Youth Service in Malang, June 11, 2011 (Saturday Evening)

Mark 16 is about The Shekinah Glory.

In the Old Testament, Aaron as the Priest entered the Most Holy Place once a year. He brought blood and incense to sprinkle twice of 7 sprinkling of blood. Then the Shekinah Glory happened and reconciled all sins of Israelites.

Mark 16:1-5
16:1. Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary [the mother] of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
16:2
Very early in the morning, on the first [day] of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
16:3
And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
16:4
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away for it was very large.
16:5
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

In the New Testament, the woman who brought spices refers to the worship prayer.
The women went to the tomb means the death/misery experience with Jesus, namely sprinkled blood.
Incense and sprinkled blood produce the light of glory in the form of a young man clothed in a long white shiny robe.

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.

Nowadays, we all are permitted to have temptation/misery without sin/fiery trial/sprinkling of blood. If we do not nag but we raise worship prayer, we will have the light of glory.

This light of glory produces the youth renewal.

Mark 16:6-8
16:6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
16:7
"But go, tell His disciples and Peterthat He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
16:8
So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

The youth renewal is the renewal of being afraid. There are 3 kinds of fear/worry:
  1. Being afraid of doing sin.

    Genesis 3:9-10
    3:9. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where [are] you?"
    3:10
    So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."

    Although there's an abundant preservation (in Eden) but there's sin, we will not live happily. Whatever the condition of the youth and no matter how great the young people are; if there is sin, we still live in fear.

  2. Being afraid of facing the wind and wave in the ocean of world.

    Matthew 14:30-31
    14:30 But when he saw that the wind [was] boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
    14:31
    And immediately Jesus stretched out [His] hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

    It means:
    • Being afraid because of the difficulty of problems in daily life.
    • Being afraid because of facing the future, having many question [Mark 16:3].
      They live with many questions and there's no certainty in their life.

    Luke 21:25-26

    21:25 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
    21:26
    "men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.

    If we are afraid and confused, usually we will use our own way that is not fit to His Word.
    This fear can cause the physical death up to the spiritual death.

  3. Being afraid of welcoming the Jesus' second coming.

    Revelation 6:15

    6:15
    And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,

    This is the fear of facing the glory of God at the Jesus' second coming. It means they are left and will be perished in the God's wrath.
This night, let the spirit of glory renew our heart from physical fear to  FEAR OF THE LORD.

The practices of the fear of the Lord are as follows:
  1. To hate sins with all its kinds.

    Proverbs 8:13

    8:13 The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.

  2. Being obedient to the True Teaching Word with all the risks.

    1 Peter 5:5-9

    5:5. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to [your] elders. Yes, all of [you] be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
    5:6
    Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
    5:7
    casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
    5:8.
    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
    5:9
    Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

    If we are submissive and obedient to the physical parents, spiritual parents, and up to the heavenly parents; it is same as we stretch out our hands to God. And He will stretch out His Hand to us.

    In the Hand of God, there's no fear and worry, we live in peace. God can make miracles in the midst of us all:
    • The Holy Spirit cares of us physically and spiritually.
    • The Holy Spirit will exalt us, make us successful, make everything beautiful in His time, and solve our problems in His time. 
    • The Holy Spirit purifies and renews us until we become glorious like Jesus, and we will be lifted in the glorious clouds.
God blesses us.