OPERATIONS OF THE SPIRIT IN LOCAL ASSEMBLIES

^[p. 553] OPERATIONS OF THE SPIRIT IN LOCAL ASSEMBLIES

Acts 13: 1 - 4; Acts 21:3-5; Acts 21:8-11; 1 Corinthians 3: 16

In these scriptures the assembly is viewed in its local setting. It has service in mind. We have dwelt somewhat on this subject already today, and what is in view would be said in relation to this in continuation of the subject. This time it is to show how the local assembly at the beginning was the mediating sphere of the operations of the Spirit. The Spirit, it may well be remarked (for it is important to keep it in mind), did not become incarnate. He remains in the divine form and essence, but in service and activity moves in relation to the incarnation, maintaining His part even actively in the Deity, acting even as God Himself, but nevertheless as coming into the economy which has been formed by divine Persons. The Spirit has taken the place of service; sometimes going to the most abject measure, even striving with men; indwelling believers, suffering Himself to be grieved by them, but remaining with us all the time in keeping with the economy, being sent not only by the Father, but also by the Son; the Son Himself said, “But I say the truth to you, It is profitable for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go I will send him to you”, John 16: 7. The Spirit has taken on active operation in the lowest place; yet in abstract Deity He is God, on equality with the other divine Persons. We have to learn to regard them abstractly, lest we should become irreverent, but in doing so we may safely pursue the language of Scripture. So the order in the baptismal formula is the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. In truth it is one name. The three Persons are presented ^[p. 554] objectively to us as Objects of reverence and worship. Note may be taken that the Spirit is mentioned last, that is, He is viewed there as the third Person of the Godhead, we may reverently say, viewed thus in the light of the incarnation. We read of the fellowship of the Father and of the Son, and of the communion of the Holy Spirit.

What is before us is the operation of the Spirit in the assembly, not as forming assemblies, but as having formed them; hence there is the great urgency for suitable conditions, and I have therefore selected these scriptures. We see in the assembly at Antioch what was in the beginning. In order to be found in suitable conditions we have to go back to the beginning of Christianity. The Lord says, “From the beginning it was not so”. The law governing marriages had become widely defective, but the Lord tests it by what was in the beginning. So in relation to what is before us these scriptures in the Acts furnish us with examples of what was in the beginning. I am not overlooking what was produced in the service of the twelve prior to Paul’s service; the service of the twelve was productive of assembly formation, but it awaited the apostle Paul’s service to develop local assemblies. So we have the assembly at Antioch and how it was formed. Paul and Barnabas served in it, as we are told, and taught a large crowd (Acts 11: 26).

The Spirit of God does not hesitate to use that word “crowd” with a view to showing that if the assembly is in view we need not fear any crowd. We have spoken today of the power of subjugation of every lawless element. There were lawless elements in this crowd. With true Christians they are held in check. So Romans, the great doctrinal epistle, has unfolded how these things are brought about. The believer in chapter 7 emerges from a most serious exercise: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver ^[p. 555] me out of this body of death?” And triumphantly he says, “I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Jesus Christ our Lord, He is the Deliverer and the deliverance. The believer who has come through this exercise is going to stand by it; he is not going to pass through the agony of Romans 7 again and again. “So then I myself with the mind serve God’s law”. I myself — the believer has reached his own consciousness. Very few of us know ourselves. We speak of knowing ourselves and God, a very good way of putting the truth. We have to learn ourselves. “I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord”; he has reached his own consciousness of himself, and what he does now is to “with the mind serve God’s law; but with the flesh sin’s law”. The lawless elements are there, he does not deny it: the fickleness of the flesh would do nothing else than serve the law of sin; but he comes to a true analysis to distinguish between the flesh and himself. The lawless elements are there, they show themselves at every opportunity. John says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”, 1 John 1: 8. No one can be in the assembly maintaining conditions suitable unless we recognise the danger of the working of the flesh. It is terrible to see how it works in the very presence of God. You remember the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, offered strange fire before Jehovah.

Well, the crowd is mentioned, that is to say, that the assembly in all its resources implies that crowds can be faced and be brought into true subjection, brought into the assembly as suitable material. This is a very great exploit. Saul and Barnabas were no rivals. Barnabas was touchingly clear of all jealousy and envy. So that in that assembly, although there were lawless elements in the crowd, there was power to subdue them. As we heard today,

the testimony was, “The kingdom of God is come nigh”. Perhaps this was never seen more truly than in these two men. There was power present in the kingdom, the Spirit of God being with them, the idea of a crowd gradually disappearing and merging into a normal state of things.

