Matthew 26:30-35 is about warning to Peter.
Judas was reminded by God, Peter was also reminded by God. They were great apostles, but they still needed to be reminded by God. And at last, Judas and Peter were fail since they rejected the Word of God.
All of us are not worthy to minister God. But if we want to hold on the true teaching Word, practice the Word, God will restore us and make us worthy until we can welcome His second coming.
Matthew 26:31-32,34
26:31. Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ' I will strike the Shepherd,And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
26:32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."?
26:34Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
Jesus reminded Peter with the prophecy Word,that is:
26:33 Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble." ?
26:35 Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" ?And so said all the disciples.
Peter's attitude was mocking or rejecting the prophecy Word. He did not want to be sanctified and renewed by the prophecy Word.
The consequence is Peter denied Jesus three times; his body, soul, and spirit denied Jesus.
But fortunately there were crows of the rooster, that is shepherding Word.
This is the difference of shepherded life, there is still chance to be restored by the shepherding Word which is preached continually, and by the intercession prayer of the pastor. These are the two hands of Great Shepherd stretched out to us to lift up our life.
Revelation 1:3
1:3. Blessed ishe who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time isnear.
The right attitude to the prophecy Word is being obedient,such that we experience sanctification and renewal continually. It equals to denying ourselves,such that we will never deny God. When we deny ourselves, we are being filled with the Word.
If we want to deny ourselves, obey the Word, and are being purified, it will be painful to the flesh, but we will never deny God.
Denying ourselves means as follows:
Judas was reminded by God, Peter was also reminded by God. They were great apostles, but they still needed to be reminded by God. And at last, Judas and Peter were fail since they rejected the Word of God.
All of us are not worthy to minister God. But if we want to hold on the true teaching Word, practice the Word, God will restore us and make us worthy until we can welcome His second coming.
Matthew 26:31-32,34
26:31. Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ' I will strike the Shepherd,And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
26:32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."?
26:34Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
Jesus reminded Peter with the prophecy Word,that is:
- The Word which reveals everything that will happen in the last days, that is:
- Jesus' second coming in glory as King of kings, as Heavenly Bridegroom, as the Head who will lift us up to the glorious clouds.
- God's judgment to the world.
In the days of Noah, only four couple of husband-wife who were saved.
In the days of Lot, Lot's wife was left.
In the last days, God's judgment will destroy the whole world.
- Jesus' second coming in glory as King of kings, as Heavenly Bridegroom, as the Head who will lift us up to the glorious clouds.
- The Word which shows all hiddens sins. The Word which purifies and renews our life until we become as perfect as Jesus and are able to welcome Jesus' second coming.
26:33 Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble." ?
26:35 Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" ?And so said all the disciples.
Peter's attitude was mocking or rejecting the prophecy Word. He did not want to be sanctified and renewed by the prophecy Word.
The consequence is Peter denied Jesus three times; his body, soul, and spirit denied Jesus.
But fortunately there were crows of the rooster, that is shepherding Word.
This is the difference of shepherded life, there is still chance to be restored by the shepherding Word which is preached continually, and by the intercession prayer of the pastor. These are the two hands of Great Shepherd stretched out to us to lift up our life.
Revelation 1:3
1:3. Blessed ishe who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time isnear.
The right attitude to the prophecy Word is being obedient,such that we experience sanctification and renewal continually. It equals to denying ourselves,such that we will never deny God. When we deny ourselves, we are being filled with the Word.
If we want to deny ourselves, obey the Word, and are being purified, it will be painful to the flesh, but we will never deny God.
Denying ourselves means as follows:
- Willingness to experience flesh crucifixion, willingness to experience Jesus' suffering, such that we receive God's love and we can minister building body of Christ with God's love.
Love covers sins, does not hide sins.
Starting from marriage, shepherding, between shepherding, we have to minister in love.
The signs of ministry with love are as follows:- Ministering willingly, according to God's will, not by compulsion, not for dishonest gain but willing to sacrifice everything. Only one thing that must not be sacrificed, that is the true teaching Word (the Head).
1 Peter 5:1-3
5:1. The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
5:3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; - Ministering eagerly, that is ministering without asking for rights, but only doing duties.
- Ministering with being examples to the others.
1 Timothy 4:12
4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Being examples is started with being examples in five things, that is in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.
It equals to following Jesus' example on the cross ('five' denotes Jesus' five wounds).
If we can become example to the others, life who is in darkness will be moved to light.
When we deny ourselves, we are being filled with God's love. - Ministering willingly, according to God's will, not by compulsion, not for dishonest gain but willing to sacrifice everything. Only one thing that must not be sacrificed, that is the true teaching Word (the Head).
- Dare to say "no" to sins, faults, or the things which are not according to the true teaching Word, whatever the risks we have to face.
When facing to Potiphar's wife, Joseph always said 'no' whatever the risks he had to face, even until he was imprisoned.
Potiphar's wife denotes Babel, that is eating-drinking sins and marrying-being given in marriage sins.
Joseph was brave to say "no" although there was chance, benefit, force, etc.
David also denied himself. David was chased by Saul and David got two chances to kill Saul but he did not want to do that.
1 Samuel 24:3-6
24:3So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there wasa cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)
24:4 Then the men of David said to him, "This is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.'" And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
24:5 Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe.
24:6 And he said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he isthe anointed of the LORD."
David did not kill Saul since Saul is the anointed of the Lord.
1 Samuel 26:7-9
26:7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and there Saul lay sleeping within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people lay all around him.
26:8 Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strikehim a second time!"
26:9 But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD's anointed,and be guiltless?"
Denying ourselves = appreciating the anointing of Holy Spirit.
One who denies himself will receive the anointing of Holy Spiritfrom God.
Thus, when we deny ourselves, we are being filled with the Word, Holy Spirit, and God's love.
The usefulnesses of the anointing of Holy Spirit are as follows:- We may dwell together in holiness and unity.
Psalm 33:1-3
133:1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it isFor brethren to dwell together in unity!
133:2 It islike the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.
133:3 It islike the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.
Not only dwelling together in unity, but also in holiness.
If it is already right and holy, surely we will dwell together in unity.
Holiness and unity are the strong foundation to receive God's blessings. - Solving all our problems until the impossible one.
Judges 14:5-6
14:5 So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to hissurprise, a young lion cameroaring against him.
14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he hadnothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
Do not exaggerate problems until we do not obey the Word.
When there is anointing of Holy Spirit, lion will just be as young goat. - Being obedient whatever the risks.
Romans 8:15
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."
Obedience will result in miracle. Spiritual miracle is renewal of life from clay pot to become golden pot. Physical miracle will also happen whatever we face. When we say "yes", when we obey, all the risks are borne by God. But when we do not obey, when it is not according to the Word, it will be only for satan. We must become obedient. We are sanctified and renewed, until the last miracle is we will be renewed to become the same as God and will be lifted up to be together with Him forever.
- We may dwell together in holiness and unity.