Morning Star Testimony - Sermon Notes
"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!
"Ye Are Come to Zion" - by T. Austin-Sparks
by John Mark on 03/20/24
Dear Saints,
This message
originally posted October 1, 2014.
My
notes:
As
Doug introduces Chapter 4, he gives a sweep of the history of Israel leading up
to the first Advent on to the purpose for which the Book of Hebrews was
written. "The Book of Hebrews was written for the Laodicean state and
condition of the church in our generation. When you come to Zion, you have come
out of anything that has to do with a shadow that is not the substance and
reality which is in Christ."
As
Hebrews 12 is taught, how many understand it is not only a history lesson of
how God judged Israel culminating in 70 A.D. with the destruction of the temple
and Jerusalem, but it is a prophecy of coming judgment, first in the church,
and then Israel and the nations. The church will not go through the Day of the
Lord (7-year tribulation), but will go through its own tribulation prior to the
rapture. See WARNING!!! To the Church (scroll down to view) where I go into more detail. Check out Haggai 2:6, 21 cp Hebrews 12:26).
"God is going to shake everything in the church that can be shaken in
order that that which cannot be shaken, that is, that which is according to
Christ, might remain. And that's coming! The shaking that's coming to the
church, this day of visitation, is as certain as God using the Romans to
destroy the Jewish temple and that whole system of religion in 70 A.D."
"There's
a change that's about to occur, and we, as the members of the body of Christ,
are going to be caught into a similar (to 70 A.D.) vortex in the very near
future. We can expect some radical changes in this nation and the world
beginning with the church." Brother Sparks adds: "Yes, a mighty age
crisis is represented by the letter to the Hebrews - nothing less than the
passing of a system or an economy."
I
wonder if in these last days of the church age when persecution of the church
comes here in the west if Christians will be designated an outlawed terrorist
hate organization. Don't be surprised if churches lose their tax exempt status
due to their pastors being convicted of hate speech and terroristic
indoctrination. It's always been in the IRS regulations that churches are
extremely limited on speaking about politics or recommending certain candidates
for office.
[Sparks]
"Dear friends, it is no exaggeration to say that you and I have come
actually to live in a time when the whole complexion of things in Christian
tradition is changing." Doug adds, "... and will be eventually swept
away in the same kind of crisis that we see in 70 A.D. that swept away Judaism,
and all those Christians who didn't get out."
[Sparks]
"There is a time fixed when God will sift out everything in Christianity,
sift it all out, to find out just how far the real purpose of its existence is
being fulfilled, and the things which can be shaken will be shaken... We shall
come to that crisis individually sooner or later... Sooner or later, it will be
found out whether we are Christ-ones or not, whether it is Christ; how far it
is Christ."
As Brother Sparks speaks of the way
missionaries cannot operate as in time past, he says, "There is a change
coming... it is going to be in another way, on another basis, by other
means." Doug adds, "Yes! It's called 'the day of visitation'
producing the effects in a remnant of people that will manifest Jesus Christ as
the bright morning star. And that will be something that never happened in
history, except in a foundational way in the Book of Acts."
[Sparks]
"...you are being tested now according to Zion - whether you stand or
whether you stumble." This brings to mind the passage in 1 Corinthians 3
about us standing at the bema seat where what was 'wood, hay and stubble' will
be burned in fire, and only that which is 'gold, silver and precious stones'
will pass through the fire and be that used to determine reward and placement
as to whether or not we rule and reign with Christ. As Doug and many of us
prayed for years, "Lord, burn what is wood, hay and stubble now in our
lifetime so all that is left is gold, silver and precious stones, and therefore
be no loss at the judgment seat of Christ." The gold, silver and precious
stones are that which corresponds to the life of Christ in us, "tested
according to Zion".
[Sparks]
"... what God is trying to do with us in our experience is to make us know
Him for ourselves, and have nothing second-hand, but direct. That will not make
us independent of one another, it will make us perhaps the more dependent upon
one another, but it has got to be like that. God will shake everything that can
be shaken, in order to find out how much there is of that kind: conforming to
Zion." It's not what we know about Christ that will count for eternity -
Satan knows more about Him than we do - but what is of Christ formed in us, and
to what degree we are conformed to the image of Christ.
"Ye Are Come to Zion" - by T. Austin-Sparks
by John Mark on 03/17/24
Dear Saints,
This message
originally posted September 28, 2014.
My
notes:
Some
of us may believe Jesus is "at home" in our hearts - that once we
receive Him as our Lord and Savior and we become children of God, that Jesus
'settles down' and our whole heart is His to live in. In fact, when we are
joined to the Lord, we are one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17 cp 2
Corinthians 1:22). However, the sanctification process, growing up in Christ
means a progressive submitting areas of our soul to Him to take over as Lord.
