Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the arrangement of the Tabernacle, Luke chapter 4 and 5 refer to the Altar of Burnt Offerings, that is about faith.
In the past time, in the Old Testament, the Altar of Burnt Offering was the place to burn animal offering to take away the sins of Israel.
Now, in the New Testament, the Altar of Burnt Offerings refers to the cross of Christ. The animal refers to the sacrifice of Christ which is without blemish. Jesus in the only man who is without sin and able to save sinners. If we believe inJesus, we will experience remission of sins and salvation in Jesus.
Luke 4: 1-13is about 'the temptation in the wilderness'. It is about the test of faith.
The tested faith will result in righteousness andperfection.
Devil tests Jesus to thwart the plan of Godwhich is the responsibility of Jesus, that we perish forever.
Jesus faces three kindsof temptationas follows:
AD. 3. THE TEMPTATION ABOUT THE TEMPLE OF GOD.
Luke 4:9-12
4:9. Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.
4:10. "For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’
4:11. "and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’"
4:12. And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’"
Ephesians 4:8-12
4:8. Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."
4:9. (Now this, "He ascended" ––what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
4:10. He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
4:11. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12. for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
The plan of Godis Jesus must descend from Heaven to the lower parts of the earth or hades. It means Jesus must die on the cross.
The functions are as follows:
The plans of Satan are as follows:
2 Corinthians 4:7-11
4:7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
4:8. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
4:9. persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed––
4:10. always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
4:11. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
How great a man is in the world, even being filled by cleverness, wealth, good position, et cetera, he is still a fragile earthen vessel.
In the right ministry, the earthen vessel is being filled by true teaching Word.
The process is as follows:
The results if we are being filled by the Word are as follows:
In the arrangement of the Tabernacle, Luke chapter 4 and 5 refer to the Altar of Burnt Offerings, that is about faith.
In the past time, in the Old Testament, the Altar of Burnt Offering was the place to burn animal offering to take away the sins of Israel.
Now, in the New Testament, the Altar of Burnt Offerings refers to the cross of Christ. The animal refers to the sacrifice of Christ which is without blemish. Jesus in the only man who is without sin and able to save sinners. If we believe inJesus, we will experience remission of sins and salvation in Jesus.
Luke 4: 1-13is about 'the temptation in the wilderness'. It is about the test of faith.
The tested faith will result in righteousness andperfection.
Devil tests Jesus to thwart the plan of Godwhich is the responsibility of Jesus, that we perish forever.
Jesus faces three kindsof temptationas follows:
- [Luke 4:1-4] The temptation of stone’s becoming bread.
- [Luke 4:5-8] The temptation about worship.
- [Luke 4:9-12] The temptation about the temple of God.
AD. 3. THE TEMPTATION ABOUT THE TEMPLE OF GOD.
Luke 4:9-12
4:9. Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.
4:10. "For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’
4:11. "and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’"
4:12. And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’"
Ephesians 4:8-12
4:8. Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."
4:9. (Now this, "He ascended" ––what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
4:10. He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
4:11. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12. for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
The plan of Godis Jesus must descend from Heaven to the lower parts of the earth or hades. It means Jesus must die on the cross.
The functions are as follows:
- To set us free from the captivity of sin, that we can live in righteousness and holiness.
- To give ministry and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- To lift us up to become the priests and the kings, those are lives who minister to God in the building of the body of Christ.
The ministry in the building of the body of Christ starts from marriage, shepherding, inter shepherding, until the perfect body of Christ is formed.
The plans of Satan are as follows:
- Hindering us to worship Godin the ways as follows:
- to give stumbling/obstruction/hurdle,
- to make us fall into sin and become the captive of sin.
We have to pray that we can remain faithful and fervent in spiritin the ministry until the finish line. - to give stumbling/obstruction/hurdle,
- To create false worship which chases physical thing only, that we ignore even refuse the true teaching Word which is God's will.
1 Corinthians 10:9
10:9. nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;
Numbers 21:5-6
21:5. And the people spoke against Godand against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread."
21:6. So the LORD sent fiery serpentsamong the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.
Manna is the Word of God.
Israel loathesmanna. For now, it means we loathe to hear the Word of God.
Actually, the ministry without the Wordis not ministry but tempting God.
The consequence is we are bitten by serpent.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
3:1. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
3:2. For men will be lovers of themselves(1), lovers of money(2), boasters(3), proud(4), blasphemers(5), disobedient to parents(6), unthankful(7), unholy(8),
3:3. unloving(9), unforgiving(10), slanderers(11), without self–control(12), brutal(13, despisers of good(14),
3:4. traitors(15), headstrong(16), haughty(17), lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God(18),
3:5. having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Being bitten by serpent is same as one does not change or experience spiritual miracle, that is the renewal of life, but retain carnal men with eighteen attitudes. Consequently, he becomes spritually dry and stamped with 666.
2 Corinthians 4:7-11
4:7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
4:8. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
4:9. persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed––
4:10. always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
4:11. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
How great a man is in the world, even being filled by cleverness, wealth, good position, et cetera, he is still a fragile earthen vessel.
In the right ministry, the earthen vessel is being filled by true teaching Word.
The process is as follows:
- Hearing true teaching Word earnestly,
- Understanding the Word,
- Believing the Word,
- Practicing or obeying the Word.
The results if we are being filled by the Word are as follows:
- [2 Corinthians 4:7-9]
We receive extra powerfrom the true teaching Word that we are not disappointed and desperate againts everything.
We do not want to do sin even we have a chance, advantage, force, et cetera so that we do not perish. - [2 Corinthians 4:10-11]
We experience the renewal of life from carnal men to spiritual ones like Jesus. The life of Jesus becomes more real in our life.
The renewal starts from we do not lie anymore, but say right and good words, become blessing and testify to others. - Being obedient is same as stretching hand out to God and He will stretch out His hand to us. We live in the hand of Godwhich bears us up, and exalts us carefully with mercy.
Romans 10:21
10:21. But to Israel he says: "All day long I have stretched out My handsTo a disobedient and contrary people."
1 Peter 5:5-6
5:5. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
5:6. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
The results are as follows:- The hand of God cares and protects us in the middle of the troubles of the world until antichrist reigns over it.
- The hand of God helps to finish all our problems, even the impossible one.
- The hand of God guides us with mercy to the beautiful, succesful and happy future.
- The hand of God lifts us up from fall and failure, up to His throne to be with Him forever.
- The hand of God cares and protects us in the middle of the troubles of the world until antichrist reigns over it.