Matthew 26: 26-28
26:26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, \"Take, eat; this is My body.\"
26:27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, \"Drink from it, all of you.
26:28 \"For this is My bloodof the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
verse 26-29= EATING HOLY COMMUNION.
The previous verses (verse 17-25) speak about the Passover.
verse 26-29= the transition from the Passover to the Holy Communion.
Thus, the last Passover is the first Holy Communion.
We have learnt the regulations of eating the Passover which equal to the regulations of eating the Holy Communionas follows:
12:11. \'And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD\'s Passover.
Tonight we will learn the next regulation as follows:
The life renewal is related to not losing heart, referring to being strong and of good courage.
In the journey of Israel to go to Canaan (the last journey), God told \"be strong and of good courage\".
Thus, we have to be strong and of good couragein the building of Christ\'s perfect body.
There were ten people who lost heart among the twelve spies Moses sent, although they confessed that the Word of God was true, but their flesh sounds made them lose heart.
Numbers 13: 27-28
13:27. Then they told him, and said: \"We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
13:28 \"Neverthelessthe people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.
verse 28= the flesh sound.
Losing heartequals to magnifying problems rather than the true teaching Word. Consequently, the Israelites murmured.
Numbers 14: 34, 29
14:34. \'According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection.
14:29. \'The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above.
= the Israelites were punished by God as the consequence of murmuring,even all of them became carcasses except Joshua and Caleb, who could enter Canaan. Both of them are the examples of people who are strong and of good courage.And they were used by God to enter Canaan or the revival of the last rain.
Deuteronomy 1: 26-31, 33
1:26. \" Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God;
1:27 \"and you complained in your tents, and said, \'Because the LORD hates us,He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
1:28 \'Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, \"The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.\" \'
1:29 \"Then I said to you, \'Do not be terrified, or afraid of them.
1:30 \'The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,
1:31 \'and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.\'
1:33 \"who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.
verse. 29= Moses had reminded the Israelites to be strong and of good courage.
LET US NOWADAYS BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE(being obedient to the true teaching Word, we stretch our hand to God). And He stretches His merciful hand to us. The results are as follows:
26:26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, \"Take, eat; this is My body.\"
26:27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, \"Drink from it, all of you.
26:28 \"For this is My bloodof the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
verse 26-29= EATING HOLY COMMUNION.
The previous verses (verse 17-25) speak about the Passover.
verse 26-29= the transition from the Passover to the Holy Communion.
Thus, the last Passover is the first Holy Communion.
We have learnt the regulations of eating the Passover which equal to the regulations of eating the Holy Communionas follows:
- The flesh must be roasted in fire.
It refers to the fire of Holy Spirit. - It must be eaten with unleavened bread.
\'bread\'= the Word of God.
\'unleavened\'= pure.
\'unleavened bread\'= the pure or righteousWord of Godwhich is not comfortable for our flesh. - Do not eat it raw.
Raw flesh = the fire of flesh lust which can burn and destroy us. - Do not boil at all with water.
\'water\'= the freshness of the world which can make us sink and destroy us. - The flesh was roasted in fire.
\'fire\'= sanctification.
Thus, eating the Holy Communion must be with sanctification.
The parts that must be sanctified are the head, leg, and entrails, referring to the sanctification of our whole life. - The flesh must be eaten, meaning the Word must have become our flesh and blood.
12:11. \'And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD\'s Passover.
Tonight we will learn the next regulation as follows:
- \'with a belt on your waist\'
Ephesians6: 14
6:14. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Meaning we gird our waist with truth.
John 17: 17
17:17. \"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
The truth is something that is able to sanctify us, namely the Word of God.
Thus, the truth is the Word of God which sanctifies us.
Therefore, to consume the Holy Communionwe have TO GIRD OUR WAIST WITH TRUTH.
Girding our waist with truth equals to putting sword on side.
It means we hold fast the true teaching Word and obey it.
Exodus 32: 26-28
32:26. then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, \"Whoever is on the LORD\'s side-- come to me.\"And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
32:27 And he said to them, \"Thus says the LORD God of Israel: \'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.\' \"
32:28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
Putting sword on the side means BEING ON THE LORD\'S SIDE, not on the others.
If we are on the Lord\'s side, He will be on our side and we will be sanctified up to the figure \'3000\'.
In Tabernacle, the figure 3000 refers the Holy Place (20 x 10 x 10 cubits) with the Most Holy Place (10 x 10 x 10 cubits).
Thus, entering the figure 3000 means we become HOLY AND PERFECT.
At that time, Israel worshiped idol. Actually, they were the sheep of God but God said that they were unrestrained horse.
Exodus 32: 25
32:25. Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained(for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies),
Life like the horse must be sanctified.
\'horse\' means as follows:- Flesh power. Meaning the sons of God who rely on the power of flesh and the world such as riches, intelligence, et cetera.
Consequently, s/hedoes not rely on God.
Isaiah 31: 1
31:1. Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy Oneof Israel, Nor seek the LORD!
Jeremiah 17: 5
17:5. Thus says the LORD: \"Cursed is the man who trusts in manAnd makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. - Wild flesh lustwhich causes sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying- giving in marriage.
- Flesh desirewhich causes the hardness of heart and disobedience as the stiff-necked Israel.
Exodus 32: 9
32:9. And the LORD said to Moses, \"I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! - Flesh feelings.
