Let's turn again to Matthew sixteen, shall we? Matthew sixteen. Simon Peter answered, this is verse sixteen, and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon bar Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, or a little stone. And upon this rock, that is the statement, or the one who filled the statement Peter has made, upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Now turn over, without losing your place there, though that's already now very familiar to you. Turn to Ephesians chapter five with me, will you? Ephesians chapter five. and let's read a verse or two there. In Ephesians five we read, and I think perhaps the twenty-third verse might be an appropriate one just to point out. Ephesians five and verse twenty-three, the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the savor of the body. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let wives be to their own husbands in everything. Now, I'm not going to talk about wives and husbands tonight. Don't start to tremble. I just want you to notice this expression. Christ is the head of the church. Verse twenty-three. And in verse twenty-four, the church is subject unto Christ. Now go back to chapter two of Ephesians, will you? And let's see what we read here. Verse nineteen. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. Notice that. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone of in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. Notice that also, will you? An holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. And notice that expression too. The household of God, verse nineteen. An holy temple in the Lord, verse twenty-one. and an habitation of God through the Spirit in verse twenty-two. Now, go back again to Ephesians chapter five, will you? And look at verse twenty-five. Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. verse twenty seven, that he might present it to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. Here of course is the thought of the church as a bride. Previously there was the thought of the church as a building. Now I want to talk about those this evening, but before I do, we again will just do a little recapping, or as I promised this morning, we'll recap just a little. We're thinking about the origin or the beginning of the church. If we have an opportunity to continue the studies, and I rather think I may be speaking to you next Lord's Day, it seems like I'm being pressed into service for next Lord's Day. And if so, then we'll follow up the origin of the church with the order of the church or the order in the church. And that should be a rather logical follow-up, I think. But we are thinking today of the origin or the beginning or the beginnings of the church, and we noticed three things or four things we made reference to. There was, first of all, the description of the church in the language of man. We looked at the word, it was the word ecclesia. We looked at the meaning of the word, a calling out, or applied to the church, a called out company. And then we looked at the usage of that word. We found it had a secular use. It was used of a company called out to riot. It was used of a company called out to judge lawful matters. But the thought is there, a called out company. It's used in a religious sense of Israel, which is called the church or the ecclesia in the wilderness. And again, the thought is there, Israel would have called out company. It is used in a two-fold Christian sense of the universal church and of the local representation or the local church, and each of these is a called out company. And so the word itself... becomes a description of the church in the language of man. And we notice that the fourth definition in the modern American dictionary, having given us three that do not apply, the fourth one says, finally, that a church is Christian believers. And that definition we agreed with wholeheartedly. Now after its description in the language of man, we talked about its conception in the mind of Christ. And we noted three things in the verses that we read here, or in the verse eighteen, the church has a sound foundation. It is built upon Christ himself. Upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. We notice not only a sound foundation of the church has, but we notice that it has a divine construction. Because Jesus says, upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And then further we saw that the church has a decreed protection, for it says the Lord Jesus, upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I'm glad I'm a member of that church, which is the true church. And mark you, there are people who think that you have to have a special label in order to belong to the true church. And some of them think that label is brethren. There are others who think that you have to be a Christian, though you have to be baptized in order to be a member of that church. And of course, they are just as wrong. The fact is that everyone who has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and is born again is a member of that church. And that makes us a very big family. And God expects us to appreciate those who think a little differently than we do, but they belong to the same family. In fact, we're going to live with them for all eternity. So if we can't get along with them now, then we better learn how to do it because there's a great day coming. Of course, we're going to be changed into the likeness of the Lord Jesus, and that should solve all of our problems. But here is the conception of the church in the mind of Christ. It had not yet begun. It had not yet come about. The Lord Jesus is still speaking in the future, and he