PRIEST AND PRIEST-TO-BE UPGRADING III
Matthew 26:57-68is about "WITNESS and TESTIMONY".
There are two kinds of witness and testimony as follows:
Matthew 26:59-63a
26:59 Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,
26:60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward
26:61 and said, "This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’
26:62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"
26:63 But Jesus kept silent.
John 2:18-21
2:18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"
2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
2:20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty–six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
2:21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
Jesus’ sight was about the spiritual temple of God but the Jews kept the physical one.
The definition of the false witness is as follows:
If we experience the restoration, we will never become false witness but the true one as Jesus is.
What must be renewed?
John 2:13-16
2:13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2:14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.
2:15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.
2:16 And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!"
The spirit of selling and buying or the spirit of antichristthat often conquers the servants of God. It must be thrown away!
How can we be restored to have sanctification and life renewal?
Not having life renewal means being conquered by the spirit of selling and buying or antichrist.
The signs of new men are as follows.
Ephesians 4:21-28
4:21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
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.
4:26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
4:27 nor give place to the devil.
4:28 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.
Peter lied and denied Jesus. He lived in hatred by cutting off the ear of Malchus.
Judas Iscariot, an apostle as well as treasurer, was actually not a new man also.
He lied or denied the Word and stole the money in the treasury.
Peter and Judas Iscariot were also false witnesses. Comparing with them, who are we?
How was Jesus’ attitude facing the false witnesses?
Matthew 26:60, 62-63a
26:60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnessescame forward
26:62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"
26:63 But Jesus kept silent.
Jesus kept silent means there is no God’s Word anymore or there is no more chance for the two false witnesses from the Jews and the council. There was no help for them but forever perdition.
Be alert!
If the pastor or parents keep silent facing the accusation of one, there is no more chance for the person to correct himself.
Nevertheless, it was different thing for Peter and Judas, the ones Jesus had called and chosen.
Jesus still made efforts to help Peter and Judas through the repetitive Word until the last time.
Matthew 26:57-68is about "WITNESS and TESTIMONY".
There are two kinds of witness and testimony as follows:
- False witness in verse 59-63a or lying witness.
- True witness in verse 63b-66.
Matthew 26:59-63a
26:59 Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,
26:60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward
26:61 and said, "This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’
26:62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"
26:63 But Jesus kept silent.
John 2:18-21
2:18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"
2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
2:20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty–six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
2:21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
Jesus’ sight was about the spiritual temple of God but the Jews kept the physical one.
The definition of the false witness is as follows:
- False witness= priests and kingswho have been in the temple of God to hear the true teaching Word but only to get physical matters.
- False witness= priests and kings who hear the true teaching Word but not practicing it, so there is no restoration, referring to there is no sanctification and life renewal, but only carnal man or broken clay pot which perishes.
If we experience the restoration, we will never become false witness but the true one as Jesus is.
What must be renewed?
John 2:13-16
2:13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2:14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.
2:15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.
2:16 And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!"
The spirit of selling and buying or the spirit of antichristthat often conquers the servants of God. It must be thrown away!
How can we be restored to have sanctification and life renewal?
- By cord, meaning the cord to bind sheep or Shepherding Word.
Shepherding Word is the true teaching Word God trusts to a pastor to preach to the congregation continually, faithfully, repetitively as their food, so they can grow spiritually with sanctification and life renewal, up to perfection.
Spiritual growth cannot be measured with the long time of our following to Jesus but it can be measured with the sanctification and life renewal we have.
II Timothy 4:1-2
4:1. I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
The true teaching is accounted for truly and directly before God as follows.- The pastor preaches the true teaching Word with a promise to God to bring the congregation to enter Heavenly Kingdom or the last shepherding.
- The congregation especially the servants of Hod hears the Word solemnly in order to enter Heavenly Kingdom or New Jerusalem.
- Convincing, showing us our sins and mistakes= the cord of God’s love to lift us, sinful people, up.
We have to receive the cord of His lovethrough realizing our sins, regretting, and confessing them to God and other people, so we are forgiven and we should not do the sins anymore.
Being forgiven equals to being lifted up from fall in sins and we are saved.
Repeating the sins equals to repeating the fall, consequently, the condition becomes worse.
Let us now leave the sins seriously so the rebuking of God does not come upon us. - Rebuking=the cord of God’s love that binds us to make us not fall again in sin but repent.
- Exhorting=the cord of God’s love that leads us in righteous and holy life so we do not go astray to false teachings but we are always near Him.
The exhorting is also a solution from God that we have beautiful future life.
If we follow the exhorting of the Word, the closed door can be opened. The door of beautiful future life can be opened, and so can the door of Heavenly Kingdom.
