Matthew 26:57-68 is about "WITNESS AND TESTIMONY".
From the sole of our feet up to the top of our head, we must be in the light of testimony, until we will be appeared as light of the world as Jesus. But, if Christian lives do not bear witness, they will deny God.
There are two kinds of witness and testimony as follows:
Matthew 26:63-66
26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
26:64 Jesus said to him, “It is asyou said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!
26:66 What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.”
Jesus is the example of true witness. Jesus kept bearing witness that He is Christ, the Son of living God, although He had to face persecution and death. Jesus kept bearing witness about righteousness although He had to face persecution and death.
Therefore, we must also bear witness about righteousness whatever the risks we have to face, wherever and whenever. And we must testify that Jesus is Christ.
Christ equals to “the anointed”. There are three anointed ministries as follows:
Son of God
|
King ---------------- Servant
|
|
Human
Bearing witness about Christ, the Son of living God equals to bearing witness about the cross of Christ. It equals to experiencing death and resurrection experience with Jesus to reach glory.
The baby of Moses, who was laid on the river, is the description of death experience with Jesus.
Exodus 2:3
2:3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid itin the reeds by the river’s bank.
No matter how great an ark of bulrushes is, it will have some holes. No matter how great we are, we will easily get leak, there will be holes.
If this ark of bulrushes is laid on the river, it will sink. Therefore, this ark must be daubed with asphalt and pitch.
Asphalt equals to the Word of God.
Pitch equals to the oil of Holy Spirit.
These denote the true teaching Word.
Flesh man is easily getting leak, having many lacks and weaknesses, and having no power to face death experience. Therefore, we must be strengthened by the true teaching Word, the Word that is sharper than two-edged sword. Thus we will be able to face death experience with God.
The practices of cross/ death experience and resurrection experience are as follows:
From the sole of our feet up to the top of our head, we must be in the light of testimony, until we will be appeared as light of the world as Jesus. But, if Christian lives do not bear witness, they will deny God.
There are two kinds of witness and testimony as follows:
- The false witness in verse 59-63a.
- The true witness in verse 63b-66.
Matthew 26:63-66
26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
26:64 Jesus said to him, “It is asyou said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!
26:66 What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.”
Jesus is the example of true witness. Jesus kept bearing witness that He is Christ, the Son of living God, although He had to face persecution and death. Jesus kept bearing witness about righteousness although He had to face persecution and death.
Therefore, we must also bear witness about righteousness whatever the risks we have to face, wherever and whenever. And we must testify that Jesus is Christ.
Christ equals to “the anointed”. There are three anointed ministries as follows:
- King.
- Priest/ servant.
- Prophet/ suffered human.
Son of God
|
King ---------------- Servant
|
|
Human
Bearing witness about Christ, the Son of living God equals to bearing witness about the cross of Christ. It equals to experiencing death and resurrection experience with Jesus to reach glory.
The baby of Moses, who was laid on the river, is the description of death experience with Jesus.
Exodus 2:3
2:3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid itin the reeds by the river’s bank.
No matter how great an ark of bulrushes is, it will have some holes. No matter how great we are, we will easily get leak, there will be holes.
If this ark of bulrushes is laid on the river, it will sink. Therefore, this ark must be daubed with asphalt and pitch.
Asphalt equals to the Word of God.
Pitch equals to the oil of Holy Spirit.
These denote the true teaching Word.
Flesh man is easily getting leak, having many lacks and weaknesses, and having no power to face death experience. Therefore, we must be strengthened by the true teaching Word, the Word that is sharper than two-edged sword. Thus we will be able to face death experience with God.
The practices of cross/ death experience and resurrection experience are as follows:
- Death experience: having died to sins.
1 Peter 2:24
2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
1 Corinthians 5:11
5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
Especially we must die from six sins which become blood and flesh as follows:- Being sexually immoral, that is doing sexuality sin with all its variety (sexual deviation, infidelity, marrying-divorcing, marrying and being given in marriage).
- Getting drunk, smoking, consuming drugs.
- Being covetous.
- A reviler, who blames the right, or justify the wrong one.
- An extortioner.
- An idolater.
If we die to sins, we will be able to enter resurrection experience, that is live for righteousness.
If we live for righteousness, we will experience the power of God’s stripes to heal us, physically and spiritually. Healthy spirit, healthy ministry, healthy marriage will enter the building of perfect body of Christ, in order to be glorified with God. - Being sexually immoral, that is doing sexuality sin with all its variety (sexual deviation, infidelity, marrying-divorcing, marrying and being given in marriage).
- Prioritizing or putting ministry more than any other matters in this world.
Colossians 3:1-3
3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
1 Timothy 4:8-10
4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
4:9 This isa faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.
4:10 For to this endwe both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is theSavior of all men, especially of those who believe.
We must struggle to be able to prioritize ministry more than anything else, to be faithful and fervent in spirit in ministry until we finish the race.
Acts 20:24
20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
'Nor do I count my life dear to myself' means do not want to be hindered by anything, until cannot be hindered by anything.
God has struggled twice for the ministry. In Old Testament, God judged Egypt ten times until Israelites could minister God. In New Testament, Jesus sacrificed until died on the cross such that Gentiles could minister God.
Therefore, we should not doubt to struggle our ministry.
Even the third, now and forever God is raising intercession prayer for us such that none of us falls in the halfway.
1 Timothy 4:8
4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
God never fools us. If we struggle for our ministry, the result is we experience the firstborn blessing doubly.- Care for our present and future life.
- Being heirs to enter the kingdom of Heaven.
4:22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel isMy son, My firstborn.
4:23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’”
If we do not prioritize the ministry, we will lose our firstborn, that is something we proud of, something we hope for, etc. - Care for our present and future life.
- Experiencing renewal of life.
Death means dying from old life.
Resurrection means rising in new life.
Without renewal of life from flesh man to spiritual man, we will never be lifted up on Jesus’ second coming.
Renewal of life will result on life as newborn baby.
Newborn baby is honest and having no lies.
Newborn baby also cries a lot. It means we worship God more with broken heart; we believe and surrender our life to God.
A father whose child is an epileptic, at the end asking for help for his unbelief. He honestly confessed that he was the wrong one.
Mark 9:23-24
9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things arepossible to him who believes.”
9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
A mother of Canaan whose child was demon-possessed also honestly confessed her condition.
Matthew 15:24-28
15:24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
15:25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
15:26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw itto the little dogs.”
15:27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
15:28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great isyour faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Martha is a representation of youth. She did not want to open the tomb of Lazarus because she did not believe.
John 11:38-40
11:38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
11:39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been deadfour days.”
11:40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”
Lazarus was allowed to die four days such that Martha could become honest, could believe and fully surrender herself to God, could worship God more.
If we are honest and believe God, it equals to stretching out both our hands to God. Thus, God will also stretch out His hands of mercy and grace, such that miracles will happen.
Moses was drawn out of water until he was appointed as the king’s son. Everything that is impossible becomes possible, and there will be beautiful future. We will be used in the ministry of building body of Christ. Until the last miracle, we will be renewed as glorious as God and become His bride.