Morning Star Testimony - Sermon Notes
The Fight of the Faith by T. Austin-Sparks - Chapter 5 - The Mystery of the Gospel
by John Mark on 02/21/24
The Fight of the Faith
by T. Austin-Sparks
Chapter 5 - The Mystery of the Gospel
Dear Saints,
This message was originally posted on December 14, 2014. As I was editing it and preparing for this post, I have to say I was blown away both by what Brother Sparks presented as well as what Doug shared. I can say this is one of the most intense, comprehensive, confrontational and challenging of all of Doug’s expositions.
My notes:
For those who might not yet know what 'mystery' means in the New Testament, and what it doesn't mean, we might want to take a step back before proceeding. As we see in the scriptures, it has several applications: 'the mystery of the kingdom of God' (Mark 4:11); 'the mystery' (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3:3; Colossians 1:26); 'this mystery' (Romans 11:25; Colossians 1:27); 'a mystery' (1 Corinthians 2:7); 'a great mystery' (Ephesians 5:32); 'the mystery of His will' (Ephesians 1:9); 'the mystery of [the] Christ' (Ephesians 3:4; Colossians 4:3); 'the mystery of the gospel' (Ephesians 6:19); 'the mystery of God' (Colossians 2:2; Revelation 10:7); 'the mystery of iniquity' (2 Thessalonians 2:7); 'the mystery of the faith' (1 Timothy 3:9); 'the mystery of godliness' (1 Titus 3:16); 'the mystery of the seven stars' (Revelation 1:20); 'the mystery of the woman and of the beast' (Revelation 11:25).
Better understood, 'mystery' means a sacred secret kept until a time revealed by the Holy Spirit, and it is available for all to come to know, not limited to an elite class. 'Mystery' is not something kept secret for only a few to come to know. Though we cannot explore each instance noted above where the word 'mystery' is used, we will focus on that pertaining to Brother Sparks' message. When it comes to 'the mystery of the Christ' (i.e. ‘mystery of the church’; ‘mystery of the gospel’), it doesn't come to us merely from an intellectual pursuit, but a 'spirit of revelation' as Paul prays in Ephesians 1, an illumination of the eyes of our heart. Though we are to diligently study the word of God so as to handle it accurately (2 Timothy 2:15), we need spiritual revelation and illumination to not only know it mentally, but to know it experientially. The Apostle Paul, after exhausting the Greek language and failing to describe the unsearchable riches of Christ, resorts to prayer, that "God ... may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation (unveiling) in the [full, mature] knowledge of Him, the eyes of our heart having been illuminated, so that you may know...". Understanding 'the mystery' requires 'full knowledge' (epi-gnosis). This is what Doug taught us years ago, as I noted in my Bible:
Epignosis (?????????) = absolute obedience and response of the whole person, volition, as well as the mind to the personal will of God. It is the apprehension of the revelation of the Person of God in Jesus Christ and becomes a matter of personal relationship and fellowship with God, not merely an abject intellectual assent to God. Epignosis is both the condition and result of growing conformity into the derived image and manifestation of Jesus Christ.
In the introduction prior to the reading of the message by Brother Sparks, after reading the relevant scriptures, Doug explains aspects of "the mystery" and its revelation and realization being the very foundation and reason for establishing Morning Star Testimony Church.
As Brother Sparks addresses the poor, unsatisfactory, inadequate and shallow condition of the church in 1943 when he gave this message, Doug takes it further as he sees a very real issue is the lack of assemblies having a weekly corporate prayer gathering to deal with the condition of the church. "Without a corporate prayer meeting, everything you're doing (pastor) may be right and may be something according to the word of God, but it will lack any power and effectiveness. There'll be no testimony of Jesus there. - I mean NO testimony of Jesus." Doug picks that up again with "Every prayer meeting is a hastening of the coming day of God in its functional representation of the heart and mind of God or it's a failure. No prayer meeting that does not accelerate history forward as an instrument in God's hand for the consummation is a complete failure - utterly a failure."