says, upon this rock, I will build my church. But it's a very reassuring thought that this building, this organism, was conceived in the mind of the Lord Jesus. If any man had thought it up, if any angel had been responsible for it, then we could have looked for imperfection. But the Lord Jesus planted it, conceived it, and praise God he's executing it. Now the third thing we looked at was its illustration in the Word of God. And that's where I left off this morning. In the first place we saw that it is illustrated by a body. Christ is the head and we as the Church of God are the body. And I reminded you that two lessons emerge from this particular illustration. One is that the proper functioning body is controlled by the head. The brain tells every muscle when to work. The brain tells every nerve when to operate. The brain tells every member when to function. The properly controlled body is the body that is controlled by the head. And the properly functioning church, that's true of the universal church and of the local church, is that which is answerable to the Lord Jesus and under the control of the Christ of God. Now don't let us think, who call ourselves brethren, that because we stand for this particular principle that we always practice. If you have read anything of our history, you have found that there have been times when single individuals have locked the doors of an assembly meeting place, thus joining those in the Scriptures who are spoken of as being dictatorial and defeating the object that God had in mind for his own. Let us not imagine. that there has not been that kind of thing among us. There certainly has. And in some instances it has been far more disastrous than has ever been brought about by clericism. And so we've got to put things into their proper perspective and thank God for the principles that have come to us, but mourn in as much as we have not practically carried them out. Now the second thing that is illustrated by the body is the interdependence of members. We are reminded that no body is a whole member. And no member is a whole body. Every member is important. Every member has its place. Every member has its function. One cannot say to the other, we don't need you. and none has the right to say to any other because I'm not a different member, therefore I'm not of the body. Now all of this is in the New Testament. It is there very clear for us to read. We are members of his body, we are members one of another, and we are members in particular. Now we talked about that this morning. Now what do you think the lessons of the illustration of the bride are? Well, what are the two things, at least, that come to mind when you think about a bride? Now, weddings are always wonderful occasions. Women usually cry at weddings. I don't know why. It must be because they're sort of overwhelmed at the wonder of a wedding. A bride always looks beautiful. She may be the plainest girl on the block. But when she's in all her finery... And since she's a bride, her face is glowing, and her eyes are bright, she has to look beautiful as she walks down the aisle. And I suppose there's no bridegroom, has ever turned at such a ceremony, and watched his bride coming down the aisle without his heart swelling with pride, because she looked so beautiful and indeed was. so beautiful. There's something very, very wonderful about a bride. Now, that's the reason why the Lord Jesus has given to us the bride as an illustration of the church in the Word of God. The two things, of course, that are particularly significant about a bride are these. One is communion. You know, a bridegroom cannot know as close a fellowship and communion with anyone as he knows with his bride. Communion. And, of course, the other one is affection. And I suppose I should have put that first, because the communion flows out of the affection. Now, nobody should love you if you're a married woman like your husband. That is God apart. And nobody should love you if you're a husband like your wife. Now, I realize there are lots of Christian marriages where that does not apply, and that's a tragedy. That is a very, very sad thing. And in these days, when so many standards are being lowered... In these days when young men and young women are not being encouraged as they should to lay this matter before God from their very earliest days, when they become of marriageable age, many of them miss the mark and thereafter, having gotten the wrong partner, can never know God's best in their lives. You know, in the Bible there is a sin called a sin unto death. I suppose there are more sins. called sins unto death than just one. But I regard the unequal yoke in marriage as a sin unto death. Now think about that, and it should be obvious to you why. If a believer marries an unbeliever, that believer is going to have trouble with his father-in-law. If he marries a child of the devil, then his father-in-law is going to make a heyday of the situation. But the thing is, there's only one thing that can sever that tie, which was mistakenly made, because the Bible says, how can we walk together except they, what am I talking this way for? You're not likely to fall into this trap, and this is not a young people's meeting. But, you know, this is the reason why we should be praying for our young people. You know, I believe the will of God in some areas is very wide. It's like the Mississippi. He can stand on one bank at some places on the river and look and not see the other side. I think the will of God is like that in something. And a believer can make one of maybe a dozen different choices and still be within the will of God. But I believe when it comes to marriage that there, the