Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
(Mat 11:28-30)
1. Background
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
(Mat 11:2-6)
These are the words of Jesus after speaking concerning John the Baptist.
- John heard about the works (labors) of Christ
- Could be for John’s followers to build their faith in believing in Christ
- John 3:30, that Christ increase as John’s ministry comes to completion
- The work or labor of Christ would have even caused Sodom to repent
- Strange that Jesus ended talking about laboring, according to His way
- The works of Jesus leads to salvation
G4991
σωτηρία
sōtēria
so-tay-ree'-ah
Feminine of a derivative of G4990 as (properly abstract) noun; rescue or safety (physically or morally): - deliver, health, salvation, save, saving.
G4992
σωτήριον
sōtērion
so-tay'-ree-on
Neuter of the same as G4991 as (properly concrete) noun; defender or (by implication) defence: - salvation.
2. Labor
- Definition: productive activity for sake of economic gain, wages. Physical, mental work or task to be completed. Striving toward a goal. A process of giving birth. Whatever the definition is the end is achieving something of value.
- 2 kinds of labor: Fruitful or vain.
Labor that brings fruitfulness will not be burdensome.
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
(Gen 29:20)
If our energy is laboring for an unexpected outcome we can hate the fruits of our labor, perhaps regret because it seemed to be in vain.
And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
(Gen 29:31)
Some labor for the temporal and some for eternal rewards. We can’t focus on too many things, focus on the eternal brings eternal blessings.
2. Heavy laden or cares
Cares of this world that can choke us leading to unfruitfulness.
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
(Mat 13:22)
Our anxieties that burden us to cause us to loose peace and joy. Speaks of slavery as the Israelites suffered under the Egyptians. What about guilt? We are not to carry burdens or guilt or any such as leads us to unending worries.
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
(1Pe 5:7)
3. The invitation of Christ. Only He can offer true rest which He has the power to give! We must believe in His authority to release us from vain labor and heavy burdens because He has already overcome. Can we depend on one that hasn’t overcome; neither can we depend on ourselves?
4. Yoke
It is the joining of ourselves to our Savior, not Christ joining us (an inexperienced or lesser joined to a greater). To be yoked to Christ means taking off the yoke of slavery into a Christ’s yoke of freedom not to sin and living in righteousness. Taking the yoke of Christ means self denial of sin to live a life of obedience and do acts of righteousness. This is because we learn of Him and take on His character of meekness and humility. Learning is a process that will expose us to what we need to unlearn in order to learn. However it’s a yoke that is lined with love which leads to rest. It’s a leading yoke not a driving yoke, which leads us to still waters of spiritual refreshment. It’s a yoke that is not forced.
5. What then is the fruit of our laboring in Christ?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
(Gal 5:22)
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
(Rom 15:13)
Our laboring in Christ brings a deep sense of eternity because there is abounding hope, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
6. Conclusion
Remember that Christ yoke is easy and His burden light is because He leads us, not drive us, to abundant life on earth and eternal life thereafter (continuity). But the truth is that we are to eventually learn/understand Christ of self denial that His character of meekness and humility may become ours to own. This truth then leads us to a place of rest for our souls.
Meek doesn’t equal Weak as we can see from these verses.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
(Mat 5:5)
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
(Psa 22:26)
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
(Psa 37:11)
When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.
(Psa 76:9)
The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
(Psa 147:6)
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
(Psa 149:4)
The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
(Isa 29:19)
Friday, March 23, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
(John 6:53)
Context:
1. John 6:1-14: Feeding of the 5000
- A miracle never seen by mankind before
- Providence is fthrough a young boy willing to sacrifice his lunch of 5 barley loaves (bread of poor, whereas the rich ate wheat loaves) and 2 fishes, willingness to give unconditionally
- Jesus asked the people to sit down. We have to trust God for His miracles by keeping still
Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
(Rth 3:18)
- Jesus Himself looked to Heaven for a miracle, so must we not work or strive for miracles to happen, it’s a work of God. Our part is to have faith and believe.
- God is very concern about waste and so should we
When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
(Joh 6:12)
2. John 6:15-21: Jesus left the multitude to be alone. The people acknowledged that He was the prophet that was to come to be king over Israel.
The Mistakes of the people:
- The zeal of the people didn’t match that of God
- They wanted a king to provide for their physical needs, saved from the curse of eating their bread in the sweat of their face (Gen 3:17). God goes beyond meeting human felt needs
- They only could see an earthly or secular kingdom whereas God’s heart is for the Kingdom of God which is eternal
- It was by man’s force to make Christ King contrary to His mind, the question of the Lordship of Christ is not forcing it into man’s idea or mold but rather we submitting to His.
3. John 6:21-27
- The people made after Christ, another indication of fleshly zeal
- Jesus knew their hearts for the temporal and not the eternal
Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
(Joh 6:26-27)
- It’s again the question of trusting God for our daily providence
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
(Psa 37:25)
4. The miraculous work of God
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
(Joh 6:28-29)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life.
(Joh 6:47-48)
- God’s work is unto salvation, not being merely being a provider of bread
- Israel was saved from Egypt by the mighty works of God unto salvation, the people who met Jesus during the John 6 incident was very much like them who sought after earthly providence only. As such, the lust or fleshly desire of the Israelites is the same as the zeal of the people.
When we forget the works of God unto salvation, we will end up in the same condition as the Israelites and the people who wanted bread. God can give us our request but there will be a deep emptiness within that doesn’t have any evidence of eternal life.
They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
(Psa 106:13-15)
5. Jesus’ words that divided
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
(Joh 6:53-57)
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
(John 6:68)
- The people left save the disciples and Jesus asked them why they didn’t follow the crowd. Peter had it!
- Truth will separate the goats from the sheep
6. What about eating the flesh and drinking the blood
- The people knew it wasn’t about cannibalism, but involves a deeper truth and life changing commitment
- Jesus was speaking about His death for our sins
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
(Mat 26:26-28)
Since the works of God unto our salvation has been completed on the Cross, are we ready (the people weren’t) to ‘sin no more’? (John 5:14 & John 8:11). How ready are we to deny ourselves of the ‘enjoyment’ of sin and ‘put on’ His righteousness?
- How radical are we in dealing with sin? Are we ready to take drastic action to cut off anything that will lure us to sin?
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
(Mat 5:29-30)
- Forbidden ‘delights’ are sweet and pleasant, as are the fruits of risk and danger. But Jesus sees how His redeemed people live, and if we disregard the self denial to sin and pursue right living, right thinking and right doing, we will deny the power of the death and resurrection of our Lord
Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
(Pro 9:17)
Either Christ is Lord of All (including our frailties in facing our weakness with regard to sin) or not at all.
(John 6:53)
Context:
1. John 6:1-14: Feeding of the 5000
- A miracle never seen by mankind before
- Providence is fthrough a young boy willing to sacrifice his lunch of 5 barley loaves (bread of poor, whereas the rich ate wheat loaves) and 2 fishes, willingness to give unconditionally
- Jesus asked the people to sit down. We have to trust God for His miracles by keeping still
Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.
(Rth 3:18)
- Jesus Himself looked to Heaven for a miracle, so must we not work or strive for miracles to happen, it’s a work of God. Our part is to have faith and believe.
- God is very concern about waste and so should we
When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
(Joh 6:12)
2. John 6:15-21: Jesus left the multitude to be alone. The people acknowledged that He was the prophet that was to come to be king over Israel.
The Mistakes of the people:
- The zeal of the people didn’t match that of God
- They wanted a king to provide for their physical needs, saved from the curse of eating their bread in the sweat of their face (Gen 3:17). God goes beyond meeting human felt needs
- They only could see an earthly or secular kingdom whereas God’s heart is for the Kingdom of God which is eternal
- It was by man’s force to make Christ King contrary to His mind, the question of the Lordship of Christ is not forcing it into man’s idea or mold but rather we submitting to His.
3. John 6:21-27
- The people made after Christ, another indication of fleshly zeal
- Jesus knew their hearts for the temporal and not the eternal
Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
(Joh 6:26-27)
- It’s again the question of trusting God for our daily providence
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
(Psa 37:25)
4. The miraculous work of God
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
(Joh 6:28-29)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life.
(Joh 6:47-48)
- God’s work is unto salvation, not being merely being a provider of bread
- Israel was saved from Egypt by the mighty works of God unto salvation, the people who met Jesus during the John 6 incident was very much like them who sought after earthly providence only. As such, the lust or fleshly desire of the Israelites is the same as the zeal of the people.
When we forget the works of God unto salvation, we will end up in the same condition as the Israelites and the people who wanted bread. God can give us our request but there will be a deep emptiness within that doesn’t have any evidence of eternal life.
They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.
(Psa 106:13-15)
5. Jesus’ words that divided
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
(Joh 6:53-57)
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
(John 6:68)
- The people left save the disciples and Jesus asked them why they didn’t follow the crowd. Peter had it!
- Truth will separate the goats from the sheep
6. What about eating the flesh and drinking the blood
- The people knew it wasn’t about cannibalism, but involves a deeper truth and life changing commitment
- Jesus was speaking about His death for our sins
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
(Mat 26:26-28)
Since the works of God unto our salvation has been completed on the Cross, are we ready (the people weren’t) to ‘sin no more’? (John 5:14 & John 8:11). How ready are we to deny ourselves of the ‘enjoyment’ of sin and ‘put on’ His righteousness?
- How radical are we in dealing with sin? Are we ready to take drastic action to cut off anything that will lure us to sin?
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
(Mat 5:29-30)
- Forbidden ‘delights’ are sweet and pleasant, as are the fruits of risk and danger. But Jesus sees how His redeemed people live, and if we disregard the self denial to sin and pursue right living, right thinking and right doing, we will deny the power of the death and resurrection of our Lord
Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
(Pro 9:17)
Either Christ is Lord of All (including our frailties in facing our weakness with regard to sin) or not at all.
Fruit of a man that have reverential fear of God
Psa 34:1-22 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. (2) My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (3) O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. (4) I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (5) They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. (6) This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. (7) The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. (8) O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (9) O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. (10) The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. (11) Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. (12) What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? (13) Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. (14) Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. (15) The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. (16) The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. (17) The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (18) The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. (20) He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. (21) Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. (22) The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
1. A Psalm written by David at one of the lowest points of his life, yet there are character qualities we can glean from this man who lived in an intimate relationship with his God.
Vs. 1 – David was consistent in blessing (adoration and praise) God irregardless of circumstances
Vs. 2, 3 – In humility, we know what it means the exaltation of God’s name in delivering us. Pride comes before a fall (Prov 16:8), but the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and will not be cast down, in which God will personally uphold with His mighty hand (Psa 37:23,24)
Vs. 6 – Cried out to God, he certainly knew Whom he can trust to rescue.
Psa 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
2. Psa 34:1-22 divided into 2 portions
- His worship of God and encourages the reader to trust God (Vs. 1-10)
- Teaching the reader the fruits of one the have the reverential fear of God (Vs. 11-22)
3. What does the Bible say about the fear of the Lord (revere, to stand in awe of His Majesty)
Fear: ירא (yârê'), vs. 9
- Posterity
Deu 6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
- Obedience
Deu 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
- Our fear of the Lord is protection for us but our enemies sees it as against them
2Ch 17:10 And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
Psa 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
- Brings cleansing, purity and righteousness
Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
- Reveals God’s promises
Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
- It is for our wisdom to reign in life. Solomon had the wisdom without the beginning that led him to sin.
Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
4. The other fear is found in vs. 4. which is to be terrified or frightened (מגוּרה, megûrâh)
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
(Job 3:25)
God allows us to confront our fears so that our fears will be exchanged from of terror to reverentially fearing the Lord. He will lead us to face this tribulation, but it’s up to us to go through it with the Comforter (Forte) by our side. Coming out victorious is to God’s glory and we know of the eternal hope in Christ and how deep He loves us.
