Speaker: Rev. Mikha Sanda Toding
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:1-4
16:1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.
16:2 He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will befair weather, for the sky is red';
16:3and in the morning, 'It will befoul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discernthe signs of the times.
16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."And He left them and departed.
The physical sign cannot lead us to the kingdom of Heaven. God gives the spiritual sign that is the sign of Jonah so we can be saved and enter the kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 12:40
12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nightsin the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nightsin the heart of the earth.
The sign of Jonah is the death and resurrection.
Romans 6:3-4
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 buried with 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 practice is we have the new life. We experience the life renewal through three things as follows:
God blesses us.
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:1-4
16:1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.
16:2 He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will befair weather, for the sky is red';
16:3and in the morning, 'It will befoul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discernthe signs of the times.
16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."And He left them and departed.
The physical sign cannot lead us to the kingdom of Heaven. God gives the spiritual sign that is the sign of Jonah so we can be saved and enter the kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 12:40
12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nightsin the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nightsin the heart of the earth.
The sign of Jonah is the death and resurrection.
Romans 6:3-4
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 buried with 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 practice is we have the new life. We experience the life renewal through three things as follows:
- The life renewal that is worked by Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:5
3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
It refers to the life renewal through the true water baptism.
1 Peter 3:19-21
3:19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
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,
The thing that must be renewed is the conscience, from the evil conscience to the good one that is obedience.
Ezekiel 36:25-26
36:25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Then, we can be saved.
Deuteronomy 28:1-2
28:1 "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lordyour God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lordyour God will set you high above all nations of the earth.
28:2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lordyour God:
The good conscience is the base to receive the spiritual and physical blessing of God. We can be lifted up by God spiritually and physically. - The life renewal by the sound of trumpet or the true teaching Word.
1 Corinthians 15:50-52
15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--
15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
The life renewal through the true teaching Word happens in shepherding system, namely the perseverance in three kinds of main service.
Mark 7:21-22
7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, (1) adulteries, (2) fornications, (3) murders,
7:22 (4) thefts, (5) covetousness, (6) wickedness, (7) deceit, (8) lewdness, (9) an evil eye, (10) blasphemy, (11) pride, (12) foolishness.
It starts from the heart is purified from twelve sins so it can be filled by the Word.
Psalm 119:11
119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart,that I might not sin against You.
The Word lights our steps so we are not easily snared and we do not stumble or fall. We are not lost but we go to the New Jerusalem.
Psalm 119:105
119:105 Your word isa lamp to my feetand a light to my path.
The heart that is renewed can carry the new wine or the Holy Spirit.
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."
We experience the joy of heaven.
Isaiah 5:7
5:7 For the vineyard of the Lordof hosts isthe house of Israel,and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant.He looked for justice, but behold, oppression;for righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
God is pleasant to help our life who pleases Him in ministry. God watches us and finishes all of our burdens so we experience the peace. - The life renewal by the love of God through the worship prayer.
Zephaniah 3:17
3:17 The Lordyour God in your midst,the Mighty One, will save;He will rejoice over you with gladness,He will quiet youwith His love,He will rejoice over you with singing."
Matthew 17:1-2
17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;
17:2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
The thing that must be renewed starts from the countenance.
Genesis 4:5-7
4:5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
4:6 So the Lordsaid to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire isfor you, but you should rule over it."
The fallen countenance (unhappiness, envy, and hatred) and sad one (facing the problems and heavy burden) are renewed to become good countenance.
It is also the renewal of clothe or the attitude or the character.
Ephesians 5:28
5:28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
The rude character is renewed to become loving and patience.
Romans 12:12
12:12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
We can be patient in tribulation and waiting the time of God.
James 5:7-8
5:7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See howthe farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
5:8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Genesis 2:18
2:18 And the LordGod said, "It isnot good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."
We are renewed from the selfish character to sacrificing self-interest. We can prioritize the spiritual interest and enter the building of the body of Christ.
Matthew 11:28-30
11:28 Come to Me, all youwho labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentleand lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:30 For My yoke iseasy and My burden is light."
Being lowly in heart means one is able to confess the sin.
Being gentle means one is able to receive the hard Word and forgive other's sin.
If we can be patient, humble, and gentle, everything will become easy and light. We are employed in the building of the perfect body of Christ until Jesus comes a second time that we experience the last renewal. We are lifted up to enter the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:1, 3-4
21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God iswith men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and betheir God.
21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
God blesses us.