Now in chapter 13 there are several names mentioned, first Barnabas and last Saul. Some of us do not care to be mentioned last. We love the first seats in the synagogue, we love preference. But with Paul there was no feeling of resentment in being mentioned last in the service of God. It says, “Now there were in Antioch in the assembly”. The word ‘assembly’ is one of the greatest words in the divine vocabulary. Our translators have hidden it in the word ‘church’. The English word ‘church’ does not convey what the assembly is. In the assembly there were those who served, prophets and teachers, who knew how to fast and pray and to minister to the Lord. That is the secret of the conditions that were there. Why should it be mentioned with such care, save that we might desire humbly and prayerfully and with fasting to promote such conditions, so that the Spirit of God may have a sphere to lay hold of, so that He might dignify it? Indeed it is so dignified that it is called “the Christ” — “so also is the Christ”. The allusion is to how He was available and usable for the Spirit. Immediately after the temptation He was carried up by the Spirit into the wilderness, as if to show how He was usable. In another gospel He is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to meet every temptation of the devil. What a pattern! It is not right for anyone to meet the devil, only by the Spirit of God. It is not right to attack evil influences, unless the Spirit of God leads anyone. Mark says that He was driven by the Spirit of God, as if to say, He was recoiling from it. Why should we not recoil from evil? “If I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then indeed the kingdom of God is come upon you”, Matthew 12: 28. At the very outset the anointed Vessel submits; He is carried or driven into the wilderness. What a pattern for us!

This assembly is usable by the Holy Spirit. I am not overlooking what had been effected by the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem, but this is equal certainly in power. I am not, as I am saying, passing over the work of the twelve, but it is Paul who received from the Lord the administration of the mystery; “This man is an elect vessel to me”, Acts 9: 15. Barnabas is beautifully associated with Paul. Barnabas is mentioned first and Saul is mentioned last. David was last; it was his glory. Let no one be afraid of being last; the last is first. So the best thing that can be said of this assembly is that it was usable for the Lord. There were these teachers, and as they ministered and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”. There was no hesitation or doubt, the assembly is ready. It was the Spirit speaking: a divine Person speaking in divine authority. There is the expression of divine authority: “I have called them”. “Then, having fasted and prayed, and having laid their hands on them, they let them go”. Why should they need to fast and pray? Dear brethren, we are all so awkward at fasting and praying. Fasting and praying maintain us in true spiritual power and singleness of heart. I do not know that we know much about this fasting. Praying and fasting means that the flesh is starved, it is not fed at all; it is really denying it, not simply starving it. Prayer brings in positive power. This is a remarkable matter, the Spirit of God operative in this assembly: “Separate me now Barnabas and Saul”. How did the Spirit of God say that? Undoubtedly He used some brother or prophet at Antioch. The word is “The Holy Spirit said”, not this man said, so you see the speaking was of the Spirit; He spoke with divine authority. The assembly laid their hands on the brothers after they had fasted. If there were some there who were not as spiritual they might have thought there would be no need to fast and pray again, but you see it necessitated this complete denial of all fleshly deeds, and there was positive power in these very hands stretched out. It was a spiritual scene; a scene in which one would have loved to have joined and had part. It is the Spirit’s demand, and the assembly is ready for it. The assembly lays their hands on them in a holy way, with holy feelings, then they let them go forth. Let nobody assume that the assembly nominates servants. Gifts are entirely under the control of Him who gave them. Sending out missionaries is not scriptural at all; it is not done in the assembly. The assembly lays its hands on the servants; its fellowship and its support are there, but the control of the servants belongs to the Lord. I say this, because it is important that all should understand how the minister is directed by the Holy Spirit, not by the assembly. So they went forth. This is the greatest missionary enterprise we have on record in Scripture.

