Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good morning, let us hear the Word of God. Let the peace, grace, and joy of God be in the midst of us abundantly.
We commemorate the Good Friday or the death of Jesus for all of us.
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 forth 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.
It is the appearance of Jesus in the glory as The Heavenly Bridegroom with three signs as follows.
We still learn the second part, namely
Ad 2.Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword
Matthew 4: 4
4: 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by breadalone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’"
The word that proceeds from the mouth of Jesus is a spiritual food.
Satan offers physical food, namely physical blessings(physical bread) that is only from grass. We remember that bread is made of wheat flour that is graminaceous. The purpose of Satanis encouraging human and sons or servants of God with physical food or blessings so that their life is graminaceous. Their life seems to be great but dry soon, even perishes forever.
The Lord Jesus offers the spiritual food, namely the Word of Godso that our life can be as perfectas Him and we become His bride who has eternal life.
The Word of God is eternal. If we eat it, we will get an eternal life.
Therefore, Satan tries to hinder the sons of God to serve to Him. If he fails (the sons of God still serve Him), he will hinder them to eat or prioritize the Wordso that they cannot become the bride of God. Therefore, we commemorate the death of the Lord by prioritizing the preaching of the Word ended with the Holy Communion, so that the Word is ingrained in our lifeand we can get eternal life as Jesus’.
There are two kinds of spiritual food as follows.
Hebrews 5: 11-12
5:11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milkand not solid food.
We have learnt about the two kinds of spiritual food. If we eat it, we can grow in our spirituality. We learnt about the two kinds of spiritual growth a week ago in General Service in Surabaya, April 13, 2014. This morning, we learn that we will be able to move if we can eat. If we do not eat, our movement will be slower until we faint.
There are two kinds of spiritual movementdue to the two kinds of food as follows.
THE FOUNDATION FOR BUILDING THE BODY OF CHRIST
John 2: 19-21
2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
2:20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty–six yearsto build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
2:21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
= the death of the Lord has relationship with the building of Christ’s body.
The building of the physical temple has taken time for 46 years.
The spiritual meanings are as follows.
Thus, it refers to the two tablets of stone or the Law.
The foundationfor building the physicaltemple is the Law, so it is valid only for Israel. The Gentiles cannot enter it. Consequently, there is no building of the body.
The building of the spiritual temple or the body of Christ is for three days. It means the death of Jesus we commemorate this morning.
Thus, the foundation of the building of the spiritualtemple or the body of Christ is His sacrificethat is the mercy of God to the Gentilesthat they may enter in the building.
Thus, we commemorate the death of the Lord in order to appreciate Christ’s sacrifice, namely we are activein building the body of Christ.
THE MANIFESTATION OF BUILDING THE BODY OF CHRISTis the fellowship. It starts from inside marriage or the smallest body of Christ. If we can be one in the marriage, we can be united in shepherding, inter-shepherding, up to the last one, namely between the house of Israel and the Gentiles to become one perfect body of Christ.
We must pay attention to the center or True Vine where a branch dwells in the fellowship of the body of Christ or the ministry for building the body of Christ. Jesus is the True Vine, namely the true Teaching Word whose signs are as follows.
1 Chronicles 28: 19
28:19 "All this," said David, "the LORDmade me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans."
If the Word we receive and obey is the revelation from God, the direction will be clear, namely entering the building of the perfect body of Christ.
THE ATHMOSPHERE OF THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BODY OF CHRISTencouraged by the true Teaching Word is natural. It meansnot being forced, of necessity, or forcing. It starts from the marriage.
THE PROCESS FOR BUILDING THE BODY OF CHRIST
God blesses you.
We commemorate the Good Friday or the death of Jesus for all of us.
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 fame of fire (It has been explained since Bible Study 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 Bible Study Service in Surabaya, March 30, 2014).
Tonight, we still discuss the forth 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.
It is the appearance of Jesus in the glory as The Heavenly Bridegroom with three signs as follows.
- He had in His right hand seven stars (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, March 30, 2014),
- Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, April 6, 2014),
- His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
We still learn the second part, namely
Ad 2.Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword
Matthew 4: 4
4: 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by breadalone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’"
The word that proceeds from the mouth of Jesus is a spiritual food.
Satan offers physical food, namely physical blessings(physical bread) that is only from grass. We remember that bread is made of wheat flour that is graminaceous. The purpose of Satanis encouraging human and sons or servants of God with physical food or blessings so that their life is graminaceous. Their life seems to be great but dry soon, even perishes forever.
