Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good evening, let us hear the Word of God. Let the peace, grace, and joy of God be in the midst of us abundantly.
Revelation 1: 13-16 = the appearance of Jesus Himself in four real manifestations(It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, February 3, 2014):
Tonight, we still discuss the fourth part, namely JESUS APPEARS IN HIS GLORY AS THE HEAVENLY BRIDEGROOM
Revelation 1: 16
1: 16. He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two–edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
The signs are as follows.
We have discussed about the third sign from yesterday, namely His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength means that His countenance was like the sun shining to light the light of glory (Shekinah Glory).
It happened especially when Jesus was resurrected.
Jesus has risen to light His disciples with the light of glory so that they experience the life renewal from fleshy men who are full of weaknesses to spiritual ones as glorious as Jesus is. They become the Bride of God who is ready to welcome Jesus’ second coming.
Last night we learnt about a disciple, namely Thomas experiencing the light of glory of God. Thomas did not believe, but have faith because of sight. But, he could be helped by God (it has been explained in Passover Service in Surabaya, April 20, 2014).
John 20: 19-20
20:19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fearof the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."
20:20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Besides Thomas, all other disciples were also in fear.
Jesus lighted the light of glory to His disciples who were in fear. Tonight, we learn the process of seeing the face of Jesus with the light of glory.
The process of seeing the face of Jesus with the light of glory is as follows.
Let us see His side and hands to get the peace, and His face to get the great peace. He will help us.
God blesses you.
Revelation 1: 13-16 = the appearance of Jesus Himself in four real manifestations(It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, February 3, 2014):
- Revelation 1: 13= Jesus appears in His glory as The High Priest, being clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, February 3, 2014).
- Revelation 1: 14= Jesus appears in His glory as The King of all kings, whose head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire (It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, February 23, 2014).
- Revelation 1: 15= Jesus appears in His glory as TheJust Judge,whose feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, March 17, 2014).
- Revelation 1: 16= Jesus appears in His glory as TheHeavenly Bridegroom, the peak. We will never be separated from Him, but we are with Him forever. (It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, March 30, 2014).
Tonight, we still discuss the fourth part, namely JESUS APPEARS IN HIS GLORY AS THE HEAVENLY BRIDEGROOM
Revelation 1: 16
1: 16. He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two–edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
The signs are as follows.
- He had in His right hand seven stars (It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, March 30, 2014),
- Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword (It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, April 6, 2014),
- His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength (It has been explained since Good Friday Service in Surabaya, April 20, 2014)
We have discussed about the third sign from yesterday, namely His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength means that His countenance was like the sun shining to light the light of glory (Shekinah Glory).
It happened especially when Jesus was resurrected.
Jesus has risen to light His disciples with the light of glory so that they experience the life renewal from fleshy men who are full of weaknesses to spiritual ones as glorious as Jesus is. They become the Bride of God who is ready to welcome Jesus’ second coming.
Last night we learnt about a disciple, namely Thomas experiencing the light of glory of God. Thomas did not believe, but have faith because of sight. But, he could be helped by God (it has been explained in Passover Service in Surabaya, April 20, 2014).
John 20: 19-20
20:19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fearof the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."
20:20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Besides Thomas, all other disciples were also in fear.
Jesus lighted the light of glory to His disciples who were in fear. Tonight, we learn the process of seeing the face of Jesus with the light of glory.
The process of seeing the face of Jesus with the light of glory is as follows.
- Seeing His side.
John 19: 32-34
19:32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.
19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His sidewith a spear, and immediately blood and watercame out.
The two transgressors crucified beside Jesus had not died yet, so their legs had to be broken by the soldiers, so that they could die soon and be buried because no dead body could be hung when Sabbath day was coming soon.
Actually, Jesus has died with four main wounds, two in hands and two in feet. They refer to His love to Israelto save them.
The fifth woundin his side is His mercy for saving the Gentiles. Jesus had died, so His legs were not broken, but His side was pierced with a spear.