Now to confirm this thought of the operation of the Spirit I have read the passage in Acts 21, because it shows in detail how this operation is seen in connection with the apostle Paul. I am seeking to bring out how the assembly was available in these early days, how it was usable by the Spirit even in such things as Paul speaks of in chapter 20, “The Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and tribulations await me” (verse 23). How did the Spirit of God testify in each of these towns? In the first instance at Tyre it says, “And having found out the disciples, we remained there seven ^[p. 559] days; who said to Paul by the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem”. You see how simple this is. It was at Tyre, the great commercial city; it is no more viewed as that now, but it is viewed as God could use it. Paul tarried there seven days with them, an important period of time, for the assembly’s history is made up in weeks. There are happy seasons in the assembly’s life; normally it is a history of joy, although a history of suffering, of course. Take the two great servants at Philippi: “Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4: 4) — they were there in prison, they showed that they could do it in the most excruciating suffering at midnight. So at Tyre, as I said, the saints by the Spirit told Paul, Do not go up to Jerusalem. Paul did not say, The Spirit of God tells me that I should not go. “I am ready”, he says, “not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus”. Now they go on from Tyre down to Ptolemais; then they come to Caesarea.

I want now, dear brethren, to come to a household. Heaven was interested in the households in Caesarea; you remember how the Roman officer Cornelius was brought in there. There was a remarkable work of God in that assembly. The house of Philip the evangelist was there. Peter had been used in Caesarea. Philip did not live in one of the cities where he had preached; he lived where Peter had worked. I should like to have lived in Caesarea in those days. But now it is not in the assembly where the Spirit’s activity is seen, but it is in a house, in the house of Philip the evangelist. And Philip had four daughters; there is nothing said about his wife. This is a word to the young sisters, the young women. They need watching. These daughters are in the household. The enemy has great means of attracting young women. Many of them are in business or schools where they are open ^[p. 560] to evil influences, some of them have to teach evil doctrines at schools. They need watching. It is distressing beyond words to see the many who have gone off. The Lord would lay it on the hearts of the parents here to watch over the daughters and over the sons too, of course. Well, these four women are prophesying. They are doing it; they are characterised by this great service. I am not discussing the question of women speaking in the assembly; the epistle to the Corinthians settles that. The first epistle to the Corinthians is the law of the house. It says distinctly, “Let your women be silent in the assemblies”, 1 Corinthians 14: 34. But here we have a prophetic ministry not related to the assembly. These four women prophesied. What a great testimony that was in that house. Paul and his company lodged there, and they were there many days. As to lodging servants, one knows it is not intended that it should be many days, but there is no difficulty here. Everyone would be found in precious conversation. What a lovely household! One would love to have been there and listened to this man Philip and these four women. Does it not suggest to us, dear brethren, the importance of holy conversation in our households? You may be sure if our households are not right the assembly will not be available. As they stayed there many days a visitor comes down to that house. Now we have a specific prophet. Agabus comes down and joins the household. A most interesting man, he is mentioned before in connection with Antioch, Acts 11: 28. He takes Paul’s girdle and binds his hands and feet: it alludes to Paul’s imprisonment in this very place, that he would be there for two years, two years in Caesarea, two years in Rome; four years, if not more, this great servant was to be bound. “Remember my bonds” he used to say, how the saints forgot him! One man sought him out: “The ^[p. 561] Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he has often refreshed me, and has not been ashamed of my chain; but being in Rome sought me out very diligently”, 2 Timothy 1: 16. How Paul valued the believers’ households! That would imply that not one child should be lost. We need fasting and prayer so that all would be preserved. Here is this touching scene: Agabus takes the girdle of Paul, and having bound his own hands and feet said, “Thus saith the Holy Spirit”; in that household there were conditions that this could be said; “The man whose this girdle is shall the Jews thus bind in Jerusalem, and deliver him up into the hands of the Gentiles”. This is all I want to say about the household. The enemy wants you, but the Lord is needing you, He is needing every one of us.

The passage in Corinthians refers to the temple. “Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God?” That is what the assembly was. I want to point out that this has to be taken abstractly. It was not characteristic of them; they were divided. I want to use this manner of the Spirit of God in speaking in an abstract way. One can hardly say that any assembly is characterised by this, but abstractly the idea is accredited to them of being the temple of God, the Lord is giving us to understand this. Do not misunderstand me, I am not giving licence to any one, but I want to show that God in His mercy in spite of conditions is accrediting us with being the temple of God: “Ye are the temple of God”, ye are that abstractly; God is graciously enabling us to hold temple light, granting us encouragement in our being together as temple of God. So we may hope for good readings and we may hope for ministry.