Menu List

Transcription

Menu List

SALAD [EDITOR PREFACE]
Peace and grace in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We greet you Happy New Year 2014. Let us experience 2014 as the year of
Jubilee or liberty from all problems in study, economy, health, and so on,
especially sinful characteristics in our life.
This Manna Magazine discusses Mark 7:1-23, namely God's
commandment and Jew's tradition. The column Roti Gandum discusses
about "The name of Jesus saves, sanctifies, and perfects us" as well as
the Word preached in New Year Eve Service that 2014 is "The Year of
Liberty." In addition, there is column about the Word preached in
Fellowship in Singapore, that is "the ascension of Jesus to heaven brings
miracle."
Let the preaching of God's Word through Manna magazine become
blessings all over our country and foreign ones, so the Teaching Word can
be spread and the name of God is glorified. May you enjoy consuming the
blessing of God's Word.
Alleluia!
Menu List
Salad (Editor Preface) .......................................................................1
Rumput Penggembalaan ................................................................2
(God's Word transcript taken from Youth Service)
Roti Gandum...................................................................................20
Roti Gandum (Shepherding Word transcript)
Roti Keju...........................................................................................34
Roti Keju (God's Word transcript taken from Fellowship)
Sate (God's Word transcript taken from Prayer Service) ...................41
Jamu (Testimony) ............................................................................44
STMJ (Crossword Puzzle) ...................................................................47
MADU(Announcement) ....................................................................48
RUMPUT PENGGEMBALAAN
Mark 7:1-‐23 God’s commandment and Jew’s tradition Mark 7:1-8,20-23
7:1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.
7:2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands,
they found fault.
7:3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way,
holding the tradition of the elders.
7:4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many
other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels,
and couches.
7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the
tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"
7:6 He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
7:7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
7:8 "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men––the washing of
pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."
7:20 And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.
7:21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications,
murders,
7:22 "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
7:23 "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."
Mark 7:1-23 is about “God’s commandment and Jew’s tradition”. There are two
kinds of the preaching of God’s Word as follows.
1. The sowing of the seed of God’s Word that will result in the fruits of
righteousness, holiness, and perfection. Our life is so beautiful when we are
sown by the seed of God’s Word from our childhood and teens to result in the
fruit of perfection.
2. The sowing of the seed of human tradition that will result in the fruits of evil
and uncleanness [verse 20-22].
The sowing of the seed of human tradition reminds us to Matthew 13, namely the
sowing of tares seed among the wheat. We have to be careful because there is
the sowing of tares seed or the seed of human tradition while the seed of God’s
Word is being sown.
Matthew 13:24-25
13:24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who
sowed good seed in his field;
13:25 "but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way..
| 2|
Why does it happen? It happens because one sleeps, gets sleepy or negligent,
and has playfulness or no seriousness and habit spirits when the Word is
preached. There is opportunity for Satan to sow other seeds at that time.
Matthew 13:41-42
13:41 "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things
that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
13:42 "and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Such person will be as tares burnt by fire. It means forever perdition in hell fire.
Revelation 20:10
20:10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast
and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The destiny is as Satan, antichrist, and false prophet who will perish in hell fire.
Therefore, let us seriously hear the Word of God nowadays.
Genesis 2:15-16
2:15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.
2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely
eat;
Formerly, God provided many kinds of fruit to guarantee the life and joy of Adam
and Eve in the garden of Eden. The fruits refer to the Word. It means that God
gives us His Word to guarantee our life and joy in the world up to the eternal ones
together with Him.
We get the fellowship with God’s Word “freely” [Genesis 2:16], namely with
freedom in the anointing of Holy Spirit. It means as follows:
• Not being bound by human rule or money, and so on. As a result, the
congregation will get the power of deliverance coming from the Word. If there
is a bind about time or other things, one will be persistently bound and not be
able to get the deliverance of the power of the Word.
• Being set free from playfulness or no seriousness and habit spirits, so that we
are able to hear the Word seriously, understand, believe, and obey it.
Matthew 13:43
13:43 "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has
ears to hear, let him hear!
If we freely hear the Word and obey it, our life will appear as the light of the world.
Revelation 12:1
12:1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her
feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
The more we obey the Word, the more our life becomes light until someday we
become the lights of the world, namely the sun, moon, and stars or as the bride of
God.
There are three levels of the light as follows.
1. The light in the house to fight the darkness of basket and bed.
Matthew 5:14-16
5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
5:15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light
| 3|
to all who are in the house.
5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father in heaven.
Mark 4:21
4:21 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not
to be set on a lampstand?
The bed refers to sexuality sins. If one does not obey the Word or s/he hears it
playfully, s/he will not be able to fight the sexuality sins such as adultery
between a man and a woman who are not a legal spouse, homosexuality,
lesbianism, and sex to oneself or animal. Diploma, much money, popularity,
and so on cannot fight the sexuality sins. Only the seed of God’s Word is able
to fight them.
The basket refers to sins concerning eating-drinking such as smoking, getting
drunk, drugs abuse, and so forth. If one does the sins concerning eatingdrinking, s/he will for sure fall in sexuality sins soon because the two kinds of
sin cannot be separated from one another. The basket also refers to economy.
If we can appreciate the sowing of the seed of God’s Word and obey it, we do
not need to get difficulties in our life in the world. Adam and Eve were
preserved by God when they were obedient to the Word, but they got
difficulties and curse in their life when they began to be disobedient.
2. The light that shines before men to glorify God’s name.
Matthew 5:16
5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father in heaven.
Isaiah 49:3-4
49:3 "And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.’
49:4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet
surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God.’"
Everyone who glorifies God will get the reward or work in His hand, even the
eternal ones. The meaning of our reward and work in the hand of God is that
He provides us with all things in the time of need. On the contrary, one who
makes God grieved and disgraced with his deeds will be condemned by Him.
It has happened in the days of Noah. The people of the world were punished
by the flood because their deeds and mixed-marriage made God grieved. The
condemnation will happen again on the last days, namely fire and brimstone.
3. The light of the world.
Matthew 5:14
5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
It refers to Revelation 12:1, namely a woman with the sun, moon, and stars or
the bride of God. The sun refers to Father God, the moon refers to the Son of
God, and the stars refer to Holy Spirit God.
John 14:15-17
14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
14:16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with
you forever––
| 4|
14:17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor
knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
If we obey the Word, Holy Spirit God will dwell in us and we get a garland of
twelve stars someday.
John 14:21-23
14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves
Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
14:22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us,
and not to the world?"
14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My
Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him..
If we are obedient, the Son of God will dwell in us and someday we will have a
moon under feet. If we are obedient, Father God will dwell in us and someday
we will have the light of sun. We become the light of the world or the Bride of
God equipped with the two wings of a great eagle. We are evacuated from the
darkest darkness, namely the antichrist.
Revelation 12:14
12:14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the
wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the
presence of the serpent.
We will be evacuated to the wilderness for three years and six months to get
the preservation and protection of God. We can freely eat the Word. It means
that we are set free from the antichrist. Afterwards, the Lord will come a
second time and we are actually free. We are lifted up on glorious clouds to
return to paradise and enter eternal heavenly kingdom.
How about us just right this evening? Are we in the darkness? Have we been
the light? Peter is a servant of God that is used by Him, even he has walked
on water. Unfortunately, he has fallen in darkness and disobedience. We have
fallen in the darkness in every time we are not obedient.
John 21:3-7
21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you
also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
21:4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not
know that it was Jesus.
21:5 Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They answered Him, "No."
21:6 And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some."
So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon
Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and
plunged into the sea.
God had commanded Peter to become the fishers of men, but he disobeyed
Him and wanted to become fisherman again. The consequences are as
