COMMITTAL

E.M.Walkinshaw

Acts 7: 22-25; Hebrews 11: 24-27; 13: 10,15

I thought these three scriptures might serve to encourage us, dear brethren, in a more definite committal to the Lord and to His testimony. One longs to see younger men and women more definitely committed to it; prepared on the one hand for the reproach of it, but also able to understand and appreciate the privilege of it. You will see that the context in which I am putting the word 'privilege' now is that of association with God's testimony. One prays very much, I am sure we all do, for the younger men and women, because we would love to see them more definitely committed. What I observe is a readiness to acknowledge what is right and to be associated with those who walk in the truth, but an apparent (I hope I may be forgiven if I am mistaken) lack of definite personal committal. No doubt this is the case with many, perhaps all of us in some degree, but I think Moses would serve to encourage us in a definite committal to the Lord and to the testimony and a readiness to esteem "the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt".

The first passage refers to him as thinking of his brethren. It says "It came into his heart to look upon his brethren". He would have been a young man then; and they are called "the sons of Israel". This is no doubt the point where he came to some definite acceptance of "the reproach of the Christ". It says he thought they would have understood "that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not". That must have been a test to him, nevertheless he begins by a committal to, and love for people that were very definitely in reproach. Egypt held them in bondage, typical of the world's system, Pharaoh no doubt in that setting the god and the prince of it; but Moses himself, although the way was open for him to have a prominent place in it in his own life came to a definite decision and readiness to commit himself to a people who although poor and afflicted were supported by God, and a people to whom God had committed Himself. I suppose, dear brethren, we could think of persons in our day like that, who might have had great advent in the world, yet prepared, as it comes into their heart to associate themselves with a people outwardly despised, crushed, unknown, but among whom there is a wonderful testimony to God Himself and an enshrining in their hearts of what is precious to God in the very presence of opposing forces. Egypt must have been attractive; as appealing to the younger men and women, you will find Egypt attractive. It is useless to say that it is not. In fact in our second passage it says quite plainly "the temporary pleasure of sin"; so that the world has that to offer which is pleasurable that is to ourselves naturally, and no doubt Moses found the same thing. I have heard it said, whether or not it was true, that he was probably put in the position of commander-in-chief of the Egyptian army, such was his power and his greatness. None of us here I suppose could hold a position such as that or its equivalent, I know I could not. It was the Spirit of Christ in him that prompted him to leave it; and the persons to whom he was committed were persons to whom God had committed Himself, and that I believe is the reason that the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews says it was "the reproach of the Christ"; not the reproach of the position in which they were through failure, as we have already noted, or through anything that had come upon them in the governmental ways of God, although all that might have been accepted, but it is specifically called in Hebrews 11 "the reproach of the Christ". Now I judge, dear brethren, that that is an interpretation. What is in the mind of the Spirit of God is that “reproach of the Christ” is what is connected with a people to whom God is committed. Take the position today, it is an extremely testing one, but God would help us to understand that there is to be the consciousness and reality of the anointing; that is, whatever the position of the saints, whatever the outward reproach, whatever may come upon us there is the committal of God to His people. I believe there are those here in this world in whom the testimony of God and the testimony of the Christ is enshrined, it is held in their affections in the very presence of opposing forces. If we get an impression of those in the circle of the truth like that I think it will help us, young or old, to make a more definite committal and a more definite turning away from the world, to esteem "the reproach of the Christ" greater riches than everything it may have to offer. Have we seen the brethren like that? Outwardly we see them as part of a broken revival, that is the public position; nevertheless God would help us and give us light as to where His testimony is cherished so that we might learn what it is to commit ourselves to it however outwardly weak and bedraggled it may appear to be. There is associated with those in the circle of the truth the dignity of the Christ, and I think Moses had some impression of this. You could hardly say that he could speak of the Christ in the sense in which the writer of the Hebrews does, but he had some impression, I believe, of a wonderful committal of God to His people; in fact he was enlightened about it a little later - "I have seen... the affliction of my people... And I am come down to deliver them", Exod 3: 7,8. He had the light of it, dear brethren, but I think he had that light after it had come into his heart to go out and look upon his brethren. They did not understand; and maybe (and I think it has been so) that persons have been known to commit themselves and the brethren have not understood. That has been the case generally with many of the Lord's servants, a desire to go out and look upon the brethren, a committal to serve them; but, it says, "they understood not". What a test that must have been to Moses himself (and what a test to every servant of the Lord!) for it to come into his heart to go out and look upon his brethren to serve them and to find that they did not understand!

