RELATIONSHIPS IN LOVE

A.J.E.Welch

John 1: 35 39; 20: 17; Revelation 1: 10, 11

I take it that John, the writer of these verses, would have the full, completed course of God's testimony before him; He would know what we spoke of earlier as the origins and he looks on right to the end. John, in that sense, according to what he writes, is unique as having the extended prophetic view of things right through to completion. Yet it is he who reminds us of the most intimate, affectionate relationships, whether seen in Christ or in the saints. Christianity, in this remarkable order of things in the Spirit, is very rich in what belongs to the realm of intimacy and relationships in true affection: relationships known in the real and substantial working of the affections that belong in them. So that what we have in John's writings and what we have expressed in them as to John himself has a peculiar bearing on the present time. Like John, we are called upon to face the realities of God's ways here in government; that has always been true at any point in the testimony for those who stand in it but it seems peculiarly so at the present time, when manifestly the closing up of everything is upon us. The powers of evil are reaching a point of development, in the sense in which evil develops, not in our time without the restraint the presence of the Spirit brings, but reaching a point of development where we would all acknowledge that it seems that God must come in. Yet shall we, dear brethren, be hardened or be governed in our outlook just by what is in government? As we think of the recent times of conflict, is the realisation of the realities of conflict bringing about any hardness? I believe that the challenge of that is very real. God is taking a certain course, a solemn course, in determining things in His governmental ways but shall we, in the midst of those ways, be out of touch with what the Spirit brings out in John the prophet, a man through whom so much was unfolded regarding the course of matters prophetically, a man to whom so much was committed as to matters which the Lord necessarily had to call attention to in certain assemblies: matters of a grave character, matters involving the possibility that the Lord might, in one place at least, take a candlestick out of its place?

But in the midst of these disclosures what kind of a man was John? What kind of persons are we? A lot has taken place which, were we not with God, would tend to harden us. God would have us to be with Him so that nothing but His thoughts, His affections, His feelings shall be governing us. Therefore the need is great of constant engagement with the Person of Christ. Let us get back to that: I feel the urgency of saying it, that all that is presented to us in that glorified Man might at no time be lost sight of. All that the Spirit would present to our hearts in Jesus is increasingly and powerfully to affect us. Some may say that this is objective truth; yes, but the objective is a divine objective and what is more formative to the heart and for the workings of the conscience than the beholding of Jesus, as He is, in a realm which is fit to receive Him? Think of what came out in Jesus here in a realm of things publicly that, in a certain sense, was not fit to receive Him and yet He was in it. We think of what came out; we are to think of Jesus where He was taken, received up in glory. Let us get a view of Christ up there, God's beloved Son in a scene that is for the glory which is shining in Him.

So we have in this first chapter this verse this very simple incident. We have often perhaps referred to it in preaching, yet it is a very vital incident; its very simplicity is to affect us. My conviction is that it is usually the simple basic things that relate to Christianity that we need most. Thank God for the unfolding of the truth in its full wealth and extent; thank God for those who, under His hand, are available and able to unfold the extent of the truth, but let us see that we do not miss the simple basis of what God has opened up to us in His glad tidings, the great essentials that stand related to what God Himself has called us to have part in. So there are two disciples, disciples initially of John. The first need is for us to be just that, disciples: not disciples of John the baptist, nor of anyone here, not disciples of any man in that sense, but disciples of Jesus. How simply this is brought about: "And, looking at Jesus as he walked, he says, Behold the Lamb of God"; just as if he would say to those who heard and to us this afternoon, Everything depends upon Him. It does not say any more. The time comes as to these things when it is not a time to say any more but just to get into the vital experience of what has been said. Our minds are apt to run on, we are apt to speak at length, to move quickly from one thing to another (and there are times when that is appropriate and needed) but this is a time when John just says "Behold the Lamb of God" and he stops. When you come to ponder it, how much John had said in five words. The truth of God is like that. I trust every brother will be encouraged here to fill his part in what we speak of as the prophetic meeting: there may be just five words like these five words of John's and yet the five words may bring about a revolution in someone which is to yield richly for God Himself. Let us go on with the truth, present the truth, speak as God gives opportunity and grace to speak. Let us be engaged with what is properly our portion, beloved brethren, and may our engagement with it come out in us as we speak together and as we speak to men and above all as we speak to God. "Behold the Lamb of God": John would doubtless be a man who could say a great deal more if he felt it was indicated to do so, but he stops. I find this happening, if I may speak of any little measure of experience, pretty often. Just grasp these great, these profound elements of the truth, start to contemplate, seek the Spirit's help that something may come into experience that belongs to what is being presented.