follows:
• Not getting anything, but failure.
• Not having on any garment. It means living in sin, falling in darkness, and
there is no light at all. Adam and Eve were naked when they were
disobedient. Consequently, they were driven out of paradise to perish.
| 5|
When we deliberately sin and get naked, we are in the valley of death and
perdition. There will be no beam that can reach that place.
Jesus is the light of the world that comes to Peter to give His light as follows.
• Jesus lights us with His death and resurrection. He must descend to the
valley of death by His death on the cross to light our life.
• With the light of God’s Word showing us our condition ("Children, have you any
food?").
Our attitudes when Jesus comes this evening must be as follows:
• Confessing our sins and condition honestly.
• Being obedient or lifting up our two hands to God. The Lord commanded
Peter to cast the net and he was obedient. As a result, He stretches His
hands to help us, pull us out of the darkness and move us to His marvelous
light. We will become the light of the world together with Jesus forever
when He comes a second time.
God blesses you.
(taken from Youth Service, Saturday, May 6, 2006,
preached by Rev. Widjaja Hendra)
The title of Mark 7:1-23 is “God’s commandment and Jew’s tradition”. We can see
the two kinds of the sowing of seed as follows.
1. The sowing of the seed of God’s word.
2. The sowing of the seed of human tradition.
In the sowing of seed there is a separation between the sowing of wheat seed
and tares seed. When we are careless or not serious in hearing the Word, there
will be tares seed or tradition sowed. Consequently, it will be burnt and destroyed
someday. On the contrary, one who hears the Word seriously compares with the
sowing of wheat seed. As a result, it will enter the barn. It means that the
righteous will become sun, moon, and stars shining or the bride of God. Our
future depends on our attitude toward the sowing of the seed of God’s Word.
Mark 7:9-13
7:9 He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your
tradition.
7:10 "For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’;and, ‘He who curses father or mother,
let him be put to death.’
7:11 "But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received
from me is Corban" ––’(that is, a gift to God),
7:12 "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,
7:13 "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.
And many such things you do."
The Scribes and Pharisees hold the tradition and ignore or reject the Word of
God. One of the proofs is about the fifth commandment written on the second
tablet of the two tablets of stone, namely commandment to give honor to parents.
| 6|
We can honor parents through our obedience and giving money to preserve their
life.
According to the tradition, one does not need to give honor or any money to the
parents if the money has been given to God as offerings. Such tradition seems to
love God, but there is hypocrisy because the offerings in the temple are received
by the Scribes themselves.
Thus, we can conclude that the Scribes and Pharisees reject the fifth
commandment. It means there is no love to parents or other people.
Consequently, there is no love to God.
1 John 4:20-21
4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his
brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
4:21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also..
Two tablets of stone are as a coin with stamp of image and inscription. The coin
will not be useful if there is only either image or inscription. Likewise, we must
love both God and other people. The Scribes and Pharisees have no love or the
two tablets of stone.Unfortunately, such condition also happens to the servants
and sons of God. For example, Peter.
John 21:15-17
21:15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you
love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him,
"Feed My lambs."
21:16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him,
"Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved
because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all
things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
The Lord asked Peter about the love three times as follows.
1. The first question “Do you love Me with Agape love or the love of God?” Peter
answered “I love You with Fileo love or brotherhood love.”
2. The second question “Do you love Me with Agape love or the love of God?”
Peter answered “I love You with Fileo love or brotherhood love.”
3. The third question “Do you love Me with Fileo love or brotherhood love?” Peter
was grieved because he remembered that he had denied Jesus or there was
no brotherhood love in him.
It means that Peter has no love or the two tablets of stone like the Scribes and
Pharisees. Nowadays, there are many sons and servants of God whose
conditions are like Peter who has no love. They have service and ministry to God
but there is no love to Him and other people. They only have flesh love that is
egoistic and full of self interests and ambition.
The facts found in having no love as Peter are as follows.
1. Rejecting the cross or not being willing to suffer in the flesh without any sin for
God.
Matthew 16:21-23
16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and
suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the
| 7|
third day.
16:22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord;
this shall not happen to You!"
16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for
you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Consequently, there is no love or two tablets of stone and one becomes
stumbling-block.
Matthew 18:6
18:6 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for
him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Stumbling-block is one who does not become blessing but disadvantage and
bad testimony for others. A millstone is hung around his neck. It means there
is no beauty in life, but sorrow and heavy burden, until he perishes forever.
Revelation 18:21
18:21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea,
saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found
anymore.
2. Denying Jesus.
The fact found in it is lying much more. It means there is no love.
Ephesians 4:25
4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we
are members of one another.
The members of Christ’s body will surely love one another without any lie.
Lying means not being the member of the body of Christ.
Titus 1:16
1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him,being abominable, disobedient, and
disqualified for every good work.
Denying Jesus also happens in bad deeds, even to parents. Such person will
be denied by Jesus before Father God.
3. Not being faithful even leaving ministry.
One will stumble for sure if he or she becomes stumbling-block.
John 21:3,7
21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you
also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon
Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and
plunged into the sea.
Formerly, the Lord had called Peter as the fishers of men, but then he returned
to become fisherman. It means unfaithfulness and leaving the ministry.
Consequently, he did not catch any fish but got failed and naked. He lived in
sins and was ashamed.
2 Peter 1:10-11
1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you
do these things you will never stumble;
1:11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
| 8|
Ministry is the entrance into Heavenly Kingdom. If one stumbles, becomes
unfaithful, and leaves the ministry, he will not have the entrance into heavenly
kingdom anymore. You who have not ministered to God yet must pray that he
will give you ministry. You who have already ministered God must keep it as
the entrance into heavenly kingdom, do not stumble or leave it.
One who is without love as the three facts above will only aim at perdition. Peter
was going toward perdition, but the Lord does not want that one He had
redeemed must perish. He helped Peter. He also wants to help us just right this
evening through His appearance as The Good Shepherd. God shows
shepherding system in John 21:15-17, ("Feed My lambs."). We must be shepherded
Christians, do not wander! If one wanders, he will meet lions. Pastor must give
example first about being inside the shepherding pen.
Jesus, The Good Shepherd, must give His soul to help Peter, one who was
without love. It means that He gives His love for the sheep.
John 10:11
10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
We must be grieved [John 21:17], namely realizing our weakness and fault, and
then confessing them. As a result, we get the love of God.
Proverbs 28:13
28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have
mercy.
John 21:18-19
21:18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where
you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and
carry you where you do not wish."
21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this,
He said to him, "Follow Me."
The proofs of receiving the love of God are as follows.
1. Being shepherded.
2. Lifting up our hands to God. It means as follows.
• Submitting all worries to God, so that we live in peace and quietness.
• Submitting our whole life to God through doing His will obediently although
we must die or it is not in line with our fleshy will. Peter died on the cross
with his head down.
If we lift up our hands to God, The Good Shepherd, He will also stretch His
hands for us to help and do the best thing in our life.
Revelation 7:17
7:17 "for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living
fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
The Good Shepherd also guides us to beautiful joyful future life while He is
wiping away our tears and sorrows until we reach the last shepherding pen.
| 9|
There are no more tears in that place, namely The New Jerusalem. As the
proof, Peter’s name is written in The New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:14
21:14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the
twelve apostles of the Lamb.
God blesses you.
We still discuss Mark 7:1-23 about “God’s commandment and Jew’s tradition”.
There are two kinds of the preaching of God’s Word as follows.
1. The sowing of the seed of God’s Word. There will be the second sowing if the
first one is ignored or one is not serious in hearing the preaching of God’s
Word.
2. The sowing of the seed of human tradition.
Therefore, we must be alert in the preaching of God’s Word. The Scribes and
Pharisees hold the tradition, so they reject and ignore the Word, and do not
prioritize it.
Mark 7:5-8
7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the
tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?"
7:6 He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
The service of the Scribes and Pharisees does not prioritize the Word of God.
Consequently, there is hypocrisy and habitual service without fervency in spirit. It
is allowed for us to sing and give testimony in our service to God, but the best
part is when we want to heed the Word. The signs of service to God that has
become pretense and habit are as follows.
