Assembly truths

For the sake of younger brethren in particular, I have a little burden today that I hope will be a help to them. I'm speaking of younger brethren in relation to their responsibility in the assembly and their wives. And if they don't have one and looking for one, well, be careful you get one that will be a help to you in God's assembly.

That is God's great purpose. It is a very interesting thing. When we're reading through the four gospels, we are actually reading a character of transition.

Our Lord Jesus is bringing us away from Judaism to something new, and he's laying a foundation in the gospels for the new thing. And as we look at the teaching of the Lord, particularly in the last chapters of each of the four gospels, we can see that he has now going to explain to those dear apostles a foundation for their activity when he is absent. And that brings us to the Acts of the Apostles.

And I want to note this and say this for you younger men in your studying, in your reading through the book of the Acts. There's one theme in the book of the Acts, just one theme. When we turn to the gospels, particularly notice John's gospel, it is thematic in its construction.

It's seven, seven, seven, seven, seven interviews, seven sermons, and seven prayers, seven different things that's thematic. He's showing us by these different times of preaching and interviews that the Lord has, he's laying and he's manifesting a theme that's in his mind. But when we come to Acts, there's one thing, and it's God's assembly.

That's what he has in mind right from the beginning. And as we think of it as a missionary book, that is the gospel is going out into the world every occasion, whichever avenue it goes to. And there are five different conversions in Acts of five different nationalities.

That's God reaching out. And in every one of those connections, there's going to be an assembly of God. That's what God has in mind.

So I want to try and notice a little today, and I hope it will be a help to us. And particularly, I say again for you, dear younger men, because you're going to have to make judgments when it comes to things that take place, and problems that will arise, and that it comes to the teaching of doctrine, and those who should be teaching, and those who shouldn't be teaching. You're going to have to make decisions, and your decisions are not made.

Like one man said to me one time when he was an outsider, and he came to watch the remembrance of the Lord. And afterward, he said, I like that. He says, every man can say what he wants.

That's what he saw. But that's not true, brethren. And that is that order that I trust the Spirit of God will help us to see today.

I want to notice with you, just by following one assembly in the book of the Acts, the assembly of God at Antioch, how God is going to raise up within that assembly, and send out from that assembly, men for gospel work, as well as teaching, and oversight. How God develops that. And so, I trust that it will be a help to us today, and an encouragement for our older brethren, because they have sought to maintain these truths.

And I hope that you will see that pattern from the scriptures, those who are younger, and be able to act upon it. So we'll read, please. Acts chapter 2, verse 41.

Then they that gladly received his word. And you know, that's a very interesting word there. They that gladly received.

You know what that word is really saying? It says, that's what we've been looking for. And they embraced it. That's what we've been looking for.

We found it. They that gladly received his word. They found the person of our Lord Jesus, and the truth that is seen in him for the day in which they're living.

And they were baptized. In the same day, they were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, teaching, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and prayers.

And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common. The first thing that I want to emphasize in Acts chapter 1, chapter 2, is one man ministry.

That's what we have in this passage. One man ministry. It is an apostle.

And what we're going to find when we turn to this apostle's writings in 1st Peter and 2nd Peter, he's going to show to us that while he was what he speaks of as being an elder, that is, he is the one with experience. He's not a regional elder of oversight for assemblies. That's not what he's saying.

I also am an elder. He's speaking about the character of experience with his Lord, having seen him, heard his teaching, and seen the work of God in the gospel with assemblies of believers gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. That's what he's speaking of.

And in that passage, he shows no one-man ministry. 1st Peter, chapter 2. That's your homework. You had to look up, look that one up, and look at the passage, and you'll see how the apostle Peter, while he's a one-man minister here, because of circumstances, we're going to discover that is not the pattern for New Testament church gathering.

So our first reading, apart from this, please, I ask you to turn to chapter 11. The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 11, and verse 19. Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenix, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none, but unto the Jews only.

And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church, which was in Jerusalem.

And they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch, who when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith, and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul.

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people, and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. And in those days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

The first thing that I want to try and notice with you a little in this connection, we can see that there's beginning to to be developed in the what is called the churches here in this passage. And I'm going to take just about three minutes to note with you the idea of the word church. Very commonly we say ecclesia, gathered out.

