Peace and grace in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The whole Matthew 28 refers to the light of glory or Shekinah Glory.
There is resurrection and glory behind the suffering and death of Jesus.
Matthew 28:1-10 is about the resurrection of Jesus or life renewal.
Matthew 28:1-2
28:1. Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
28:2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
The light of glory shines the hard heart, so it becomes meek and there is renewal from carnal men to spiritual ones who are perfect as the angel or Jesus is.
Ad. 3. The renewal to the feelings.
Matthew 28:4-5
28:4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
28:5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
If our feeling is renewed, there will be no fear of anything in the world that makes us rebel or not fear theLord.
I John 4:18
4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
The renewal happens until there is no fear anymore but the perfect love.
The flesh men have no love, but lust, emotion, and ambition bringing fear and perdition. We only receive the love from God.
Receiving the love of God, there are two possibilities as follows.
Tonight we learn about the second one.
The process or the development of the love until it becomes the perfect one is as follows.
The whole Matthew 28 refers to the light of glory or Shekinah Glory.
There is resurrection and glory behind the suffering and death of Jesus.
Matthew 28:1-10 is about the resurrection of Jesus or life renewal.
Matthew 28:1-2
28:1. Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
28:2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
The light of glory shines the hard heart, so it becomes meek and there is renewal from carnal men to spiritual ones who are perfect as the angel or Jesus is.
- Verse 3: The renewal to the countenance.
- Verse 3: The renewal to the clothing.
- Verse 4-5: The renewal to the feelings.
Ad. 3. The renewal to the feelings.
Matthew 28:4-5
28:4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
28:5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
If our feeling is renewed, there will be no fear of anything in the world that makes us rebel or not fear theLord.
I John 4:18
4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
The renewal happens until there is no fear anymore but the perfect love.
The flesh men have no love, but lust, emotion, and ambition bringing fear and perdition. We only receive the love from God.
Receiving the love of God, there are two possibilities as follows.
- The love grows cold.
Matthew 24:12
24:12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
Consequently, the lawlessness will abound and the sins up to the peak, namely sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage, will too.
Hatred will also abound, up to the hatred without any reason.
The fear will also abound, even the sons and servants of God will die because of the fear, both the physical and spiritual one. For example, one fears of obeying the Word until he prefers to resist God. - The love will abound until it reaches the perfection.
Tonight we learn about the second one.
The process or the development of the love until it becomes the perfect one is as follows.
- We receive the first lovefrom the sacrifice of Jesus. It refers to the Court of Tabernacle. The process is as follows.
- We believe in Jesus of have faith through hearing the Word of Christ. We enter through the Gate of Tabernacle.
Romans 10:17
10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The Word of Christ is the Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit.
The anointing of Holy Spirit never brings rowdiness or funny things.
Jeremiah 15:16
15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joyand rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
The anointing of Holy Spirit helps us to enjoy hearing the Word of God with joy of heaven.
Luke 24:32
24:32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scripturesto us?"
Opening the Scriptures means the verse explains another verses.
The anointing of Holy Spirit makes us fervent in spirit hearing the Word of God.
Thus, the love of God begins from the time we enjoy hearing the Word of God with fervency in spirit until we can understand, and believe it. - Repenting. It refers to the Altar of Burnt Offering.
It means we stop sinning to return to God. Moreover, we stop slandering and judging the sins of other people. - Being baptized of water. It refers to the Brazen Laver.
We are reborn to receive new life, namely the deliverance from sin. We can hate the sin until we can live in righteousness. - Being baptized of Holy Spirit. It refers to the Door of Tabernacle.
We experience the fullness of Holy Spirit like a fiery flame.
John 3:6-8
3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
3:7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
3:8 "The windblows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Psalm 104:4
104:4 Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.
Being renewed of Holy Spirit makes us become as the wind and fire.
The fire means we are faithful and fevent in spirit doing our service and ministry to God.
The wind means the servant of God who makes himself of no reputation to obey God. We can cry "Abba, Father" because of Holy Spirit.
Being fervent in spirit without the obedience, one becomes as Saul who is fervent in spirit to seek and kill the followers of Christ.
The wind exists but it is nothing. It is the humbleness encouraging us to be obedient.
Jesus gives us an example in humbling Himself and not retaining heavenly kingdom, so He can be obedient to the point of death on the cross.
On the contrary, one who feels that he has all things will be difficult to become obedient, even he provokes other people and rebels.
There will be peace, quietness, and cooleness if there is obedience.
2:2 "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
2:3 "and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
2:4 "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
2:5 "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place––unless you repent.
2:7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."
The Church of Ephesus has a blemish because they leave the first love.
Why? Because they do not want to hear the Word of God.
The first love relates to the Garden Eden. Adam and Eve are driven out of it to enter the earth which is full of curses because they disobey the Word of God. Be alert of strange voice, especially from those who are near us.
If the servants of God are disobedient and unfaithful without the first love in the world which is full of curses, they will fall deeperly than the first one, namely they are driven out of the world to enter the hell or the sea of fire and brimstone forever.
On the contrary, we will return to paradise if we have the first love, obedience, faithfulness, and fervency in spirit.
The more we believe in the Word and enjoy it, repent, live in righteousness, obey God and serve Him faithfully and fervenly in spirit, the more we feel the ambience of paradise until it becomes a fact that we enter the Future Paradise or the kingdom of peace a thousand years.
The more we are weary and heavy laden in our following to Jesus, our condition will become as the Church of Ephesus.