And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
(Rom 5:3-5)
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
(Heb 12:6)
5. What does David teach us about fearing God? Although he didn’t pen down step by step, however the fruits of one that fears God is clearly stated
a. Keep our tongue from evil
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
(Jam 3:5-8)
b. Depart from evil, submitting first to God
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(Jam 4:7)
c. Do good
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
(Eph 2:10)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
(Mat 5:16)
d. Pursue peace, an act of our will
Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
(Mat 5:9)
6. What are the blessings for those who fear the Lord
(15) The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. (16) The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. (17) The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (18) The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. (20) He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. (21) Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. (22) The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
a. God’s eyes are always upon us
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
(2Ch 16:9)
b. He hears all our cries and acts to deliver, Vs. 17
c. He is ever near to us to comfort us, Vs. 18
d. God will personally deliver from all our afflictions, Vs. 19
e. Physical protection, Vs. 20
f. God will avenge the wicket, Vs. 21
g. God will redeem our souls (mind and heart, the seat of our emotions) and will not be destroyed
Psa 34:1-22 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. (2) My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (3) O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. (4) I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (5) They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. (6) This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. (7) The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. (8) O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (9) O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. (10) The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. (11) Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. (12) What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? (13) Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. (14) Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. (15) The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. (16) The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. (17) The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (18) The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. (20) He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. (21) Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. (22) The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
1. A Psalm written by David at one of the lowest points of his life, yet there are character qualities we can glean from this man who lived in an intimate relationship with his God.
Vs. 1 – David was consistent in blessing (adoration and praise) God irregardless of circumstances
Vs. 2, 3 – In humility, we know what it means the exaltation of God’s name in delivering us. Pride comes before a fall (Prov 16:8), but the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and will not be cast down, in which God will personally uphold with His mighty hand (Psa 37:23,24)
Vs. 6 – Cried out to God, he certainly knew Whom he can trust to rescue.
Psa 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
2. Psa 34:1-22 divided into 2 portions
- His worship of God and encourages the reader to trust God (Vs. 1-10)
- Teaching the reader the fruits of one the have the reverential fear of God (Vs. 11-22)
3. What does the Bible say about the fear of the Lord (revere, to stand in awe of His Majesty)
Fear: ירא (yârê'), vs. 9
- Posterity
Deu 6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
- Obedience
Deu 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
- Our fear of the Lord is protection for us but our enemies sees it as against them
2Ch 17:10 And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
Psa 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
- Brings cleansing, purity and righteousness
Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
- Reveals God’s promises
Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
- It is for our wisdom to reign in life. Solomon had the wisdom without the beginning that led him to sin.
Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
4. The other fear is found in vs. 4. which is to be terrified or frightened (מגוּרה, megûrâh)
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
(Job 3:25)
God allows us to confront our fears so that our fears will be exchanged from of terror to reverentially fearing the Lord. He will lead us to face this tribulation, but it’s up to us to go through it with the Comforter (Forte) by our side. Coming out victorious is to God’s glory and we know of the eternal hope in Christ and how deep He loves us.
And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
(Rom 5:3-5)
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
(Heb 12:6)
5. What does David teach us about fearing God? Although he didn’t pen down step by step, however the fruits of one that fears God is clearly stated
a. Keep our tongue from evil
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
(Jam 3:5-8)
b. Depart from evil, submitting first to God
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(Jam 4:7)
c. Do good
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
(Eph 2:10)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
(Mat 5:16)
d. Pursue peace, an act of our will
Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
(Mat 5:9)
6. What are the blessings for those who fear the Lord
(15) The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. (16) The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. (17) The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. (18) The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. (19) Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. (20) He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. (21) Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. (22) The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
a. God’s eyes are always upon us
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
(2Ch 16:9)
b. He hears all our cries and acts to deliver, Vs. 17
c. He is ever near to us to comfort us, Vs. 18
d. God will personally deliver from all our afflictions, Vs. 19
e. Physical protection, Vs. 20
f. God will avenge the wicket, Vs. 21
g. God will redeem our souls (mind and heart, the seat of our emotions) and will not be destroyed
Parable of the prodigal son, a lesson of repentance
Luke 15:1-2, 11-32
1. 3rd parable, 1st is about the 100 sheep. The second is about lost coin. Both ended up in heavenly rejoicing over a returning to the rightful owner. Both depicted as having been in the possession of the owner, was lost and now found. Christians that once been in the fold of the Good Master was lost in sin, His love beckons us to return in repentance.
2. How was Jesus viewed by the ‘religious’?
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
(Luk 15:1-2)
The ‘religious’ (imposers rather than practitioners) would criticize the righteous that do righteous deeds. But Jesus associated with sinners, to bring sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). Jesus was unafraid of being labeled unclean, but having the holiness and righteousness uncontaminated to bring sinners to repentance.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
(Mat 23:25-30)
To Jesus being clean within is of greater importance, whose cleanliness within couldn’t be corrupted is liken to a good tree that bears good fruit.
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
(Luk 6:43-45)
Therefore the fruit of hypocrisy is the one of judging others, without considering self first. In other words, don’t view repentance as important in the Christian pilgrimage.
3. What caused the prodigal son to change?
His father's household caused him to want to return. The focus or drawing back at the end of us was the Father Himself: the relationship, the sacrificial love.
4. His planned action.
- Return to tell the father that he sinned against heaven and father
- Willingness to be like a slave
- Continually thinking about justifying his return and ‘saving’ his own skin
But the father had greater plan to restore the son.
5. What was the sin of the prodigal son?
- Independent state: Departure from the father to live life according to one’s own will.
- Spending state: Willfully misemploying thoughts, time and opportunities.
- Wanting state: Seeking only the external necessities which are temporal
- Sinful state: Lust of the flesh takes over, controlling the mind and senses only seeking self gratification. This state of course leads to committing base acts (in the case of this man, a Jew, dwelling and eating pig food)
6. What is true repentance?
- Come to the end of ourselves to realize our condition is far from what God’s will is for us
- Allow God to open our eyes be convinced that we are trapped in sin
- Realize that coming back the Father is the only alternative and we can’t work out our own salvation
- Determine to return to the Father, quit the bondage of sin
- With humility (he was willing to return to be a slave!)
7. The Father receives the sinner
- Unconditional love, full of grace and unexpected tokens of forgiveness
- Clothe us in His Righteousness
- Make us partakers of the Spirit of adoption (remember that the son by tradition has been disowned because in the Eastern culture property is only divided after the patriarch dies)
- The grace given unto us comes with His righteousness that we might not walk in previous paths of sin
For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
(Rom 5:17)
Luke 15:1-2, 11-32
1. 3rd parable, 1st is about the 100 sheep. The second is about lost coin. Both ended up in heavenly rejoicing over a returning to the rightful owner. Both depicted as having been in the possession of the owner, was lost and now found. Christians that once been in the fold of the Good Master was lost in sin, His love beckons us to return in repentance.
2. How was Jesus viewed by the ‘religious’?
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
(Luk 15:1-2)
The ‘religious’ (imposers rather than practitioners) would criticize the righteous that do righteous deeds. But Jesus associated with sinners, to bring sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). Jesus was unafraid of being labeled unclean, but having the holiness and righteousness uncontaminated to bring sinners to repentance.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
(Mat 23:25-30)
To Jesus being clean within is of greater importance, whose cleanliness within couldn’t be corrupted is liken to a good tree that bears good fruit.
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
(Luk 6:43-45)
Therefore the fruit of hypocrisy is the one of judging others, without considering self first. In other words, don’t view repentance as important in the Christian pilgrimage.
3. What caused the prodigal son to change?
His father's household caused him to want to return. The focus or drawing back at the end of us was the Father Himself: the relationship, the sacrificial love.
4. His planned action.
- Return to tell the father that he sinned against heaven and father
- Willingness to be like a slave
- Continually thinking about justifying his return and ‘saving’ his own skin
But the father had greater plan to restore the son.
5. What was the sin of the prodigal son?
- Independent state: Departure from the father to live life according to one’s own will.
- Spending state: Willfully misemploying thoughts, time and opportunities.
- Wanting state: Seeking only the external necessities which are temporal
- Sinful state: Lust of the flesh takes over, controlling the mind and senses only seeking self gratification. This state of course leads to committing base acts (in the case of this man, a Jew, dwelling and eating pig food)
6. What is true repentance?
- Come to the end of ourselves to realize our condition is far from what God’s will is for us
- Allow God to open our eyes be convinced that we are trapped in sin
- Realize that coming back the Father is the only alternative and we can’t work out our own salvation
- Determine to return to the Father, quit the bondage of sin
- With humility (he was willing to return to be a slave!)
7. The Father receives the sinner
- Unconditional love, full of grace and unexpected tokens of forgiveness
- Clothe us in His Righteousness
- Make us partakers of the Spirit of adoption (remember that the son by tradition has been disowned because in the Eastern culture property is only divided after the patriarch dies)
- The grace given unto us comes with His righteousness that we might not walk in previous paths of sin
For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
(Rom 5:17)
Jesus calls sinners to repentance
And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician: but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
(Luk 5:29-32)
1. Defination of Repentance
Strongs number: G3341
μετάνοια
metanoia
met-an'-oy-ah
- From G3340; (subjectively) compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication reversal (of [another’s] decision): - repentance.
- Change of mind of
+ purpose formed (mind and soul)
+ something he has done (act of the will)
2. Fruit of repentance
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
(Mat 3:7-8)
3. God’s Goodness leads us to repentance, not because of condemnation
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
(Rom 2:4)
4. Do Christians need to repent?
And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
(Luk 15:3-7)
- Who is the shepherd that went after the sheep?
- Where was the sheep before it wandered off?
- Who is then the sheep?
5. What is the message we preach?
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
(Luk 24:47)
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
(Act 5:30-33)
6. God’s desire not that we perish but come to repentance. If we therefore don’t repent the danger of perishing is very real
The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(2Pe 3:9)
7. God desire that we sin no more, after repenting
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
(Joh 5:14)
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
(Joh 8:10-11)
And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician: but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
(Luk 5:29-32)
1. Defination of Repentance
Strongs number: G3341
μετάνοια
metanoia
met-an'-oy-ah
- From G3340; (subjectively) compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication reversal (of [another’s] decision): - repentance.
- Change of mind of
+ purpose formed (mind and soul)
+ something he has done (act of the will)
2. Fruit of repentance
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
(Mat 3:7-8)
3. God’s Goodness leads us to repentance, not because of condemnation
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
(Rom 2:4)
4. Do Christians need to repent?
And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
(Luk 15:3-7)
- Who is the shepherd that went after the sheep?
- Where was the sheep before it wandered off?
- Who is then the sheep?
5. What is the message we preach?
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
(Luk 24:47)
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
(Act 5:30-33)
6. God’s desire not that we perish but come to repentance. If we therefore don’t repent the danger of perishing is very real
The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(2Pe 3:9)
7. God desire that we sin no more, after repenting
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
(Joh 5:14)
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
(Joh 8:10-11)
World Vision
1. God’s covenant of blessing
Gen 12:
12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram , Get thee out of thy country , and from thy kindred , and from thy father's house , unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation , and I will bless thee, and make thy name great ; and thou shalt be a blessing : 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed .
- 4 ‘I Will’s’ : Show you, exalt you, bless you, & bless others
- Listen and obey in order for the promises be fulfilled. Act to experience manifestation of Father's promises
- 1 Pet 2:9
2. The character of the blessed
a. Thankful and worshipful
Gen 12:
6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem , unto the plain of Moreh . And the Canaanite [was] then in the land . 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram , and said , Unto thy seed will I give this land : and there builded he an altar unto the LORD , who appeared unto him.
Abraham's response is worship! The world is our inheritance. Each step of our pilgrims progress should be marked with thanksgiving and worship!
b. Prayerful
Psa 2:8
8 Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance , and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession .
Isa 56:7 Fulfill the Abrahamic covenant through prayer
3. God’s continual reminder
Gen 15:
5 And he brought him forth abroad , and said , Look now toward heaven , and tell the stars , if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
God continually affirming His promises. Our journey is to claim promises.
