THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH
[p. 92] THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH
Acts 9:1-19; Acts 9:31; Acts 10:9-21; Acts 10:44; Acts 13:2-4
These chapters from which I have read are full of precious and, I may say, well-known instruction; instruction that greatly tended — being so intended by God — to set up the present dispensation. But I read the passages tonight, well-known to us, as I have said, in order to show, by the Lord’s help, how the present service of the Spirit among the saints is dependent upon their obedience; what the apostle Paul elsewhere speaks of as “the obedience of faith”. Romans 1:5, Romans 16:26. He, indeed, seems to have been taken up, in one respect, to set out, and illustrate in his life, in his walk and service, this great principle — the principle of obedience. He tells us in a later account — his own account before Agrippa of his vision, as he calls it — that he was not disobedient to it. He says, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision”. Acts 26:19. It was not simply a command, it was a manifestation of Christ. He tells us himself about it. Accompanying the appearance of the Lord to him there was a light from heaven, and in summing up in his own language the impression made upon him he says, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision”. According to the list he gives in writing to the Corinthians, it would appear that literal manifestations of Christ ended with himself. These manifestations, of which he gives a list, were not casual, nor incidental; they were deliberate, and, I may say, constructive. He says first of all, being risen He appeared to Cephas. The use of the name was not accidental, it was constructive, as I have said, for Cephas was a stone. Luke, in recording the incident, in order to bring out his own feature of the truth, says, “He appeared unto Simon” Luke 24:34; Simon being, as I may say, the name that [p. 93] designated Peter in his responsibility upon earth; so that the Lord in appearing to him first, according to Luke, established the great principle of grace. But Paul says He appeared to Cephas, for in that appearance He had the assembly in His mind. And then he says, He appeared to the twelve. The use of the numeral is not accidental, but constructive; for if we have the assembly — for which Peter stands as a question of material — then we have also administration. The numeral denotes what was in the mind of the Lord, that there should be a representation of Himself here administratively; and in order that the twelve should be qualified for this there was a manifestation of Christ to them. It is wonderful, beloved, that there has been that element of administration in this world, the instruments of which were formed and set out in their mission by a manifestation of Christ.
And then it says, He appeared to five hundred brethren at one time. Marvellous occasion! “Of whom”, he says, “the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep”. 1 Corinthians 15:6. The brethren in a goodly number were set out in their position here in this world; a circle of affection; a circle of mutual feeling, sentiment, and sympathy, by a manifestation, or appearing, of the Lord. That, indeed, dear brethren, is what lends its lustre to the brethren. He appeared to five hundred, it is said, at one time. That again was constructive, for the element of administration here is beautifully tempered and modified by the presence of the brethren. What can be more delightful upon this earth than a circle of brethren who have had a manifestation of Christ? I doubt if anyone is in the circle intelligently or sympathetically apart from such a manifestation. Next he appeared unto James, a man who maintains individually the wisdom of God. How much can one man accomplish who has had a personal manifestation of God? “He appeared unto James”, 1 Corinthians 15:7 he says. Surely he had a great function to exercise among the brethren. The epistle of James insists on what one man may accomplish. He cites the prophets. He says Elias was a man of like passions with ourselves, and he prayed, and the heavens were shut up for three years and six months. Think of what one man, beloved, who is available, who has a manifestation of God, may do. And then it says, he prayed again, and God sent rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. I take it that James should be taken up by each of us as a model of what one man may accomplish amongst the brethren.
And then he says, “to all the apostles”. 1 Corinthians 15:7. The use of the word ‘apostles’ is not accidental, but, as I said, constructive. He had already referred to the twelve, but now to all the apostles. We cannot do without any of the apostles. We speak of “our apostle”, but the Lord appeared to all the apostles. We need them all. They represent the authority of the Lord; an authority which cannot be disregarded save at our extreme peril; and the Lord fortified and strengthened all the apostles by a manifestation, by an appearance to them.
And then he says, “Last of all he appeared to me, as, an abortion” 1 Corinthians 15:8 — to one who seemed to be out of place; but who, nevertheless, having this marvellous vision from heaven, laboured more abundantly than they all; representing the wonderful activity of the Lord personally, for I take the apostle Paul to be the Lord’s personal representative. We have heard that expression in international relations. It is an expression that should be noted — the personal representative of a governor, or a president, or a king. I take it that Paul, beloved, had a peculiar place. He was out of the ordinary. “Last of all he appeared to me”. And I suppose we shall all admit that he refers to the incident recorded in this chapter — [p. 95] recorded thrice in this book. Heaven seems to have been peculiarly interested in this movement of Christ’s. It was a very extraordinary manifestation. He waited, and allowed Saul to traverse the long journey from Jerusalem to Damascus; and outside the city — as one might say, on the territory in which his great work should be begun — Syria — a light from heaven shone round about him. This is a most remarkable occasion. The voice was in the Hebrew tongue, he also tells us, for it was intensely personal.
