Rev. Jusak Widjaja Hendra - WR Supratman 4 Sby
Tonight
we do General Service to coincide with the upgrading service for
priests and priests to be. It is to make us seriously minister to
God. You who want to minister to God may know how you can minister to
Him and you who have already ministered to God can increase your
ministry, including me.
Tonight we will not discuss the gospel according to Matthew, but we read in
1 Peter 2: 9, 10,
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;
2:10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
It is about priests and kings.
The meaning of the priest is as follows:
Praise the Lord because it is said in verse 10 --> but now have obtained mercy. God opens the opportunity through His mercy that costs the blood of Jesus. Thus, Jesus’ death on the cross means the mercy of God for the Gentiles that they can become priests and kings. Therefore, we must use the opportunity. We can serve and minister to God, maybe as a pastor like me or the member of choir, only because of the blood of Jesus, so the price is very expensive. How much money can we pay in order to be able to preach God’s Word or to play musical instrument in church? We cannot pay for it because it costs the blood of Jesus or the mercy of God nothing in the world may replace. We must appreciate the ministry. I hope we can understand.
Afterwards, a priest must have these three things.
I will discuss about the true consecration or ministry that cannot be separated from the garment. We will learn about the garment of ministry, beginning from tonight. It is very clear in the world that an occupation cannot be separated from the garment.
For example, we see one has white clothing with stethoscope. We do not need ask to know that he is a doctor. One with green garment with weapon on his shoulder is known obviously as a soldier. Thus, a ministry cannot be separated from the garment. You can imagine if someone ministers to God without any garment but nakedness. It often happens now. Therefore, it is important now to discuss about the garment.
Exodus chapter 28 discusses about the garment and Exodus chapter 29 about the consecration. Therefore, the garment cannot be separated from the consecration or ministry. In New Testament, 1 and 2 Thessalonians discuss about the garment and 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus discuss about the consecration.
We will read about the garment --> Exodus 28: 1, 4,
28:1. "Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron's sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
28:4 "And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. So they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to Me as priest.
We have to have the garment in order to minister to God.
There are seven parts of the ministry garment or the garment of the priest as follows.
The seven parts of the ministry garment can be divided into three groups as follows.
click to see the picture
The garment of the High Priest refers to the journey of the Lord Jesus. The High Priest is the Lord Jesus in the sign of death, resurrection, and glory. We are His priests, so we must also have the garment of Jesus in the sign of death, resurrection, and glory. As a result, we will be lifted up to heaven.
Thus, ministering to God is not a torment but our life journey as Jesus has experienced until He ascends to heaven. Our ministry to God continues until we are ascended to heaven. Our work in heaven is only to minister to God. We serve and minister to Him day and night as it is written in Revelation.
Our work to minister to God is different from the work in the world such as doctor, et cetera because all of them only reach the tomb if we still have ability to do them. Moreover, there are many doctors who have already retired before they die or cannot inject the patient anymore because their hands have been trembling. On the contrary, ministering to God or having the ministry garment will continue from now when we are in the world until in heaven. Thus, our ministry in the world is the way we adapt to live in the heaven. We experience the death, resurrection, and glory until we are lifted up together with God to enter the heavenly kingdom where we minister to God day and night.
We will learn about the first group, namely THE EPHOD.
Exodus 28: 6, "and they shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, artistically worked.
The ephod is made with four colors as follows.
The four colors can form the cross of Jesus when we draw the line as follows.
click to see the picture
To conclude, the ephod refers to the journey of cross or death of Jesus as the High Priest. It is also the sign of death for us, the servants or priests of God. Thus, it is the colorful ephod of gold, whose four main colors are purple, blue, scarlet, and white. It refers to the cross.
Thus, the garment of the servants or priests of God and the priests to be is the cross garment. If we do not want to experience the cross together with God, we will never be able to minister to Him. Therefore, we must have the sign of the cross or death together with Jesus.
The servant of God who rejects the cross or death experience has no ephod, so he is naked and not able to minister to God. Being naked, one will run away because of shamefulness like Adam and Eve. They sin and become naked, so they run away to hide themselves when God comes to the garden Eden. It is not said to minister because they are ashamed when God draws near to them.