When we're saved we can certainly say "Jesus is Lord of all", but
there are areas in our soul life we hang on to where we are not allowing Him to
be Lord. In these places, He is not 'at home'. Ephesians 3:17 says, "so
that Christ MAY dwell in your hearts through faith". That word 'dwell'
includes the idea of settling down, always present, to pervade (to become
diffused throughout ever part) and govern our heart (the center of all physical
and spiritual life, the seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites,
affections, purposes and endeavors). Our choices as we activate faith will move
us in the direction where Christ is finally welcome and at home in every place
in our souls.
[Doug]
"If God is going to be at home in us, that means absolutely in us must
become 'according to Christ'."
Doug
reminds us of the conditions of the church that will bring about the rapture.
Once Laodicea is vomited out of the mouth of Jesus Christ and all other
judgments are carried out (i.e.: Thyatira and Sardis), it will only be a
surviving remnant that is raptured. There are so few who actually teach this...
and it's all right there for all to read in Revelation 2 and 3, 1 Peter 4:12,
17; Hebrews 12:25-29). Of local assemblies, "Anything that is not
representing Christ in His nature and character and the manifestation of that
is not the church; it's just a gathering of people, and they could even be
believers."
As
Brother Sparks takes quite a bit of time to describe what Zion is all about,
Doug brings it down to a practical description of what God is looking for in us
in corporate fellowship and relationship. "He must see the dominion of
Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords evidenced in people who bear
the testimony of Jesus Christ. When you look at that person, you see that
person is victorious. No matter what has happened, they are living in triumph -
and that company is in triumph. That is Zion." Brother Sparks summarizes,
"Zion is Christ in Person in the value of all His work in His people.
That's Zion."
I
hope you don’t mind if I share some personal observations regarding this post. To
be honest, I really struggled going through this chapter. I decided to listen
to Brother Sparks' original speech as he delivered this message (https://audio.austin-sparks.net/TAS0306.mp3).
Though he can be very slow in his presentation, sprinkling in long pauses, it's
the opportunity for me to better digest and ponder what he is saying. I was
really exercised in hearing him speak. As he is speaking of Zion, I thought
about how Doug taught us over the years about it - how within it was the last
to be conquered and most formidable stronghold, the Jebusite fortress (2 Samuel
5:6-7). Sparks gave this message the year I was born, 1954. It wasn’t until the
90’s that Doug became aware of SRA/DID and it being anchored in members of the
body of Christ. This is Satan’s most formidable stronghold and weapon against
God. I don’t believe Sparks could have known anything about this.
I
think this is what made this message difficult for me. I have been banished
from several assemblies because of my history with Morning Star Testimony
Church (i.e.: involvement with spiritual warfare and ministry to SRA
survivors). Others I left as they were not anything close to what Sparks defined
as a corporate expression of “Zion”. I do currently find it, however, in a
small group of us who meet twice weekly via Zoom, a place I’m discovering koinonia.
I realize this is not optimal, not what is described as a local church, but for
me it is closer than any other assembly I’ve been a member of. I’m definitely
open to where God wants me, even to relocate, but it’s not just me that will
come under the headship and oversight of an assembly. It must include the field
of ministry God gave me to continue to serve in.
I
pondered Sparks’ reference to Zion being a place of joy and festivity. Though I
wouldn’t trade my experience being a part of Morning Star Testimony Church for
anything, I can’t say we experience such festivity – certainly not all the
time. With a satanic occupation of Zion, as David had to conquer it before it
became the City of David, we were in a warfare for so many years. I believe
this fortification will finally be conquered by Jesus Christ in and through His
body. Satan is being crushed under His (our) feet, but it is really no time to
relax and not a time of celebration. I believe that will finally come as an
outcome of the ‘day of visitation’ and culminate at the completion of the bema
seat judgment when we will be caught up to God and to His throne
(Revelation 12:5).
We
can in faith enjoy the victory Jesus already won, “When He had disarmed the
rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over
them through Him”, but we must still carry out the process of dispossessing our
enemy and taking this last fortress. “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and violent men [seize] take it by force.” Though Zion is the optimal place for
the church to experience, the reality of the true condition of the church now
brings a solemnity to the festivities. Consider Ezekiel 8 and compare it to the
rebukes by Jesus to the churches of Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea. Judgment
must come before Zion will be the ultimate City of the root and offspring of
David, Yeshua Hamashiach.
In
the Discussion, Doug reminds us that the church is being scrutinized by Jesus
Christ as the plumbline - that what is not according to Him will be shaken and
removed prior to the rapture.