1. There is no life renewal anymore.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
3:2 For men will be (1)lovers of themselves, (2)lovers of money, (3)boasters, (4)proud,
(5)blasphemers,(6) disobedient to parents, (7)unthankful, (8)unholy,
3:3 (9)unloving, (10)unforgiving, (11)slanderers, (12)without self–control, (13)brutal,
(14)despisers of good,
3:4 (15)traitors, (16)headstrong, (17)haughty, (18)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Such person serves God with their body, but does not prioritize the Word,
even denies the power of godliness or the Word. Consequently, there is no life
renewal but flesh human with eighteen flesh deeds or the stamp 666 of the
antichrist. Thus, service to God without the Word will only aim at the antichrist.
| 10|
It happens because in the beginning was the Word, so rejection to the Word
will make one become the antichrist someday.
2. There is no real satisfaction from God.
The proof is when the sons of God still like to look for satisfaction in the world
such as going to movie theater, smoking, and so on. In such condition, there is
no life renewal.
If it continues, there will be great disadvantage for sure.
1 Timothy 6:6
6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
Godliness with life renewal and satisfaction will give us a great gain, namely the
two wings of a great eagle that will fly us to wilderness to get direct preservation
and protection from God when the antichrist reigns over the world for three years
and six months. The great gain is more than just good marks, much money,
diploma, and so on because all of them cannot do anything when the antichrist
reigns.
Revelation 12:14
12:14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to
her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the
serpent.
After being evacuated to the wilderness for three years and six months, the two
wings of a great eagle will lift us up to welcome Jesus’ second coming on glorious
clouds. It is called great gain.
If one’s service to God does not prioritize the Word as the Scribes and Pharisees
do or there is no life renewal, there will be a great disadvantage, namely losing
the two wings of a great eagle. Consequently, he is left in the world when the
antichrist reigns over it. There will be only two alternatives. The first is worshiping
the antichrist and being stamped with 666. The second is being strong and of
good courage and worshiping Jesus, so the person is beheaded. As a result, he
is resurrected to be God”s possession. Nevertheless, it is a great disadvantage
because there will be only few people can endure great persecutions at that time.
It has never happened yet and will never happen again.
The atmosphere of service to God that does not prioritize the Word is the same
as a wedding feast without wine, something that must be provided in a wedding
feast according to Israel tradition. Even, Jesus’ mother was restless because of
wine lacking in a wedding feast at Cana. It is a heavy laden atmosphere.
John 2:1-3,6
2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2:2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
2:3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."
2:6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the
Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.
There were only six waterpots, whose water was used to wash hands and feet or
outer parts of body according to their tradition. Such service to God without the
| 11|
Word seems to be clean, good, beautiful, and lively at the outer part, but it is dirty
and rotten inside.
Mark 7:14-16,20-23
7:14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear Me, everyone, and
understand:
7:15 "There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which
come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.
7:16 "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!"
murders,
In such condition, the heart will never be touched by the Word. Only God through
His Word is able to touch our inner part of life. The service may seem to be fresh
for the world but it does not aim to the marriage supper of the Lamb of God when
Jesus comes a second time. Do not be fooled between the freshness from God
and the one from the world. If we prioritize the Word, there will be freshness from
God for sure. On the contrary, a service to God will be useless if it does not
prioritize the Word. In such condition, one will be left to perish forever when Jesus
comes a second time.
John 2:7-10
2:7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim.
2:8 And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took
it.
2:9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where
it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the
bridegroom.
2:10 And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests
have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!"
The true service will prioritize the Word. We are as clay vessel that must be filled
up with the water of God’s Word.
2 Corinthians 4:7-11
4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and
not of us.
4:8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed––
4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may
be manifested in our body.
4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may
be manifested in our mortal flesh.
The preaching of the Word consists of two things, namely the Gospel Word that
preaches Jesus’ first coming to save sinful human through His death on the cross
and the Teaching Word that preaches Jesus’ second coming in glory [2
Corinthians 4:3-4]. The term “this treasure” refers to the Teaching Word or
sanctification Word that prepares our life to welcome Jesus’ second coming.
| 12|
Doing the service to God is an opportunity to fill up the clay vessel with the
Teaching Word. The process is through hearing the Teaching Word seriously,
understanding, believing, and obeying it. The results are as follows.
1. [2 Corinthians 4:7-9] Abundant strength from God to face all temptations and
difficulties in the world, even the death cannot rule over us.
Schools in the world may not be able to give us solution in facing problems. It
cannot fight the death. The Word of God is able to face the death as well as all
problems in the world. One is considered to have no strength of the Word yet if
he easily gets disappointed and hopeless. The Word is strength to face
problems and death.
2. [2 Corinthians 4:10-11] Life renewal and satisfaction.
Flesh human is changed into spiritual one as Jesus is. We are changed little
by little until sometime we are as glorious as Jesus like water that is changed
into sweet wine. The more we are changed, the more we are satisfied.
It begins from our characteristic that must be changed. Jesus’ mother said that
they had no wine when there was lacking of it only. The woman refers to all
women and the Church of God.
John 2:3-4
2:3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine."
2:4 Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not
yet come."
Worry must be changed into believing and fully surrendering to God. Young
people who often worry about future, marriage partner, and so on must be
changed, so that they can surrender to God. Worry will only make bitterness in
life. On the contrary, water will be changed into sweet wine if we can surrender
to God.
Impatience must also be changed into waiting for the time of God patiently
because He will make all things sweet and beautiful in His time. The water that
changes into sweet wine must also be drawn out and tasted. It means that our
saying must be renewed until there is no more lie.
Ephesians 4:23-25
4:23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true
righteousness and holiness.
4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we
are members of one another.
Our saying is changed into righteous one that glorifies God. We are renewed
little by little. The wine becomes sweeter. It continues until Jesus’ second
coming that we are renewed to be as glorious as Him. We receive the
sweetest wine, namely we enter the marriage supper of the Lamb of God. We
meet Jesus to enter future paradise and eternal heavenly kingdom. God is
able to create something that does not exist yet. The life renewal is a spiritual
miracle. Physical miracles will also happen. The bitter can be made sweet.
The impossible can be made possible.
| 13|
God blesses you.
We still discuss Mark 7:1-23 about “God’s commandment and Jew’s tradition”.
There are two kinds of the sowing of seed, namely the sowing of the seed of
God’s Word and the one of human tradition.
Mark 7:7-8
The Scribes and Pharisees keep the seed of tradition and reject the seed of
God’s Word. Consequently, the soil of their heart produces evil and uncleanness.
Mark 7:20-23
murders,
One of the signs is ignoring the seed of God’s Word and being foolish, namely not
being able to get advice from others. We must be alert because the heart that
tends to be evil and unclean has happened since the days of Noah up to the last
days. It will cause condemnation of God to come.
Genesis 6:5-7
6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6:6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
6:7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man
and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."
The heart of human tended to be evil and unclean in the days of Noah. It causes
God’s grief.
Genesis 6:2
6:2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for
themselves of all whom they chose.
One of the practices is mixed-marriage between the sons of God and the
daughters of men, namely ones who believe in God and ones who do not believe
in Him or between light and darkness. It will cause divorce, re-marrying or
marrying - being given in marriage, and free sex. Consequently, the
condemnation of God comes. Men were condemned with flood by God in the
days of Noah.
Revelation 18:2
18:2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has
become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and
hated bird!
| 14|
The heart that tends to be evil and unclean lasts until the end of days. The fact
found in it is doing the sins of Babylon or building the body of Babylon. God’s
project is to build the perfect body of Christ or Bride of God through the sowing of
God’s Word. On the contrary, there is another seed sowed to build the body of
Babylon or Satan’s bride who is perfect in uncleanness.
Revelation 18:9
18:9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and
lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
Men whose hearts are evil and unclean and who tend to do the sins of Babylon
will be destroyed by the fire of God, even the fire of hell forever.
Proverbs 4:23
4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
Therefore, we must keep our heart because it determines our life from now on
when we live in the world up to the eternal one. Let us have the good conscience
coming from water baptism. Evil and unclean heart will be changed into good
conscience through the life renewal or being reborn. We will inherit the heart that
tends to be evil and unclean if we are born only by our parents.
1 Peter 3:20-21
3:20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of
Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through
water.
3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us––baptism (not the removal of the filth of the
flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
We are reborn by God through water baptism, and we can have good conscience.
1 Peter 2:2
2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
The fact found in having the good conscience is as a baby who always desires
pure and spiritual milk, namely one who longs for, appreciates, and enjoys the
Shepherding Word more than anything in the world, even obeys it. A baby will feel
that the milk cannot be replaced by anything. The heart of young man tends to be
evil and unclean and ignore the seed of God’s Word when he still chooses the
invitation of his friend more than hearing the Word. His condition is as the Scribes
and Pharisees. Moreover, it will be dangerous if one comes to church because of
physical things only such as getting many friends, entertainment, and so on. Let
us become a baby desiring milk. We enjoy consuming the Word and obey it.
The process of obeying the Word is as follows.
1. Hearing the Word of Christ or the Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit. The
servant of God must also preach the Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit.
Romans 10:17
10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
John 3:34
3:34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by
measure.
| 15|
If the congregation hears the Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit and the
servant of God preaches the Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit, the
preaching of the Word cannot be restricted. God had commanded Adam and
Eve in the garden of Eden to eat the fruits freely, but then Eve took away the
word “freely” when a serpent gave her questions. Eating freely means that the
preaching of the Word cannot be restricted by time, age, human rule, and so
on, so that we can enjoy consuming the Word. Therefore, we need to pray to
God, so that we can hear the Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 2:13
2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word
of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth,
the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
If we are in the anointing of Holy Spirit, we will be able to receive God’s Word
as the words of God Himself, not of any human.
2. Receiving or giving positive response to the Word.
Romans 10:19
10:19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those
who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation."
After we hear the Word, we can give positive response to the Word. Our mind
can understand it and our heart can believe in it. On the contrary, the negative
response to the Word happens when one likes to argue and critize the Word.
3. Practicing or obeying the Word.
Romans 10:21
10:21 But to Israel he says: "All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and
contrary people."
God is stretching His merciful hand to us when the Word is being preached.
On the other hand, we are lifting up our two hands to God when we are
obedient. Our flesh cannot obey the Word, but the power of Holy Spirit enables
us to do that. Our hands meet God’s hands and all problems are solved by
Him. Living in this difficult world will not be so difficult if we can choose the
seed of God’s Word and keep our heart to obey it.
We get these results when God stretches His hands to us and we lift up our
hands to Him.
• He stretched out His hands to the leper and healed him.
Mark 1:40-41
1:40 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him,
"If You are willing, You can make me clean."
1:41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and
said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
It means as follows.
a. Help from God to solve physical problems such as disease, economic
problem, problem in our study, and so on.
| 16|
b. Leprosy refers to sins up to uncleanness sin. If we want to hear the
Word and lift up our hands, God will stretch His hand to wash and
cleanse us so that we are without blemish someday.
Ephesians 5:25-27
5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself
for her,
5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle
or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish..
We become God’s bride who is as glorious as He is and welcome His
second coming.
• God stretches his hand to lift us up.
Matthew 14:29-33
14:29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on
the water to go to Jesus.
14:30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink
he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O
you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
14:32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
14:33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are
the Son of God."
Our life journey is as facing wind and waves in the sea that want to make
us sink. The wind refers to false teachings and the waves refer to sins,
temptation, and problems that make our life decrease. God wants to stretch
His hand to lift us up. The sign of one who has sunk is doubt,
disappointment, hopelessness, and emptiness in heart. Let us lift up our
hands to God and He will lift us up from now on in the world up to the
glorious clouds. We will worship God with saying “Alleluia”, there is a
meeting with Jesus in the air and we are with Him forever.
God blesses you.
| 17|
ROTI GANDUM
THE NAME OF JESUS
SAVES, SANCTIFIES, AND PERFECTS US
Peace and grace in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:5
1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the
kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
The theme of our Christmas Service is the name of Jesus saves, sanctifies, and
perfects us.
In Revelation 1:5 there are three kinds of Jesus’ name as follows.
1. The faithful witness.
2. The firstborn from the dead.
3. The ruler over the kings of the earth.
The three names relate to three appearances of Jesus who was born in the world
(Christmas) as follows.
1. Jesus as The Savior.
Matthew 1:21
1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save
His people from their sins."
The name of Jesus is the faithful witness. It means that Jesus was born
as human who is not sinful. He is faithful until He dies on the cross to
save His sinful people.
Actually, the chosen people of God are Israel, the physical descendants
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The people who are not of Israel are the
Gentiles. Nevertheless, a part of Israel has hardened their heart and
rejected Jesus until today (Romans 11:25). It is the opportunity and
mercy of God to the Gentiles, so that they can receive the salvation.
Ephesians 1:13
1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
How can the Gentiles receive salvation? By receiving the gospel of
| 18|
salvation, the gospel Word, the milk, or Good News, namely gospel that
preaches Jesus’ first coming in the world as The Savior who dies on the
cross and saves sinful people.
The signs of salvation are as follows.
a. Believing or having faith in Jesus as the Only Savior. According
to Tabernacle teaching, it refers to entering the Gate.
b. Repenting, namely confessing sin to God (vertical line) and other
people (horizontal line). Being forgiven, we must not repeat the
sin. According to Tabernacle teaching, it refers to the Altar of
Burnt Offering.
c. Being baptized of water and Holy Spirit (Brazen Laver and the
Door of Tabernacle).
It means being reborn by water and spirit, so we have new life,
namely heavenly one.
We get heavenly life to pay attention especially to heavenly
matters. We prioritize service and ministry to God more than
anything.
1 John 3:9
3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him;
and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
Heavenly life means that we do not sin anymore, but have
deliverance from sin and live in righteousness. We do not sin
although there are opportunities, threats, and advantages.
For example, Joseph was tested about marriage, money, and
position by the wife of Potiphar. However, he kept on living in
righteousness and not sinning. We must be firm in physical and
spiritual matters until we are as righteous as Jesus is. It is
salvation that cannot be charged against.
Proverbs 10:2-3
10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from
death.
10:3 The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away
the desire of the wicked.
Righteousness will save us from death or condemnation of God.
Righteous people will be preserved and blessed directly by God
up to their descendants and they will be blessings for other
people.
2. Jesus as The Great Shepherd.
Matthew 2:6
2:6‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’
| 19|
His name is the firstborn from the dead.
Revelation 1:5
1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler
over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own
blood,
Hebrews 13:20-21
13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that
great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
13:21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well
pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Jesus as The Great Shepherd shepherds His people, namely Israel. The
Gentiles are only as dogs. Nevertheless, the mercy and opportunity from
God are opened for the Gentiles to enter the shepherding because a part
of Israel has rejected the shepherding.
Pastor is the main need of a sheep because it is powerless among
wolves.
Where can we be shepherded?
a. Jesus was born in a sheepfold in Bethlehem. It means that we
must be shepherded in a sheepfold which physically refers to
church with its own organization and spiritually Holy Place. There
are three kinds of equipment in the Holy Place as follows.
§ Golden Candlestick or perseverance in doing General
Service as if the sheep were drinking.
§ Table of Showbread or perseverance in doing Bible
Study Service with Holy Communion as if the sheep were
eating.
§ Golden Altar of Incense or perseverance in doing Prayer
Service as if the sheep were breathing.
If we persevere in doing the three kinds of service, our body,
soul, and spirit will attach to the Trinity of God and there is no
place for Satan to snatch us from Him.
The sheep experience physical and spiritual growth in the
shepherding.
b. Bethlehem means the house of bread or solid food, namely
teaching Word sharper than any two-edged sword.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the
light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
on them.
| 20|
It means that we must be shepherded to the gospel of glory or
Bride Tidings, namely gospel that preaches Jesus’ second
coming in His glory as The King of all kings and The Heavenly
Bridegroom to sanctify and renew us until we are as perfect and
glorious as He is.
If we are shepherded to true teaching Word in shepherding pen, we will
be as a branch that attaches to True Vine. As a result, we will bear sweet
fruits. We only need to wait for the time of God.
Luke 2:4-7
2:4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of
David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