Let us check whether we are naked or not or we have the garment of the ministry or not. I say to the priests to be, let you receive the garment first. To the priests, let you check whether you keep on putting on the garment or you have been in nakedness. Let us check ourselves.
The facts found in having on the ephod or the cross garment are as follows.
If we can experience the suffering in the flesh without any sin, we will experience as it is said in verse 14 --> If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
There is gold color in the ephod beside the four main colors. Do not be afraid although the flesh cannot stand facing the fiery trial. The flesh indeed cannot endure to bear the cross. Therefore, God gives us Holy Spirit, referring to the gold embroidery. The gold refers to Holy Spirit.
Thus, God pours the Holy Spirit or the spirit of glory when we must suffer together with Jesus to bear His cross. It refers to the gold embroidery to make the ephod very beautiful and expensive.
The spiritual meaning of having the ephod is stopping sinning or we suffer in the flesh without any sin but because of Jesus. Jesus has suffered because of us, so we must suffer because of Him, and He will pour the spirit of glory or Holy Spirit.
What is the gold embroidery for?
Thus, do not be afraid when we must put on the ephod, referring to the death experience because we have the expensive gold embroidery, namely Holy Spirit giving us strength and joy.
Matthew 18: 1, 2,
18:1. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
18:2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
Verse 1 --> ‘who is the greatest?’ Actually it is the question in the world, for example in the office, et cetera. Nevertheless, it happens also to the servants of God because the disciples who say about that. It means the servants of God who have the characteristic of the flesh or the world, namely arrogance or the will to get the praise to become the greatest in the ministry.
Galatians 5: 24-26,
5:24. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
If there is no Holy Spirit or gold embroidery, we will become conceited. Therefore, there must be the cross first, and then there is gold embroidery or Holy Spirit who gives us extra power. If there is no cross, there will be the question ‘who is the greatest?’ It means we are naked. The naked servant of God has no cross nor Holy Spirit.
Therefore, if a servant of God does not have the ephod or he does not bear the cross nor have the anointing of Holy Spirit, he will minister with arrogance spirit to become conceited.
The practice of having such a spirit is as follows.
Galatians 5: 24, 25,
5:24. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
On the contrary, we read in verse 24 and 25 that we can minister to God in the anointing of Holy Spirit when flesh and all its lusts have been crucified or torn.
The practice of ministering in the anointing of Holy Spirit is as follows.
Romans 14: 17, 18,
14:17. for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
14:18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Being acceptable to God and approved by men refers to the cross. Thus, the meaning of ministering to God in the anointing of Holy Spirit is as follows.
We must take heed because there are many times we emphasize the joy, not the Holy Spirit. It can be dangerous because it will become the joy of the flesh. For example, we can see many people singing with jumping for joy at Garden Bungkul or Tambaksari until there are some people who faint. On the contrary, there will be regularity when there is joy of Holy Spirit. It is the requirement. You can read in 1 Corinthians that there is joy and regularity or the fear of the Lord in Holy Spirit. There is no compulsion but regularity in the joy with the fear of the Lord.
Romans 14: 18, For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Being acceptable to God (vertical line) and approved by men (horizontal line) refers to the cross. Therefore, we do not need seek honor from other people to become the greatest because it is the voice of flesh without Holy Spirit or the cross.
If there is Holy Spirit, we will minister to God with the righteousness and peace and we will be acceptable to God and approved by men.
The important thing is our flesh must be crucified to have on the ephod. We do not sin anymore but we are willing to suffer because of Jesus, so there is anointing of Holy Spirit in us. We can minister to God in the righteousness and peace, so we can be acceptable to God and approved by men. God will not reject our ministry as Cain’s.
Do not minister with arrogance, one of which is through seeking the greatest like Satan has done. It is written in Numbers that Korah insists the right or position. Consequently, he goes down to the lowest part of the earth. The earth is divided and he goes down in it. Insisting to become the greatest maybe can happen now through insisting money or other flesh things. Such person may get them but the earth is divided and he goes down to the Hades. He wants to be the greatest but actually he becomes the most inferior.
The peak of the arrogance has happened to Satan/Lucifer/the morning star. Actually, Lucifer is the morning star or the chief of angels, but he is cast to the world because of his arrogance. He is broken and destroyed until becomes Satan. --> Isaiah 14: 12 – 16,
14:12. "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
14:13 For you have said in your heart: ‘(1) I will ascend into heaven,(2) I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;(3) I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14:14 (4) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, (5) I will be like the Most High.’
