"Ye Are Come to Zion" - by T. Austin-Sparks
by John Mark on 03/24/24
Chapter 5 -
The Children of Zion
Dear Saints,
This message
originally posted October 8, 2014, the first of two.
My
notes:
As
Brother Sparks is speaking of the wilderness journey of every Christian and
points to the fact we're not supposed to spend our entire life there, he says,
"Are you a people still out there wandering about, learning, slowly
learning by discipline and adversity, or are you a responsible person in the
gate?" The gate is the place of responsibility and authority. "He
(the Lord) does look forward to the time when you and I will be in a position
to turn what He has taught us to account for others. That's far more precious
to Him."
Our
growing up into Christ is not all about what we get out of it, but how the Lord
can use us in other's lives and spiritual journey. "What the Lord loves is
that kind of maturity which means that, well, we know from the way in which the
Lord has taught us, disciplined us, know what we ought to do and are able to
help others with counsel." "He looks for the day, and it will be the
day of His so far greater joy, when you and I will be in the gates of
Zion." And speaking of helping others with the abundant resources God
supplies to us and for us to share, Brother Sparks adds, "Hungry people,
let them come, let them queue up, we have still got something to give. Yes, all
the time that's the testimony isn't it, of the citizen of Zion. We lack
nothing, we have plenty, there is always a margin for others."
Sparks
asks the question we should ponder: "What would you consider to be the
most glorious thing that could be true of your life?" He answers with the
desire "to have brought satisfaction to the heart of God. If only, if
only my life could mean that God was well-pleased, that the good pleasure of
God rested upon my life, that God could say, "Well done, well done good
and faithful servant" I would want nothing more than that.
Speaking
about how the Accuser comes around to accuse us and condemn us, and remind us
of our sinfulness and failures, Brother Sparks reminds us of the fact we are
accepted and beloved by God. "Our refuge is what? Flee into Christ and
say, 'In Him God covers all my sin... There is no condemnation to them that are
in Christ Jesus', taking the whip out of the hand of the enemy and lashing him
with it: justification by faith, made just through faith, accepted in the
Beloved, Beloved. And so the word comes back repeatedly - beloved of God,
beloved of God, beloved of God, and that to such miserable creatures as you and
I. 'Ye are come to Zion... Glorious things, glorious things are spoken of
thee'."
Recommended
resources:
Filled Unto All the
Fulness of God by T. Austin-Sparks
https://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/filled_unto_all_the_fulness_of_god.html
Link
to today’s Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/10-8-14+Wednesday+Assembly.mp3
John Mark
...hereby committing this unto the providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!