So it says "the two disciples heard him speaking, and followed Jesus". How beautifully simple it is! They heard John the baptist speaking and they followed Jesus; nothing, so to say, demonstrative as men speak; but what had happened in the souls of those two persons? They followed Jesus. The word had borne fruit, there is no sign now of their retaining attachment in discipleship to John; they are bringing out the features of discipleship to Jesus. The account does not say that they became disciples of Jesus but they brought out the features of discipleship and that, dear brethren, is vital. I may claim to be a disciple but not be walking in the features that belong to discipleship. I may make claims - any one of us may make claims - and although they may not be spoken claims there may be inward assumptions with some of us to touch of service has come in! He addresses Himself to these two: "But Jesus having turned, and seeing them following, says to them, What seek ye?" In one way the Lord is searching them out, in another way He is pursuing His links with them that they may be fully attached to Him; and see the remarkable significance of the way the Lord does it. As He seeks a link with you or me, He will search us as to what we really want - "What seek ye?" The Lord's grace is never far from what I would call the moral realities of the situation on our side, and He is testing out these two – “What seek ye? " We may ask ourselves, each one - I ask myself - what did I come here for today, what, did I go to the reading for last night, why should I be at the Supper in the morning? You can put scripture and fine statements to these things, but what is really governing me in these matters? The Lord is searching us out - "What seek ye?" It is just bringing out that it is the simple basic matters for which there is such need - "What seek ye?”. Am I in fellowship, as we speak, with mixed motives; am I serving with mixed motives; am I moving among the brethren with mixed motives?

"And they said to Him, Rabbi (which being interpreted, signifies Teacher), where abidest thou?" - a very spontaneous answer, an answer which (if I could use the expression) rings true at once; and the Lord delights in that, things we say and things that are held in our minds which ring true because they are the fruit of a real, longing heart. The Lord will test us out; we should remain very shallow if He did not do so. The necessary moral strength for such a time as this would never be found with us if the Lord in His love did not test us out. "What seek ye?" He brings these two to this fine result. The question is "Where abidest thou? He says to them Come and see". All the expressions used are so plain, so simple, so direct. "Come and see". Would you like to come and see? Two disciples moving together, just two! The Lord is not addressing Himself here to a crowd - you do not find that in John's writings: John is not thinking in terms of crowds in a positive sense. A time in the history does come when thousands were involved in the touches of blessing that God brought in, showing what God is able to do, but in general the choicest elements of the truth are not worked out in relation to crowds, they stand very closely related in Scripture to what is obscure according to man, and small in its proportions, but intrinsically of quality which is very precious in the sight of heaven. Think of two dwelling with Jesus that day! You wonder what they experienced; we are not going to speculate upon that; the point is that they were with Jesus. They were where He abode. That is the great point of my remarks. There is the extended scope which is true even here: think of what the Lord was able to carry into effect, the whole extent of His work in redemption, the whole extent of His teaching, the whole extent of His activity of which John says so feelingly that if the things that Jesus did "were written one by one, I suppose that not even the world itself could contain the books written," chap 21: 25; John is saying, See how vast the whole matter is and yet you can just dwell in intimacy with the One who is the very central point of it all, even Jesus. Did you ever find Him reluctant to have to say to you as you went in? If you did, did you search out the course of things that may, in your mind, have given occasion to that sense of His reluctancy? What a matter it is to be consciously in the presence of Jesus, not because you need something, not because there is a moral necessity to get to Him on account of some deflection; just to get into the presence of Jesus! We are so apt to bring Him in when need arises, to cry to Him when some failure arises - and rightly so of course - but are our dealings with Christ limited to failure and need? Think of those disciples in what you could speak of as the central core of this precious gospel, chapters 13 onwards, the way they were with Jesus! There was need, there was failure even, with some that were there. But what was prominent as they were with Jesus was the unfolding of the divine glories and the Lord was able to keep it that way. Get into the Lord's presence not because there is a specific need to go to Him but just because you love Him and long for Him and long to have something unfolded which His love for you would cause Him delight to unfold. Maybe for many of us this is a new way to seek the presence of Jesus, just to seek an unfolding from Him not because there has been a failure, not because there is some special need arising; just for Himself, for His own sake, that we may take on what is uppermost in His heart which John so distinctly did take on as he went forward. So it says that these two abode with Him that day. It does not say more. It does not go over what they experienced, no detail is given; the point is not that the detail need be given but rather that the essential point with these two is that they abode with Him that day. Is that our experience, dear brethren? I speak in this just of our experience personally: do we know what it is to spend time where the abiding place of Jesus is?