Brother Sparks challenges the emphasis on evangelism at the cost of discipleship and spiritual growth that results in sonship. "Today, and for a long time, evangelical leaders have put all the emphasis, or the main emphasis, upon getting people saved. They are interested in that more than anything else, and that is the direction of their main occupation. With what result? That we see a most unsatisfactory state among Christians, and that too in the face of the fact that the very existence of the New Testament itself is the evidence that to bring converted people to full spiritual growth is as important as bringing them to new birth."
I am only scratching the surface of this power-packed message. You will miss much listening only once through. Pray for a spirit of wisdom and revelation before you listen to this message – and every time you listen to it. I am convinced it is one of the most vital and important messages we are so privileged to receive from these two brothers now in glory.
At the conclusion of Doug's commentary on this message, he shares his deep respect and appreciation of Brother Sparks' as his spiritual father, one whose ministry is apostolic and so rare.
In the Discussion, Doug challenges us to take inventory as to who it is we're wanting to please; ourselves? ... or God. "There's not an effort to please God and to be pleasing to God if we're abiding in the One who pleased Him. And if we're not abiding in Him, then 'Lord, what work of the cross do you need to do in me so that I get out of Adam - out of what I am - into Christ, the One who's already pleased You. And if I'm walking in fellowship and abiding in the One who pleased You, I'm going to share in Your pleasure. My fulfillment will come when You obtain the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in me." "When Christ has adequately been formed in my life, then I will experience the Father's pleasure."
Doug shared a couple times along with a few in the assembly - definitely worth listening to. However, the audio recorded was not easy to listen to as the microphone was not near enough to each speaker, but I did what I could to help make it a bit better.
Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/12-14-14+Sunday+Assembly.mp3
Discussion Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/12-14-14+Sunday+Discussion+-edited.mp3
Recommended
Resources:
The Day of Visitation series (see the Video Page)
T. Austin-Sparks: Vocational Fellowship
https://www.austin-sparks.net/english/books/vocational_fellowship.html
The Fight of the Faith by T. Austin-Sparks - Chapter 4 - Revelation in Relation to Sonship
by John Mark on 02/18/24
The
Fight of the Faith
by T. Austin-Sparks
Chapter 4 - Revelation in Relation to Sonship
Dear Saints,
This
message originally posted December 11, 2014.
My
notes:
Brother
Sparks defines sonship from many perspectives, and in this message helps us
understand that it is a very personal thing, not about what others are
experiencing. "'In our hearts' - that is where sonship begins, and it is
that which is sonship from beginning to end; an initial thing where we leap
clear of everything that is second-hand and the thing becomes first-hand, and
where it grows and grows and never stops growing as a first-hand thing. That is
sonship. If you understand and can grasp what that means, then you know what
sonship is."
As he
describes fresh revelation as that also which is very personal, "as though
the thing revealed had never been before, and no one else in all God's universe
had ever heard or seen it", I very clearly recall in my earlier Christian
life driving down Lewis Ave. in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and spotting a large truck
with a sign, "JESUS IS LORD". It was a sudden reality I somehow had
missed up to that point. Had you asked me if I believed in the deity of Christ,
I'd have quickly said Yes - but this was different. It became a fresh new
spiritual understanding that was all mine - as if I was the first person on
Earth to have realized it.
This
experience happened again before Morning Star Testimony Church was born.
Attending another assembly where Doug and Lori went, at that time I thought he
was a heretic and needed to be exposed. As I sat in a bible study led by him
right there in my living room, ready to jot down everything he said was in
error, he began his message with "Then there will be two men in the field;
one will be taken and one will be left." When he said the one taken is the
one taken into judgment and the other left to enter into the Millennial
kingdom, the exact opposite I had to that point believed, I instantly knew I
was hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd. I knew it was true. It was such as
Brother Sparks is speaking of - a new revelation spoken right into my heart. That's
when I discovered Doug was no heretic - and not long thereafter he became God's
gift to me as my pastor-teacher who would shepherd me for forty years.