river like the Mississippi is in other places, is very, very narrow. And one cannot afford to miss the will of God in that matter. Now my mother used to say to me when I was younger, she's been in the glory now for several years. She used to say to me, you're born and you're not buried. Now that was her way of telling me, now you may be spiritually fine now, but remember the devil is very, very, very strong and he's very, very cunning and better men than you have landed flat on their face. I've never forgotten that. You're born and you're not buried. Your wedding day may lie behind you forty years, but I've discovered that here, in part of the palms, people marry a second time. Do you know it's possible to miss the will of God a second time, even though you had it the first time? You know, it's necessary to warn people about this, even when they get to be eighty, because you can still miss the mark and ruin what's left of your life. Let's go back to the topic, shall we? We're talking about a bride. Now then, affection and communion. Now, read the Song of Solomon, and you'll find that these two things are constantly being presented in that lovely little story. Affection and intimacy, sharing with one another what you can't share with anybody else. If the Lord Jesus cannot come to his own church for affection and intimacy, where can he go? The Lord is going to be disappointed. Why, in the Song of Solomon, I read, he's gone down into his garden. Why? Because he wanted a little communion. He wanted a little fellowship, and it was in the garden. that it was found. Now we are God's garden, and he comes down and seeks for fellowship and communion. You read about the bride. She's in bed. I nearly read this passage this morning. By night on my bed I sought him, she said, but I didn't find him. Now there was a time when the beloved came, put his hand in at the hole of the door. Do you remember this little story? And she saw his hand in the hole of the door there. He had come for fellowship. She said, I've put up my jacket and I've washed my feet and I'm resting. And while she's making up her mind, whether or not she will respond to his desire for fellowship and communion with her. When eventually she gets to the door, she finds that during that period he turned and went away. He must have been a very disappointed bridegroom. And I sometimes think, you know, that the Lord, he comes to us from time to time, and he comes to find for himself. But we are so taken up with the things that pertain to us. We don't recognize his approach. We don't sense his nearness. We don't recognize his, I was going to use the word need. Let me use that word. You know the sense in which I use it. His need for fellowship and expressions of love. While I was away and staying with my daughter, I arrived at the house with my wife, and I was not greeted first by my daughter. I was greeted first by a little red-haired dog. that lived with us for several years before my daughter finally was married and took the dog. And that dog whined with delight to see me, rolled over on her back to be petted, crying with pleasure. Now, you know, I used to sit in my chair at home when that little dog lived with us. And when I would come home at night, that little dog would be sitting by a divider there waiting for me to return. As soon as I came into the house, I would sit into the chair that was always vacated for me. My children were always very thoughtful that way. They knew their dad was getting old and needed to rest, and so they were sitting in my chair. They would vacate it without being asked, and I would go and fill it. That little dog would come immediately and stretch herself out beside the chair. If my hand dropped over the arm, I would feel a wet, hot tongue licking that hand. Now the dog wasn't seeking for anything. The dog wasn't asking for a thing. The dog was simply saying, I'm so glad that you're here. I've been waiting for you and I'm just happy when I'm near to you. I missed that little dog when we left and when the dog left us and when finally we left New Jersey. You know, even from a dog, An expression of affection is something that's very special. Now, Mrs. Clark doesn't agree with me. If the dog licked her hand, she'd have to go and take a bath. But, however, there it is. There are some strange people in the world. But, you know, I always used to think of that dog as an example, really, of worship. I really had. I used to think, if only we were a little more like that little dog. where we would be waiting for the opportunity of telling God how much we appreciated His nearness. I realize it's a very poor illustration, but it always used to speak to me. And I sometimes felt that I never sat in my chair and was disappointed because the dog was always there. But you know, I sometimes think that God may well be disappointed in us because we are not always there. Sometimes we are somewhere else. And we are not conscious of God's desire for fellowship and communion. Did you never, of course you did. I was going to say, did you never have the experience where you got away into the quiet place and you dropped on your knees and you said, Lord, I didn't come to ask you for a thing. I just came to tell you that I love you because of I don't have birth. Did you never feel that way that God meant so much to you? You just had to tell him. You know, that has its effect upon our lives. There is nothing like the experience of worship. And worship is an appreciation of his worship. That's what worship is. There's nothing like worship to mellow the heart and to mellow the life and to make us more lovable and more loving. Because the closer you get to God, the more apparent