To coincide with fasting prayer session III
Matthew 26:26-29
26:26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
26:27. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
26:28. "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
26:29. "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
In the Old Testament, Passover was eating unleavened bread and roast.
In the New Testament, it is known as Holy Communion, that is eating body of Christ and drinking blood of Christ.
So, there is transition from the Passover to the Holy Communion.
The rules of eating Passover/Holy Communion:
Exodus 12:11
12:11. 'And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.
The fourth rule is "you shall eat it in haste", which means:
Tonight, we will see the example of gentiles, namely Cornelius.
Acts 10:1-2,4
10:1. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
10:2. a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
10:4. And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
Being holy is fearing God, being afraid of sinning.
Cornelius was living in holy conduct and godliness, that he bore fruit of love. Practices of the fruit of love are:
Mark 12:28-34
12:28. Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"
12:29. Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
12:30. 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
12:31. "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
12:32. So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
12:33. "And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
12:34. Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.
The scribe (illustration of Israel) received the two tablet of stone too.
So, both Israel and gentiles must have the two tablets of stone, those are perfect love to unite the perfect body of Christ.
The usefulness of the two tablets of stone/perfect love:
Matthew 26:26-29
26:26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
26:27. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
26:28. "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
26:29. "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
In the Old Testament, Passover was eating unleavened bread and roast.
In the New Testament, it is known as Holy Communion, that is eating body of Christ and drinking blood of Christ.
So, there is transition from the Passover to the Holy Communion.
The rules of eating Passover/Holy Communion:
Exodus 12:11
12:11. 'And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.
The fourth rule is "you shall eat it in haste", which means:
- Do not linger in spiritual thing and do not delay in spiritual thing that God imposes to us, for ministry, fellowship, sacrifice, etc. If we linger, we will be left behind when Jesus comes on second time which is as fast as lighting.
So, eating Holy Communion pushes us to fast move in spiritual thing, that we will not be left behind when Jesus comes on second time. - We lookfor and hastenJesus' second coming.
2 Peter 3:10-12
3:10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
3:11. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
3:12. looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
The ways are living in holy conduct and godliness (worship). In Tabernacle, it refers to the Holy Place/sheepfold. So, if we want to live in holy conduct and godliness, we must be shepherded to true shepherding Word, like a branch sticks into the true vine. If the core is right, sooner or later, the branch will yield sweet fruit.
Tonight, we will see the example of gentiles, namely Cornelius.
Acts 10:1-2,4
10:1. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
10:2. a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
10:4. And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.
Being holy is fearing God, being afraid of sinning.
Cornelius was living in holy conduct and godliness, that he bore fruit of love. Practices of the fruit of love are:
- Giving alms generously to Jews= loving others like ourselves= the second tablet of the two tablets of stone.
- Praying to God always= loving God more than anything= the first tablet of the two tablets of stone.
Mark 12:28-34
12:28. Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"
12:29. Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
12:30. 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.
12:31. "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
12:32. So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
12:33. "And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
12:34. Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.
The scribe (illustration of Israel) received the two tablet of stone too.
So, both Israel and gentiles must have the two tablets of stone, those are perfect love to unite the perfect body of Christ.
The usefulness of the two tablets of stone/perfect love:
- [Mark 12:34] Love of God results in wisdom of Heaven.
Matthew 7:24-25
7:24. "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
7:25. "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
Person who has the wisdom of Heaven is like building his house on the rock. It means:- Being approved and able to endure. Do not despair, do not be dissappointed when facing temptation in any yield, but keep believing and hoping to God. We are also not undecided to false teaching, gossip that cannot be accounted.
- Being active in ministry of the building of the body of Christ.
God does not call unemployed life, but God calls busy life for being used in the building of the body of Christ.
Matthew 4:18-22
4:18. And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
4:19. Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
4:20. They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
4:21. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them,
4:22. and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
When God calls, we have to sacrifice anything. Only one that may not be sacrificed, that is true teaching Word
The ministry of the building of the body of Christ consists of 2 activities, those are:- Activity of casting a net= activity for calling sinful people that they can believe in God and be saved by gospel, and bringing the saved people to perfection through true teaching Word.
If we do not want to sacrifice and be used by God, someday, it will be moved to others and we cannot serve anymore.
God does not lie, because when we want to enter into the activity of casting a net, God is mending our nets. - Activity of mending the nets.
God will finalize all unfinished problems.
When everything is finished, there is no question [Mark 12:34], no more tears. - Activity of casting a net= activity for calling sinful people that they can believe in God and be saved by gospel, and bringing the saved people to perfection through true teaching Word.
- Being approved and able to endure. Do not despair, do not be dissappointed when facing temptation in any yield, but keep believing and hoping to God. We are also not undecided to false teaching, gossip that cannot be accounted.
- Love of God renews and changes our lives, from flesh men to spiritual men, from mortar pot to golden pot.
Zephaniah 3:17-18
3:17. The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
3:18. "I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, Who are among you, To whom its reproach is a burden.
Proverbs 16:32
16:32. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Life like the mighty is slow to anger, that means:- Being slow to anger in suffering, not grumbling, but always giving thanks.
- Being slow to anger for waiting God's time. God will make everyhing beautiful in His time.
The mighty also means being obedient.
Psalms 103:20
103:20. Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.
If we can be slow to anger and be obedient, it is spiritual miracle. Steps of patient and obedient person are miracle steps. - Being slow to anger in suffering, not grumbling, but always giving thanks.