In
this message, Brother Sparks speaks of "fresh revelation". It might
help to point out that he is not speaking of the error prevalent in some of the
churches in our day who receive what they call 'revelation from God' that is
additional to the written word of God and what they consider to be on the same
level of truth as the Bible. As the Apostle Paul prays that God "may give
to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the [full] knowledge of
Him" (Ephesians 1:17), this would be that "fresh revelation" of
what is written, not some new God-breathed, inspired word of/from God.
"Let us be very careful that we do not give the impression that we think
that we are constituted by a special revelation which none of the Lord's people
elsewhere have had or have. That is not the case, nor is that our idea at all.
What we do seek to stand and live for is that the full revelation of the Lord
Jesus shall come in our case in such a living way as to remove us altogether
from merely traditional ground, and put us on to living ground. That is what it
means, that the thing is living." Doug refers to it as "the act of
the Holy Spirit bringing specific spiritual illumination... causing the eyes of
our heart to be illuminated" (Ephesians 1:18).
In
Doug's commentary following this message, he referred to the next series of
messages he planned on going through, The Testimony and Its Vessel unto the
Time of the End by T. Austin-Sparks. That may be next I edit and re-post after
the upcoming last chapter in this series - Chapter 5 - The Mystery of the
Gospel.
Audio:
https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/12-11-14+Wednesday+Assembly.mp3
Recommended
Resources:
Erich
Sauer: In the Arena of Faith
https://amzn.to/3T3IGMx
F.B.
Meyer: Moses: The Servant of God
https://amzn.to/48cbneb
The Fight of the Faith by T. Austin-Sparks - Chapter 3 - The Liberty of Sons
by John Mark on 02/17/24
The Fight of the Faith
by T. Austin-Sparks
Chapter 3 - The Liberty of Sons
Dear Saints,
This message originally posted in December 7, 2014.
My notes:
Sonship has everything to do with the coming of the Lord for His bride. She must be ready ("having made herself ready" Revelation 19:7) without spot (sin) or wrinkle (that 'old man') (Ephesians 5:27). Sonship is going to corporately be expressed in the manifestation of the sons of God (not the 'children' of God) of which the creation awaits eagerly (Romans 8:19). Sonship is us individually and corporately where Christ is fully formed in us (Galatians 4:19) and we are conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), as we, the church, the body of Christ, "attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). Sonship is when "the morning star arises in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19).
But what is required for children of God to attain this sonship? A circumcised heart - coming into the reality of our death 2,000 years ago when we died in Christ as our representative. Jesus not only took the sin-filled humanity of Adam's race into death, He also took the very best Adam has to offer. It's only that which comes to life in resurrection that qualifies for sonship, the out-resurrection from among those who are dead (Philippians 3:11). Doug explains this in his introduction to Chapter 3, and later in the reading mentions that which will finally bring the church, actually only a remnant, to ultimate and final sonship, the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:12).
"Sonship, with all that God means by sonship, is what is in view, and over against it there is this breaking in continually of things religious, subtle, beautiful, with all the argument that God is in them; but, nevertheless, breaking in with one object, all hidden from sight, namely, to cut right across the path of the believer in his going right on to God's fullest thought in sonship; and it sets up a warfare."
Pertaining to what Brother Sparks addresses as the greatest enemy of sonship, Doug shares what his former pastor taught, "Religion is God's greatest enemy; religion is Satan's ace trump against the purpose and plan of God." Doug continues to expound on this: religion - not Satanism - is this greatest enemy. "Where do you find Satanism? In a church that's religious. Where does the Illuminati meet? It meets in the body of Christ. It doesn't have to meet in hidden placed, although it does. But when it does, who's there? Members of the body of Christ. Do you want to find where Satan is hidden? You'll find him hidden in the church."
You'll recall I recently re-published Doug's series on the Weaponization of the Body of Christ. That goes well with this chapter.