The Lord Jesus offers the spiritual food, namely the Word of Godso that our life can be as perfectas Him and we become His bride who has eternal life.
The Word of God is eternal. If we eat it, we will get an eternal life.
Therefore, Satan tries to hinder the sons of God to serve to Him. If he fails (the sons of God still serve Him), he will hinder them to eat or prioritize the Wordso that they cannot become the bride of God. Therefore, we commemorate the death of the Lord by prioritizing the preaching of the Word ended with the Holy Communion, so that the Word is ingrained in our lifeand we can get eternal life as Jesus’.
There are two kinds of spiritual food as follows.
Hebrews 5: 11-12
5:11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milkand not solid food.
- Milk, namely the Gospel Word or Gospel of Salvation.
It means the gospel that preaches about Jesus’ first coming to the world to die on the cross in order to save and bless the sinners. It is called the Good News[Proverbs25: 25].
This morning, we commemorate the death of the Lord. Let us be firm in the salvation, meaning we are delivered from sins, especially the eight sins bringing human to the hell.
Revelation 21: 8
21:8. "But the cowardly(1), unbelieving(2), abominable(3), murderers(4), sexually immoral(5), sorcerers(6), idolaters(7), and all liars(8) shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
It begins from cowardly, namely the fear of something until one resists against the Lord, up to the eighth, namely liars.
This morning, we commemorate the death of the Lord. Let us finish the eight sins and go home with getting the result. - Solid food,namely the Teaching Word = the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ[2 Corinthians 4: 4]or the Word sharper than any two-edged sword[Hebrews 4: 12].
It is called the Teaching Wordor Bride Tidingto make us perfect.
The Teaching Word is the gospel that preaches about Jesus’ second coming on the glorious clouds in the glory as The King of all kings and Heavenly Bridegroom or The Head to sanctify us until we are as perfect as He is. We become His bride who is ready to welcome His second coming.
If one only drinks the milk, his body growth will be abnormal and he cannot be a bride. Therefore, we need the solid food.
Pay attention to the spiritual maturity!
We have learnt about the two kinds of spiritual food. If we eat it, we can grow in our spirituality. We learnt about the two kinds of spiritual growth a week ago in General Service in Surabaya, April 13, 2014. This morning, we learn that we will be able to move if we can eat. If we do not eat, our movement will be slower until we faint.
There are two kinds of spiritual movementdue to the two kinds of food as follows.
- Acts 1: 8
1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judeaand Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
The first movement is the revival of Holy Spirit at the early rainor the revival in the Gospel of Salvation/ Gospel Word/ Good News to CALL the sinners to believe in Jesus and be saved. It is the revival of SOWING.
It begins from Jesus alone, who calls the twelve disciples, and then the seventy, up to the innumerable people now.
Actually, the Gospel of Salvation is only for the house of Israelor the chosen people of God that are sinful.
Acts 13: 46-47
13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to youfirst; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
13:47 "For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’"
'the Gentiles'= unbelievers.
Nevertheless, a part of Israel rejects it, so the opportunity and mercy of Godare opened to the Gentiles in order to receive the Gospel of Salvation, namely believing in Jesus and being saved.
The direction of the revival of Holy Spirit at the early rainbegins from Jerusalem, to Judea, Samaria, western countries, up to the end of the earth, namely Papua (according to the map of gospel) = from the west to the east.
The milk only is not enough to reach spiritual maturity. Therefore, there is the second movement. - The second movement is the revival of Holy Spirit at the latter rain =revival in the gospel of glory/ Teaching Word/ the Word sharper than any two-edged sword/ Bride Tidings in order to CHOOSEthe saved people to be sanctified and perfected as Jesus is to become His bride who is ready to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds.
The revival of Holy Spirit at the early rain is called the sowing.
The revival of Holy Spirit at the latter rain is called FERTILIZATION AND REAPINGthrough the sword to make us perfect as the Bride of God.
Matthew 24: 27 =>The sermon about the last days
24:27 "For as the lightning comes from the eastand flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
'the lightning' = the Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword.
The direction of the revival of Holy Spirit at the latter rainis from the east to the west, returning to Samaria, Judea, up to Jerusalem, even New Jerusalem.
It meansif the house of Israel receives the Bride Tidings or the second coming of Jesus, both Israel and Gentiles become one perfect body of Christor heavenly bride who is ready to welcome Jesus’ second coming on the glorious clouds and enter New Jerusalem or heavenly kingdom forever.
The last call to the Church is the Heavenly bride of the perfect body of Christ.
