Matthew26:17-19
26:17. Now on the first day of the Feastof the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"
26:18 And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"
26:19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
The preparation of Passover.
This morning, we are discussing the preparation of Passover related to the place.
It is mentioned here that the place is in a city and in a house.
Mark 14:13-15
14:13 And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city,and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.
14:14 Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'
14:15 Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished andprepared; there make ready for us."
The place for the Passover feast desired by God is in a city, at a large upper room, furnished and prepared.
Spiritually, this denotes the New Jerusalem.
Revelation21:10
21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
In Old Testament, the Passover is the deliverance of Israelites from Egypt, to enter the land of Canaan.
In New Testament, the Passover is the deliverance of the church of God from sins and the world, to welcome God in glorious clouds, and enter the New Jerusalem.
The person who may enter the Passover feast is a man carrying a pitcher of water.
A pitcher denotes human's life which is like a clay pot. No matter how great a man is, he is fragile and will be destroyed, will perish.
Therefore, we must be filled with living water from Heaven.
Thus, a pitcher filled with water is human life which is like a clay pot and filled by living water from Heaven, such that he will become perfect as Jesus. This is a life who will enter New Jerusalem.
How can our life be filled with living water such that we become perfect as Jesus?
Ephesians5:25-27
5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
From God's side.
From God's side, Jesus had to die on the cross, be buried, and raised on the third day, lifted up to the Heaven to fill our life with living water from Heaven.
From our side.
26:17. Now on the first day of the Feastof the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"
26:18 And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"
26:19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
The preparation of Passover.
This morning, we are discussing the preparation of Passover related to the place.
It is mentioned here that the place is in a city and in a house.
Mark 14:13-15
14:13 And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city,and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.
14:14 Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'
14:15 Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished andprepared; there make ready for us."
The place for the Passover feast desired by God is in a city, at a large upper room, furnished and prepared.
Spiritually, this denotes the New Jerusalem.
Revelation21:10
21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
In Old Testament, the Passover is the deliverance of Israelites from Egypt, to enter the land of Canaan.
In New Testament, the Passover is the deliverance of the church of God from sins and the world, to welcome God in glorious clouds, and enter the New Jerusalem.
The person who may enter the Passover feast is a man carrying a pitcher of water.
A pitcher denotes human's life which is like a clay pot. No matter how great a man is, he is fragile and will be destroyed, will perish.
Therefore, we must be filled with living water from Heaven.
Thus, a pitcher filled with water is human life which is like a clay pot and filled by living water from Heaven, such that he will become perfect as Jesus. This is a life who will enter New Jerusalem.
How can our life be filled with living water such that we become perfect as Jesus?
Ephesians5:25-27
5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
From God's side.
From God's side, Jesus had to die on the cross, be buried, and raised on the third day, lifted up to the Heaven to fill our life with living water from Heaven.
From our side.
- We must enter the right baptism.
The right baptism is baptism based on the Holy Bible, and we have to be baptized in the same way as Jesus was baptized.
Baptism is as the ark of Noah. There were many arks at that time, but only the ark of Noah which was right and able to save.
Romans6:2-4
6:2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
6:3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
6:4 Therefore we were buriedwith Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The requirement to enter the right baptism is dying to sin, which equals to repentance.
Repentance is started from dying to lies; there should be no more lie.
People who speak lies are lazy to repent, until they cannot repent.
Jeremiah9:5
9:5 Everyone will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves to commit iniquity.
The right execution of water baptism is the person who has repented must be buried [Romans 6:4] or dived in water with Jesus, such that he will rise in new life, Heavenly life.
1 Peter3:20-21
3:20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while theark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
New life is life who has new conscience, that isa good conscience, being obedient.
Mark 2:22
2:22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins."
If we have new conscience, it will be filled with new wine that is the living water of Holy Spirit.
The results are as follows:- We experience Heavenly satisfaction, Heavenly joy which is not affected by the situation and condition of the world.
- There are no grumbling, always giving thanks to God.
