Repent for the Kingdom of the Heavens has Drawn Near- Vol. 3 by Ron Brubacher

Repent, for the Kingdom of the Heavens Has Drawn Near Title of this volume: Go Back and Report What you Hear and See and Hear 1st Edition: May 2011 Translated with permission of Editora Árvore da Vida Published by Editora Árvore da Vida in Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, French, Italian and German. All rights reserved by Jasper Life Publications 725 Viscount Road London, ON, Canada N6J 4G9 Phone: (519) 472-0350 http://jasperlife.com ISSN 1920-8510 Printed in Brazil

Bible Quotations All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version® is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.

Other versions of scripture are indicated as follows: NKJV NU‑Text New King James Version variations according to the twenty-seventh edition of the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament and the United Bible Societies’ fourth edition ASV American Standard Version DBY Darby Translation lit. Literal translation

ENJOY! Individually 1. Meet with the Lord early in the morning. 2. As soon as you rise, before doing anything else, take a breath of life, deeply calling on the name of the Lord, “Oh Lord Jesus”. When doing this, drop all your cares, fears, sadness and sin, and receive the Lord Jesus as life, joy, peace and encouragement. Call “Lord Jesus” several times throughout the day. 3. Read the verses given each day in order to have a complete idea of the subject to be covered. Remember that the Bible explains the Bible; because of this, you will find quotations from many other books of the Bible aside from the one which we are presenting in this Daily Food. 4. Prayerfully read the verse suggested each day. To do this, each word ought to be repeated, emphasized and proclaimed without haste, as if one were chewing. Do not read the verse too fast, but spend time on each word. In this exercise, do not worry about understanding the verse, but “eat” it, taking it by faith as spiritual food. 5. Underline and highlight the phrases and words in the explanatory text that most impress you. Pay special attention to the Key Point. This point will function as a key to unlock the spiritual significance of the text. “Digest” it during the day, repeating it to yourself. In this manner, the text that you read in the morning will be your spiritual food all day long. 6. Share what you gain with those you are related to at home, at school, at work, etc. They need the life that you receive through the word.

Enjoy! In Small Groups 1. Daily Food is an excellent tool for small groups meeting to study the Bible. These small groups may be informal and be characterized by mutual care among the members. 2. A small group meeting can be formed of household members, relatives and neighbours, friends who live nearby, classmates, or work colleagues. 3. Try to meet regularly with members of your small group meeting in order to read Daily Food together. 4. When together, read the suggested passages for each day and prayerfully read the verse of the day. 5. Try to apply the Key Point to your daily life and its difficulties, and to your personal and professional life. Make the word of God applicable to your living. In this way everyone can actively participate and be mutually edified. 6. Take the opportunity to pray together for individual needs or problems. 7. Whenever possible, bring guests to your small group meeting. Then more people can be supplied by Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s word.

May you all receive life abundantly!

The editors

PS: Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to look at the Additional Reading suggested at the end of each week. It is very helpful.

CONTENTS Week 1 – Message 17 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles – Part 2 (Matt. 10:1-4) Called to Further the Faith.................................................................. 7 The Anointing For the Carrying Out of the Ministry....................... 10 The Gospels of Matthew and John.................................................... 12 The Lord Jesus Died, Then Shed His Blood..................................... 14 Peter, a Good Example of Denying Oneself...................................... 17 The Baptism with Fire Is Typified by the Purification of Gold.......... 20 Refined by Fire................................................................................... 22 Week 2 – Message 18 The Disciples of John the Baptist (Matt. 11:2-4) Fulfilling All Righteousness............................................................... 26 Following the Lord in Newness of Life.............................................. 29 The Kingdom and God’s Will............................................................ 31 The Name Which Brings Salvation.................................................. 33 A Normal Condition Before God...................................................... 37 Exercising Our Gifts for the Kingdom............................................... 37 Forgiven by the Blood and Supplied with the Divine Life to Follow the Lord............................................................................. 39 Week 3 – Message 19 The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven - Part 1 (Matt. 13:3-9) The Emphasis in the Book of Matthew and the Importance of Repentance........................................................................................ 43 The Dangers of Both the Old and New Religion.............................. 45 The Lord Jesus Speaks in Parables.................................................... 49 The Seed That Fell by the Wayside................................................... 51 The Seed That Fell on the Stony Ground......................................... 53 The Seed That Fell among the Thorns............................................. 55 When Our Heart Becomes Good Ground........................................ 57 Week 4 – Message 20 The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven – Part 2 (Matt. 13:10-11) The Good Ground and the Parable of the Tares............................... 60 The Parables of the Mustard Seed, the Leaven, The Hidden Treasure, the Pearl, and the Dragnet............................ 63 Recovering the First Love.................................................................. 66 The Cooperation of John in His Maturity......................................... 69 The Reason For Smyrna’s Perseverance............................................ 71 The Churches in Sardis and Laodicea............................................... 74 The Church in Philadelphia.............................................................. 77 5

