Matthew 26:30-35 is about the WARNING TO PETER.
Formerly, there was a warning to Judas. It is a warning to us that salvation is not an easy matter. An apostle as Judas or Peter still needed to get the warning, moreover we need the warning.
Matthew 26:30-31
26:30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
26:31 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
The Mount of Olives is full of olive trees that will produce olive fruits. The olive fruits must be dried and pressed to produce olive oil. It refers to Jesus, who has died on the cross.
Jesus must die on the cross because of these two things:
In Tabernacle, the sheepfold refers to the Holy Place. There are three kinds of equipment in the Holy Place which refer to the perseverance in doing three main services as follows:
Entering the sheepfold means we are well shepherded as a branch that abides in the True Vine.
As a result, our life is well-organized. In the shepherding, the Lord gives us heavenly joy nothing in the world can affect.
In facts, the shepherd is struck and the sheep are scattered [Matthew 26:31].
Formerly, Jesus as shepherd was killed, so the disciples were scattered.
Now, it means there are many shakings in the shepherding done by sins up to the peak of sins, namely sin concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage, and false teachings. There many temptations in all aspects of physical life such as economy, health, marriage, and children, et cetera. The purpose of Satan's shaking the shepherding is to make the sheep scattered because he knows that the shepherding is the best place.
Zechariah 13:7-8
13:7. "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion," Says the LORD of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
13:8 And it shall come to pass in all the land," Says the LORD, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it:
The sheep are scattered as follows:
The scattered sheep are as branches that do not abide in the True Vine anymore. It refers to spiritual dryness, spiritual death, even perdition.
There three reasons of the spiritual dryness as follows:
Formerly, there was a warning to Judas. It is a warning to us that salvation is not an easy matter. An apostle as Judas or Peter still needed to get the warning, moreover we need the warning.
Matthew 26:30-31
26:30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
26:31 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
The Mount of Olives is full of olive trees that will produce olive fruits. The olive fruits must be dried and pressed to produce olive oil. It refers to Jesus, who has died on the cross.
Jesus must die on the cross because of these two things:
- To pour out the oil of the anointing of Holy Spirit to us.
- To become Good Shepherd.
In Tabernacle, the sheepfold refers to the Holy Place. There are three kinds of equipment in the Holy Place which refer to the perseverance in doing three main services as follows:
- Golden Candlestick -->the perseverance in doing General Service.
- Table of Showbread -->the perseverance in doing Bible Study Service and Holy Communion.
- Golden Altar of Incense -->the perseverance in doing Prayer Service.
Entering the sheepfold means we are well shepherded as a branch that abides in the True Vine.
As a result, our life is well-organized. In the shepherding, the Lord gives us heavenly joy nothing in the world can affect.
In facts, the shepherd is struck and the sheep are scattered [Matthew 26:31].
Formerly, Jesus as shepherd was killed, so the disciples were scattered.
Now, it means there are many shakings in the shepherding done by sins up to the peak of sins, namely sin concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage, and false teachings. There many temptations in all aspects of physical life such as economy, health, marriage, and children, et cetera. The purpose of Satan's shaking the shepherding is to make the sheep scattered because he knows that the shepherding is the best place.
Zechariah 13:7-8
13:7. "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion," Says the LORD of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
13:8 And it shall come to pass in all the land," Says the LORD, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it:
The sheep are scattered as follows:
- The two-thirds are cut off and die.
- The one-third is left alive.
The scattered sheep are as branches that do not abide in the True Vine anymore. It refers to spiritual dryness, spiritual death, even perdition.
There three reasons of the spiritual dryness as follows:
- Stony places = hard heart.
Matthew 13:5-6,20-21
13:5 "Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.
13:6 "But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.
13:20 "But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
13:21 "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
The hard heart is full of lusts, emotion, ambition, and without love.
The sign of receiving the Word of God with the hard heart full of lusts and emotion is as follows:- Being joyful and enthusiastic in receiving the Word of God which is in line with the flesh lusts.
- Having dislike even being angry when the Word of God is not in line with the flesh lusts, especially the Word that points to the sins.
Consequently, the seed of the Word of God does not become faith in heart, it does not have root in heart. One becomes dry and fades away even departs the faith and the true teaching Word when the temptation comes as the sun which is up.The one who has no root of faith and the other who has the root will seem similar when there is no temptation, but the difference will be seen when the temptation comes. The one who has no root of faith will fall from the faith but the other who has the root will be firm whatever condition he must face.
James 1:21
1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
We must provide the good ground of our heart or the meek heart, so we can receive the Word of God, no matter how hard it is, especially the Word that points to our sins.
