Taken from delayed broadcast of fellowship in Pekanbaru, November 30, 2011 (Evening)
Theme: Jesus was born to save His people.
Matthew 1:21
1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."
Tonight we will discuss about Jesus' birth related to dream or the revelation of God's Word.
There are four times Joseph got dream from the Lord as follows:
Theme: Jesus was born to save His people.
Matthew 1:21
1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."
Tonight we will discuss about Jesus' birth related to dream or the revelation of God's Word.
There are four times Joseph got dream from the Lord as follows:
- Joseph, a just man, got a dream that he should not be afraid of receiving Jesus, the sign of salvation.
Matthew 1:19-21
1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
1:20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraidto take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."
It means as follows:- Do not fear or release Jesus/salvation, whatever we have to face in our life. Facing many difficulties and threats, we have to keep holding fast to Jesus.
- Do not trade Jesus/salvation with anything in the world such as riches, marriage, et cetera.
4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
There is no other name that can save sinful people but JESUS.
Philippians 2:9-11
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,
2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The name of Jesus is able to defeat all enemies even the death. Therefore, all tongues must confess Jesus' name in order to be saved.
Romans 10:10,13
10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
In shorts, the first dream gives us learning that we have to keep our FAITH and CONFESSION to Jesus' name with SINCERE HEART, so we have our salvation forever.
Do not deny Jesus as Peter did. The great Peter could deny Jesus, who are we?
Therefore, we have to keep the sincerity and honesty. - Do not fear or release Jesus/salvation, whatever we have to face in our life. Facing many difficulties and threats, we have to keep holding fast to Jesus.
- Joseph had a dream that he should flee to Egypt because Herod wanted to kill Jesus.
Matthew 2:13
2:13. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."
After confessing Jesus' name or being saved, we still need to be alert because there is Satan (Herod) chasing us.
In the New Testament, Joseph went down from Canaan to Egypt.
In the Old Testament, Jacob went down from Canaan to Egypt because there was Joseph providing wheat in Egypt.
Going down from Canaan to Egypt means a way of cross or death experience together with Jesus.
Why did God let the going down from Canaan (the land of promise) to Egypt? Because it happens in line with the way of Jesus who descended from heaven to the world.
There was abundant wheat of Joseph in Egypt at that time.
Meaning God is revealing His Word abundantly through the way of crossto preserve our life physically and spiritually in the midst of famine which will happen in the world.
Genesis 42:1-2
42:1. When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"
42:2 And he said, "Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die."
Canaan (the land of promise which is full of milk and honey) is the description of the revival of spirituality. But there was famine in it, meaning the condition of the Church of God in the last days which has many revivals in spiritual thing but there is spiritual famine because there is no revelation of God's Word.
"Looking at one another" means as follows:- The problem of sin cannot be solved, moreover other problems cannot be solved also.
- Blaming one another.
Through the death experience (journey from Canaan to Egypt), we will get the revelation of God's Word, that is able to preserve our life until we have eternal life. Our life does not depend on the congregation or salary, but on the Word of God.
1 Peter 4:1
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,
The fact we can find in the death experience is suffering in the flesh to get the revelation of God's Word, so we can stop sinning.
Only the revelation of God's Word can make us stop sinning and we can be delivered from sin. Intelligence, riches, and good job, et cetera cannot stop the sins. - The problem of sin cannot be solved, moreover other problems cannot be solved also.
- Joseph got a dream to return to the land of Israel/Canaan because Herod had been dead.
Matthew 2:19-21
2:19. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dreamto Joseph in Egypt,
2:20 saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."
2:21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
Going from Egypt to Canaan means resurrection experience.
Jesus only died for three days but afterward He resurrected forever.
Herod had been dead means the power of sin does not influence our life anymore.
The power of sin cannot influence our life anymore if we are in the resurrection experience, and death cannot touch us.
1 Peter 4:2-4
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.
4:3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
4:4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.
The younger son got the portion of goods that falls to him as a heritage, so he seemed to be rich and successful. But when he left the house of his father, he went to the field of swine. Therefore, we have to be alert of it, do not keep living in sins.
The way of resurrection is when we use the remnant of time we have to live according to God's will, namely living in righteousness, and we can become the living witness of God.
Being the witness of God is being as the light that shines to other people who are in the darkness. Someday they can be brought to live in the light also.
If we live in righteousness, we are surrounded as if with shield and blessed by God, so the curse cannot enter our life.
Psalm 5:12
5:12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. - Joseph got a dream to go to the region of Galilee, in a city called Nazareth.
Matthew 2:22-23
2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."
Nazareth is a place where Jesus grew.
Being saved and living in righteousness mean being as a baby whom God surrounds as if with shield. But we cannot keep on being a baby because Jesus will come a second time as Heavenly Bridegroom to seek His Bride who is mature spiritually.
Nazareth refers to shepherding place or the way of glory or the place where our spirituality can grow from salvation to full maturity and perfection as Jesus is.
David would not have become a king if he had not been in shepherding. He was not greater than his elder brothers but he could be glorified because he was in shepherding place.
Psalm 23:1-6
23:1. <<A Psalm of David.>>The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.
23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
In the shepherding system:- [Psalm 23:1] We can say 'I shall not want'. It refers to the preservation in physical life and the sanctification from our sins until we are blameless.
- [Psalm 23:2] We are in peace and quietness.
- [Psalm 23:3] We are led to the right way and joyful one.
- [Psalm 23:4-6] We remain in the house of the Lord in any condition, whether we are in disaster, old age, et cetera. We keep faithful and fervent in spirit ministering and serving God. It equals to worshiping God continually and being the house of prayer of God.
If we are faithful worshiping God, the spirit of glory will be in our life.
The function of the spirit of glory is as follows:- The spirit of glory gives us righteousness, holiness, and perfection.
John 6:63
6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. - The spirit of glory is able to make all mountains plain, referring to finishing all problems even the impossible ones. The mountain becomes plain means we can see the beautiful and glorious future life.
Zechariah4:6-7
4:6 So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts.
4:7 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" - The spirit of glory gives us joy in the midst of sufferings. There is spirit of glory behind the sufferings, and there is glory behind the spirit of glory, meaning the spirit of glory can perform the greatest miracle, namely our life renewal from carnal man to spiritual one as Jesus is.
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.
- [Psalm 23:1] We can say 'I shall not want'. It refers to the preservation in physical life and the sanctification from our sins until we are blameless.