WAITING

Luke 12: 29-38; 42-43; Philippians 3: 20-21; 2 Peter 3: 11-16

W.S. These scriptures speak of what we await, what we expect; each has an application for us at the present time. We are on our way home; we do not know how long the journey will be – we may have just the last few minutes to go – but the Lord would have us to be in this spirit of waiting and expecting. I feel the need to be revived in it because we get so accustomed to the ways in which we have gone along, and the fire does not burn enough in our hearts. I am sure the Spirit would help us to see the positive gain connected with this waiting. The Spirit has taken us up, and His direction is towards Christ. As Rebecca was ready to leave, she says, "I will go" (Genesis 24: 58), and it meant a lot. She left everything behind, took the journey and then she said, "Who is the man...?" That is what is before us and it may soon be actuality. The Lord wants to have us in this expectation. He would know that those who wait for Him would be different in every respect because they have left their old resources and where they have been before. That is what we find in Luke 12. This is generally viewed as referring to the coming of the Lord but it has also a present application: we expect Him to come at any time. He would like to visit those who are ready for Him, who open the door for Him. We will face difficult times, I think, as to our circumstances. Some brethren may have more experience of this than others, but the Lord is comforting His disciples and is comforting us, so that we should not be worried or care for things as the nations do. We have a wonderful resource, and everything we need is available, and more.

J.R. It says, "Let your loins be girded about, and lamps burning; and ye like men who wait on their own lord". Is that your exercise?

W.S. Yes, in the main. In this gospel and this chapter, there are surrounding circumstances. The Lord is saying what He has in mind for them. He says even, "And ye, seek not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, and be not in anxiety". We may think it is a simple matter – too simple perhaps to speak about in a reading – but the Lord's word about these things is very real and may become more real for us in the days ahead.

J.R. "Fear not, little flock" would be a comfort, would it not, to persons who are prepared not to be over-concerned about what we eat, what we drink and so on?

W.S. Yes, and the great thought of "your Father" – He brings in your Father; everything that was given here He relates to your Father. "... your Father knows... "

A.C.C. Is the Father's care set to relieve us from all anxiety that we might the more be devoting ourselves to waiting for Christ?

W.S. That is right. Here it speaks of those of little faith. Some circumstances sometimes test our faith more than others, but He wants to make us free for what the Father has in His mind. We should seek His kingdom, and then, "Fear not, little flock, for it has been the good pleasure of your Father to give you the kingdom". It is more than we need.

J.R. Would it not be a question whether the Lord is real to us or whether His coming to us is real and means something to us – not only coming for us, as you said, but coming to us?

W.S. And that would be our main object. It would lift us above circumstances, above many matters which would keep us down. What it is to have the experience of the Lord coming in and serving us! He likes to do it.

J.G. Do I understand that we can come into the enjoyment of this kingdom now?

W.S. Yes, I am sure. It would involve all that the Father has to give. It is a very rich area.

A.C.C. You said it was a rich area. I think that is pretty descriptive – a rich area. Is that intended also to help us not to be distracted. It says in chapter 10, "Now Martha was distracted..." (Luke 10: 40), and to be distracted is one great danger, is it not?

W.S. That is good. Mary lived in the gain of this rich area. She was free of all such hindrances. I think she experienced the Lord's service, sitting at table, enjoying with Him what He would enjoy.

R.S.R. The Lord speaks of treasure, "a treasure which does not fail in the heavens", and then He says, "For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be". Would there be a question as to what we consider to be treasure?

W.S. That is where it is: the Lord has in mind that it is in heaven. Everything will fail here, we can be sure. If we are younger we may think about many things and that will really hinder us from getting this treasure. We will lose time; that is the trouble. We lose time which we cannot in a way make up. Time is lost.

R.S.R. He speaks of providential things, for which we are thankful – our food and so on – but is not our real treasure where Christ is, and our affections bound up with Him where He is?

W.S. Yes, and the Spirit has come from Christ glorified to show us where the real things are, things which cannot fail.

A.T. The word is, "Sell what ye possess". Did the Lord set the matter on Himself? He sold all that He had, did He not?

W.S. Paul would help us in Philippians as to what it means to give things up and give things away and to change the valuation of things for the better. 'Sell what ye possess' may mean that we know what it is to give things up.

J.R. It is quite a challenge and a test, "Sell what ye possess and give alms; make to your selves purses which do not grow old, a treasure which does not fail in the heavens". We tend to gather in these days, do we not?

