Public Service at Surabaya - Sunday, March 25, 2007

The epistle Jude according to Tabernacle structure refers to the covering of badger skins, which signifies the protection and attention of God toward the true Church as well as separation from the false one. The true Church is characterized with faith, hope, and love growing to permanency, that they might be covered with two wings of a great eagle.

Now we continue reading Jude 1:4-8 about the false church.
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.
There are four kinds of false church as follows:

1. verse 4 “certain men have crept in unnoticed” = unshepherded church
2. verse 5 “those who did not believe” = church of Law
   God commanded Moses to send twelve spies but ten of them did not believe in Him, knowing that there were the sons of the Anakim in Canaan and Israelites would be defeated. Israelites who did not believe in God were punished to walk surround the desert for forty years before entering Canaan. The number of ten refers to the Law (church of Law).
3. verse 6-7 “angels of eternal darkness” = church of Satan (the church is like Sodom and Gomorrah)
4. verse 8 = fleshly church

unshepherded church
Jude 1:4
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Creeping in unnoticed means being insincere to be shepherded.
They are:

1. ungodly men
2. those who turn the grace of God into lewdness
3. those who deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ

Ungodly men
Psalms 1:3-4
3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Verse 3 shows sincere man in shepherding /shepherded man so he becomes like a tree planted by the rivers of water.
The ungodly are chaff-like or husky Christians:

1. They are Christians/pastors serving and ministering God with the only purpose of seeking and filling themselves with material things.
2. They are Christians/pastors rejecting the teaching word and Holy Communion; being proud of material things only.
   As they reject the word of God, they also reject the Son (without Table of Shewbread, which speaks of Bible Study Service and Holy Communion http://gptkk.org/mrs-en.php). The chaff has already been created to be filled with grain. Likewise, God bless us with chaff, i.e. health, motorcycle or car to encourage us for the word of God (to be filled with the word). We therefore should not misuse the blessings of God
   Those who turn the grace of God
   Jude 1:4b
   4 … who turn the grace of our God …
   grace = mercy
   What goodness do we as the Gentiles receive by the mercy of God?
   1 Peter 2:9-10
   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;
   10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
   Gentiles were previously the enemies of God but are now made the people of God, even a royal priesthood / priests and kings / those who serve and minister God. To do the work of ministry, Holy Spirit gives us gifts, which are a marvelous capability, and faithfulness.
   What then does this saying mean: turning the grace of God? It begins with unfaithfulness in committing service and ministry even leaving them.
   A smuggler is unfaithful although:
   • he has received the grace of God
   • he has been made priest and king and involved in ministry.
   • he has given faithfulness of Holy Spirit
     Indeed, a smuggler is unfaithful even he leaves the ministry. You and I who have ministered God must be faithful. Unfaithfulness in committing service and ministry means misusing the mercy of God who has made us his servants. A smuggler is unfaithful in committing ministry, leaves even rejects it. In such manners, he rejects Holy Spirit God (without Golden Candlestick, which speaks of General Service in which we have the gifts of Holy Spirit to sing, to bear witness, etc- http://gptkk.org/pelita-en.php)
   In short, being insincere in shepherding happens because of not having Table of Shewbread (not being filled with teaching word and Holy Communion) and Golden Candlestick (unfaithfulness even leaving ministry/rejecting Holy Spirit God). We must beware of it because it is a false church.
   Those who deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
   Jude 1:4c
   4 … and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
   1 John 2:22
   22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
   denying the only Lord God Jesus Christ = lying. As we lie, we deny God. Satan is the father of liars and murderers/haters, so a liar is also a murder (John 8:44). Peter three times denied Jesus and we do the same by lying. It is certain that liars and murders reject the love of Father; they were without golden altar of incense (http://gptkk.org/dupa-en.php), which refers to Pray and Worship Service.
   Thus, a smuggler rejects the three objects of Tabernacle (Table of Shewbread, Golden Candlestick, and Golden Altar of Incense) pointing to the three main services, which denotes the Trinity of God. Such a man is uncovered and ready for the judgment of God.
   We must be sure and aware of unreasonable men, who are also churchgoers, disregarding the three main services.
   It is written in the book of Revelation 3 seven judgments of the Trinity. Those plagues will come upon smugglers or unshepherded churches because they reject the Trinity of God.
   The three of seven judgments of the Trinity is as follows:
   • Seven seals, which are the judgment of Holy Spirit (starting Revelation 6)
   • Seven trumpets, which are the judgment of the Son.
     Teaching word is like trumpet blown to help us and to judge those who reject.
   • Seven bowls/plagues, which are the judgment of the Father (starting Revelation 16)
     These seven plagues come together with antichrist’s persecutions. What a horrible thing!
     We need covering accordingly. Lest we become smugglers for smugglers are of false church, which will be separated to the Lord.
   Therefore, let us now become serious in shepherding, lest us become smugglers because we face the last world whose two great conditions are below:
   • As desert in which it is difficult to sow and reap (famine). Besides, there are many beasts there.
   • Plagues of the Lord, i.e. 3 seven judgments of the Trinity.
     Such conditions are same with conditions of famine in Egypt and when there were ten plagues of God. Such conditions will happen. Therefore, we need the coverage of God. If antichrist has dominion over the world up to 10%, difficulties will be up to 10% and it will continue up to 100%, meaning we cannot live in the world anymore but we flee to the desert. Now we see many disasters happen. We must pray to God whether we have entered the days of God’s judgment or not, lest us see it in ordinary sight because Jesus will come a second time soon. We have to be serious in shepherding.
     Take notice of Abraham, who was shepherded sincerely.
     Genesis 18:1-2
     1 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.
     2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,
     The heat of the day shows desert atmosphere, which is covered with trials and difficulties or multi-dimension crisis. Indonesia, for example, is an agrarian country, but lack of rice. It sounds impossible but true.
     What we need to deal with is not the crisis, but the way of our life. Abraham was sitting in the tent door (he was not wandering). Tent signifies shepherding, which was the Holy Place with three objects therein. Thus, sitting in the tent door means being shepherded or continuing steadfastly in the three main services.
   Here is the synchronization:
   1. General symbolized with Golden Candlestick (http://gptkk.org/pelita-en.php) = communion with Holy Spirit
   2. Bible Study and Holy Communion symbolized with Table of Shewbread (http://gptkk.org/mrs-en.php) = communion with the Son
   3. Worship symbolized with Golden Altar of Incense (http://gptkk.dupa-en.php) = communion with the Father in love.
      That is the best solution to deal with multi-dimension crisis as well as judgments of God. Do not go anywhere in order not to be heated because of the heat of the day.
   What zeal do we have in the shepherding?
   Genesis 18:6
   6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes."
   Fine meal refers to the word of God and three points to God the Trinity.
   Thus, three measures of fine meal denote the things below:
   • The word of God the Trinity, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Heavenly Groom.
   • The shepherding word preached continuously and in a series in the three main services.
     Pastors minister to prepare three measures of fine meal, that is, the Bride Tidings.
   “Knead it and make cakes”
   To knead the meal, the meal is laid on hand; this implies practice or real action.
   knead = practice (the shepherding word must be heard, understood, believed, and practiced to become a cake)
   Cake is round; denoting eternity for there is no lower and upper ends.
   If we are really shepherded to hear, understand, believe, and practice the Bride Tidings in the three main services until it becomes a cake, we will endure shocks.
   John 8:51
   51 "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."
   Whosoever keeps the word of God shall never see death, not even trials. Such a man is unbreakable (2 Corinthians 4 - We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair). Young men are commonly unstable and likely to fall. Just because of a little matter, they might leave God.
   Let us become serious because now we face the heat of the day/difficulties/threats of judgment. Our position must be obvious, i.e. in the tent/shepherding (patience in committing three main kinds of service to the Lord). Besides, we have to knead it and make cakes, meaning we hear, understand, believe and practice the word of God. We become the cake to endure all temptations and we shall never see death.
   That he shall never see death does not mean he shall never fall sick; it rather means no despair to face anything. We knead flour and hit it to become cake. Likewise, we are hit (we face temptations) to become cake (not seeing death). Do not have misunderstanding if we have become faithful in committing three main services but we face temptation. Do not seek blessings only nor become disappointed nor leave God when you do not get the blessings.
   We have to know that after hearing teaching word until practicing it, we have to pass through the next process, i.e. being hit until we become cake (we shall never see death so we will never become disappointed facing anything). Thus, it can be seen clearly that one will not endure if he/she is easy to become disappointed. Let us pray and ask strength from God.
   Genesis 18:2
   2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,
   Provided we are really shepherded and able to practice the shepherding word, our spirituality will by worship grow up to see the three men, signifying the Trinity of God or Jesus as the heavenly Groom, like Abraham who has seen three men. Perhaps we are uncertain about Jesus; whether God is real or not and why temptations come upon us, and many more. Only if we worship God, our eyes will see Jesus Christ more clearly until we see Him face to face at the time of His second coming.
   Revelation 19:6
   6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
   All Christians from the four corners of the earth will cry out “Alleluia” for they will be seeing Jesus face to face.