I am not speaking of it, dear brethren, as a matter of interest merely; but that it might arouse in us a desire to have personal contact with Christ. I think Luke, indeed, is particularly occupied with the personal feature. He writes both his letters to one man — Theophilus — as if all heaven was interested in that one man. Is it simply that we should see that heaven was interested in Theophilus? No. It is that we should understand that each of us is of personal interest to heaven. Think of being known there, each one of us known. As I was remarking, God gave names to all the stars. And so the Lord says, “your names are written in heaven”. Luke 20:20. I have a place in heaven in a personal sense. Heaven is interested in me — and, indeed, in every one of us — as it was in Theophilus, and as it was in this great vessel; and so he says, a light from heaven, and a voice in the Hebrew language, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Think of that, dear brethren — “thou” — “me”! The Creator is speaking, but He is speaking in the Hebrew language as a man to a man, and He says, “It is hard for thee”.
All these features enter into this remarkable manifestation of God to Saul, and so he says — he sums it all up — “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision”. Acts 26:19. Why should he be? It were the deepest folly that he should be. It was his wisdom to be obedient unto the heavenly vision.
[p. 96] And so, dear brethren, in this obedience we have the beginning of a new movement; and this is what I want to dwell upon for a moment — a new movement which made room for the Spirit. The second greatest fact in the whole universe is that the Holy Spirit is here on earth at the present time. One refers to it with a certain feeling to promote sympathy for the Spirit. The Spirit has taken such a lowly place, the Lord saying of Him, “He shall not speak of himself ... he shall testify of me”. John 16:13. He is here to testify of Christ. And so, dear brethren, our wisdom is, like Saul, to be obedient to the heavenly vision, whatever that may be in our own time, whatever may correspond with it in our own time; for the Lord is constantly, as I was remarking, manifesting Himself; and whatever corresponds with this great vision at the present time demands your instant unqualified recognition and obedience. Without it — without this — you will be outside the realm of the Spirit’s activities, and you cannot afford that; you cannot, brother and sister, afford to be outside the sphere of the Spirit’s present activities. He waits opportunity, and so the apostle says, “to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for profit”. 1 Corinthians 12:7. But how shall we have manifestations of the Spirit without subjection to God? I take it manifestations of the Spirit correspond with manifestations of Christ. They run together; they involve heavenly authority which cannot be ignored, as we see in this case; and if there be submission to the heavenly vision, we shall have manifestations of the Spirit, which are subjective.
It is not now a question of what is heavenly, but of what is in us. Where there is subjection to the heavenly vision, we shall come in for the manifestation of the Spirit, and the manifestation of the Spirit is for profit. That is the great test of all activity, all religious activity, profit. What has accrued to [p. 97] God and to the saints — the assembly. God has very fine scales, very delicate weights. “All the weights of the bag” are Jehovah’s work; Proverbs 16:11. Everything is weighed with the finest scales with a view to profit.
Well, now, you see the gain of this subjection. I do not go into details, but Ananias was refractory; he thought he knew better than the Lord; but the Lord says, “Go, for this man is an elect vessel to me”. The Lord makes no mistakes, He knew His man. Ananias did not; but he came into accord — he came into subjection, for the Lord did not pass him by and go to another brother in Damascus. No, He went to Ananias. Ananias must submit; and Ananias did submit. And the Lord said, “Behold, he prayeth” — a model commendation. The meeting at Damascus, apparently, was not equal to the occasion. And so the Lord goes before, in order that this dear brother whom the Lord had met on the way should be received rightly — should be received in the grace of heaven. How do we receive one another, dear brethren? We are enjoined to receive as Christ has received us. So Ananias must receive Saul; but in order that he should receive him as Christ receives, Christ has to teach him; and He does teach him. He says, “Go”; and Ananias goes, and he says, “Saul, brother, Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way in which thou camest” sent me unto thee. What a dignified reception of this great vessel! The Lord qualified Ananias to receive him, and he is received and filled with the Holy Spirit. You see how obedience to the heavenly vision prepared Saul for manifestations of the Spirit. Then the assemblies had rest. I wonder how many of us trouble the assemblies. You will understand what I mean. If my will is active, you may depend I am troubling the assemblies. It is a serious matter to be a troubler among the saints. You will recall how Achan was a [p. 98] troubler of Israel. Saul troubled the assemblies; but the Lord, instead of destroying him as Achan had been stoned, converts him. He converts him into a vessel of the Spirit, a vessel of comfort, a vessel of spiritual manifestation. And we are told that the assemblies were edified, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit were increased.