Bloodand watercame out of Jesus’ side. If we want to see the face of Jesus that is like the sun shining in its strength, we must see His side, out of which blood and water comes out.
BLOOD
It refers to the Altar of Burnt Offering or REPENTANCE, namely stopping sinning to return to God or die to sin.
In the epistle of Peter, it is said 'laying aside the sins'.
1 Peter 2: 1
2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice(1), all deceit(2), hypocrisy(3), envy(4), and all evil speaking(5),
Repenting means laying aside five man sins.
We can know whether a person repents or not through seeing the five sins as follows.- Malice means evil, especially the love of money causing stinginess or one cannot give and greediness or one seizes the possession of God, namely tithes and offerings. It is said as the root of sin.
We will know whether the root of sin is pulled out or not through this sin.
Judas was an apostle and treasurer, but he could not repent because of keeping the root of evil. He could not repent, even His entrails gushed out. - Deceit or lie.
Judas also lied. - Hypocrisy.
Judas was a hypocrite by kissing Jesus whereas all other disciples ran away. As a matter of fact, he wanted to betray Jesus. - Envy or hatred without any cause, including jealousy and revenge.
- Evil speaking, namely the right is said false and vice versa.
WATER
It refers to the Brazen Laver or water baptism.
Both the blood and water cannot be separated. We can see the water after seeing the blood.
The true water baptism happens when a person who has died to sin or repented is buried in water together with Jesus and raised together with him to get new life.
1 John 3: 9
3:9Whoever 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.
The new life or life renewalbegins from not sinning anymore, but being delivered from sin TO LIVE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. It means not sinning although there is chance, advantage, or threat. It continues until someday we cannot sinbut become as righteous as Jesus is.
Thus Jesus shows first His side out of which water and blood came, so that we can see His countenance that is like the sun shining in its strength. We have to repent, have the life renewal, and live in righteousness until we are as righteous as Jesus is.
If we live in righteousness, there will be peacein the midst of the waves of the world. It is a great thing because we can feel peaceful only by seeing Jesus’ side.
There will be peace where there is righteousness.
Isaiah 32: 17
32:17 The work of righteousnesswill be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assuranceforever.
Thus, if we can have life renewal or live in righteousness until we are as righteous as Jesus is, we can have the peace in the Lord. We can be quiet and silent.
If we are quiet and silent, namely WE LIVE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE, the wind and waves of the sea of the world will be calm. All problems are solved by God and our life will be easy and light.
We have not seen His face yet, only His side already, but we can experience a great thing. The power of the resurrection of the Lordcomes down upon us when we can be quiet and silent.
The power of the resurrection of the Lord or Jesus who woke up from His sleep is able to make the wind and waves in the midst of the sea of the world calm. It they are calm, all problems are solved and all things become easy and light. Tonight, when we face the wind and waves that hit our economy or private life, it is the time to learn to see the side of Jesus first, not to be hopeless or far away from God. As a result, the sea will be made calm and all problems are solved right in His time.
We must throw away all things in whom God is not well-pleased, so that we can live in righteousness. We keep on living in righteousness as righteous as Jesus is although there is sin that gives us advantage, threats, and so on. As a result, the power of Jesus’ resurrection will make all things finished right in His time.
If we keep something that is not right, the waves will be greater and we will sink. - Malice means evil, especially the love of money causing stinginess or one cannot give and greediness or one seizes the possession of God, namely tithes and offerings. It is said as the root of sin.
- Seeing the nail pierced hand of Jesus. Thomas wanted to see it.
It means as follows.- The hand is used to serve or work. We have to see how Jesus has worked and take the example. We work just as He has worked. Do not see on any human, but Jesus’ hand. It means that we work in the true consecration or service and ministry.
The true consecrationmeans the one and service and ministry that are in line withthe true Teaching Word or the Bible, not the will of any human. It is in the obedienceto the true Teaching Word. As a result, the door of heaven will be opened.