- Flowing to the others, testifying about the Gospel Word (to sinful people such that they are saved) and about the teaching Word (to people who have been saved such that they are purified and perfected).
- Worshiping God, springing upward.
Romans8:26-28
8:26. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
8:27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is,because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will ofGod.
8:28 And we know thatall things work together for good to those who love God,to those who are the called according to Hispurpose.
The result is God will work together to give all good things in our life.
- We experience Heavenly satisfaction, Heavenly joy which is not affected by the situation and condition of the world.
- We are willing to be dived in the water of true teaching Word[Ephesians5:26].
Deuteronomy32:2
32:2 Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass.
The level of teaching Word is as follows:- As the dew, which still cannot be seen and understood by many people.
- As raindrops, which can be seen and understood by some people.
- As showers, such that we can enjoy it, dive and go deeper in the water of teaching Word.
This is especially in the Bible Study Service.
Hebrews4:12-13
4:12 For the word of God isliving and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things arenaked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must giveaccount.
Teaching Word is the Word which is sharper than any two-edged sword, which pierces and shows all the sins and hidden things inside the heart.
The process of showering in the water of teaching Word is as follows:- Listening solemnly to the Word as a need.
- Understanding the true teaching Word.
- Believing and being sure to the true teaching Word.
- Practicing the true teaching Word.
The results are as follows:- The first sharpness is to point, purify, and put to death the sins.
Colossians3:5-7
3:5. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth:(1)fornication, (2) uncleanness, (3) passion, (4) evil desire, and (5) covetousness, which is(6)idolatry.
3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
3:7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
These are six carnal sins which can be seen.
Colossians3:8-9
3:8. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: (1) anger, (2) wrath, (3) malice, (4) blasphemy, (5) filthy language out of your mouth.
3:9 (6) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
These are six inner sins, which are hidden inside.
Our life must be purified outside and inside. - The second sharpness is to renew flesh man to become new man as perfect as Jesus.
Colossians3:10-14
3:10 and have put on the new manwho is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
3:11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave norfree, but Christ isall and in all.
3:12 Therefore, as theelect of God, holy and beloved, put on (1) tender mercies,(2)kindness, (3) humility,(4)meekness,(5)longsuffering;
3:13 bearing with one another, and (6) forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
3:14 But above all these things(7)put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Six is the number of flesh which must be purified, such that seven God's character will appear, those are:- Tender mercies, that is not judging the others, willingness to help sinful people.
- Kindness, that is being generous, not being stingy, being willing to give for God's work and the others.
- Humility, that is confessing to God and the others, and not repeating the sins if we are forgiven.
- Meekness, that is the ability to receive the Word no matter how hard it is.
- Longsuffering, that is being patient in suffering, not grumbling but always giving thanks to God. It also means patience in waiting God's time, such that not searching for another way out outside the Word.
- Forgiving one another and forgetting it.
- Experiencing God's love.
God's love is the living water from Heaven.
This morning, God wants to fill us with the living water of Holy Spirit, dive us in the living water of the Word of God, until we receive the living water of God's love.
God's love is as the STRONG hands of God which are stretched out to us, God's love which never shifts any little. The results are as follows:- God's strong hands always embrace powerless baby; to care our life miraculously in the middle of difficulties in this world; to protect us from any distress in this world, up to protection from antichrist.
Isaiah49:14-16
49:14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me."
49:15 " Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.
49:16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls arecontinually before Me. - God's strong hands are able to solve all problems even the impossible ones. God's loving hands are able to erase all the tears.
Deuteronomy7:7-8
7:7 The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;
7:8 but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. - God's strong hands help our powerless life in facing sins up to the peak of sins which scatter and perish the body of Christ. God's strong hands also unite our life to become one perfect body of Christ, until entering the last Passover place in New Jerusalem.
Colossians3:14
3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
- Tender mercies, that is not judging the others, willingness to help sinful people.
- As the dew, which still cannot be seen and understood by many people.