But really the idea of church is more occupied with assembling, bringing together. God is gathering out, but he's bringing together. And that is really the idea that we have here.

When we're going through the gospels, we get the gathering out. He's taking them away from unto himself. And when we come to the book of the Acts, he's bringing them together for something.

That is the idea of the word church. And so when the gospel goes into an area like some of you beloved people, who are saints who are here today, I was favored with being raised in an assembly of God. But I had to learn that truth.

And I do remember very, very well the experience that God gave to me, that Jim Smith had to put his nose in the book and find out why he was where he was. And I thank God for that. But some of you have not been raised with that.

And you're wondering, you're being told and exhorted, you got to keep coming to all the meetings, make sure you had all the meetings. Remember, this word church is occupied with a bringing together to a center. And that center is, as my brother McLeod brought before us this morning, the person of the Lord Jesus.

That's the center. The gospels bring us out to him. The Acts brings us together to him.

And that is what we're going to be noticing here, the function of this togetherness. That's called the church. Now we notice from Acts 2 and chapter 11 of Acts, the church at Jerusalem.

So what was planted in Acts chapter 2 is labeled the assembly of God at Jerusalem. And that's what's seen in chapter 11. And in that group from Acts chapter 2 until you get to chapter 11 is about three years.

And during that three-year period, there had been developed in the assembly of believers gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem, men who could be trusted with truth to teach others. That's what God is intending, each assembly of God to be autonomous in its own ability. And here in Hikesville, Cedar Falls, and all the assemblies in this area, beloved, God is looking for each assembly of God to be intact in itself, capable to function with this pattern.

Now the pattern that I'm thinking of at this point is the pattern of the functioning of gift. That is what I want to try and notice with you, because in each one of these cases that we find that the Spirit of God is going to raise up men within that group. And sometimes He may bring other men to teach them.

And that's what we have in the first case in chapter 11. But let me note with you how it began in Antioch. There were some believers that were chased away, as you know, by the dispersion because of the persecution over Stephen, when Stephen was the first martyr of the church in the New Testament in the book of the Acts.

And from that, they were scattered around. But they were all preaching the gospel. That's what it tells us in our passage.

We read that in verse 19, they were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, traveled as far as Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word to none but to the Jews. And then, lo and behold, there's others that came along of Cyprus and Cyrene, and they preached to the Greeks. So in the assembly at Antioch, there's Jews and Greeks.

They all got saved. Now there's going to be a conflict here. Jews and Greeks.

There's going to be some problems. But that's one of the reasons that there's a necessity for men to be raised up by the Spirit of God that can teach and that can minister as overseers, as we're going to see in this passage in the next chapter that we read. So dear brethren and dear sisters, the gospel should be in the hands of all of us, each one of us.

The gospel of the grace of God that reached us, we have a treasure that the world needs. We have a treasure that we're trusted with by God that's not even trusted to angels. It is ours to get out with the gospel, every one of us.

And it doesn't matter to whom you preach, Jew or Gentile. It's not a question of picking and choosing. Our gospel is for the world.

And what's the purpose of it? To see churches planted, not diminishing, planted. And that is what we see first of all here in Antioch. And so in Antioch, God is going to begin to work.

Let us go please to chapter 13, verse 1. Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon, just like them, just like Barnabas and Simeon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manan, which had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work were unto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Now we'll look down the chapter please. Chapter 14, pardon me. I meant to go to the next chapter.

Chapter 14 and we will look at verse 1. It came to pass in Iconium that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews and so spake a great multitude, both of Jews also and of the Greeks, believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil, affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of His grace.

Now chapter 15 please will be my final reading. So let us read it at the present and we will come back to it. And pardon me, verse 21 of chapter 14 before we go that far.

And when they had preached the gospel to that city and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in every church and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed. And after they had passed through Pisidia and Cainphilia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Italia and then sailed to Antioch.

From whence they had been commended, recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. And when they were come and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Now in the 15th chapter please. Look over to verse 22. Then pleased at the apostles and elders with the whole church to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas, surnamed Barnabas, Barsabbas, pardon me, and Silas, chief men among the brethren.