W.S. That is true, and the background would be that we do not have this expectation in our hearts. Things become more valuable to us than the presence of Christ.

H.P. It says, "For it has been the good pleasure of your Father to give you the kingdom", and then it goes on to say, "Sell what ye possess". If we sell these things, the Father has given us something; He has given us a kingdom. He grants everything we need, and we are able to sell.

W.S. We have come into a realm of unspeakable giving. Divine Persons have shown them selves to us in this giving way. Paul speaks of His unspeakable free gift (see 2 Cor 9: 15).

E.J. Was that not seen in the beginning of Acts in chapter 2 when they sold their possessions. It was a very happy, enjoyable company.

W.S. And the background to it was that they expected Christ's coming back. They did not think it would be long, and that should be so with us. All that we do, that we think, all our plans, everything, shows where we really are in our spirit. We may say things and show things but the reality should be that we expect the Lord, and our great joy for the present time would be to get a fresh impression of His presence.

G.A.B. Is the treasure a concentrated kind of wealth? It might not be very big outwardly, but it is what it is worth that matters.

W.S. In a way it is hidden, but our hearts will be there. If our hearts are on things down here it shows that we do not value a treasure up there, but we can enlarge this treasure; we can do it! The Lord shows it to be so here. We can lay up things there at the present time. It will be too late when the time of testing is over; it is at the present time that we can enlarge this treasure.

J.S. Do you think as He comes in the second watch and in the third watch that He repeats these comings and He would make us conscious of what the treasure is?

W.S. Yes surely. It is interesting that He does not come in one watch or the other; He comes in one and in the other one too. He repeats. The Lord likes to come, He likes to have us ready. What would be involved in, "Let your loins be girded about"?

J.R. I was just looking at that. Apparently it is so that when He comes and knocks they may open to Him immediately. Loins girded about would be in view of movement, would it not? Lamps burning, would be active in the light. But does the Lord come and knock, do you think?

W.S. Someone would notice His knocking. In Acts there was a girl who heard the knocking and she recognised whose the voice was. In the Song of Songs one was not ready when He knocked. We should be ready. What governs us at any time when we are together is that the Lord may come in and serve us. It is a great thing.

J.R. We would need to have the expectancy you spoke of earlier to discern the Lord's knocking. We may be so busy ourselves that we do not hear or heed the knocking.

W.S. It may be by a remark from a brother that some impression is given of the Lord being present.

R.S.R. In Exodus 12 they were told to have "Your loins... girded, your sandals on your feet" (v.11) in view of leaving Egypt. Should that be our present attitude in view of the imminence of the Lord's return?

W.S. That is a good scripture to bring in. It shows that readiness to go should be a prime matter with us, ready to leave.

R.S.R. I would like to ask the question, is this world 'a wilderness wide' to me? I take it that the wilderness is the constant application of the death of Christ to everything here. We cannot understand what the wilderness is unless we have left Egypt.

W.S. Singing that hymn I am often reminded that one of our early brethren said – It is a test to sing this hymn. Is the world really a wilderness to us?

J.R. "'Tis the treasure we've found in His love That has made us now pilgrims below;" (Hymn 139)

D.R. Paul speaks about having girt about your loins with truth (see Eph 6: 14). Say some more about the loins.

W.S. It would refer to our strength to move. We should always be ready to move: we should be ready to go. When the Lord comes we will leave everything behind, and we should really be ready every time to go. It would help us very much: it would be a testimony too. I think what the Lord brings in here is a testimony to those outside. He speaks at the beginning of this chapter of the attitude of man. There are those who have many good things laid by for many years – that is what is around us, and that is what we are involved with too, but only for 'many years'. But the Lord has in mind that we should be rich towards God, and our loins girt would be that we know where true wealth and· riches are.

W.W. It is well worth while giving up what is material, which is terminated by death, for what is spiritual, which is eternal but which by the Spirit we can enjoy now. I was thinking of wisdom's word in Proverbs 8 as to, "My fruit is better than fine gold, yea than pure gold; and my revenue than choice silver.... that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasuries" (v.19-21).

W.S. I think we are much tested as to the reality of these matters. I do not think the Lord is too much interested if we just get on in terms in relation to the truth. He wants to find the reality of it.

D.R. Do you think girt about with truth would involve that we are regulated by the truth? We not only know its terms in our minds, but our movements are regulated by the truth.