Gen 17:
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful , and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant , to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee .
4. God will fulfill His covenant
Covenants have posterity attached to continue to heritage of a blessing and blessor
Gen 17:
19 And God said , Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed ; and thou shalt call his name Isaac : and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant , [and] with his seed after him .
Gen 22:
. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh : as it is said [to] this day , In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen . 15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time , 16 And said , By myself have I sworn , saith the LORD , for because thou hast done this thing , and hast not withheld thy son , thine only [son]:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven , and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore ; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies ; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed ; because thou hast obeyed my voice .
Started with 1 man, then covenant passed to off springs
5. The church today
Gal 3:26
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus . 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ . 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek , there is neither bond nor free , there is neither male nor female : for ye are all one in Christ Jesus . 29 And if ye [be] Christ's , then are ye Abraham's seed , and heirs according to the promise .
We are Abraham's legacy!
Gal 3:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith .
We are expression of God's promises.
Matt 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations ; and then shall the end come .
To bless all the families of the earth with the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ
1. God’s covenant of blessing
Gen 12:
12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram , Get thee out of thy country , and from thy kindred , and from thy father's house , unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation , and I will bless thee, and make thy name great ; and thou shalt be a blessing : 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed .
- 4 ‘I Will’s’ : Show you, exalt you, bless you, & bless others
- Listen and obey in order for the promises be fulfilled. Act to experience manifestation of Father's promises
- 1 Pet 2:9
2. The character of the blessed
a. Thankful and worshipful
Gen 12:
6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem , unto the plain of Moreh . And the Canaanite [was] then in the land . 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram , and said , Unto thy seed will I give this land : and there builded he an altar unto the LORD , who appeared unto him.
Abraham's response is worship! The world is our inheritance. Each step of our pilgrims progress should be marked with thanksgiving and worship!
b. Prayerful
Psa 2:8
8 Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance , and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession .
Isa 56:7 Fulfill the Abrahamic covenant through prayer
3. God’s continual reminder
Gen 15:
5 And he brought him forth abroad , and said , Look now toward heaven , and tell the stars , if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
God continually affirming His promises. Our journey is to claim promises.
Gen 17:
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful , and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant , to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee .
4. God will fulfill His covenant
Covenants have posterity attached to continue to heritage of a blessing and blessor
Gen 17:
19 And God said , Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed ; and thou shalt call his name Isaac : and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant , [and] with his seed after him .
Gen 22:
. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh : as it is said [to] this day , In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen . 15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time , 16 And said , By myself have I sworn , saith the LORD , for because thou hast done this thing , and hast not withheld thy son , thine only [son]:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven , and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore ; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies ; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed ; because thou hast obeyed my voice .
Started with 1 man, then covenant passed to off springs
5. The church today
Gal 3:26
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus . 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ . 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek , there is neither bond nor free , there is neither male nor female : for ye are all one in Christ Jesus . 29 And if ye [be] Christ's , then are ye Abraham's seed , and heirs according to the promise .
We are Abraham's legacy!
Gal 3:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith .
We are expression of God's promises.
Matt 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations ; and then shall the end come .
To bless all the families of the earth with the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ
The Character of Love – From the Fruit of the Spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
(Gal 5:22-23)
Background:
1. There are two Fruits: First is of the Spirit and second is of the flesh.
Can we get durians from coconut trees?
2. Born of the Spirit
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
(Joh 3:5-8)
If Christians were than born of the Spirit of God, thus producing Fruit of the Spirit
3. Fruit of the flesh are opposite of the fruit of the Spirit
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
(Gal 5:17)
If we are then redeemed freely by the blood of the Lamb (Rom 3:24) then we are to produce the Fruit of the Spirit!
The Character of Love:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
(Mat 22:37-40)
Extra: Law is divided into:
a) Moral Laws: 10 commandments, God’s moral character (exp: faithful, give life and preserver of life)
b) Civil Laws: Love and honor each other
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
(Mat 7:12)
c) Ceremonial Laws : All fulfilled in Jesus (exp: the Passover Lamb)
1. Love God first
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
(Exo 20:3-7)
Commandment
Application
a) No other Gods
b) No graven images or no idols
c) Don’t bow to idols
2. Love others
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
(Gal 5:13-15)
Application
Serve each other
Don’t bite or devour each other
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
(Phi 2:3)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
(Gal 5:22-23)
Background:
1. There are two Fruits: First is of the Spirit and second is of the flesh.
Can we get durians from coconut trees?
2. Born of the Spirit
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
(Joh 3:5-8)
If Christians were than born of the Spirit of God, thus producing Fruit of the Spirit
3. Fruit of the flesh are opposite of the fruit of the Spirit
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
(Gal 5:17)
If we are then redeemed freely by the blood of the Lamb (Rom 3:24) then we are to produce the Fruit of the Spirit!
The Character of Love:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
(Mat 22:37-40)
Extra: Law is divided into:
a) Moral Laws: 10 commandments, God’s moral character (exp: faithful, give life and preserver of life)
b) Civil Laws: Love and honor each other
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
(Mat 7:12)
c) Ceremonial Laws : All fulfilled in Jesus (exp: the Passover Lamb)
1. Love God first
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
(Exo 20:3-7)
Commandment
Application
a) No other Gods
b) No graven images or no idols
c) Don’t bow to idols
2. Love others
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
(Gal 5:13-15)
Application
Serve each other
Don’t bite or devour each other
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
(Phi 2:3)
Psa 119 – God's Word
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
(Psa 119:1-9)
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
(Psa 119:142)
God’s Word in any facet brings blessing…. Same as with the Sermon on the Mount! A happiness that He meant for us to receive.
1. God's law (vs. 1); this is enacted by him as our Sovereign. The moral character of God.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
(Jos 1:8)
Prosperous: Breakthrough, moving forwards, make progress,…
Success: Wisdom, understanding, prudence, be circumspect, with insight, act wisely….
I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
(Psa 101:2)
2. His way (vs. 1); God’s course. Manner, habit, nature
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
(Pro 22:6)
And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
(1Sa 18:5)
3. His testimonies (vs. 1) ; they are solemnly declared to the world. His declaration over us as His Children, His Redeemed, His love, Our calling (1 Pet 2:9) etc
In return we declare His glory! Because He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
(Rev 12:11)
4. His commandments (vs. 6); given with authority. We respond to obedience in Love…. Not grudgingly.
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
(John 14:15)
5. His precepts (vs. 4);
A rule or principle prescribing a particular course of action or conduct. 'To inspect’. To be kept diligently as it governs out entirely life. There a sense of being careful in our action or conduct. There is a direction that we take moving forward as though climbing a staircase, the next stair (precept/line) being the launching pad to the next. Denoting a sense of positive progression in our Christian pilgrimage from glory to glory.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
(Isa 28:10)
6. His word, or saying; it is the declaration of his mind.
Journey, direction of the course of life for us.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
(Psa 119:105)
7. His judgments (vs. 7); just character of God. Always viewed as negative, but there is a positive side. God judges with justice and righteousness. Unlike us who judge by our own sub-standards (most of the time over the limit).
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
(Mat 7:1-2)
8. His righteousness (vs. 7); it is the rule and standard of what is right.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
(Eph 1:4)
9. His statutes (vs. 5); they are always binding.
Ordinance, limit, something prescribed by God and must be kept.
It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute forever.
(Lev 16:31)
10. His truth or faithfulness; it is eternal truth, it shall endure for ever. Coming face to face with our reality and the reality of God Himself.
John 8:
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free .
The promises of God to those who keep His Word with reap the benefit of posterity…. Passing on blessings, double portion (Elijah to Elisha) which goes on for generation…. Blessings to a thousand generations.
And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
(Exo 20:6)
Because that Abraham obeyed my voice , and kept my charge , my commandments , my statutes , and my laws .
(Gen 26:5)
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
(Psa 119:105)
David's Psalm on the Word of God is penned out of a man's deep experience not merely an intellectual exercise. That is why we are taught to be doers and not just hearers (Jam 1:22), also warning that hearing without obedience will end up in a bad situation of deceiving ourselves. People say that the farthest distance for understanding is only about a feet away, i.e. between the brain and the heart. Unless the Word of God gets right down to the recesses of our heart, it avails little benefit to us.
Psalm 119 begins with the word ‘Blessed’ (meaning ‘happy’) as did Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount in Matt 6-7. The experience to taking God’s Word to heart has a happiness attached. Could it be that we lack true happiness and embark on the journey to search for it through ‘things’ and people that don’t have a lasting effect on us. Perhaps Jesus, through the Sermon on the Mount is telling us that we don’t have to look further. Rather it is found in His Word; only we have to be diligent in gleaning the gems through reading, meditation and obedience (Josh 1:8).
Why the lamp and light?
Our steps of faith can’t be taken blindly. In order to progress forward we need to see clearly thus needing a lamp, especially in these last days where there is much spiritual darkness. We keep asking God for His will for our lives to be revealed but don’t bother to have light shed to show us the next step in our pilgrim’s progress.
Firstly, there has to be the lamp, the Word of God. We need to carry it for ourselves. We need to handle God’s Word for ourselves to experience the warnings, the testimonies, the promises, the guidance, etc. We can’t be dependent on or family members or pastors to carry the Lamp on our behalf. Eventually we will have to take our own paths in steps toward maturity.
Secondly, the brighter the light, the farther the vision we see in the fulfillment of our spiritual destiny. Without which we will be living aimless lives or chasing after some rainbow that may end in misery and disillusionment. We can end up at the end of our days in regret. God never meant for us to live to regret the live He has given us. Can our lives live up to one such as Jacob in Gen 47:10 to bless the most powerful man of his time? It’s only the greater than will bless the lesser. What a spiritual destiny that Jacob fulfilled in his life to be a blessor. The brighter light comes with greater anointing of the Spirit of God whom Jesus promised to send as He returned to the Father in Heaven. Although we may not see too far into the future, but even in the dungeons of Egypt, the young man Joseph held on knowing that what man meant for evil, God meant for good.
How much do we have of the Word in our lives to be living truth to set us free in the journey from Glory to Glory in Christ our Lord?
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
(Psa 119:1-9)
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
(Psa 119:142)
God’s Word in any facet brings blessing…. Same as with the Sermon on the Mount! A happiness that He meant for us to receive.
1. God's law (vs. 1); this is enacted by him as our Sovereign. The moral character of God.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
(Jos 1:8)
Prosperous: Breakthrough, moving forwards, make progress,…
Success: Wisdom, understanding, prudence, be circumspect, with insight, act wisely….
I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
(Psa 101:2)
2. His way (vs. 1); God’s course. Manner, habit, nature
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
(Pro 22:6)
And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
(1Sa 18:5)
3. His testimonies (vs. 1) ; they are solemnly declared to the world. His declaration over us as His Children, His Redeemed, His love, Our calling (1 Pet 2:9) etc
In return we declare His glory! Because He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
(Rev 12:11)
4. His commandments (vs. 6); given with authority. We respond to obedience in Love…. Not grudgingly.
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
(John 14:15)
5. His precepts (vs. 4);
A rule or principle prescribing a particular course of action or conduct. 'To inspect’. To be kept diligently as it governs out entirely life. There a sense of being careful in our action or conduct. There is a direction that we take moving forward as though climbing a staircase, the next stair (precept/line) being the launching pad to the next. Denoting a sense of positive progression in our Christian pilgrimage from glory to glory.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
(Isa 28:10)
6. His word, or saying; it is the declaration of his mind.
Journey, direction of the course of life for us.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
(Psa 119:105)
7. His judgments (vs. 7); just character of God. Always viewed as negative, but there is a positive side. God judges with justice and righteousness. Unlike us who judge by our own sub-standards (most of the time over the limit).
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
(Mat 7:1-2)
8. His righteousness (vs. 7); it is the rule and standard of what is right.
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
(Eph 1:4)
9. His statutes (vs. 5); they are always binding.
Ordinance, limit, something prescribed by God and must be kept.
