The blessed hope of the church is the imminent return of Jesus Christ. The sermon emphasizes that this truth, though often overlooked, should profoundly impact believers' lives, motivating them to live faithfully and expectantly. It explores the scriptural accounts of Christ's return for the saints, the resurrection of the dead, and the subsequent judgment seat where believers will give an account of their lives and ministries. The message concludes by urging believers to purify themselves in anticipation of Christ's return and to actively participate in God's redemptive work in the world.
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Very much. That message and song is wonderful, isn't it? Where Jesus is, it's heaven there. And that's for the few. It's on the mountaintop in Chattanooga and also in the part-to-part. And it's on the mountaintop or in the valley or whatever circumstance the Lord has called us to go through. It's heaven there where Jesus is, with Thank you very much for this message and song. We have another song, and then I've got a few for the message. Shall we stand and just sing that chorus, Roll the Way? It's number five-oh-eight, if you need it, in the book of five hundred days. Roll the way, roll the way, every burden of my heart, roll the way.
Shall we sing? Thank you.
Once again, let me say, put a joy to them, the big talk of the ponds, once again. We'll be leaving tonight after the service to drive approximately three hours back towards Columbia, spend the night in a motel and then get on into Columbia perhaps around noon or a little later tomorrow. We would appreciate your prayers for the minister there. We've seen some blessing. I mentioned last night in the testimony in the lounge that we had the joy of baptizing six people about five or six weeks ago.
We have several others that are waiting for baptism. The Lord has given us a several pronged ministry there, one of which is to the students at the Columbia Bible College. And then in addition to the help that we seek to give the local assembly, there are eleven assemblies within a hundred and fifty miles of Columbia. And about two Sundays out of a month we get either to Charleston or to Greenville or to Charlotte or to Augusta or Wainsborough or Aiken. off of Amor and Myrtle Beach or one of the other assemblies within the hundred and fifty mile circuit and seek the minister and give help there.
So we would appreciate your continued prayers. I have a number of men in the congregation tonight who are very able ministers of the word. I'm really kind of selfish, I suppose, but I'd like to have had one of them up here so I could have enjoyed their ministry. One of them was a man I hadn't seen. in twenty-two years. In fact, he reminded me something I told him twenty-two years ago. And it's good to have Brother James Cochran of the Dominican Republic and Brother Robinson of Canada and several other familiar faces out in the audience with us tonight. So glad to have you in the name of the Lord. We do appreciate your prayers for the Minister of the Believer's Bible Conference.
We don't want it just to be another conference. We want it to be a time when God meets us and when God challenges us, when we will return to our home better equipped and better challenged and better exercised to do a job for him till he comes. That brings us up to the subject tonight till he comes. So I want you to turn your Bibles to First Thessalonians, Chapter Four. This fact and this truth was mentioned this morning six times in the morning service.
It's already been mentioned in this service. And I thought it might be appropriate tonight, the last service of this Memorial Day conference if we thought about the blessed hope of the church. the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now, of course, there are several different attributes and stages of His return. We're going to think tonight primarily about His return for the saints and what shall transpire just after He returns and takes us to be with Himself, even though there will be several other attributes and characteristics of His return that we will mention.
In First Thessalonians four, this is one of the most commonly read passages about the return of the Lord. There are several others, but because of the limitation of time, we'll not have time to read but one other. Verse thirteen, chapter four, First Thessalonians. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye saw not even as others, which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also of which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. Mark chapter thirteen. Begin with the thirty-fifth verse, chapter thirteen.
Well, let's begin with the thirty-fourth verse. For the Son of Man is as a man taken a far journey, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his works. and commanded the poet to watch. Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at evening, or at midnight, or in the cockcroy, or in the morning. Let come in suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch.
Romans chapter fourteen. Now, don't get word. We're not going to preach in all these texts. Simply refer to us. Romans fourteen, verses ten, eleven and twelve. But why just thou judge thy brother? Or what if I said it not thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, as thou live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So then, every one, or every tongue shall confess to God. So then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Notice especially at verse ten. For we shall all stand, believe, before the judgment seat of Christ. Twelve. So that every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Do you remember the word or the thought here in First Thessalonians chapter four, where he says, Even as others which have no hope.