Thus, the revival of Holy Spirit at the latter rain is the revival for building the perfect body of Christor the heavenly bride who is ready to welcome Jesus’ second coming.
THE FOUNDATION FOR BUILDING THE BODY OF CHRIST
John 2: 19-21
2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
2:20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty–six yearsto build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
2:21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
= the death of the Lord has relationship with the building of Christ’s body.
The building of the physical temple has taken time for 46 years.
The spiritual meanings are as follows.
- The figure four means the first tablet of the two tablets of stone or the four commandments.
- The figure six refers to the second tablet of the two tablets of stone or the six commandments.
Thus, it refers to the two tablets of stone or the Law.
The foundationfor building the physicaltemple is the Law, so it is valid only for Israel. The Gentiles cannot enter it. Consequently, there is no building of the body.
The building of the spiritual temple or the body of Christ is for three days. It means the death of Jesus we commemorate this morning.
Thus, the foundation of the building of the spiritualtemple or the body of Christ is His sacrificethat is the mercy of God to the Gentilesthat they may enter in the building.
Thus, we commemorate the death of the Lord in order to appreciate Christ’s sacrifice, namely we are activein building the body of Christ.
THE MANIFESTATION OF BUILDING THE BODY OF CHRISTis the fellowship. It starts from inside marriage or the smallest body of Christ. If we can be one in the marriage, we can be united in shepherding, inter-shepherding, up to the last one, namely between the house of Israel and the Gentiles to become one perfect body of Christ.
We must pay attention to the center or True Vine where a branch dwells in the fellowship of the body of Christ or the ministry for building the body of Christ. Jesus is the True Vine, namely the true Teaching Word whose signs are as follows.
- Being written in the Bible.
- Being spoken by Jesus Himself [John 15: 3], namely being revealed by God through a verse that explains other verses in the Bible.
- Being obeyed. A pastor must obey it first, or else the Word is false.
1 Chronicles 28: 19
28:19 "All this," said David, "the LORDmade me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans."
If the Word we receive and obey is the revelation from God, the direction will be clear, namely entering the building of the perfect body of Christ.
THE ATHMOSPHERE OF THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BODY OF CHRISTencouraged by the true Teaching Word is natural. It meansnot being forced, of necessity, or forcing. It starts from the marriage.
THE PROCESS FOR BUILDING THE BODY OF CHRIST
- The first process is sanctificationas the Lord Jesus sanctifies the physical temple with a whip.
The whip made from the cordsspiritually means as follows.- 'cord' = the cord for the sheep sold in the temple. It refers to the Shepherding Word or the hard true Teaching Word God trusts to a pastor to preach to the congregation faithfully, continually, in order and sequence as the twelve loaves on the Table of Showbread that are arranged in two rows, six in a row. It is also preached repetitively to become the food to grow the spirituality of the congregation and sanctify them to be as perfect as Jesus is.
Ecclesiastes 4: 12
4:12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
'a threefold cord' refers to the Shepherding Word as the result of the perseverance in doing the three main services that refer to the three kinds of equipment inside the Holy Place as follows.- Golden Candlestickor perseverance in doing General Service as the fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His gifts.
- Table of Showbreador perseverance in doing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion as the fellowship with the Son of God in His Teaching Word and Christ’s sacrifice.
- Golden Altar of Incenseor perseverance in doing Prayer Service as the fellowship with Father God in His love.
If there is a threefold cordin the life of the husband, his wife, and children as well as the congregation, we cannot be divided by anything. The threefold cord also sanctifies our body, soul, and spirituntil we are perfect. - Golden Candlestickor perseverance in doing General Service as the fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His gifts.
- 'the whip'= the chastening.
If the cords of the Teaching Word are rejected, they will be spun to become the whip of chastening.
Hebrews 12: 10
12:10 For they indeed for a few days chastened usas seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
The chastening from Godis His love so that we can realize and return to the holiness. We cannot see the Lord or be perfect without the holiness. When we are being chastened by God, we must correct ourselves and return to the holiness. As a result, the chastening will end.
If the chastening is rejected,God will leaveone, so he becomes an illegitimate son that only waits to get the eternal condemnation or perdition.
This morning, return to the holiness and all things will be finished.
Be alert!The time we are disobedient is the time for Satan to provide all things.
What must be sanctified?The spirit of selling and buyingin the temple, meaning selling and buying the sacrifice of Christ in the church as follows.- Not appreciating the sacrifice of Christ anymore, namely one falls and rises in sinslike dog and swine.
Doglicking vomit means repetitive unclean words.
