General Service in Malang, May 06, 2012 (Sunday Morning)
Matthew 26:69-75is aboutPeter denied Jesus.
Peter denied Jesus three times as follows:
- Verse 69-70: Peter denied Jesus of Galilee. It means denying the calling and election of God.
- Verse 71-72: Peter denied Jesus of Nazareth. It means denying the true teaching Word and the true shepherding.
- Verse 73-75: Peter denied Jesus even cursed and swore.
ad. 3. Peter denied Jesus even cursed and swore.
Matthew 26:73-75
26:73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are oneof them, for your speech betrays you.”
26:74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying,“I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.
26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
Cursing means being in the ambience of curse. The ambience of curse is sorrows, tears, spiritual dryness. If it is continued, one will perish forever.
Galatians 3:13-14
3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed iseveryone who hangs on a tree”),
3:14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Actually Jesus was willing to sacrifice on the cross to bear all curses of sins, set us free from all curses of sins, even pour the blessing of Abraham.
Through the sacrifice of Christ, the Gentiles are brought to the ambience of blessing of Abraham up to our descendant, and the anointing of Holy Spirit, that is peaceful ambience.
Peter denied Jesus even cursed means he denied the sacrifice of Christ or the cross of Christ.
Philippians 3:18-19
3:18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they arethe enemies of the cross of Christ:
3:19 whose end isdestruction, whose god is theirbelly, and whoseglory isin their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
Denying the cross of Christ means becoming the enemies of the cross of Christ. It happens since he sets his mind on flesh things or earthly things.
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.”
The consequence is Peter, a great servant of God, became same as Satan. Who are we? We must be careful.
Peter also became an offense and he easily stumbled.
Matthew 18:6
18:6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
If one becomes an offense and easily stumbles, a millstone will be hung around his neck and he will be drowned in the depth of the sea. It means as follows:
- His life is not beautiful. He cannot worship God and minister God well. He is being dry spiritually and not satisfied (the proof is grumbling frequently, gossiping, et cetera). He will also experience deterioration, being drowned, and failures.
- Falling into the sins of Babylon.
Revelation 18:21
18:21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw itinto the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.
Those are unfaithful sin that makes one unfaithful to the true teaching Word and the ministry and the peak of sins, that is eating-drinking sins (smoking, getting drunk, consuming drugs) and marrying and being given in marriage sins). His life will be perished forever into the lake of fire and brimstone, thrown down and shall not be found anymore.
We must become a living stoneup to precious stonein the New Jerusalem so that we do not become an offense. As a result, we will not step out of there.
1 Peter 2:5
2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Revelation 21:11
21:11 having the glory of God. Her light waslike a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Actually, the Gentiles are as hard and black stones. The Gentiles may become living stones and precious stones in the New Jerusalem only by the mercy of God.
The process of turning from the hard and black stone to the living one is as follows:
- Laying aside five main sins.
1 Peter 2:1-2,5
2:1 Therefore, laying aside (1) all malice, (2) all deceit, (3) hypocrisy, (4) envy, and (5) all evil speaking,
2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Number five denotes Jesus’ five wounds or the sacrifice of Christ.
Thus, the Gentiles must experience the crucifixion of flesh to lay aside these five main sins. It means repentance.
- [1 Peter 2:2] Being newly born of water and spirit.
John 3:5
3:5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
The requirement of water baptism is repentance or being died from sins.
Water and Holy Spirit baptism cannot be accepted by human’s logic, but by faith first. Faith is more than mind and logic.
The true water baptism is according to the Word of God/ Holy Bible.
The execution of true water baptism is as follows:
- Being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:19
28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Acts 2:38
2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:5
19:5 When they heard this,they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
- Being buried in the water with Jesus.
Romans 6:4
6:4Therefore 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 term 'were buried' means from the top of our head to the sole of our feet must be buried in water.
Thus, the execution of the true water baptism is one who has repented and died from sins, is buried in the water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that is the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:2
2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
The result of water baptism is being newly born as newborn babes, that is:
- Living in righteousness. Words, deeds, marriage, and work are right; all aspects of our life are right.
