CHRISTIANITY MARKED BY WHAT IS NEW
J. Harthill
Luke 5: 37–39; Acts 13: 52; 2 Corinthians 6: 11–13
I was touched on Lord’s day, beloved brethren, when in thanksgiving for the cup the brother said, ‘We are not going on with what is old, we are going on with what is new. It is the new covenant in His blood’. In pondering this statement the exercise arose as to what the Lord Jesus brought out so clearly, that Christianity is entirely new. There is nothing of the old. We know, without being unduly critical, that, in general, Christendom is going on with much that is old but, thank God, we seek to go on with what is new, entirely new. The scribes and the Pharisees said to the Lord Jesus, “Why do the disciples of John fast often those also of the Pharisees, but thine eat and drink?” Then the Lord Jesus gave this remarkable parable as to putting a new piece on an old garment. It only causes a rent. Christianity is not something new added to Judaism at all; it is entirely new. Then the Lord goes on to speak of the new wine; it has to be put into new skins. If you put it into old skins the skins would burst and the wine would be poured out and the skins destroyed. He says, “new wine is to be put into new skins, and both are preserved”.
I believe the new wine is holy joy in our hearts, sustained by the Spirit of God. That is what marks true Christianity. And, you know, we do not acquire it all at once, this taste for the new. The Lord goes on to say, “No one having drunk old wine straightway wishes for new, for he says, The old is better”. We have to acquire a taste for what is new. Beloved younger brothers and sisters, you are going on, I trust, with reading the Scriptures, you are going on with following up the ministry, the wonderful teaching that has come down to us; keep on with it. Although you may not yet have acquired a full taste for what is new, you surely will acquire this taste.
Well, it came into my heart that when we go over to Acts 2 we see the setting of this wonderful administration of blessing with the Holy Spirit coming in on the day of Pentecost.
This wonderful administration was set on with the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Wonderful! It says three thousand were converted, three thousand secured under one preaching in one day! I believe, beloved brethren, it is intended to leave its mark on the whole dispensation, this wonderful day of grace. There was no sign of confusion, no sign of overcrowding, everything was contained. And it says, “they persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in breaking of bread and prayers”, Acts 2: 42. They persevered; that involves acquiring a taste for the new. What preservation, and what expansion too! It says no one counted what they had as their own (Acts 4: 32), they were all together, they had all things common.
Where our beloved brother has just read in Ephesians 4 it speaks of the unity of the Spirit.
We are to use diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. There it is, the unity of the Spirit in Acts 2, a joyful company. As you go on to Acts 4 you find persecution comes in. What will happen in the face of persecution? They prayed, and the place where they were assembled shook—divine assurance that God was delighted with what they were going on with. And it says, “with great power did the apostles give witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus”.
“Great power”—what expansion! It says the number of the men had become about five thousand (Acts 4: 4). The Lord was adding daily. Think of the expansion! Think of the preservation! Think of the power that was there, the persevering!
The scripture read in Acts 13 brings us on to Paul. We have a company at Antioch and prophets and teachers. Five of them are spoken of and the Spirit of God says, “Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”. We have had a great deal about the treasure, three thousand and five thousand—a treasure is countable. When we come to Paul we come to something very precious. Paul is going to bring out the one pearl of great value. Oh think of it, how choice it is!
This is the first journey of Paul. He becomes Paul as we read down the chapter, the little one.
The chapter speaks of “Paul and his company”. I do not think there is another servant spoken of in that way. The Lord had said, “This man is an elect vessel to me”. We have had before us the thought of lowliness and down-stooping. There it was in that beloved servant. The Jews were against it and Paul had to say to them, “Since ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the nations” (Acts 4: 46). It was the great turning point in the testimony when it began to move out to the western nations.
The end of the chapter says that the disciples were “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit”. I would say, beloved brethren, that is the new skins and the new wine. They were disciples, followers of Jesus, persons prepared for instruction and for the wonderful teaching—these are the vessels. They were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit—there is the new wine. Think of Paul’s service; he begins with what is foundational in the epistle
to the Romans. He does not, to begin with, tell us about the assembly exactly, but it is all leading to the assembly. Paul had the ministry of the glad tidings, and he had the ministry of the assembly. So in Romans he speaks of what is new, “newness of life” in chapter 6. A person who has come into the blessing of the gospel is marked by newness of life. There is a change that is evident. It is real. The next thing is “newness of spirit” (Romans 7: 6). That relates to our service, not in oldness of letter but in newness of spirit. Then he goes on in chapter 12 to speak of the renewed mind, a mind capable by the Holy Spirit of taking in divine things.