Exodus 32: 27
32:27. And he said to them, \"Thus says the LORD God of Israel: \'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.\'
= The Levites would not have done the commandment of Moses if they had used their feelings.
If thefeelings, strength, lust, and desire of flesh are sanctified,we are able to be holy and shepherded(we enter the figure \'2000\'), as a branch attaining to the TRUE VINE or being shepherded to ONEtrue teaching Word. And the branch will surely bear sweet fruit(we have the rain of God\'s blessings).
- Flesh power. Meaning the sons of God who rely on the power of flesh and the world such as riches, intelligence, et cetera.
- Flesh words.
Do not utter vain words, especially to Moses, referring to the one God uses.
Exodus 32: 23
32:23. \"For they said to me, \'Make us godsthat shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.\'
= vain words of Israelites while Moses was struggling.
\'Make us gods\'= despising God and the true teaching Word.
If our tongue is sanctified,we can reach the figure \'3000\' (perfection).
James 3: 2
3:2. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
If the figure 2000 has not been reached, we will not reach the figure 3000.
Therefore, we have to be in the sheepfold.
- \'your sandals on your feet\'= earnest appreciation.
Ephesians 6: 15
6:15. and having shod your feet with the preparationof the gospel of peace;
Sandals= willingness to sacrifice.
Thus, eating Holy Communion must be with the WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE FOR GOD.
If we have the willingness to sacrifice, we will be employed by God to preach the gospel of peace, meaning as follows:- Giving testimony about the gospel of salvationfor people who have not believed in Jesus yet, so they can be reconciled with God.
- Giving testimony about the gospel ofGod\'s gloryto the saved people, so they can enter into the building of Christ\'s perfect body.
Thus, we have to be willing to sacrifice all things to be employed in the ministry of building the perfect Christ\'s body, according to our own priest\'s offices.
There is only ONE THING THAT SHOULD NOT BE SACRIFICED, namely the true teaching Word because it is the persona of Jesus we must not sacrifice the second time.
Deuteronomy 29: 5
29:5. \"And I have led you forty yearsin the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandalshave not worn out on your feet.
\'40\'= 40 years of Jubilee= 2000 years of the age of the Church.
The sandals will not be worn out if there is willingness to sacrifice. Meaning we keep FAITHFUL AND FERVENT IN SPIRIT, serving the Lord until the end(until we die or the Lord comes a second time). - Giving testimony about the gospel of salvationfor people who have not believed in Jesus yet, so they can be reconciled with God.
- \'your staff in your hand= holding the cross.
\'the staff\'= the cross.
Do not throw away the staff, or else it becomes a snake.
The cross must be our life experience.
Thus, eatingHoly Communion MUST BE WITH CROSS EXPERIENCE.
Cross experience= suffering in the flesh without any sin.
2 Corinthians 4: 16-17
4:16. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewedday by day.
4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
The Lord lets us experience the cross, so we can experience LIFE RENEWAL. We are changed from mortar pot to golden pot as Jesus is.
The life renewal is related to not losing heart, referring to being strong and of good courage.
In the journey of Israel to go to Canaan (the last journey), God told \"be strong and of good courage\".
Thus, we have to be strong and of good couragein the building of Christ\'s perfect body.
There were ten people who lost heart among the twelve spies Moses sent, although they confessed that the Word of God was true, but their flesh sounds made them lose heart.
Numbers 13: 27-28
13:27. Then they told him, and said: \"We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
13:28 \"Neverthelessthe people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.
verse 28= the flesh sound.
Losing heartequals to magnifying problems rather than the true teaching Word. Consequently, the Israelites murmured.
Numbers 14: 34, 29
14:34. \'According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection.
14:29. \'The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above.
= the Israelites were punished by God as the consequence of murmuring,even all of them became carcasses except Joshua and Caleb, who could enter Canaan. Both of them are the examples of people who are strong and of good courage.And they were used by God to enter Canaan or the revival of the last rain.
Deuteronomy 1: 26-31, 33
1:26. \" Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God;
1:27 \"and you complained in your tents, and said, \'Because the LORD hates us,He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
1:28 \'Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, \"The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.\" \'
1:29 \"Then I said to you, \'Do not be terrified, or afraid of them.
1:30 \'The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes,
1:31 \'and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.\'
1:33 \"who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.
verse. 29= Moses had reminded the Israelites to be strong and of good courage.
LET US NOWADAYS BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE(being obedient to the true teaching Word, we stretch our hand to God). And He stretches His merciful hand to us. The results are as follows:
- \'He will fight for you\'= The hand of God\'s mercy is stretched to defeat all enemies, even the impossible matter.
- \'to search out a place for you to pitch your tents\'= The hand of God\'s mercy is stretched to seek rest place.Meaning to give us peace in the middle of many shakings in the world, so all things become easy and light although we are walking in the desert.
Seeking rest place also meansGod arranges our beautiful and joyful future life. - \'carried you, as a man carries his son\'= The hand of God\'s mercy carries uswho are as powerless babies, to preserve us in the midst of difficulties and impossibilities in the world.
The hand of God\'s mercy also sanctifies us from the dirt of baby= sanctifies and cleanses the baby. It means He renews us until we become spotless. We become as glorious as God is, and we are lifted up together with Him to become His glorious Bride.