CHANGE

J. R. Cumming

Luke 9: 51–56; 1 Samuel 26: 6–9

A few words, beloved brethren, on the constant need there is with us as to the acceptance of change coming into our lives. Basically, as has been expressed already tonight, that would involve with us a need for self-judgment. It is a remarkable thing that these two men, James and John, had come through all the instruction and all that they had witnessed in this wonderful chapter, and yet the Lord had to rebuke them. Now that is negative I know, but it is just this impression I have: How real are our experiences when we speak as to the Lord coming in amongst us? I feel the challenge of that and as to what change there is with me.

What change is there with you, beloved brother and sister, in the reality of having to do with the Lord, especially in the circumstances that are described for us earlier on in the chapter, that “as he prayed the fashion of his countenance became different”? It is a touch of Christ in His own glory, superior in regard to the whole realm of things around—a touch in relation to heavenly glory.

In the chapter, in the instruction of it, these two had witnessed and had had their part in the testimony, and it worked out that even Herod wondered at all that was happening. Some wonderful things must have been done and it eventuated in Herod wanting to see Jesus. What these men were doing testimonially was working out so that persons were affected. The Lord says to the disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”; and then, “But ye, who do ye say that I am?” Peter said, “The Christ of God” (Luke 9: 20). What a marvellous statement! What an insight he had as to God’s Man, the glory of all that was carried through in our Lord Jesus. These two disciples were therefore witnesses with Peter as to these things and as to the holy mountain and all that was transacted there.

In the verses that we have read things are going on and the Lord is proceeding in regard to the line of suffering, and that would be something for us to be constantly affected by. I believe there is a need to keep in mind that the truth of Christianity involves a suffering way. If we think things are going to go the way we would like them to go then we can act wrongly just as these two did here. The wrong spirit was in them. I think that is a challenge for us all, beloved brethren, because the Lord places persons amongst us who show the kind of spirit we should have, think the Lord has spoken and is speaking quite distinctly to us about this. A brother has been taken from us, and what kind of spirit did he have? He had the kind of spirit that I would like to have myself, and yet he is taken. Our brother in the previous word said that the testimony is to continue. What kind of spirit is it going to continue in? James and John said, “Lord, wilt thou that we speak that fire come down from heaven?” The Lord rebuked them. Good men as they were, active men, sons of thunder (the Lord gave them that name), He says, “Ye know not of what spirit ye are”. Then comes that verse, “And they went to another village”, (Luke 9: 56). I think the truth working out in the suffering way involves that there is always resource. The Lord being with us, the Spirit too in His service of comfort to us, there is always another way. May I refer again to the brother who has been taken from us; we can distinctly remember many times when he was asked certain things, especially in our administration, and he gave us a touch of another way; that is the Spirit.

I am linking this on with 1 Samuel 26 because we see there that David had changed. He now had every opportunity to finalise things in relation to Saul, to settle them, and Abishai—you might say a brother with him—says, “And now let me smite him ... once, and I will not do it the second time”. But the spirit of Christ in David wins the day. It brings in something of triumph because this is not how a man of the world would act; this is how a man acts who is under the complete dominance of Another. The Lord had His way in David’s heart. Now what brought the change about, beloved brethren? Why is it that this way cuts across every concept of what human ambition might bring us to? Naturally the way is to go right ahead and get it done and think everything will be all right. Something says, ‘No, no; it is another way’.

David had had a touch in chapter 25 of what the assembly really is. He met Abigail. The brother who has been taken from us—I trust the brethren do not mind my making this reference—was an assembly man, and I do not think there could be a higher commendation than being so described. Now this means that what has been left in the way of a vacancy has to be filled. We were singing last night in the prayer meeting—

‘That we, who have their teaching stored

Within our hearts, may now step forth

To fill the ranks with heav’nly worth’. (Hymn 424)

That is what is needed. David had come in contact with Abigail and some things were outstanding with her. Look at chapter 25 verse 18—“Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two skin-bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred raisin-cakes, and two hundred fig-cakes, and laid them on asses”, (1 Samuel 25: 18). You know, this is the line where there is resource and it is seen in the assembly. Everything that was negated as far as Nabal was concerned was provided here in abundance by Abigail. David and his men were affected by that and it really suggests the assembly functioning. Then it goes on to say that she was “coming down” and David and his men “came down”.

Beloved brethren, we say it so often, but the whole answer to difficulties in the assembly is on the line of going down. May I again say that we have had an example of that in our own city, a brother who did not assert himself and who was marked by “going along with the lowly”, as it tells us in Romans 12, and “distributing to the necessities of the saints”.

That is what is left to us to fill out in testimony. Am I ready to help where I can in filling the vacancy? Are you? Because there is a need. Our brother will be missed, missed in his family and missed amongst the brethren. The Lord would speak to us about this. Abigail then says, ‘I will take the blame for it’. It tells us that in verse 24—“Upon me let the iniquity be”. She was not to blame, but she took the way down and she took the blame. The Spirit helped her in that. You might say David saw this and was affected by it. She then brings in that lovely touch about “the bundle of the living” (verse 29)—what a view she had of what the assembly really is. Beloved brethren, her testimony in this affected David so that he did not do the thing that he might have done if he had allowed his own natural impulses to take over, especially when someone of standing had said, ‘Look, that is the thing to do’.

Let us be preserved in the line of teaching and direction that comes into our hearts as we make way for the Lord speaking to us in, and about, the assembly. Again I say, the Lord has indicated something in our brother being taken. We have quite a solemn history in this city during these last few years with brothers and sisters being taken. The line of numerical prosperity is not so evident, but let us see that there is a line of spiritual prosperity because that is what the Lord is looking for. May our hearts be encouraged in that there is another way, there is “another village”. The Spirit would direct us in this; He is the Spirit of Christ and there are resources in the local assembly which would show that the Lord is operating. May we be affected by it for His name’s sake.

Word in meeting for ministry, Edinburgh
30 December 1980