It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute forever.
(Lev 16:31)
10. His truth or faithfulness; it is eternal truth, it shall endure for ever. Coming face to face with our reality and the reality of God Himself.
John 8:
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free .
The promises of God to those who keep His Word with reap the benefit of posterity…. Passing on blessings, double portion (Elijah to Elisha) which goes on for generation…. Blessings to a thousand generations.
And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
(Exo 20:6)
Because that Abraham obeyed my voice , and kept my charge , my commandments , my statutes , and my laws .
(Gen 26:5)
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
(Psa 119:105)
David's Psalm on the Word of God is penned out of a man's deep experience not merely an intellectual exercise. That is why we are taught to be doers and not just hearers (Jam 1:22), also warning that hearing without obedience will end up in a bad situation of deceiving ourselves. People say that the farthest distance for understanding is only about a feet away, i.e. between the brain and the heart. Unless the Word of God gets right down to the recesses of our heart, it avails little benefit to us.
Psalm 119 begins with the word ‘Blessed’ (meaning ‘happy’) as did Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount in Matt 6-7. The experience to taking God’s Word to heart has a happiness attached. Could it be that we lack true happiness and embark on the journey to search for it through ‘things’ and people that don’t have a lasting effect on us. Perhaps Jesus, through the Sermon on the Mount is telling us that we don’t have to look further. Rather it is found in His Word; only we have to be diligent in gleaning the gems through reading, meditation and obedience (Josh 1:8).
Why the lamp and light?
Our steps of faith can’t be taken blindly. In order to progress forward we need to see clearly thus needing a lamp, especially in these last days where there is much spiritual darkness. We keep asking God for His will for our lives to be revealed but don’t bother to have light shed to show us the next step in our pilgrim’s progress.
Firstly, there has to be the lamp, the Word of God. We need to carry it for ourselves. We need to handle God’s Word for ourselves to experience the warnings, the testimonies, the promises, the guidance, etc. We can’t be dependent on or family members or pastors to carry the Lamp on our behalf. Eventually we will have to take our own paths in steps toward maturity.
Secondly, the brighter the light, the farther the vision we see in the fulfillment of our spiritual destiny. Without which we will be living aimless lives or chasing after some rainbow that may end in misery and disillusionment. We can end up at the end of our days in regret. God never meant for us to live to regret the live He has given us. Can our lives live up to one such as Jacob in Gen 47:10 to bless the most powerful man of his time? It’s only the greater than will bless the lesser. What a spiritual destiny that Jacob fulfilled in his life to be a blessor. The brighter light comes with greater anointing of the Spirit of God whom Jesus promised to send as He returned to the Father in Heaven. Although we may not see too far into the future, but even in the dungeons of Egypt, the young man Joseph held on knowing that what man meant for evil, God meant for good.
How much do we have of the Word in our lives to be living truth to set us free in the journey from Glory to Glory in Christ our Lord?
Asking for the greater
Matt 6
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God , and his righteousness ; and all these things shall be added unto you .
1. The Kingdom of God
"The kingdom of God" is the primary subject of the Sermon on the Mount--that kingdom which the God of heaven is erecting in this fallen world, within which are all the spiritually recovered and inwardly subject portion of the family of Adam, under Messiah as its Divine Head and King. Therefore a kingdom must have a reigning King!
Therefore ask for greater and eternal things that God will take care of the needs that He knows that we need. Why ask for the good when God wants to bless us with His Kingdom! If we know that our God gives us freely why then worry? Won't He provide us in all abundance? Didn't Solomon ask for Godly wisdom that he was blessed with honor and riches?
2 Chron 1
11 And God said to Solomon , Because this was in thine heart , and thou hast not asked riches , wealth , or honour , nor the life of thine enemies , neither yet hast asked long life ; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people , over whom I have made thee king : 12 Wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches , and wealth , and honour , such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
2. The heathens' prayer
Engulfed in concerns for self
103:1 [[ [A Psalm] of David . ]] Bless the LORD , O my soul : and all that is within me, [ bless ] his holy name .
The heathen would say the reverse 'Bless my soul O my God'.
The supposed worship to Almighty has changed focus from acknowledging the greater to the lesser, from the eternal to the temporal. The fear/reverence for the Almighty to circumstances.
Matt 6:
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
Do our prayers seem to babbling before our Father? Repeated babbles will eventually end up as complains as the Israelites after seeing God’s supernatural rescue from Egypt. An experience of salvation alone doesn’t determine our love and loyalty to our Savior.
Since we have a Loving Father in Heaven, the amount of trust in God’s providence is directly proportional to our reverance and relationship with Him.
Psa 34
8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Exp: Daniel and his 3 friends, Peter facing the Jewish religious leaders.
Acts 5:
29 Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said , We ought to obey God rather than men .
Take this in contrast to the scattering of the disciples at Gethsemane and now having seen the resurrection glory of Jesus Christ, their lives live for the Kingdom of God.
Fear for their own lives took a metamorphosis to fear (holy reverence) for the Almighty.
These ones live in the Kingdom of God, knowing the higher life and the benefits and authority of obeying the laws and statutes of that Kingdom.
Duet 28:
13 And the LORD shall make thee the head , and not the tail ; and thou shalt be above only , and thou shalt not be beneath ; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God , which I command thee this day , to observe and to do [them]:
We will never be experience living a higher life of victory (over sin, ourselves, circumstances) and being on top of all situations without obedience. Adam in contrast to Jesus allowed sin to overcome him because of disobedience whereas the last Adam overcame everything including the cross by obedience (‘Your will be done’)
3. Whom we recognize as our Father
Matt 6:
9 After this manner therefore pray ye : Our Father which art in heaven , Hallowed be thy name .
The King of the Kingdom is also our Father. More than a King! A father will love, protest, provide for as well as ensuring that we grow into maturity.
Matt 5:
48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
The root word for ‘perfect’ is ‘telios’ or maturity.
Luke 22:
29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom , as my Father hath appointed unto me ; 30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom , and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel .
Matt 25:
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand , Come , ye blessed of my Father , inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
Our inheritance is given from the Father because we are blessed! We have to realize the by forsaking the lesser.
4. What are the things of the Kingdom?
Matt 5:
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “ Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The 10 Commandments, forgiveness, not judging others, praying, giving alms, trust (not worrying), authority….. Matt 5, 6 & 7
Matt 6
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God , and his righteousness ; and all these things shall be added unto you .
1. The Kingdom of God
"The kingdom of God" is the primary subject of the Sermon on the Mount--that kingdom which the God of heaven is erecting in this fallen world, within which are all the spiritually recovered and inwardly subject portion of the family of Adam, under Messiah as its Divine Head and King. Therefore a kingdom must have a reigning King!
Therefore ask for greater and eternal things that God will take care of the needs that He knows that we need. Why ask for the good when God wants to bless us with His Kingdom! If we know that our God gives us freely why then worry? Won't He provide us in all abundance? Didn't Solomon ask for Godly wisdom that he was blessed with honor and riches?
2 Chron 1
11 And God said to Solomon , Because this was in thine heart , and thou hast not asked riches , wealth , or honour , nor the life of thine enemies , neither yet hast asked long life ; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people , over whom I have made thee king : 12 Wisdom and knowledge [is] granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches , and wealth , and honour , such as none of the kings have had that [have been] before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
2. The heathens' prayer
Engulfed in concerns for self
103:1 [[ [A Psalm] of David . ]] Bless the LORD , O my soul : and all that is within me, [ bless ] his holy name .
The heathen would say the reverse 'Bless my soul O my God'.
The supposed worship to Almighty has changed focus from acknowledging the greater to the lesser, from the eternal to the temporal. The fear/reverence for the Almighty to circumstances.
Matt 6:
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
Do our prayers seem to babbling before our Father? Repeated babbles will eventually end up as complains as the Israelites after seeing God’s supernatural rescue from Egypt. An experience of salvation alone doesn’t determine our love and loyalty to our Savior.
Since we have a Loving Father in Heaven, the amount of trust in God’s providence is directly proportional to our reverance and relationship with Him.
Psa 34
8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. 10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Exp: Daniel and his 3 friends, Peter facing the Jewish religious leaders.
Acts 5:
29 Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said , We ought to obey God rather than men .
Take this in contrast to the scattering of the disciples at Gethsemane and now having seen the resurrection glory of Jesus Christ, their lives live for the Kingdom of God.
Fear for their own lives took a metamorphosis to fear (holy reverence) for the Almighty.
These ones live in the Kingdom of God, knowing the higher life and the benefits and authority of obeying the laws and statutes of that Kingdom.
Duet 28:
13 And the LORD shall make thee the head , and not the tail ; and thou shalt be above only , and thou shalt not be beneath ; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God , which I command thee this day , to observe and to do [them]:
We will never be experience living a higher life of victory (over sin, ourselves, circumstances) and being on top of all situations without obedience. Adam in contrast to Jesus allowed sin to overcome him because of disobedience whereas the last Adam overcame everything including the cross by obedience (‘Your will be done’)
3. Whom we recognize as our Father
Matt 6:
9 After this manner therefore pray ye : Our Father which art in heaven , Hallowed be thy name .
The King of the Kingdom is also our Father. More than a King! A father will love, protest, provide for as well as ensuring that we grow into maturity.
Matt 5:
48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
The root word for ‘perfect’ is ‘telios’ or maturity.
Luke 22:
29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom , as my Father hath appointed unto me ; 30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom , and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel .
Matt 25:
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand , Come , ye blessed of my Father , inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
Our inheritance is given from the Father because we are blessed! We have to realize the by forsaking the lesser.
4. What are the things of the Kingdom?
Matt 5:
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “ Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The 10 Commandments, forgiveness, not judging others, praying, giving alms, trust (not worrying), authority….. Matt 5, 6 & 7
Trust
Prov 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
A. Jesus teaches us not to worry
Matt 6: 25-34
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
1. Why not worry?
- It ensnares the poor as much as the love of wealth does the rich
- We have a responsibility for the temporal things God entrust us with, but we are not to carry these lawful cares too far
- Don’t let earthly things distract us from our heavenly focus – God’s eternal purpose
- Eph 1
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Our position is in the Heavens, God is still working sanctification in us to make use holy and blameless before Him in love. We have to realize our position as sons with inheritance, requiring nothing to prove our sonship.
- Our life, short or long is something we have to abandon to into the good and loving hands of our Heavenly Father! Leave it to Him to make it bitter or sweet as He pleases.
2. Don’t be anxious for tomorrow
- Tomorrow will come anyway
- As we don’t boast about tomorrow, so we must not be anxious for tomorrow nor the events of it.
- God breaths life into us so won’t He sustain that life? Both physical life and spiritual…. Consider which lives on for eternity? Which then is of greater value?
Gen 1
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;
John 20
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
3. What or rather Who then is our focus?
- Thoughtfulness for our souls is the best cure for thoughtfulness for the body…. Matt 6:33
- Why should we be brought to lowly or base state as a gentile? Matt 6:32…. Aren’t we precious in His eyes?
Exo 19
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
Duet 14
2 For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Psa 17
8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
- Happy are those who take the Lord as their God and make full proof of it by trusting themselves to His full disposal… total abandonment to His eternal will and purpose for our lives.
Jer 42
6 Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”
“Well” – to do good, make glad, to make right, to make beautiful
B. Abel vs. Cain
Gen 4
1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the LORD.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground
Gen 3
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“ Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”
1. Whose sacrifice that God accept?
- A shepherd’s sacrifice: first born of the flock and of their fat. In Jacob’s case who determined the health and color of the flock in Gen 30 and 31? Didn’t he acknowledge that God was the sole provider?
- The tiller of the ground’s sacrifice: the ground was cursed…. Why did Cain content with the cursed thing? By his sweat he offered sacrifices to God?
