Until He Comes

Luke's Gospel, chapter 19, verse 13. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. Second reading in John's Gospel, chapter 21.

The Gospel according to John, chapter 21. Verse 22. Jesus saith unto Peter, If I will that ye tarry till I come, What is that to thee? Follow thou me.

Revelation, chapter 2. The book of the Revelation, in chapter 2. Reading verse 25. Revelation 2, verse 25. But that which ye have already, Hold fast till I come.

A final reading in 1 Corinthians, in chapter 11. 1 Corinthians, chapter 11, in verse 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, And drink this cup, Ye do shew forth the Lord's death, Till he come.

The Lord has promised to bless to us the reading from his good word. When you and I read the Gospels, We're impressed that the Lord is coming. Matthew 25.

Behold, the bridegroom cometh. John chapter 14. If I go, I will come again.

So remember, the Lord is coming. When I read the Acts of the Apostles, I read a verse like this. This same Jesus, Shall so come in like manner, As ye have seen him go.

The Lord is coming. When I read the Epistles, I read a verse like this. In a very little while, he that shall come will come, And shall not tarry.

And when I come to the book of the Revelation, the last chapter, I read verses like this. Behold, I come quickly. Behold, I come quickly.

Surely, I come quickly. So we're left without a shadow of a doubt. Remember, our Lord is coming.

I've read four things this morning. And let me quote those four things now. Luke's Gospel chapter 19.

Occupy till I come. We've to be occupied till the Lord comes. Occupy till I come.

When I come to John chapter 21, We have to follow him. And we've to do it until he comes. We've to follow him until he comes.

When I come to Revelation chapter 2, That which thou hast, We've to hold it fast. And we've to hold it fast until he comes. And then in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, Ye do show forth the Lord's death, And we do it until he comes.

Let's think of the first one very quickly. Occupy until I come. If I read my Bible correctly, I discover this.

I'm saved for at least two reasons. I'm saved in order that I might worship, And I'm saved in order that I might serve. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, And him only shalt thou serve.

I didn't hear the late Sidney Maxwell very much. But one year I had three operations, And I sat a lot in the house. And I got an MP3 of Mr. Maxwell's ministry.

You know what impressed me about Mr. Maxwell's ministry was this. If you're a priest, you're everything. If you're not a priest, you're nothing.

My brother died just June, last June. On his deathbed, a nurse came to him, Said, Mr. Drybra, would you like to see a priest? He says, no, I'm a priest. I'm going to speak about two things this morning.

I'm going to talk about worship, And I'm going to talk about service. Let me say this very quickly. In Genesis, we're born and we're brought up.

In Exodus, we're redeemed and we're brought out. In Leviticus, we're sanctified and brought in. In Numbers, we're instructed and brought on.

And in Deuteronomy, we're blessed and we're brought home. And I'm emphasizing worship, And I'm emphasizing service. The first thing I want you to notice is this.

Exodus 5 comes before Exodus 7. You might say to me this morning, What is Exodus 5? Listen to it. Let my people go, That they might hold a feast to me In the wilderness. So it's a feast to Jehovah in the wilderness.

What is Exodus 7? Let my people go, That they might serve me in the wilderness. I read about a feast in Exodus 5, Before I read about service in Exodus 7. You ever read the book of Ezekiel? In the book of Ezekiel, I read about Ezekiel the priest on his face, Before I read about Ezekiel the prophet on his feet. He's the priest on his face, Godward.

He's the prophet on his feet, manward. I come to John's Gospel. I read about a springing up, Before I read about a flowing out.

Springing up, Godward. Flowing out, manward. I come to Peter's Epistle.

I read about a holy priesthood, Godward. And then I read about a royal priesthood, manward. So throughout the Bible, I read about worship, And I read about service.

Now service is never the first thing, But service is a vital, important thing. Never the first thing. I think I could prove that one from the Bible.

People that know God, Trust Him. Psalm 9 verse 10 says this, They that know thy name shall put their trust in thee. People that know God, trust Him.

People that know God, worship Him. The God that appeared to Jacob, And the God that answered Jacob, And the God that was with Jacob, Was the God that Jacob worshipped. People that know God are people that serve Him.

You remember the words of David to Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28, is it? Know thou the God of thy father, And serve him with a perfect heart, And with a willing mind. So remember, people that know God, trust Him. People that know God, worship Him.

People that know God, serve Him. They that know their God shall be strong, And do exploits. Now there's three things that every Christian should do continually.

You might say to me this morning, What are the three things that every Christian ought to do continually? First of all, I turn to 1 Chronicles 16, And I read a verse like this, Seek the Lord. Seek His strength. Seek His face continually.

And remember, every Christian should seek God, And seek Him continually. But then secondly, Every Christian should praise God, And every Christian should praise God continually. That's Hebrews 13.