Room was made for the Spirit; and now what you find is, that as God moves in connection with the manifestations, all the forces and channels of His power are brought into line. Peter, we are told, visited “all quarters”. He has come into accord with the new movement. Let us be ready for every movement of God. Each movement, I believe, is preceded by a manifestation. The next thing is obedience to it, and the next thing is the power of the Spirit. Let us not be behind in the movement. Peter discerns the new phase the testimony was taking on, and he visits “all quarters”. He goes to Lydda, and he finds the paralytic, and he says, “Rise up, and make thy couch for thyself”. Acts 9:34. He is preparing for the assemblies that should presently spring up under the great ministry of Paul. They should learn to make their beds for themselves. You can have no local company answering to the mind of God unless there is the sense of doing things for ourselves. It is not that you are to do them in your own strength, but in the power of God. Arise, and make thy bed for thyself. Then Tabitha is presented as a living woman. These, I believe, are the two features that would develop throughout the Gentile world; that were to spring up and develop under the great ministry of this chosen vessel.
So now, as Peter is thus engaged and brought into line, heaven addresses him. The movement must be complete, and so the sheet comes down, as Peter says, “even to me” — in a personal manner. This great vessel, as we may say second only to Paul, is to be [p. 99] in accord with heaven, and hence the sheet. It is not a manifestation of Christ; it is a manifestation of principles. What Christians are most void of is the knowledge of principles. The sheet represents principles. It is the House of God in its universal bearing. It is knit at the four comers — things are held tightly in heaven. We need have no fear of the powers of earth or of hell, as the four corners are held tightly in heaven so as to be drawn up there. What can man do to that? Peter is not disobedient; he is a little refractory, like Ananias; but finally he goes, he speaks, and whilst he speaks — “while Peter was yet speaking”, it says — “the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were hearing the word”. The Holy Spirit comes in now in connection with hearing the word. It was, indeed, what we may call an energetic action of the Spirit. The word ‘fell’ implies energetic action. The Holy Spirit, in connection with these remarkable occurrences, is now free to embrace the Gentiles. He has taken hold of the Gentiles, and thus has extended out to ourselves.
Well, now dear brethren, the only other thought I had refers to the position of the Spirit on earth. He is a divine Person acting sovereignly, as in the scene at Antioch. All this flows out from the obedience of Saul. “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision”. Paul and Barnabas come to Antioch, and they serve for a year among the saints in Antioch, in the assembly. The saints were first called “Christians” there. It is that name in which we are told to suffer (1 Peter 4:16), and by which we are honoured. It was first used at Antioch. Christianity was now taking a definite distinct place in the world; not as a sect of the Jews, but as emanating from Christ. Paul and Barnabas exhibited that glorious name of Christian in their service and ways amongst the saints. Taking on human names in relation to Christ — how utterly objectionable to Him! Let us [p. 100] glory in the name of Christian. It began at Antioch, and the Holy Spirit is free to act at Antioch as a divine Person, and select His own ministers and send them out. So that, dear brethren, in subjection to the Lord, we come now to divine manifestations of the Spirit. I urge that. One would urge manifestations of the Lord — that we should know them. But then, there is what corresponds — manifestations of the Spirit. And so at Antioch the Holy Spirit says, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them”, Acts 13:2. Think of the majesty of it! Who can say Him nay? Think how the authority of the Holy Spirit stands out against that of popes, cardinals, archbishops, and all the rest, down to the most insignificant cleric in Christendom. The saints at Antioch are with Him. They lay their hands on the two men the Holy Spirit needs, and they are sent forth — not by the saints; the saints do not send out missionaries — there is no such thought. The Holy Spirit sent them out. The saints put their hands upon them in holy fellowship, and the Holy Spirit sends them out. He is free now, through the obedience of Saul and others, to send out Barnabas and Saul. “They, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, departed”.
That is the position, beloved, at the present time. Christianity is set up on its “seven pillars”, we may say; and there it stands; and everyone that comes back to the recognition of the manifestations of Christ comes into the gain of the Spirit. Can you improve on that? You might as well attempt to improve on the universe as to improve on wisdom’s house. It cannot be improved on. The thing is to come into it in holy submission — into the ordinances of wisdom, and there you will find all spiritual blessing. “Wisdom hath builded her house; she hath hewn out her seven pillars; she hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her [p. 101] table; she hath sent forth her maidens”, Proverbs 9: 1 - 3. There it is set up in the Acts, and there it stands. Let no one dare to add to it, or attempt to subtract from it. “Every wise woman buildeth her house; but the foolish plucketh it down”, Proverbs 14: 1. The foolish destroys. Let us beware of folly. Let us accept wisdom’s house. It is perfect as it stands, as it were, on seven pillars; and our wisdom is to accept it. The door is open to the believer, and it is there the Holy Spirit is — where His manifestations are known. May God bless His word to us.