- Eph 2
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Gen 22:8,13, 14
8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide;[b] as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
C. Are we willing to accept His providence in whatever way? Proof of our trust
1 Kings 17
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”
4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks.
16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.
- Characteristics of a man that trust God to provide in unusual circumstances: prayer answered from the very heavens, call down fire from heaven and provide when all else fails.
- Ravens: dirty animal, unclean. Providence by ravens talks about providence beyond the law….. Grace!
- Woman of Sidon: There were many widows in Israel, why did God lead Elijah to an ‘enemy’? The greater display of heavenly power is not in the miracle of good, but in forgiveness (Jezebel)!
Matt 5
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,[h] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
D. The last days calling for those who trust in God, not just merely survive through it!
Rev 11
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. 7 When they finish their testimony,
A man or woman who put their unconditional trust in God will
- See the very heavens respond to our prayer
- Be a living testimony when all evil break loose and when all else fails (even in the church!)
Therefore, how done do we trust God in hard times?:
- Worry not, consider the eternal
- Know and experience His Grace
- Quick to forgive
- Be abandoned to God!
Prov 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
A. Jesus teaches us not to worry
Matt 6: 25-34
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
1. Why not worry?
- It ensnares the poor as much as the love of wealth does the rich
- We have a responsibility for the temporal things God entrust us with, but we are not to carry these lawful cares too far
- Don’t let earthly things distract us from our heavenly focus – God’s eternal purpose
- Eph 1
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Our position is in the Heavens, God is still working sanctification in us to make use holy and blameless before Him in love. We have to realize our position as sons with inheritance, requiring nothing to prove our sonship.
- Our life, short or long is something we have to abandon to into the good and loving hands of our Heavenly Father! Leave it to Him to make it bitter or sweet as He pleases.
2. Don’t be anxious for tomorrow
- Tomorrow will come anyway
- As we don’t boast about tomorrow, so we must not be anxious for tomorrow nor the events of it.
- God breaths life into us so won’t He sustain that life? Both physical life and spiritual…. Consider which lives on for eternity? Which then is of greater value?
Gen 1
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;
John 20
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
3. What or rather Who then is our focus?
- Thoughtfulness for our souls is the best cure for thoughtfulness for the body…. Matt 6:33
- Why should we be brought to lowly or base state as a gentile? Matt 6:32…. Aren’t we precious in His eyes?
Exo 19
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
Duet 14
2 For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Psa 17
8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
- Happy are those who take the Lord as their God and make full proof of it by trusting themselves to His full disposal… total abandonment to His eternal will and purpose for our lives.
Jer 42
6 Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”
“Well” – to do good, make glad, to make right, to make beautiful
B. Abel vs. Cain
Gen 4
1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the LORD.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground
Gen 3
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“ Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”
1. Whose sacrifice that God accept?
- A shepherd’s sacrifice: first born of the flock and of their fat. In Jacob’s case who determined the health and color of the flock in Gen 30 and 31? Didn’t he acknowledge that God was the sole provider?
- The tiller of the ground’s sacrifice: the ground was cursed…. Why did Cain content with the cursed thing? By his sweat he offered sacrifices to God?
- Eph 2
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Gen 22:8,13, 14
8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide;[b] as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
C. Are we willing to accept His providence in whatever way? Proof of our trust
1 Kings 17
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”
4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks.
16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.
- Characteristics of a man that trust God to provide in unusual circumstances: prayer answered from the very heavens, call down fire from heaven and provide when all else fails.
- Ravens: dirty animal, unclean. Providence by ravens talks about providence beyond the law….. Grace!
- Woman of Sidon: There were many widows in Israel, why did God lead Elijah to an ‘enemy’? The greater display of heavenly power is not in the miracle of good, but in forgiveness (Jezebel)!
Matt 5
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,[h] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
D. The last days calling for those who trust in God, not just merely survive through it!
Rev 11
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. 7 When they finish their testimony,
A man or woman who put their unconditional trust in God will
- See the very heavens respond to our prayer
- Be a living testimony when all evil break loose and when all else fails (even in the church!)
Therefore, how done do we trust God in hard times?:
- Worry not, consider the eternal
- Know and experience His Grace
- Quick to forgive
- Be abandoned to God!
What’s so bad about Esau?
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (Rom 9:13)
A. Intro
It would seem that God was unfair to love one and despise the other. In Hebrew the love-hate is more of a comparison than an absolute. Another way to describe this is that Jacob was loved more than Esau or another way of putting it would be Esau was loved less than Jacob.
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Gen 12:2-3)
The posterity of carrying on the heritage of being the carrier of the fullness of God’s blessing belongs to Jacob. There are characters of Jacob we must grow into and characters of Esau that we need to grow out of. It is frightening to know that both were sons of the same patriarch Isaac but only one had the edge over the other to carry on the family blessing. Both had the potential to be ones that carry the highest of blessings God promised Abraham but only one had the spiritual destiny lived out to the fullest in carrying on this great Heavenly heritage.
B. How does this apply to us today in the modern day church?
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
(Mat 13:24-30)
1. The lesser (Esau) and greater (Jacob) blessing
But before going into the parable of the Kingdom Jesus said ….
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
(Mat 13:23)
What this means that the parables is not for the non Christians but for the Christians, even those who are producing ‘fruits’. Even with producing fruits, there are those who produce 30 and 60 and yet miss out the full blessing of 100 fold…
And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: (Gen 26:11-13)
Jesus probably had this in mind, knowing that the sons of the Kingdom may settle short of 100 fold blessing. There are Christians who are happy to just get to heaven but miss out the abundance of life that Jesus promises (John 10:10) even on earth. Jesus wants to give us the life that is more abundantly than we can ever imagine. For example if the Kingdom of God consist of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17), let’s consider one aspect that is peace. We can claim to be Christian but miss out the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) but still worry about our job, problems, family till we can loose sleep over. We try this and try that to overcome our worries and running from one counselor to another without knowing this fact….
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1Pe 5:7)
The act of trusting God is in the continual casting of our cards upon Him knowing that He cares deeply for us. Out our doing and striving has caused us to loose abundant life of having peace reigning in our lives.
We always settle for some of God’s blessing but not the full.
2. The tares (Esau) and the wheat (Jacob)
Going back to the parable of the Kingdom, we now observe another comparison. The tares are degenerated wheat that look like the real thing but produces no grain. Tares are basically useless. In fact it’s a nuisance to the farmer because it’s difficult the separate the tares and the wheat without destroying the good. The tares that are outwardly Christian but have no real substance will continue to grow in the church together with the wheat Christians. In the end the separation of the goats of sheep will take place (Matt 25:33) by having the overflowing blessing to those who are spiritually naked, sick and in prison. Blessings are measured but not how much we accumulated but by how much we give away.
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Act 20:35)
But be careful that we don’t play the role of separating the tares and the wheat; it’s the job of angels as commanded by the Lord. Therefore judge not, don’t usurp God’s right to judge.
3. In the church there will be those who are in the family of Christ as Esau and Jacob was, but only one will carry on the blessing and inherit God’s full blessing. Remember it is a relative thing as Jesus talks about the 30, 60 and 100 fold. We must uproot the Esau life and replace it with the life that the resurrection of Christ brings to us. We shall look into some of the Esau behavior and also what we can inherit from God.
C. The Esau Behavior
1. Living for the now
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (Heb 12:16)
The writer of Hebrew description of Esau is among fornicators and profane. It is terrible to be labeled as such, but that is how God views Christians who life for the now.
And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. (Gen 25:29-34)
The first thing we may note is that Esau was selfish or considered himself first above everything else that is of long term value. Just as children who prefer to have fun over seriously study would later regret when it’s time to show the report card to the parents. The issue of responsibility and self control eludes the Esau nature. Consequences are not considered. That is probably why the Hebrew author was strong in his words because rapist, thieves and murderers behave the same. Self fulfillment now with ‘who cares about tomorrow’ attitude.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (Mat 6:5)
Another other way of looking at the Christian who live for the now is the looking at the now reward as the Pharisees of Jesus time did. They wanted the recognition from people but lack the knowledge that we live for God that exalts us in due time. Living for self exaltation or gratification is very lowly in value because it’s temporal and will continually seek it as one desires the fix of drugs.
2. Strength dependent
And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. (Gen 25:27)
Another example of this is of Cain and Abel. Cain was the tiller of the ground (Gen 4:2). Both brought offerings to God but only one was ‘respected’. The root word for respect is to ‘gaze’ which is to inspect or to consider. Therefore God considered Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. Being a tiller of the ground means to work as Esau was a man of the field and offering man’s efforts to God. Cain being a shepherd offered a sheep whose growth to health and without blemish is determined by the sovereign God. It is impossible to offer our human efforts which the best of our works are like filthy rags. Our offering should be the giving back to God what He first imparts to us.
3. Views blessing more importantly than inheritance
And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. (Gen 27:34)
All of us will cry and weep over missed blessings but can neglect the more important inheritance. In Gen 25:5, 6 Abraham gave Isaac all that he had, meaning the wholeness was given to Isaac. But to the other sons gifts were given. Please don’t over rate gifts or blessings of the wholeness or abundance of life that God promises us.
4. Striving to please and lacking obedience
When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife. (Gen 28:6-9)
The Esau nature is an observant one. He discovers a lack of favor therefore strives to please God. The situation of disfavor that the Esau man or woman comes into is birthed out of disobedience and self fulfillment without considering God’s good, perfect and acceptable will of God (Rom 12:2). Secondly, the disfavored will use his or her means to gain favor. This could mean that we can serve God to gain His favor as pagans do, while the favored serve God out of love and adoration. Children in strong families serve their parents and please them out of love, not because to gain favor. The latter behaviour would have been bred out of selfish desire.
D. The Inheritor
We have to beware not to label the Esau’s in church because we have a little bit of the Esau nature in each of us. The varying degrees will determine our claiming our inheritance in Christ. Just that we have to start asking Holy Spirit to guide us into revealing the Esau nature in us for God to deal with.
God wants us to be inheritors now! In life we wait until the person to die before we inherit, but in God’s Kingdom He wants to make us His inheritors now. God is the King and He desires to impart to His church His Kingdom.
1. He or she has a King
If there is a Kingdom, there would have to be a King. The Lordship of Jesus Christ has to permeate every area of our lives – both private and public. It’s often easy to portray Christian values and spirituality in public as the Pharisees and Sadducees did, but our behavior private moments and thoughts would be the true test of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (1Cor 8:6)
It is very clear by Paul that there is to be only one Lord. Pagans have many ‘lords’. This means we are subjected to Jesus only that our will be lost in His. That our lives would be the subset of His life, meaning that our lives represent Jesus. That is why Paul calls us the ambassadors of Christ in 2 Cor 5:20. An earthly ambassador doesn’t represent himself of his family but the country he belongs to. Therefore the actions and behaviors have to be befitting a representative of the country he comes from. One won’t catch an ambassador of, for example, the US speaking crudely, neither dress indecently nor display things that misrepresent his or her country.
2. He or she would be submitted over a higher Authority
The Roman Centurion in Luke 7:7, 8 understood that authority is unquestionably and so much so that Jesus marveled at his reply. James 4:7 asks us to submit to God first, than the authority of the Kingdom of God will be upon us to resist the devil and flee from us. The Kingdom of God is about having victory over evil and sin. Once the authority of God is upon us, our ministry will prosper in evangelizing, healing, prayer, etc. But first comes with submitting under God’s authority not just in small quantum but more and more till it occupies every area of our lives, when ultimately His will be done in us – leading us then to be the instruments to bring the Kingdom of God as it is in Heaven to earth.
3. He or she would have the evidence of the Kingdom
That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
(1Th 2:12)
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Mat 21:43)
The evidence of an inheritor of the Kingdom is one that has the fruits to show. Not for man, but for God exclusively.