Recommended:
T. Austin-Sparks - The Cross and
Higher Ground
https://bookministry1.s3.amazonaws.com/books/The+Cross+And+Higher+Ground.pdf
Ministry
of Eric Ludy: https://ellerslie.com/
Link
to today’s Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/9-28-14+Sunday+Assembly.mp3
Link
to Discussion: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/9-28-14+Sunday+Assembly-discussion.mp3
WARNING!!! To the Church
by John Mark on 03/13/24
Dear Saints,
I wanted to share a few thoughts that I believe the Lord has put on my heart. As we all have been blessed by the ministry God entrusted to Doug over the 40 years he was our pastor, that ministry continues in a sense as we continue to listen to past messages he gave. Doug’s primary responsibility as a pastor was to feed us sheep, and to protect us. Though he did so much more than that, I wanted to center in on these two aspects of ministry to the flock God assigned to Doug, those who continue to feed at this table.
Continuing the ministry of providing spiritual food, I think it is very important to consider what protection we might need in the days, weeks, and months ahead. I’m not including ‘years’ as I don’t believe we’ll be here on planet Earth that long. As Doug has so clearly taught us over the years (i.e.: https://www.dougriggs.org/
We all remember March four years ago – how could we forget? The world hit the brakes as it came under the spell of a well-contrived and devious plan. I believe in some ways it was a ‘beta test’ to see if the strategy would work. It was a clear example of the ‘Hegelian Dialectic’ – in order to reach a certain goal (i.e.: the world under the control of a single ruler), they produced the crisis and managed how it would be handled. It worked only too well. We all fell for it. The spirit of fear permeated the atmosphere around the globe. Churches closed; we were in lock-down; we were at the mercy of the dictates of the World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control, the World Economic Forum, pharma, etc., all in lock-step to shut everything down. Another example of the Hegelian Dialectic was to create the crisis (the sickness); manage the response (wear masks, social distance, etc.); and provide the solution (the shot heard round the world).
As this rapidly and unexpectedly unfolded, Doug did a lot of research to determine the best course of action. As we continued to want to assemble in our homes, it was recommended we all keep our phones at home, or at least turned off (I purchased a flip-phone for such use) so we couldn’t be tracked. It was believed that unlawful assembly could result in fines – and eventually the possibility of imprisonment. It’s happening in other countries; why not expect it to happen here? It happened in the January 6 event. In my Facebook account no one sees, I warned people before the event to not bring their cell phones. Look what happened to those who did. Many are in jail or prison for participating.
Doug also researched the shot we were all encouraged – and some mandated – to take. He warned us that this was not legitimate and it could bring much harm to those who got it. This proved to be the case (see VAERS Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System website). I invite you to peruse what was reported as to adverse events after taking the shot – estimated to be as much as 10% of cases down to 1%) here’s a link to the Excel spreadsheet: https://unpublished1.s3.us-
In my opinion, I believe the event four years ago was the beginning of the day of the Lord, but in God’s providence and patience, gave the ‘shot across the bow’ (pun intended) to let us know we need to prepare ourselves for what is coming. Doug truly was for us a ‘watchman’ on the wall (see Ezekiel 33). Another watchman has been pastor J.D. Farag. He does his homework and has faithfully been disseminating valuable information as to what we need to be wary of in these dark days of deception and lies. If you aren’t a regular listener to his weekly Bible Prophecy Updates, I’d recommend you listen at least to the last couple updates. I fully concur with him when he warns people to not take the flu or ‘covid’ shots.
Each of us are responsible to the Lord as to what we take into our physical bodies. As a stewardship, we have to protect these temples of the Holy Spirit (John 2:21 cp 1 Corinthians 6:19). But what about those who’ve taken it either in ignorance of what is in the shots, or were forced to in order to keep their jobs. I am convinced that in God’s grace, the One who changed water into wine, is the One who can change poison into water (2 Kings 4:38-41). My advice (in agreement with JD) is to not take another. For those who are threatened to lose their employment, I’d say we need to trust the Lord more than we trust our employer. If God was responsible in arranging for us to have this job, can He not be trusted to either overrule the threat, or even provide something better? For some of us, perhaps we need to endure the test and trial of loss of possessions. The point is, we need to fear the Lord more than we fear man. “The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted” (Proverbs 29:25).
I hope this brings more hope than dread as we consider where we are in history and what soon to expect.
"Ye Are Come to Zion" - by T. Austin-Sparks
by John Mark on 03/13/24
Dear Saints,
This message
originally posted September 21, 2014.
My
notes:
As
God placed Adam into the Garden of Eden and he was told to cultivate it and to
guard it, so we, also, when we are placed into Christ at our new birth,
"We have a stewardship and a responsibility to cultivate that life; to
cultivate that which will bring us into a deeper abiding union and fellowship
with Him, and then to guard it. We need to guard our relationship by the manner
in which we walk."
As
Brother Sparks speaks of our entering into God's rest, rather than inaction, he
adds, "if we are going to find rest in service, it must be very
heart-satisfying service. Well, that is home. It is the place of rest, it's the
place of abiding. These are the things, with many other features of what
"home" means, which we are supposed to find in Christ."