It is difficult for our flesh to be obedient but all things become easy after we are obedient. The doors in the world are opened for us, even the door of heaven can also be opened for us.
For example, Peter and the other disciples are obedient to spread the net and they get a lot of fish. - We believe in Jesus of have faith through hearing the Word of Christ. We enter through the Gate of Tabernacle.
- We can persevere to love God. It refers to the Holy Place.
Joshua 23:11
23:11. "Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the LORD your God.
The facts found in it are as follwos.- Persevering in the Holy Place or the sheepfold.
Acts 2:41-42
2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
There are three kinds of equipment in the Holy Place at the days of Moses that refer to the three kinds of perseverance at the days of church of the early rain and the three kinds of perseverance in doing three main services to God at the days of the church of the latter rain as follows.- Golden Candlestick, referring to the perseverance in fellowship or General Service.
We make fellowship with Holy Spirit God with His gifts. - Table of Showbread or perseverance in apostles’ doctrine and the breaking of bread or Bible Study Service with Holy Communion.
We make fellowship with the Son of God in His Word and sacrifice. - Golden Altar of Incense or the perseverance in prayer or Pryer Service.
We make fellowship with Father God in His love.
- A pastor firstmust persevere in the shepherding to feed the sheep.
The food in the shepherding comes from struggling at Jesus’ feet through praying, fasting, and fellowship in the one true teaching Word.
The pastor who does not persevere in feeding the congregation is not shepherded.
In addition, a pastor who follows fellowship carelessly or not in the oneness of the true teaching Word is also not shepherded.
Consequently, the congregation has been scattered. - The sheep or congregationmust be shepherded through the perseverance in doing three main services to God.
In addition, they should not eat strange food or hear strange voice because there is poison in it.
Not persevering in doing three main services to God, the congregation has not been shepherded yet.
Hearing the strange voice, the congregation has not been shepherded yet.
Consequently, they are scattered.
All things are in vain or useless to go to forever perdition if there is no love.
John 21:15-17
21:15. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."
21:16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
We can receive these two things in the shepherding.- God corrects our love.
Peter, a great servant of God, is actually without the love.
Jesus asks him three times, referring to the shepherding Word in the three main services to God which is able to correct our life.
In the original language, the first question is about the love to God. Peter answers that he loves Jesus with the love to other people.
The second question is same as the first, namely about the love to God. Peter also answers that he has the love to other people.
The third question of Jesus is whether Peter loves Him with the love to other people. Then Peter is sad. He realizes that he has no love because he has denied Him.
Without the love, Peter becomes stumbling stone which will be drowned to perish forever. - Jesus adds His love in us.
John 21:18-19
21:18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."
21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
Peter who formerly was in fear until sacrificing Jesus can be filled with the love of God. As a result, he is willing to stretch out his hands to obey God to the point of death or to love God more than everything.
Acts 2:46
2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
Someday we will be in the house of the Lord every day. Our love abounds until we can love other people as we love ourselves.
Acts 2:42 refers to the breaking of bread in the temple or Holy Communion but verse 46 refers to the breaking of bread, which is eating food together in gladness and love.
Isaiah 58:7
58:7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."
The love covers the multitude of sins through the confession and forgiveness.
The repeated shepherding Word shows us our sin we often repeat, so we can realize, regret, and confess it to God and other people. As a result, the love of God covers our sin at that time and we do not sin anymore.
Sinning again, the forgiveness is canceled. Therefore, we need the repeated shepherding Word.
The more we have the love of God in our life, the more we confess our sin and the more sins that are covered by the love of God until we are without blemish.
Psalm 23:1
23:1. << A Psalm of David. >>l;The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
I shall not want means we are perfect and preserved in abundant life until we can give thanks to God and get the eternal life. - Golden Candlestick, referring to the perseverance in fellowship or General Service.
- Persevering in facing temptations.
James 1:12
1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
God lets us to face the shakings or temptations. Mary and Martha love God and vice versa, but they must face temptation.
Enduring the temptation means we can rejoice and give thanks with keeping on hoping in God although the temptation itself still happens.
Do not murmur, grumble, or blame one another!
I Peter 5:4
5:4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glorythat does not fade away.
Ones who are endurable in facing tests will get the crown of the Bride of God.
- Persevering in the Holy Place or the sheepfold.
- We receive the perfect love, referring to the Most Holy Place. We are shone by the love that is as the sun.
Matthew 5:43-45, 48
5:43. "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
5:45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
5:48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
The function of the love as the sun is as follows.- As a shield or God’s protection from the fiery dart of Satan.
Psalm 84:11
84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.
It means as follows.- Sins up to the peak, namely sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage.
Be alert! Satan is waiting for the time to attack and make us fall. Therefore, we must always be in the first love, shepherded, and shone by the love that is as the sun. - False teachings.
Be alert! The tail of dragon drags and makes a third of the stars of heaven fall. - Temptations that come suddenly to hit our life or marriage.
- Sins up to the peak, namely sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage.
- The goodness and mercy of God or the key of David.
What for?- To bless, preserve, and provide beautiful future life for us.
From a shepherd of two or three sheep, David can become a king. - To help us from impossible problems. God is able to solve all matters.
- To lift us up from falls in sins and failures.
- To bless, preserve, and provide beautiful future life for us.
- The glory of God to change us from carnal men to spiritual ones as Jesus is.
It begins from our honesty(Psalm 84:12). We can pray for other people who have hurt us even we can repay good for evil. We are perfect and able to welcome Jesus’ second coming on glorious clouds in joy.
- As a shield or God’s protection from the fiery dart of Satan.