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 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-edges sword
Hebrews 4:12
4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
A two-edged sword going out of Jesus’ mouth is the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword.
The Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword = the true Word= Jesus’ own spoken words = the Word, whose secrets are opened by a verse describing other verses in the bible.
Since this Word comes out of Jesus’ mouth as the Bridegroom, it can also be said as the Bride Tidings.
The possible responses towards the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, are as follows.
If our response towards the Word is negative, there will be some consequences. If our response towards the Word is positive, there will be some good results.
If we accept the Word (we have positive response) and we obey it, the results are as follows.
If we do the Word, there will be powerand life from it, and there will be miracles.
Our steps are the ones of miracles.
Colossians 3:14
3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
On Jesus’ second coming, the love will bind in perfection until we become like Jesus (we are as perfect as Jesus is). We will become the Bride who is ready to welcome Him on the glorious clouds and we will be united with Him forever and ever.
Do not doubt the Word!Even though the Word is sharp, it is God’s hands that are stretched to us.
God blesses 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 The Just 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 The Heavenly 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-edges 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-edges sword
Hebrews 4:12
4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
A two-edged sword going out of Jesus’ mouth is the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword.
The Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword = the true Word= Jesus’ own spoken words = the Word, whose secrets are opened by a verse describing other verses in the bible.
Since this Word comes out of Jesus’ mouth as the Bridegroom, it can also be said as the Bride Tidings.
The possible responses towards the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, are as follows.
- Acts 5:33
5:33 When they heard this, they were furiousand plotted to kill them.
“were furious” = the piercing sword of the Word.
The first response is to reject the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword/ the Bride Tidings, that strikes into the heart. This is a negative response.
The Word strikes into the heart means it reveals the sins, even the ones that dwell deeply within the heart (the sins that are not known by others, the sins that have not been spoken or done yet).
The consequence of rejecting the Word: the heart is hurt and we hate without reasons (“to kill”) = the antichrist who is angry without reasons and it means death. - Matthew 26:23-25
26:23 He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.
26:24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woeto that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."
26:25Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."
Verse 23-24 = the strong/sharp Word (the Word that points directly).
Verse 25 = Judas’ response to the Word “Rabbi, is it I?“
The second response is to avoid the Word (negative response) = not being willing to be touched by the sharpness of the Word, so that the sins are piled within the heart.
The consequence: the stomach is torn and everything inside it is spilt out (like Judas) = he is humiliated and dead forever and ever.
Sins that are kept will someday be revealed, so that these people will be humiliated but there is no more forgiveness. If we are now willing to be sanctified by the Word (be pierced) and we confess our sins (our heart is cleansed), we will be saved by God. - Acts 2:37
2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
The third response is to accept the Word and be cut to the heart(not being angry and not avoiding the Word). This is a positive response.
The process to accept the Word and be cut to the heart:- Listening to the Word earnestly.
- Understanding the Word.
- Believing/being sure of the Word = the Word turns into faith within our heart.
The moment when we believe to the Word and the Word becomes faith in the heart (the Word reveals the sins) is the moment that the heart is cut by the Word.
The moment when we listen to the Word decides whether we are saved or not!
Even though we committed many sins, but if we are willing to listen to the Word and be cut in the heart and our mouth confesses our sins, God will forgive and save us. - Obeying the Word.
The Word is practical, which means that we are able to obey it.
The example of obeying the Word is Abraham who was willing to slaughter his own son, Isaac. - Listening to the Word earnestly.
If our response towards the Word is negative, there will be some consequences. If our response towards the Word is positive, there will be some good results.
If we accept the Word (we have positive response) and we obey it, the results are as follows.
- Hebrews 4:12
4:12 For the word of Godis living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The first result: ‘the word of God is powerful’ = the Word/God’s merciful hands are able to give abundant powerto the clay pot so that we are strong and of good courage.
No matter how great a human is (being rich, intelligent, having a gigantic church, or anything), we are merely a clay pot. That’s why we need God’s power.
Being strong and of good couragemeans as follows.- We are not doubtful when facing the false teachings, gossips, sins even to the peak of sins, so that we hold firmly to the true Word (we are not deceived and do not fall to the sins) = we live according to the true Word.
- We are not doubtful, disappointed, or desperate when facing the trials, problems, even the impossible ones. Instead, we believe and put our hope on God, we keep on serving and worshipping Him.
Daniel 3:16-18
3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Negoanswered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
3:17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.