14:15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
14:16 "Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms, ,
It is written “I will” five times to be like the Most High, so he is cast to the world and destroyed. It means there is no opportunity anymore to return to the first ministry because of the arrogance or the will to become the greatest.
Saying “I will” five times refers to the peak of arrogance resisting the peak of humility of Jesus who has died on the cross with five wounds. Lucifer is cast to the world and destroyed until he cannot return to his ministry in heaven because his position is replaced with Jesus, the bright morning star. Jesus never falls because He humbles Himself.
Therefore, it is a precious lesson for us that we should not leave our ministry after being lifted up by God to become priests. Being unfaithful and leaving the ministry, someday the position will be replaced with others and there is no opportunity to return although one may move to other places. It is not about mutation to another place according to God’s will, for example I formerly ministered to God in Gending but then I move to Malang because God moves me. One cannot minister to God although he moves to other places because he has left the ministry and his position is replaced by others. Lucifer and Judas are the example. Judas is replaced with Mathias.
Actually, who is the greatest? Jesus is. He is the Great King with His authority --> Matthew 1: 1, The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Genesis 23: 5, 6,
23:5. And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
23:6 "Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead."
David is a king. Thus, the Son of David means the Son of a king. Jesus is the Great King, not an ordinary one.
Jesus is the Son of Abraham or the Great King. Thus, who is the greatest? Jesus is the greatest, referring to the purple color.
What is the greatness of Jesus, the King of all kings or the Great King?
Therefore, there is no reason of not ministering to God because of feeling so unclean or dirty. The important thing is whether we want to receive the ephod/ cross to stop sinning and get the forgiveness done by Jesus’ blood or not. If we do that, we will get the help of Holy Spirit. It is only about we are willing or not. All of us can become the priests and kings because of the greatness of Jesus, the King of all kings. It is easy to exalt the great one. The little one can be exalted only because of the greatness of God. It has been a lesson for me, that we should not ignore the little ones among us. For example, the small heart compared with the big thigh of a football player. The big thigh will be nothing if the heart stops beating.
Jesus, the Great King with the purple color is willing to become a Servant with blue color. It refers to the process of humbling our life. We must minister to God without any will to become the greatest but the least. It is very difficult to humble our life indeed but we must learn to Jesus on the cross. It is a never-ending lesson.
The process of humbling our life is as follows.
Philippians 2: 5 – 8,
2:5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
2:6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
2:7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
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..
It is said in verse 5 and 6 that we must put the mind of Jesus in us or learn to Him, who, being in the form of God, does not consider it robbery to be equal with God.
It is the lesson we take from the cross that we must humble ourselves. We feel that we are nothing although we have something. It is as Jesus, who has all things, but he leaves them to become “dolos” or a servant who has no right but duty (Jesus has the purple color as well as blue).
The servant of God is the least as “dolos” without any right but only duty. He does not insist anything, so there will never be a demonstration.
Isaiah 49: 3, 4,
49:3. "And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.’
49:4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God.’"
We should have had the right to take a rest but we do not take it because we have a duty to serve and minister to God. Do not be afraid because our right and reward are in God’s hand and He never fools us.
The servant of God only has the duty to glorify God. It is not only in the church but anywhere. As a result, our right and reward are in God’s hand none may snatch. The right and reward are for our present life, the future, and the eternal one.
Therefore, a servant of God should not insist anything but only minister to God and glorify Him to become example for other people anywhere.
Moreover, the “dolos” is obedient until the flesh does not speak anymore, like Jesus who is obedient to the point of death.
There are three rooms in Tabernacle as follows.
Being obedient = lifting up our two hands to God and He stretches His powerful hands for us. He is a servant but has resurrection power nothing may defeat, even the death cannot.
The result is as follows.
The Word of God may be difficult to understand because it needs deep understanding, but let Holy Spirit help you because we need the Word to minister to God. We must solemnly minister to God. We have the Holy Spirit when we have the ephod or the cross.
We minister to God with:
Tonight we will not discuss the gospel according to Matthew, but we read in
1 Peter 2: 9, 10,
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;
2:10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
It is about priests and kings.