And they wrote letters by them after this manner. The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. For as much as we have heard that certain.

Now the next statement really should be omitted here because these men were not in God's assembly that did this wrong teaching. For as much as we have heard that certain have troubled you with words subverting your souls saying you must be circumcised and keep the law to whom we gave no such commandment. It seemed good unto us being assembled with one accord to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.

Now look down to verse 30. So when they were dismissed they came to Antioch and when they had gathered the multitude together they delivered them the epistle which when they had read they rejoiced for the consolation and Judas and Silas being prophets also themselves exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them and after they had tarried there a space they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also.

So I want just to try and notice the development in Antioch of four different gifts. First of all brethren I think we need to make a distinction between gifted men and gifts. Now the word for gifts we think of something being given and that is true in in the sense that this is not something that we are born with naturally.

Each of us have personalities that personality is not the gift that is being spoken of here. This is a spiritual enablement and that can only come as we read in chapter 15 by the Holy Ghost who made it clear to the oversight in that in that assembly in Antioch that Barnabas and Saul should be separated for a separate work and sent forth from the assembly to see others assemblies planted and to be able to unite them in their fellowship. So we must make a distinction and dear younger brethren God expects in every assembly there should be development of these four kinds of gifts because that's the pattern.

You see what God is doing is he's creating an ability within the assembly for its self-sustenance. It is going to be able to continue without having a central oversight or without having a central government of some time or without having three or four men who are the boss and make the decisions. No, Hytesville makes its own decisions.

Cedar Falls makes its own decisions and in each of those assemblies there is the ability raised up by the Spirit of God to function so that they can be complete in their judgment, in their teaching, and in their oversight. Is it not interesting that the first gift or gifted men that we read of that were raised up in Antioch were overseers? That was the first one. I find that quite intriguing.

I would have thought that maybe the Lord would say well first let's give them some teachers. No, says the Spirit of God, the first thing and brethren it's laying emphasis upon it. Every assembly of believers gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ should have capable overseers.

Now an overseer as we see in this passage and as we see functioning in chapter 15 are men who are going to have to make decisions according to the mind of the Spirit of God and therefore according to the teachings that were given to them which they had from the apostles and through the teachings of the gospels. They're going to make decisions within the assemblies as to matters which relate to the conduct of the believers even their diets. Very interesting.

Now would we call those men bosses? Somebody said something about being a boss. Anyway, there's no bosses. An overseer is not a position of sovereignty.

An overseer is one who is functioning to see maintained that order which the Spirit of God planted and very brethren you who are younger God is going to exercise some of you brethren and your wives to be overseers in character. This is how it starts. We're noticing from the book of the acts how it started was there were men that cared for the others and went to help them.

That's how oversight starts. It's not a person choosing themselves to be something or a position. The divine pattern brethren is the Spirit of God putting within the breast of that young man and that young sister.

I think we should be looking after sister so and so. I think we need to go and encourage brother so and so. That's the makings of oversight.

Being able to hear the needs and be able to help with judgments for those dear people. That's what God begins with. Then we read of another gifted individual called a prophet.

Now the New Testament prophets were in character what we would think of as we think of Isaiah and Ezekiel and those men. That is God gave to them revelation to be conveyed to the people, to the saints because they didn't have the book of God to turn to in New Testament teaching. But we do have men today and God wants in each assembly men whom he may develop that will have discernment as to the development of truth, the unfolding of the pattern of truth.

Not just giving our little ditties. God preserve us brethren. We can't live on ditties.

That's like going to McDonald's. All you get is onion rings or something. But no, it's you being concerned dear brother.

And I say to you, let me say kindly to younger men. I know you are busy with farming. I have never had that business.

I don't know anything about it. All I had to do one time I was having a meeting somewhere. I had to clean out behind the cows every morning, six o'clock in the morning.

That's the only farming I ever knew and I didn't like it. But here you have a very busy schedule. But let me say to you, your first priority is to be exercised to the spirit of God for God's assembly.

Number one. And as that is the case, you will find opportunity and make opportunity that you might be developing in the things of God to be able to unfold the scriptures. Now sometimes, can I say very carefully to each of our hearts, each of these gifted men, it is possible for them to get out of line and think they're the last word for everything.

