THE ASSEMBLY AND OUR RELATIONS WITH CHRIST AND WITH ONE ANOTHER
A. P. Devenish
Song of Songs 2: 8–14; 3: 6; Matthew 8: 28–31; 2 Corinthians 3: 18; Revelation 21: 9–11, 18–23
It is in mind to speak of the assembly and our relations with Christ and with one another. In the scripture read in the Song of Songs, distance had evidently come in on the part of the feminine speaker. He comes “Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills ...”. There were evidently things that hindered the enjoyment of His company and His love. We could apply this to each one of us and to our local companies. She says, “Behold, he standeth behind our wall, He looketh in through the windows, Glancing through the lattice”. Notice the reference to “our wall”. Perhaps distance has come in between us and Christ, between our local companies and Christ, a distance of our own making. Perhaps we have erected a wall and He is standing outside. What an appeal this is to remove the distance; to remove anything that is hindering the enjoyment of His love and confidence. He says, “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For behold the winter is past, The rain is over, it is gone ...”. The winter would suggest what is cold and unresponsive.
In Luke 24, the two that were going to Emmaus had put up a wall of unbelief, but the Lord Jesus manifested Himself to them in a way that would remind them of Himself. “And it came to pass as he was at table with them, having taken the bread, he blessed, and having broken it, gave it to them”. They say, “Was not our heart burning in us as he spoke to us on the way ...?” He had chided them for their unbelief saying, “O senseless and slow of heart to believe”.
As He walked with them, we might suggest, He looked through the window and caught their attention by this wonderful interpretation of the scriptures, but O what a moment when the wall was taken away. It says, “And their eyes were opened, and they recognised him”. What a wonderful moment, dear brethren, when what may be hindering the unalloyed enjoyment of the love of Christ is taken away. How appealing to us are the words, “Let me see thy countenance, Let me hear thy voice”. We are coming to the Supper tomorrow and we will know this fresh appeal. May there be nothing to hinder the enjoyment of His love.
In Matthew, that we speak of as the assembly gospel, there were two possessed by demons that stood in the Lord’s way. In chapter 16, we have the assembly presented as a wholly spiritual conception; in chapter 18, we see the assembly functioning, the assembly in operation administratively. Here are two hindering the Lord’s right of way. How serious this is! In the other gospels, Mark and Luke, where this is recorded, the man is secured for the testimony, “sitting clothed and sensible, at the feet of Jesus”. In Matthew, there is no record of the men being secured for the testimony. They are removed out of the way by Christ. The suggestion would be that nothing is allowed to hinder the Lord’s right of way in the assembly, nothing to interfere with the operation of the assembly administratively. In a broken day, we are governed in our administration by the light and truth of the assembly. This does not modify the Lord’s absolute rights in the local assembly.
The thought of transparency is in mind in 2 Corinthians. It is a wonderful section speaking of the unveiled face of Jesus. In chapter 4, “... the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4: 6). Paul, the great minister of the new covenant and the gospel is transparent. He says, “But we have rejected the hidden things of shame, not walking in deceit, nor falsifying the word of God, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every conscience of men before God”. May there be nothing in us to hinder the outshining of the truth, in chapter 3, it says, “not according as Moses put a veil on his own face” (2 Corinthians 3: 13), as if to say there is no veil on Paul’s face.
Transparency leads to confidence. The outshining of the glory is seen in the face of Jesus.
There is no veil on His face; the loveliest face in the universe, “But we all, looking on the glory of the Lord ... are transformed according to the same image”, that is, nothing in us is to obscure the shining out of the glory. Paul speaks in Ephesians of “according as the truth is in Jesus”, Ephesians 4: 21. There is nothing in Him to darken or hide the outshining of the truth.
May it be so with us.
In Revelation, it is wonderful to see the holy city coming down out of the heaven from God, having the glory of God. The angel says, “Come here, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife”. This view should affect us, that there may be some expression of it in our local assemblies. Every part of the city is beautifully ornamented, even the foundations, which in this world’s buildings are buried, can be seen, nothing hidden. The street of the city is pure gold, as transparent glass. I suppose the street would suggest our liberty to move about in the holy city. Paul’s ministry brings us to the inner life of the city. We will see each other as the product of divine workmanship. If we should meet Paul, his face will shine with his love for the saints. Think of him in Acts 20, it says, “they ardently kissed him, specially pained by the word which he had said, that they would no more see his face” (Acts 20: 37, 38). What
mutual affection is demonstrated in that chapter! If you were embraced by Paul you would feel the warmth of his affection. What about our links together, beloved brethren, are they of this character? O, that the unclouded fulness of God’s thoughts for us in the assembly should be enjoyed and elements that would hinder the free flow of affection may be thoroughly judged that we may be together in affection for one another enjoying the presence of Christ and the fulness of His love. May the Lord bless the word.
Address at Vancouver
18 August 2001