The meaning of the priest is as follows:
- One
who is holy. It is not about
the intelligence or riches but holiness.
- One
who bears the priest’ offices such as pastor, musician, choir
member, one who welcome congregation at church, or
the cleaner of the church, et cetera.
- One
who serves and ministers to God or His servant.
Actually, only the chosen
people, namely the original house of Israel from the descendants of
Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob that may serve and minister to God.
Therefore, the Gentiles
cannot become priests to serve and minister to God, even formerly
they could not enter the temple. Moreover, they are considered as
unclean animals that cannot be offered to God.
Praise the Lord because it is said in verse 10 --> but now have obtained mercy. God opens the opportunity through His mercy that costs the blood of Jesus. Thus, Jesus’ death on the cross means the mercy of God for the Gentiles that they can become priests and kings. Therefore, we must use the opportunity. We can serve and minister to God, maybe as a pastor like me or the member of choir, only because of the blood of Jesus, so the price is very expensive. How much money can we pay in order to be able to preach God’s Word or to play musical instrument in church? We cannot pay for it because it costs the blood of Jesus or the mercy of God nothing in the world may replace. We must appreciate the ministry. I hope we can understand.
Afterwards, a priest must have these three things.
- Good
characteristic. We must have good characteristic to minister to God,
not the bad ones. People in the world also seek ones who have good
characteristics through psychology test to get the honest, et
cetera. An intelligent person will make a company bankrupt if he has
no good character such as honesty. The more he is intelligent, the
company is bankrupt faster. Moreover, we must have good
characteristics in the Lord.
- Potential
or ability coming from God, namely the gifts of Holy Spirit as the
wonderful ability to minister to God. It is more than diploma or
riches. Maybe there is a member of congregation who has doctoral
degree, so the pastor must have the wonderful ability of God, or
else he cannot teach such the congregation. It is called the
wonderful ability from God.
- True
consecration or ministry. It is very important tonight. There are
many people who minister to God like Cain
and
Abel.
The ministry of Abel is received by God because his consecration is
true but Cain’s
is rejected by Him because his consecration is false. Therefore, we
must have the true consecration or ministry.
I will discuss about the true consecration or ministry that cannot be separated from the garment. We will learn about the garment of ministry, beginning from tonight. It is very clear in the world that an occupation cannot be separated from the garment.
For example, we see one has white clothing with stethoscope. We do not need ask to know that he is a doctor. One with green garment with weapon on his shoulder is known obviously as a soldier. Thus, a ministry cannot be separated from the garment. You can imagine if someone ministers to God without any garment but nakedness. It often happens now. Therefore, it is important now to discuss about the garment.
Exodus chapter 28 discusses about the garment and Exodus chapter 29 about the consecration. Therefore, the garment cannot be separated from the consecration or ministry. In New Testament, 1 and 2 Thessalonians discuss about the garment and 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus discuss about the consecration.
We will read about the garment --> Exodus 28: 1, 4,
28:1. "Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron's sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
28:4 "And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. So they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to Me as priest.
We have to have the garment in order to minister to God.
There are seven parts of the ministry garment or the garment of the priest as follows.
- Ephod
- Sash
- Breastplate
- Robe
- Skillfully
woven tunic
- Turban
- Plate
of pure gold (it
is as the plate with a picture of coconut fruit on the hat of scout)
The seven parts of the ministry garment can be divided into three groups as follows.
click to see the picture
The garment of the High Priest refers to the journey of the Lord Jesus. The High Priest is the Lord Jesus in the sign of death, resurrection, and glory. We are His priests, so we must also have the garment of Jesus in the sign of death, resurrection, and glory. As a result, we will be lifted up to heaven.
Thus, ministering to God is not a torment but our life journey as Jesus has experienced until He ascends to heaven. Our ministry to God continues until we are ascended to heaven. Our work in heaven is only to minister to God. We serve and minister to Him day and night as it is written in Revelation.
Our work to minister to God is different from the work in the world such as doctor, et cetera because all of them only reach the tomb if we still have ability to do them. Moreover, there are many doctors who have already retired before they die or cannot inject the patient anymore because their hands have been trembling. On the contrary, ministering to God or having the ministry garment will continue from now when we are in the world until in heaven. Thus, our ministry in the world is the way we adapt to live in the heaven. We experience the death, resurrection, and glory until we are lifted up together with God to enter the heavenly kingdom where we minister to God day and night.