Love, joy peace (Gal 5:22, 23)
Goodness, righteousness, and truth (Eph 5:9; Jam 3:13-17)
Righteousness, peace, and joy (Rom 14:17; Heb 12:11)
These are commonly known as the fruit of the Spirit. I.E. it is as natural as a apple tree yielding apples, as we are led by the Spirit of God that we are the sons of God (Rom 8:14) and only sons are inheritors. Only the son is loved, therefore ask God to help us rid the Esau nature through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (Rom 9:13)
A. Intro
It would seem that God was unfair to love one and despise the other. In Hebrew the love-hate is more of a comparison than an absolute. Another way to describe this is that Jacob was loved more than Esau or another way of putting it would be Esau was loved less than Jacob.
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Gen 12:2-3)
The posterity of carrying on the heritage of being the carrier of the fullness of God’s blessing belongs to Jacob. There are characters of Jacob we must grow into and characters of Esau that we need to grow out of. It is frightening to know that both were sons of the same patriarch Isaac but only one had the edge over the other to carry on the family blessing. Both had the potential to be ones that carry the highest of blessings God promised Abraham but only one had the spiritual destiny lived out to the fullest in carrying on this great Heavenly heritage.
B. How does this apply to us today in the modern day church?
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
(Mat 13:24-30)
1. The lesser (Esau) and greater (Jacob) blessing
But before going into the parable of the Kingdom Jesus said ….
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
(Mat 13:23)
What this means that the parables is not for the non Christians but for the Christians, even those who are producing ‘fruits’. Even with producing fruits, there are those who produce 30 and 60 and yet miss out the full blessing of 100 fold…
And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: (Gen 26:11-13)
Jesus probably had this in mind, knowing that the sons of the Kingdom may settle short of 100 fold blessing. There are Christians who are happy to just get to heaven but miss out the abundance of life that Jesus promises (John 10:10) even on earth. Jesus wants to give us the life that is more abundantly than we can ever imagine. For example if the Kingdom of God consist of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17), let’s consider one aspect that is peace. We can claim to be Christian but miss out the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) but still worry about our job, problems, family till we can loose sleep over. We try this and try that to overcome our worries and running from one counselor to another without knowing this fact….
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1Pe 5:7)
The act of trusting God is in the continual casting of our cards upon Him knowing that He cares deeply for us. Out our doing and striving has caused us to loose abundant life of having peace reigning in our lives.
We always settle for some of God’s blessing but not the full.
2. The tares (Esau) and the wheat (Jacob)
Going back to the parable of the Kingdom, we now observe another comparison. The tares are degenerated wheat that look like the real thing but produces no grain. Tares are basically useless. In fact it’s a nuisance to the farmer because it’s difficult the separate the tares and the wheat without destroying the good. The tares that are outwardly Christian but have no real substance will continue to grow in the church together with the wheat Christians. In the end the separation of the goats of sheep will take place (Matt 25:33) by having the overflowing blessing to those who are spiritually naked, sick and in prison. Blessings are measured but not how much we accumulated but by how much we give away.
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Act 20:35)
But be careful that we don’t play the role of separating the tares and the wheat; it’s the job of angels as commanded by the Lord. Therefore judge not, don’t usurp God’s right to judge.
3. In the church there will be those who are in the family of Christ as Esau and Jacob was, but only one will carry on the blessing and inherit God’s full blessing. Remember it is a relative thing as Jesus talks about the 30, 60 and 100 fold. We must uproot the Esau life and replace it with the life that the resurrection of Christ brings to us. We shall look into some of the Esau behavior and also what we can inherit from God.
C. The Esau Behavior
1. Living for the now
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (Heb 12:16)
The writer of Hebrew description of Esau is among fornicators and profane. It is terrible to be labeled as such, but that is how God views Christians who life for the now.
And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. (Gen 25:29-34)
The first thing we may note is that Esau was selfish or considered himself first above everything else that is of long term value. Just as children who prefer to have fun over seriously study would later regret when it’s time to show the report card to the parents. The issue of responsibility and self control eludes the Esau nature. Consequences are not considered. That is probably why the Hebrew author was strong in his words because rapist, thieves and murderers behave the same. Self fulfillment now with ‘who cares about tomorrow’ attitude.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (Mat 6:5)
Another other way of looking at the Christian who live for the now is the looking at the now reward as the Pharisees of Jesus time did. They wanted the recognition from people but lack the knowledge that we live for God that exalts us in due time. Living for self exaltation or gratification is very lowly in value because it’s temporal and will continually seek it as one desires the fix of drugs.
2. Strength dependent
And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. (Gen 25:27)
Another example of this is of Cain and Abel. Cain was the tiller of the ground (Gen 4:2). Both brought offerings to God but only one was ‘respected’. The root word for respect is to ‘gaze’ which is to inspect or to consider. Therefore God considered Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. Being a tiller of the ground means to work as Esau was a man of the field and offering man’s efforts to God. Cain being a shepherd offered a sheep whose growth to health and without blemish is determined by the sovereign God. It is impossible to offer our human efforts which the best of our works are like filthy rags. Our offering should be the giving back to God what He first imparts to us.
3. Views blessing more importantly than inheritance
And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. (Gen 27:34)
All of us will cry and weep over missed blessings but can neglect the more important inheritance. In Gen 25:5, 6 Abraham gave Isaac all that he had, meaning the wholeness was given to Isaac. But to the other sons gifts were given. Please don’t over rate gifts or blessings of the wholeness or abundance of life that God promises us.
4. Striving to please and lacking obedience
When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife. (Gen 28:6-9)
The Esau nature is an observant one. He discovers a lack of favor therefore strives to please God. The situation of disfavor that the Esau man or woman comes into is birthed out of disobedience and self fulfillment without considering God’s good, perfect and acceptable will of God (Rom 12:2). Secondly, the disfavored will use his or her means to gain favor. This could mean that we can serve God to gain His favor as pagans do, while the favored serve God out of love and adoration. Children in strong families serve their parents and please them out of love, not because to gain favor. The latter behaviour would have been bred out of selfish desire.
D. The Inheritor
We have to beware not to label the Esau’s in church because we have a little bit of the Esau nature in each of us. The varying degrees will determine our claiming our inheritance in Christ. Just that we have to start asking Holy Spirit to guide us into revealing the Esau nature in us for God to deal with.
God wants us to be inheritors now! In life we wait until the person to die before we inherit, but in God’s Kingdom He wants to make us His inheritors now. God is the King and He desires to impart to His church His Kingdom.
1. He or she has a King
If there is a Kingdom, there would have to be a King. The Lordship of Jesus Christ has to permeate every area of our lives – both private and public. It’s often easy to portray Christian values and spirituality in public as the Pharisees and Sadducees did, but our behavior private moments and thoughts would be the true test of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (1Cor 8:6)
It is very clear by Paul that there is to be only one Lord. Pagans have many ‘lords’. This means we are subjected to Jesus only that our will be lost in His. That our lives would be the subset of His life, meaning that our lives represent Jesus. That is why Paul calls us the ambassadors of Christ in 2 Cor 5:20. An earthly ambassador doesn’t represent himself of his family but the country he belongs to. Therefore the actions and behaviors have to be befitting a representative of the country he comes from. One won’t catch an ambassador of, for example, the US speaking crudely, neither dress indecently nor display things that misrepresent his or her country.
2. He or she would be submitted over a higher Authority
The Roman Centurion in Luke 7:7, 8 understood that authority is unquestionably and so much so that Jesus marveled at his reply. James 4:7 asks us to submit to God first, than the authority of the Kingdom of God will be upon us to resist the devil and flee from us. The Kingdom of God is about having victory over evil and sin. Once the authority of God is upon us, our ministry will prosper in evangelizing, healing, prayer, etc. But first comes with submitting under God’s authority not just in small quantum but more and more till it occupies every area of our lives, when ultimately His will be done in us – leading us then to be the instruments to bring the Kingdom of God as it is in Heaven to earth.
3. He or she would have the evidence of the Kingdom
That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
(1Th 2:12)
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Mat 21:43)
The evidence of an inheritor of the Kingdom is one that has the fruits to show. Not for man, but for God exclusively.
Love, joy peace (Gal 5:22, 23)
Goodness, righteousness, and truth (Eph 5:9; Jam 3:13-17)
Righteousness, peace, and joy (Rom 14:17; Heb 12:11)
These are commonly known as the fruit of the Spirit. I.E. it is as natural as a apple tree yielding apples, as we are led by the Spirit of God that we are the sons of God (Rom 8:14) and only sons are inheritors. Only the son is loved, therefore ask God to help us rid the Esau nature through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
10 Commandments
3 main Law mentioned in the Bible
-Moral Law of God: 10 commandments, which is still valid to this day
-Ceremonial Laws: All fulfilled in Jesus in His death and resurrection
-Civil Laws: How to live. How does it apply today? The Beatitudes
These 3 covers the directions that is God to man, man to God and man to man
What conditions was the Moral Laws of God given (Exo 19)
-God calls us and divinely saves us
-Obedience because we are a ‘peculiar treasure’ to Him, He will jealously love us as His very own
-Kingdom of Priest firstly in ministering to Him in worship and intercession. Secondly representing God to others, being ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor 5:20). What does this mean to us?
-Holy, holy and holy. Don’t take the Moral Laws of God lightly. Disobedience in that day of the giving of the Law brings drastic consequences (thorough cleaning & reverence)
-Those who are His friends will boldly speak to Him and He answers. The rest will flee in fear.
-God will put boundaries over our lives in behavior, speech, attitudes, mind, priorities, etc
No. 1 – 2
I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
(Exo 20:2-5)
-Exo 20:2 - I am the Lord thy God
-Worship is only God-ward
-He is our ultimate and in Him we have our everything
-He redeems us from slavery to sin to be His bond servants, not to be recklessly free, but yoked to Jesus
-He is the object of our love, our eye be single toward Him
-He is in control - sovereign
No. 3
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
(Exo 20:7)
-No hypocrisy
-By breaking our vows and covenants
-By rash & false swearing
-By dishonoring His name. God is jealous for His name and honor; and will not hold anyone guiltless
-He will personally avenge those who take His name in vain and the sinner will find that it is indeed fearful to fall into the hands of the Living God
No. 4
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
(Exo 20:8)
Wesley’s commentary summary:
-Time of worship. God is to be served and honored daily, but 1 day of 7 is be dedicated to His honor.
-Gen 2:3 – 6 days labor, rest on 7th day.
-Day of rest, no manner of work to be done. Work being the worldly business. That means that only doing God’s work, not work that benefits self or anyone else save God alone.
-Who to observe: everyone, as a family in the sense of oneness and unity.
God rejoices over the work of His hands in the creation week, shouldn’t we share His Joy and Glory in that?
-Day of redemption and providence as in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-The day is sanctified by the Lord; those who celebrate this day with Him should also live the day with the reminder of sanctification of our lives.
-Celebrate the grace of God in giving (creation), for us it’s the new life that we have in Christ, behold the old has passed away
Last 6 commandments is our duty to us and toward each other (thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself). As much as religion is God-ward, so is righteousness toward man – leading us in the pathway of Godliness and Honesty walking hand in hand
No. 5
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
(Exo 20:12)
-Commandment with a promise (Eph 6:2)
-God is our Father, thus as we revere Him as such we also revere our parents
-Love for our parents comes with obedience
-Submission to their rebukes, instructions and corrections; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the former
-Dishonoring our parents will rob us of the abundance of life, or perhaps cutting it short
No. 6-10
Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
(Exo 20:13-17)
-Don’t kill (others and ourselves), God is the giver of life
-Don’t commit adultery, God is faithful therefore be faithful
-Don’t steal, God will provider. Ask God….
-Don’t bear false-witness, God is truth (Jesus is the Way, the TRUTH and the Life)
-Don’t covet; God gives us our daily bread. He is our everything, He is my all, He gave His life for me, both great and small....
