Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 11:37-54 is about 'Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers'
If we read verse 37-39, we know why God fulminates them.
Luke 11:37-39
11:37. And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.
11:38. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.
11:39. Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.
'Jesus spoke'= preaching the teaching word.
After hearing the word, the Pharisees should talk about the word, but they see the outside thing such as washing the hands.
The Pharisees and Lawyers only prioritize the physical thing in their ministry and do not prioritze the word of God, especially the teaching word that is sharper than any two-edged sword or the purification one.
'your inward part is full of greed and wickedness'= the inside thing/spiritual one becomes decay, and they do not want to be purified.
Consequently, they are fulminated by God with six times of 'woe'.
THE FIFTH 'WOE'
Luke 11: 47-51
11:47. "Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
11:48. "In fact, you bear witnessthat you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.
11:49. "Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,'
11:50. "that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,
11:51. "from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.
The fifth 'woe' is that the Pharisees and Lawyers become the descendants of the killer. Their fathers killed the prophets and they built their tombs. It means that they approve and become proud that they are the descendants of the killer.
Ministering without taking heedtothe purification word will make us become the descendants of the killer, namely with hatred and bitterness, et cetera.
No matter the reason is, if we have hatred, we will become the descendants of the killer.
There are three places that are hit by hatred as follows:
God blesses us.
Luke 11:37-54 is about 'Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers'
If we read verse 37-39, we know why God fulminates them.
Luke 11:37-39
11:37. And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat.
11:38. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.
11:39. Then the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.
'Jesus spoke'= preaching the teaching word.
After hearing the word, the Pharisees should talk about the word, but they see the outside thing such as washing the hands.
The Pharisees and Lawyers only prioritize the physical thing in their ministry and do not prioritze the word of God, especially the teaching word that is sharper than any two-edged sword or the purification one.
'your inward part is full of greed and wickedness'= the inside thing/spiritual one becomes decay, and they do not want to be purified.
Consequently, they are fulminated by God with six times of 'woe'.
THE FIFTH 'WOE'
Luke 11: 47-51
11:47. "Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
11:48. "In fact, you bear witnessthat you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.
11:49. "Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,'
11:50. "that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation,
11:51. "from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.
The fifth 'woe' is that the Pharisees and Lawyers become the descendants of the killer. Their fathers killed the prophets and they built their tombs. It means that they approve and become proud that they are the descendants of the killer.
Ministering without taking heedtothe purification word will make us become the descendants of the killer, namely with hatred and bitterness, et cetera.
No matter the reason is, if we have hatred, we will become the descendants of the killer.
There are three places that are hit by hatred as follows:
- The world.
John 15: 18-27
15:18. "If the worldhates(1)you, you know that it hated Me before it hated(2)you.
15:19. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates(3)you.
15:20. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
15:21. "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
15:22. "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
15:23. "He who hates(4)Me hates(5)My Father also.
15:24. "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated(6)both Me and My Father.
15:25. "But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause(7).'
15:26. "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
15:27. "And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
It is about the world hatred.
So the hatred is in the world, and it is appropriate if the world hates us.
There are seven times of hatred in the world up to hatred without a cause.
The number seven refers to the things as follows:- Perfection.
It means that the hatred without a cause is the same as the perfect one. - The golden candlestick with seven lamps.
If one has hatred without a cause, his candlestick will go out. It means the perfect darkness.
The way outis in verse 26-27: 'you also will bear witness'. Encountering hatred without a cause (the perfect hatred and darkness) we have to testify.
Testifying means that the golden candlestick lights the dark world.
Our power to testify comes from Holy Spirit (verse 26). Fleshly men are dark and full of hatred. Holy Spirit makes us light. If we receive the power of Holy Spirit, we will be able to testify and not hate.
Choose to testify or hate!
Mark 5: 18-20
5:18. And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.
5:19. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."
5:20. And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
After being healed from being demon-possessed, he wanted to follow Jesus. But Jesus told him to go home to his friends to testify.
Here, we learn about the content of testimony.
What do we have to testifyto the world while this world is in darkness or perfect hatred?- Telling what God has done in our lifethrough the work of God's word, Holy Spirit, and love.
It is about the purification or renewal of life (spiritual thing). In the past, we might be naughty, unclean and full of hatred, but now we have been changed.
We love others who hate us. We are againts the dark with the light.
If hate others who hate us, we will become dark too. Darkness meets darkness will make us stumble or fall up to the outer darkness. It is a loss! It must be fought against by testifying.
Prove that we can repay good for hatred, harm and evil deed! - Telling how God has helped us.
It is about the pysical thing.
If we keep on being helped and testifying it, we will keep rising until it gets overwhelming.
If we do not testify after being helped, God's helping will stop too, even we experience decadence.
Do not be shame to testify and do not pretend!
A testimony must come from the depth of the heart and give thanks to God, so others receive the blessing from it.
The direction of testimonyis as follows:- Verse 19: 'go home' --> people at home.
Testifying starts from household. As a child, we testify at home, namely being obedient to parents. If there is no lamp in the household, how can we become the lamp outside?
If we become adult and God gives us mate, we must be careful about the marriage.
Keep the righteousness (in accordance with the Word; do not be careless), holiness, and unity of the marriage to reach the marriage supper of the Lamb of God. - Friends= daily friendship in the world such as at school, office and road.
- Decapolis(ten cities). The number ten refers to ten laws of God, namely love.
So, the ten cities refer to the city of love, namely the one of bride or the New Jerusalem or the one of light where there is no darkness.
- Perfection.
- The sheepfold/house of God.