Now it is very difficult for those of us who are believers in the Lord Jesus and who have been taught and who have heard the doctrine and the teaching and the preaching of the will of God concerning the return of the Lord Jesus and what will transpire when he returns for his saints and then with his saints, it is very, very difficult for us to try to imagine what our outlook on life would be if we did not know and believe and anticipate and look forward to the return of the Lord Jesus. But you know, this truth is not known among some Christians.
Now I know it's difficult to understand how anybody can read the Bible and not be aware of the fact that the Lord Jesus is going to return for his saints and take them to be with him. In the little bookstore that we have as a ministry under the Lord in Columbia, South Carolina, there's a very, very fine Christian lady working under our employ. Very godly woman. She found the Lord as a Savior, as a wee little girl in Portland, Indiana. as a result of some Buddha Bible Institute students who came down on weekends and held what would be called child evangelism classes today.
Just a little girl and she found the Lord. But she never really grew much in the Lord until about twelve years ago when she heard someone preaching about the pre-millennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ. It set on fire and it revolutionized her life. And there are thousands of people like that. They've heard the gospel, but somehow they've been denied the truth of the imminent, precious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I feel sorry for these dear people. And so then those of us who heard it and heard it and heard it, we have a tendency to take it for granted.
And it's not as dear to us and not as precious to us and not as important to us as it should be. In fact, if you could tell me what your attitude is towards the imminent, any moment return of the Lord Jesus Christ, it'd tell me a lot about you. I was reading an intervascular magazine here one day, probably ten years ago now, and it told of a young lady on a university campus who was well-known, popular. I believe maybe she was the president of the senior class or the student council or something like that, but she was a wonderful, genuine Christian.
And somebody was taking a poll on the campus, and they were asking the different students, what is your first thought every day? And one would say, well, my first thought is, well, I've got a trig exam today. Another said, my first thought, well, I only have one more day in this week. My first thought today, well, I've got a date tonight. My first thought today, I'm going home this weekend. And I all liked it. And they came to this young lady who was a wonderful, radiant Christian. And they said, Mary Jane or whatever her name was, what is your first thought every day? She said, my first thought every day is my Lord might return today. What a difference it would make in my life and in your life. if we can awaken every day and say, well, the Lord has watched over us during the night.
He's cared for us as we slept. He's protected us and kept us. And now today, this might be the day that he'll return. I thank the Lord for people whose lives, my life has cost, has cost, and they've been a blessing. I thank the one very, very godly woman. back in nineteen hundred and fifty, and fifty-one during the Korean conflict, when a number of military infantry divisions were called back into service because of the Korean conflict, the Dixie Division, which composed the national gods of Mississippi and Alabama, the service division was reactivated, and they sent them to Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
And the general of the Dixie Division was a man by the name of General Gary Haxman from Greenville, Mississippi. And his wife was a very, very godly woman. In fact, she taught two or three big, large-ladied Bible classes every week in Greenville. And she encouraged him to get the Goldfield Bible. And she got him into the book. And she gave him the word. And many of the elite and the high besides the people of Greenville found Jesus Christ through her ministry. And I heard her talking to a group of young people one night. And she was using an illustration about the return of the Lord. And I never heard one that was better.
And she was talking about your attitude toward the return of the Lord. She said... When my sister was living with me during the latter days of World War II, I was out in the yard one day, and my sister was in the house listening to a newscast on the radio, and she came rushing out into the yard. She said, oh, woo, woo, woo, I've heard the most wonderful news. The Germans have to root. The war is over in Europe, and that means that your husband, Daniel, will be thrown, perhaps in a few months. She said, I said, oh, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, I can hardly wait. That was the attitude, she said, of a faithful, loving life.
She said, suppose if one might... Sister ran out of the door in the backyard and says, oh, woo, woo, the war is over in Europe. That means your husband, Galley, will be home in a few months. Suppose, I said, well, all right, you want something, it's all right. That would have been the attitude of an indifferent, careless wife. She said, suppose that when she came rushing out the door and says, the war is over in Europe and your husband, Galley, will be home perhaps in a few months, I said, oh, no, don't listen to that. I don't want to hear that. That would have been the attitude. of an unfaithful wife. What is your attitude, man, toward the return of the Lord Jesus Christ?