2:5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
2:6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.
2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and
laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Formerly, Jesus was born and the people of Bethlehem rejected Him.
Now, Jesus will come a second time. Hard-hearted and egoistic sons or
servants of God will reject Him because of prioritizing their self interest
and keeping sins up to the peak, namely sins concerning eating-drinking
and marrying-being given in marriage.
Ruth 1:1-2
1:1 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the
land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he
and his wife and his two sons.
1:2 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi, and the names
of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion -- Ephrathites of Bethlehem, Judah. And they
went to the country of Moab and remained there.
The consequences are as follows.
o Spiritual famine, murmuring, grumbling, and seeking for worldly
satisfaction. Moreover the worldly satisfaction is put in church.
o There is no growth in spiritual life, so one keeps on being child
who is easily deceived until he perishes
Matthew 2:16
2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was
exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who
were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under,
according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
If a gentile rejects the hard teaching Word, he will suffer and his marriage
and children will be destroyed.
Matthew 15:21-22,24-28
15:21Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
15:22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him,
saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon–
possessed."
| 21|
15:24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel."
15:25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"
15:26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it
to the little dogs."
15:27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from
their masters’ table."
15:28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to
you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
On the contrary, if the Gentiles receive the teaching Word seriously
with a need as a dog licking crumbs, they will get tongue
sanctification.
The tongue of a dog is used only to lick vomit, namely vain or corrupt
words and lies. It also licks the sore of Lazarus. It refers to gossiping or
speaking much about the weakness of other people. Moreover, the
tongue is used to lick the blood of Naboth. It refers to slandering, namely
justifying the false and blaming the righteous. If we can receive the true
teaching Word, our tongue can lick the loaf of God’s Word and we are
lifted up as God’s sheep. In such condition, we are sanctified by the Word
sharper than any two-edged sword to produce righteous good words and
become blessings for other people.
1 Peter 3:10
3:10 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
As a result, our future life will be good and sweet in His time. Moreover,
all of us can be united. We do not scatter away, beginning from our
marriage, shepherding to the one perfect body of Christ is formed.
Hebrews 13:21
13:21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well
pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Great Shepherd will also give ministry and the gifts of Holy Spirit to
those who want to be sanctified and used in the ministry for building the
body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-12
4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and
some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ,
We become one flock with one Shepherd or one body with one Head.
3. Jesus as the King of all kings.
Matthew 2:1-2
2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
| 22|
2:2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star
in the East and have come to worship Him."
The name of Jesus is the ruler over the kings of the earth.
Revelation 1:5
blood,
Our attitude toward the King of all kings is worshiping Him in true worship
encouraged by the true teaching Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit. We
worship Him in one voice saying “Alleluia.”
Revelation 19:1,3,4,6
19:1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
"Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!
19:3 Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!"
19:4 And the twenty–four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped
God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!"
19:6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters
and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent
reigns!
The true worship by saying "Alleluia" continues until we have the tearing
of flesh or the Veil is torn. It means that we experience life renewal from
fleshy man to spiritual one as Jesus is. We become spiritual men who are
worthy to be offered to Jesus as the offering of the wise men.
Matthew 2:11
2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His
mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures,
they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
There are three kinds offering as follows.
o Gold, namely godly characteristics or obedience until our flesh
does not speak anymore.
o Frankincense that is white, holy, and fragrant. It means that we
can give and bear witness to others.
o Myrrh that refers to the blood of Jesus redeeming us until we are
without blemish and lie anymore or we do not stumble in word.
Revelation 14:5
14:5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne
of God.
If we willingly receive the three names or appearances of Jesus, God will
open a new and living way for us, namely the way without Herod.
Matthew 2:12
2:12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they
departed for their own country another way.
| 23|
The results are as follows.
o
The King opens a way in the sea or the new physical ways
Isaiah 43:15-16
43:15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King."
43:16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the
mighty waters,
In facing the Red Sea, Israel was pressed from all sides. They
were hopeless as a broken reed and smoking flax. Nevertheless,
if we worship Jesus, The King, He is able to open a way in the
sea. It means that Jesus, The King, is able to preserve our life in
the midst of impossibilities. There is solution from all problems,
even the impossible ones.
o
The King opens a way to Canaan, namely the new spiritual way.
Joshua 3:4
3:4 "Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by
measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must
go, for you have not passed this way before."
That Joshua entered Canaan means the revival of Holy Spirit at
the latter rain for building the body of Christ.
Joshua 7:5
7:5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them
from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent;
therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
One may be disappointed as a broken reed and smoking flax
when he is used in the revival for building the body of Christ; this
occurs because one keeps sins. However, the King is able to
open new way and give us victory over enemies when we throw
away our sins.
o
The King opens way to paradise or heavenly kingdom.
Hebrews 10:19-20
10:19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of
Jesus,
10:20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil,
that is, His flesh,
Jesus has died on the cross to open the new way to Paradise,
heavenly kingdom, or the Most Holy Place.
Luke 23:39-41
23:39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If
You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."
23:40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear
God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
23:41 "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but
| 24|
this Man has done nothing wrong."
The criminal crucified beside Jesus was as broken reed and
smoking flax physically and spiritually, and ready to perish
because of his self-truth, namely covering his sin by blaming
others. Now, if we willingly confess our sins and forgive one
another, and our mouth can worship God, the way to Paradise
will be opened and we will get the atmosphere of paradise.
Matthew 27:54
27:54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw
the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying,
"Truly this was the Son of God!"
The Gentiles can also worship Jesus, The King. As a result, the
broken reed can be upright again and the smoking flax will be
light again. God will open the way for us up to the way to heaven.
God blesses you.
(taken from Christmas Service in Malang, December 25, 2013,
THE YEAR OF LIBERTY
Peace and grace in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are two important things we have to pay attention to in facing 2014 as
follows.
1. The cross or sacrifice of Christ or Jesus’ blood.
Revelation 1:5-6
blood,
1:6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and
dominion forever and ever. Amen.
There are two powers of Jesus’ blood as follows:
a. To set us free from sins.
Revelation 1:5
1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and
the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from
our sins in His own blood,
The process of how we are set free from sins by the blood of
Jesus is that we must confess our sins to God (vertical line) and
| 25|
others (horizontal line) honestly. After being forgiven by Jesus’
blood, we must not commit the sins anymore although there are
opportunities, advantages, threats, forces, and so on. It means
that we are set free from sins and live in righteousness. Thus,
appreciating the cross of Christ means that we live in
righteousness anywhere, anytime, and in any circumstances.
b. To appoint us for being priests and kings.
Revelation 1:6
1:6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory
and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
The meanings of a priest are as follows:
§ A holy person.
§ One bearing ministry and the gifts of Holy Spirit. If we are
holy, God will give us ministry and the gifts of Holy Spirit
through the laying of the hand of a pastor. Ministry and
the gifts of Holy Spirit are our place in the body of Christ
and heaven. Only the perfect body of Christ deserves to
enter the heavenly kingdom. One will never enter the
heavenly kingdom if he or she is outside the body of
Christ.
§ One serving and ministering to God according to the
ministry and the gifts of Holy Spirit.
1 Timothy 4:14
4:14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy
with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
Be careful! Do not neglect even leave the service and ministry, or
else you despise the sacrifice of Christ. We must be faithful and
fervent in spirit.
Thus, appreciating the cross of Christ means we serve and
minister to God faithfully, righteously, and fervently in spirit. It
means that we have the tunic of many colors and our life
becomes beautiful. We have beautiful future life in the Lord.
Nevertheless, the antichrist wants to take off the tunic as the