Now Stephen takes this up in a setting which is judicial, and a setting again outwardly of weakness, and yet what moral power marked that man as he stood in that council, able to set out the truth, able to set out the history of the testimony not only of Moses but of others! I have selected Moses because of what was said about him in the reading in both these scriptures, one that "it came into his heart", that is how the Spirit of God puts it, and the other that he esteemed, came to a definite judgment, "rather to suffer affliction along with the people of God than to have the temporary pleasure of sin... for he had respect to the recompense". I have often thought of Moses like that. You think of Pharaoh and his hosts, where are they? Where is the Egyptian world? But then you might ask, where is Moses? What a privilege was his as he with Elias was able to stand and converse with Jesus on the mountain! What a recompense for a man of faith who made that committal so many years before! Would that not be an encouragement to us, beloved brethren? Often we say we regard the early days as though everything went on publicly in triumph. Was it the case? Was it the case with Moses? Was it the case with Paul? "At my first defence no man stood with me", he says, "May it not be imputed to them", 2 Tim 4: 16. Everything did not go on in outward public splendour and glory when Paul was here, it was outwardly in weakness and shame and reproach, and at one point everyone abandoning him; but he went on. And so it is today, in the presence of very severe tests, that the Lord would encourage us to come to a definite committal and learn what it is to esteem "the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt". I believe it applies particularly to young men and young women. A point of decision is reached. There are wonderful openings in the world as there were for Moses, wonderful openings in the world for Paul I doubt not, and for Mr Darby and Mr Raven and suchlike men. Is it true that Mr Gladstone told him that he was wasting his time amongst the brethren? What a thing to say to such a man! But these men, dear brethren, had come to a definite committal, not simply an acceptance of what was right or of where the path of the truth was, but to this definite committal to the Lord and His testimony which caused them to abandon all else and devote themselves both to Him and to it. Whatever circumstances it may be found in there was the committal. Another person comes to mind, namely Ruth: "Do not intreat me to leave thee, to return from following after thee", Ruth 1: 16. And who was that? That was a poor old widowed woman; what hope would she have? And yet Ruth clave to her. I think that is like the outward position in which the saints are today: poor, widowed, no visible means of support, no one outwardly to refer to for guidance, but returning to where the saints are, having heard that Jehovah has visited His people to give them bread. She is a sister prepared to commit herself to that poor widowed woman who I think represents the testimony in its reproach, yet coming back to where God had visited His people to give them bread. Orpah returned to Moab. The challenge in our day is not to see the beauty of the picture but the moral application of it to ourselves. Am I to return to Moab in all its self-indulgence? That is rather like Laodicea, the condition of things which is so prevalent today. Or am I like Ruth, prepared to go ahead, and then not only to understand the committal to what is outwardly weak and widowed, but to come on the inside to the greatest privilege possible, that is union with the mighty Man of wealth?

Now just to proceed into the last chapter, here we find the Lord Jesus Himself referred to: "Wherefore also Jesus, that he might sanctify the people". How essential that we should understand that all the blessing that has been received, whether by persons in previous dispensations or in this, is based on the Person and the work of Jesus. How unique He is! As we commented in the reading, they stood by the cross of Jesus; it is such an appeal - His personal name. In this epistle, as most of us would know, nine times His personal name Jesus is mentioned. That makes an appeal, does it not, to every lover of His? It is not now the testimony of the Christ, viewing Him as the Head of a system which is for God' pleasure, although that exists; but the simple references to Himself personally by His name which always make an appeal to our affections; and that is the appeal in this passage, it is Himself: "Wherefore also Jesus, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate". It does not say here that He died without the gate, that was no doubt true; but the emphasis is upon the fact that He suffered, and yet how superior He was to it! We should keep this in mind, that Jesus was superior to it, He bore it, He was equal to it. There is no question of Him being submerged. In Luke it says "he expired"; in John it says " he delivered up his spirit". As one old brother once said at the correction of that hymn which we used to sing, 'The storm that bowed Thy blessed head'; no storm ever bowed His blessed head, He bowed it Himself; so it was changed to 'The storm that burst o'er Thy bless'd head'. So that while He suffered without the gate He was not submerged, He carried everything through. That is to make an appeal to us: He suffered without the camp. I fully accept that it says "that he might sanctify the people by his own blood". It shows without question that He died and that that was essential for sanctification, but the emphasis seems to lie on the fact that He suffered, and that is to make an appeal to our affections; "therefore let us go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach". As having His Spirit we are not submerged by the reproach but are able to be superior to it; hence He adds immediately "for we have not here an abiding city, but we seek the coming one". I wonder if we do; the Lord would encourage us to do so. Can each of us, brothers and sisters alike, put ourselves in this 'we', "we have not here an abiding city". We all like to build things up here but the Lord would help us to understand that our part is to "seek the coming one"; and then, "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God!". Is the outside position one of despondency, one of depression? He says "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of the lips confessing his name". May the Lord encourage us, dear brethren, to come into these things increasingly. May He Himself encourage each one of our hearts to make a more definite decision, maybe in youth; maybe some of us who are a little older need to do it too, to commit ourselves to His people, though they be in reproach, and to esteem "the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt" and know what it is as outside the camp to have our part in the praise of God itself. I believe, as we have already said, that these things very largely go together. A brother remarked in the reading, Outside the camp, inside the veil. In the order of the epistle it is inside the veil, outside the camp, but I noticed a little while ago that Mr Taylor sen teaches us that what is set out in the truth in the first two chapters is learned experimentally as we consider the details of certain subjects from the end of the epistle back to these two chapters. But the immediate point of my exhortation is that each of us might with more definiteness commit ourselves to the Lord and to His testimony in its reproach and also in the privilege that belongs to those that are in it. May the Lord encourage every one of us, for His Name's sake.

ST ALBANS

30 March 1974