Swinerefers to repetitive sinful deedsup to the peak, namely sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage. - The bond of moneycausing stinginess and greediness.
Stinginessmeans that one cannot give.
Greedinessmeans seizing the rights of others, especially stealing the possession of God.
- Not appreciating the sacrifice of Christ anymore, namely one falls and rises in sinslike dog and swine.
- 'cord' = the cord for the sheep sold in the temple. It refers to the Shepherding Word or the hard true Teaching Word God trusts to a pastor to preach to the congregation faithfully, continually, in order and sequence as the twelve loaves on the Table of Showbread that are arranged in two rows, six in a row. It is also preached repetitively to become the food to grow the spirituality of the congregation and sanctify them to be as perfect as Jesus is.
- The second process, namey destroying the temple or life renewalfrom fleshy man to spiritual one as Jesus is.
Why is it called the Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword? Because the first sharpness is to cut or sanctifyand the second one is to renew.
What must be renewed?
46 years means as follows.- physical pridesthat make one not prioritize the Word. Consequently, he cannot be renewed although being faithful in the church. Let us now prioritize the Word and feel the life renewal.
- law system service, namely as a habit, only for fulfilling the rule, and being lukewarm especially in spiritual matters. On the contrary, the right system in our service is in faithfulness and fervency in spirit.
- Numbers 13: 27-28, 32
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.
13:32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad reportof the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.
4+6 = 10, referring to 10 spies. It means as follows.- verse 28= 'nevertheless'= one has known or heard the true Word, but he adds it with the voice of the flesh and gossips. The Good News and Bride Tidings added with gossips, flesh voices, and knowledge will be a bad report(verse 32).
- belittling the Word or power of God and magnifying the problems.
Consequently, one becomes disappointed or discouraged.
- verse 28= 'nevertheless'= one has known or heard the true Word, but he adds it with the voice of the flesh and gossips. The Good News and Bride Tidings added with gossips, flesh voices, and knowledge will be a bad report(verse 32).
It means as follows.- Holding fast to the true Teaching Word.
- Not being hopeless or disappointed in facing all things, but we keep on believing and hoping in God.
- Not sinning, so that we keep on living in righteousness and holiness.
- 1 Samuel 17: 32
17:32 Then David said to Saul, "Let no man’s heart failbecause of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
David was strong and of good courage in facing Goliath or the outside enemy as follows.- Facing Satan with the sins up to the peak, namely sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage, so that we can live I righteousness and holiness.
- Facing impossible problems. God makes war instead of us.
- Facing Satan with the sins up to the peak, namely sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage, so that we can live I righteousness and holiness.
- 1 Samuel 30: 6
30:6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORDhis God.
David is strong and of good courage in facing the people or the inside enemies.
He was in distress facing the inside enemies, there was no power or ability and he did not know what to do or there was no way out. That is the time for us to rely on God only ('strengthened himself in the LORD'). As a result, the Lord makes the way out and delivers us from the distress. - David had to face himself, namely his adultery with Bathsheba. It means a fall, failure, and destruction in marriage and children.
2 Samuel 12: 13
12:13So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
King David still willingly heard the Word although he had failed, fallen, and had no meaning. The Lord will lift us up if we can receive the Word, confess our sins, and we do not repeat them, although we have been unclean and failed as well as our marriage, children, and future life have been destroyed. He gives us beautiful, successful, joyful future life and we are used by Him.
There are great hindrances for building the body of Christ. Therefore, we must be strong and of good courage.
David had been strong and of good courage, so he could give advice to Solomon that the capital to build the temple is the strong heart and good courage.
1 Chronicles 28: 20
28:20 And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God––my God––will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
If we are strong and of good courage, the Lord is always with us to pay attention to, care and struggle for us.
Formerly, the Lord struggled for David and Solomon until the building of the temple in the days of Solomon could be finished. Now, God is paying attention to and struggle for us until the building of the body of Christ is finished. We are sanctified and perfected when Jesus comes a second time. The Holy Communion is the guarantee.
John 19: 30
19:30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
'sour wine'= the outside and inside enemies as well as our own life that is unclean, dirty, and failed that make our life bitter.
'It is finished'= Jesus had drunk the sour wine before He died = the death of the Lord is able to finish all of our problems until the perfect body of Christ is formed and we are ready to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds.
Do not be bitter anymore, but let all things be sweet.
- physical pridesthat make one not prioritize the Word. Consequently, he cannot be renewed although being faithful in the church. Let us now prioritize the Word and feel the life renewal.
God blesses you.