We will learn about the first group, namely THE EPHOD.
Exodus 28: 6, "and they shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, artistically worked.
The ephod is made with four colors as follows.
- Purple
= JESUS
in his glory and authority as
the King.
- Blue
= JESUS
as a servant. He is not only
a powerful king as many people have said but also a serving servant,
so there is a balance.
- Red/scarlet
= JESUS
as a suffering human.
- White/
fine linen = JESUS
as the Son of God. He is not
only the powerful great Son of God but also the suffering human. It
is a balance. We also have to experience it.
The four colors can form the cross of Jesus when we draw the line as follows.
click to see the picture
To conclude, the ephod refers to the journey of cross or death of Jesus as the High Priest. It is also the sign of death for us, the servants or priests of God. Thus, it is the colorful ephod of gold, whose four main colors are purple, blue, scarlet, and white. It refers to the cross.
Thus, the garment of the servants or priests of God and the priests to be is the cross garment. If we do not want to experience the cross together with God, we will never be able to minister to Him. Therefore, we must have the sign of the cross or death together with Jesus.
The servant of God who rejects the cross or death experience has no ephod, so he is naked and not able to minister to God. Being naked, one will run away because of shamefulness like Adam and Eve. They sin and become naked, so they run away to hide themselves when God comes to the garden Eden. It is not said to minister because they are ashamed when God draws near to them.
Let us check whether we are naked or not or we have the garment of the ministry or not. I say to the priests to be, let you receive the garment first. To the priests, let you check whether you keep on putting on the garment or you have been in nakedness. Let us check ourselves.
The facts found in having on the ephod or the cross garment are as follows.
- 1
Peter 4: 1, 2,
4:1. Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
4:2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
Verse 1 --> the same mind = the mind of the cross, namely we cease from sins = the garment to cover the nakedness.
Thus, the daily practice of having on the ephod or the cross garment is suffering in the flesh in order to put the sin to death or repent, so we can live according to the will of God, namely in righteousness. Comparing to it, the sinful human is naked.
We must have the ephod or righteousness, or else there is nakedness. For example,
- one
cheats at school,
- one
makes corruption in the office.
It indeed hurts our flesh when we are obedient. For example:
- We
have to stop smoking. It indeed hurts our flesh but we have the
garment or life in righteousness.
- We
stop doing corruption. It hurts our flesh because formerly we did
the corruption to fulfill our life need. As the result of living in
the righteousness, God will help us.
- one
cheats at school,
- 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 glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
We do not sin anymore but we still suffer in the flesh together with Jesus. It means the suffering in the flesh without any sin or the fiery trial or the sprinkling of blood. For example, we are fired although we do not make any corruption, but other officers. As a result, we have the ephod or the garment of the cross.
If we can experience the suffering in the flesh without any sin, we will experience as it is said in verse 14 --> If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
There is gold color in the ephod beside the four main colors. Do not be afraid although the flesh cannot stand facing the fiery trial. The flesh indeed cannot endure to bear the cross. Therefore, God gives us Holy Spirit, referring to the gold embroidery. The gold refers to Holy Spirit.
Thus, God pours the Holy Spirit or the spirit of glory when we must suffer together with Jesus to bear His cross. It refers to the gold embroidery to make the ephod very beautiful and expensive.
The spiritual meaning of having the ephod is stopping sinning or we suffer in the flesh without any sin but because of Jesus. Jesus has suffered because of us, so we must suffer because of Him, and He will pour the spirit of glory or Holy Spirit.
What is the gold embroidery for?
- To
give us extra power or ability,
so
we can bear the cross without murmuring or grumbling. Our flesh will
murmur in suffering for sure.
- To
give us joy when we are suffering.
Other people may have pity on
us but we are joyful at that time.
Thus, do not be afraid when we must put on the ephod, referring to the death experience because we have the expensive gold embroidery, namely Holy Spirit giving us strength and joy.