In the Discussion, Doug brings up Hebrews 13:13, "let us go out to Him outside the camp". "What is 'the camp' in Hebrews 13? It's the camp of established religion. In that day it was Judaism; today it's Christianity."
Doug takes on the false teaching of 'Calvinists' that don't understand the entire Book of Hebrews was written to Christians (i.e.: “brethren”). "And if you don't get that, it's because you don't understand the difference between salvation and the inheritance." After challenging the Calvinists, Doug takes on the Arminian false doctrine that teaches that those who are saved, those who have eternal life, can at some point lose their salvation. Doug was never shy about confronting false teaching (and false teachers).
"Where are we today? God's going to shake that which can be shaken. What is that? Christianity as it's known today... What do you think He's going to consume when He shakes the church? That which is of created things - created by man; that which is still anchored in the soul; that which hasn't transitioned experientially from Adam to Christ. It's coming. It's coming globally to the entire body of Christ."
In addition to Brother Sparks repeating the warning in Hebrews to Christians wanting to go back to the Torah and Jewish rituals and practice, Doug presses the point during the reading portion of the message and even more assertively in the Discussion. "People today saying we need to go back to the Torah; you're going to die if you believe that! You're going to fall into the hands of the living God and you're going to find out that the Torah was given for one purpose, Galatians Chapter 4, as a school-master to bring you to Christ."
There is so much in both the reading & commentary on Brother Sparks' message and the Discussion. It's one of many of the audio recordings we need to go back to from time to time to be able to digest what's there. I feel like apologizing for not being able to even closely provide adequate notes - but as you listen, I believe you'll know why.
Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.
Discussion: https://dougriggs.s3.
Recommended Resources:
Eric Ludy: The Koine Jesus
T. Austin-Sparks: The Gold of the Sanctuary
That Which Cannot be Shaken (Doug probably is referring to
The Fight of the Faith by T. Austin-Sparks - Chapter 2 - The Nature of Sonship
by John Mark on 02/17/24
The Fight of the Faith
by T. Austin-Sparks
Chapter 2 - The Nature of Sonship
Dear Saints,
This message originally posted in December 3, 2014.
My notes:
Brother Sparks, as often stated, once again makes the clear distinction between doctrine and life, between "a Christian system of doctrine" and true faith. Christianity is not a set of rules and regulations. Christianity is a Person, Jesus Christ, and His life lived out in us, His body. Neither is the Christian life to be being born again and remaining in infancy. "...sonship, in the New Testament sense, is something more than being born into a family; it is growing up in that family, and carries with it the feature of spiritual maturity." Salvation is not a 'get-out-of-hell and go-to-heaven' pass as many seem to limit it to. Neither is it a 'get-saved-and-get-others-
"The more we go on with God, which means the more we live in the Spirit, and the more spiritual growth and maturity takes place in us, the deeper will be our consciousness of utter dependence upon God for our life, and for everything in the realm of our relationship with Him... it is not in us to be Christians, not in us to live a life in the Spirit, not in us to go on with God. It must all come right out from Himself."
Doug takes a break from the reading to explain the triunity of God, the three Persons of the Godhead, co-dependent and co-eternal... three-in-one and one-in-three.
Continuing on with the text, we see the obstacle to this life of faith and our progression into sonship is pride - wanting to live apart from being dependent on God. "Pride hates a life of dependence. Pride cannot bear to have to look outside of itself for everything. Pride must have the root of things in itself."
What is sonship? Sonship is what we see of Jesus, "kneeling down to wash the feet of His disciples." "The person who is really growing spiritually is not the person who is becoming something important spiritually. The one who is growing is the one who is growing in the servant dependent spirit more and more. The one who can get down lowest is the one who is really getting up highest.
Discussion: Several in attendance were very blessed and edified in hearing this message. Doug challenged us to not be hearers only, but to be doers of what we hear.
Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.
Discussion: https://dougriggs.s3.