God is going to be in your life. Now, God speaks of the church as his bride. The Lord Jesus speaks of the church as his bride, because it is to the church that he goes for affection. The world has nothing but hatred for him. And it's to the church that he goes for communion and fellowship. Read again the Song of Solomon, and you'll find there very thinly veiled the hard yearnings of the God of heaven. And what he longs for is you're telling him that you love him. That he means everything to you. One doesn't have to tell a bride and a bridegroom after the busy wedding day is over. And I always tell a girl, you know, when she says, I would like you to marry me. And I've had girls say that to me, and I've married them and never sent a penny for their support. But you know, when I'm going to conduct a wedding, I always remind the couple, this day is going to be your day. Now don't let anybody push you around. And whatever happens, don't let anybody make this day such a burdensome day that you're not able to look back upon it in the days that follow as the choices and happiest day of your life. But when the busyness of the wedding day is over, nobody needs to tell the bridegroom, now your bride needs your affection. Now she needs your love. Nobody needs to tell the bride, now he needs your affection, now he needs your love. When everybody else is gone and they're clasped in one another's arms and both of their pairs of eyes are shining and there they are hugging each other. And the thing that grips them is this, we belong to one another in a way we've never belonged to one another before. And you realize that's how you belong to Christ. And that's how Christ belongs to you. That's a lovely picture. A lovely illustration. The bride. The thoughts then are thoughts of affection. and communion, beautifully expressed for us in the Song of Solomon. Now the third illustration is the illustration of the building. And in order to deal with this in a little detail, I chose that passage in Ephesians because we read about the household of God, we read about an holy temple in the Lord, and we read about an habitation of God. Now the alliteration is not mine, it's found right there in the chapter. the household of God, the holy temple of God, and the habitation of God. Now there are separate lessons that God would impress upon our hearts as we think about this particular illustration of the church as a building. Now we've already heard the word of the Lord Jesus, I will build my church. And we know that he is building a living building out of living stone, but what kind of building is it? It's this kind of building, an household of God. It's this kind of building, and holy temple in the Lord. And it's this kind of building, and habitation of God. Now, the thought of the household, now you have a household, maybe in the past you had a bigger household. How many of you had one child in your family? Put your hands up, let me see. Yes, I see. All right, how many of you had two children in the family? Put your hands up, let me see. How many of you had three children in the family? Put your hands up. How many of you had four children in the family? We'll keep going. How many of you had five children in the family? How many of you had six children in the family? How many of you had more than six in the family? The scripture says, Blessed is the man that hath his quiverful. The modern version says, Blessed is the man that hath his fliverful. But I think you'd have a problem putting nine into a fliver. But you've all of you discovered the joy that there is in a family. Now I know you've all heard of George Goodman and Montague Goodman. They came from a very big family, you know. I think there were fourteen in their family. Montague Goodman, who had piercing eyes, used to say, today they don't have families, they only have samples. That was his way of expressing his appreciation for the large family. But you know, large families or small families, it doesn't matter the size of the household, every household presents to the individual members a responsibility. There are duties evolving upon the members of a household. Now I had four sisters, and that absolved me from doing the dishes. I had four sisters. Why should I, as the only son in the family, wash the dishes? But they never mowed the lawn. You see, we all of us had duties evolving upon us. Now the church is a building and it is built into an household and because we are an household of God we all of us have beauties evolving upon us. Now I had one sister who didn't like to wash the dishes and she would always disappear when the dishes needed to be washed and she would especially find a remote spot when it was her turn. Do you know what happened? Somebody else. had to take it for her. Now, if your motto is, let George do it, then somebody is carrying a double burden. We're a household of God, and so there are duties evolving upon us, and we can't neglect them without placing a heavier burden upon somebody else. But we are not only builded into an household, but we are also builded into an holy temple. Now the thought of the household brings before us the thought of the duties that evolve upon us as individual members. The holy temple brings before us the thought that there are standards expected of us. If we are as the Church of God built into an holy temple in the Lord, then there are things that must not raise their heads in our lives. There are things that must not characterize us. There are attitudes that we must never adopt. There are... There are standards that we must constantly strive to reach. We are not only built into a temple of the Lord, or in the Lord, we are built into an holy