Speaking
about possessing our inheritance, Doug commented, "That garden (Eden)
represented a place where Adam was to exercise dominion. And so, we have to
dispossess principalities and powers to come into the fulness of our
inheritance in Christ... That inheritance is inherently characterological, not
just about knowledge, but about a nature to be possessed." Brother Sparks
adds, "[It is] to be possessed, in the first place, to be exploited; that
is, it's got to be taken up and made to yield its inherent and its intrinsic
values."
As
Brother Sparks was speaking of the battles we experience, even those in our
gatherings, he asserts, "We'd see changes in our gatherings if we are
sensitive enough to register the encroachment of death and know then that's the
time for us is to do something; not to accept it, but to do something: exploit
Life." However, I'm reminded of 2 Corinthians 4:11-12, "For we who
live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the
life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. So death works in us,
but life in you." Not to contradict Brother Sparks, but this is 'the other
side of the coin'. There are those times we experience death, but when we know
life is registering in others because of it, we can endure and patiently wait
for the Lord.
"The
justification of Life is in the measure of Christ in others through us."
Think about this - re-read it. Why am I here? Why am I alive? What is my
purpose? What is the justification for me here and now? Can it be, that in some
way, other's measure of the reality of Christ in them is somehow connected to
me and my relationship to them? Remember Ephesians 4:16: "the whole body,
being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the
proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the
building up of itself in love." Brother Sparks continues, "That is
the justification of our existence, and the vindication of God in giving Life.
Life... oh, it's a challenge isn't it? It's a test, but here it is: the Family
is in view." Wow!
"Oh,
dear friends, covet above all things that you shall not be an end in yourself,
but there will be many who, by the grace of God, can attribute their spiritual
Life to you as a channel. You make it your real business in life to see that
there are many who have received Life through you. That is the justification of
our existence, that is the vindication of God in giving us Life at all. Indeed,
it is the vindication of the Cross of Christ." This so clearly identifies
what I am called to do as a 'joint of supply', a tiny little artery that
connects this vital spiritual food from Doug, Sparks, and others, via the
website and YouTube channel to saints all around the world. It is my joy, privilege
and honor. And, there are many of you who are joints of supply connecting
others to this ministry. Isn't it amazing how we are one body, connected to
each other this way??
Want
to know what "Zion" means? Doug goes into a helpful explanation
midway through this audio recording. "Zion is always the ideal of what
Israel should become." However, 'Zion' isn't a term limited to Israel. I
see Zion as it relates to the body of Christ, not as the church in general, but
as the remnant made up of overcomers, those conformed to the image of Christ
and Christ being fully formed in them. As you'll hear, both Doug & Sparks
go into much more than that. For example, "Zion, therefore, is not only
all that God has accomplished in Christ and all that Christ means in Himself of
God, Zion comes in the next place to mean a people in the good of that... we
have come to be a people in the good of all that God has provided and
accomplished in His Son. It is the sum of God's salvation enjoyed by a
people."
In
Doug's closing, we should consider praying with him, "Father, show each
one of us that as we live day in and day out, how do we cultivate this Life and
this place in Christ, and how do we guard it? Show us what it means to 'gird up
our loins for action'... and what it means to 'press for the prize of the
upward call of God in Christ Jesus'; what it means for us 'to apprehend that
for which we've been apprehended in Christ'."
DISCUSSION:
Doug
shared the impact another message he'd been reading by T. Austin-Sparks had on
him, The Church of the Firstborn
(https://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/church_of_the_firstborn_the.html).
We
are not just to come to learn about our Lord, not to gather facts and fill
notebooks about Jesus Christ and not just be able to quote many bible verses or
pontificate on how much we know. We are to bear His Name. What we know about
Him is to become an experiential reality, so when people see us, they see
Jesus; when we speak, people hear Jesus; how we act when circumstances hit us
unexpectedly, people see Jesus respond. It will be the glory of Christ
expressed in us that will be manifested when He comes for us. 'We will enter
into the sufferings of Jesus Christ; that we will so become one with the nature
of Christ, the character of Christ, that wherever we go, we bear the Name of
Christ. And to bear the Name is a characterological reference to our whole
conduct and our whole being.'
I'm
reminded of that amazing passage in 2 Corinthians 4:6-11: "For God, who
said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our
hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing
greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted
in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but
not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body
the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in
our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death
for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our
mortal flesh." So, are people seeing the life of Jesus, the
treasure? ... or the earthen vessel – especially when we are afflicted,
perplexed, persecuted, struck down, and delivered over to death?
Link
to Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/9-21-14+Sunday+Assembly.mp3
Link
to Discussion: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/9-21-14+Sunday+Assembly-discussion.mp3