Matthew 26:17-19
26:17. Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"
26:18 And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"
26:19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
The Feast of the Unleavened Bread = the Feast of Passover = our deliverance from sins through repenting and being renewed.
The Feast of Passover will increase and peak on the marriage supper of the Lamb of God.
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 marriage supper of the Lamb of God is our deliverance from all sins and the world, to meet Jesus on glorious clouds when He comes a second time, and then we enter into the paradise, eternal heavenly kingdom.
Now we have to experience the Passover first through being delivered from sins little by little until someday we can enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb. On the contrary, one will be left when Jesus comes a second time and perish together with the world because of keeping sins or agreeing with them.
The Passover relates with 'My time is at hand'.
In Matthew 26, it refers to the time of the death of Jesus, Passover Lamb, which is at hand, and He will raise and ascend to heaven.
In the last days, it refers to the time of Jesus' second coming in glory as the King of kings and Heavenly Bridegroom which is at hand, He will come soon.
What do we have to prepare to welcome Jesus' second coming, to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb of God?
1 Corinthians 7:29-32
7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,
7:30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,
7:31 and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.
7:32 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord--how he may please the Lord.
ad. 2. FOCUSING ON GODLY MATTERS
The facts found in it are as follows:
26:17. Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"
26:18 And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"
26:19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
The Feast of the Unleavened Bread = the Feast of Passover = our deliverance from sins through repenting and being renewed.
The Feast of Passover will increase and peak on the marriage supper of the Lamb of God.
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 marriage supper of the Lamb of God is our deliverance from all sins and the world, to meet Jesus on glorious clouds when He comes a second time, and then we enter into the paradise, eternal heavenly kingdom.
Now we have to experience the Passover first through being delivered from sins little by little until someday we can enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb. On the contrary, one will be left when Jesus comes a second time and perish together with the world because of keeping sins or agreeing with them.
The Passover relates with 'My time is at hand'.
In Matthew 26, it refers to the time of the death of Jesus, Passover Lamb, which is at hand, and He will raise and ascend to heaven.
In the last days, it refers to the time of Jesus' second coming in glory as the King of kings and Heavenly Bridegroom which is at hand, He will come soon.
What do we have to prepare to welcome Jesus' second coming, to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb of God?
1 Corinthians 7:29-32
7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,
7:30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess,
7:31 and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.
7:32 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord--how he may please the Lord.
- Living without care.
- Focusing on godly matters, so we are not bound by worldly matters which will make perdition come.
ad. 2. FOCUSING ON GODLY MATTERS
The facts found in it are as follows:
- Heeding prophetic Words.
2 Peter 1:19
1:19. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
Prophetic Word is the Word preaching about all things which will happen in the last days, especially about the second coming of Jesus in glory as the King of kings or Heavenly Bridegroom to sanctify and to perfect us, His Bride. Flowing from that, it is often called Bride Tidings or teaching Word, the Word sharper than any two-edged sword or the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.
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.
Focusing on the prophetic Word means heeding it as we heed a light that shines in a dark place, we hear it solemnly with a need. Hearing the Word with a need, we will not be obstructed or hindered or bored but we will understand it, believe in it(it becomes faith in our heart) until we can practice it.
2 Corinthians 4:6
4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
As a result, the light of Christ's glory shines in dark heart, and it shines outside to yield the fruits of light.
Ephesians 5:8-9
5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
5:9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
The fruits of light are as follows:- The fruit of goodness, namely good deeds and words not giving disadvantage to other people.
The goodness also means not repaying evil to evil but until we can repay good for evil. - The fruit of righteousness means we are in God's side, not others' side but the true teaching Word.
We will become righteous if we obey the true teaching Word. - The fruit of truth, that is to say all matters or aspects of life such as sight, words, deeds, marriage, service and ministry, and job must be true according to the true teaching Word. Do not keep wrong things.
Psalm 37:25-26
37:25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
37:26 He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.
If we live in the truth, God will bless us physically and spiritually up to our descendants.
- The fruit of goodness, namely good deeds and words not giving disadvantage to other people.
- Heeding the ministry we have received from God.
Colossians 4:17
4:17 And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it."