temple in the Lord. And the standards expected of us must be obvious to us, as are the duties evolving upon us. Now we are living in a world I used to say as a preacher the world has very low standards but I don't say that anymore because the world actually doesn't have low standards anymore it has no standards the world is not immoral it is amoral it has absolutely no morals at all anything that you can do and get away with the world says more power to you that's the reason why we're in such a tragic state and that's the reason why in these days. When we left Hackensack, well, we used to be, the Assembly used to be in Hackensack, New Jersey, and then moved to Washington Township. We lived in Washington Township. And when we left there to come down here, the week that we left, the mayor of Hackensack pronounced that week Gay Liberation Week. Can you imagine that? I wanted to write to the mayor and ask him why he didn't call it sodomy week and have done with it. Now, I ought to apologize for using that word. I will not. In these days, if we do not recognize what a dreadful kind of world we are living in, then we must be fast asleep. We must be fast asleep. Now because of this Christians are getting sucked into things that are compromising their testimonies. We've got to realize that God's standards do not change. You know it's wonderful to have a Bible that we can read wherein there are unchanging standards. Don't you think that the Roman Catholic, who for fifty years never ate meat on Friday, must be a very confused person now because he finds that it isn't sinful to do it anymore? Now isn't that confusing? I don't know whether the Pope ever gave any explanation of that, but however, that's the situation. Can't you imagine that the man who used to wear a some Christopher medal around his neck and really feel that it was helpful to him must have suddenly become very confused when the Pope declared that Christopher was not a saint anymore? I'm glad that we have the Word of God and it doesn't change. Our standards are found for us here, and they are expected of us. God wants us never to forget we are builded into an holy temple in the Lord. So the habitation reminds us that there are duties evolving upon us. And the holy temple reminds us that there are standards expected of us. Now what about the habitation of God? Now there's a difference between the household and the habitation, you know. The thought of the habitation is, the thought of the household is the family. The thought of the habitation is, that's where God dwells. That's where God dwells. It's God's habitation. Have you ever noticed that we never speak about this building as the house of God? There are lots of Christians do. They say, I'm going to the house of God. Now in going to a church building, we're not going to the house of God. That's only the building that houses the house of God. It is the believers that meet in that building that constitute the house of God. The habitation of God. Now the lesson here is, of course, having thought about the beauties that evolve upon us and the standards that are expected of us, Now comes the thought of the privileges that are enjoyed by us. It is in our midst that God dwells. What a privilege. What a thrilling, what an exciting situation to be in. God lives among us. God has taken up his dwelling place among us. Think about that. Under the old economy, under the Jewish law, under the Jewish economy, you will recall... The place where God dwelt was called the Holy of Holies, and only one man was permitted to enter it, to go into God's immediate presence. That was the high priest. And he couldn't go in without the shedding of blood, and he only went in once a year. And tradition tells us that when eventually that man ventured behind the veil, out of the Holy Place, into the Holy of Holies, he went in with a rope tied around his waist, which trailed out from behind the veil so that should he presume in the presence of God and be struck dead, no one would have to trespass into that holy of holies in order to remove his carcass. Such a dreadful, such an awesome thing, what is it, to go into the place where God dwells. And yet here we are in habitation of God. And God dwells among us. Why that should make us think. Every time we open our mouths that should make us think. Every time we lift our hand to perform any kind of deed that should make us think. Every time we turn our feet in a given direction that should make us think we are an habitation of God. God dwells among us. Now God is no less awesome today. God is no less powerful today. God is no less glorious today than he was in those days when men couldn't approach him. And yet he has given us the privilege of coming into his presence And not only coming into his presence, but living there. He dwells among us. What a privilege. I'm glad that I didn't just have to talk to you about your duties and about the standards expected of you. I'm glad I could remind you of your privilege. Your privilege is as one among whom, as those among whom God dwells. That's not presumption, you know. There are people around us, I suppose, who would say, my, these people have got a high opinion of themselves. No, it's all of God's grace. We didn't deserve that God should take up his dwelling place among us. God has not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities, in his own wisdom, in his own goodness, in his own grace. Amazing as it is to us. He dwells among us. God, let us never forget that thought. So here we are, the Church of Jesus Christ, His Body, and His Bride, and His Building. Now what about the flock? That was the fourth illustration. In John chapter ten, that's where