Matthew 18: 1, 2,
18:1. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
18:2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
Verse 1 --> ‘who is the greatest?’ Actually it is the question in the world, for example in the office, et cetera. Nevertheless, it happens also to the servants of God because the disciples who say about that. It means the servants of God who have the characteristic of the flesh or the world, namely arrogance or the will to get the praise to become the greatest in the ministry.
Galatians 5: 24-26,
5:24. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
If there is no Holy Spirit or gold embroidery, we will become conceited. Therefore, there must be the cross first, and then there is gold embroidery or Holy Spirit who gives us extra power. If there is no cross, there will be the question ‘who is the greatest?’ It means we are naked. The naked servant of God has no cross nor Holy Spirit.
Therefore, if a servant of God does not have the ephod or he does not bear the cross nor have the anointing of Holy Spirit, he will minister with arrogance spirit to become conceited.
The practice of having such a spirit is as follows.
- Provoking
one another. It
means hurting one another with bad words or slandering. It also
happens to the servants of God. Therefore, we must be alert in our
organization because there will be provocation one another. It means
there is nakedness because of not having the cross, the gold
embroidery or the ephod.
- Envying
one another or hatred without any cause
as Satan, the father of murderer, referring to the hatred. It begins
from dislike to other people until it becomes hatred without any
cause or the perfect hatred as Satan’s. Therefore, we must be
alert.
Galatians 5: 24, 25,
5:24. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
On the contrary, we read in verse 24 and 25 that we can minister to God in the anointing of Holy Spirit when flesh and all its lusts have been crucified or torn.
The practice of ministering in the anointing of Holy Spirit is as follows.
Romans 14: 17, 18,
14:17. for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
14:18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Being acceptable to God and approved by men refers to the cross. Thus, the meaning of ministering to God in the anointing of Holy Spirit is as follows.
- We
minister with the truth according to the Word of God.
Do not minister to God when
it is not in line to the Word of God. Please pray for us, the
pastors, so that our ministries can be in line with the Word of God,
not our own wills. The ministry will be false if there is will which
is not crucified and such a ministry will destroy
others.
For example, a pastor cannot serve the member of congregation in matrimonial ceremony when it is not in line with the Word of God because of sin, but then the pastor is willing to serve because the member of congregation threats that he and all of his family will depart the church forever. In such condition, the pastor indeed has destroyed him.
- We
minister with peace. There
is
no enmity, war, and fear, et cetera. All things are in peace. It is
especially for me, the preacher of the Word. Preaching the Word
without any peace in heart, the Word will not be in peace but become
the news of war, so the congregation will never feel the peace.
Therefore, pray for us, the pastors, to have peaceful
hearts.
Preaching the Word, singing, and playing musical instrument without the peaceful heart do not build the body of Christ but destroy it because only the news of war that is produced. Therefore, we must take heed.
- We
minister with joy by Holy Spirit without being forced.
It means we put on the ephod
of gold embroidery or the anointing of Holy Spirit.
We must take heed because there are many times we emphasize the joy, not the Holy Spirit. It can be dangerous because it will become the joy of the flesh. For example, we can see many people singing with jumping for joy at Garden Bungkul or Tambaksari until there are some people who faint. On the contrary, there will be regularity when there is joy of Holy Spirit. It is the requirement. You can read in 1 Corinthians that there is joy and regularity or the fear of the Lord in Holy Spirit. There is no compulsion but regularity in the joy with the fear of the Lord.
Romans 14: 18, For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Being acceptable to God (vertical line) and approved by men (horizontal line) refers to the cross. Therefore, we do not need seek honor from other people to become the greatest because it is the voice of flesh without Holy Spirit or the cross.
If there is Holy Spirit, we will minister to God with the righteousness and peace and we will be acceptable to God and approved by men.
The important thing is our flesh must be crucified to have on the ephod. We do not sin anymore but we are willing to suffer because of Jesus, so there is anointing of Holy Spirit in us. We can minister to God in the righteousness and peace, so we can be acceptable to God and approved by men. God will not reject our ministry as Cain’s.
Do not minister with arrogance, one of which is through seeking the greatest like Satan has done. It is written in Numbers that Korah insists the right or position. Consequently, he goes down to the lowest part of the earth. The earth is divided and he goes down in it. Insisting to become the greatest maybe can happen now through insisting money or other flesh things. Such person may get them but the earth is divided and he goes down to the Hades. He wants to be the greatest but actually he becomes the most inferior.
