ADDED TO THE LORD (2)
[p. 254] ADDED TO THE LORD (2)
JT We have been occupied with the fact that believers were added to the Lord and that this thought came out for the first time when the first declension took place in the church; we spoke of Acts 5. What we now find in chapter 8 follows more upon the failure in chapter 6, that is the murmuring. Murmuring is not so dangerous as the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, but still it is always serious enough. In 1 Corinthians 10:10, it says, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer”. The murmuring in chapter 6 is not directed against the Lord but against the saints. We read of a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews. There were perhaps natural feelings or sectarian feelings, party feelings which came up amongst them. These were not remedied by judgment but through grace. The apostles said in verse 3, “Look out, therefore, brethren, from among yourselves seven men, well reported of, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we will establish over this business”. The murmuring was met in grace through the choice of the seven men, whose names indicate that they were Hellenists. In this way the murmurers were silenced. However, it does not only mean that they were of the same nationality, but they were also men full of the Holy Spirit. So we are to see, if difficulties arise amongst us, that we meet them in the power of the Holy Spirit, not through political machinations. We see what a triumph proceeded from it, first in Stephen, who gave a wonderful reflection of the Spirit of Christ, then Philip followed. This Philip who was made a deacon is the only one who is called an evangelist in Scripture (Acts 21:8). We see thus, when a collapse occurs and God intervenes [p. 255] and restores, that different kinds of blessings come out of it. We see a man like Stephen, who was in the position to unfold the whole history of the testimony until the murder of Jesus Christ, and he sealed his testimony with his own death. Philip is marked by extraordinarily skilful evangelisation. There is today a great need for evangelical activity among the people of God. We see with Philip that his skill followed upon his activity. We read nothing of his ability before he gave himself to the work. There are brothers who say they could not preach the gospel, because they are not evangelists, but if we use what we have, the Lord will add to it.
The Lord does not expect anything from us which we do not have, but when we use that which He gives us, it becomes extended and enlarged. We read here in chapter 8:5, “And Philip, going down to a city of Samaria, preached the Christ to them”. It is not said that he had a gift before that. We can never say that we have no gift if we do not give ourselves to preaching. If we simply use what we have, the Lord will take it into His hand and increase it. When David went to Nob he asked Ahimelech the priest what he had there. “What is under thy hand? give me five loaves in my hand, or what may be found” (1 Samuel 21:3). That is the principle for us. The Lord will always use what we have and make it still more. In the same way Elisha also said to the wife of the prophet, “What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in the house?” (2 Kings 4:2). We have not only what is in heaven where Christ is, but the Holy Spirit is down here in the assembly and the Lord asks, What hast thou in thy house? In every local assembly, what is there is important. We think perhaps it is not much, but let us quietly use it.
Rem The blind man in John 9 said what he had.
JT He said simply, I was blind before, but now I see. Then he went further and said wonderful [p. 256] things. You would not at all have thought that he who had been blind all his life, could have said such things. When Moses said he was of a slow tongue, then God said to him, “Who gave man a mouth?” (Exodus 4:11). There are many evidences that Moses could speak well, however, although he thought he could not speak. It says that Philip went down to a city of Samaria. It is very beautiful to see that such a man as Philip began to serve, although he had no commission. What follows shows that he did have something, that he possessed ability. His special service was that he was a deacon, but here he takes up other work because he saw that it was needed. It is clear that this stood in connection with the scattering. “Those then that had been scattered went through the countries announcing the glad tidings of the word”. It says, “the glad tidings of the word”. Of Philip, however, it says that he went down to a city of Samaria and preached the Christ to them. Then it says, “The crowds with one accord gave heed to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he wrought”. Philip brought something which they gladly heard; it says that they heard him. You will always see, if a brother begins to preach, that he will have some who hear. I believe the Lord is encouraging the brethren to proclaim the word today. It says, “Proclaim the word; be urgent in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2). “Do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5).
Ques Why did Philip preach the Christ?