Recommended Resources:
T. Austin-Sparks: We Beheld His Glory (Vol. 1 & 2)
https://www.austin-sparks.net/
https://www.austin-sparks.net/
Eric Ludy: The Old Servant
The Fight of the Faith by T. Austin-Sparks - Chapter 1 - The Faith
by John Mark on 02/17/24
The Fight of the Faith
by T. Austin-Sparks
Chapter 1 - The Faith
Dear Saints,
This message originally posted in November 2014.
My notes:
As I seek the Lord as to 'What's next?', I believe this series will help those of us (myself definitely included) who have a tendency to wear out and fall into a lazy and passive dullness as to our living out the Christian life. It helps to realize there is only One who can actually accomplish that impossible task, only Jesus Christ Himself, but sometimes we forget it isn't only Him that lives in us, but we must keep vigil and realize this is a battle we are in. Though it is true Christ already conquered the enemy, it's obvious the enemy continues to seek to take ground in us to wage war against his Opponent. Many scriptures challenge us to 'wake up' (Revelation 3:2) and 'arise from the dead' (Ephesians 5:14), 'fight the good fight of faith' (1 Timothy 6:12) and lets us know we are in a war (2 Corinthians 10:3; Ephesians 6:11-12) and the enemy is seeking to devour us (1 Peter 5:8).
In this message, Brother Sparks speaks of experience - something which especially nowadays can be a major departure from the truth. It is not our experience that determines truth, but truth believed and acted upon in faith will result in experiential reality. "... while we are not going to make everything of our experience, everything of Christ has to be an experience. Everything that is true of the Lord Jesus as He stands in relation to us has to have its counterpart in us an experience." "... the Church is an experience and not a doctrine. The Body of Christ is an experience, something that goes through you and through which you go."
Brother Sparks speaks of 'sonship'. It may be good to take a step back and recognize the difference between being a child and being a son. All who receive Jesus Christ become children of God (see John 1:12-13) and are born into His family. We are not adopted into God's family - the term 'adopted' in the New Testament does not mean that we as members of the Adamic race are adopted when we receive Christ. We 'must be born again' to become children of God. Adoption speaks of 'sonship' - adult sons - coming to the place of maturity in the family when the father can bestow on us the legal rights of sons. We see that with the story of the Prodigal Father (a.k.a. 'The Prodigal Son'). When the backslidden son comes to his senses and returns, humbled in his repentance. This father receives him back, not as a child - and not as a slave, but as an adult mature son to whom he presents the robe of manhood, the sandals (which no slave was entitled to wear), and the ring with which to conduct the father's affairs. It's one thing for Satan to fight to keep us from being born again, but it's a whole new battle for him to keep us from spiritual maturity and our coming into sharing the throne with Jesus Christ. Babes in Christ are not equipped nor able to 'wage a good warfare'. But adult blood-bought sons and daughters of the Most High God trained and equipped to fight "The Fight of the Faith" are a real threat to Satan - thus his hatred and malice aimed at us to get us to give up and run from the battlefield.
"But in this sonship of Christ ... there is a tremendous challenge to Satan, and that is why Satan assailed in this way, and does assail. He would seek in some way to neutralize the spiritual reality of sonship, because it is such a challenge and threatening menace to him and his kingdom."
Doug adds a lengthy commentary expanding the reason Satan assails the body of Christ, and especially those who attain to sonship. These are they who obtain their inheritance in Christ and in whom God obtains His inheritance in them. This culminates in the revelation of the sons of God at the coming of Christ to establish His kingdom on earth. Satan is dead set against all that. "... in that sonship there is all that is included in the destiny of Satan and the destiny of Christ. Satan's destiny is a dark and terrible one: Christ's destiny and the destiny of His own is a glorious one."
Growing into sonship has a cost: "If you will not go right on to full growth, you can have a very much easier time, but if you are going right on, you may have the worst time. You are going to know more than any others what spiritual conflict is."
Discussion: you will hear Doug explain more fully the terms sonship and adoption.
Recommended Resources:
T. Austin-Sparks - Christ and Cosmic Redemption
https://www.austin-sparks.net/
Link to today’s audio: https://dougriggs.s3.