The peak of the arrogance has happened to Satan/Lucifer/the morning star. Actually, Lucifer is the morning star or the chief of angels, but he is cast to the world because of his arrogance. He is broken and destroyed until becomes Satan. --> Isaiah 14: 12 – 16,
14:12. "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
14:13 For you have said in your heart: ‘(1) I will ascend into heaven,(2) I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;(3) I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14:14 (4) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, (5) I will be like the Most High.’
14:15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
14:16 "Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms, ,
It is written “I will” five times to be like the Most High, so he is cast to the world and destroyed. It means there is no opportunity anymore to return to the first ministry because of the arrogance or the will to become the greatest.
Saying “I will” five times refers to the peak of arrogance resisting the peak of humility of Jesus who has died on the cross with five wounds. Lucifer is cast to the world and destroyed until he cannot return to his ministry in heaven because his position is replaced with Jesus, the bright morning star. Jesus never falls because He humbles Himself.
Therefore, it is a precious lesson for us that we should not leave our ministry after being lifted up by God to become priests. Being unfaithful and leaving the ministry, someday the position will be replaced with others and there is no opportunity to return although one may move to other places. It is not about mutation to another place according to God’s will, for example I formerly ministered to God in Gending but then I move to Malang because God moves me. One cannot minister to God although he moves to other places because he has left the ministry and his position is replaced by others. Lucifer and Judas are the example. Judas is replaced with Mathias.
Actually, who is the greatest? Jesus is. He is the Great King with His authority --> Matthew 1: 1, The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Genesis 23: 5, 6,
23:5. And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
23:6 "Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead."
David is a king. Thus, the Son of David means the Son of a king. Jesus is the Great King, not an ordinary one.
Jesus is the Son of Abraham or the Great King. Thus, who is the greatest? Jesus is the greatest, referring to the purple color.
What is the greatness of Jesus, the King of all kings or the Great King?
- Revelation
1: 5, 6,
1:5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
1:6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
The greatness of Jesus as the King is not in His riches in the world because actually Jesus is the poorest man in the world. He does not have a tomb because the tomb to bury Him is the possession of Joseph of Arimathea. How poor a man in the world is, he still has a tomb, but Jesus does have it.
It is said in verse 5 about the ruler over the kings of the earth, namely the Great King.
Thus, the greatness of Jesus is in not judging or punishing sinful people, but forgiving and delivering them from their sins by His blood.
As a pastor, I must have a great soul that forgives, not to dismiss the servant of God. If he is willing to be forgiven, there will be a help for him. On the contrary, if he is not willing to be forgiven, he will dismiss himself. Thus, the character of the pastors having on the ephod with gold embroidery or the cross is always forgiving the faults of other people and forgetting them. Likewise, the servants of God who have great soul will forgive the faults of other people and forget them.
- Revelation
1: 6, and
has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory
and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
I have said that actually only the house of Israel may become the priests and the Gentiles cannot. It is only because of the greatness of Jesus through His death, that He is able to exalt the unworthy Gentiles. Thus, the greatness of Jesus is able to reach the Gentiles who are sinful and unworthy and make them priests and kings or God’s servants.
Therefore, there is no reason of not ministering to God because of feeling so unclean or dirty. The important thing is whether we want to receive the ephod/ cross to stop sinning and get the forgiveness done by Jesus’ blood or not. If we do that, we will get the help of Holy Spirit. It is only about we are willing or not. All of us can become the priests and kings because of the greatness of Jesus, the King of all kings. It is easy to exalt the great one. The little one can be exalted only because of the greatness of God. It has been a lesson for me, that we should not ignore the little ones among us. For example, the small heart compared with the big thigh of a football player. The big thigh will be nothing if the heart stops beating.
Jesus, the Great King with the purple color is willing to become a Servant with blue color. It refers to the process of humbling our life. We must minister to God without any will to become the greatest but the least. It is very difficult to humble our life indeed but we must learn to Jesus on the cross. It is a never-ending lesson.
The process of humbling our life is as follows.
Philippians 2: 5 – 8,
2:5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
2:6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
2:7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
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..
