other well all you need do when you hear about it is to try to pray about it that the Lord will appear and sort it out and put matters right before God and man but what I was going to say is this there never was any church trouble yet in any church on the face of this earth but what it could be traced up to those in the church being in their own when you are what you should be by the grace of God there is an endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace yes it seems so sad and the explanation is so simple it is just
[39:31] James needs James as it were to come and preach about it my brethren these things ought not so to be it is just our own spirit what you are by nature predominating and trying to dominate and now this must be overcome because there is this word if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his another thing that must be overcome to him that overcometh and now our circumstances must be overcome oh they may be very complicated you may say every day new straits attend yes but then you have heard quite a few sermons from this text we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose and when you feel bewildered by your circumstances being so complicated as they are and you can see no way out you were brought to your which end margin reading all our wisdom is swallowed up and so you find it and yet your circumstances are to be overcome and how do you do that when you can humble yourself under the mighty hand of
[41:07] God with whom you have to do and say sovereign ruler of the skies ever gracious ever wise all my times are in thy hand all events at thy command when you learn it is not in man that walk is to direct his own steps when you realize the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord then in the midst of your circumstances still as tumultuous as they were you can do what grace alone can help you do be still and know that I am God rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him yes it is a good life to live either atheneer let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches to him that overcometh now
[42:10] I must just look at this other viewpoint of the subject you need divine aid to do this overcoming and God has made a sweet blessed wondrous provision to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manner manner I can only give you a hint or two for the time is nearly gone this hidden manner you remember what the saviour said in wonderful wording I am the bread of life if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever and now it is the word of God the gospel of Christ when you realise it in its power it is made in our soul's experience like bread that strengtheneth a man's heart and if the time allowed
[43:13] I would like to have gone into detail about it but I just give you this hint to work out for yourselves in meditation now you remember when the tabernacle was set up in the wilderness in Israel's camp among the furniture therein in the holy place there was the show bread table twelve loaves were placed on the table every Sabbath day representing the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve loaves that had been on were taken off and they became the food for the priests and now one thing has always been very pleasing to me since I hope the Lord began to deal with me in thinking of that subject when the show bread table was cleared it was sprinkled with blood and thus sanctified anew and then the bread was placed on it and now what does that teach us if if if you dear people know as
[44:19] I believe many of you do what it is to have had a crumb of mercy a crumb of this bread of life living bread that Jesus Christ declares he is it means you could not have partaken of it unless you had an interest in the blood of Jesus Christ being shed for you when he died in your stead on Calvary's cross do believe it I can have no access to God but through the merits of Christ blood and you get this living bread hidden manner in the means of grace sometimes you get it when you try to pray how good it is when you can say it is good for me to draw near unto God and you can fall at Jesus feet and realize a little talk with
[45:21] Jesus how it smooths life's rugged road how it cheers and helps me onward when I faint beneath my load hey but sometimes you get this living bread when you help to search the scriptures the scriptures and the Lord bear one tremendous name the written and the incarnate word in all things are the same and what did Jeremiah say there you get the truth set before you thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart yes to eat of the hidden manna what strength it gives it energizes you in a spiritual sense to go on in the way of life seeking for a closer walk with God yes sometimes you can get it in meditation my meditation of him shall be sweet
[46:28] I will be glad in the Lord the psalmist said in the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comfort delight my soul he fed upon living bread yes and then in hearing the gospel when you can say the watchmen that go about the city they found me oh how often in the means of grace is it possible to eat of this hidden manna to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and now you all know this illustration I expect it was a method they had in earlier times in how a jury in a trial would give in their verdict regarding the one who was on trial if there was a majority of white stones then he was acquitted but if it should be black stones then he was pronounced guilty and now you as a poor sinner often feel guilty before
[47:45] God and yet there is this overcoming to be known if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness yes I will give him a white stone it means forgiveness of sins pardon to go forth and feel matters are right between your soul and God to be able to say the terrors of law and of God with me can have nothing to do my saviour's obedience and blood hide all my transgressions from view and now with that white stone given there is a new name written and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth what is that new name
[48:54] I just view it like this it is just what you would like to have made very plain in your heart before God that you are this new name is just child of God the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God to eat at Athenia let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it dear friends the Lord bless you and help you as you follow on to know the Lord and that you may every day receive grace all sufficient to be him that overcometh and when sometimes you feel you are overcome do remember a scripture that might help you
[50:11] God a troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last ever on thy captain calling make thy worst condition known he shall hold thee up when falling or shall lift thee up when down amen long to lord h años