The return of the Lord Jesus Christ saw the church and to this good earth to receive us. So if you'll return in the air, first time for the church, and you're going to come back to the church. And right here is where I'd just like to mention several aspects of his return, and then we'll go to some of the aspects of the judgment tree. The return of Christ for the church and to this world is a certain hope, first of all, for the nation. When he returns to the earth, as we all know, he will set up his kingdom and he will rule and reign for one thousand years.
And that will be the first time when there'll ever really be real, genuine, lasting peace. So all of these people that are so concerned about wars and rumors of wars and why can't we stop having wars, all you need to do is to re-survive it. The Bible never promises that there'll be a reign of complete peace until the Prince of Peace is crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords. So some of these politicians and some of these people in the United Nations could just kind of get wise, you know. They would realize that the only way you're going to have lasting real genuine peace is when the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, is made King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The return of Christ is a search and hope not only for the nations and for the world, but it's a search and hope for the Jews. Now you know what the Jews did the first time Jesus Christ came. So when Jesus Christ comes back, the second time they're going to look on him whom they pierced. And they're going to recognize him as the true Messiah. Intergenerally, I think that one of the most brilliant things in all the world is to see a real genuine, be genuinely and soundly converted to the Lord Jesus Christ. I love to meet them. We have a brother in our meeting and have the special love of the Jewish people.
And he's always seeking out people, showing the witness to them, especially if they're Jewish people. It does me good to hear brother Harry Dorfman get up and give his testimony. I saw him the other day on his way to Florence. And it was a real joy just to see him and shake his hand again. And tell him we were praying for him. How it blesses my heart to see someone who is a real Jew by blood. who has accepted Jesus Christ as the Messiah. And then the return of Christ is a certain hope not only for the nations, not only for the Jews or for Israel, but the return of Christ is a certain hope for the church. Those of us who believe. Those of us who know Him as Lord and Savior.
But as we read here in... Romans chapter fourteen. When the Lord calls us, the trump of God sounds, the dead in Christ arise the medium. I believe very clearly, and we don't have time to go into all the scripture about this, that the Bible teaches, and I think most evangelical Christians go along with this, that there's going to be a time of review. Now, you can call it judgment. The Scripture speaks of it as judgment. But I think, in one sense, there's going to be a time of review. and our lives and our ministry and our labors are going to be reviewed before the Lord.
And I believe that the Bible teaches very clearly that we are going to be rewarded not in proportion to what we have done, but I believe that the Bible teaches that we're going to be rewarded in proportion to what we have done with what we've had to do with. There are some people that have had more opportunities, and consequently, they've had more responsibilities. There are some that you and I have never heard of, that are going to have far more rewards perhaps than we will, because they have been so faithful in the little that they have had. Now, I remember some reviews that I've been in in my life.
I was in the ROTC at the University of Georgia. Well, actually in the band, I didn't actually have to take the military. They excused us from that for playing in the band. And I remember, well, we had four reviews, and that's what we had one every year. And I don't know, whenever it came time, from the man from the fourth core area to come from Fort McPherson, and he was going to review the entire ROTC unit, everything had to be sticking, sparing. He was going to ask questions, and they said, he might ask you this, and he might ask you this, and he might ask you this. So be on your pants and shoes, because we don't know who he's going to ask. And as a rule in every company, he'd ask one or two questions. And I never shall forget.
In the band, he came to one of the dumbest guys in the band he could have picked. You know, there's one in every group. And he asked the fellow, how many beats are they to the minute in the military cadence? Well, apparently, the inspector either didn't know, or he didn't hear what the guy said, because he said a hundred and thirty-five. Well, ain't anybody knows it's a hundred and twenty. But the guy loses like nothing happens. You know what rating we got? An A. I don't know how it got. We got by with that.
But, beloved, when we stand before our great commander-in-chief and he reviews the troops, it's going to be different. Now I don't have a lot of scripture that I can read to you to tell you what I think it's going to be like, but I just like to give you from my heart what I believe the review might well be like at the judgment seat. And I think it would behoove us to think about this for a few moments. First of all, I believe that the life of Shockless You and of Jim Cochran and of Otto Speck and of all the others who know the Lord Jesus at the judgment seat is going to be brought into review. I'm speaking then of our ministries and our testimonies and our witness for the Lord.