W.S. We should be lovers of the truth. The truth is really the test – love for the truth is the test in these last days.

J.M. The word "consider" comes in twice in verse 24 and verse 27, considering the ravens and considering the lilies. Do you think it would be important that we learn how to consider in view of being released and ready to go?

W.S. I think that things may become more real to us in days ahead, but the Lord will bring His saints through and the Father will give us everything we need. We have examples in the Old Testament, how He cared for the prophets and for the widows; it is wonderful, and He will do it. When the assembly has gone there will be testing times in relation to these practical matters to those who do not have the sign on their forehead and on their hands, but the Father is sufficient for everything, and we are more than the ravens or lilies. So the Lord says, "Blessed are those bondmen" and again, in the other verse we read, "Blessed is that bondman whom his lord on coming shall find doing thus". It speaks about the attitude of those who say, "My Lord delays to come". That is not a Christian expression. He does not delay, says Scripture. That He does delay is not an expression we should use. (See Heb 10: 37).

A.McB. Are the experiences we have of His coming to us, to quicken this expectancy of His finally coming and our being with Him? But meantime there is work to be done the saints to be served.

W.S. And we can only do it rightly if we have His coming in our hearts. We know for whom the Lord longs – we know He longs for the assembly, we know how precious the saints are to Him, and that should make us all ready and happy to serve in the small measure He may give us. The saints are great, they are greater than any servant.

W. L "Men who wait their own lord". Does that mean that His Person is very precious to us?

W.S. That is interesting – they "wait their own lord". Yesterday we read in Daniel. He says, "My Lord"; not just 'Lord'. It says, "And no one can say, Lord Jesus, unless in the power of the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12: 3). Lord Jesus is the expression of love: it is like "my Lord".

R.S.R. The blessing comes as we are watching, according to verse 37. It is more active than waiting, is it not? The Lord says in Mark "But what I say to you, I say to all, Watch' (Mark 13: 37).

W.S. That is right. It would be that we are alert and we like to listen. He is knocking and He is coming in. It may test us to watch; we get sleepy.

R.S.R. Blessing comes from that attitude.

W.S. Our brother referred to our being quickened in our affections. That would help us to be watchful, watching for Him.

P.B. Does the principle of stewardship enter into it?

W.S. Yes, Paul refers to this in Corinthians faithful stewards (see 1 Cor 4: 2).

J.R. And food seems to be related to stewardship, "to give the measure of corn in season".

W.S. Food would always refer to Christ; corn – Christ as risen and ascended. The Spirit gives us everything necessary. Paul says "and what hast thou which thou hast not received? " (1 Cor 4: 7) but the Spirit will fill our hands. He will help us.

A.C.C. When He comes to us, does He expect us to be busy? It says in verse 43, "Blessed is that bondman whom his lord on coming shall find doing thus". He is not taking it easy, he Is not resting on his reputation or on his office, but he is busy.

W.S. He does all that he can to care for the household of the Lord, but then, in the verse before, He makes us restful. The Lord, if He comes in, makes us restful. It is wonderful that in the Gospels whatever they had, however little, was given into the hands of the Lord, and He multiplied it.

Now in Philippians we get a similar line, I think. In Luke we get that there is one scene and we are delivered from it, and in Philippians Paul speaks of people "who mind earthly things". But he says, "Our commonwealth" – or our "associations of life" (see note h) – "has its existence in the heavens". It is a present thing already; it is not the future. It will be future of course too, but it is already available for us and we live in this wonderful realm, in these wonderful associations.

J.R. So that the world may be a hindrance, but the earth too: "earthly things", could hinder us, could they not?

W.S. Yes; that is what we found in Luke. Material things belong to the earth, but we have a wonderful commonwealth and it has its existence in the heavens, and from there we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. The Lord would encourage and comfort the saints in relation to our bodies of humiliation. We are in this body now, and some feel it more than others. We think of accidents, and of brethren who get older with all the sufferings in their bodies – the body of humiliation – but we wait for the One who will transform our bodies into conformity to His body of glory. What a wonderful expectation!

J.R. The Lord is spoken of in Ephesians 5 as "Saviour of the body" (verse 23), is He not? Would that include this final transforming of our body of humiliation into conformity to His body of glory?

W.S. I think it does, and it is "according to the working of the power"; it is not just the power which is there, but it is the working of the power which he has.

