THEME: THE CALLING AND ELECTION OF THE LORD
Luke 6:12-16
6:12. Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
6:13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:
6:14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;
6:15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot;
6:16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.
1 Peter 2:9
2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
The Lord calls and elects us to become priests and kings, referring to lives who serve and minister God.
The process of being priests and kings is as follows:
Luke 6:12-16
6:12. Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
6:13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:
6:14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;
6:15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot;
6:16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.
1 Peter 2:9
2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
The Lord calls and elects us to become priests and kings, referring to lives who serve and minister God.
The process of being priests and kings is as follows:
- Being calledout of darkness into His marvelous light, or being set free from sins or being saved.
The signs of salvation or the calling we can see in Tabernacles are as follows:- Gate of Tabernacle -->believing in Jesus.
- Altar of Burnt Offering -->repenting, that is to say stopping sinning to return to God.
- Brazen Laver -->being baptized of water.
Colossians 2:11-12
2:11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
2:12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
We are set free from sin through the water baptism.
There is no circumcision or not being buried together with Jesus means going down to the lower parts of the earth or perdition.
Ezekiel 32:24
32:24 "There is Elam and all her multitude, All around her grave, All of them slain, fallen by the sword, Who have gone down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth, Who caused their terror in the land of the living; Now they bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit.
Be alert of self-truth, that is to say sinning but blaming other people to make himself or herself true. - Door of Tabernacle -->being baptized of Holy Spirit or living in righteousness.
- Gate of Tabernacle -->believing in Jesus.
- Being chosen = being sanctified.
It refers to the Holy Place of tabernacle, in which there are three equipments as follows:- Golden Candlestick -->patience in committing General Service.
- Table of Showbread -->patience in committing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion.
- Golden Altar of Incense -->patience in committing Prayer Service.
Being shepherded is as a branch attaining to the True Vine, so there is intensive sanctification. We have to be shepherded if we want to be holy!
The sanctified branch will yield fruits soon or later.
John 15:3
15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
We are sanctified by the true teaching Word, whose verse explains other verses.
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,
Being called and chosen, we are equipped with priest's office and the gifts of Holy Spirit. Afterward, we are appointed as priests and kings.
Luke 6:12
6:12. Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
The Lord's effort is until He must die in Golgotha and pray on the mountain to do these things:- To call, to choose, and to make us priests and kings.
- To give us strength, so we can be firm in the calling and election of the Lord.
Now, we have to pray and watch through one hour prayer, fasting prayer, and all night prayer in order to get these things:- Not stumbling in ministry but keeping firm until the Lord comes a second time and we can enter into New Jerusalem.
2 Peter 1:10
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; - Being a servant who is not only called and chosen but also specialized by God.
John 12:26
12:26 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
Specialized servant means we minister until we become God's Bride.
Leviticus 21:12
21:12 'nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
Revelation 17:14
17:14. "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
The specialized servant is the one who is called, chosen, and faithful.
Being called, chosen, and faithful, we will experience the power of victory together with the Lord as follows:- Victory over Satan.
Revelation 13:5-6
13:5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
13:6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
The power of antichrist is in the saying. Having the victory together with the Lord, we have righteous and good saying. - Victory over all problems.
- The last victory, that is to say we sit on the throne of God.
Revelation 3:21
3:21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Psalm 17:8
17:8. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
Zechariah 2:7-8
2:7 "Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon."
2:8 For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.
The servant of God who is as the apple of His eye cannot be touched by anything.
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 more we are sanctified, the bigger wings of eagle we get. It continues until we get the peak of sanctification to give us the wings of a great eagle fleeing us to the wilderness, far away from the presence of antichrist.
- Victory over Satan.
- Golden Candlestick -->patience in committing General Service.
- Being specialized.
John 12:26
12:26 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
John 13:13,23-26
13:13 "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.
13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
13:24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
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.
Let us become specialized servant of God until we can lean on Jesus' bosom.
There are two possibilities when we are going to consume Holy Communion as follows:- Not examining ourselves.
John 13:27
13:27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."
Judas consumed the Holy Communion without examining himself. Consequently, he was separated with God forever.
The Holy Communion must be based on the true teaching Word, or else it only brings perdition. - Examining ourselves, meaning we receive the work of God's Word and we are willing to be sanctified by the sword of the Word.
Let us now love God more than all things. In such condition, we can firmly lean on Jesus' bosom.
The result of leaning on Jesus' bosom is as follows:- Being firm, never stumbling in the calling and election of the Lord.
- The Lord makes we more than conquerors, He fights for us.
2 Chronicles 14:11
14:11 And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, "LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!" - Our death and life are in the hand of God.
John 21:20-22
21:20. Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"
21:21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"
21:22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."
The Lord is able to preserve our lives and to give us beautiful future life. He is able to do all matters miraculously.
Our death and life are in His hand. Meaning our life cannot be charged against by anyone and we become God's bride.
- Being firm, never stumbling in the calling and election of the Lord.
- Not examining ourselves.