JT I believe there is the lovely thought here that Philip felt he could not do much at all. Christ does everything for God. It says that God found David, a man after His heart, who should do His will. If I have the consciousness that there is One who does everything for God, it is certain that I do not do much. But the little bit that I say becomes effective. Christ is the Preacher. “Coming, he has preached the glad tidings of peace to you who were afar off, and the glad tidings of peace to those who were nigh” (Ephesians 2:17), and Peter says that “going he preached to the spirits which are in prison” (1 Peter 3:19). Christ is accordingly the Preacher, who came and who went. When Christ came and preached peace He used Peter and Paul and all the apostles, but He was the Preacher. God used Noah. Through Noah He preached to the spirits in prison. It has often been mentioned that if we do not preach the gospel then we shall die out. The actual preaching is only for one who has gift. It says here, “Those then that had been scattered went through the countries announcing the glad tidings of the word”. They announced it, but they did not preach.
Ques Are we responsible to preach?
JT We are always responsible before the Lord to announce the word, perhaps by tracts or by a word: we are responsible to do it. Then we read further that Philip “preached”. That shows that he had a gift. We can be sure that if in a meeting we decide to announce the glad tidings, then there will also be a gift for it.
Rem We are perhaps hindered by thinking that we have to see results, but we do not see any. When the Lord preached in Luke 4:22, “All bore witness to him, and wondered at the words of grace which were coming out of his mouth”, but the words had no effect in their hearts. I believe we are not there for the results but only that we may in any case speak. The results are in the hands of God and He works in the hearts of men as He will.
JT In Proverbs 22:13, the sluggard says, “There is a lion without, I shall be killed in the streets!”. Unfortunately that often appears. The difficulties are so great that we remain at home and say nothing. Solomon says there is a “time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). This dispensation is a time of speaking. Whether we speak now to God or to men it is always a time of speaking. Then we see the results, “the crowds with one accord gave heed to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he wrought”. It was not merely that they heard a man who was holding a meeting, but they listened to him and saw that what he said was of worth. “Of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”. When a man makes an impression, people listen to him. It says “there was great joy in that city”. The work of Philip, too, made outward progress, yet his converts did not immediately receive the Holy Spirit. We might perhaps have outward results but when they are put to the test, they are perhaps not genuine. That shows again that it is important that everything should be added to the Lord. In chapter 8:14,15, it says, “And the apostles who were in Jerusalem, having heard that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John; who, having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit”. The apostles represented the Lord’s authority. The work of the most successful servant must be tested again and again by those who represent the Lord here.
Rem We should be concerned to have the support of the Lord in the preaching. It says of Simon in verse 10, “This is the power of God, which is called great”. Simon, of course, was deceiving the people in Samaria.
JT Simon deceived Samaria through his wonders. There is much imitation about and therefore we should always be on the watch. The apostles who were in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to them. These were the same ones whom the Lord had sent to prepare the passover. They were trustworthy men. It is important here that it does not say the assembly but “the apostles who were in Jerusalem”. When it is a matter of reception of persons coming in, then it is important that the persons should also first be proved. With Simon it was proved that he was “in the gall of bitterness, and bond of unrighteousness”. There has been no time, when it is so important to keep the doors and to be careful, as today, but with all that, we seek to lay hold of and appraise every little bit of the work of God.
Ques Peter and John went down to Samaria. What does this going down mean?
JT It says first of Philip that he went down and then also of the two apostles. Naturally a moral thought comes into expression in this descending. In Matthew it is a matter of going up (Matthew 20:17,18), and also Mark 10:32. There we have a moral elevation, but when it is a matter of the gospel we read of descending.
Ques Can you not connect with this the way which the Lord Jesus went in Philippians 2?
JT He went lower and lower down, even to the cross, even into the lowest parts of the earth. It says, “But that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?” (Ephesians 4:9). We see in this way that Peter and John are also beautifully linked together, not only personally but also characteristically. The Lord had chosen them to prepare the passover. In the Acts they are often seen together. We see in John 21 that Peter would be separated from John by death. David said, “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their lives, even in their death were not divided” (2 Samuel 1:23). So also Peter and John — they were so wonderfully united. The Lord had said to Peter that he was to die a martyr’s death and Peter said, “Lord, and what of this man?”. But the Lord did not answer Peter’s question, He simply said, “If I will that he abide until I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me” (John 21:21,22). So we know that John could act alone, that is to say, without Peter. How lovely are the gospel, the Revelation and the three epistles which he has written! He was a man who could act alone before God, but he was also a man who could act together with another and could take a second place. Here both of them are together, for it says, “The apostles who were in Jerusalem, having heard that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John; who, having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit”. How much is really contained in this verse! We ask perhaps how many brothers or sisters are in this or that meeting, and we rejoice when we hear of a great number, but the question is, have they all also the Holy Spirit? Peter and John were concerned about that. Not one of these converts had up till then received the Holy Spirit. All members of the assembly are, however, baptised with the Holy Spirit.
