Bible Study Service in Malang, December 08, 2011 (Thursday Evening)
Matthew 26:36-46 is about GETHSEMANE.
Matthew 26:36-37, 41
26:36. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there."
26:37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
26:41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Gethsemane is a place to press the flesh.
Formerly, Jesus experienced the pressing for the flesh at Gethsemane.
Now, in the last days, the Church of the Lord or the followers of Jesus will also experience the suffering in the flesh, in the form of physical suffering even persecution because of serving and ministering God, hatred without any cause, injustice, or being slandered, et cetera.
All of them cannot be defeated with any power in the world such as riches, intelligence, good position, et cetera, but the ambience of Gethsemane can only be defeated with WATCHING and PRAYING.
Jesus took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, namely James and John, to watch and pray.
Mark 10:35a
10:35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
Peter, James, and John wrote epistles in bible.
- James wrote the epistle of James,whose content is about FAITH and THE WORK OF FAITH.
We watch and pray to keep our faith and the work of faith.
James 2:14, 17
2:14. What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Having faith only, without the work, equals to dead faith that cannot save us.
We have to watch and pray so we can have the true faith always (Do not depart the faith!), even we have the increased one in the work of faith.
Even Satan has faith or belief to the Lord. Moreover, Satan fears and trembles the Lord, but there is no work of faith. It equals to perdition.
Romans 10:17
10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The true faith comes by hearing the word of God in the anointing of Holy Spirit.
It is the Word, whose secret is revealed in the anointing of Holy Spirit through a verse explaining another verse or the true teaching Word.
If we are anointed by Holy Spirit, we can hear the true teaching Word seriously, understand, and believe it until being faith in our heart.
The work of faith is righteousness.
Do not keep anything that is false in our life!
Do not resist the righteousness!
The practice of righteousness is as follows:
I John 3:7-9
3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
- Not sinning anymore= not sinning although there is a chance, advantage, or fear, threat, sorrow, et cetera.
For example: Abraham.
James 2:20-22
2:20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Abraham believed or had faith and increased with the work of faith, he offered Isaac according to the will of God (the Word of God).
Abraham did not want to hear strange voice, he did not want to make any mistake again.
Abraham would have not offered Isaac if he had asked Sarah.
Formerly, Abraham heard strange voice when Sarah gave Hagar to him, whereas God had promised that he would have children from Sarah.
Transgressing the Word of God equals to not believing the Word of God.
Afterward, Ishmael was born, but bringing unsolved problem to this day.
Strange voice = gossip or flesh sound or teaching that is not in line with the true teaching Word.
Isaac refers to something we desire the most, because Abraham had waited for Isaac for twenty five years, something we are proud of, we hope and love more than ourselves.
But if God asks us to give "Isaac," we have to surrender!
We must love God more than anything.
Sacrifice all things according to the will of God and He will never fool us because there is Jehovah Jireh among us and He will solve all problems.
God is able to provide something that does not exist only if we have faith and the work of faith.
The Lord never fools us. What we sacrifice according to His will never vanishes but He will return it to us.
- We cannot sin, we are righteous as Jesus is.
The perfect faith saves us.
- Peter wrote the first and the second epistle of Peter in bible,referring to HOPE and HOLINESS.
I Peter 1:15-16
1:15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
1:16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
We must experience the sanctification in our whole life until we are as holy as Jesus. It is the sanctification to our body, soul, and spirit.
Remember! Jesus only took three disciples with Him to watch and pray from among twelve, and they slept. Do not make our following to Jesus merely as an easy matter!
Where can we experience the sanctification to our body, soul, and spirit?
In the Holy Place of Tabernacle or the sheepfold, referring to the perseverance in doing three main services to God as follows:
- Golden Candlestick:
= General Service, Youth Service, and Church Visit Service.
= Fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His gifts.
- Table of Showbread:
= Bible Study Service with Holy Communion.
= Fellowship with the Son of God in the Word and Holy Communion (the sacrifice of Christ).
- Golden Altar of Incense:
= Prayer Service.
= Fellowship with Father God in His love.
Through our perseverance in shepherding, Father God, the Son of God, and Holy Spirit God are working to sanctify our whole life, namely our body, soul, and spirit.
What can sanctify us?
We are sanctified by the Word of Jesus or the Word, whose secret is revealed by Holy Spirit through a verse explaining another verse, or the true teaching Word, or the Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword.
What must be sanctified?
I Corinthians 5:11
5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral (1), or covetous (2), or an idolater (3), or a reviler (4), or a drunkard (5), or an extortioner (6)--not even to eat with such a person.
