To Coincide with Fasting Prayer Session 3
Peace in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The whole Matthew 27 refers to the seven sprinklings of blood on the Ark of the Covenant. Meaning the suffering Jesus experiences until He dies on the cross to save, sanctify, and perfect us.
There are seven passages in Matthew 27 that refer to the seven sprinklings of blood or sufferings Jesus experiences. We learn the fourth passage, namely Jesus is crucified and dead [Matthew 27:32-50].
Matthew 27:38-44
27:38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.
27:39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads
27:40 and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."
27:41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,
27:42 "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.
27:43 "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’"
27:44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
Peace in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The whole Matthew 27 refers to the seven sprinklings of blood on the Ark of the Covenant. Meaning the suffering Jesus experiences until He dies on the cross to save, sanctify, and perfect us.
There are seven passages in Matthew 27 that refer to the seven sprinklings of blood or sufferings Jesus experiences. We learn the fourth passage, namely Jesus is crucified and dead [Matthew 27:32-50].
- Verse 32 is about the facts found in the cross.
- Verse 33is about the place of the crucifixion.
- Verse 34-44 is about the meaning of the cross.
Matthew 27:38-44
27:38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.
27:39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads
27:40 and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross."
27:41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,
27:42 "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.
27:43 "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’"
27:44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.
- Negative attitude.
- Mocking the cross that can be divided into three groups as follows:
- [verse 41-43] chief priests and the scribes, referring to the servants of God;
- [verse 39-40] those who passed by, referring to general people;
- [verse 38, 44] robbers who were crucified with Him.
- [verse 41-43] chief priests and the scribes, referring to the servants of God;
- Rejecting the cross.
Matthew 16:21-23
16:21. From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
16:22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"
16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Simon Peter, a great servant of God, rejects the cross because of keeping the flesh mind or human logic. Human often keeps something that seems good but not righteous. The mind of God is something that is righteous and good.
Rejecting the cross, one will become same as devil and perish.
Simon, a man of Cyrene, is not famous but he is willing to bear the cross, so he receives the glory.
John 16:7
16:7. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
Jesus goes away means He suffers on the cross, resurrects, and ascends to heaven to pour out Holy Spirit.
Human will reject the cross if there is no Holy Spirit in him. Consequently, he becomes carnal man who only perishes.
On the contrary, we can receive Holy Spirit if we receive the cross. He is able to change our life from carnal man to spiritual one as Jesus is. As a result, we will receive eternal life.
- Mocking the cross that can be divided into three groups as follows:
- Positive attitude.
- Seeing or appreciating the cross, especially when we experience the bitterness or sorrow of life in the wilderness of the world, such as in marriage, economy, et cetera.
Exodus 15:23-25
15:23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.
15:24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"
15:25 So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them,
The facts found in seeing or appreciating the cross are as follows.- Not murmuring or blaming one another.
- Correcting our life always. We confess our sin to God and other people when we find mistakes in our life. Afterwards, we do not repeat the sins. Let us be silent when there is no sin in our life.
- Not lying.
- Giving thanks always to God.
As a result, the bitter things can be changed to become sweet. Meaning all things become beautiful and joyful in due time. - Not murmuring or blaming one another.
- Holding or lifting up the cross, especially when we face dead-end or impossibilities.
Exodus 14:16, 21
14:16 "But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.
The fact found in it is lifting up our hands to God to fully surrender to Him and obey the teaching Word although it is not in line with our logic.
Afterwards, we receive the east wind that is Holy Spirit or the Spirit of Helper.
As a result, there is a way in the midst of the sea, meaning Holy Spirit makes the way out of all problems and finishes them, even the impossible ones. All things are finished and successful in His time. - Taking up the cross or being willing to suffer.
1 Peter 4:12-14
4:12. Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
4:13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
The practice is we are willing to suffer together with Jesus without any sin.
For example, we are willing to suffer because of the will of God or the true teaching Word, doing service and ministry to Him, being slandered, et cetera.
As a result, there is Spirit of Glory to perform the greatest miracle, namely life renewal from carnal man to spiritual one as Jesus is. We can be strong and of good courage as follows.- We hold fast to the one true teaching Word.
- We are not hopeless, disappointed, or proud of anything.
- We keep on worshiping God, believing and entrusting ourselves fully to Him. We only hope in Him, not in others.
28:20 And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God––my God––will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
The result is as follows.- We live in the embrace of God’s hand, so we are physically and spiritually protected and preserved.
Isaiah 49:14-16
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 are continually before Me. - We are employed in the ministry of building the perfect body of Christ and worthy of welcoming Jesus’ second coming.
- We hold fast to the one true teaching Word.
- Seeing or appreciating the cross, especially when we experience the bitterness or sorrow of life in the wilderness of the world, such as in marriage, economy, et cetera.