Rem Peter and John prayed that they might receive Him.
JT You can see from that how much value they laid upon it, for they prayed for them.
Rem The reception of the Holy Spirit is in general something which God gives as an answer to prayer.
JT I believe it is an answer to the wish of the convert. This wish is perhaps not always expressed but it is previously there. Those who were sent down from Jerusalem were concerned that they should have the Holy Spirit. It is very essential that all should have the Holy Spirit. At the same time it even came out that a very prominent one among them, Simon, was not converted at all. What sorrow this man caused, and Satan would have used him further. That shows how important it is to be watchful in regard to those whom we receive. Simon was [p. 261] only animated by a certain ambition, he wanted also to have what the apostles had.
Rem Is Romans 8 the answer to Romans 7? In the beginning of Romans 7 our hearts are directed to the new husband and then we find that the flesh is quite unsuited to us. Then we have the desire after what is pleasing to God. In chapter 8 we have the Spirit who maintains what is for God. In Acts 8:9, we read of Simon the sorcerer, “A certain man, by name Simon, had been before in the city, using magic arts, and astonishing the nation of Samaria, saying that himself was some great one”. He was not yet married to the new husband.
JT We also see in Romans 7:25, that “I myself ... serve”. It is the individual, how he comes to himself without a thought of greed or ambition. “I myself with the mind serve God’s law”, that is the man who is consciously come to himself, he serves the law of God. Then like the board of the tabernacle he is overlaid with gold. Simon the sorcerer was not that; he was envious; we do not find in him any acacia wood at all, no correspondence with Christ. Romans 7 brings the board to light, “I myself with the mind serve God’s law”, and chapter 8 shows the power for that. This Simon the sorcerer did not want the Spirit; he wanted to have the power to give the Spirit. It says in verses 18 and 19, “But Simon, having seen that by the laying on of the hands of the apostles the Holy Spirit was given, offered them money, saying, Give to me also this power, in order that on whomsoever I may lay hands he may receive the Holy Spirit”. That is quite a special form of wickedness, when one wants to have apostolic power and presumes to have this.
Ques Had the gospel failed in its effect on Simon?
JT Yes, he was not content that the Lord Jesus should do all; he wanted to do something himself.
[p. 262] It is a right which belongs entirely to the Lord Jesus to give the Holy Spirit.
Ques Are there converts even today who have not the Holy Spirit?
JT That is just the great lack with many, that they have not yet received the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the cause is that they have had wrong teaching. But those who are really concerned about the testimony and the interests of the Lord Jesus are also concerned that we should have the Holy Spirit.
Ques When a man is drawn to the Lord Jesus, to the Man in whom God has His pleasure, does not God then rejoice to give him the Holy Spirit? Is He not given to those who ask Him?
JT “How much rather shall the Father who is of heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13).
Rem In Acts 19:3 the apostle makes it dependent upon baptism.
JT That shows that there was a lack of teaching about it. It has to do with the teaching which one receives. He says, “To what then were ye baptised?”. In that way he is, as it were, saying, ‘If you have not been properly taught, you cannot have the Spirit’, for the word ‘then’ means this. They said, “To the baptism of John” (verse 3). But Paul said, “John indeed baptised with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him that was coming after him, that is, on Jesus” (verse 4). When they heard that, they were baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus. They had evidently been hindered through defective teaching. I do not mean to say that the teaching of John was wrong, but it did not go far enough. There are today many kinds of teaching which are actually wrong and saints are confused by them. Then there are also some which do not go far enough. It says of the converts in Samaria that they received the [p. 263] Holy Spirit after they had been baptised and hands laid upon them. In Acts 19 also we read that after Paul had laid his hands upon them they received the Holy Spirit (verse 6). Contact with the apostles had a unique effect and a unique character. The link which the believers had with the apostles at Jerusalem was of quite a particular character. They could say to them, ‘You are now received in a particular way’. So the twelve men at Ephesus were also received in a particular way in that Paul laid his hands upon them. So in both cases we have reception by the apostles. That which is to be received must be worthy.