No brethren, there's no man on earth who's the last word for everything. The man with the last word for everything is in heaven. Blessed be his name.

We bow to him. His divine and holy spirit inhabits us and we feign would be subject and sensitive to that divine person. But he will take truth and he will be able to develop it.

Then we read of teachers. Now teachers are giving instruction as to what has been taught. For example, even we were hearing of teaching this morning.

That is, the things of God are given to us in an order that we can follow a pattern. That's teaching. It's just like we do at school.

We learn what is necessary for the manufacturing of a product. And that is what we have in New Testament teaching. The apostle Peter was a teacher.

He proved himself to be not only a caring shepherd, but he was a teacher. Let me just point it out to you for the sake of those of you who are younger. If God should exercise you, and he will exercise some of you.

I know he will. Pardon me. In each assembly of God, he will do that.

And you mustn't get discouraged when some other brethren don't appreciate it. Part of the reason is because they're not being gifted. And part of the reason is they think that you're trying to be something you're not.

Well, don't act that way. Then they won't be able to think that. That's the best way.

Don't act like you know something, and you should be the last word. Because they'll know right well you're not. Because the next time you come back, you'll be saying it differently.

A lot of humbug, see. So the teacher is one that is able to take the truth of God and apply it to circumstances that are needed in the lives and the testimony of the assembly. And then we read of shepherds.

Men who are shepherds. The shepherds are so necessary. And it's not just the visiting as I've been teaching, as I've been mentioning.

That's the making for oversight. But the shepherds are men that are able to see sheep born. And men that are able to take sheep, lambs, and make sure they don't lose them.

That's shepherding. And in every assembly of God, there should be men. The Spirit of God will raise up, and they will be able to see the lambs born.

Don't call that just evangelism. We're all going to be putting out the gospel. Don't forget, Jews and Gentiles are going to hear us.

So we get with it. But these are men that God has raised up with capacity to know how to handle a lamb, and how to handle a ewe, and how to handle a ram. That's a shepherd.

And when we come to the church at Antioch, we find after 11 years, by the time we get to the last part where we're reading, after 11 years, we find all four in those assemblies. God raising them up. Now let me point out two other things that I sit down.

One of the problems that some of the teachers had was that they brought some baggage with them when they got saved. Some of them were likely Jews, and they brought a bit of Judaism in the pattern of their life at home. And then there was the Greeks that wouldn't understand that, and they would even resist that.

And some of their teachers tried to contradict the other ones. And then there were some of these rascals that heard about this, and they're not even in God's assembly. And lo and behold, they were able to get the ear of the Christians.

I'm going to make one point to show what I mean by this. We have today a number of brethren that are teaching that the rapture of the church is mid-tribulation. That is wrong.

Wrong teaching. Because, brethren, all judgment related to every member of the church is passed at Calvary. It's gone.

And furthermore, the church never is brought into prophecy. Never. It's not in the 70th week, halfway, or any other thing like that.

Now, this is where that began, at least with a great movement. It began with a converted Jew. But, you see, he brings the church as an extension of Israel.

No, brethren, never. The church is not an extension of Israel. Israel is Israel.

And the church comes into the little parentheses between God's dealings with Israel, past and future. And we're in that parenthesis. That's the place we are in.

That kind of teaching must be stopped. And there are men who would rise to teach in this passage that we're never gifted. It's not an any-man teaching.

It's not just you, because you're in the assembly, and nobody's going to tell you you can't. Yes, brethren, you should be told you can't. We've got to learn that, brethren, you who are younger in particular.

I hope this will be just a little help to you today. I know it's very elementary, and I leave it with you for the purpose that you will get to see and follow these passages. Look at them yourselves.

God wants to see gift developed and gifted men trusted to guide and to give teaching and to give a character and maintain the character of the assembly of believers saved by the grace of God, baptized by immersion, gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Brethren, we have no greater honor on earth than to bear that name and to seek to bear it scripturally. God, give us grace, and give us teachers, give us overseers.

Lord, give us men that can expound divine truth to us. We're hungry, and we need it, and I trust God will raise up such men for the Lord Jesus' sake.