It is said in verse 5 and 6 that we must put the mind of Jesus in us or learn to Him, who, being in the form of God, does not consider it robbery to be equal with God.
It is the lesson we take from the cross that we must humble ourselves. We feel that we are nothing although we have something. It is as Jesus, who has all things, but he leaves them to become “dolos” or a servant who has no right but duty (Jesus has the purple color as well as blue).
The servant of God is the least as “dolos” without any right but only duty. He does not insist anything, so there will never be a demonstration.
Isaiah 49: 3, 4,
49:3. "And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.’
49:4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God.’"
We should have had the right to take a rest but we do not take it because we have a duty to serve and minister to God. Do not be afraid because our right and reward are in God’s hand and He never fools us.
The servant of God only has the duty to glorify God. It is not only in the church but anywhere. As a result, our right and reward are in God’s hand none may snatch. The right and reward are for our present life, the future, and the eternal one.
Therefore, a servant of God should not insist anything but only minister to God and glorify Him to become example for other people anywhere.
Moreover, the “dolos” is obedient until the flesh does not speak anymore, like Jesus who is obedient to the point of death.
There are three rooms in Tabernacle as follows.
- The
Court, referring to physical parents we can see. How
can we obey God we cannot see with our physical eyes when we cannot
obey the parents we can see? It cannot happen.
- The
Holy Place, referring to spiritual parents,
namely the pastor we must obey.
- The
Most Holy Place, referring to the obedience to the heavenly parents,
namely God or His Word.
Being obedient = lifting up our two hands to God and He stretches His powerful hands for us. He is a servant but has resurrection power nothing may defeat, even the death cannot.
The result is as follows.
- Philippians
2: 9, 10,
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,
It is written in verse 10 about those in heaven, namely Satan, those on earth, namely false prophet, and those under the earth, namely antichrist.
If we are obedient, we will have on the ephod. Therefore, let us now not feel great but minister to God with the cross or the willingness to suffer. We can humble ourselves until we can become obedient. As a result, we experience the victory power over the trinity of Satan. Satan that is the source of problem is defeated, meaning all problems are solved. Satan that is the source of tears is defeated, so all tears have been wiped away by God and we can be joyful. In addition, Satan, the source of sins, is defeated, so we can live in righteousness and holiness.
God pays attention to His servants solemnly. Therefore, He solves all our problems.
- John
14: 15-17, 21, 23,
14:15. "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
14:16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever––
14:17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."
14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
It is said in verse 23 that if we are obedient, Father God, the Son of God, and Holy Spirit will come to us and make Their home with us. It means we return to the image of the Trinity of God. The image of Satan is no longer in us because we return to the image of the Trinity of God. We are sanctified and renewed until we become the first creation to experience the creation power and we become perfect as God is.
- Philippians
2: 9, Therefore
God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is
above every name,
We experience exalting power as Jesus who is obedient until He is lifted up. We minister to Him until we are obedient. We do not want to become the greatest but the least, meaning we humble ourselves by solemnly ministering to God until we are obedient.
We lift up our hands and He also stretches His hand until there are these things.
- Victory
power, meaning all
problems are solved and all tears are wiped away, so we can be
joyful.
- Creating
power, meaning we are sanctified and renewed until we can return to
become the first creation. There is also power creating something
that has not existed yet for our life preservation. For example, we
do not have any ability in our study but obedience, so it is God,
Himself, who gives us the ability to well study.
On the contrary,
disobedience will make one lose the ability in his study and job.
God will give us wonderful ability if we are obedient, although we
have no ability.
- Exalting
power, namely failure can be changed to success.
Bad condition can be made beautiful until we are lifted up on
glorious clouds when Jesus comes a second time, to be with Him
forever.
- Victory
power, meaning all
problems are solved and all tears are wiped away, so we can be
joyful.
The Word of God may be difficult to understand because it needs deep understanding, but let Holy Spirit help you because we need the Word to minister to God. We must solemnly minister to God. We have the Holy Spirit when we have the ephod or the cross.
We minister to God with:
- righteousness,
- peace,
- joy,
- the
will to become the least, not the greatest, because we do not have
any right but duty,
- obedience.
It is enough to make us lift up our two hands to God and He
stretches his two hands for us, so there is power of victory,
creating, and exalting.
God never fools us when we minister to Him solemnly.