Matthew 7: 21-23
7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who doesthe 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!’
'does the will of My Father' means an obedience.
There are many sons or servants of God who measure the success of the service and ministry that are acceptable before God according to the valuation of human in the form of the ministry such as the greatness of the miracle, the big quantity of the members of the congregation, physical riches, and so on. The measure of success in the true service and ministry is the obedienceto the true Teaching Word. It will open the door of heavenand bring many people to enter heavenly kingdom.
It is our responsinbility. Where will we bring the people who come to Jesus? Do not bring them to “depart from Me”although the ministry seems to be great in the beginning, Let us seriously bring them to the door of heavenly kingdom.
If the door of heaven is opened, the doors in the world will also be openedby God.
If the consecration is true and the door of heaven is opened, the doors in the world will be widely opened. There is no difficult thing for us.
The ministry of human can be up and down or turn to the right and the left, but Jesus’ nail-pierced hand will never change.
This must be our attention, namely we work just as Jesus has worked.
If the ministry is not in line with the true Teaching Word because there is no obedience to it, one will practice lawlessness. The more he ministers to God, the more he practices lawlessness. Consequently, he is driven out by God to enter perdition and the door of heaven is shut for him.
Be serious!Do not be playful in the ministering to God, but see His hand. - Working in holiness.
We have to keep the OBEDIENCE AND HOLINESSto see the hand of Jesus. It is not important to have intelligence, experience, nor riches.
Exodus 29: 1a
29:1a "And this is what you shall do to them to hallow themfor ministering to Me as priests:
'to hallow themfor ministering to Me as priests.' means that they must be sanctified first,
Thus, we have to minister to God in holiness. Do not reverse it! There are many people reverse it by saying that one must minister to God first in order to be able to get holiness and repent. It is a big mistake. Read the verses in the bible correctly!
WE MUST BE SANCTIFIED FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN WORK.
How can we minister in holiness?
Leviticus 21:12 =>“The holiness of the priests”.
21:12 'nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oilof his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
The priests must dwell in the Holy Placein order to be holy. There is no other way.
''nor profane the sanctuary of his God '= going out of the sanctuary means transgressing the holiness.
Ministering in holiness will bring the anointing of Holy Spirit. On the contrary, transgressing the holiness will cause the dry ministry.
How can the priests live or work in holiness?They mustbe inside the Holy Placeor shepherding pen in which there are three kinds of equipment that refer to perseverance in doing three main services to God as follows.- Golden Candlestick: perseverance in doing General Service to have fellowship with Holy Spirit God with His gifts.
- Table of Showbread: perseverance in doing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion to have fellowship with the Son of God in the true Teaching Word and the secarifice of Christ.
- Golden Altar of Incense: perseverance in doing Prayer Service to have fellowship with Father God in His love.
- Golden Candlestick: perseverance in doing General Service to have fellowship with Holy Spirit God with His gifts.
We are given the tunic of many colors of Joseph.
Genesis 37: 2-3
37:2 This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flockwith his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.
37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.
'feeding the flock'= being inside the shepherding pen.
The children whose ages are twelve until seventeen years old must be brought in the sheepfold.
Jesus was inside the temple with the teaching when He was twelve years old.
Joseph was in the shepherding when he was seventeen years old.
Thus, the effective age to start being shepherdedto the true teachings is twelve to seventeen years old as Jesus and Joseph in order to get the tunic of many colors. Why? Because it is the time when our flesh rules over us exceedingly.
'Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father'= he did not want to sin or do evil. It means there are holinessand the anointing of Holy Spirit. He was also obedient to give report to his father, so that he got the tunic of many colors.
Ephesians 4: 11-12
4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastorsand teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saintsfor the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
'the equipping of the saints'= ministry in holiness.
The tunic of many colors means the ministries and gifts of Holy Spiritas the equipmentof a priest in the ministry for building the perfect body of Christ.