And I believe that the judgment speaks, Christ and we as well, are going to see our lives not for what they look to be in promise, but Christ is going to see them for what they really were in Christ. Oh, we might have sung very lustily about, oh, how I love Jesus, and defies the brothers and sisters, and that them might have thought, man, we were most spiritual. But just how spiritual were we? Not in public. Not when we were supposed to be spiritual. Not when we were in the family, but just how spiritual were we in private.
Because that is what really counts. Oh, I talked about having my devotions, and I talked about memorizing the scriptures, and I talked about praying brothers, but how was it when no one was at a checkup on me to find out whether I really had my devotion, or whether I really prayed, or whether I really spent time with the Lord, or not? My life is going to be brought. End of review. My relationship, not only to God, but my relationship to the church. is going to be brought into review. Now, the church, of course, is composed of who?
Individuals. And so what was my relationship to the church? Did I love all the people in the church, his body? I did not have my little favorite. And did I just hope that Brother So-and-so didn't come up to me again and talk tonight because I'd really rather talk to So-and-so. What was my real relationship to the other members of the body of Christ? I believe all of this will be brought to review at the judgment seat. I believe also that my real, true, genuine relationship to the world will be brought to review at the judgment seat of Christ. What was my real relationship to the world, the flesh, and the devil?
Did I really care for what money could buy and what money could do, or was my real heart's desire in what I could do for the Lord and please and satisfy Him? Inasmuch as I belong to Him, inasmuch as I've been purchased by Him, has my one desire been to please Him, or have I been greatly influenced by what the world teaches and what the world wants and what the world desires. I believe also that I'll be judged in relationship to my true service to the Lord.
First of all, the motive that prompted me to do what I have done as a Christian. Now I know I'd like to be meddling now, but this is real with me. What are the motives that have prompted me in the decisions that I've made as a Christian in my life? What was a real, genuine motive? Because Jesus knows the motive. See? I believe I'll be judged not only in regard to my motives, but I believe I'll be judged in regard to my message. Those of us who stand in the pulpit quite frequently, an average of two or three times a week, know what it is to have the devil come and sit on our shoulders and listen to you.
You know good and well your brother is here today, you know. You wouldn't want to say anything to offend him, wouldn't you? Now, brother, so until he's here today, and he's a young Christian, so don't say anything to rub him the wrong way. And the Holy Spirit of God says, preach the word. What is my message then? Has my message ever been cut short? Has my message ever been a message that was compromising? Or has it been a message that declared the whole counsel of God? There are a number of men in this audience tonight who have the privilege and the responsibility of ministering the word from time to time.
And you know that this is a real temptation. to free people rather than to free the Lord. And this is something that calls for real hard churches. I'll be judged in relationship to my message. And then last but not least, and I believe that a lot of the Lord's people are going to have a lot to answer on this, I believe that we're going to be judged in relationship not only to our message and to our motive, but in relationship to the methods that we have used in the Lord's work. Now, we talked a little bit about methods.
Last night, I believe it was. We mentioned that sometimes God's methods change. God's people have to use different methods to reach people, but that the message never changes. And I still say that, but I do say this, that whatever the method is that we use to proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus and to bring decisions for Christ, we should be very, very careful that they are methods that God has given us. And then at the judgment speech, we're not only going to be examined about these things that we've mentioned, But praise the Lord.
It's going to be a time of reward. Now, rewards are very valuable. I know of an assembly in, well, Bethany Chapel, Augusta. And they have had some fabulous Bible schools at Bethany Chapel in Augusta. They've had some of the largest Bible schools that I know of. far larger than their son is to enroll. Sometimes twice the size of their son is to enroll them. And you know the way they've done it? They've done it by having contests and giving rewards to boys and girls for bringing their friends. There's nothing wrong with that because it brings boys and girls under the sound of the gospel. I was preaching at the old Washington Heights, December in Chicago years ago, and I almost broke my leg getting to the platform.
