<TITLE>14. Par 56-59</TITLE>L-56 When the Angels question Him one day, "Why did you go to earth," He will come back and present that church without fault, without spot, without wrinkle. There's the material. There's the thing, His reputation. He must do it. That bridge builder had to build the bridge. He must do it or loses his reputation.
Christ will have a Church. And He must do it because He came to the earth and become flesh and dwelled among us and became sin that we might become righteous. He become us, that we, by His grace, might become Him. He came to take our place as a sinner, to let us have His place as sons and daughters of God in the presence of His majesty. What a grace of God. How could we say them words are not right. "Heavens and earth shall pass away, but them words will never pass."
Little blind Indian boy a few nights ago, blind since he was three--three or four weeks old, received his sight, normal, then walked off the platform. What was it? It was a time-tested memorial of the power and grace of Jesus Christ. Blessed be His holy Name. Time-tested, trials, troubles, shakes and pull, it's only to find the blows in you, to see if there's any there. It's God shaking you and trying you.

L-57 Some time ago, the great Caesar Augustus, after a great famous battle, and had won a great victory, he--they was going to give him a celebration in Rome. And he said to them, "I want some man to ride, some worthy man to ride by my side while I'm doing this." Said, "I want some man to share these blessings with me."
And all the... It went through the camps. All the officers trimmed their plumes, and polished their swords, and made their armors real bright, and everything, and practiced standing straight in a certain salute to their king and so forth.
And each one walked up, their big armor before him, as he set out there on his throne watching. And there come up, officer with his big fine plume just feather-edged stood and made his salute. Caesar shook his head and he walked away. Another one come up, made his salute; Caesar shook his head and walked away, time after time, soldier after soldier.

L-58 Finally way down along the line come a little footman. He didn't have any shield to polish; neither did he have a plume to trim. But he walked up in front of Caesar; he didn't even know how to make a right kind of a salute; but he just bowed his head and walked away. Caesar said, "Wait a minute, who are you? Come back here." He walked up there; he looked at him, just scars over his face, and cut, and disfigured, and crippled up. Said, "Where did you get them scars at?"
He said, "Out in the battle fighting for my lord Caesar."
Said, "Climb up here and set down by my side. You're the one that's been tested and proved."

L-59 Brother, it's not plume trimming time; it's not educational days; it's time-testing time. It's a time that God is testing His church to find the battle scars of hard trials and fights and battles; that's the one who will ride by His side.
How Elisha was tested and proved before he could wear a prophet's robe. How Elisha throwed that robe around his shoulder, how he must be the right man. Elisha watched him there in the field when he was plowing. God said, "That's the man. That's the man that can wear that garment. That's the man that can wear that robe. He can take your place." Blessed be the Name of the Lord.


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