Well, a lot transpired before this precious message was given to Mary. The Lord says to her, Mary, just the simple personal reference to her by her name, Mary. The name itself as we know involves, in its meaning, experience of bitterness. It is like Mara in the book of Ruth, bitterness in experience. We are not without that. I spoke earlier of the possibility of our being hardened, but the bitterness of experience is not to harden us but to make Christ more precious to us as it was with Mary. So she gets a sense of who He is. What a breaking in upon the soul of that woman when Jesus spoke to her! She discerned who it was that spoke she was longing after Him, her tears were shed because of her longing - what for - we might say better who for? How many tears have we shed· because of our longing after Jesus? We have shed tears about many things, many times, but how often into those tears something of self has crept, a disappointment of something to which we have aspired, a realisation of some ideal that we cherished has had to be removed. These are tears of longing for Jesus and the Lord answers those tears and says to her, Mary. That is that at that moment, as He said it, this one person was specifically in His mind: He says, Mary. Not that you could limit His mind - being who He is you can never limit the mind of Jesus - but as here in manhood beyond death He is addressing one woman and saying to her, Mary. That is, she is the point to Him at that moment. There is a wealth of meaning in that as we link it with what came out as to the mystery through Paul later, what Mary signifies as presenting the attractiveness of the feminine side in relation to Christ; but I speak of her this evening just as a person to whom the Lord addressed Himself - Mary. That is, a link is established which the Lord Jesus has confirmed from His side in addressing Himself to her, as if He would break into that woman's soul and enshrine Himself in her heart that He may never be displaced. So He can trust her; what a message was her trust! I suppose words have rarely meant so much as these words meant, that the Lord entrusted to Mary. "Go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God". What concentration is here in respect of the relationships which are the great theme and point of this message! "My Father and your Father". What it involved for the heart of Christ to speak of His Father, to speak to His brethren and say to them "Your Father". What it involves for the hearts of the saints, to the hearts of His brethren, to receive a message like this and realise what it is to be brought into sonship - not that that is expanded here as to us, but the point is in view here. "Go to my brethren" is in the plural; do we value the brethren as the Lord speaks of them? Not the way He speaks involving the moral side, which is another presentation of matters where there is the moral qualification for it, but the side that relates to divine purpose. "Go to my brethren". Actual existing persons at that time are brought into this relationship in its vital power, not just through light but in its vital power in that Christ was out of death, His work complete and the relationship in its substance was in view now. What this meant for the Lord; what does it mean to us? To be right in relation with Christ - His brethren. We sometimes sing 'Out of Thy death has sprung a wondrous living throng' (Hymn 152). Does it thrill us to realise that in the infiniteness of grace we can number ourselves as God numbers us of that throng, a wondrous living throng. Not just the light of the matter is the point, but the realisation of it. I suppose every one of us here can quote this message. How often we come back to this scripture, and rightly so, and always get something fresh from it, the realisation of a substantial subsisting relationship with Christ. What does it mean to us, dear brethren? Are we going lightly to lay aside any element of the truth that stands related to this glorious situation that is presented here? Is the enemy going to catch any one of us away? That is a real challenge. The Lord would have us, as the very challenge itself comes, to get into the strength of fresh links with Himself and the realisation of what these relationships are. In the infiniteness of God's wisdom it is left for Paul to develop the side of sonship by adoption, that is our place in sonship. The Lord, so to say, introduces this great subject here: "My Father and your Father", and having introduced it, it would seem that He left it for Paul to develop. That is how things were at the beginning, that is to say that things were to be come into in experience and reality, even before the light of them was clarified and extended. So that as we have often remarked the assembly was here. The assembly was formed immediately at Pentecost, and yet those who were involved in that precious vessel would scarcely realise at first, may be, what was happening, but as Paul was brought in the whole matter was set out and maintained. It is to show us the urgency of what is vital, to get into the experience; they would have had it, I suppose, in those forty days, the Lord coming in and going out amongst them. How vital the experience is. The Lord in these days, in grace which is ever so simple for the benefit of all of us, is showing us the way in to this wonderful basis of experience - "Go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God".