They had prizes and gifts and awards all over the platform. There wasn't a seat in the place to be had. The place was packed. And I said to the brother, I forgot who it was then. What in the world did he tell them? We're having a contest. And that cloud of place is filled. We're going to reward them for bringing their friends. Well, the Lord is going to reward his people. And there are a number of them that are mentioned in the scriptures. We just have time for several of them right now. One of them is the crown of life. The word of God says, Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
The scriptures teach that for those who have been faithful, for those who have been willing to suffer, for those who have been willing to pay a price, there's going to be a central crown of life. For them. In Second Timothy four, eight, we read about the crown of righteousness. And I believe that the crown of righteousness will be given to those who love his appearance. Now, I've often wondered what's going to happen with the crown of righteousness for the people who don't love to think of his appearance. Well, in all honesty, I don't see how they can ever get. Because this crown is for those who love his appearance.
And there are a lot of wonderful people who've been saved, they've heard the gospel, and they've been saved, but they've never come to love and appreciate the wonderful truth of his appearance, so consequently they'll not receive the crown of righteousness. Then there's a crown of rejoicing, spoken of in Daniel first, Thessalonians two, and I believe also in Psalm one, twenty-six and six. He shall come with rejoicing, bringing his seed with him. I believe that for those who have been so rose, for those who have been faithful in sowing the seed, who have been faithful in seeking to reap a harvest for the Lord and bringing men and women and boys and girls to Christ, I believe they'll receive the crown of rejoicing.
Then in first Corinthians nine and twenty-five, we read about the incorruptible crown. And I believe the incorruptible crown is for a Christian who has been victorious over temptation. They've been tempted many times to go back on the Lord and to fail the Lord. And to do that which they knew to be wrong, but by God's grace, they have not given the temptation. They've been victorious in spite of temptation. And I believe the scripture teaches they'll be given the crown that's incorruptible. Lastly not least, and I love this crown, spoken of in I Peter five and four, it's called the crown of glory. Do you know who this crown is for?
The crown of glory is not for the soul runner necessarily. The crown of glory is for the under shepherd. And you know, beloved, I believe that by and large, in most of the assemblies at least that I visit from time to time, this is the most neglected gift in most of our assemblies today. We have a lot of people that can preach the gospel, and we have a lot of people that can minister their word. But we don't have many people that have been exercised, if they've been exercised, I certainly haven't done much about it, they haven't been exercised to be under-shepherd.
To be those who encourage, those who teach, those who instruct, those who correct, those who shepherd young Christians. This is one of the greatest needs. in Christendom today. We're too busy. And I don't know how it is in other assemblies, but in Columbia, South Carolina, this is one of the greatest churches we have. In our testimony, about two-thirds of the men in the testimony are in business for themselves. And that's really unfortunate. Because of the rule, when a man is in business for himself, he's a small business man.
And that means he works long out. He doesn't have near the time that he'd have if he punched the clock at eight and got off at four, you know. So we're very limited in our local assembly, I know, with under-shepherd. And this is a crying need today. Oh, under-shepherd won't ever get, won't be written up in letters of interest more than likely. An under-shepherd more than likely will never be written up in fields. An under-shepherd won't get much glory down here, because most of what the under-shepherd does is behind the scenes.
But all I'll tell you, this is one of the greatest ministries in all the world, a ministry of encouraging and teaching and instructing young Christians in the things of the Lord. And as you travel from place to place and you run across the seminaries sometimes where people are growing in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, invariably you'll find that someone has taken the time to do just what I'm talking about doing right now. They've held not only Bible classes, but they've been willing, if need be, to go through a home for an hour a week and sit down with a young man or a young couple and teach them and instruct them in the ways of God.
And I'm the shepherd. And the Scripture says that they're going to receive our crown of glory so that faith is not away. The circumference of the hope, the character of the hope, and last but not least, the challenge of the hope for the Christians. Well, we read over there in Mark's Gospel about how we should be careful and always looking out not knowing when it's going to come. Did you know that five times, I believe it is, in Matthew's Gospel we read these words, Watch, for in such a day as you think not the Son of Man cometh.
In nineteen forty-eight, a little over a year after I first met Brother Cochran, it was my privilege to attend the first anniversary World Congress over there in the Lausanne, Switzerland, or actually as they, I believe it was, or the Institute of Mayors, near Lausanne. And I was out on the wait one day on the steamer, going to burn. I forgotten what I was going to get a visa or something, for some reason. And I noticed a gorgeous chalet on the side of the mountain. And I didn't know but about twenty words of French then, and I don't know about about ten words now, but anyway, I said to the man by me, he apparently could speak English, or I couldn't have communicated with him, and I said, who owns that gorgeous house?
