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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/william-lavery/living-for-god/
I'd like you to turn with me to the gospel of Luke chapter 19. Luke chapter 19 and we'll start reading at verse number one. Luke 19 verse 1. And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho and behold there was a man named Zacchaeus which was the chief among the publicans and he was rich and he sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the press because he was little of stature.
Verse 5. And when Jesus came to the place he looked up and saw him and said unto him Zacchaeus make haste and come down for today I must abide at thy house. Verse 9. Jesus said unto him this day is salvation come to this house for as much as he also is a son of Abraham for the son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
And as they heard these things he added and spake a parable because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return and he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them occupy till I come.
But the citizens hated him and sent a message after him saying we will not have this man to reign over us. And he came to pass that when he was returned having received the kingdom then he commanded these servants to be called unto him to whom he had given the money that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
Then came the first saying lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds and he said unto him well good a good servant because thou has been faithful in a very little thou has have thou authority over ten cities.
And the second came saying lord thy pound hath gained five pounds and he said likewise to him be thou over five cities. And another came saying lord behold here is thy pound which have kept laid up in a napkin for I feared thee and so on.
Now just for sake of time verse 24 and he said unto them that stood by take from him the pound and give it to him that hath ten pounds. And they said unto him lord he has ten pounds for I say unto you that unto everyone which hath shall be given and from him that hath not even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
But those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me. Now farther down the chapter verse 32 says and they that were sent went their way and found even as he had said unto them and as they were losing the colt the owners thereof said unto him why lose she the colt and they say the lord hath need of him.
And they brought him to Jesus and they cast their garments upon the colt and they said Jesus thereon. Verse 38 saying blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the lord peace in heaven and glory in the highest.
Now that's all we need to read and we know that God will bless the reading of his word. I was reading this chapter recently in my regular reading and I noticed something I hadn't noticed before. Of course that happens quite often when you read the scriptures.
What I noticed was that it started off with a kingdom and that man Zacchaeus was working for the enemy's kingdom for the emperor of Rome. And then I noticed when we come to the end the Lord Jesus is riding into Jerusalem and as he's riding into Jerusalem they thought the kingdom is coming.
He's going into Jerusalem now and he's going to set up a kingdom and he's going to reign and we're going to be the head of the nations and so on. And they thought that was wonderful but the Lord said wait a minute there's a little time period that comes in between.
Not going to reign right away but the fact that they saved Zacchaeus it would seem to me that must have something to do with the fact that they thought the kingdom was coming. Here was a man that was an enemy but he had a desire to see Jesus who he was and he went and he climbed a sycamore tree.
A man asked me one time years ago why he climbed a sycamore tree. Sometimes you think you know the answer and I thought well it must have been an easy one to climb with a lot of branches and so on but well he said you know it says in the days of Solomon there were sycamore trees in abundance.
There were sycamore trees all over the place and here's a person had a desire to meet the Lord Jesus and I thought in a way you know that's just like you and me. There came a time in our lives for those of us who are saved when we wanted to see the Lord Jesus.
We knew about him we had learned about him from we were children likely most of us and a time came when we saw our need and we wanted to know more about the Lord Jesus. And that was true of this man Zacchaeus.
He was an enemy of the Lord's people really at least working for the enemy and we were the enemies of God ourselves but yet the Lord had a desire that we might have salvation and I've often wondered why the Lord ever chose me to be saved.
I'm not talking about the truth of election I'm just talking about the fact that God had a heart to see me just as he had Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus come down what a surprise it must have been for that little man.
Wanted to see the Lord but the Lord said I want to see him and the Lord said come down and he came down and you remember where he met the Lord. We love to say this when we're preaching the gospel he met the Lord at the foot of the tree and that's where we met the Lord at the foot of the tree and it's marvelous isn't it we should appreciate it more and more the older we get that God saved us and the Lord Jesus he was going that way last chance likely for Zacchaeus and the Lord saw him and he said come down and he forgave him his sins and Zacchaeus was really convicted he said if I've taken anything falsely I'm willing to pay it back.
It must have had a tremendous effect on the those who were with the Lord because they said you know the kingdom's coming and the kingdom is coming and we're looking forward not only to the rapture but to the time when the Lord will have his rightful place and that would come from a heart that's yearning to see the Lord and from a heart that has an appreciation of the fact that the Lord saved them.
I wonder do we appreciate it enough. I often pray and say Lord make me more thankful. We're prone to forget we take things so easy and we forget all the agonies of the cross and what inspired or transpired rather so the Lord would save us.
So then they said you know the I shouldn't omit verse 10 or Mr. Christofferson will not be very kind to me because God used that verse in his salvation. It's wonderful how God uses and I've never met a person called Zacchaeus have you?
Well maybe I'm not so truthful. I met a man called Zacchaeus over in Zambia and I'm sure it was really Zacchaeus. He was a little black man and you know I'll tell you he came to the house where I was staying and he said we're glad you have come and he said we're praying that God will make you a blessing to us.