R.S-e. It does not say 'enemies of Christ'; it is "enemies of the cross of Christ". The cross is always the test.

W.S. That is another great subject, the cross of Christ. Paul brings it in in relation to the truth of the local assembly, the cross of Christ, the word of the cross, and Christ crucified. It is the end of man after the first order, and it shows that it has a practical effect. We cannot have these things only in theory, but our ways should be according to it, our practical living.

R.S.R. Is this the fullest title of the Lord Jesus? (The "as" may be put in to complete the English). "Lord Jesus Christ Saviour" – what a title He has!

W.S. It is wonderful that we have Him as Saviour still for this final thing. Salvation is a full thought – it includes the body.

R.S.R. Is it not wonderful that we have a link in affection with such a glorious Person?

W.S. And He has already given us a place in this wonderful sphere where He is. Our names are registered in heaven. What a wonderful title the saints have! Do we use it enough? Where are our associations of life? Would it also include at the present time the thought of eternal life, heavenly relationships?

J.R. I was thinking that we get the idea of a model in verse 17, "Be imitators all together of me, brethren, and fix your eyes on those walking thus as you have us for a model", and then, leaving out the parenthesis, "for our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens". Do you think that when we are younger we ought to learn from older ones – see how they live and their associations of life? You were speaking of the practical character of this, it not being just theory.

W.S. Yes, and there is variety of course in the saints but there is one model. There are not different models; nobody can choose this as a model or that, but "you have us for a model" (Phil 3: 17); it is one really. It is a representation of Christ, His features.

J.M. In your first scripture was the idea of a bondman; Philippians begins with bondmen, and also we have the One who was in the form of God taking a bondman's form (see Phil 2: 6,7). Are the features of a bondman necessary in the waiting time?

W.S. You think of the Lord as the great Model of a bondman; none is like Him and He helps us arid He serves us. He ha; this wonderful attitude, and everything has to take character from Him. His bondman; it is brought out in Revelation, the thought of the bondman. (See Rev 1: 1). It is a wonderful thing to be able to serve the Lord Jesus even in a small way, an unseen way. Most of this service is not public; most of this service is hidden. We do not know about it, but every thing is treasured, and this service is for His own; it is a great joy for God. But I was just thinking of this scripture here and of what we await – "from which also we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour". There are great things before us, things we have not touched, but we can be in the realm already. Heaven should not be a strange place for us; we should be acquainted with heaven. Our treasure is there, our heart is there, and now we await our Lord Jesus from heaven. What a wonderful thing it is, what a comfort if we feel the body of humiliation. Paul I think felt more of it than we may think.

W.G. What an outlook for the believer it says,"... into conformity to his body of glory". What an outlook to think that we will be like Jesus in that sense, a body of glory. Paul also says in this chapter, "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord" (verse 8). He must have had an impression of how wonderful it was and that it was something to go in for.

W.S. And this was the real source of the energy of the apostle. Christ was before Him and it was a pleasure for the Spirit to support this man. What a joy for the Spirit if we look to Christ, long for Him and get a right valuation of everything.

D.R. Do you think this involves being on good terms with the brethren, good relation ships between the brethren? I was thinking of the word 'our', "our commonwealth", and then it says 'our body', "our body of humiliation". Do you think there is a great need at the present moment to value the saints and what is of God in the saints and to foster that?

W.S. And if we were more in this we would be more united, and other things would just pass away. What troubles us are earthly things and worldly things, and the background is that we are not waiting, this burning for Christ is not in our hearts.

A.C.C. Would it raise the question too as to where we find our life?

W.S. Yes, where is our life? It could only be there. There is no life really anywhere else.

A.C.C. It is a real question now, especially perhaps with our younger brethren, as to whether their life is found within the area of the commonwealth, or whether they are finding it outside.

W.S. We were reminded of Rahab recently. She lives in the middle, in the centre; she lived among the people of Israel. (See Joshua 6: 25). She had known what the outside was. She knew what the life of Jericho was. What a privilege to live in the centre, and the young ones should be in the centre of this wonderful realm. Anyone who is on the border will fall. It is dangerous to be in the border district but we are invited to be at the centre where there is plenty of room; the centre will never be over-crowded. That is a wonderful thing. The place in the bosom of Jesus is the place where there is the most room.