- Enjoying the pure and spiritual milk, that is enjoying the true teaching Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit.
The purest milk is mother’s milk, that is the shepherding Word.
If baby can drink from his mother, he will be satisfied and live in peace. When we can enjoy the shepherding Word, we will be satisfied and live in peace. If we live in peace, it means we are inside the powerful hands of God which are able to do everything.
The water baptism must be continued with Holy Spirit baptism.
Romans 8:15
8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
The anointing of Holy Spirit makes us not fear and worry anymore, so we can cry out “Abba, Father”. We can become obedient whatever the risk.
1 Peter 1:22
1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
If we can become obedient, we will be purified, and further we can love one another fervently with a pure heart. We can love another member of the body of Christ. Thus, this kind of lives will be appointed as priests and kings.
- Being appointed as priests and kings and equipped by ministry and gift of Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 4:11-12
4:11 And He Himself gave some to beapostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Priests and kings will be used in the building of perfect body of Christ.
Ministry is the beautiful tunic, and it means that our life is still being beautified.
Priests and kings equal to living stones. It means that we live from unlimited mercy of God.
Do not leave the ministry. Else, our life will not be beautiful anymore and we return as black and hard stone.
The process of turning from the living stone to the precious one is through the work of launderers’ soap and a refiner’s fire.
Malachi 3:1-4
3:1 “Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight.Behold, He is coming,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
3:2 “But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He islike a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
3:3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver,That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.
3:4 “Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the Lord, As in the days of old,
As in former years.
Launderers’ soap is the teaching Word that purifies our ministry cloth from spots. To wash the cloth, there are repeated motions to clean the spots. It means that the teaching Word must be repeated until the spots are cleaned.
Jude 1:11
1:11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
The spot of Cain is the spot of ministering with envy, bitternes, up to hatred without any reasons. The spot of Cain is also being lazy, unfaithful, and not responsible in ministry.
The spot of Balaamm is the spot of ministering only for looking physical matters such as money, mate, et cetera, and ministering with false teachings.
The spot of Korah is the spot of being disobedient and liking to rebel and demand something which is in conflict with the true teaching Word.
Ephesians 5:26-27
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.
We must be purified from the spots by the true teaching Word until we become blameless.
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.
A refiner’s fire is the fiery trial, that is suffering without any sins with Jesus, so we receive the Spirit of glory.
The Spirit of glory is for:
- Giving extra strength, so we keep joyful in the middle of suffering.
- Renewing our life little by little from flesh man to become glorious man as Jesus.
Revelation 21:11
21:11 having the glory of God. Her light waslike a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
This precious stone is:
- Being faithful and fervent in spirit whatever we face; not counting our life until we finish the race. ‘Not counting our life’ means we do not want to be obstructed by anything until we finish the race.
- 'Clear as crystal' means:
- Being honest; confessing everything as what it is.
- Sincere faith; only believing and fully surrendering to God.
Honesty and faith will result in God’s glory.
The examples are as follows:
- A Zarephath widow.
1 Kings 17:12-13,15
17:12 So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I amgathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
17:13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go anddo as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring itto me; and afterward make somefor yourself and your son.
17:15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for manydays.
The Gentiles experience crisis, financial problems, et cetera. This Zarephath widow was honestly confessing her condition that she only had a handful of flour but she believed in God. As a result, the Gentiles will be cared and used in the building of the body of Christ in the last days.
- A Canaan woman whose child was demon possessed.
Mark 7:27-28
7:27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw itto the little dogs.”
7:28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”
This woman faced broken marriage and children problem and wept a lot, but she was honest and believed in God. As a result, every problem can be solved.
- The family of Bethany faced Lazarus who has been died four days and there was a stench. The impossible becomes possible when there are honesty and faith. As a result, Lazarus was raised.
The last impossibility will be erased and we will be renewed to become as glorious as God. We can be lifted to the glorious clouds on Jesus’ second coming until we enter the New Jerusalem forever.
God blesses us.