- The pastor preaches the true teaching Word with a promise to God to bring the congregation to enter Heavenly Kingdom or the last shepherding.
- By whip= Chastening in all aspects of life coming from God.
The chastening is the love and kindness of God to us to make us return to holiness and we do not perish.
Every cord of the Word of God whom one rejects will be spinned to become a whip.
If the whip of the chastening is still rejected, God will let such life go as illegitimate son who only waits for the time of everlasting judgment of God.
- Heart which is bind by the lust of money whose manifestation is as follow.
- Stinginess and greediness.
Stinginess means one cannot give even tends to ask always.
Such Christian is as blind Bartimaeus, whose life is in the darkness of sin up to the pit of hell forever.
Greediness means seizing the possession of other people such as stealing, not paying debt, doing corruption, seeking money with illegal ways, even stealing the possession of God. Let us now pay attention to the possession of God!
With greediness above, one may get money but he only goes toward perdition forever. - Doing service and ministry only to get physical satisfaction and gain such as money, marriage partner, good position in the office, et cetera.
I Timothy 6:3-5
6:3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,
6:4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,
6:5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
Doing service only to get physical gain, one may get it but lose the great gain.
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.
The great gain in the true service to God is the two wings of a great eaglenothing may replace.
The two wings of a great eagle will flee us far away from antichrist.
We will be left when antichrist reigns over the world if we do not have the two wings of a great eagle and there are two possibilities at that time as follows.- Worshiping God, one will be tormented until being beheaded, but he will be resurrected.
- Worshiping antichrist because of not enduring the torment, one will perish forever. Be alert! There will be more people who cannot endure the torment of antichrist than the ones who can endure.
- Worshiping God, one will be tormented until being beheaded, but he will be resurrected.
- Stinginess and greediness.
- Selling and buying or trading in the temple of God.
What is traded?- Trading the sacrifice of Christ or despising and trampling it or forgetting the forgiveness of sin.
II Peter 1:9
1:9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
It happens through repeating sins or falling and rising in sins as dog and swine.
Who among us never sins? Do not repeat the sins after confessing them and being forgiven! - Being busy with physical activities, so there is no time to trade or expand the talents or the gifts of Holy Spirit whom God has trusted to us.
Luke 19:12-13, 20-21, 24
19:12 Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.
19:13 "So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’
19:20 "Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.
19:21 ‘For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’
19:24 "And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’
Only the minas or talents or the gifts of Holy Spirit and the ministry that can be traded.
Ten minas for ten servants equal to one mina for one servant. It refers to God’s justice through the sacrifice of Christ that enables all people to serve and minister Him as priests and kings although actually we are not worthy.
All servants of God are equipped with the gifts of Holy Spirit and ministry or the tunic of many colors.
Do not be doubtful!
The prist’s office is not to torment us. God exalts us as priests and kings in order to beautify our life before Him.
For us who have already ministered God, do not take off the tunic of ministry!
Mina was kept put away in a handkerchief, meaning one is busy with worldly activities, whatever manifestation or reason, until he is unfaithful even leaves the service and ministry to the Lord. In such condition, he does not expand the gifts of Holy Spirit and the ministry.
The consequence is as follows.
Acts 1:16-19
1:16 "Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
1:17 "for he was numberedwith us and obtained a part in this ministry."
1:18 (Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.
1:19 And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)
Leaving the ministry, someday it will be diverted to other person and there is no chance to return! It is as Judas who was replaced with Mathias and there was no opportunity for him to correct himself.
Judas Iscariot left the ministry and the gifts of Holy Spirit in order to get money.
He could get the money but only to buy the field of blood or tomb, meaning as follows.- All things become meaningless and useless for physical and spiritual life.
- There is no saticfaction nor happiness but dry spirituality.
- Moreover, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out, referring to forever perdition.
- All things become meaningless and useless for physical and spiritual life.
- Trading the sacrifice of Christ or despising and trampling it or forgetting the forgiveness of sin.
- The spirit of selling and buying stamps 666 to the forehead and hand.
Revelation 13:16-18
13:16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,
13:17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
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.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6:6 " And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
6:7 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
6:8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
6:9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Let us now talk about the Word repetitively, do not talk about the mistake of other people.
When antichrist wants to stamp 666, God is longing to stamp us with the true teaching Word in our life through the true teaching Word that is preached repetitively in shepherding system.
Philippians 3:1b
3:1b For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
The process is as follows.
- Hearing the true teaching Word or Shepherding Word solemnly with a need, so we will never be disturbed by anything and we do not bore or being hindered by anything.