The ministry we have received from God is not a careless matter because the ministry is according to the gifts and priest's offices God has given us.
The ministry must be fulfilled, meaning as follows:- Being faithful in committing it until it is finished.
Acts 20:24
20:24 "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
The end line can be in the form of bodily death or Jesus' second coming. There is no term 'pension' in ministry. - Ministering according to the priest's office we have received from God to do His will or ministering according to the true teaching Word.
Matthew 7:21-23
7:21. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
7:22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
7:23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
It equals to ministering with OBEDIENCE to the true teaching Word.
Ministering with obedience, such minister is faithful and wise, and s/he becomes shining star.
Daniel 12:3
12:3 Those who are wise shall shineLike the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the starsforever and ever.
On the contrary, ministering without obedience equals to practicing lawlessness. The more one ministers, the more s/he becomes wicked and it equals to being fallen star.
John 4:34
4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Himwho sent Me, and to finish His work.
If we minister faithfully to the end line with obedience to the will of God, it means we are giving Jesus foodor a ministry that satisfies God. In such condition, the ministry has been fulfilled. The result will be real as follows:- God will satisfy and give us heavenly joy nothing in the world may influence, so we will not fall into the satisfaction of the world and sins.
- There is beautiful future life full of hope.
Proverbs 24:14
24:14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off. - An entrance will be supplied to us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of the Lord.
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.
If the door of heaven is opened for us, all doors in the world will also be opened by God.
- Being faithful in committing it until it is finished.
- Heeding to the lovingkindness of the Lord.
Psalm 107:43
107:43 Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
Psalm 23:1,6
23:1. <<A Psalm of David.>>The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
We can heed to the lovingkindness of the Lord in shepherding system, not in the palace of King David. Satan wants to destroy such system.
The Lord Jesus as the Good Shepherd always gives His mercy and goodness to shepherded sheep.
The daily practice of focusing on the mercy and kindness of God is being shepherded, whose requirements are as follows:- Focusing on the shepherding or entering into the sheepfold.
John 10:1-2,4-5
10:1. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
10:2 "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
10:4 "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
10:5 "Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
In Tabernacle, it refers to the Holy Place, in which there were three objects as follows:- Golden Candlestick -->perseverance in doing General Service -->as if we are drinking
- Table of Showbread -->perseverance in doing Bible Study Service -->as if we are eating
- Golden Altar of Incense -->perseverance in doing Prayer Service -->as if we are breathing.
A shepherd who does not want to be in the sheepfold is a thief and robber.
A sheep who does not want to be in the sheepfold is a wild horse which God will destroy.
Only those who experience the mercy and kindness of God want to be in the sheepfold. - Golden Candlestick -->perseverance in doing General Service -->as if we are drinking
- Being obedient to the shepherding Word.
Strange voice that is not in line with the shepherding Word wants to make us lose the mercy and kindness of God. Israelites were worshiping golden calf, which was absolutely different from the Word of God while Moses as a shepherd was praying with struggling on Mount Sinai. They became wild horses which were only to perish.
Why do we have to be shepherded?
It is because one still can fall although s/he has yielded the fruits of light and become stars.
Revelation 6:13
6:13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
We are as stars in the right hand of God if we are in the shepherding, and we will never fall!The shepherding is a place to firm us.
Psalm 136:1-4
136:1. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
136:2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.
136:3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:
136:4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever;
The Good Shepherd is able to do great wonders by Himself with His hand of mercy and kindness. It is enough that He alone does the great wonders by His death.
Matthew 27:46,50
27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
The results are as follows:- The hand of His mercy and goodness is able to settle all rottenness, fear, sorrow, and bitterness in heart.
John 8:4,9-11
8:4 they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
8:9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
8:11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
He is also able to heal physically, and impossible matters can be made possible. Spiritually, all sins are forgiven. - The hand of His mercy and goodness is able to lift us up from all deteriorations.
Matthew 14:23,30-32
14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himselfto pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
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.
The Lord only waits for the lifting up of our hands when we are in doubt or unbelief, until we can believe that He is able to help and lift us up by Himself. At last, we are lifted up on glorious clouds when Jesus comes a second time.
- Focusing on the shepherding or entering into the sheepfold.