3:18But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."
“forced to worship the gold image” = false teaching, false worship, sins, and an idolatry.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were strong and of good courage (they held firmly on the true Word and kept on worshipping God), even though they faced the false teaching, the false worship, sins (idolatry), and an impossible trial (a fiery furnace that was intensified 7 times).
If we are strong and of good courage like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, the results are as follows.- Daniel 3:24-25
3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
3:25 "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
= God’s merciful hands are with us(“I see four men”) and protectus from sins, trials, harms, disasters, even when the antichrist reigns over the earth for 3 and a half years, we are protected from death forever and ever. - Daniel 3:28-29
3:28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servantswho trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!
3:29 Therefore I make a decreethat any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."
= God uses us to glorify and exalt Him.
If we often doubt the teaching, we embarrass God!
Joshua 1:6
1:6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I sworeto their fathers to give them.
Joshua was strong and of good courage, so that God used him to lead the Israelites to the land of Canaan.
God used Joshua even farther from the Egypt and went nearer to Canaan. As we are getting nearer to Canaan, it means that our life is getting more beautiful and joyful.
If in the end of time we are strong and of good courage, God will use us in the revival of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain= the revival of building the perfect body of Christ.
If we are in the revival of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain, our way will get more and more beautiful and joyful. For example:- If God uses us in the marriage, it grows more beautiful and joyful.
- If God uses us in the shepherding, it grows more beautiful and joyful.
- If God uses us in the inter-shepherding, it gets even more beautiful and joyful.
- When the body of Christ is perfect, that is the moment when the Israelites and the Gentiles are united into one body, it would be the most beautiful.
As God uses us further and further, the happier and more beautiful will our lives be, even though there will be more sacrifices(we are getting near the land of Canaan). - We are not doubtful when facing the false teachings, gossips, sins even to the peak of sins, so that we hold firmly to the true Word (we are not deceived and do not fall to the sins) = we live according to the true Word.
- Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of Godis living and powerful”
The second result: ‘the word of God is living’ = the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword/God merciful hands are able to give us life, both physically and spiritually.
Spiritually: we are able to live in righteousness and holiness, we live in peace in the midst of the darkness of sins, threats, and difficulties in the world.
Physically:- We are able to live in the middle of impossibilities.
As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were able to live in the fiery furnace that was intensified 7 times, even the people who sent them in were burnt into death.
The merchant shall not depend on the buyer, the servant of God shall not depend on the number of the congregation, but whatever we do for living, we only depend on God.
If we do the Word, God is responsible to give us life in the middle of impossibilities. - God gives us a beautiful and successful future. God will exalt us like what He did to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego who earned positions.
We must never think that we live from our salary, but we live from the hands of God.
- We are able to live in the middle of impossibilities.
- Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of Godis living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,”
The third result: ‘the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword’ = the word of God is able to sanctify(the first edge) and to change(the second edge) our lives, from a carnal human to a spiritual one like Jesus. This is the biggest spiritual miracle.
1 Timothy 6:11
6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
“man of God” = the spiritual human like Jesus.
“stay away from those things” = in 1 Timothy 6:10
1 Timothy 6:10
6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The spiritual man like Jesus(“the man of God” = the godlike man) is- Staying away from evil things(the sin of evil).
Evil is the lust of money (being stingy and greedy = an idolatry):- Being stingy = not being able to give.
- Being greedy = snatching others’ rights (not paying the debts, corruptions), especially taking away God’s rights (the tithes and offerings).
- Being stingy = not being able to give.
- Staying away from unclean things(the sin of uncleanness)
- The drunkenness = smoking, getting drunk, and drugs abuse.
- The adultery = the sexual sins with all of its kinds, the wrong marriage.
We shall get God’s grace so that we are able to love Him more than anything and others like ourselves, even we are able to love our enemies.
- The drunkenness = smoking, getting drunk, and drugs abuse.
- Staying away from evil things(the sin of evil).
If we do the Word, there will be powerand life from it, and there will be miracles.
Our steps are the ones of miracles.
Colossians 3:14
3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
On Jesus’ second coming, the love will bind in perfection until we become like Jesus (we are as perfect as Jesus is). We will become the Bride who is ready to welcome Him on the glorious clouds and we will be united with Him forever and ever.
Do not doubt the Word!Even though the Word is sharp, it is God’s hands that are stretched to us.
God blesses us.