General Service in Malang, November 27, 2011 (Sunday Morning)
Matthew 26:30-35 is aboutWARNING TO PETER.
Previously, Judas Iscariot was warned by God, and then it was continued with warning to Peter.
The lesson for us is Judas (an apostle and treasurer) and Peter (a senior apostle) needed to be warned by God because actually Judas kept evil until sold Jesus, and Peter denied Jesus.
Who are we?
We always need to be warned by God.
Matthew 26:31-32, 34
26:31. Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ' I will strike the Shepherd,And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
26:32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."?
26:34 Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
Jesus warned Peter with the prophecy Word.
The meanings of prophecy Word are as follows:
- The Word which reveals everything that will happen in the last days, especially about Jesus' second coming and about God's judgment that will be done to this world.
- The Word which shows all our sins and faults, even the hidden one = the Word which purifies and renews us until we become perfect and are able to welcome Jesus' second coming = the Word which is sharper than any double-edged sword.
But, Peter's attitude was rejecting the prophecy Word, because of pride or arrogance.
Matthew 26:33
26:33 Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble."
The practices of pride or arrogance are as follows:
- Using self-truth.
Matthew 26:33
26:33 Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble."
The signs of life who uses self-truth are as follows:
- Grumbling, arguing about the shepherding Word (the true shepherding Word is preached repetitively and faithfully as the crows), until rejecting and loathing the Word.
This kind of life will never be corrected by the Word.
- Tending to blame the others, perceiving himself as the true one, even blaming God.
The example is the Israelites.
Numbers 21:4-5
21:4. Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way.
21:5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there isno food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread."
The Israelites started to compare their following to God with the situation in Egypt (Numbers 11). They grumbled and loathed about manna (the true shepherding Word, which is according to the Bible).
If one starts to loathe the Word (cannot eat the Word anymore), he will start blaming the parents, pastor, even blaming God.
The consequenceis the Israelites were bitten by a poisonous serpent.
Spiritual food outside manna (the true shepherding Word according to the Bible) is not food, but the deadly poison of serpent.
Deadly poison means the poison has arrived the heart. It equals to the feeling dies;
- He never feels wrong/sinful, never confesses sins, but keeps sins and defends sins.
- Having no respect and love to Moses (pastor) and to God.
We can detect it through the mouth because what inside our heart comes out of the mouth.
James 3:8
3:8 But no man can tame the tongue. It isan unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
If the feeling has been dull (never feels wrong), the mouth will blame, slander, and blaspheme the others.
I Peter 3:20-21
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,
We have to have good conscience,such that we can receive the true shepherding Word and firmly reject the false teaching which is not according to the Bible.
How can evil conscience become good conscience?Through water baptism.
The true water baptism islife who has died from sins (repented) is buried in water with Jesus, to raise in new life.
Good conscience will be able to receive and obey the shepherding Word (always say "Abba, Father").
Good conscience (being obedient) is the strong foundation to receive spiritual and physical blessings from God.
- Desire to sacrificing himself before the sacrifice of Christ = perceiving himself as a strong one.
Matthew 26:35
26:35 Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" ?And so said all the disciples.
Do not perceive ourselves as a strong one!
We have to remember examples in the Bible. David was strong but he fell on adulteries. Solomon was strong but he was deceived by false teachings. Peter was strong but he denied Jesus.
The correct practiceis Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross as the manifestation of God's love.
We receive God's love (through the sacrifice of Christ), and then we can surrender (sacrifice) ourselves to God.
Peter served/sacrificed without God's love, only by flesh desire, emotion, and ambition. It equals to being egoistic (prioritizing ourselves or our group).
The signs of life without God's love:
- Without the true teaching Word = being egoistic.
- The ministry is only because of following the others [Matthew 26:35].
- Not enduring in facing temptations.
Be watchful! Temptations will come over our body, spirit, and soul, including over our marriage.
Without God's love, we will not endure in temptations.
- Denying God, as Peter.
The practices of egoistic life are as follows:
- Being unfaithful until leaving ministry to God because of fear of something (=denying God).
John 21:3
21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
Peter used flesh mind. When Jesus was not there, Peter thought that there would be no one who will care them.
The other disciples also followed Peter.
The correct practiceis submitting all our conditions and fears to God. The important thing is keep living in righteousness.
The consequences of being unfaithful until leaving the ministry are as follows:
- Catching nothing = total failure.
- Being naked = being humiliated, falling into sins up to the peak of sins.
John 21:7
21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on hisouter garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.
- Not experiencing renewal of life, although having a form of godliness.
II Timothy 3:1-5
3:1. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
3:2 For men will be lovers of themselves (1), lovers of money (2), boasters (3), proud (4), blasphemers (5), disobedient to parents (6), unthankful (7), unholy (8),
3:3 unloving (9), unforgiving (10), slanderers (11), without self-control (12), brutal (13), despisers of good (14),
3:4 traitors (15), headstrong (16), haughty (17), lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (18),
3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
Difficulties in the last days are started from being egoistic (loving our own selves).
Why are these people not renewed although they have a form of godliness? Because they deny its power, that is the true teaching Word.
Not being renewed = preserving flesh man with 18 flesh characters = being marked "666" by antichrist, and becoming a life who denies God.
I John 2:22
2:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
Preserving sins = denying God.
His situation is the same as the woman who was bent over for 18 years in the synagogue (being disabled spiritually).
Luke 13:10-11, 13
13:10. Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
13:11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herselfup.
13:13 And He laid Hishands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
The meaning of being bent over spirituallyis anxiety/fear.
Proverbs 12:25a
12:25a. Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, ?
Anxiety means fear of something, which has not happened yet.
Therefore, we have to listen to the prophecy Word that reveals the things that will happen.
Anxiety about present care, also about future, makes us deviate from faith and be against the Word of God.
For what do we get everything in this world, if we deviate from the Word?
This world is only temporary, but perdition is forever.
The consequences of anxiety are as follows:
- Cannot prioritize ministry and the true teaching Word.
- Cannot live in righteousness.
- Cannot glorify God, even grieve God.
Anxiety ambience = thorn situation, curse situation.
Psalm 37:5-7
37:5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring itto pass.
37:6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Isaiah 30:14-16
30:14 And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter's vessel, Which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern."
30:15 For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: " In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,
30:16 And you said, "No, for we will flee on horses"— Therefore you shall flee! And, "We will ride on swift horses"— Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift!
Do not use the strength of flesh!
The right attitudes are as follows:
- Being silent = repenting.
Who is the man who does no sins? Let us check ourselves; do not check the others' faults!
If we find sins, we have to confess to God and the others. If we are forgiven, we shall not do any sins again (repentance).
Repentance = salvation.
If we do not repent, it means we have not been saved yet.
- Being calm = controlling ourselves, being well shepherded.
A well shepherded heart is:
- Being obedient.
- Not listening the false teaching. We must be sure to one voice of shepherding Word!
Being calm also means not putting hope to the others, but only to God.
I Peter 4:7
4:7. But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Being silent (repenting) and calm = stretching out both our hands to God, fully surrendering our lives to God.
Thus, God will also stretch out His hands to us and we live in the loving hands of God.
The results are as follows:
- The loving hands of God are able to calm the sea. All problems are solved and we can sail to beautiful future. Everything becomes beautiful in His time.
- The loving hands of God recover everything that is broken.
Isaiah 30:14
30:14 And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter's vessel, Which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern."
- The loving hands of God purify and renew us, until we will be presented as the perfect bride and ready to welcome Jesus' second coming.
Psalm 37:6
37:6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
God blesses us.