we read, There shall be one fold, actually it should be, and it is in the original language, one flock and one shepherd. Now what is the thing that emerges as a lesson from the illustration of the church as a flock? Well, I can think again of two things. Two things about the body, two things about the bride, three things about the building, but we are back again to two when we come to the flock. The first is the gathering around the shepherd. That's the first thing. And, you know, when you travel in the East, and some of you have been with me out there, and some of you have been there without me, of course you didn't have as good a time as if you'd been with me. But, however, let that be as it may, you have seen demonstrated the fact that unlike the Western world, where the shepherd drives his sheep, in the East the shepherd goes ahead of his sheep, and the sheep follow him. Where the shepherd is, that's where the sheep are. They are clustered round the shepherd. And many a time, well, perhaps I shouldn't say that, but on more occasions than one, I've lifted my camera and focused on a shepherd surrounded by his sheep. Because that's a natural thing in the East, which is the place where the Bible was written. And you know, it's a very precious thought. Why do the sheep gather around the shepherd? because they know that all their protection, all of their direction, all of their provision lies in the shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Remember the little girl who was to recite that at a Sunday school was a treat, and she couldn't think of what the next words were. The Lord is my shepherd, she said. And then she couldn't remember what followed. the Lord is my shepherd and she was twisting her handkerchief very nervously the Lord is my shepherd that's all I want and she went and she sat down now she may not have got it quite right but she had the truth you have the shepherd you've got everything you need I was going to say do you remember that story but my time has gone I mustn't use any more stories but there's not only the gathering around the shepherd There is also the preservation of the sheep by the shepherd. And be back to that thought, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Do you know what the Lord Jesus meant when he said, I am the door of the sheep? You know, the Bible becomes a new book to you when you visit the Holy Land. If you've never been, well, come with us next year. We're going to celebrate Harold McKay's fiftieth anniversary in the work over in the Holy Land, if the Lord will, in You see the folds on the hillside. Now, if you examine any one of those folds close up, you will find that it has an opening. It may be circular, it may be rectangular, but it has an opening. But it doesn't have a gate. You say, well, now, if the sheep were put into the fold there, they would just be able to come out again, but they wouldn't. Because the shepherd puts the sheep in the fold and then lays himself across the doorway. Now that's what the Lord Jesus meant when he said, I am the door of the sheep. Nothing can get in to destroy the sheep or disturb the sheep without disturbing first the shepherd. And no sheep can get out without the shepherd being awakened. It's another thought of the preservation of the sheep by the shepherd. Oh, these are precious thoughts. They could be developed. But there's one last thing that I must mention before I finish tonight. I've talked about the description of the church in the language of man and the conception of the church in the mind of Christ. And now the illustration of the church in the Word of God, finally the initiation of the church on the day of Pentecost. I don't need to say much here because I know I've reminded you already and you knew it before that. In the Epistle to the Corinthians, we read, we have all been baptized into one body. There were a hundred and twenty people in an upper room at Pentecost, and what happened, the Spirit of God came down like tongues of flame, you remember, and those one hundred and twenty were fused into one living organism, and the Church of Jesus Christ began on the day of Pentecost. Now it did not begin while the Lord Jesus was on the earth. He said, I go away. I must go away. If I don't go away, the comforter will not come unto you. And until the comforter came, the believers could not be baptized into one body. The baptism of the Spirit does not take place today. It took place at Pentecost when the Spirit of God baptized these one hundred and twenty believers into one body. That was the beginning. But do you know, you go to Acts chapter two, and you'll find in one fell swoop, three thousand people added to the church in a single day. My, that church certainly grew, and its influence spread over the whole of the then known world. The church of God mattered. The church of God was an entity. The Church of God was a tremendous instrument in the hand of God. And that's what God intends that it should be today. God grant that increasingly in these last days it might be. Shall we pray? Our Heavenly Father, we thank thee that once again we have been able to take thy word And we thank thee, Lord Jesus, that we have been able to read thy words in this word. And we praise thee for all that our hearts tonight have embraced these precious truths about ourselves as members of the body and the bride and the building and the flock of Jesus Christ. Help us, we pray thee, in our appreciation of our position. and of the one who has brought us into this wealthy place, that we might measure up to God's expectations of us as individuals. We ask for thy name's sake, Lord Jesus, and seeking thy glory. Dismiss us with thy blessing. Amen.