John Thiel mp3

We want to continue from the message that we had last Sabbath. You will recall our submission to God’s church. We went into very important scriptures. He was empowered by Him.

Luke 10:16 Any way we despise those whom the Lord hath sent, we despise Him and we despise God.”

That is the seriousness of this statement.

When Christ was upon the earth there were men who had no respect or reverence. No respect or reverence for God’s messengers and no more regard for their warning than for their own judgment; also in this age of the world, there are those who do not respect the testimony of God’s chosen servants so highly as their own opinions. Such cannot be benefited by the labors of God’s servants, and time should not be lost in degrading the work of God to meet such minds. Christ said to the servants whom He sent forth: “He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me. 3T 450:2

You can see the weight of these words as they are magnified before us.  “Whoever I send receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” How powerfully does Jesus reemphasise this in these words. To receive Jesus means to receive His messengers, and my sheep. Jesus sent out the disciples and sends out everyone whom He sends out to do what. Are you a sheep of Jesus? Their servants of God are to feed you the sheep.

Apostle Peter was addressed this way and then addresses others who are sent out as God’s elders and ministers.

1 Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

The feeding of the sheep from this we see that they have been given the task to do what God told them to do. They are answerable to God for their work. This is the charge that Apostle Paul gives to Timothy as God gives it:

2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Every word lays upon Timothy and every other elder and minister of the gospel that charge for which they are accountable to God. And that being the case, they take it seriously. The servants of God take their work seriously.

Our Response to God’s Servants

We turn to Hebrews chapter 13 and appreciate the words of inspiration in reference to our response to those that God sends forth as His servants. Notice the language now, because these are the servants of God who have been sent to feed the flock. It says:

Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.  17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

They watch the sheep to make sure they are receiving God’s word into their hearts, and they must give an account. Therefore, don’t pay no reverence and no attention, thinking they are just saying their own opinion. We live in perilous times. In these last days, it is imperative that we pay attention to Matthew 24.

The Faithful and Wise Servant

Who are they?

Matthew 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing.

Can you see here? This is a direct correlation with what we read: to obey them who have the rule over us. We are living in the time when God has His servants like He had them in the past. We remember reading, I am with you even unto the end of the world. We are living in the end of the world. God has a faithful and wise company of servants whom He has made ruler over His household to give them meat in due season. To locate and recognize these faithful servants is imperative for us today, so that we will place ourselves under them.

His children—He’s identifying their backsliding. This is the problem in today’s church society. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you, and I will take you—how many?—one of a city and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

God sends those we have to pay attention to.

The Problem: False Christs and False Prophets

We are confronted with a big problem in today’s church society in these perplexing times. Matthew 24 is all part of His sermon in reference to the last days and how people are to watch and not be caught in a state of unreadiness. In verses 23 and 24, this is our problem today:

Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Here is Christ, there is Christ, false prophets, false teachers. We are surrounded by them today, and it will be of such a nature that, if it were possible, they could deceive the very elect. What a serious problem we are facing today in the light of God sending His messengers and recognising them. I cannot emphasise strongly enough what we are reading here in living reality—that we have to find our way through.

Here is Christ, There is Christ, Listen to me, I’m the one who’s preaching the truth.

Song of Solomon 6:8 There are threescore queens

How many is that? Sixty.

Song of Solomon 6 8 And fourscore concubines

That’s eighty.

Song of Solomon 6:8 and virgins without number.

This is the plight we’re living under: queens, denominational organisations claiming to be God’s church; then concubines, those churches that are not really 100% Christian but partially pagan, partially Christian; and virgins you can’t even count—all the little offshoot groups, tiny little virgins everywhere. Then comes the answer:

Song of Solomon 6:9 My dove, my undefiled, is but one.

We are living in such a time where people find it difficult—yes, indeed, even the very elect could be deceived.

The Perplexity

In light of how important it is that God’s ministers, God’s pastors that He approves of, can be recognised to receive meat in due season—in this kind of perplexity, God wants to help us understand how He is striving to help us in answer to this perplexity: threescore queens, fourscore concubines, virgins without number. Where are we going to go? Which one is right? Where is God’s little company? Where are these faithful and wise servants to give meat in due season? What the preacher’s opinion is communicating—forgetting that it’s not an opinion, it is God sending them. But this is the perplexity.

