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ADJUSTMENT

A. P. Taylor I am encouraged to refer to these scriptures, beloved brethren, and confirmed in it by what has already been before us today and yesterday. One has nothing prepared for the occasion, trusting in the Lord Jesus for a fresh word in relation to them.

One was impressed with the word last night. The trumpet was sounded once, twice. There is no reason, therefore, that because we may have had a scripture recently, that the Lord might not use it again the second time. We had this scripture recently in a small meeting nearby, and one is counting on the Lord’s help for something fresh in relation to these three remarkable scriptures, all being connected with women, three women, three sisters. The Lord Jesus says in this book, “for this cause was I born” this cause - that I might bear witness to the truth - the truth. That is why I came - the truth. The incarnation was no afterthought with God; it was in His mind, in God’s mind before time. And we have seen, beloved brethren, in the course of the testimony, that we needed adjustment in regard to the Lord’s sonship; we have become settled in that matter. The Lord is very interested, too, Himself, that His place has been secured in the affections of the saints. He is also most desirous that the Spirit should have His place in our affections, and that is the closing feature of the truth - the Spirit of God. It is no use continuing a service like this, apart from the Spirit. No word has any effect apart from the Spirit of God. He is not only with us but He is in us. So that in a meeting like this, perhaps the most testing meeting (apart from the care meeting) that we have, the Spirit of God would revive us, so that we go away refreshed. So that I make an application, that the 20th chapter is the first day of the week, the 8th chapter the Saturday night, and the 4th chapter the meeting for ministry.

In each of these remarkable dealings, beloved brethren, the words occur, “Jesus says to her,” and the Lord Jesus has a word tonight, He is still speaking. He is speaking from heaven, but He is speaking through the blessed Spirit here tonight, and He would have us hear the word of God. And our brother’s remarks only consolidate, and confirm, what is in one’s mind, that all of us might be the gainers from a meeting like this. We need the prophetic word, the word of God, for Tuesday night, the meeting for ministry. It is well that we should see that that is the night for the meeting for ministry. The great servant who is now with Jesus, departed to be with Christ, gave us the thought that the meeting for ministry was on Tuesday night, and I connect it, dear brethren, with the 4th of John - the Lord was wearied with the way He had come. But as the episode proceeds, He is not weary, He is refreshed in speaking of the Father. He speaks of the Father, and the worship of God.

And I thought that in chapter 4 the Lord is speaking to a woman. He is speaking to the subjective element that is in our midst tonight. Beloved brethren, let us take it on, every one of us, one’s self included, that we may be subject to the word of God. It is the prime feature of the moment, that we are to be subject to the word of God, the living and abiding word of God. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, it is piercing in its effect and it is to help us in our moral being. It is a prophetic word. And so the Lord meets this woman, and He at once removes all social distinctions. The Lord Jesus removes all social distinctions, dear brethren. It is a bane to the testimony that there should be any social distinctions amongst us; it is not warranted by Scripture. This woman would bring in social distinctions. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans.

The Lord Jesus speaks to this woman; He is seeking to adjust her. There were moral issues that needed adjustment, and in a meeting like this the Lord would speak to us on moral lines, so that the adjustments come; and He says, “Go, call thy husband, and come here.” She says, “I have not a husband.” You know, beloved brethren, we have to face these facts, we have to face moral issues; and the Lord says, “this thou hast spoken truly.” The current ministry is to bring us to the truth, not half way. The woman came half way, and the Lord would say to her, “thou hast spoken truly.” But she had not spoken all the truth. She had to learn the truth. We have to learn the truth, in the presence of God, what the truth is, it has to come out. If I do not agree with the ministry, let me come out with it! Let the brethren see where I am in relation to the truth God is presenting to us. Let us come out into the open, and if our wills are not active the Lord will help us. If our wills are active we will not receive help.

I commend it to you, dear brethren, the final five minutes of the last reading in the three-day meetings in this room, in 1953. What was it? Dear brethren, you have read the book, “The Worship of God.” Those two pillars that Samson was by - what are they? My mind and my will. God will not go on with it. They have got to come down, my will and my mind. You will find it, dear brethren, if you read that book again. But if I want help in my soul, and I am not clear, and transparent in relation to the truth, you will find the difficulties are my will and my mind. That is what this chapter is. In this chapter the Lord was bringing out the truth, bringing it all out. “I see that thou art a prophet.” Beloved brethren, what we need amongst us is the prophetic word, that reaches the issues amongst us, and the way to get help, beloved brethren, I am firmly convinced, is that we are helped under the prophetic word, and if my will is not active and my insubject mind is not active, I will receive the blessing of God. So I say this, “Come, see a man ... .” Everything is settled. That is what we want to get to. Dear brethren, what we need is Christ. Everything, not something - Christ everything. That beloved Man! If we need help, “come, see a man.” Everything is adjusted in relation to the truth.