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
(Mat 5:20-28)
3 main Law mentioned in the Bible
-Moral Law of God: 10 commandments, which is still valid to this day
-Ceremonial Laws: All fulfilled in Jesus in His death and resurrection
-Civil Laws: How to live. How does it apply today? The Beatitudes
These 3 covers the directions that is God to man, man to God and man to man
What conditions was the Moral Laws of God given (Exo 19)
-God calls us and divinely saves us
-Obedience because we are a ‘peculiar treasure’ to Him, He will jealously love us as His very own
-Kingdom of Priest firstly in ministering to Him in worship and intercession. Secondly representing God to others, being ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor 5:20). What does this mean to us?
-Holy, holy and holy. Don’t take the Moral Laws of God lightly. Disobedience in that day of the giving of the Law brings drastic consequences (thorough cleaning & reverence)
-Those who are His friends will boldly speak to Him and He answers. The rest will flee in fear.
-God will put boundaries over our lives in behavior, speech, attitudes, mind, priorities, etc
No. 1 – 2
I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
(Exo 20:2-5)
-Exo 20:2 - I am the Lord thy God
-Worship is only God-ward
-He is our ultimate and in Him we have our everything
-He redeems us from slavery to sin to be His bond servants, not to be recklessly free, but yoked to Jesus
-He is the object of our love, our eye be single toward Him
-He is in control - sovereign
No. 3
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
(Exo 20:7)
-No hypocrisy
-By breaking our vows and covenants
-By rash & false swearing
-By dishonoring His name. God is jealous for His name and honor; and will not hold anyone guiltless
-He will personally avenge those who take His name in vain and the sinner will find that it is indeed fearful to fall into the hands of the Living God
No. 4
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
(Exo 20:8)
Wesley’s commentary summary:
-Time of worship. God is to be served and honored daily, but 1 day of 7 is be dedicated to His honor.
-Gen 2:3 – 6 days labor, rest on 7th day.
-Day of rest, no manner of work to be done. Work being the worldly business. That means that only doing God’s work, not work that benefits self or anyone else save God alone.
-Who to observe: everyone, as a family in the sense of oneness and unity.
God rejoices over the work of His hands in the creation week, shouldn’t we share His Joy and Glory in that?
-Day of redemption and providence as in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-The day is sanctified by the Lord; those who celebrate this day with Him should also live the day with the reminder of sanctification of our lives.
-Celebrate the grace of God in giving (creation), for us it’s the new life that we have in Christ, behold the old has passed away
Last 6 commandments is our duty to us and toward each other (thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself). As much as religion is God-ward, so is righteousness toward man – leading us in the pathway of Godliness and Honesty walking hand in hand
No. 5
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
(Exo 20:12)
-Commandment with a promise (Eph 6:2)
-God is our Father, thus as we revere Him as such we also revere our parents
-Love for our parents comes with obedience
-Submission to their rebukes, instructions and corrections; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the former
-Dishonoring our parents will rob us of the abundance of life, or perhaps cutting it short
No. 6-10
Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
(Exo 20:13-17)
-Don’t kill (others and ourselves), God is the giver of life
-Don’t commit adultery, God is faithful therefore be faithful
-Don’t steal, God will provider. Ask God….
-Don’t bear false-witness, God is truth (Jesus is the Way, the TRUTH and the Life)
-Don’t covet; God gives us our daily bread. He is our everything, He is my all, He gave His life for me, both great and small....
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
(Mat 5:20-28)
Assurance of guidance
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
(Pro 3:5-6)
Key words: Trust, lean not, acknowledge Him and be directed.
A. Trust (foundation of God’s guidance)
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:1-5)
The arguments that the devil put in Eve’s mind in the first temptation of mankind is the question of trust.
The devil will always come to us to bring us to circumstances to question God’s supremacy – ‘Have God said?’ He cleverly does this to question our trust in God. This is to shake us to waver in our faith which leads to whom do we believe? I don’t think the devil plays with our belief in order that we believe in him, but rather we believe in God or ourselves more.
Mistrust in God leads to suspicion. I’ve even heard of private detectives that provide services to track ones husband or wife. Suspicion leads to great distress, sleeplessness, lack of peace or even taking negative actions that are not justified (over reacting to circumstances or taking matters into one’s own hands). Here is a story of a true case of mistrust which leads to suspicion, eventually breaking up a home…….
And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! (Mar 10:24) In the natural we have much richest that may not be in the form of money. We may be rich in experience (eaten more salt than rice), lots of people who can help us out of any trouble, wealth of ‘connections’ that can take us out of anything, very clever in getting out of trouble, etc. There seems to be a lot of things we can rely upon, but not forgetting the natural wisdom that God in His Sovereignty put in us. But when we start to rely on the natural (ourselves) more than the God who gave us the ability, then it’s difficult for us to get the best of God’s blessings. Take for example teenagers who has harsh things to say to their parents thinking that they know all that there is to know about living (when parents give advice), what pain deep within do the parents feel when the child rebels in such a way? Doesn’t the Heavenly Father feel the same?
B. Lean not!
We lean on something when we need to be stable. Our understanding should not serve as the crutch we depend upon. In hardship and decisions our level of anxiety is the determination on what and who we lean on depends on how much the Prince of Peace is in control of our lives. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:6-7)
And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. (Mat 8:23-26) This is a familiar account of Jesus and His disciples in a storm. In the face of the possibility of drowning, they called unto Jesus to save them. In order to be saved or rescued out of whatever or however difficult circumstances we are in, firstly we must have Jesus with us! This means that Jesus is neither a distant God nor just another character we read of in the Bible. There has to be reality of Jesus in the everyday live, as ‘everyday’ as for a group of fishermen crossing the sea in a boat. At least they knew who to call when trouble is beyond their natural ability. This relationship or friendship with Jesus has to grow because we only ask for help from those we are familiar with. We know Jesus from our daily communication with Him in reading the Word, prayer and worship. It’s like a relationship between a husband and wife that takes years to nurture. Observe some older couple we have in church, you may see how good a life they had together by the way they treat each other or the way they seem to understand each other without saying too many words. Sometimes a nod, wink, nudge or some bodily action is enough to express what is in the heart.
Why trust God will ALL our heart? The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer 17:9). From this verse it indicates that we can’t trust our heart. That accounts for the regrets we have in our lives and other social problems likes teenage pregnancy, drug addiction, wrong financial investments, bad relationships, etc. Our heart wavers with circumstances, why not trust in the Rock of our salvation for ultimately security!
C. Acknowledge Him
The root word in Hebrew is to ‘know’, therefore ‘Know Him’. Also same word as Adam knew his wife and she conceived which therefore talks about intimacy.
In all our ways or the path of choice or road that we choose to travel on, how much do we intimately know His will and purposes for our lives?
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation (calling) wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Eph 4:1-3). It is not for us to call blow our trumpet to be called Christians, as term ‘Christian’ or ‘Followers of Christ’ was given by non believers to the church at Antioch. What do our friends, relatives and family members consider us in our ways? The person who knows our true character and behavior would be our wives.
Even our Christian ministry no matter how effective it is may have some hidden character or behaviors that God may find offensive. Here is a testimony shared by a pastor who had a powerful ministry but God found Him out one day ……what other people sees in public has to reflect the private. For God knows every intention of the heart.
D. Be directed
Root word is to be ‘straight’ or ‘even’ to imply to make right, pleasant, prosperous, etc.
By His Word. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psa 119:105). God’s speaks mostly through the Bible. We seek His direction and ways through the regular reading of the Word. Here is a sharing by a brother who climbed Mt. Kinabalu recently. Some times God only shows us a little at a time, some times all we see is the wall of difficulty, but the end of it is glorious. The Word of God has power to communicate the life of God to us mentally, morally and spiritually.
By being honest to God and ourselves. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1Jo 1:4-10). To be honest with God and ourselves, we have to acknowledge our weaknesses due to our sinful nature. We never fail to ask our government, children, church, etc to be transparent. But we ought to live in a glass house before God, but not to others (be wise).
By prayer and having the right attitude. In Phil 4:6-7 Paul encourages us to pray with thanksgiving, not pray and complain. As much as we don’t like to hear our children whine, God’s ears would be painful to hear our prayers with the wrong attitudes (false humility, complain, inferiority complex, etc). The test of God’s guidance is that we have continual peace beyond human understanding.
By the Holy Spirit. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.(John 14:26). ‘Comforter’ means an advocate or lawyer. The difference between other religions and Christianity is the relationship we have with God as His Holy Spirit is our Friend who stands by us and teaches us. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the promise of our Heavenly Father. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Act 1:4-5).
By charity and of a sound mind. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power (dunamis), and of love (charity), and of a sound mind (self control) (2Ti 1:7). Again, it is the Holy Spirit that gives the enabling to overcome fears we face and to have the necessary guidance to make decisions. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49). Therefore we know that our decisions are right Spirit guided when done in the benevolence (generosity that is not self centered) and with desires that are constraint (within the boundaries of God’s approval).
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
(Pro 3:5-6)
Key words: Trust, lean not, acknowledge Him and be directed.
A. Trust (foundation of God’s guidance)
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:1-5)
The arguments that the devil put in Eve’s mind in the first temptation of mankind is the question of trust.
The devil will always come to us to bring us to circumstances to question God’s supremacy – ‘Have God said?’ He cleverly does this to question our trust in God. This is to shake us to waver in our faith which leads to whom do we believe? I don’t think the devil plays with our belief in order that we believe in him, but rather we believe in God or ourselves more.
Mistrust in God leads to suspicion. I’ve even heard of private detectives that provide services to track ones husband or wife. Suspicion leads to great distress, sleeplessness, lack of peace or even taking negative actions that are not justified (over reacting to circumstances or taking matters into one’s own hands). Here is a story of a true case of mistrust which leads to suspicion, eventually breaking up a home…….
And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! (Mar 10:24) In the natural we have much richest that may not be in the form of money. We may be rich in experience (eaten more salt than rice), lots of people who can help us out of any trouble, wealth of ‘connections’ that can take us out of anything, very clever in getting out of trouble, etc. There seems to be a lot of things we can rely upon, but not forgetting the natural wisdom that God in His Sovereignty put in us. But when we start to rely on the natural (ourselves) more than the God who gave us the ability, then it’s difficult for us to get the best of God’s blessings. Take for example teenagers who has harsh things to say to their parents thinking that they know all that there is to know about living (when parents give advice), what pain deep within do the parents feel when the child rebels in such a way? Doesn’t the Heavenly Father feel the same?
B. Lean not!
We lean on something when we need to be stable. Our understanding should not serve as the crutch we depend upon. In hardship and decisions our level of anxiety is the determination on what and who we lean on depends on how much the Prince of Peace is in control of our lives. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:6-7)
And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. (Mat 8:23-26) This is a familiar account of Jesus and His disciples in a storm. In the face of the possibility of drowning, they called unto Jesus to save them. In order to be saved or rescued out of whatever or however difficult circumstances we are in, firstly we must have Jesus with us! This means that Jesus is neither a distant God nor just another character we read of in the Bible. There has to be reality of Jesus in the everyday live, as ‘everyday’ as for a group of fishermen crossing the sea in a boat. At least they knew who to call when trouble is beyond their natural ability. This relationship or friendship with Jesus has to grow because we only ask for help from those we are familiar with. We know Jesus from our daily communication with Him in reading the Word, prayer and worship. It’s like a relationship between a husband and wife that takes years to nurture. Observe some older couple we have in church, you may see how good a life they had together by the way they treat each other or the way they seem to understand each other without saying too many words. Sometimes a nod, wink, nudge or some bodily action is enough to express what is in the heart.
Why trust God will ALL our heart? The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer 17:9). From this verse it indicates that we can’t trust our heart. That accounts for the regrets we have in our lives and other social problems likes teenage pregnancy, drug addiction, wrong financial investments, bad relationships, etc. Our heart wavers with circumstances, why not trust in the Rock of our salvation for ultimately security!
C. Acknowledge Him
The root word in Hebrew is to ‘know’, therefore ‘Know Him’. Also same word as Adam knew his wife and she conceived which therefore talks about intimacy.
In all our ways or the path of choice or road that we choose to travel on, how much do we intimately know His will and purposes for our lives?