We've to offer the sacrifice of praise, And we've to do it continually. Every Christian ought to serve God, And every Christian ought to serve God continually. You remember what it says about Daniel? The God whom thou servest continually.

Let me ask you a question this morning. Are you, am I, serving God? Brother Scott last night quoted a verse, The last verse of 1 Corinthians 9. Paul did not want to become a castaway. I looked up that word this morning.

Listen to one translation. Paul did not want to be out of service. I wonder am I speaking to a brother this morning? I wonder if I'm speaking to a sister this morning? And the sad possibility is this, Out of service.

Let me say three things very quickly. God has a path for every Christian to move in. God has a work for every Christian to do.

And God has a place for every Christian to fill. You mark my words. You'll only be happy.

And you'll only be holy. And you'll only be helpful. And you'll only be helpful.

In the measure that you move in that path. You do that work. And you fill that place.

Happy today if it could be said of you. If it could be said of me. As it was said about the servant in Genesis 24.

I being in the way. The Lord led me. If it could be said of you and I. As it was said about Nehemiah.

I'm doing a great work. Therefore I cannot come down. As it was said of Mary of Bethany.

She hath wrought a good work in me. She hath done what she could. As it was said of David.

You remember what you read about David. Today thou shalt be missed. For thy seat shall be empty.

Ever notice you never read about David's seat being empty. Listen to what you read. And David's place was empty.

A dummy could fill a seat. They sat in Moses' seat. But they never filled Moses' place.

Listen to the words of the apostle. I have fought a good fight. That's the soldier.

I have finished the course. That's the runner. I have kept the faith.

That's the servant. And you and I have been saved. In order that we might worship.

And in order that we might serve. Secondly, very quickly. We've to follow Christ.

And we've to follow him. Until he comes. I'm going to go through John's gospel this morning.

The first thing I notice in John's gospel is this. There's the thought of finding Christ. Let me stop for one moment.

I wonder. Has every one of us found Christ? Listen to how John's gospel begins. We have found him.

What do we sometimes sing? I found the precious Christ of God. My heart does sing for joy. And sing I must for Christ I have.

A precious Christ have I. John's gospel speaks about finding Christ. But then secondly. John's gospel speaks about feeding on Christ.

We heard about feeding last night from our brother Scott. How is Christ presented in John's gospel? He's the true light. He's the true vine.

And he's the true bread. As the true light we follow him. As the true vine we fellowship with him.

As the true bread we feed upon him. I wonder this morning dear child of God. Are you and I feeding on Christ? Feed on Christ the living bread.

Drink of him the fountainhead. Think on why his blood was shed. And go on.

Christ is my meat. Christ is my drink. Christ is my medicine and health.

Christ is my peace. My strength. My joy.

My crown. My glory. And my wealth.

Christ is everything. He's the source of my life. He's the secret of my life.

He's the sustenance of my life. He's the satisfaction of my life. Christ is everything.

Thirdly in John's gospel. I read about fellowshipping with Christ. The branch cannot bear fruit of itself.

Except it abide in the vine. And neither can ye except ye abide in me. What do we sometimes sing? Happy if in Christ God confiding.

Fruitful if in Christ abiding. Holy through the spirit guiding. All must be well.

But what about following Christ? How does John's gospel begin? Two disciples heard John speak. And they followed him. That should be the result of all true ministry.

Follow him. How does John's gospel end? What is that to thee? Follow thou me. Three things marks a sheep in John's gospel.

The sheep hears the voice of the shepherd. The sheep knows the voice of the shepherd. The sheep knows the shepherd.

And the sheep follows the shepherd. The Lord says to you and I. Follow me. And do it until I come.

Very quickly. That which thou hast. I want you to hold it fast.

And I want you to hold it fast until I come. Let me say three things here now very quickly. Sometimes in the Bible.

I'm exhorted to run fast. Listen to the Bible this morning. Flee idolatry.

Flee fornication. Flee youthful loss. There are times when we're exhorted to run fast.

There are times when we're exhorted to stand fast. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he says, stand fast in the faith. When he wrote to the Galatians, he says, stand fast in the liberty.

When he wrote to the Philippians, he said, stand fast in one mind and one soul. When he wrote to the Thessalonians, he said, stand fast in the Lord. So there's times when we have to stand fast.

There are times when we have to run fast. But remember, there are times when we have to hold fast. We have to prove all things.

We have to hold fast that which is good. And that which we have received, we have to hold it fast till I come. And then finally, we have to remember the Lord Jesus in the breaking of the bread and in the drinking of the cup.

And we have to do it until he comes. Until he comes and we shall be at home. The feast we keep his death proclaim and spread abroad his precious name until he comes.

So be occupied till I come. Follow me until I come. That which you have received, hold it fast till I come.

And as often as we eat the bread and drink the cup, we do show forth the Lord's death and we do it until he comes.