brothers of Joseph took off his tunic. Therefore, we have to serve
and minister to God with His love and willingness to bear the
cross as well as suffer in the flesh because of Him. In such
condition, the tunic is dipped in blood.
1 Corinthians 1:23-24
1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the
Greeks foolishness,
1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of
God and the wisdom of God.
| 26|
Of the Cross we get the wisdom and the power of God. The
results of getting them are as follows:
§
The wisdom and the power of God protect us from the
antichrist.
Revelation 13:18
13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the
number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
The claw of antichrist not only wants to take off the tunic
of many colors, to make us naked, but also tear our
stomach to make us perished as Judas Iscariot. The
wisdom and power of God protect us, so that we can
keep on wearing the tunic of many colors. It means that
we can keep on ministering to God until the end line,
namely we pass away or Jesus comes a second time.
Our life becomes more beautiful up to the most beautiful
one when we become heavenly brides.
§
The wisdom and the power of God become the two wings
of a great eagle that evacuate us to wilderness, far away
from the presence of the serpent.
Revelation 12:14
12:14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she
might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a
time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
It means that we are preserved and protected by God
directly from now on until the time when the antichrist
reigns over the world for three years and six months.
2. The loud voice of trumpet.
Revelation 1:10-12
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a
trumpet,
1:11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see,
write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to
Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven
golden lampstands,
John The Apostle experienced suffering in flesh in Patmos Island
because of Jesus, so he could hear and see the loud voice of trumpet
that has two manifestations as follows:
a. Seven golden lampstands referring to the perfect church.
b. Jesus in His glory as The High Priest, The Great Shepherd, The
King of all kings, and The Heavenly Bridegroom.
| 27|
Revelation 1:13
1:13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed
with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
What is the meaning of the loud voice of trumpet John The Apostle heard
and saw?
Luke 2:20
2:20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they
had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Formerly, the tidings brought by angel could be heard and seen by
shepherds and their manifestation was the baby Jesus. Thus, the loud
voice of trumpet is the shepherding Word that contains true teachings
that are true and solid and sharper than any two-edged sword. It is able
to sanctify and renew the congregation to be as perfect as Jesus is, so
that they become heavenly bride who is ready to welcome Jesus’ second
coming in His glory as The Heavenly Bridegroom on glorious clouds.
John The Apostle had to suffer first in Patmos Island and then he was
able to hear and see the loud voice of trumpet. We will be able to hear
and see the true shepherding Word if we serve and minister to God in the
cross or suffering in flesh. We can be shepherded righteously and well.
We must be firm. Do not hear strange voices. We have to run away from
them. Strange voices are false teachings, gossips, jokes, and so on. The
consequences of not hearing and seeing the voice of trumpet but strange
voices are as follows:
a. Falling in stumbling-block sins, especially in the calling and
election. It means that one leaves the service and ministry.
Jeremiah 6:17-21
6:17 Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
6:18 Therefore hear, you nations, And know, O congregation, what is among
them.
6:19 Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people––The
fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words, Nor My law,
but rejected it.
6:20 For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane
from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices
sweet to Me."
6:21 Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before
this people, And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them. The
neighbor and his friend shall perish."
The service and ministry as well as the worship become dry and
false.
b. Hearing and seeing the atmosphere of Sodom, namely evil and
uncleanness.
| 28|
2 Peter 2:7-8
2:7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the
wicked
2:8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul
from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) ––
Moreover, one falls in the sin of Sodom, namely evil and
uncleanness. The loud voice of trumpet or Shepherding Word
takes us out of the atmosphere of Sodom to the one of paradise,
namely righteousness, holiness, and heavenly joy.
The functions of the voice of trumpet or the true shepherding Word
are as follows:
1. To arrange the journey of Israel from the Mount Sinai to the
border of Canaan.
Numbers 10:1-3,9-10
10:1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
10:2 "Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make them of hammered
work; you shall use them for calling the congregation and for directing the
movement of the camps.
10:3 "When they blow both of them, all the congregation shall gather before you
at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
10:9 "When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you,
then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered
before the LORD your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.
10:10 "Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed feasts, and at the
beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings
and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for
you before your God: I am the LORD your God."
The voice of trumpet called the Israelites to (1) start to go, (2)
gather, (3) go to war, (4) celebrate the feasts, (5) be in new
month, and (6) sacrifice the offerings.
Figure six refers to the flesh. Thus, the voice of trumpet restricts
our flesh with all its lust, will, emotion, and ambition, so that our
life steps are guided by the Great Shepherd to go toward these
two places.
1. Shepherding pen.
Ezekiel 20:37
20:37 "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into
the bond of the covenant;
It refers to the Holy Place of Tabernacle in which there
are three kinds of equipment. They refer to perseverance
in doing three main services to God as follows:
• Golden candlestick means perseverance in doing
General Service as if the sheep were drinking.
| 29|
•
•
Table of Showbread or perseverance in doing
Bible Study Service with Holy Communion as if
the sheep were eating.
Golden Altar of Incense or perseverance in doing
Prayer Service as if the sheep were breathing.
We are experiencing physical and spiritual growth and
counted in the shepherding pen. It means as follows:
• We do not scatter away or lose our way.
• A piece of hair is counted by God. Although we
are small, weak, and powerless, The Great
Shepherd pays attention to and preserves us
much more.
• We are possessed by God.
2. We are guided to go outside to visit other shepherding
pens or join the revival for building the perfect body of
Christ (inter-shepherding).
John 10:3,16
10:3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and
he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
10:16 "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I
must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock
and one shepherd.
We are guided, so that we become one flock with one
shepherd or one body with one Head. All things must be
sacrificed in the revival for building the perfect body of
Christ, but true teaching Word.
The revival for building the perfect body of Christ is as
the movement of Israel led by Joshua from the border to
go to Canaan. Be alert! There is Rahab as well as Achan.
Rahab was one of the Gentiles. She was an unclean
harlot, but willing to sacrifice for God through hiding two
spies, so she got scarlet cord. She is used for building
the body of Christ.
On the contrary, Achan did not want to sacrifice but stole
the possession of God, namely tithes and offerings.
Consequently, he entered the valley of difficulties even
causes difficulties to the building of the body of Christ.
Finally, he perished with his family.
The last guidance of God is to make us enter the last
shepherding pen, namely New Jerusalem.
| 30|
2. The trumpet is blown in the Jubilee or the year of liberty.
Leviticus 25:8-10,23-24,28
25:8 ' And you shall count seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times
seven years; and the time of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you fortynine years.
25:9 'Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day
of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to
sound throughout all your land.
25:10 'And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty
throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and
each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his
family.
25:23 ' The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are
strangers and sojourners with Me.
25:24 'And in all the land of your possession you shall grant redemption of the
land.
25:28 'But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then what was sold
shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until the Year of Jubilee; and in
the Jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his possession.
All things that have been sold must be set free and what that has
gone must be returned. 2014 is THE YEAR OF LIBERTY. We
are set free from all physical and spiritual burdens. What has
vanished in human life?
Romans 3:23
3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Human has lost the righteousness, holiness, and God’s glory
because of sinning. He gets naked and becomes the target of the
antichrist to perish.
The atmosphere of paradise vanishes away and blessings turn to
curses. Peace turns to weariness, fear, heavy burdens, and so
on. One will get 2014 as the year of curse if he keeps wrong
things. On the contrary, there will be the year of liberty if we want
to return to righteousness and holiness.
Romans 8:23
8:23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we
ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the
redemption of our body.
If we want to get the year of liberty, we must be free from flesh. It
means that we have life renewal from fleshy man to spiritual one
until we are as perfect as Jesus is.
Ephesians 4:24-26, 29, 28-32, 5:1-2
4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in
true righteousness and holiness.
4:25 Therefore, (1)putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his
neighbor," for we are members of one another.
| 31|
4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for
necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
4:26 (2)"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