J.R. That is why I thought that some ought to be models, or some ought to be a model. This thing can be modelled, can it not, according to verse 17 and on to verse 20? "Our commonwealth" would be persons literally who are a model, but then it is the privilege of each one of us if we are prepared for it.

W.S. It says in Timothy, "Be a model of the believers" (1 Tim 4: 12). The brethren should be encouraged, young ones should be encouraged to be examples to others for good. That is serving really; a bondman's attitude is in serving one another. One brother serves another brother, one sister another sister. Let us be encouraged. What trouble it would be for one to fall in the wilderness.

H.P. Our commonwealth does not exactly mean that we have to work up to it, does it? It is something which belongs to us, for young and old together. It is the real joy of the heart.

W.S. Yes, the Lord says, "Rejoice that your names are written in the heavens" (Luke 10: 20). That is a wonderful thing; your name is written there and you have full rights there. As already said, we have not to work up to it, it is the work of Christ, His precious blood, and the presence of the Spirit which makes us at home there, the oldest and the youngest. Do not think that an old one has more rights in this commonwealth than a young one.

H.P. Do you think it becomes a matter of how we can attract one another into this?

W.S. Attraction, that is the thing, not pushing. It is said we are attracted into heaven, we are not pushed. But still we are here and have our responsibilities, and also there is some thing which has to be protected. There are certain limits. We should not over-stress grace and patience. It says in Corinthians in relation to our responsibilities that there are things we cannot do. It is not a matter of grace or patience, we cannot do things. That we have to accept. Sometimes when we are young we think we may go as far as we can, and if there is no limitation it is to our danger, to our damage. It is good if brethren show us that there are limitations, there are borders which cannot be overstepped.

H.P. Putting our hands to the loaf would mean that we are governed by certain restrictions, would it not?

W.S. Yes, restrictions for our salvation, not for our disadvantage. The Lord has helped us in ministry, especially by Mr Taylor, not to have certain things, and that is for our salvation. It is not any disadvantage. For instance, he warned the saints in relation to the radio. I read a reading where he brings out that inability to refuse a radio could mean not being found in the book of life. We understood as we thought about the terrible time we had in our country under the Nazi regime and now that ministry was given just at the time when the radio was spreading. The first thing the Nazis did was to build a little radio – very cheap, very small – to be in every household to listen to the voice of that terrible man. Mr Taylor said that those whose names are in the book of life are resistant against what is antichristian, and the radio is an antichristian vehicle. You find this in the reading "Witnessing" (Vol. 96, page 224): it is a very interesting reading. We may think there is no harm in these little things but let us listen to what the Lord has given us in ministry; let us be obedient and it will be for our salvation.

J.R. It speaks in the next chapter of certain persons whose names are in the book of life (v.3). We have no doubt about these persons, have we?

W.S. This should come into expression, divine life, the power of the Spirit to resist things. But the wonderful thing is that "our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens". I think when we look at the heavenly city we see all the glorious things where our commonwealth is. It is future in a way, but still we have come to it already. Hebrews 12 says we have come to it. It is by the Spirit we can enjoy these wonderful things.

Now, may we just have a look at Peter. It is another great expectation; we wait even for the eternal day. Who waits for this? There are mockers and materialists, and they are mentioned at the beginning of the third chapter. But the saints know what is to happen. We have to fulfil righteousness but everything else will go, everything! Nothing will remain, nothing at all. We can look at anything down here and nothing will remain, but we have come to things which remain. What a wonderful thing! And it is as knowing this, "All these things then being to be dissolved, what ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God". We wait for the Lord Jesus to come, to come for us and to come with us, but then there is a wonderful end, "the day of God" when righteous ness dwells. There is no mention of the need of rule, just dwelling.

H.P. What does it mean by, "hastening the coming of the day of God"?

W.S. It seems that we can shorten this time of waiting, and it will be shortened if we are occupied with these eternal things. The waiting time will be short because we do not think of the time. What do you think?

H.P. It is something like the journey of Rebecca. She had Isaac in her heart and the journey really was very short, was it not?

W.S. Yes, and so the woman of worth in Proverbs is occupied with things for her husband, and the time will be short. But we should be affected by it. It speaks of holy conversation and godliness; things are not to be without practical effect in our lives. That is what the truth should be. We are not together to speak about things just to entertain one another, but it should have an effect on our souls, and we should come out from every meeting changed. There should be some change with us, and it should be seen by others that we are changed, our fellow-workmen, our neighbours, they should find that there is a change going on with us all the time. It speaks in 2 Corinthians 7 of "perfecting holiness in God's fear" (verse 1); there should be an increase of holiness. Holiness is not by faith, it is by love.