1 Timothy 2:8
8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

The power of a man (represented by Abraham) is to lift up holy hands, without wrath (holy heart) and doubting (holy mouth). If a man worships much, he will be strong as a lion to protect and preserve his household.

This is how a man such as Abraham lives:

• being shepherded
• practicing the word of God
• worshiping God
• being strong as a lion of Judah to protect and preserve his household

Without worship, a man will destroy his own household. Every man must be shepherded; otherwise, he will love to creep in widows’ houses (1 Timothy), and this is dangerous.
But if a man is shepherded, his wife will be also shepherded, for instance, Sarah.

Genesis 18:9
9 Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" So he said, "Here, in the tent."

Sarah is a quiet wife; she loved to dwell in tent. Thus, whether a woman is shepherded depends on her husband.

1 Timothy 2:9-10
9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.

A woman being shepherded is being adorned with heavenly adornments, i.e., gentleness, quietness, and submission.

1 Peter 3:4-6a
4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,
6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, …

Such a woman is as sweet as honey; she becomes the source of sweet marriage.
Male youth, learn to worship God more so that if God allow you to become husband, you will not destroy the marriage but become protector and the prayer is strong as lion. Likewise, female youth may become wife who is sweet as honey. In such conditions, the children will not run away from the household. If the children now feel uncomfortable at home, parents have to check themselves whether they have become protector/provider and the source sweetness in household or not. Do not hit the children, considering they like to resist parents. Likewise, when many of the congregation leave the shepherding and move to another church, I have to check myself whether I have fed them or not. As a pastor, I should not consider them as rebels.
What a sweet marriage if a man protects and keeps, and his wife sweeten, Samson’s riddle was solved. Marriage is a riddle; if you cannot solve it, you will be completely fooled. You think your husband a strong lion, but he is a rat and you think your wife sweet honey, but she is poison. Such a marriage must be broken down. Moreover, you have to pay with clothing and make your own marriage naked. Yet, if you can solve the riddle, you will get clothing.

Judges 14:12, 18
12 Then Samson said to them, "Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.
18 So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down: "What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?" And he said to them: "If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have solved my riddle!"

Thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing (sixty garments) are not a few. I count my garments are not as many as sixty garments. Giving such garments when the riddle is not solved means the marriage is naked as well as in danger. On the contrary, if husband and wife can solve the riddle by husband’s being strong as lion (being shepherded) and wife’s being sweet as honey (being adorned in shepherding), their eyes are opened to see the Lord and worship Him to depend on Him only and the marriage will have linen garments and changes of clothing.
Garments and clothing speak of righteousness, holiness, and perfection (clean and bright garment for the marriage supper of the Lamb). If the marriage is unsolved, they will be naked, ashamed, and destroyed forever.

Children should also unite with their parents in the shepherding.