4:27 (3)nor give place to the devil.
4:28 (4)Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working
with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has
need.
4:30 (5)And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for
the day of redemption.
4:31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away
from you, with all malice.
4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (6)forgiving one another, just
as God in Christ forgave you.
5:1 Therefore (7)be imitators of God as dear children.
5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an
offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet–smelling aroma.
What must be renewed?
1. Words. We do not lie, but say righteous and good words.
2. We do not get angry without love. We are allowed to get
angry in order to help others.
3. Do not give any opportunity to devil or sin. Do not keep
accusing heart that is not peaceful. Do not sin.
4. Do not steal.
5. Do not make Holy Spirit grieve.
6. We forgive one another.
7. We are obedient until our flesh does not speak anymore
and we can produce sweet-smelling aroma before God
As a result, Jesus The High Priest, will descend to give us liberty.
The results are as follows.
1. We are set free from curse and condemnation. We live in
God’s blessings.
Genesis 8:20-22
8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean
animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the
altar.
8:21 And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said
in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake,
although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor
will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
8:22 "While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat,
Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease."
God is able to command the blessings to come to us.
| 32|
2. We are set free from the trinity of Satan who is the
source of problems, tears, sorrows, sufferings, fears, and
distress.
Philippians 2:8-11
2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself
and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the
name which is above every name,
2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in
heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
God is able to solve all problems, even the impossible
ones. We can feel peaceful.
3. We are set free from shakes and doomsday in the world
when Jesus comes a second time.
Revelation 8:4
8:4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the
saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.
We are renewed to be as glorious as Jesus is and lifted
up on glorious clouds to be with Him forever when He
comes a second time.
God blesses you.
(taken from New Year Eve Service, December 31, 2013,
| 33|
ROTI KEJU
The ascension of Jesus to heaven brings miracle
Peace and grace in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The theme is the ascension of Jesus to heaven brings miracle [Acts 1:8-11].
There are three books of the New Testament that preach directly about Jesus’
ascension to heaven, namely the gospel according to Mark, Luke, and the Acts.
We will study one by one briefly just right this evening.
1. The ascension of Jesus is related to God’s accompanying His servants.
Mark 16:19-20
16:19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down
at the right hand of God.
16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming
the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
God accompanies His servants. It has written in the Old Testament and the
New Testament.
1 Samuel 18:14
18:14 And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him.
God was with King David, so he was successful.
Acts 13:22
13:22 "And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He
gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who
will do all My will.’
The requirement of being accompanied by God is obedience to His will
regardless of any risk we have to take, even it is not in line with our flesh will. It
is the key of success of God’s servant. David was used by God. He was
successful. He also got the lifting up power of God when he did adultery with
Bathsheba and killed her husband. He was able to hear the Word spoken by
Nathan, the prophet, so he could confess his sin and did not do it anymore. As
a result, he was healed by God. Just right this evening, let us experience the
lifting up power of God through the ascension of Jesus to heaven. If we want
to return to obedience to God’s will, He will lift up and heal us for sure,
regardless of any fall we have experienced anyway.
| 34|
2. The ascension of Jesus to heaven is related to physical and spiritual
blessings.
Luke 24:50-53
24:50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
24:51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried
up into heaven.
24:52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
24:53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.
Jesus was taken up to heaven while He was blessing. It was not written that
He stopped blessing. It means that He keeps on blessing us. He is blessing us
now with physical and spiritual blessings. Nevertheless, we must be alert. Do
not misuse the blessings we have received. We must pay attention to at least
the following three things so that we do not misuse the blessings.
a. Remembering the blessings Giver, namely Jesus, by returning tithes and
offerings to God.
b. Remembering other people who need physically and spiritually. We must
also remember other people who need spiritual blessing, namely the Word,
through joining fellowship.
c. [Luke 24:52-53] The blessing of God encourages us to faithfully do our
service and ministry to Him until we can always give thanks and worship
Him. It means that we become the house of prayer. We lift up sweetsmelling aroma of incense before God until someday we are lifted up on
glorious clouds.
If we misuse the blessing of God, it will be temptation that makes us fall and
perish. The signs of misusing the blessings are as follows.
o Being stingy and greedy after being blessed. Stinginess means that one
cannot give, and greediness means seizing the rights of others and God,
namely tithes and offerings. Greediness also happens in service and
ministry to God by looking for physical advantages.
o Being unfaithful in doing service and ministry to God, even leaving them. In
such condition, one becomes a lazy and wicked servant.
Matthew 25:26,30
25:26 "But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that
I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
25:30 ‘And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.’
The ascension of Jesus to heaven is related to two things, namely the pouring
out of Holy Spirit and the second coming of Jesus on glorious clouds.
Acts 1:8-11
1:8"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
1:9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud
received Him out of their sight.
1:10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by
them in white apparel,
| 35|
1:11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus,
who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into
heaven."
Just right this evening, we discuss the ascension of Jesus that is related to the
pouring out of Holy Spirit.
John 16:7
16:7"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away,
the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
Jesus’ going away means that He dies, rises, and ascends to heaven. He goes
away to pour out Holy Spirit upon us so that we become His witnesses.
Why do we have to become the witness of God? Giving testimony means we
exalt and glorify God so that we will be glorified together with Him someday. Not
bearing witness means as follows.
o There is debt of blood that cannot be paid by anything.
o Being an accuser as Satan.
o Making God disgraced and grieved. It has happenend in the days of Noah
when the sons of God did mixed-marriage, divorce and re-marrying, so they
got the condemnation of God, namely perdition. Someday the world will be
condemned with fire from heaven and perish forever. Fleshy human without
Holy Spirit will only make God grieved. On the contrary, Holy Spirit makes us
able to exalt and glorify God.
What must be testified?
We may testify the help of God in our physical life that He has made us rich, but
such testimony has limitation. The people who do not know Jesus may also testify
about it. Let us begin to testify the spiritual life that cannot be imitated by Satan.
a. Testifying the gospel of salvation, gospel Word, or good news [Proverbs
25:25].
Ephesians 1:13
1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in
whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
The gospel of salvation is as a sip of water for the thirsty in the wilderness.
The sinful is like a thirsty person who must get a sip of waterin the wilderness,
or else s/he will die. Likewise, the sinful must receive the gospel of salvation in
order to get help, or else they will perish for sure.
The gospel of salvation is the Word preaching about Jesus’ first coming in the
world to die on the cross and redeem our sins or save the sinful. Only Jesus is
the Savior. The sinful can be saved only by the blood of human who does not
sin, namely Jesus.
The signs of being saved are as follows.
§ [Ephesians 1:13] Believing or having faith in Jesus through hearing the
Word.
| 36|
§ Repenting or stopping doing sin to return to God or being dead to sin. We
repent from sins we have said, done, and thought. We also repent from sin
we inherit from our fathers.
§ Being baptized of water.
Romans 6:2,4
6:2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life.
The right water baptism is according to the Word and the baptism of Jesus.
Jesus is our Head and we are His body. The Head and the body must have
one baptism. After we die to sin, we must rise in new life, namely being set
free from sin. We do not want to sin although there are chances,
advantages, threats, and so on. For example, there was no one except
Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. He faced threat and would have got advantage
if he had sinned, but he did not want to sin.
§ Being baptized of Holy Spirit to get new life. Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth,
so we have new life in righteousness. All things must be righteous,
beginning from small ones. Our marriage, finance, ministry, and so forth
must be righteous. Living in righteousness and not sinning mean salvation.
Not being righteous means not being saved. Judas Iscariot was a servant
of God and an apostle, but he was not righteous about finance, so he
perished.
After we live in righteousness, we can be witness for others. The fact found in
testifying the gospel of salvation is righteous life. It is a miracle that we can live
in righteousness in the midst of this perversed world. The righteous will be
blessed up to the descendants by God. Actually, the salvation is only for the
people of God in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, it was rejected by them, so it came
to Judea, Samaria, up to the end of the earth.
According to the map of gospel, the end of the earth refers to Papua. The
