Bible Study Service in Malang, November 04, 2010 (Thursday Evening)

• To lift Gentiles up to become His sheep.
  Matthew 15:24-26
  15:24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
  15:25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"
  15:26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."
  
  Actually, the sheep of God are Israelites, the chosen nation. The Gentiles only become as dogs before Him.
  
  Ephesians 2:11-12
  2:11. Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called (1) Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands--
  2:12 that at that time you were (2) without Christ, (3) being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, (4) having no hope and (5) without God in the world.
  
  The facts found in the Gentiles are as follows:
  
  • Being called uncircumcision = without holiness.
    
  • Being without Christ = without the anointing of Holy Spirit, being carnal men.
    
  • Being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise = without eternal life.
    
  • Having no hope.
    
  • Being without God = without God's love.
    
  In shorts, the Gentiles become as dogs or the description of wicked and unclean life ready to perish.
  
  Nevertheless, the dog licking the vomit gets a chance to lick the crumbs of bread.
  
  Matthew 15:27
  15:27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
  
  Jesus as Good Shepherd gives His life, referring to the mercy of God to give the crumbs to the dogs.
  
  There are two meanings of the crumbs of bread as follows:
  
  • Christ's sacrifice.
    John 19:32-34
    19:32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.
    19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
    19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
    
    Jesus has died on the cross with four main wounds as the manifestation of God's loveto save the lost sheep of Israelites.
    The soldier of Gentiles pierced Jesus' side. There was the fifth wound out of which came blood and water, as the manifestation of GOD'S MERCYto redeem the Gentiles from the five characteristics of the Gentiles which make them appear as the dogs.
    
    We can see the sign of salvation in the blood and water which came out of Jesus' side.
    The blood (the Altar of Burnt Offering in Tabernacle) refers to repentance or stopping sinning to return to the Lord.
    The water (the Brazen Laver in Tabernacle) refers to water baptism.
    
    
  • The Word whose secret is revealed.
    Revelation 5:4-7,9
    5:4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.
    5:5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."
    5:6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
    5:7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
    5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
    
    Jesus as the Good Shepherd gives His life = Jesus as the Lamb of God which is slain to reveal God's Word.
    The revelation of God's Word through a verse explaining other verses is the true teaching Word or the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. It is the Word of God sharper than any two-edged sword.
    
    Acts 13:46
    13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
    
    God's Word was actually only for the Israelites but a part of them rejected it, so a chance for the Gentiles was opened.
    Thus, it is only because of the mercy of God if the Gentiles can receive the revelation of His Word.
    
    Acts 10:1,9-16
    10:1. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
    10:9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
    10:10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance
    10:11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.
    10:12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
    10:13 And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."
    10:14 But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean."
    10:15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common."
    10:16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
    
    The teaching Word sharper than any two-edged sword is to slain the common or unclean animals to become clean, as the dogs turn to sheep.
    The teaching Word sanctifies the body, soul, and spirit of the Gentiles as the sanctification for the dog licking the vomit. The Gentiles will have the results as follows:
    
    • Righteous saying without any lie.
      
    • Good saying which becomes blessing for other people.
      
    • The saying of faith or prayer which is in line with the Word.
      
    The Gentiles who are as dogs or unclean animals can be lifted up to become sheep or clean animal through the true teaching Word and Holy Communion.
    
    Only those who receive the mercy of God may be patient in Bible Study Service so the Word of God and the Holy Communion can always sanctify their lives in order to keep on being the sheep of God.
    
    Mark 7:28-30
    7:28 And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs."
    7:29 Then He said to her, "For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter."
    7:30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.
    
    The results are as follows:
    
    • Restoration happens in marriage and children so there is quietness and peace.
      
    • God helps us miraculously.
      
      
• To unite the sheep of the Gentiles and the Israelites to become one flock with one Shepherd or one body with one Head.
  John 10:14-16
  10:14 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
  10:15 "As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
  10:16 "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
  
  Ephesians 2:13-16
  2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
  2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
  2:15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
  2:16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
  
  The Israelites and the Gentiles become one perfect body or the Bride who is ready to welcome Jesus' second coming.
  The Gentiles must be active in the ministry of building Christ' body, do not be left behind!
  
  Jesus gives His life in order to unite Christ's body. Likewise, we have to sacrifice all things to minister in the building of Christ's body. Only one thing we should not sacrifice, namely the true teaching Word.
  
  Mark 14:10
  14:10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.
  
  Judas liked to join a fellowship with the chief priests who were different with Jesus in doctrine. This means Judas sacrificed the true teaching in order to get money or position, et cetera. Consequently, Judas sold Jesus and perished forever.
  
  Ephesians 4:3-6
  4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
  4:4 There is (1) one body and (2) one Spirit, just as you were called in (3) one hope of your calling;
  4:5 (4) one Lord, (5) one faith, (6) one baptism;
  4:6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
  
  All things can be different in the righteous fellowship but the seven matters above.
  One body means one Head or one true teaching Word.
  
  John 1:1,12-14
  1:1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
  1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
  1:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
  1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
  
  We receive the two tablets of stone, referring to the true love, from the true teaching Word.
  The function of the two tablets of stone is as follows:
  
  • To destroy golden calf, referring to the idol of the hardness of heart.
    The fact found in the hardness of heart is self-truth.
    
    Exodus 32:9, 4
    32:9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!
    32:4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!"
    
    The self-truth also happens in teaching matter. Aaron is a priest whose teaching was wrong but he did not confess it, even he blamed the true teaching.
    
    The fact found in the hardness of heart is also the disobedience.
    
    
  • To give us wisdom so we are protected from antichrist.
    Mark 12:29-34
    12:29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
    12:30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
    12:31 "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
    12:32 So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
    12:33 "And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
    12:34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.
    
    Revelation 13:18
    13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
    
    
• To make us not lack anything.
  Psalm 23:1
  23:1. <<A Psalm of David.>>The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
  
  Meaning as follows:
  
  • The mercy of God is able to preserve our life in the middle of difficulties in the world, as replacing a desert with green pasture. Besides, He protects us from all disasters even judgments cannot touch us.
    
    Romans 8:32-34
    8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
    8:33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
    8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
    
    
  • The mercy of God is able to perfect us spiritually.
    Hebrews 10:14
    10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
    
God blesses you.