Genesis 37: 2-5, 9
37:2. This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flockwith his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.
37:3. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.
37:4. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
37:5. Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.
37:9. Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me."
The hatred should be in the world only, but why does it happen in the shepherding and inter-shepherding/inter-church?Because Joseph receiveda tunic of many colors.
The tunic of many colors refers to the ministry and the gifts of Holy Spirit. Especially, Joseph had the gift of dreams or the revelation of the Word.
As the servant of God, do not hate one another! All of us are used by God. Youth choir is like the boards and bars of the Tabernacle. If one goes, snake will come in, and all things come in.
How important is being bound to one another. All of us are same.
We do not need to have envy up to hatred or judge others because all of us are used by God. God is fair.
Joseph was given the gift of the revelation of the Word, and his brothers should have had fellowship with him.
Esau hated Jacob in the shepherding too because of the blessing.
Genesis 27: 41
27:41. So Esau hatedJacob because of the blessingwith which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
Because Esau hated Jacob too much, he spoke to him like one who was demon-possessed.
If we judge others, we willweep.
The way out is: Joseph was willing that his robe was dipped in the blood. It refers to the sprinkling of bloodor the test.
Genesis 37: 31
37:31. So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood.
The robe must be dipped in the blood means that we experience the sprinkling of the blood/fiery trial/suffering in flesh/test or the cross because of Jesus.
Whydoes God allow us to experience suffering in flesh with Him?- The tunic of many colors is not taken by Satan, so we are not naked. Satan is afraid of the blood.
Suffering in ministering is the same as the robe is dipped in the blood. We keep fighting even there is a big obstruction. Satan will retreat and we keep using the tunic of many colors.
If we easily do not minister to God, even look for a reason of not ministering, we will retreat.
Unwittingly, we are naked or our robe has been taken by Satan like Esau. - Beingclothed withpure bright linen. It is the same as the robe of heavenly bride to greet God when He comes a second time on the glorious clouds.
- We receive the Spirit of glory, so we can have the body of glory like Jesus.
1 Peter 4: 12-14
4:12. Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
4:13. but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
4:14. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of gloryand of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
Fleshly body is unable to go to the heaven, but the one of glory is able to go up and keep going up until we sit at the right hand of the Father God.
- Verse 14= 'If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you'= we are happy in the middle of sorrows,so we will never deny God. We will never leave the ministry, but always give thanks to God. It is the sign that we begin to have the body of glory. Fleshly body will grumble in the middle of sorrows.
Big obstruction becomes small--we jump over it--, and small one becomes nothing. Fight! We ask the Spirit of glory to help us, so we have the body of glory. - Changing us from fleshly men to spiritual ones like Jesus.
1 Peter 4: 15-16
4:15. But let noneof you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybodyin other people's matters.
4:16. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
We are changed from the things as follows:- From murderer/ hatred to love one another, even we can love our enemy. It starts from household.
Loving enemy or people who harm us is started by praying for them: "Lord, forgive, help, use and bless him." - From thief to giver.
- From evildoer to doing good thingsuntil we return good for evil.
- From a busybody in other people's matters to peacemaker.
- Sufferring because of doing good thing= sufferring because of the will of God= being obedient until the flesh does not sound anymore like Jesus.
1 Peter 3: 17
3:17. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing goodthan for doing evil.
The renewal of life is the biggest miracle.
Philippians 2: 8-11
2:8. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, 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,
2:11. and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus becomes obedient to the point of death on the cross, so He receives the name which is above every name (the powerful name of Jesus).
If we become obedient until our flesh does not sound anymore, we can cry out the powerful name of Jesus.
The results are as follows:- Verse 10= the power of winning over Satan the trinity. Satan is the source of sin up to the peak. If we win, we can live in righteousness and holiness.
Satan is the source of problem. If we win, impossible problem will be finished.
Satan is the source of failure. If we win, we have successful and beautiful future.
If we have finished our sin, our life will become easy, and the problem will be finished. Otherwise, the problem will increase until it becomes like a mountain. We cannot see to the front and our future is threatened too.
If we have finished our sin, the mountain has been brought low, so we have good future.
Do not be afraid! God never lies. Surrender to God although it contradicts the will of flesh. Let Jesus' name work!
If we work by ourselves, we will not be able to fight against Satan although we are smart or great.
We obey and cry out Jesus' name. Let His power defeat Satan! - Verse 11= the power of life renewalfrom fleshly men to spiritual ones. It is the biggest miracle. It starts from tongue that confesses Jesus. It is the same as confessing sin,
He who is able to call Jesus' name is the one who has confessed his sin.
If we do not want to confess our sin but we cry out Jesus' name, we will become like the seven sons of Sceva. Satan overpowered them and they fled naked.
Confess sin to God and others! Do not sin anymore after being forgiven!
We honestly confess our sin. We become honest in all things.
If we have become honest in confessing sin and all things (we become the house of prayer), we will be encouraged to worship God. God will always be with us.
If our mouth has not been true yet, we will not be able to worship God.
We will become as perfect as Jesus is when He comes a second time. We do not stumble in word. We and all of our family greet Jesus when He comes a second time on the glorious clouds with loud voice: 'Alleluia.' We are with Him forever.
- Verse 10= the power of winning over Satan the trinity. Satan is the source of sin up to the peak. If we win, we can live in righteousness and holiness.
- From murderer/ hatred to love one another, even we can love our enemy. It starts from household.
- The tunic of many colors is not taken by Satan, so we are not naked. Satan is afraid of the blood.
God blesses us.