Matthew26:14-16
26:14. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
26:15 and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to himthirty pieces of silver.
26:16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
Betrayal to the Lamb of Passover.
Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus as the Lamb of Passover (the Lamb of God).
It is a caution for us!
Judas Iscariot is an apostle and a treasurer (God's confidant). He is great spiritually, but he could betray Jesus.
Who are we? We are nothing compared to Judas Iscariot.
Why did Judas Iscariot betray Jesus?
Exodus21:32
21:32 If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
Thirty (30) pieces of silver = the price of an ox which likes to gore.
If an ox gores, the owner must pay thirty pieces of silver and that ox must be destroyed.
An ox which likes to gore= God's servant who is not obedientand must be perished.
If Jesus has been sold in thirty pieces of silver price, it means that Jesus has been considered as disobedient servant and must be perished.
In fact,Jesus is an obedient God's servant. The proofs are as follows:
But, why was Jesus willing to be sold in thirty pieces of silver price? Why was Jesus willing to be considered as disobedient servant until willing to be executed?
The answer is to help disobedient God's servants such that they will not be perished, but may become obedient God's servant until the flesh does not sound anymore.
Although we are already saved, many times we are disobedient and must be perished.
The examples are as follows:
The example isPeter.
Peter is a great and senior apostle, but he was disobedient.
Remember! Who are we?
We must become more fervent in spirit in following God.
John21:3
21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
Be watchful! Do not just follow the others!
Peter was consecrated by Jesus to become the fisher of men, but he went back to become the fisher of fishes.
Unfortunately, the other apostles, who is younger than Peter, followed Peter directly.
Whoever becomes DISOBEDIENT, the punishment is DEATH!
But, by the help of God, Peter was at last able to stretch out his hands to God.
Peter stretched out his hands twice to God:
26:14. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
26:15 and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to himthirty pieces of silver.
26:16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.
Betrayal to the Lamb of Passover.
Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus as the Lamb of Passover (the Lamb of God).
It is a caution for us!
Judas Iscariot is an apostle and a treasurer (God's confidant). He is great spiritually, but he could betray Jesus.
Who are we? We are nothing compared to Judas Iscariot.
Why did Judas Iscariot betray Jesus?
- Judas Iscariot came to the chief priests. It equals to entering false fellowship(fellowship without the true teaching Word, fellowship against true teaching Word and against true ministry).
- Judas Iscariot did not want to surrender to God, he kept his sins and self-desire, such that he delivered/ sold Jesus in thirty pieces of silver price.
Submission to God is started with submission of our sins (the worst part of us), and thereafter we can submit our whole body, soul, and spirit.
Exodus21:32
21:32 If the ox gores a male or female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
Thirty (30) pieces of silver = the price of an ox which likes to gore.
If an ox gores, the owner must pay thirty pieces of silver and that ox must be destroyed.
An ox which likes to gore= God's servant who is not obedientand must be perished.
If Jesus has been sold in thirty pieces of silver price, it means that Jesus has been considered as disobedient servant and must be perished.
In fact,Jesus is an obedient God's servant. The proofs are as follows:
- Matthew3:13-15
3:13. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
3:14 And John tried toprevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"
3:15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be sonow, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
Jesus is obedient in water baptism matter.
Jesus is the only man who did no sins (blameless Lamb of God), and therefore he has no need to be baptized. But, why was Jesus willing to be baptized?- To obey and fulfill all God's will, although He must SACRIFICE PRESTIGE/ SELF-ESTEEM.
Matthew3:15
3:15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be sonow, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
John the Baptist himself confessed that he was not proper to baptize Jesus since He did no sins. But Jesus was willing to be baptized to obey God's will. - To give the true water baptism pattern to us.
The true water baptism is water baptism according to the Holy Bible and the same as the baptism of Jesus.
Matthew3:16
3:16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
We (as the body of Christ) must be baptized with the same baptism as received by Jesus (as the Head).
There is only one Head. It means that there is only one true water baptism.
As it was in the days of Noah, there were many other ships or arks, but only Noah's ark which was saved.
Romans6:4
6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptisminto death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians2:12
2:12 buried with Him in baptism,in which you also were raised with Himthrough faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Jesus came up immediately from the water (Matthew3:16) = came up from the burial of water.
If one has not been buried, it means he has not been baptized.
From two verses above (Romans6:4; Colossians2:12), we who have died from sins (repentance) must be buried with Jesus in water, to rise in new life, that is Heavenly life.
Birth from physical parents only results in carnal life, which is only suitable for life in this world.
But, through water baptism we receive Heavenly life.
New life(heavenly life) = life in the anointing of Holy Spirit even being fulfilled by Holy Spirit.
The practices are as follows:- Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, therefore we must live in righteousness.
All our life aspects (study, work,driving, etc.) must be right.
Living in righteousness = salvation.
Not living in righteousness = not being salvaged.
God is everywhere; therefore we must live in righteousness everywhere. - Dove = sincerity, thus we must live in sincerity, that is without bitterness, envy, revenge, hypocrisy.
With sincerity, we can live in peace. - Being obedient, including always being faithful (always saying "Yes").
Romans8:15
8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
Many times we are too proud of being able to talk the language of Spirit, until forgetting our own language. Saying "yes" means always being obedient and faithful.
The example is when God asks us to come to a service, we must answer "yes". It means always being obedient and faithful.
Right, sincere, obedient and faithful live = RIGHT MAN.He is the citizen of Kingdom of Heaven.
Right people can be shepherded.
Proverbs12:26
12:26. The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.- The righteous can (it will not be difficult) find the true shepherding pen, where there is the true shepherding Word.
If one is shepherded just by looking the big church building, etc, he must not be a righteous.
The righteous should choose shepherding place with true shepherding Word.