If we minister to God with obedience, holiness, and the anointing of Holy Spirit to draw the presence of High Priest, as well as we are shepherded as a donkey bound to the True Vine, the Lord will release and ride on us. He uses us in the revival of Holy Spirit at the latter rain and gives us the tunic of many colorsas Joseph’s so that we are not naked.
The tunic of many colorsmakes our life begin to be beautiful and not naked.
Nevertheless, it must be dipped in the blood.
Genesis 37: 31
37:31 So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood.
The tunic of many colors must be dipped in the blood, so that we can keep it. It means that we must experience the sprinkling of bloodor suffering in the flesh together with Jesus.
In such condition, the tunic of many colors is saved and Satan cannot touch it because Satan fears the blood of Jesus.
If the tunic is not dipped in the blood, one will be naked.
If the tunic is dipped in the blood, we can endure. We can be strong and of good courage or faithful and fervent in spirit in ministering to God according to the ministry until the end, namely we die or Jesus comes a second time.
1 Corinthians 15: 58
15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vainin the Lord.
The results if the tunic is dipped in the blood are as follows.- Joseph became the prime minister. It means that Jesus, the High priest is able to give the beautiful, successful, and joyful future lifein His time.
- The brothers of Joseph who had hated him could come and be embraced by Joseph. It means that we feel peace from God, there is no revenge.
Genesis 45: 4
45:4 And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
'Please come near to me'= living in peace.
Seeing the hand of God will make ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL AND PEACEFUL.
Seeing His side, ALL THINGS ARE FINISHED AND PEACEFUL.
That is the sign of seeing the Lord, namely the peace.
It begins from inside the family or marriage that there is no envy and revenge, shepherding, and inter-shepherding, until someday Israel can be united with Gentiles in one perfect body of Christ.
Ephesians 2: 13-14, 16
2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
2:16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one bodythrough the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
- The hand is used to serve or work. We have to see how Jesus has worked and take the example. We work just as He has worked. Do not see on any human, but Jesus’ hand. It means that we work in the true consecration or service and ministry.
- Seeing the countenance of Jesus that shines as the sun shines in its strength through worship prayer.
Peter, John and James saw it on the mountain. It refers to worship prayer.
It means seeing the light of glory coming out of the face of Jesus, so that we can experience life renewalfrom fleshy men who are full of weakness, namely fleshy fear, to spiritual ones as Jesus who fears God. Jesus was fearful in Gethsemane thinking about the cross. Nevertheless, He was obedient saying "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Jesus had the fear of the Lord.
Fear and worry of something in the world make our life not righteous.
Proverbs 8: 13
8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
The facts found in fearing the Lord are as follows.- Hating evil as well as lie.
One who fears of sinning has seen the face of the Lord. - Genesis 22: 10-12
22:10And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
22:11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."
22:12 And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
The second fact is not rejecting what God asks us to give Him in our life. God never fools the one who fears the Lord.
The fear of the Lord will bring peace.
Proverbs 14: 26
14:26 In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge.
Do not doubt!We have to give our sins to Him and we can get a strong confidence.
The peaceful heart is a foundation for the High Priest with His reconciliation ministry to be in our life to make the sea calm, solve the problems, and make all things easy and light as well as beautiful in His time.
1 Thessalonians 5: 23-24
5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctifyyou completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blamelessat the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
5:24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
The results of having the peaceful heart are as follows.- High Priest is able to preserve and blessour life miraculously in the midst of impossibilities and difficulties in the world.
- High Priest is able to sanctify and renewour body, soul, and spirit until we are as perfect and glorious as He is. He lights us to become His bride who is ready to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds. We enter the one thousand years kingdom of peace or the future paradise and New Jerusalem or the city of peaceforever.
- High Priest is able to preserve and blessour life miraculously in the midst of impossibilities and difficulties in the world.
- Hating evil as well as lie.
Let us see His side and hands to get the peace, and His face to get the great peace. He will help us.
God blesses you.