1 Timothy 2:15
15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self–control.

You have to think about the above verse spiritually; it does not mean that a woman will not be saved if she does not bear a child.
That verse is related to children; meaning children must be also shepherded, which is manifested by their obedience to parents. Obedient children are the savior of marriage; to converse, wild children are the source of sorrow and destruction. I was afraid of having a child because many of the children of priests who destroy their parents’ ministry and household like the sons of governmental officers who often destroy their parents’ household. Therefore, parents have to teach children and bring them into shepherding so that the children become the savior of marriage through their obedience to parents. A man and his wife and children must be in a tent/Noah’s ark. Noah is the most perfect example, since his entire household (Noah, his wife, sons and daughters-in-law) were in the same ark. I believe that his grand sons or grand daughters would have been in the ark if he had had them.

For Abraham and Sarah were truly shepherded, the Lord promised them a son, that is, Isaac.

Genesis 18:10-12, 14-15
10 And He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"
14 "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh!"

God gives amazing promise to husband and wife who are shepherded.
Sarah laughed for she was afraid. Such is of those who do not believe the word of God.
As Abraham and Sarah dwelt in tent, they obtained the promise of a son, that is, Isaac.
That Isaac was born has two meanings:

1. The reproach was taken away.
   It was a reproach for the Israelites to have no child. Rachel was actually barren, but soon after she bare Joseph, she said: Genesis 30:23
   23 And she conceived and bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my reproach."
   This is amazing! The shepherding word is able to take away our reproaches until we will someday have no spot and blemish.
   Isaiah 4:1
   1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, "We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; Only let us be called by your name, To take away our reproach."
   Seven women refer to the seven gentile churches stated in the book of Revelation (“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write”, etc); the man points to Jesus Christ; and the angel denotes a pastor. A pastor must preach the shepherding word to take away reproaches until the church becomes as perfect as Jesus Christ is. The church will be called by the Name of Jesus and made His Bride.
   Through shepherding, our reproach, in form of sin, will be sanctified by the word until we become spotless. At that time, we become the Bride of God and we are called by Jesus’ name.
   Isaiah 4:1
   1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, "We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; Only let us be called by your name, To take away our reproach."
   Sanctification is on a level with care.
   Our daily need is not money or food, but sanctification; the more we are sanctified, the more God cares for our life.
   “We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel”; showing all that we need are supplied directly from heaven, not earth. Not at all! Business, food, apparel, and future belong to God’s concern; we just need to concern with sanctification. King David was even sure of this.
   Psalms 23:1
   1 <<A Psalm of David.>> The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
   The term ‘I shall not want’ has two meanings:
   • We are prospered
   • We will be perfect, without spot and blemish, for there will be no more reproach.
     Thus, Isaac was born as the promise of God to Abram and Sarah who were shepherded in one tent. It also takes away reproach, meaning sanctification in household and the preservation from God until we become His Bride.
2. Nothing is impossible to God.
   It was impossible that Isaac was born, since Abraham was old and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Yet, God said in Genesis 18:14 "Is anything too hard for the LORD?
   Isaac was born means nothing will is impossible to God.
   Luke 1:37
   37 "For with God nothing will be impossible."
   And so will with him who believes.
   Mark 9:23
   23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."
   He who believes has the power of the Lord to enable all the impossible.

The story in Mark is about a sick boy. His father asked Jesus’ help because of his unbelief. Likewise, we should touch our heart first when we face problem/illness whether we believe in God or not, not the problem/illness itself that must be helped first. For with God nothing will be impossible and all things are possible to him who believe. In short, those who believe have the power of God to remove all impossible things.

All things are possible to the Lord and to him who believes. This we could say, therefore, he who believes has the power of the Lord to enable all the impossible.

We should not laugh at the word of God as Sarah did, for it shows that we do not believe the power of God’s word.
Here are the meanings of laughter in fear:

• always finding problems and difficulties
• always finding the impossible

Lest anyone of us creep in unnoticed / be smugglers! Men and their wives and children must be shepherded, so that God does the following things:

• to take away reproaches
• to sanctify and care for our lives until we come to perfection
• to enable all the impossible (but only if we believe). God is able to help us, whatever problems we face now.
  He is the Sweet Great Shepherd ready to help us in due time.

God bless you!

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