Being shepherded in the true teaching Word is as a branch remains on the true vine. - The righteous will persevere in the shepherding pen, that is perseverance in three main services as follows:
- General Service = fellowship with God the Holy Spirit (drinking)
- Bible Study Service with Holy Communion = fellowship with the Son of God in the Word and Holy Communion (eating).
- Prayer Service = fellowship with God the Father (breathing).
Therefore, the sheep will grow spiritually to maturity/ perfection, also carnally. Carnal growth is just a bonus from God, not the main aim. - General Service = fellowship with God the Holy Spirit (drinking)
Psalm5:12
5:12For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as witha shield.
If we become the righteous and are shepherded in the true teaching Word, we must be surrounded with God's grace.
We must be happy if we can be the righteous and be shepherded in the true shepherding Word, because we will receive shield of God's grace and joy.
Intelligence, richness, and high position do not guarantee happiness.- God's grace is able to protect us from any misdirection and sins.
Be watchful! There will be many deceivers and many will be deceived, such that the right one is blamed, said to be an extreme one, fanatic, self truth, etc.
Where there is air, sins will always target us.
God's grace is able to protect us from sins.
Because of the shield of God's grace, we will become steadier in righteousness, sincerity, and obedience. It equals to being steadier in salvation. - God's grace is able to bless us up to our descendants, even until eternal life.
'Righteousness' inheritance is an eternal inheritance to our descendants.
- Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, therefore we must live in righteousness.
- To obey and fulfill all God's will, although He must SACRIFICE PRESTIGE/ SELF-ESTEEM.
- Mark 14:35-36
14:35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.
14:36 And He said, "Abba, Father, all things arepossible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."
Jesus was obedient in His prayer in Gethsemane.
Worship prayer = the process of tearing the flesh with all its want and desire such that we can accept God's will, although it conflicts with flesh desire.
Jesus could say "Abba, Father", means Jesus was obedient although He has to SACRIFICE SELF-WANT/ SELF-DESIRE (THE DESIRE OF THE FLESH).
As long as we hold on our self-want, we will never be obedient.
Let us follow Jesus' pattern. He obeyed the Father although He had to sacrifice self-want.
Do not become disobedient!
Moreover, if it is clear that our self-want is wrong and is not based on the truth of the Word.
The result is"all things arepossible for You".
We receive the power to erase all impossibilities. - Philippians2:8-10
2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point ofdeath, even the death of the cross.
2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
Jesus became obedient on the cross until SACRIFICING HIMSELF.
The result isthe power of victory above Satan the trinity (three wild beasts) which frequently possesses God's children and God's servant such that they become disobedient.
But, why was Jesus willing to be sold in thirty pieces of silver price? Why was Jesus willing to be considered as disobedient servant until willing to be executed?
The answer is to help disobedient God's servants such that they will not be perished, but may become obedient God's servant until the flesh does not sound anymore.
Although we are already saved, many times we are disobedient and must be perished.
The examples are as follows:
- Lot and his family have been saved from Sodom-Gomorrah, but Lot's wife was disobedient and looked back such that she was perished.
- Israelites have been saved from Egypt, but from 603.550 people, there were only 2 obedient people and reached Canaan.
The example isPeter.
Peter is a great and senior apostle, but he was disobedient.
Remember! Who are we?
We must become more fervent in spirit in following God.
John21:3
21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
Be watchful! Do not just follow the others!
Peter was consecrated by Jesus to become the fisher of men, but he went back to become the fisher of fishes.
Unfortunately, the other apostles, who is younger than Peter, followed Peter directly.
Whoever becomes DISOBEDIENT, the punishment is DEATH!
But, by the help of God, Peter was at last able to stretch out his hands to God.
Peter stretched out his hands twice to God:
- Matthew14:29-32
14:29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
14:30 But when he saw that the wind wasboisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched out Hishand 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.
Peterstretched out his hands to God when he began to sink.
God lets decadency happen (in school, in work, etc.) such that we can stretch out our hands to God.
But here Peter stretched out his hands since there is the sound of the flesh, because of fear and self-interest(he wanted to be helped).
God is good and receives our stretching hands. He also stretches out His hands to us. It means as follows:- God's loving hands are able to care us and give us life in the middle of difficulties and impossibilities.
- God's loving hands are able to help us right on His time.
If it is late for a second to help sank people, they will already die.
But God's help is never late. - God's loving hands are able to lift us up from any sins fall, such that we can live in righteousness.
God's loving hands are able to lift us up from any failure. God will make everything successful.
But do not be satisfied until this point, because sometime we still can deny Jesus.
No longer after Peter was caught from sinking, Peter denied Jesus and actually Peter must have been executed at this point. - God's loving hands are able to care us and give us life in the middle of difficulties and impossibilities.
- John21:18-19
21:18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry youwhere you do not wish."
21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
Peter stretched out his hands to Jesus for the second time because he was willing to die. It means as follows:- Being obedient with willingness to sacrifice anything.
- Being obedient until willing to die.
- Being obedient because of loving God more than others (not because of temptation, etc.).
- Being obedient, believing God, and fully surrendering ourselves to God.
How can it be?
Peter was able to stretch out his hands to Jesus for the second time, being obedient until the flesh does not sound anymore, through the shepherding.
That time, Peter was obedient and glorified God.
The resultis God's loving hands glorified Peter, it means as follows:- God's loving hands use Peter (and all of us who are willing to be obedient until the flesh does not sound anymore).
- God's loving hands lead us to beautiful and joyful future.
- God's loving hands renew us until we become perfect and as glorious as God. We will enter the New Jerusalem and be together with God forever.
The name of Peter is written in the New Jerusalem.
- Being obedient with willingness to sacrifice anything.