And he called the name of some millionaire in New York City. I said, does he live there? He said, oh, no. He lives in New York. He comes over two or three or four times a year, spends a week or two, months there, flies back to New York. He said, you see, he has a caretaker. The caretaker lives in that little house behind the big house. And he says, you see, the caretaker never knows when the owner of the house is going to come. And because of that, he has to keep it spotless at all times. And I thought, my, what an illustration. of how the Christian should be. We never know when our Lord is going to come.
Therefore, we should be ready and already for He is coming at Yimah. And so this hope is an upward hope. And in First John, I was reading tonight before I came over the scripture talking about the blessed hope when we read these words. And every man that has this hope in him, purify himself. And what does that mean? That means that inasmuch as my Lord may come in any moment, I keep close, short account with the Lord.
and that I constantly try to keep ready, seriously, for His return. I examine my heart. And I seek day by day to be ready spiritually for his return. Lord, is there any way in me? Is there anything in my life that's hindering my ministry? Is there anything that would keep me from being the kind of a testimony to the man next door or to my neighbors or to my friends that I should be? Let me look within my heart and by your Holy Spirit, point out those things in my life that would keep me from being the kind of a man or woman you want me to read because I want to be ready. I want to examine my heart.
And as you point out in my heart the things that shouldn't be there, I want to confess them and forsake them and forsake them. And as you point out to me those things that are not in my life that should be there, I'd like to place them there by your grace. Let every man that has his hope in him purifies himself. It's an outward look, an inward look, and an outward look. Look ye on the field. Are they not white? Already? The hearty? The levy? A generation or two, perhaps at least two, maybe three generations ago, a dear man of God, with a great missionary vision, wrote a hymn.
And the hymn goes like this. A hundred thousand souls a day are passing, passing, passing away. But if you sing that hymn today, you would not be singing the truth. Because today, truthfully, if you were going to sing the hymn, you'd have to change the number and you would have to say, a hundred and forty-five thousand souls are dead, are passing, passing, passing away. Today, there are many, many, many, many millions more who have never heard the name of the Lord Jesus than they were when he first gave the commission, drove you into all the world and preached the gospel to every creature.
That, in spite of the modern printing press, That, in spite of Wallace's legacy, and radio, and telephone, and jet airplanes, and television. The command is, go to Jesus, and preach the gospel to every Christian. Nineteen hundred and forty... And I told this last night, as I gave a brief testimony, I did everything in my power.
This is back when I was a Southern Methodist minister. I did everything in my power to get into the Army Air Force. Of course, there wasn't much I could do until the spring of forty-four because you couldn't apply until you were twenty-four years of age. So now you know how old I am. But as soon as I was old enough, I did everything in our power to be admitted into the Air Force as a chapter. And while in Maxwell Field, Alabama, one weekend, I had the privilege of going to a review for the commanding officer.
They apparently were very glad to get rid of him because he was gone overseas. And they really put on a big review for him. And I've always loved to see men dressed in uniforms, saluting and snapping to attention. It just kind of sends a thrill or chill down my spine. I just like to see that. And I was seated on the top, on the top of a thirty-nine Pontiac that I owned at the time. And this afternoon I saw twelve thousand aviation cadets march out onto that field behind a ninety-seat aviation cadet band. And Fresno, they were all out there on that parade ground, and the adjutant said, "'Prette Troop!'
And every man, half thirty. Then he said, "'Prette! And you know how you can hear it flight by flight, platoon by platoon? Right down the line. And if the song sank in the western hills of Alabama that afternoon in those D- twenty-four and D- twenty-nine school of information, these young men stood there to attention, the Holy Spirit of God spoke to me, he said shockingly. These twelve thousand aviation cadets had snapped her attention at the command of the adjutant in honor of the commandment officer.
Many of these young men, most of these young men, would much rather be back at home, with their sweethearts, their families, their friends, back in school, back at work. But as long as they're in the uniform of that country, they're going to be obedient to the command of their superior officer. Shockless, the Holy Spirit said, you're in my uniform, not because I drafted you. but because you volunteered and you love me. May you always be as quick and as alert and as attentive to follow mindful man and to do my will as these twelve thousand young men are.