When we come to Colossians we are expanding. It speaks of the new man (Colossians 3: 10)—Christ characteristically continued here. We go to Ephesians and we get the new man again, “renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4: 23). It has been said the mind is the eye that takes in the light. You have a completely new outlook. It is wonderful when you think about it. Finally, we go on to Revelation 21: 5 and the voice from the throne. The voice of power is saying, “Behold, I make all things new”. Is that not wonderful?
‘The new creation’s stainless joy
Gleams through the present gloom’. (Hymn 81)
So we may well say we are going on with what is new.
Now to come to the last scripture. Mr. Taylor, referring to the feet washing in John 13, said we could think of 1 Corinthians as the water and the second epistle as the towel. What a consideration that is! The scripture I have read is from the ‘towel’ part. There had been a bettering of conditions through the use of the water and now there is what is comforting. We began with the hymn, ‘Our hearts thou doth console, O Lord’ (No. 288). Ah, we certainly find that as we sit down together,
through the Lord’s precious service. But think of the conditions that had been at Corinth, and the water evidently had removed many of those stains. Conditions were better. Paul said, “Ye are not straitened in us”. Paul and those with him had to draw on their affections. They were not straitened. Now that conditions were better Paul pleads as a father. He says, “I speak as to children”. There is a family touch here as he says, “(I speak as to children,) let your heart also expand itself”. Beloved brethren, these epistles bear on our localities. The mind of God for us there is expansion—“let your heart also expand itself”.
Now, you may say to me, All that you have spoken about was at the beginning. How does it apply today? Well, after a hard day, or a difficult day, you come along to the meeting and become engaged with what is above the level of things here altogether. Your heart is refreshed, consoled; you are edified and strengthened. Wonderful preservation! This is what this is all leading to. It is all leading to the assembly as the great vessel of preservation where we find expansion and where we can persevere and acquire a taste. It is all very wonderful, beloved brethren. Paul goes on to say, “Ye are the living God’s temple”. How privileged we are to be in the sphere where God’s mind comes out. He goes on to remind them of the scripture, “I will dwell among them, and walk among them”. Well, you know, the prophetic word is intended to bring that out, that “God is indeed amongst you”, 1 Corinthians 14: 25.
Paul is appealing here as a father that we should let our hearts expand. I think, beloved brethren, the great occasion for expansion is the Supper where we call Him to mind, our blessed Lord Jesus. Our minds and hearts are expanded, and as we find our part in the heavenly side of things it is the same, our minds and affections are expanded. You see how it works out.
It is there today, beloved brethren, to be experienced.
Paul goes on to show what straitens us in our affections. He says, “Be not diversely yoked with unbelievers”. The scripture is well known; I think it simply means worldliness. If we take up worldly associations, if we mingle socially with unbelievers, if we let the world in in any way, beloved brethren, it will mean we shall become straitened in our affections. But this is the word of a father. Why should such things be? It says, “Come out from the midst of them, and be separated, saith the Lord, and touch not, what is unclean, and I will receive you; and I will be to you for a Father, and ye shall be to me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”. The enemy may suggest to our heart that if you are a separate person, if you walk in the path of separation, you are going to lose out. Oh no; you will not lose out! Think of the One who is Father to us His sons and daughters. He is the Lord Almighty. What can He not do for us? There are many here tonight. What has He not done for us? Have we lost out? No, we have not. Thank God we are enjoying, as the Spirit sustains us, the holy joy that belongs to Christianity.
Paul finishes with the word, “Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us purify ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit” (2 Corinthians 7: 1). “Of flesh”, that is what is outward; “and spirit”, that is what is inward; purity outwardly, purity inwardly. Think of this appeal of a father, beloved brethren, and as being on this line let us go on indeed with what is new. May it be so, for His name’s sake.
Word in meeting for ministry, Grangemouth
17 November 1987