From the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster we present Let the Bible Speak. It's good to have you join us today as we spend time around the Word of God, preaching Christ in all His fullness to men and women in all their need. of the cross, and power of the Lamb, and shine in your stars. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave A sky we carry to the skies, on far events of years, by others fought to end the prize, and have sailed through lonely seas. End the day! Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? There are no foes for me to face, aside us in the flood. This is my burden of rent to raise, to help me on to God. In the name, the precious name, of Him who died for me, through grace I'll win the proudest prize. Who's inside us, who I divinely pray? Embrace my courage, Lord. I'm here in the dark. And the name, the precious name, of Him who died for me. Through the great sun, when the promise gone, on earth my home. Let us all unite our hearts together in prayer to see God's presence amongst us and also His blessing upon the preaching of His Word. Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we come into Thy presence in the Savior's precious name. And oh God, we thank Thee for that throne of grace and mercy beyond the veil, where we can come and obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Lord, we thank Thee for this opportunity to gather again around Thy Word, to gather. And we pray that as we have come, Lord, that Thou will come and meet with us. We claim that promise that for two or three are met together in Thy name, that Thou art in the midst of them. And, O God, may we know Thy presence in a very real sense. And, O God, we pray that as we come to the ministry of Thy Word, that Thou wouldst bless the Reverend Murray as he would open up Thy Word and expound it unto us. Lord, we pray that Thou would give him grace and help from the sanctuary. O God, we just commend ourselves now to Thee and to Thy care and keeping, for we ask it in Jesus' name. We're reading in Galatians 6, in the verse 11. You see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand. As many as desire to make a first show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised, only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God. From henceforth, let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. We're going to sing together that hymn, Sound the battle cry, See the foes nigh, Raise the standard high, For the Lord. ♪ For the Lord ♪ ♪ Bear dear our promise and firm everyone ♪ ♪ Lest earth close upon its holy word ♪ ♪ Hearts and soldiers rally round the banner ♪ ♪ Legions treading past the word of God ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Marching on we go, by our cause we know, must prevail. Shield and banner bright, leading in the fight, a thing for the right, we dare and pray. Marshal, soldiers, valiant at war, of the banner, ready, steady, pass the word along. Onward, forward, shine the light, Hosanna, rise this capital of the mighty throng. us when we go, help us, Lord, to know thy high praise. Remember. ♪ The victory's won ♪ ♪ May we wear the crown before thy face ♪ ♪ Guardsmen, soldiers, rally round the platter ♪ ♪ Ready, steady, pass the word along ♪ ♪ Onward, forward, shall the barbosada rise ♪ ♪ Distracted of the mighty throng ♪ Could I thank the Reverend Abraham for leading the service, and could I also say it's a joy to have this opportunity to share God's precious word with you. The great reformer John Calvin said, unless God's word illumines the way, the whole life is wrapped in darkness. And I trust that as we turn to God's precious word, that it will throw a little light across your path. And to that end, I want to draw your attention to the closing words of the verse 17 of Galatians chapter 6. There the apostle Paul's saying, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. In ancient times, soldiers at the end of the battle would gather around the campfire, the flames rising into the darkened night sky. The king sitting in their midst, he would reveal his battle wounds. Follow his example, soldier after soldier, pointing to his scar, he would tell them of how and where he had received them. Those who had received none, rather than counting themselves fortunate, they hung their heads in shame. To be wounded in defense of the king was looked upon as a great honor. Pericles, who was an influential Greek statesman, said, it is not gold or precious stones that adorn a soldier, but a torn buckler, a cracked helmet, a scarred face. And to be wounded in the battle was looked upon as a great honor. And in the closing words of this epistle, Paul addressing those who were attacking him, he as an old soldier, he began to pound to his battle scars. In fact, the word mark here is the word from which we get our English word stigma. He not only had been wounded, but he had been stigmatized and scorned for Christ. Yet rather than complaining, he, like the old soldier, he now, lifting his finger, he pounced to his battle wounds. To him, to suffer for Christ was not a dishonor, but rather it was a great honor. It was a privilege to suffer for the name and for the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, to suffer for Christ is not to lose, but rather it is to gain. It is a badge of great honor. Indeed, the apostle Peter, pointing to the early believers' wounds, he said in 1 Peter 4, Rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings. And rather than mourning over their wounds, he told them that they were to rejoice. Again, Paul and Silas being arrested and beaten until the blood ran down their backs, then thrust into the prison. Rather