I tell you I felt like coming down just like Zacchaeus. It humbles you and there's no electricity but they had a tape recorder a battery recorder and he recorded the messages and he took them all around these little African villages and he played them and I thought imagine of course he interpreted them too maybe he made them better but I hope he did anyhow and that others would enjoy it.
It kind of humbled you to think of how God would use that little man. He rode a bike no cars for those men. He rode a bicycle and when he couldn't ride through any the bush on a bicycle he just left it there and went on through reaching out others with the gospel.
Well here he said they said this is marvelous so this is a man that's working for Rome and now he's been saved and and the kingdom's going to be set up. We're waiting for the kingdom when we are too for the when the Lord will have his rightful place but then the Lord said no I want to tell you a little story and he said there was a certain nobleman verse number 12 we're at now and he went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom.
You'll notice there are bondmen in this story that should represent you and represent myself. There are citizens in this parable they would represent the nation of Israel and then later on he seems to bring the both together and when he talks about coming in in judgment he speaks about mine enemies that would be Jew or Gentile but he said you know this nobleman he's gone into a far country and I was thinking and I want you to think not so much of where he has gone but it was a far country that he was going to it must have been a far journey down into this country into this world.
I'm not just talking about the the time we know that on the day of atonement we heard of that this morning the the Lord Jesus wasn't like Aaron who came from his tent and went to the laver and the altar and so on.
The Lord Jesus came from the sanctuary imagine coming from the glories of heaven. I want you to think of this regarding your salvation regarding my salvation. He came from the glories of heaven didn't need to go to the laver absolutely pure but he went to the altar shed his precious blood and I thought the far country the journey brought him right to Bethlehem where he was found as a babe in a manger.
The psalmist had said oh Lord my God thou art very great clothed or crowned with glory and honor talked about him walking on the wings of the wind making the clouds his chariot and he came down born as a little babe in Bethlehem and trace his path.
I'm not going to trace it all for you. I will be here for quite a while but I don't want to do that but but trace his path perfect and perfection. We've heard of the heavens being opened. The voice saying this is my beloved son and whom I am well pleased.
Think of the day the heavens were closed and the voice was my God my God why hast thou forsaken me. We need to have our hearts touched you see because we're living in this interim period and the Lord says I've got something for you to do.
That's what I want to try and get at. Really I've got something for you to do. We're not just sitting twiddling our thumbs and waiting for the the Lord to come. His old brother uh that uh out in Arizona 105 and he wasn't quite with it.
But when there's 103 I I said uh to him what do you do all day. Oh he said I twiddle my thumbs and he says when I get tired I twiddle them the other way. But God didn't save us to sit and twiddle our thumbs.
And that's why he's telling us here he's setting these people up. The idea is he's setting them up in business. He said you're going to go into business for me while I'm away. And there were 10 of them and he said I'm going to give you a pound each.
It doesn't matter how much the pound was worth or anything like that. But he gave him the money to set up a little business. Now you're self-employed. I know we all work together and so on. But you're preaching brother.
You know the government looks on us as self-employed. We're employed by the Lord but that's the way they look at it. But we have our own little business as it were and I've got to make profit. And I'm not talking about dollars and cents.
I'm talking about things for God. Well you see God has given everyone something you could look at it as gifts. There are so many gifts. Everybody has a gift. He's given us some kind of an ability. He doesn't want us to be just sitting doing nothing.
But he said he'll be helping one another. And and and how did Paul mention that Timothy gave me a deposit. He gave him something and he said God was able to preserve it but it was given to him. And God has given us all something to to work with.
Wonder what he's given you. I wonder what he's really given me. Am I using it for his honor and for his glory. I don't know if you noticed but there were 10 men but when it comes to the end he only mentions three.
I wonder why that is. But anyhow there's one man traded and he lived a life that was pleasing to God and a helpful life. He was a channel as we've been singing in our hymn not just to the unsaved but uh to the saved.
And and when I say a channel uh I know if you ever heard of Martin Lloyd Jones. Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones wasn't among us by any means. But he wrote a book uh preachers and preaching. And you know what he said.
I thought it was very interesting. He said a preacher should not just be a channel. We don't study. We've been reminded that we don't study just to get something for other people although we do that. But he said a preacher should be a well and from what we have learned we should be able to draw out of it even as we preach.
So we need to get into the word of God to know what God's will is for us. That's number one. And we need to realize that we're all in business. And are we trading. Are we multiplying what God has given us.
Are we reaching out to others. For sisters can help. Uh where brethren can't help and they can be a tremendous example. We were just talking in some time recently about uh uh an assembly so-called with only three brethren.
No sisters. Well I knew an assembly only had one sister and I said you know what. This wouldn't be an assembly if you weren't here because the sisters teach the angels things that the brethren couldn't teach them by their long hair and their hair covering the head covering.
So they have their part and they can help one another and they can teach at home. We've been hearing about women's conferences. It's contrary to the word of God should be an elder at every meeting. Shouldn't.
Uh. But but they take things into their own hands. And the assemblies will never prosper. And you don't even have to prove it as our brother. I think this is what he said or the gist of what he said from the bible.