Well, this passage would repay yet more study by every one of us. It is not for us to dwell upon in any length now but I am just emphasising the Lord's urgent concern to bring His own into the intimacy of real experience with Himself, and here with the Father, yes, with God. What a blessed thing to speak to the Father about Christ and about Himself, to get into the presence of God and to be in the consciousness that it is God in whose presence you are, the blessed God known to our hearts in the Father and in the Son and in the Spirit, the glory of God in some sense opened out to us! I suppose in a sense that is elementary experience, it belongs to Christianity in its very beginnings, but it belongs to Christianity in relation to Christ and the assembly right through into eternity, just to be in the presence of God, free there, having access, as the word is, "through him ... by one Spirit to the Father", Eph 2: 18; This is all for our heart to come into, not just as directed by active minds but as knowing the promptings of that precious, endless, immeasurable love in the heart of Christ and in the Father's heart towards His own. We are to come into it, bathe our souls in it and get into what is the true spirit and character of things in what we speak of as Christianity.

Well, at the end, John in Patmos addresses the saints: "John, your brother". He speaks of being in the Spirit on the Lord's day. How often that scripture has been quoted! How often do we know the power of it? I leave that concern with all our hearts. John hears a great voice; the voice says "What thou seest write in a book, and send to the seven assemblies". Are those assemblies, in what they mean, precious to us? Can we view the whole scope of the testimony in the character in which God has asserted it and is maintaining it in the local assemblies? Just see the Lord in relation to each and all to bring in something which relates to what is the intimate concern to the heart of Christ at the present time - "send to the seven assemblies". As remarked at the beginning, some of the things the Lord says are very solemn; but behind even the most solemn there is the Lord's love for the assembly. His concern is to get every local assembly right, to meet every condition that tended to shut Him out by the positive assertion of His own mind and of His own love. The Lord is equal to that. We might have said that these seven assemblies involved mixed conditions, but the Lord is addressing Himself to them in the faithfulness of His Love; He would have John with Him in addressing Himself to them.

So, dear brethren, there is work to be done, there are conditions to be met, there are matters that must rightly come under notice as the Lord draws attention to them; but He would strengthen us and vitalise us by the sense of the power that is in His own hand and the love with which He is working to reach a full end for God in this wonderful time in which we are. The time of the Spirit might rightly be spoken of as the time of the working out of things in local assemblies, and the Lord would sustain us in working things through to what delights His heart and what is pleasurable to the heart of God in us at the end. May we be committed to it, understanding that these choice, heavenly relationships of love are to be at the heart of everything, that God may be fitly represented in the testimony and fitly served in what delights His own heart. May it be so.

BARNSTAPLE

11 March 1972