Now chapter 8, dear brethren, is Saturday night, and it is another woman, but the Lord is not too sure of this woman. There is much that comes in amongst us in our care meetings. Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn thee - go, and sin no more.” In the previous episode the Lord says, “Go, call thy husband.” She never moved; she did not have to move from her seat. The idea is that God would help us where we are. It is a question of moral issues. In this chapter, the Lord is interested in those who are younger amongst us. The issue in the 8th chapter is the elders, the issue is with the Pharisees and the scribes. The issue in the 8th chapter is not the woman. When we come to the care meeting we have got to have the facts, and we have got to have the principles. A beloved servant of God, now with Christ, said, ‘God says to us, I will take care of the persons, you take care of the principles.’ This servant cannot be quoted too much, dear brethren. The Lord Jesus has something to say. What is He doing, so to speak? What am I doing? The Lord is showing us what to do. The Lord is not too sure of the woman, but what He is interested in is that He wants to be sure that all matters are handled rightly. That is what He wants. So they go out; they are all going out. The Lord is not dealing that way in the care meeting, dear brethren. Maybe I have a lot to say in the care meeting, but I am not helping. Why am I not helping? Because I am not following His example in this chapter, a most terrible chapter. The Lord is indicating at the outset of it, they were going to stone someone; at the end of the chapter they would stone Him. It goes home to us, dear brethren, just how things are operating. He stoops down, not once, He stoops down, writing. What are we to do, dear brethren? We have a critical situation in the care meeting, most critical. How am I going to help? Go down! Whom am I going to follow? The Lord Jesus! The Lord Jesus has settled everything for God. Every divine requirement has been settled in one Man and that is the model. The situation is saved. No one will have to go out. The position is saved; which reminds me, beloved brethren, of the last chapter of Ruth. In the last chapter of Ruth (you can look it up at your leisure) you will find the moral qualifications of a brother who brings things to completion on the principle that he has the facts and he loves the saints. That is Boaz. Not the mind or the will, but in him is strength. That is what Boaz is, strength. He brings the saints through. And not only is he who should have taken on the truth won, he who says ‘I cannot do it,’ but he is carried through and all the people gave witness that day. The matter is brought to a final completion. And what is the top note in the end of Ruth? The service of God. He says to one man, “sit down here.” He says to ten others, “sit down here.” And they sat there. He presents the facts, all the facts in relation to the matter of Ruth and her inheritance, and the matter is settled according to God. So that even the man whose right it was, as next of kin, to settle the issue, is carried in the whole matter, beloved brethren; and that is what is needed amongst us, the ability to carry all the saints with us, on the principle of divine grace.

Now the last scripture gives us another woman. She is ready for the message connected with the first day of the week. We are ready for it, with every moral issue settled before God. The truth having a place in my affections, every moral issue is settled to completion.

Well now, in this chapter it is the last woman in the book, and the Lord says to this beloved woman - there are no moral issues with her - “Touch me not.” You may be assured, beloved brethren, if affection for Christ is resident in your soul, individually, and you have difficulties, any difficulties, in relation to the truth, you will become adjusted in due time. There is no question about it. If your affections are right, you will get help in regard to every matter; and that is what Mary represents. She represents one whose affections were right in regard of Christ. She loved Him. “They have taken away my Lord.” A subject woman! No moral issues there. She is ready for the service of God. And the Lord has a word with her. “Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, ...”

Beloved brethren, we hear of this one and that one standing alone, in this day. The Lord says, “Go to my brethren.” The Lord has not got a word for persons who stand alone in relation to the testimony, the truth. Do you want help, beloved brethren? I do. If there is one thing I do not want to do it is to get out of fellowship. “Go to my brethren.” That is where I get the help, where we get the help, beloved brethren, what God has provided for us, the children of God.

These are just the simple thoughts that I had, but I felt encouraged just to present them to you as having done something for my soul. I trust they will do something for us all, for His name’s sake.

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