- Understanding the true teaching Word and it is written or inscribed on our forehead.
- Believing in the true teaching Word and it is written or inscribed in our heart to become faith.
- Practicing the true teaching Word and it is written or inscribed in our hand.
Be alert!
Being negligent hearing the Word such as boring, day-dreaming, and being sleepy, Satan has a chance to stamp with 666.
Consequently, there will be difference in the life of two people who hear the Word together but there is negligence in one of them. Being negligent, one cannot practice the Word.
II Timothy 3:1-5
3:1. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
3:2 For men will be lovers of themselves (1), lovers of money (2), boasters (3), proud (4), blasphemers (5), disobedient to parents (6), unthankful (7), unholy (8),
3:3 unloving (9), unforgiving (10), slanderers (11), without self–control (12), brutal (13), despisers of good (14),
3:4 traitors (15), headstrong (16), haughty (17), lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (18),
3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
In the last days, there will be many priests and kings who serve and minister in the temple of God but without the life renewal because of not being willing to be stamped with the true teaching Word.
Consequently, they are stamped with 666 by antichrist. They keep eighteen characteristics of the flesh to become same as antichrist and perish forever. The last characteristic of flesh is disobedience because of the flesh sound or lusts.
Not having life renewal means being conquered by the spirit of selling and buying or antichrist.
The signs of new men are as follows.
Ephesians 4:21-28
4:21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
4:22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
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.
4:26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
4:27 nor give place to the devil.
4:28 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.
- Beginning with Do not lie!
- There is no hatred.
Do not get angry with emotion until there is hatred. We may get angry only if there is reason for it. - Do not steal!
Peter lied and denied Jesus. He lived in hatred by cutting off the ear of Malchus.
Judas Iscariot, an apostle as well as treasurer, was actually not a new man also.
He lied or denied the Word and stole the money in the treasury.
Peter and Judas Iscariot were also false witnesses. Comparing with them, who are we?
How was Jesus’ attitude facing the false witnesses?
Matthew 26:60, 62-63a
26:60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnessescame forward
26:62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"
26:63 But Jesus kept silent.
Jesus kept silent means there is no God’s Word anymore or there is no more chance for the two false witnesses from the Jews and the council. There was no help for them but forever perdition.
Be alert!
If the pastor or parents keep silent facing the accusation of one, there is no more chance for the person to correct himself.
Nevertheless, it was different thing for Peter and Judas, the ones Jesus had called and chosen.
Jesus still made efforts to help Peter and Judas through the repetitive Word until the last time.
- John 13:25-27
13:25 Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?"
13:26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
13:27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."
Jesus warned Judas Iscariot with the hard repetitive teaching Word and Holy Communion (Christ’s sacrifice).
In facts, Judas received it with hard heart, so he left Jesus. - Luke 22:60-61
22:60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
22:61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
Peter was warned by the crowing of rooster, referring to the repetitive true teaching Word or Shepherding Word and Jesus looked at Peter.
Actually, the true teaching Word is truly hard as a sword sharper than any two-edged sword.
Receiving it with hard heart as Judas had, one cannot stand being inside the church and he must go out. Cosequently, Satan entered Judas.
On the contrary, if we receive the Word with meek heart as Peter had, we must make efforts to throw away all our sins and the Lord will help us.
Actually, the Lord is not willing to look at the sinful, but He still turns to look at the sinful who is shepherded by the Shepherding Word.
The price Jesus must pay to turn and look at us with merciful sight equals to His sacrifice on the cross.
The attitude of Peter is as follows.
He wept bitterly, meaning we must be meek until we can confess all our sins, powerlessness, and weaknesses.
The result is as follows.
We experience the ministry of Jesus as High Priest who is full of love and grace.- Hebrews 2:17-18
2:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
2:18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.- The hand of the High Priest which is full of love and grace is able to reconcile all our sins and falls, to lift us up and to heal us to become His servant who can pelase Him.
- The hand of the High Priest which is full of love and grace is able to help us from all problems or temptations.
- The hand of the High Priest which is full of love and grace is able to reconcile all our sins and falls, to lift us up and to heal us to become His servant who can pelase Him.
- 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,
The hand of the High Priest opens new living way as follows.- The hand of the High Priest which is full of love and grace is able to preserve us in the midst of difficulties and impossibilities in the world.
- The hand of the High Priest which is full of love and grace is able to give us solution from all problems and beautiful future life.
- The hand of the High Priest which is full of love and grace renews us until we are perfect and the door of Heavenly Kingdom is opened for us.
- The hand of the High Priest which is full of love and grace is able to preserve us in the midst of difficulties and impossibilities in the world.
- Hebrews 2:17-18