SUCCOURING THOSE WHO ARE WEARY
B.Taylor
Just a few thoughts to continue the flow of what has been before us. An administration is flowing here, though we may not realise the greatness and blessedness of being in it. But the Lord would have us understand how blessed it is to be available to serve His brethren, even one of the least of them. "Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me". There are references to the curse which will fall on those who do not have right feelings, but we want to be occupied now with the blessing and the blessedness of being feelingly related to what is flowing in the word and owned of the Lord as His. There is what is flowing in this way, has been functioning continuously down through the history of the church; links have been established and worked out; persons have been visited, encouraged, refreshed and clothed.
Our brother mentioned in prayer that we want to get a word, whatever it may be, whether rebuke, encouragement, refreshment; whatever it might be we would be desirous of being in the flow of the word. There is what is flowing; and we desire to be in the current of it. David's exercise was to get to the water-course, (2 Sam 5: 8). Then the Philistine mind would stop the wells, or strive for them, as we have in Genesis 26; we can see that in ourselves, how natural the mind is and how it would interfere with what is flowing; that we might not be in relation to the prophetic word. But how wonderful it is to be in relation to what God would say to us, because we might be in such as these conditions mentioned in our passage. God would desire to relieve us and get us out of them so that we can be properly functioning as He would have us to do.
It is written: "The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of the instructed, that I should know how to succour by a word him that is weary", Isa 50: 4. It is a great matter to be able to do that. Saints get weary; can we succour them? When David as exhausted and the Philistine sought to smite him, Abishai succoured him, (2 Sam 21: 17). God has persons who are available when needed, to do these things. The Lord remembers and such persons are blessed. How wonderful it is to know how to do that! You would desire to know how to do it; you could only do it by the Spirit. God knows how to do it; His compassions are new every morning, (Lam 3: 22). He is ready to succour us by a word every morning, if we are weary. It is a great thing to be succoured by a word, and God would see that we are. He has those whom He can use in that way; they are those whose ear is wakened morning by morning to hear as the instructed.
The pressures listed in our passage may be literal things; persons may be in hospitals or prisons, in these conditions literally, but then they may be in these conditions in their spirits. It is wonderful to be so in relation to the brethren that you can be available to encourage them when in such circumstances in their spirits, feeling their limitations or needing to be nourished or succoured. If we are able to do that, it establishes the brotherly link and it works for enlargement of soul. Paul was distressed and had no rest in his spirit when he came to Troas and did not find Titus, his brother, (2 Cor 2: 13). There are elements all round us that militate against us and would put us in prison, in effect. They would be against what is flowing, but how wonderful to be in e current of what would provide help for the brethren, to succour one another. In whatever way you may encourage, succour, refresh - all these things that are mentioned - you would realise how valuable it is to be able to do something in this way. It does not require gift, but it does involve that you are one of the brethren, that you have a brotherly with the saints and that you are available as needed. How wonderful it is to be confirmed in those links as doing these things.
Then we have what is flowing in the ministry, what is flowing softly, like the waters of Shiloh. I suppose Hezekiah was in the good of that when he said he would walk softly; but when he showed the treasures of the house of God to the king of Babylon he was not walking softly, but rather in pride, so that what was precious was exposed. We can be thankful, therefore, for what keeps us humble, for we want the precious things protected. What blessedness there is being conscious of doing these things that the Lord spoke about. They are open for us to do. We want to encourage one another in this way, as it says, encouraging one another, and so much the more as ye see the day drawing near", Heb 10: 25. We want to encourage the work of God and strengthen it. Elisha poured water on the hands of Elijah; he was available to refresh the prophet. And we want to be available to do whatever we can in releasing our brethren who suffer restriction and other pressures, and continue in this flow of things. As here tonight, I trust that we all are getting some succour and encouragement and refreshment from God Himself through His word which will result in worship to Him. May it be so.
BROOKLYN NY
8 January 1974
SOME FUNDAMENTALS - THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
In the execution of Pilate's commands the soldiers broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus; "but coming to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead they did not break his legs, but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water", John 19: 33,34. How magnificent that this final thrust of hatred from men was answered in marvellous grace by the flowing forth of God's love. The spear of the soldier drew out the blood and water from the side of the blessed Saviour who had bowed His head and delivered up His spirit. They were a dual witness to the grace which expiates the guilt and cleanses from sin. Without the shedding of blood there could be no remission, so it is understandable that the apostle John emphasises the facts by saying, “he who saw it bears witness, and his witness is true".
In Old Testament times the shelter of the children of Israel from judgment depended on the blood, for Jehovah had said, "When I see the blood I will pass over you", Exodus 12: 13. Later Jehovah showed His holiness required that the blood of the bullock and the goat should be sprinkled by the high priest every year upon and before the mercy-seat to make atonement. But the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sin. These sacrifices looked forward to the death and blood-shedding of Christ, a divine Person in manhood, whose blood alone could atone for sin. God's righteousness was fully maintained in the shedding of His blood, and God has set Him forth as a mercy-seat through faith in His blood, (see Romans 3: 25,26). God now has a righteous basis upon which He can justify the believer in Jesus. The blood of Christ sets the conscience perfectly free, and in virtue of that same blood the believer can boldly enter into the very presence of God as a worshipper (see Hebrews 9: 14; 10: 19).
If Christians walk in the light, they have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses them from every sin, (see 1 John 1: 7). The cup of blessing at the Lord's supper is the communion of the blood of Christ, and the Lord's own reference to "my blood which is poured out for you" is an affecting stimulus to answer week by week to His loving request, "This do for a remembrance of me".
Our redemption by the precious blood of Christ means that we may be completely set free from Satan's power and fully committed to God. A vast throng will triumphantly acknowledge the wort hi ness of the Lamb in that glorious song of redemption, (see Rev 5: 9,10). God has purchased the assembly with the blood of His own, and praise will arise eternally to Him by Whom the reconciliation of all things has been effected, He having made peace by the blood of His cross, (see Col 1: 20).
W.E.Ellis