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation (calling) wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Eph 4:1-3). It is not for us to call blow our trumpet to be called Christians, as term ‘Christian’ or ‘Followers of Christ’ was given by non believers to the church at Antioch. What do our friends, relatives and family members consider us in our ways? The person who knows our true character and behavior would be our wives.
Even our Christian ministry no matter how effective it is may have some hidden character or behaviors that God may find offensive. Here is a testimony shared by a pastor who had a powerful ministry but God found Him out one day ……what other people sees in public has to reflect the private. For God knows every intention of the heart.
D. Be directed
Root word is to be ‘straight’ or ‘even’ to imply to make right, pleasant, prosperous, etc.
By His Word. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psa 119:105). God’s speaks mostly through the Bible. We seek His direction and ways through the regular reading of the Word. Here is a sharing by a brother who climbed Mt. Kinabalu recently. Some times God only shows us a little at a time, some times all we see is the wall of difficulty, but the end of it is glorious. The Word of God has power to communicate the life of God to us mentally, morally and spiritually.
By being honest to God and ourselves. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1Jo 1:4-10). To be honest with God and ourselves, we have to acknowledge our weaknesses due to our sinful nature. We never fail to ask our government, children, church, etc to be transparent. But we ought to live in a glass house before God, but not to others (be wise).
By prayer and having the right attitude. In Phil 4:6-7 Paul encourages us to pray with thanksgiving, not pray and complain. As much as we don’t like to hear our children whine, God’s ears would be painful to hear our prayers with the wrong attitudes (false humility, complain, inferiority complex, etc). The test of God’s guidance is that we have continual peace beyond human understanding.
By the Holy Spirit. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.(John 14:26). ‘Comforter’ means an advocate or lawyer. The difference between other religions and Christianity is the relationship we have with God as His Holy Spirit is our Friend who stands by us and teaches us. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the promise of our Heavenly Father. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Act 1:4-5).
By charity and of a sound mind. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power (dunamis), and of love (charity), and of a sound mind (self control) (2Ti 1:7). Again, it is the Holy Spirit that gives the enabling to overcome fears we face and to have the necessary guidance to make decisions. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49). Therefore we know that our decisions are right Spirit guided when done in the benevolence (generosity that is not self centered) and with desires that are constraint (within the boundaries of God’s approval).
The Lord’s Supper
1Co 11:23-26
(23) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
(24) And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
(25) After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
(26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Intro
Paul wasn’t there when Jesus first instituted the Lord’s Supper. Therefore a revelation was giving to Paul on the significance of the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
This part was written to correct the abuses or disorders in the preceding verses. Partaking of the Lord’s Supper is to put away our greed and indulgence (being excessive) for self. This means that we have to remember as well as to put on Christ’s nature of self denial when He carried the Cross to Calvary. Luke 9:23 is not just about reducing but more importantly that Christ increase as John the Baptist said in John 3:30.
Self denial without increasing the Christ nature in us will result in false humility which will eventually lead to pride which God opposes. Less is not best, but rather more of Christ is required to take over the lessening of other things that superseded Jesus in the first place.
This correction is very important as the practice of the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion is not to be taken lightly. 1 Cor 11:29-30
The Lord’s Supper is about remembrance about Jesus death on the Cross. Remembrance of Christ submission to the Father’s will. For us it means that we have to come to the same place where Jesus abandoned Himself. Abandonment is like leaving the place of sin, pride and self; burning the bridge to cross over totally to God’s will and purposes for our lives. This means our trust in the Lord has to increase and allowing Him to be Adonai (my Lord).
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:1-5) – The devil will always come to us to bring us to circumstances to question God’s supremacy – ‘Have God said?’ Don’t argue with him, this means we have to trust God fully to satisfy us, protect us, provide for us…..
Paul said that it was the night the Jesus was betrayed that the institution of the Lord’s Supper took place. Paul reminds us of the circumstances for this memorial, that is in not submitting to God’s will which leads to mistrust in God is liken to betrayal. It’s a serious accusation especially if it comes from the Lord Himself. Similar to a husband and wife relationship where trust is an important key to a firm marriage relationship.
The Bread
1. Matt 6:11, in the prayer the Lord taught us, the bread mentioned is to be asked for daily. All that is necessary for daily strength. As much as we need physical break for strength, we need daily spiritual bread to be over comers. Psa 119:11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
2. We need the break of Heaven for our spiritual life which is our daily sustenance. Life means growth, any child that doesn’t grow will bring grief to his or her parents. Same with our Father in Heaven, he wants us to grow in wisdom and in stature as Jesus did (Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.)
3. The evidence of our receiving the bread of Heaven is obviously seen by how much we obey God’s Word. Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
4. Rev 3:20 speaks of Jesus coming and wanting to sup with us. A relationship that Jesus wants to share with us daily, that He can break the bread and give it to us.
5. The broken bread was blessed (Matt 26:26), which means that the Word that we receive from God has to be blessed by Him and must be consumed whole. We eat what He gives us because it’s blessed. It is our duty to take every word: 2Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: which means we even have to ready to take God’s reproof (rebuke) and correction. Don’t just take God’s promises and blessing but also His rod of discipline because He loves us.
6. We are not meant to be spiritually over weight. In order to nourish others, we must first be broken. This means we have to be broken before God can use us to bless others. God has to take us to the place of brokenness for our sin, pride, self and what ever that stands in the way of blessing others. We know that we are broken when we are able to take rebuke for our wrong and willing to be corrected.
The Cup
The cup was given by Jesus after the supping; therefore the cup will be given to us once there is a communion we share with the Lord. The Covenant is then given to us, with the blood showing the final seal or confirmation by His ultimate sacrifice.
How much of God’s covenant or promises are being realized in our lives will depend on how much of a communion life we share with Jesus. Not forgetting that it is out of a constant receiving of the bread of heaven first that will take us to receiving the fullness of His promises.
His promises are the Will of God for our lives. A rich man will have a will written out on whom to leave his wealth with after he passes on. It some sense it’s the same kind of will, that the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psa 50:10) wants to bless us. More than physical blessing it is His Presence that He want us to bear. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13).
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (1Jo 1:3-6) There is a tremendous joy in knowing that we are accepted in God. This world seeks acceptance and recognition by dressing better, driving larger cars or living in bigger homes, lavishing in great wealth. Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. God’s will for us to receive our inheritance is when we living in His Presence where there is everlasting joy.
The cup which contains the wine which signifies joy and healing.
Neh 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. God’s joy is the secret to being an over-comer over our loneliness, low self-esteem, sin, whatever that brings sadness and depression upon our lives.
The Good Samaritan applied wine to the wounds of the man hurt by robbers. Let us not look at the physical healing only, which is just as important. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. (Mat 9:2-7). God wants us to be whole in not just the body but also the mind and spirit. 2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Jesus wants us to remember His death often because we have to be reminded daily that following Jesus means we have to bear our own cross daily (Luke 9:23). It’s something no one can bear on our behalf. It is His desire that when He returns, He will be able to find us as faithful to the end. The taking of the Lord’s Supper must also serve to remind us that we are to live like the early church in great anticipation of our ultimate home in heaven. In other words, we are but sojourners on this earth.
1Co 11:23-26
(23) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
(24) And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
(25) After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
(26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Intro
Paul wasn’t there when Jesus first instituted the Lord’s Supper. Therefore a revelation was giving to Paul on the significance of the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
This part was written to correct the abuses or disorders in the preceding verses. Partaking of the Lord’s Supper is to put away our greed and indulgence (being excessive) for self. This means that we have to remember as well as to put on Christ’s nature of self denial when He carried the Cross to Calvary. Luke 9:23 is not just about reducing but more importantly that Christ increase as John the Baptist said in John 3:30.
Self denial without increasing the Christ nature in us will result in false humility which will eventually lead to pride which God opposes. Less is not best, but rather more of Christ is required to take over the lessening of other things that superseded Jesus in the first place.
This correction is very important as the practice of the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion is not to be taken lightly. 1 Cor 11:29-30
The Lord’s Supper is about remembrance about Jesus death on the Cross. Remembrance of Christ submission to the Father’s will. For us it means that we have to come to the same place where Jesus abandoned Himself. Abandonment is like leaving the place of sin, pride and self; burning the bridge to cross over totally to God’s will and purposes for our lives. This means our trust in the Lord has to increase and allowing Him to be Adonai (my Lord).
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:1-5) – The devil will always come to us to bring us to circumstances to question God’s supremacy – ‘Have God said?’ Don’t argue with him, this means we have to trust God fully to satisfy us, protect us, provide for us…..
Paul said that it was the night the Jesus was betrayed that the institution of the Lord’s Supper took place. Paul reminds us of the circumstances for this memorial, that is in not submitting to God’s will which leads to mistrust in God is liken to betrayal. It’s a serious accusation especially if it comes from the Lord Himself. Similar to a husband and wife relationship where trust is an important key to a firm marriage relationship.
The Bread
1. Matt 6:11, in the prayer the Lord taught us, the bread mentioned is to be asked for daily. All that is necessary for daily strength. As much as we need physical break for strength, we need daily spiritual bread to be over comers. Psa 119:11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
2. We need the break of Heaven for our spiritual life which is our daily sustenance. Life means growth, any child that doesn’t grow will bring grief to his or her parents. Same with our Father in Heaven, he wants us to grow in wisdom and in stature as Jesus did (Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.)
3. The evidence of our receiving the bread of Heaven is obviously seen by how much we obey God’s Word. Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
4. Rev 3:20 speaks of Jesus coming and wanting to sup with us. A relationship that Jesus wants to share with us daily, that He can break the bread and give it to us.
5. The broken bread was blessed (Matt 26:26), which means that the Word that we receive from God has to be blessed by Him and must be consumed whole. We eat what He gives us because it’s blessed. It is our duty to take every word: 2Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: which means we even have to ready to take God’s reproof (rebuke) and correction. Don’t just take God’s promises and blessing but also His rod of discipline because He loves us.
6. We are not meant to be spiritually over weight. In order to nourish others, we must first be broken. This means we have to be broken before God can use us to bless others. God has to take us to the place of brokenness for our sin, pride, self and what ever that stands in the way of blessing others. We know that we are broken when we are able to take rebuke for our wrong and willing to be corrected.
The Cup
The cup was given by Jesus after the supping; therefore the cup will be given to us once there is a communion we share with the Lord. The Covenant is then given to us, with the blood showing the final seal or confirmation by His ultimate sacrifice.
How much of God’s covenant or promises are being realized in our lives will depend on how much of a communion life we share with Jesus. Not forgetting that it is out of a constant receiving of the bread of heaven first that will take us to receiving the fullness of His promises.
His promises are the Will of God for our lives. A rich man will have a will written out on whom to leave his wealth with after he passes on. It some sense it’s the same kind of will, that the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psa 50:10) wants to bless us. More than physical blessing it is His Presence that He want us to bear. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13).
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (1Jo 1:3-6) There is a tremendous joy in knowing that we are accepted in God. This world seeks acceptance and recognition by dressing better, driving larger cars or living in bigger homes, lavishing in great wealth. Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. God’s will for us to receive our inheritance is when we living in His Presence where there is everlasting joy.
The cup which contains the wine which signifies joy and healing.
Neh 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. God’s joy is the secret to being an over-comer over our loneliness, low self-esteem, sin, whatever that brings sadness and depression upon our lives.
The Good Samaritan applied wine to the wounds of the man hurt by robbers. Let us not look at the physical healing only, which is just as important. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. (Mat 9:2-7). God wants us to be whole in not just the body but also the mind and spirit. 2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Jesus wants us to remember His death often because we have to be reminded daily that following Jesus means we have to bear our own cross daily (Luke 9:23). It’s something no one can bear on our behalf. It is His desire that when He returns, He will be able to find us as faithful to the end. The taking of the Lord’s Supper must also serve to remind us that we are to live like the early church in great anticipation of our ultimate home in heaven. In other words, we are but sojourners on this earth.
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