We have to be sanctified from six sins which has been blood and flesh in our life or sins that bind our body, soul, and spirit as follows:
- The sin binding the body: sexually immoral(sins concerning marrying-being given in marriage, including sexuality sin and all its kinds and false marriage) and drunkard (sins concerning eating-drinking such as smoking, being drunk, gambling, drugs abuse, et cetera).
- The sin binding the body or being characteristics: covetous (one cannot give, even she is greedy by seizing the possession of other people), extortioner, and reviler.
- The sin binding the spirit: idolater.
Idolatry can happen through having talismans, et cetera. Idol also means all things that hinder us to love God in our service and ministry, righteous life, offering, et cetera.
The sins binding the body, soul, and spirit make us unable to enter the building of Christ's body ("not to keep company", I Corinthians 5:11).
Who is not sinful? We have to immediately be delivered from sin soon after we realize it by the Word of God.
If our body, soul, and spirit are sanctified from the six sins, we will be able to worship God, even we LIKE to serve, minister, and worship Him.
If the holiness increases, the worship will also increase.
Revelation 11:1, 19
11:1. Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
Our worship prayer is measured by the Word of God.
The measurement of worship prayer is until the Veil is torn, namely obedience until our flesh does not sound anymore.
If one cannot reach the measurement of the worship, s/he will enter the days of antichrist reigning over the world.
Revelation 12:1
12:1. Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
After the Veil is torn, the Ark of Covenant can be seen.
The Ark of Covenant is covered with gold inside and out, referring to the heavenly Bridegroom with the light of the world, there is no darkness of sin at all but light as Jesus is the light and holiness as Jesus is holy.
We become the light of the world and we can bear witness everywhere we are to help other people who are still in the darkness.
Do not follow the world which is in the darkness!
- John wrote the first, the second, and the third epistle of John,referring to LOVE and THE WORK OF LOVE.
I John 4:18
4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
The perfect love casts out fear or worries.
The worries are often found in Gentiles.
Matthew 6:31-33
6:31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
6:32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
The perfect love casts out fear and worry,so:
- We can prioritize the true service and ministry and righteous life more than anything.
As a result, God will add us all we need, meaning we will never lack of anything.
- We can use every step or cubit of our life to enter the ministry of the building of Christ's body.
Matthew 6:27
6:27 "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
The ministry of building Christ's body begins from marriage, shepherding, church visit service, et cetera.
If we worry until we are hindered to enter the building of Christ's body, there will be only a step between us and death.
It is better to be a step in distance with the building of Christ's body because it means we are a step in distance with the Head (Jesus) until we are united with Him forever.
- We have the fear of the Lord.
Proverbs 8:13
8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil until there is no lie (if "yes" we say "yes" and "no" if "no") = we return to the image of God the trinity, we are perfect as Jesus is.
James 3:2
3:2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
Thus, we have to watch and pray in order to have faith and the work of faith, hope, and holiness, as well as love and the work of love.
The result is as follows:
- We experience the power of resurrection to face "dead child."
Mark 5:35, 37, 39-43
5:35. While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?"
5:37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and Johnthe brother of James.
5:39 When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping."
5:40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.
5:41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."
5:42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.
5:43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.
The child would not have been helped if the father had believed strange voice more than Jesus' voice.
The dead child can be made alive by the power of resurrection.
- The dead child refers to dry or dead spirituality because of not being able to consume the true teaching Word, even because of consuming poison or false teachings not in line with bible, because of being unable to pray and the sinful saying and deeds (the saying "burns" other people).
After being touched by Jesus, we can consume the Word again, we can pray, and our saying and deeds can be according to the Word.
- The dead child also refers to the condition of there is no future life.
There will be beautiful future life when we have faith or righteousness, hope, and holiness, as well as love or the fear of the Lord.
- In addition, the dead child refers to destruction in marriage and children.
Let us now watch and pray, just WITHSTAND, and Jesus will help us to save the marriage.
- At last, the dead child refers to impossible matter.
The Lord is able to remove all impossible matters.
- We experience the power of God's glory.
I Corinthians 13:12-13
13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
With faith, hope, and love, we can see God face to face. From now on, we can see the face of God through worship.
Psalms 16:8-9
16:8. I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
When we worship God, He stands up to be ready to stretch His hand to help us.
- The power of glory makes us immovable, not doubt to the true teaching Word and its power. We keep believing and hoping in the Lord, and He must help us in time of need.
- We feel peaceful and joyful when we look upon His face.
All flesh feelings such as sorrow or pride, et cetera are born by God. We only say "I love God more than everything."
- Jesus' face shines the sunshine which can change us.
We can love other people as we love ourselves, even we can pray for the one who is hostile to us.
We can love God more than all things, meaning we can obey Him whatever risk may come.
Until someday, we are changed to become as glorious as Jesus is when He comes a second time.
God blesses us.