R.S.R. Should we have the testimony in mind in all our movements, because people look at us, and they expect to see a certain decorum, and they are right, because we have so much light?

W.S. Yes, there should be a testimony. I was impressed on reading JND's letters about that (see Vol. 3 page 25 etc.) He speaks in one letter of brethren being a testimony to the ruin, but it has a special application because there was something they assumed to be. This is in one letter. But in the other letters he was concerned that the brethren should be a testimony to the thoughts of God as in the assembly.

R.S-e. Would the change take place through looking on the glory of the Lord all the week through, not just in the morning meeting, but all the week through?

W.S. Yes, there would be transformation going on.

J.R.C. There is something quite attractive in this that Peter links on with Paul when he is speaking about these eternal realities.

W.S. He would not allow that some servant should be used against another. That was the Corinthian trouble. If this is among us, it shows that we are babes in Christ; we have not come to any growth. Paul speaks of them as a model, one thing. There should be no preferences for this brother and with others for that brother; we need all the servants because they all represent something that the Lord may give. One man does not have every thing. Paul speaks of himself and of Apollos as one. They are one: they have different services, but they are one.

J.R. It speaks of Timothy, "For he works the work of the Lord, even as I" (1 Corinthians 16: 10).

W.S. That is very affecting. We know that Paul had to rebuke Peter at one time, but now Peter is right, he is linking on with Paul and he says, Paul has more than I have; like Barnabas, he looked for Paul. Peter says, "As ye wait for these things, be diligent to be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless"; and of the time of waiting he says, the longsuffering of our Lord to be salvation" – salvation for me and for you, for everyone of us.

G.A.B. Why is it the day of God which is said to be hastened and not them millennial kingdom?

W.S. The final thing would be in mind here I think. We look for eternity when everything is settled for the joy of God. We have only a few scriptures which refer to what is eternal but our hearts should be filled with what is final. God will have all His pleasure, and we will serve Him for ever and ever.

J.R. It is a challenge whether we view our lifetime here as a waiting time. It speaks in verse 12 of "waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God", verse 13 "we wait for new heavens and a new earth", and verse 14 "Wherefore, beloved, as ye wait for these things". This ought to be a waiting time for us, ought it not?

W.S. Yes, and the Lord is waiting too. "The word of my patience" (Revelation 3: 10). I think it relates to His waiting. He would rather take up His rights, but He is waiting and we wait with Him. It is not a waste of time, it is a positive time. It is wasted if we are not occupied with His coming – it is a lost time; but it is not lost or wasted if we wait for Him.

J.M. This would be a fine approach to the Supper tomorrow morning, as those that are waiting for the Lord, as persons who are ready to go.

W.S. I think the Lord would recompense the longing of our hearts. We find that He longs for the saints, and we long for Him.

W.W. Should we always be living in the light of the judgment-seat of Christ? Paul says that "while present in the body we are absent from the Lord... we are confident, I say, and pleased rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Wherefore also we are zealous, whether present or absent, to be agreeable to him." (2 Corinthians 5: 6-9).

W.S. That is good. The judgment-seat of Christ is to be a real force at the present time. When we are there we will be in glorified bodies, but there will be a review of every thing to His glory, but the real force of the judgment-seat of Christ should be now, and we want to please Him; that is the great thing, to please the Lord.

R.S-n. Would the sense of mercy too deepen with us. This second epistle begins with, "Simon Peter, bondman" as if that would grow and preserve us, do you think?

W.S. Yes, true bondmen – what a privilege for the saints now to be bondmen!

A.C.C. Would you say something about "to be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless"? When He joined the two going to Emmaus, He did not find them in that state did He? Suppose the Lord chose to join us sometime in our walk, how would He find us? It would raise the whole question as to our integrity and the purity of our life.