And I bowed my head and I dedicated my heart and my life, I knew and afresh, to my Lord and my Master that afternoon. That was in nineteen forty-four. But that's not the end of the story. In February of nineteen hundred and forty-eight, I was holding some meetings in some of the chapels in the Chicago area, and I was speaking every day at the Christian Venice Men's Committee broadcast down in the Victory Service Center in the heart of the moose. And on one of these particular days, one of the faculty members at Wheaton had arranged for me to speak in Wheaton College at the chapel. And I spoke. And the Lord led me to give a message.
about evangelism and business and getting the job done. And I closed the message with the illustration that I've just given. And when I finished the message, I was rather in a hurry because I had only an hour and maybe a few minutes to get the elevated and back into Chicago for that broadcast. And a young man about six foot three, black-headed, handsome young man about twenty-seven or eight years of age, came up to me and said, Wait, Mr. Fury, I've got something to tell you. I've got to tell you. He said, what is it, sir? And he told me his name, and I'd give anything in the world if I had remembered his name. He told me his name. He said, I thought you might be interested, Mr. Hughes, because I was the adjutant at Maxwell Field that days like a man that day.
I said, what are you doing here? He said, well, it's a long story. I know you're in a hurry, but he says... I was the adjutant. And he says, in a few months, I too was sent overseas. And he says, I completed thirty-five missions over Germany in a B-seventh team. And he said, just before the war was over, God, by His wonderful, infinite, master's grace, reached down and showed me myself as a sinner. And I found the Lord as my Savior and a serviceman sinner in England. And I dedicate in my life to the Lord. And I come back here to Wheaton College to prepare myself for the Lord's service. And by God's grace, when I finish, I'm going back to Germany to help evangelize the people whose homes and factories and marshalling yards I help destroy.
So now I'm going to illustrate. She gives the command as an officer. But then when your commanding chief says, who will go for me? He says, I'll go. Hear him out. Shall we pray? Very glad to have our brother Robinson with us tonight from Canada. I'm going to ask us to wait just a moment in silent meditation and prayer and examination of hearts concerning our attitude about the return of the Lord. And then I'd like for our brother Robinson to dismiss us, and shall we remain seated for approximately a minute in further meditation after he has finished this prayer, then we will be dismissed.
Our praise, our God and our Father, as we approach the throne of flesh in Christ's lovely name, we acknowledge that our hearts have been challenged of flesh. We fancy that thou art the chief, the great commander, and we are the members of thy force here on earth, and thou hast given the command to go. Amen. May each one of us this night bow ourselves in thy presence and say, As the Apostle did of all, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable or divine service.
Be not conformed to this world. but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that we may know what is that good, and that perfect and acceptable will of God, be willing, having lain all upon the altar, to work for thee till Christ returns. If there are any in our meeting tonight who have never yet found Christ as their savior, may this, under the sound searching of thy Holy Spirit and thy precious word, close in with thine offer of mercy, acknowledge him as seizure, and then to obey the command, go, work in my vineyard today, that we may lay up those rewards, that we in time may give to our blessed redeeming almighty.
These is from me to thee. Pass us with thy blessing. Receive our grateful thanks for all thy love and thy kindness upon us through Christ our Redeemer. Amen. Just this little word, I know you have a chance of seeing brother and praise your personal thanks to him for being with us. Because we do want to do so collectively once again, and especially us, our brother and sister, are living on their way this evening.
We want to commend them to the Lord's care. We shall be bow our heads once more. Our loving Father, we thank you for sending thy servant to us this weekend. We thank thee for these heart-searching messages. Thou hast given us to thy servant from thy holy word. O, exercise our heart through praise, especially in the view of the same coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ and because of the judgment seat of Christ.
We will especially commend our dear brother and sister to thy gracious care, thy hand with them over the highway as they travel not even this evening. The highways are treacherous, for thou art the God over the highways, and we thank thee that they earn thy hand to bring them swiftly to their destination and bless them. in their service would be, together again we gave thee our heart for thine, in Jesus' precious name. Amen.