To coincide with priests upgrading I
Matthew26:20-25
26:20 When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.
26:21 Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."
26:22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?"
26:23 He answered and said, "He who dipped hishand 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."
EATING THE PASSOVER
In Old Testament, eating the Passover was equal to eating unleavened bread and roasted flesh of lamb.
In New Testament, eating the Passover means as follows:
All apostles considered Judas Iscariot as a good life and was used by God, but there was something hidden and only the power of teaching Word and Holy Communion which is able to point it.
The term "Lord, is it I?" (Matthew26:22) is a good opportunity to correct ourselves and reconcile sins up to hidden sins.
Why do we have to reconcile sins up to hidden sins?
If we find sins, we must reconcile the sins. The process is as follows:
As long as we can feel shame, we still can be helped. We must reconcile sins immediately!
Living in sins (keep sinning) as dog and sow equals to being naked and having no shame.
Although we ever fell in sins and being naked, if we can feel shame, God is still able to help us!
When we do fault, we must ask for forgiveness to God and the others immediately, and everything will be paid off.
The ministry of reconciliation is the ministry of High Priest.
If we want to reconcile, live in righteousness, and become slave of righteousness, it equals to living in the hands of High Priest and Great Shepherd which has the print of the nails.
The results are as follows:
Matthew26:20-25
26:20 When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.
26:21 Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."
26:22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?"
26:23 He answered and said, "He who dipped hishand 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."
EATING THE PASSOVER
In Old Testament, eating the Passover was equal to eating unleavened bread and roasted flesh of lamb.
In New Testament, eating the Passover means as follows:
- Eating unleavened bread equals to the true teaching Word which is written in the Bible and revealed (one verse is explained by another verse).
- Eating roasted flesh equals to the Holy Communion.
All apostles considered Judas Iscariot as a good life and was used by God, but there was something hidden and only the power of teaching Word and Holy Communion which is able to point it.
The term "Lord, is it I?" (Matthew26:22) is a good opportunity to correct ourselves and reconcile sins up to hidden sins.
Why do we have to reconcile sins up to hidden sins?
- For long term, sins which have not been reconciled will be judged on the white throne, and the wages of sin is death (perdition).
The most important thing in the church is reconciling sins. We should not focus only on blessings or physical matters!
Sins that will be judged are as follows:- Our own sins.
II Corinthians5:10
5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things donein the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.- Sin deeds up to the peak of sins.
The peak of sins is eating-drinking sins (smoking, getting drunk, gambling, consuming drugs) and marrying-giving in marriage sins (sexuality sins with all its variety, including wrong marriage).
All sin deeds must be accounted in the white throne, no matter how much sacrifice we have done for the church, no matter how great our service is, etc. - Sin words, that is lies, slanders, etc.
- Sin intention or desire inside heart and mind, that is envy, grudge, bitterness, etc.
- Sin deeds up to the peak of sins.
- Judging the others' sins.
Matthew7:1-3
7:1. "Judge not, that you be not judged.
7:2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
7:3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
Judging the others' sins equals to being hypocritical, since his own sins are bigger than the others'.
The right attitudes to the others' sins are as follows:- Do not judge the others' sins!
- Do not approve sins!
Be watchful! The examples are Adam approved Eve's sin, Ananias approved Sapphira's sin.
The consequence was being naked and cursed (sorrow situation), being withered and spiritually died. - Bring and take that sinful life to listen the true teaching Word, such that his sins are shown and he may repent to reconcile his sins.
- Do not judge the others' sins!
- Everything which is not done although God (the Word) has moved us, because of egoism.
Matthew25:45-46
25:45 Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do itto one of the least of these, you did not do itto Me.'
25:46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Let the word of God move us in the ministry, not any other man!
Egoism (self-importance) is goat's character, that is sacrificing spiritual matters (the Word, ministry) for carnal matters.
If God has moved us through the Word, God will give us ability to do it.
Parents in the world know their children's ability limit, moreover God.
The things happened frequently is God has given us ability, but we reject it and prefer carnal matters because of egoism.
An egoistic life is still being withdrawn farther from God and going nearer to the hell.
On the contrary, if we are willing to sacrifice carnal matters to get spiritual matters, although it hurts the flesh, we are still being withdrawn closer to God and blessed by God.