W.S. And we need to be more exercised about it as to the coming of the Lord draws near. It says in John that "every one that has this hope in him purifies himself" (1 John 3: 3). His public appearing speaks to our responsibility. Where will the Lord find us? It is a test. Some young one with some conscience said to me, I did this and that and I was very anxious: the Lord could have come. It is good to have this conscience. We may lose it if we go on with a lawless life, but it is real. Where will the Lord find us? He should find us waiting, ready for Him. He knows about our weakness and He has every help for us in relation to this, but He cannot support us if we are disobedient. Meetings should not encourage disobedience: meetings encourage obedience. In the soul of the young believer there should be this desire to have delight according to the inward man in the law of God. You should follow up this matter. There is a positive line in you that is by the work of God and it is a wonderful thing that you are able to follow it up. You are able to fulfil responsibility by the Spirit's power. The Lord does not demand from us what we cannot fulfil. He gives us the power to do it, but obedience is one great feature we should look to – obedience – which was displayed in the Lord Jesus Himself in a wonderful way.

W.G. This word "diligent" would be expressed. Peter says, "Wherefore, beloved, as ye wait for these things, be diligent to be found of him in peace... " The two on the way to Emmaus who said, "Was not our heart burning in us... ?" ( Luke 24: 32) became recover ed. We are recovered persons, are we not? When we get a touch from the Lord He recovers us and our hearts would burn within us.

W.S. Yes, they were disappointed. They had the wrong hopes; they expected something other than what the Lord had in mind and sometimes we are the same . Our hopes are not in the right direction, but our hearts are right. It says of the bride, in Song of Songs, "My heart was awake" (chap 5: 2). It was right in her heart, and the Lord in type takes up at this point to recovery and He will recover all of us. Our Lord is so long-suffering that we get recovered to His thoughts.

R.S.R. Peter in his first epistle speaks of "the rest of his time" (1 Peter 4: 2). We cannot do anything about what is past, but for the little that remains we should be found in diligence, should we be here for the pleasure of Christ?

W.S. That is a good word, "the rest of his time". Each one knows himself in the presence of the Lord – the time we have wasted time that will never be recovered, time that has gone. It is now the rest of our time. We do not know how much is left.

A.C.C. Peter had read all Paul's epistles and he knew what was in them; "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things", he says. Is it a good occupation for us while we are waiting to be reading the epistles, reading the Bible?

W.S. All of "these things" – that in relation to eternity where the glory of Christ appears, but also the practical things. We cannot forget It. We are in Corinthian conditions and we have to look at these matters carefully.

J.S. Would they have to do with our salvation? Paul at the time of the shipwreck says, "Ye ought... to have hearkened to me" (Acts 27: 21).

W.S. All the sailors ought to have hearkened to Paul, and the ministry of the recovery is for the opening up of Paul's teaching, and we have to listen to it. Listening is the great matter. Who has an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies? That is not one assembly. What He says in one place He says to every assembly.

D.S. The matter you raised as to obedience is a very real one for all of us, old and young, but young people need to be encouraged into it. It is not obedience to a set of rules or obedience to what someone thinks up. You spoke of Corinthian conditions. It says in 2 Corinthians 10, "And leading captive every thought into the obedience of the Christ" (v.5), the great Model we have, the One who could obey and was found perfectly in the will of God. Is this the kind of obedience into which we would want to encourage each other?

W.S. Yes, that is right, and Peter begins with this thought of obedience, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by sanctification of the Spirit, unto the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1: 2). We start with obedience. It is obedience of faith and not some thing optional, doing this or that without obedience, but our expression of the divine work. It is joy to be obedient. We are not obedient by nature: we have been sons of disobedience.

J.R. Peter in that first chapter of his first epistle speaks about "Children of obedience" (v.14). That is a very fine expression, belonging to a family of obedience: not only obedient children, but "children of obedience".

W.S. It is wonderful to Whom we are to be obedient. It is a Person who loves us, who has shown all His love. It is like children in a family. Obedience is not normally an awkward matter. It should be a matter of affection and love, and if we are disobedient we cannot enjoy the love of the parents; as it is in family relationships, so it is in the assembly. We are unhappy because we are not being obedient.

 

EDINBURGH

12 October 1985

Key to initials – all Edinburgh unless indicated

G.A.Brown; P.Buchan, Kirkcaldy; A.C.Craig, Airdrie; J.R.Cumming; 7J.Gray; W.Grosse; E.Judd; W.Lamont, Cumnock; J.Marshall; A.McBride, Grangemouth; H.Pfeiffer, Endbach; J.Renton; R.S.Renton; D.Robertson Cumnock D.Scougal; W.Schubert, Cologne; R'.Stenhouse: J.Strachan, Dundee; R.Swan; A.Thomson Lochgelly; W.Wallace, Hamilton.