than throwing up their arms in despair and crying out, why us? We find them there bursting into prayer and then bursting into praise. You see, to suffer for Christ is not a matter for grief. but rather it is a matter for gladness. It is an honor to suffer for him. Perhaps thinking of all the things that have happened to you and have been said about you for speaking for Christ, you feel sorry for yourself. Then I urge you to stop and like Paul, remember, remember that it is an honor, an honor to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ. Let the old soldier sit down and look, look at your battle wounds. And so for a few moments, I want to draw your attention to the marks that Paul bore on his body. Firstly, I want you to notice here the meaning of these marks. In the book of Leviticus, we are told, ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh. However, these marks in Paul's body, they were not self-inflicted. They standing out, you notice here that they speak of suffering. Rebuking his accusers, he said in verse 17, "'For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.'" He was here speaking not only figuratively, but literally. In 2 Corinthians chapter 11, we find that he had been beaten by the Jews on five separate occasions. they leaving 139 scars on his back he had also been beaten by rods on a farther three occasions the flesh being ripped of his back he also had been stoned and on top of all these things he also mentions troubles The particular word used there speaks of verbal attacks. In Corinth, there were those who not only denied his apostleship, but they described his speech as being contemptible. And we find that no sooner was Paul born again, no sooner did he begin to serve the Lord, than he was attacked again and again and yet again. You see, the cross of Christ not only brings salvation, but it brings stigmatization. It stirs up the wrath and the fury of man. Indeed, in the book of Revelation, we find the Lord there writing to the seven churches. Of course, seven in Scripture being the number of perfection or completion, we have in these seven churches a picture of the church on earth. And describing our future, he said in Revelation 2, verse 10, the devil shall cast some of you into prison. that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death. These words being partially fulfilled 70 years later, Polycarp, the first bishop of Smyrna, was summoned before the proconsul. There being told to deny and to curse his saviour, he said, Eighty and six years have I served him, and I have received only good at his hand. Can I then curse him, my King and my Saviour?" And refusing to curse the Saviour, he was taken out, and after much suffering, he was put to death. You see, the path of the believer is one of slander, and it is one of suffering. Following the Savior, you will be persecuted in many different ways. In olden times, the king going to battle, conflict was always hottest around him. It was those who were standing the closest to the keen who felt the severest blow of the enemy. And if we as Christian bear no marks for Christ, it is because we are not living close. We're not near to the Savior. You see, the closer we come to the Savior, the more we will experience the wrath of the devil. You know, it reminds me of a young man, and one evening talking to his girlfriend on the phone, he said, I love you more than life itself. I worship the ground that you walk on. I would walk over hot coals just to see you. After about 20 minutes, his money beginning to run out, he said, and if it's not raining on Saturday night, I'll come over to see you. And how many profess to love the Lord, but they're not willing to bear reproach. They're not willing to bear the cross of Christ, to be mocked, to be scorned for Him. And I wonder, are you? Are you willing to take up your cross and follow Christ? Are you willing to bear the marks of scorn, to be laughed at, to be mocked even for Him? Not only do they speak of suffering, they speak of submission. He said, I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. The word marks here was also used to refer to a brand or to a mark burned into the skin. In Bible times, a master purchasing a slave, he burned his family's crest or initials into his skin. For example, in the year of the Jubilee, the slaves were set free. However, if one slave did not wish to go free, he was then brought to the doorpost of the house, and there his ear was bored with and all. And it was a sign or a mark that he belonged to his master. And as such in saying that he bore the marks of the Lord Jesus, Paul here was indicating that he belonged. He belonged to the Savior. You see, as well as saints, we are slaves. We belong to the Lord. Indeed, reminding the Corinthian believers of this, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6, in the verse 19, But what know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? And he reminded them that having been purchased by the blood of Christ, that they belonged unto him. while we have been set free from sin. We have not been set free to sin. We belong to the Savior. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, if the Lord should say, migrate across the seas, go to a new country, cut every tie and break the fondest connections, you must cheerfully obey, for ye are not your own. And I wonder if the Lord was to come and the Lord was to ask you to do the last thing on earth that you wanted to do, would you be willing to go? Do you bear that mark of submission? Do you recognize that your hands, your feet, your time, your talents, they're not yours. They belong to the Lord. And Paul, he recognized that truth. He bore the mark of my submission. He was willing to bear suffering for the cause of Christ. But not only do we see here the meaning of these marks, but surely we see the message of these marks. When Cain slew Abel, the Lord put a mark on him. warning none to slay him. And similarly, the marks on Paul's body, they carried a message. You notice here concerning these marks that they revealed his savior. He said, I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. In ancient times, brands or tattoos played an important part in many false religions. Even today, Buddhism and Hinduism still make extensive use of tattoos. When we see someone with the imprint of three jewels, we know that he or she is a follower of Buddha. And as such, by these marks of suffering and submission, Paul here was openly professing the Savior. He was saying, he's my Lord, and he is my Savior. You see, as well as coming to Christ, there must be a confessing of Christ. a public owning of him. Indeed, John said in 1 John chapter 4 in the verse 14, and we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Having seen Christ, they then testified, or as the word means, they bore witness to the Savior. You see, child of God, our faith is not to be hidden, but rather it is to be heralded, it is to be set forth before the entire world. Sometimes people will come to you and they will say, but preacher, my faith is a very, very private matter. But you know there was nothing private about Paul's faith. He openly testified before kings and before peasants. There was nothing private about Peter and John's faith. The priests took note that they had been with Jesus. There was nothing private about Legion's faith. The whole of Gadara knew that Christ had met and changed him. There's nothing private about our faith. having been redeemed by Christ, we should be ready, willing to declare our faith, to tell the whole world what he has done for us. And Paul, by these marks, he was telling the world. He was telling the world, the Lord is my Savior. He is the one who redeemed me from my sin. And I say, believer, don't hide your faith. Let the whole world know. Not only did they reveal a savior, they revealed his salvation. looking upon his own body. Paul not only saw 139 scars left by the whip, but wealth left by the stones. And seeing these marks, he describes them here as the marks of the Lord Jesus. In other words, they reminded him that he belonged to the Lord. they brought assurance to his heart. Persecution rather than negative, it is positive. It reminds us that we belong to the Lord. Indeed, Paul, warning of coming storms, he said in 2 Timothy 3, yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. In other words, he was reminding them that their sufferings, they were a sign. that they were in Christ Jesus. Afflictions are sent not merely to correct us, but at times to convince us, to deepen our assurance of salvation. Often when afflictions come, people begin to doubt God's love. They say, if God loved me, God cared for me, then these things would not happen. However, believer, that is the wrong way to look at it. just as the letter A being branded onto the soldier's arm reminded him as he entered into the thick of the battle that he was a soldier of Alexander. So persecution and suffering and affliction, they remind us that we belong to the Savior. Don't despise suffering. My, they're a sign that you belong to the Lord. And lastly, I want you to notice the marvel of these marks. Being visible, they set forth the authenticity of the gospel. In the opening words of the epistle, we find there were those in Galatia who were preaching another gospel. It was another of a completely different kind. And as well as attacking Paul's teaching, they were attacking his apostleship. And in telling them to leave him alone, he now said, I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. In other words, he was saying, you want proof of my doctrine? You want proof of my apostleship? then look at my life. And you see, our lives, rather than contradicting our words, they ought to confirm our words. They should back them up. And I wonder, as the world looks on and they gaze at your life, can they say that your works, that your words, that your life, they back your message? Also, may it set forth the adequacy of his grace, In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul reminds us that while he was troubled, he was not distressed. Persecuted, he was not forsaken. And as such, these marks, they bore testimony to the sufficiency of God's grace. You see, God's grace is inexhaustible. It is sufficient for every trial and every trouble. You see, the will of God will never lead you to where the grace of God cannot keep you. It is sufficient for every situation. Maybe you say today, I can't go on, I can't face the slander of man. But remember, God's grace is sufficient. And if you're not saved, then can I say to you that his grace is sufficient to save you. And it's sufficient not only to save you from your sin, but is sufficient to keep you, and sufficient for every trouble, every trial that comes along the way. I trust that you, if you have not already, that you may come to know His grace. Let's pray. Father in heaven, We thank Thee for the sufficiency of Thy grace. We thank Thee it was sufficient to save us. It's sufficient in the trials of life. And we pray that in every situation that Thou would enable us to bear testimony even unto Thee. For we ask these things in Thy name. Amen. Thank you for spending some time with us today around the Word of God. For further information visit our website at ltbs.tv. We look forward to joining with you next time as we seek to let the Bible speak once again.