Independent Minds

Notice—we read:

There have ever been individuals of independent minds who have claimed that they were right, that God had especially taught, impressed, and led them. Each has a theory of his own, views peculiar to himself, and each claims that his views are in accordance with the word of God. Each one has a different theory and faith, yet each claims special light from God. These draw away from the body, and each one is a separate church of himself. All these cannot be right, yet they all claim to be led of the Lord. The word of inspiration is not yea and nay, but yea and amen in Christ Jesus. Testimonies Volume 3 p. 428, par. 2

In other words, the word of inspiration isn’t this way or that—yea and nay—but yea and amen, no conflict. That is the problem in which we live today, exactly our problem. People rising, saying they are right: I’m showing you from the Bible, and they put their construction on it. If you’re not watching closely, they are deceiving.

Responsible to Christ Alone?

Many have an idea that they are responsible to Christ alone for their light and experience. Testimonies Volume 3 p. 428, par. 3

Responsible to Christ alone—that’s where it comes from. The Lord can teach them directly. And here’s very important language:

He respects the means that He has ordained for the enlightenment and salvation of men. Testimonies, Volume 3, p. 428, par. 3

What are the means for the enlightenment and salvation of men? Remember the title of our sermon: The Church of God, the Channel of Salvation. Now I’m going to read it directly:

The Lord has appointed His church to be a channel of light to the world. Testimonies Volume 3 p. 428, par. 2

What has He made the church? A channel of light, a channel of salvation. That’s why I’ve entitled this sermon that way. People who believe they don’t need any minister or any church, they can go directly to Jesus—here is the problem. I want to ask you: have you come across this mindset of people saying, I don’t need such-and-such a person to tell me what to do? I don’t need anybody in the church. All these man-made organisations, I don’t need them. I can go directly to Jesus? In reference to this dilemma, as I continue through this sermon, follow very carefully so that you are not brought into that situation where you could be deceived as one of God’s elect.

Paul’s Conversion: Through the Church

How does God set the record straight? Apostle Paul was called by Jesus, but Jesus personally does not give him the message alone. Follow carefully what I’m going to read.

The Savior brought him directly into the presence of Christ, yet He does not teach him the lessons of truth. He arrests his course and convicts him; and when he asks—when Apostle Paul asks—What wilt Thou have me to do? the Savior does not tell him directly, but places him in connection with His church. Testimonies, Volume 3, p. 433, par. 1

Apostle Paul is not spoken to directly. How humiliating this was. Now, you remember how I address these subjects as righteousness by faith. This is how righteousness by faith is to be gained. Righteousness by faith is segregated into two sections: justification and sanctification. He’s got his own ideas clear from Jesus, clear from the church that he thinks is God’s church.

Saul’s Humiliation

Saul was a learned teacher in Israel. Testimonies, Volume 3, p. 433, par. 2

Who was he? Learned teacher in Israel.

But while he is under the influence of blind error and prejudice, Christ reveals Himself to him and then places him in communication with His church, who are the light of the world. Testimonies, Volume 3, p. 433, par. 2

He sends him into communication with His church, doesn’t tell him directly what to do. They will tell you what to do. They are to instruct this educated, popular orator in the Christian religion. Already a popular orator. How do you think he felt with what Jesus was taking him through? I’m very thankful for inspiration that describes this. I want to take you there just to help you realise what humiliation Saul went through.

They were possessed of little intellectual culture and were lacking in the high moral endowments which would enable them to succeed in difficult enterprises. Signs of the Times, November 10, 1898

What did he think of himself? These are just scum. They don’t know anything like I do. He was a very proud man.

…lacking in the high moral endowments which would enable them to succeed in difficult enterprises. He claimed that they were sustained by no special authority. But God, who looks into the tiny seed.. Signs of the Times, November 10, 1898

Here you go through the process of the truth of Jesus Christ, of righteousness by faith, the process of justification. In the first place, the glory of man is laid in the dust.

Christ is the fountain; the church is the channel of communication. Those who boast of personal independence need to be brought into closer relation to Christ by connection with His church upon the earth. Testimonies, Volume 3, p. 433, par. 2

How humiliating. Those who think Christ is talking to them personally, who go around spouting that they have the message and yet are not under God’s church. Very serious material here.

His blessings were to come through the agencies that He has ordained, thus connecting man with the channel through which His blessings come. Paul’s being strictly conscientious in his work of persecuting the saints does not make him guiltless when the knowledge of his cruel work is impressed upon him by the Spirit of God. Testimonies, Volume 3, p. 431

Conclusion

The church is the channel through which Jesus is speaking to me. And this is the reason why I am where I am today. I pray that we will pick up on this thoroughly, that we acknowledge that God has had His church in these last days, which is the original Seventh-day Adventist Pioneer Church. If we are going to humble ourselves from our own ideas—even though, as we read, don’t forget, as we’re living in this time, one in a city, two in a family, and I will give you pastors according to My heart.

Ananias was there in Damascus. He was the representative of all the faithful ministers that the church contained at that time. So it is for the last days.

May God bless us to understand this.