Just go back and look at the countries that have practiced this and where it has led. Sad need to just go be simple enough to go according to the word of God. And there's going to be a reward. And and this uh person that really traded and multiplied what God had given him and really worked for God and did a good work.
Why. He said when the time of raining comes you're going to be over 10 cities. There's another one and he said you had five pounds and you made your point into five pounds. And uh and you're going to be over five cities.
And the other one said well he said you know I I still have my pound. I I didn't lose it. Yeah I suppose he tried to justify himself. He hit it in a rag. And you likely know that this is the word for a sweat rank that the bond servant wore in his girdle.
Now this boy didn't have any sweat. He didn't have any need. He wasn't working didn't get worked up. We need to get worked up in the things of God. If we don't we're going to die out. And whether it's reaching out in the gospel or personal conversation God maybe has given you that ability.
And and if you put it into practice you'll you'll get experience. And I know that too. I was quite timid when after I was saved. But I tell you you just learn God God will help you don't be afraid. All he can do is kill you.
If I kill you you'd be home in heaven. You'd be better off. So how about we need to have a little courage. And I know we all fail at times. But don't give up keep at it. This man lost the reward. What about the other seven that aren't mentioned.
I don't know but it might suggest they just didn't have much any interest at all in the things of God. They just drifted along. Are you really in assembly fellowship. Sometimes they would say maybe joking how many are in fellowships here.
Oh about half them. How many are really in felt of us are really in fellowship. In the assembly we're really into it. I have told this often. But it comes back and I'm getting older too so I can do these things.
And yeah you can attribute it to old age or something but anyhow uh Mr. McGee Charlie McGee you never forget him. He went to the assembly. My folks went to over in Ireland a large assembly and we're walking home after the breaking of bread and Charlie uh kind of runs up and catches up with my dad.
And I was a little boy walking beside my dad and my dad looked at Charlie and he said well Charlie were you in the meeting this morning. He says sure you saw me. I was in my regular seat. He said I didn't ask you if you were at the meeting I asked you if you were in it.
How often are we not really in it. I love the assembly. Don't you love it. Because the Lord's there. And and and again if I'm like Zacchaeus and appreciate the salvation that's what gives me the motivation to to work.
So we need to day by day to remember our salvation the day or the night. Why. What a wonderful thing it was. I never forget. And and I I know people and they forget everything else. Larry Perkins grandmother was saved one time.
Uh uh attending meetings down in Windsor. Really Essex Ontario. Later on she was in an old folks home. She not only saved but she was baptized. She was 80 years of age. She went to Stark Road Conference.
She said it's the best birthday party I ever had. She went on for God and I'm talking to her at the Wabashine home up there in Ontario. And she started talking about how she was how God saved her. And I tell you that's wonderful.
You go to some of these places and try to cheer people up and they cheer you up. And after she told me about how she was saved she forgot all about who I was. And she gave me an elbow. She says isn't that Bill Lavery really something I said he sure is should have said he's something else.
Maybe. But I'll tell you I don't. She could forget me. It wouldn't be important. But you never forgot the Lord who saved her. What a wonderful thing. If we could just live in the joy of our salvation it would change our lives.
We settle down. We all do. And we just kind of drift along. And the kids say today we go with the flow. That's not what the Lord wants us to do. He said I've set you up in business. You run this business to make a profit.
We would say today you run this business and use what I have given you whether it's a gift or ability or or whatever. Women can bake. Visit the those that can't get out. It's not only women. Even Mr. Surgeoner can bake.
And I'll tell you he bakes. They're they're real loaves like door stops. I think he gives some to Saints at Mary and there he choked them all. But anyhow it's a good way that he has of reaching out to others.
I'm not going to do it. You would not. I'd rather be shot than poisoned. I'm sure. But there's something we can all do. Just you find out what what what am I happy in doing. And can I do. It may not be something big but it's just as important.
So remember the Lord has put you in business. And there's a reward when the motivation is correct. And when is it going to come. And what's going to happen. We're going to have a place in the kingdom now.
Wonderful. That's what we're coming here. Although the Lord the ones that shouted for his exaltation are the ones that brought him down. But nevertheless the kingdom is coming and the Lord's going to come back.
Hosanna in the highest. What a wonderful day that's going to be. And you know what one of the great wonders is. I'm going to be there. And you're going to be there and I tell you then we'll be able to sing.
It's worth it all just to be with him. I heard about the mighty men. Some of them did great exploits. Some of them didn't seem to do much. They're just their names were given. What made them mighty. They were with the Lord in his rejection.
They were. They would do anything for him even though there's not a lot recorded when they came to him. They came to the cave of adolim. They were distressed and in debt and discontent. That's the way we were with the world and conditions around us.
How did he ever become mighty men. They learned from David. How could they slay a lion. Oh David's the one that would teach them how to do that. So we spend time in his presence and we use what. God what little ability or whatever it is that God has given us.
But we use it for his glory. And when the time comes it won't be just forgotten. Like those seven. Or like the one that hit it up and and thought the Lord was an austere man. But it'll be like those that trade for him work for him work for the night is coming.
So may the Lord bless his word to us and stir up our souls for his name's sake.