The process of receiving the Word is as follows:- Hearing the Word seriously although it is hard Word showing us our sins.
- Understanding the Word.
- Believing in the Word of God and it becomes faith and root in our heart.
- Practicing the Word; the Word produces fruits a hundred fold.
The ones who have the hard heart are the two-thirds of the flock and they die. On the contrary, the ones who receive the Word with meek heart are the one-third of the flock and they are still alive.
Ephesians 5:8-10
5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
5:9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
5:10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
Producing fruits means we have the fruits of light as follows:- The fruit of righteousness.
Do not play with unrighteous matters. - The fruit of truth, meaning we are not on the side of others but God.
- The fruit of goodness, meaning we do not give anyone disadvantage, we do not repay evil for evil, but we repay good for evil.
Being righteous, true, and good means we have salvation.
If we do not live in righteousness, truth, and goodness, we will have no salvation.
Being righteous, true, and good means we satisfy God and He will satisfy us for sure. - Being joyful and enthusiastic in receiving the Word of God which is in line with the flesh lusts.
- Not being shepherded.
John 15:6
15:6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
The condition of not being shepherded can be described as these two things:- As a branch that does not abide in the true Vine anymore.
- As a fig tree by the road.
The facts found in not being shepherded are as follows:- Not being firm abiding in the one true teaching Word because of hearing many strange sounds.
- Wandering, not persevering in the shepherding. Wandering also means meeting with other doctrines many times.
1 Peter 5:8
5:8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Wandering, the sheep will only meet roaring lion, referring to other doctrines which make doubt in spirituality even cause spiritual death. - Being in the shepherding but not consuming the true shepherding Word. Judas was shepherded by Jesus Himself, but he could not receive the true teaching Word and finally he received the teaching of the chief priests.
Matthew 26:23-25
26:23 He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.
26:24 "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."
26:25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."
Judas always avoided or dodged the true teaching Word. He rejected and disobeyed the Word because of keeping hidden sins. The priests also hid envy to Jesus, so they matched Judas.
Consequently, Judas sold Jesus and he became a traitor as follows:- Being faithful in doing service and ministry but only to seek physical matters.
- Leaving service and ministry or sacrificing the true teaching Word only for seeking physical matters.
Let us now be serious in the shepherding!
Judas and Peter still needed to get the warning, moreover we must be warned also.
In the end Judas got money but only to buy the tomb. His life was in the ambience of tomb, meaning many sorrows and tears up to perdition. - Being faithful in doing service and ministry but only to seek physical matters.
- As a branch that does not abide in the true Vine anymore.
- Egoism, self-interest.
Haggai 1:2-4
1:2 "Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: 'This people says, "The time has not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built."'"
1:3 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
1:4 "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?"
Egoism means as follows:- Prioritizing self-interest more than the interest of the body of Christ.
- Postponing on doing something for the body of Christ.
- Sacrificing spiritual matters to get the physical ones.
- Being satisfied only with physical blessings so there is no will to enter the building of Christ's body.
John 1:48-51
1:48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
1:49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
1:50 Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these."
1:51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
Do not be afraid of leaving the fig tree! We will see greater things if we want to go out of the fig tree and join the building of Christ's body.
Haggai 1:11
1:11 "For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands."
The consequence of being egoistic is being dry.
Haggai 1:14
1:14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
We must be sanctified by the true teaching Word, so we can be faithful and fervent in Spiritin the ministry of building the body of Christ.
Haggai 2:4
2:4 'Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the LORD; 'and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' says the LORD of hosts.
We must be strong and of good courage, meaning we hold fast the true teaching Word whatever risk we have to face. We are not disappointed or proud of anything but we always give thanks to God.
2 Chronicles 15:7
15:7 "But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!"
Haggai 2:23
2:23 'In that day,' says the LORD of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says the LORD, 'and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,' says the LORD of hosts."
Afterward, we receive a signet ring, meaning the mercy of God nothing may charge against.
Song of Solomon 8:5-6
8:5. A RELATIVE Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth.
8:6 THE SHULAMITE TO HER BELOVED Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.
We are embraced and set as a seal upon God's heart and arm.
Isaiah 46:3-4
46:3 "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb:
46:4 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
All things in the world can be moved but the mercy of God cannot be moved anyway.
We live in the embrace of God's hand which is full of mercy as follows:- The hand of God's mercy preserves our life wonderfully for our present life, future one, and eternal one.
- The hand of God's mercy bears all our heavy burdens until we can feel so easy and light in our life. The hand of God's mercy also solves all our problems in time of need.
- The hand of God's mercy sanctifies and changes us until we someday become perfect as Jesus is.
- Prioritizing self-interest more than the interest of the body of Christ.