Matthew25:34
25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
We have to reconcile our sins immediately! - Our own sins.
- For short term, if sins have been reconciled, we can become slaves of righteousness or God's servants.
Romans6:18
6:18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
If sins have not been reconciled yet (becoming slaves of sins), he is not permitted and cannot become slaves of righteousness (God's servant), his ministry will be rejected by God.
Sin is the heaviest burden in our life.
If sin is kept (still bearing the burden), the ministry will not please God and the others.
The requirement of being slaves of righteousness (God's servant) is being set free from sins and living in righteousness.
Do not keep something which is not right! Let us check every aspect of our lives!
I Peter4:7
4:7. But the end of all things is at hand;therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
When this verse was written, it was 2000 years ago. It was mentioned "the end of all things is at hand". Moreover in our time now.
I Peter4:17-18
4:17 For the time has comefor judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it beginswith us first, what will bethe end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
4:18 Now " If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
Lord Jesus' second time coming is getting closer, NOW is the time to judge ourselvesthrough two ways as follows:- Eating the true teaching Word and Holy Communion. It equals to perseverance in Bible Study Service with Holy Communion.
The priests have to persevere in Bible Study Service with Holy Communion.
If we always serve God without eating, sooner or later we will die spiritually.
Through eating the teaching Word and Holy Communion, we receive purification and new strength to serve God.
Spiritual matters must be prioritized; carnal matters are only bonus from God. - Chastening.
If we reject the Word, chastening surely will come.
No matter how hard the Word is, it is the stretching cord of God's love. If the Word is rejected, the cords will be collected and spun to become chastening rod.
The example is Jonah. He was disobedient when God commanded him to go to Nineveh, and chose to go to Tarshish.
God chastened him with big waves until Jonah came back to purity.
Job was living in self-truth even felt that his righteousness is more than God.
God chastened Job completely until Job sat in dust and ashes (humbling himself in front of God).
If chastening is still rejected, that life will be left by God to be perished forever. The example is Judas Iscariot.
We cannot merely become a priest. We must remember Judas!
- Eating the true teaching Word and Holy Communion. It equals to perseverance in Bible Study Service with Holy Communion.
If we find sins, we must reconcile the sins. The process is as follows:
- Confessing sins solemnly to God and the others, and we will be forgiven.
- Do not repeat the sins again!
- The result is living in peace.
If our heart is in peace, we will be able to face everything (hard warnings, slanders, etc.).
As long as we can feel shame, we still can be helped. We must reconcile sins immediately!
Living in sins (keep sinning) as dog and sow equals to being naked and having no shame.
Although we ever fell in sins and being naked, if we can feel shame, God is still able to help us!
When we do fault, we must ask for forgiveness to God and the others immediately, and everything will be paid off.
The ministry of reconciliation is the ministry of High Priest.
If we want to reconcile, live in righteousness, and become slave of righteousness, it equals to living in the hands of High Priest and Great Shepherd which has the print of the nails.
The results are as follows:
- II Corinthians5:18-19
5:18 Now all things areof God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
The hands of Great Shepherd are able to use us to serve Him.
We are trusted in the building perfect body of Christ.
If we only merely serve God, it equals to serving God without being trusted by God. At the end, God's answer is "Depart from me!"
If priests keep living in sins (there is no peaceful heart), they do not serve the ministry of reconciliation, but oppose one side against the other (through bad words, etc.). The consequence is this kind of life will be perished.
As long as we have no peace, we will not be used by God in the ministry of reconciliation. - Romans16:20
16:20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ bewith you. Amen.
The hands of High Priest are able to crush Satan.- The hands of High Priest have the power to solve all our problems, even the impossible one.
We must keep our heart in peace (do not grumbling!), then High Priest will solve everything. - The hands of High Priest have the power to crush every barrier, such that we can keep serving God until His second coming.
- The hands of High Priest have the power to solve all our problems, even the impossible one.
- I Thessalonians5:23
5:23.Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The hands of High Priest are able to care our body, soul, and spirit until we become perfect.- God's hands are able to care our physical life, our future, up to eternal life.
- God's hands are able to care our spiritual life, that is purifying and renewing our life until we become perfect as His bride.
- God's hands are able to care our physical life, our future, up to eternal life.