Speaker: Mr. Antanusa
Mark 16:19-20
16:19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
There are 4 men who were lifted up to Heaven those are Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. In the end of time, when Jesus comes for the second time, there will be the fifth man who will also be lifted up to Heaven that is the perfect church of God.
In order to be lifted up to Heaven at Jesus' second coming, We as the church of God must live as 4 men who were already lifted up to Heaven, namely Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus as follows:
ACTUALLY, IT IS NOT RIGHT!
King David witnessed that actually he could be proud of his richness and power, but he was not. David witnessed about the shepherding, about all the Mercy and the Virtue of God in the Shepherding.
At first, we feel at a disadvantage when we have to be shepherded, but actually WE ARE NOT AT A DISADVANTAGE.
We can't do anything without God, even when we already have richness, position, etc.
The world becomes more difficult today.
We can't do anything if we are not shepherded.
In the Shepherding, we're having experience as follows:
Mark 16:19-20
16:19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
There are 4 men who were lifted up to Heaven those are Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. In the end of time, when Jesus comes for the second time, there will be the fifth man who will also be lifted up to Heaven that is the perfect church of God.
In order to be lifted up to Heaven at Jesus' second coming, We as the church of God must live as 4 men who were already lifted up to Heaven, namely Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus as follows:
- To live like Enoch.
Genesis 5:24
5:24 And Enoch walked with God; and he [was] not, for God took him.
Enoch walked with God that is God the Father is in His mercy. For us now, we have to walk with God in His mercy is in perseverance in Prayer Service (The Golden Altar of Incense). - To live like Moses.
Deuteronomy 34:5-6
34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
34:6 And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day.
The life and death of Moses were according to the Word of God, meaning Moses also walked with God in His Word. For us now, walking with God in His Word is in perseverance in Bible Study and Holy Communion (Table of Showbread). - To live like Elijah.
II Kings 2:11
2:11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire [appeared] with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Elijah walked with God the Holy Spirit. For us now, walking with God the Holy Spirit in His mercy is in perseverance in General Service (The Golden Candlestick). - To live like Jesus.
The persona of Jesus is a form of God in the Word, Love, and Spirit.
Walking with God the Father, the Son of God, and God the Holy Spirit means we must live in the holy place that is in perseverance in 3 main services in the Shepherding, meaning to be shepherded in The True Teaching Word.
ACTUALLY, IT IS NOT RIGHT!
King David witnessed that actually he could be proud of his richness and power, but he was not. David witnessed about the shepherding, about all the Mercy and the Virtue of God in the Shepherding.
At first, we feel at a disadvantage when we have to be shepherded, but actually WE ARE NOT AT A DISADVANTAGE.
We can't do anything without God, even when we already have richness, position, etc.
The world becomes more difficult today.
We can't do anything if we are not shepherded.
In the Shepherding, we're having experience as follows:
- The Power of the Shepherding Word purifies, changes, renews, and perfects our lives.
After we are saved (no longer become the servant of sin), we must bring our lives to be in Shepherding.
I Corinthians 15:51-52
15:51. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed
15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
At the time of Jesus' second coming:- The Children of God, who have already died in God, will be resurrected in the glorious body, like Moses and Jesus.
- We, who are still alive, must live in righteousness, be purified, be changed at the time of Jesus' second coming. In the twinkling of an eye, We will be changed to become as glorious as God.
We are having experience that Enoch and Elijah have.
I Thessalonians 4:15-17
4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [and] remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
4:17Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
So, both the dead and those who are still alive until the time of Jesus' coming will be lifted up together in the glorious clouds to welcome the Jesus' second coming.
Even if we have to pass through many struggles, let us be together to persevere in Shepherding. - The Children of God, who have already died in God, will be resurrected in the glorious body, like Moses and Jesus.
- The Power of lifting up same as Peter's experienced.
- Matthew 4:18-19
4:18. And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
4:19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
The Power of Lifting Up I: from fishermen to fishers of men.
= to be lifted up from sinful men to priests and kings (a life that serves God and having the priest's office).
Peter was serving human (who needs fish) and himself (to get money/earnings), but God lifted his life up to be the fishers of men.
After Peter and his friends were called by God, they were employed to minister God directly.
How does God lift up Peter's life (all of us)? The process is as follows:- I Peter 2:9
2:9 But you [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
We are called out of the darkness into His marvelous light, from sinful men who are saved by this process: believing in Jesus, repenting (stop sinning and comeback to God), having water baptism and baptism of Holy Spirit.
We will accept new life that is living in righteousness(salvation). - We are chosen to minister God.
The main requirement to minister God is living in holineess.
- I Peter 2:9
- Matthew 14:25, 29-31
14:25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
14:29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus..
14:30 But when he saw that the wind [was] boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched out [His] hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
The Power of Lifting Up II: to lifted up us from sinking situation.
Peter sank because he was doubtful.
What kind of doubts that often we face?- Doubts because of hearing other voices (other than God voices): the false teaching, gossips that can't be accounted for truth.
People with doubts do not have the ability to distinguish between the good things and the bad ones.
IT IS A DANGER while we do not know the truth of a gossip, but we have already spread it to others. - Doubts because of facing the temptations: we hope in human a lot and did not hope to God.
Decline : having a physical or spiritual failure when we're in doubts.
We need the power of lifting up in the Shepherding Word.
The Shepherding Word is the both stretched hands of God to lift us.
The process: stretch our hands right away and call upon His name, Jesus= holding fast to the one True Teaching Word, so we can't be in doubts because of the false teaching and gossips.
BE ALERT!
In sinking condition, whatever problems that we are having, do not seek for another way outside the Shepherding Word!
Another way outside the Word of God = dead-end and doom way.
- Doubts because of hearing other voices (other than God voices): the false teaching, gossips that can't be accounted for truth.
- John 21:15-17
21:15.So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, [son] of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."
21:16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, [son] of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, [son] of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
The Power of Lifting Up III: to lift us from punishment of God/doom.
Three times of God's questions = the Word in 3 main services that corrects our love to God and neighbor.
Actually, Peter didn't have a love to God and neighbor so he became sad.
Being sad = being able to confess to God that actually we do not have love to God and neighbor.
In Service, do we already doing it with love or only doing it as a Christian's duty?
The proof of love is to be obedient to the Word of God.
Although we minister God with all our best, without love (to be obedient, to practice God's will) we will hear "Depart from Me!" from God.
The practice of life without love = Denying God.- By Words: gossips, futile words, rude words, impure words.
Luke 22:60-61
22:60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
22:61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." - By Deeds: cannot do good deeds, being abominable, being disobedient, harming other (cutting off Malchus' ear), up to leaving service and ministry to God (back to being fishermen).
Titus 1:16
1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny [Him,]being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
John 18:10
18:10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
John 21:3
21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
After Peter realized and confessed that he lived without love, Peter can strech his hands to Jesus, meaning as follows:
= to be obedient whatever the risks are.
= to love God more than anything up to willingly sacrifice anything (even to sacrifice our soul),
= to worship God, to surrender totally to Him.
John 21:18-19
21:18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry [you] where you do not wish."
21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
So, God will also stretch His hands to us, to lift us up from perdition to glory, being a life who can glorify Him. - By Words: gossips, futile words, rude words, impure words.
- Matthew 4:18-19