11-8-2015 weekly message

Meditation of the week: Psalms 24;1-10

Main scripture: Philippians 3:20-21

Subject: How much we know Christ as the citizens of heaven?

         The citizen belong to a nation shall be living in peace through knowing of the nation. If they are ignorant of the laws of their nation, they are to be troubled in many ways. The laws of the nation should be observed by the citizens; and only they that keep the laws shall be protected by the laws. We have seen many Korean Americans in troubles, for they brake the laws because of their ignorance of the laws.

        Apostle Paul testified unto the saints in Ephesians in the Spirit of the citizen through regeneration of the Holy Ghost:

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”(Eph. 1:5-7)

             Therefore, though the born again children of God are still living in the world observing the laws, they have to observe the laws of the words of God spiritually so that they may be able to live in peace physically and spiritually. Apostle Peter encouraged unto the saints that have the citizenship of heavenly kingdom: “Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 1Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.”(1Pet. 2:10-14)

               The knowledge of the present world shall be in vain, when the Lord Jesus come, and judge all the nations; but the knowledge of the kingdom of God is most excellent of the knowledge of the world, for the kingdom of God established by the Lord Jesus Christ is forever more. Apostle Paul testified of his changed life since he met with the Lord Jesus, and entered the kingdom of God:

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”(Phil. 3:7-9)

             Yeah! Things gained to us are to be counted loss for Christ as testified by Apostle Paul. More we spent our time and material and body for us, less for Christ. John the Baptist was born six months before Jesus born departed the world after he finished his mission of Jesus as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. When his disciples went to Jesus, he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”(John 3:30)

                 Anyhow the whole universe belong to the Lord Jesus, as testified by Apostle John saying, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”(John 1:3)

Apostle Paul also testified unto the saints in Colossians of this truth saying, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;”(Col. 1:15-19)

             He also testified unto the saints in Romans of this:

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”(Rom. 11:33-36)

             Therefore, before the Lord Jesus return or we depart this world, we should have the faith that we first give to him to receive it back at the Judgment seat of Christ. We see the ensamples of them that had such a faith and the other without faith. The first one was a woman that broke an alabaster box of very precious ointment that was her whole possessions to pour on the head of Jesus to prepare for his burial(Matt. 26:7, Mark 14:3, Luke 7:37); and the other one was a young man that went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions, upon hearing from Jesus saying, “Give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven: and come and follow me.”(Matt. 19:16-22).

               The Lord Jesus said unto his disciples of the blessing unto them that take loss for themselves for the sake of him:

“Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.”(Mark 10:29-31)

                Yeah! Soon or later, when he comes, all things shall return into the Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Apostle Paul testified, this is the will of God unto the saints in Ephesians:

“Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”(Eph. 1:9-14)

               Therefore, Apostle Paul was looking forward the day of resurrection when he put of the body of sin, and his soul is clothed by the new one; and he testified of such a hope unto the saints in Philippians: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”(Phil. 3:10-14)

               I wish all of us to meditate how much we have know the Lord Jesus Christ deeply. Jesus said that we have to know him:

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”(John 5:39-30)

Jesus explained about the scriptures in details, when he met with the disciples after he rose again, and he opened their understanding for them to understand the scriptures: “These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”(Luke 24:44)

               He testified unto them of the scriptures of the Old Testament regarding Christ. Yeah! The Old Testament is not only passed history, but full of the prophesies of the Lord Jesus Christ to come. Unless we study the books of the Old Testament, there is no way to know Christ who died for our sins and rose again, neither to know the will of God for heaven and earth. Therefore, wish all of us to study Christ in the Old Testament to have the excellent knowledge of him. And we are to be blessed when he comes back through make him increase and decrease for us. Amen! Hallelujah!