Gentiles get God’s mercy to be saved and justified.
b. Testifying the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, the Teaching Word,
solid food, or the Bride Tidings.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel
of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
It is the gospel preaching about Jesus’ second coming on glorious clouds as
The King of all kings and the Heavenly Bridegroom to sanctify and perfect us
until we are as perfect and glorious as He is. We become one perfect body of
Christ or heavenly bride who is ready to welcome His second coming.
Therefore, it is called the Bride Tidings. The last name of the church is
heavenly bride.
| 37|
Revelation 19:9
19:9 Then he said to me, "Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of
the Lamb!’"And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."
The book of Genesis begins with physical marriage between Adam and Eve
that has been destroyed and cast to the world. The marriage of human in the
world is worse because of divorce, re-marrying, and marrying-being given in
marriage. Bride Tidings wants to restore it until it reaches spiritual marriage
between Christ and the congregation.
The facts found in seeing the Bride Tidings are holy life and being as the light.
Romans 13:12-14
13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness,
and let us put on the armor of light.
13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and
lust, not in strife and envy.
13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
We experience the sanctification from sins up to the peak, namely sins
concerning eating-drinking such as smoking, getting drunk, and drugs abuse,
as well as marrying-being given in marriage such as re-marrying after divorce,
mixed-marriage, and sexuality sins with all their kinds. We are also sanctified
from envy and strife whose value is the same as the sin peak. Envy means not
appreciating the blessing and mercy of God. Strife because of sin must be
finished through making peace. Strife because of the matter of teachings must
be finished through returning to the Bible. It is like mathematics, whose
formula and lesson are the same all over the world although the books are
different. Our Bible is the same. Do not make the teaching different because of
adding or taking away its verses. Let all of us return to the Bible whose verse
explains other verses.
The direction of the gospel of the glory of Christ is from the East to the West or
from the end of the earth to Samaria, Judea, Jerusalem, up to New Jerusalem.
Matthew 24:27
24:27 "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming
of the Son of Man be.
The house of Israel and the Gentiles will become one perfect body of Christ if
the house of Israel receives Jesus who comes a second time. We welcome
His second coming and enter New Jerusalem.
Let us be sanctified to ignite the light, beginning from our marriage or
household and the light before all people, until someday we become the light
of the world [Matthew 5:14-16].
Revelation 12:1
12:1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under
her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
We become the bride of God with the light of the sun, moon, and stars, without
any darkness and blemish. We are as perfect as the Lord.
| 38|
How can we testify?
Acts 1:8
1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
We testify with the power of Holy Spirit. Fleshy human without Holy Spirit will not
be able to testify. Peter was a great servant of God who had seen many miracles
of the Lord, but he could not testify, even he denied Jesus. The Bride Tidings
without Holy Spirit is as a dull sword that cannot cut our sins. We need Holy Spirit.
John 15:25-27
15:25 "But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated
Me without a cause.’
15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth
who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
15:27 "And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
John 16:1-2
16:1"These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
16:2 "They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will
think that he offers God service. .
We testify in the midst of the world which is full of difficulties, hatreds without any
cause, threats, and murders. The time is coming that whoever kills Christians will
think that he offers God service. We will never be disappointed, hopeless, or
afraid in facing the condition of the world, but we will keep on testifying because
of the power of Holy Spirit.
Not only power to testify, Holy Spirit also gives us miracles. The greatest miracle
is the spiritual one, namely life renewal from fleshy and sinful men to spiritual
ones as Jesus.
Titus 3:5
3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us,
through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Holy Spirit was poured out first in the upper room of Jerusalem and there was
miracle. Peter, who had denied Jesus, could be renewed to be able to testify and
give sermon about Jesus, so three thousand people were baptized at that time.
There were seven demons that ruledMary Magdalene, so she lived in
uncleanness and evil. After receiving Holy Spirit, she lived in righteousness and
holiness. She also testified and ministered to God. Formerly, Thomas did not
believe that Jesus had risen, but he could believe and surrender to God after
receiving Holy Spirit.
We really need Holy Spirit. Samaritan woman who divorced and married again for
five times was never satisfied, but she could testify after receiving Holy Spirit or
living water. Holy Spirit is able tochange our life and perform spiritual miracle. He
is also able to perform physical miracle and change the impossible things into
possible ones. The Red Sea could be divided by the east wind, referring to Holy
Spirit. All problems can be solved by Holy Spirit. We keep on being changed and
helped until we are as glorious as Jesus is when He comes a second time. We
are lifted up on glorious clouds as heavenly bride who welcomes heavenly
| 39|
bridegroom or perfect body that welcomes the Head. We are lifted up to heaven
together with God. Commemorating the ascension of Jesus, let us also ascend
together with God until we are on glorious clouds when He comes a second time.
God blesses you.
(taken from Fellowship in Singapore I, Tuesday, May 14, 2013,
The continuation of the sermon transcript of Fellowship in Singapore can be seen
in www.gptkk.org.
| 40|
JAMU
God Pleads My Study and Service to Him
I want to testify about God’s kindness in my life in two things. First, I am in
the third semester and joining the lecturing of Block 8 now. God has helped me in
the Block 7 whose topic was Endocrine. It was a difficult topic for me because it
related to all hormones in human’s body. A few days before taking the test I
discussed and did responsive study with the members of my study group about all
things related to the topic for the test.
I knew that my friends had already
understood all lectures given by the lecturer. Praise the Lord that I could
understand all topics of the lectures.
The schedule of the test in the Block 7 was on Wednesday. The schedule
of my test was often on Monday and Wednesday. It meant that the previous day
was the day when I had to serve and minister to God, namely on Sunday and
Tuesday. Then, I often envied my friends and said “how lucky they are because
they can study well all day long and have good preparation before the test;
whereas, I had to serve and minister to God first until the evening and I was tired
to study when I came home. Nevertheless, the Word of God preached by Rev.
Widjaja reminded me that the service to God was not to persecute our life, but
was to make our life easier. I prayed and asked God for the forgiveness because I
had thought like that.
On the day of the test, the test papers were distributed, and I read the
questions. I realized that the one hundred and thirty questions were very difficult,
and many of them were not in line with the lectured materials. In facts, I could
answer some of them because I once read the matters in books or asked my
father before. Of 130 questions I could only answer seventy questions surely, but
I was not sure about the remaining. I surrendered to God and prayed “God, I have
tried hard to learn. Please, help me and give the best to me.”
After the test ended, almost all of my friends murmured and said bad words
because there were many questions that were not in line with the lectures. The
result was announced when I joined the fellowship in Pardede Hall, Medan in the
end of October 2013. I served God, and then I looked the result. Praise the Lord
that I got a good score. I got 71. It meant that there were seventy one questions I
could answer correctly. There was only one student who got the highest score of
76. I was one of the best five students with the best marks in the generation. I
praise the Lord because He has helped me. I am sure that God does not
complicate my life with the service and ministry that I have to do four times a
week, but He makes my life easier. Rev. Widjaja often says that the Lord never
fools us and always fulfills His promise when we earnestly serve and minister to
Him.
Second, I was a member of the Students Executive Council of the
university who was obliged to be involved in the committee of Christmas Service.
| 44|
I was appointed to arrange the place and equipment for the service. Based on the
decision made in the meeting, the Christmas Service would be held on Saturday,
December 14 at 4.30 pm. I began to be restless because I had to serve and
minister to God in Youth Service at 5.15 pm on the same day. I asked the chief of
the committee to delay the Christmas Service until December 16 or on Monday,
but he said that it was impossible to change the agreement of all members of
committee only because of me. I became more restless and thought to retire from
the committee, but I was afraid and reluctant to my seniors. I only prayed and
surrendered to God. Then, my friends and I surveyed to book the hotel for the
Christmas Service we had discussed. As a result, the hotel could not be used for
December 14 and 15, but December 16 or on Monday when there was no service
in my church. Then, the chief of committee agreed about the time to conduct the
Christmas Service on Monday although he first time had rejected it.
I gave thanks to God. I became peaceful because I would not been
hindered to serve in Youth Service. I got a precious lesson. Rev Widjaja often
says that God will make a way if we long for serving Him. He is able to arrange all
things well.
God blesses you.
(by Andro Damanik from Medan)
| 45|
| 46|
(Saya Tau Mau Jawab)
30 Maret 2014
47
48

Menu List

Transcription

Similar documents

Sales Sheet

Recursos para la Parroquia Encíclica del Papa Francisco

A. His Word is True

Here are the songs we sang this Sunday. This shows the song name

summer wednesday evening service - First Presbyterian Church of

Holy Name Society - St. Jerome Church

Through the Fifth Gospel - Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies

The Inside Story

What About . . . Jesus Rising From The Dead?

Fear Not and Fear God