Week 5 – Message 21 The Execution of John the Baptist (Matt. 14:6-8) The Renewing That Produces Life and Peace................................... 80 A Compassionate and Saving Lord .................................................. 82 The Purifying Power of the Spirit...................................................... 84 Glory and Honor at the Revelation of Jesus Christ........................... 87 A Heart Sensitive to God’s Will........................................................ 89 The Dangers of Keeping a Ministry Parallel to the Lord’s................ 91 Disciples of the Lord and Fellow Servants of One Another............. 93 Week 6 – Message 22 Five Thousand Eat and Get Enough (Matt. 14:19-21) The Lord Jesus Is the Messiah........................................................... 96 Who Will Feed the Great Multitude?............................................... 98 The True Food................................................................................. 100 The Emphasis in the Writings of the Apostle John......................... 102 The Ministry of the Apostle John Will Remain Until the Lord’s Coming........................................................................... 105 Books That Lead to Faith................................................................ 107 Working For the Food Which Does Not Perish.............................. 109 Week 7 – Message 23 Be Careful of the Leaven of the Pharisees (Matt. 16:11-12) A Change of Mind........................................................................... 112 Genuine Repentance Leads Us to the Kingdom of the Heavens.... 114 Abandoning Religion and Following the Lord Jesus....................... 117 The Bronze Serpent......................................................................... 120 Blood and Water.............................................................................. 122 The Old Man Has Already Been Crucified..................................... 124 We Are Living the Last Ministry—Spirit and Life.......................... 126 Week 8 – Message 24 The Church is Revealed (Matt. 16:18-19) The Preeminence Belongs to the Son of God................................. 129 The Living Bread Which Came Down from Heaven..................... 131 Casting Out the Old Leaven........................................................... 133 Keeping the Lord’s Name and Word to the End............................. 135 The Adequate Environment for Revelation................................... 138 God Dispenses Himself as Life to Man............................................ 140 The Church and the Kingdom of the Heavens............................... 142

Week 1 – MONDAY Scripture reading:

Matt. 10:1-7; 1 Tim. 1:3-4; Heb. 3:1 Read with prayer:

Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness (Tit. 1:1).

Many disciples followed the Lord Jesus during His ministry, among whom He chose twelve, after going out to the mountain and spending the night praying to God (Luke 6:12). He also named these men apostles (v. 13) and sent them out to preach the gospel of the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 10:1-7). The word apostle is of Greek origin and it means sent one. The apostles are sent out by God to preach the gospel and further the Faith1. Today, in order to carry out the Lord’s work more effectively, we send brothers and sisters to the CEAPE (perfecting center for the propagation of the gospel), where The Bible speaks of faith, which is a disposition that exists within us that we may believe in God and believe in His promises. Some may have a greater faith than others as we see in these verses: “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” (Matt. 8:26); “...Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24); and “When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him.… I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” (Luke 7:9). There is also the Faith, which refers to that in which we believe or the object of our faith. It is composed of every item of the teachings revealed by the apostles, presenting to us God’s plan and His arrangement to dispense Himself into man. In order to facilitate comprehension, we have spelled faith, in small letters, when referring to our subjective ability to believe, and the Faith, capitalized, as we indicate the objective faith, which is deposited within us as we believe in the Word and practice it. 1

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles - Part2

CALLED TO FURTHER THE FAITH

Go Back and Report What You See and Hear

they have the opportunity to be perfected as colporteurs. After being perfected, these brothers and sisters go out to preach the gospel by means of books; the main goal is to bring people to the Faith. Another way in the Lord’s work, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, is a place called Bookafé, which means books that promote the Faith or books that lead people to the Faith. The word faith refers to God’s economy in the New Testament, as conveyed by Paul in Ephesians chapter 1. There, the apostle presents to us the work of the Triune God: the work of the Father, the work of the Son, and the work of the Spirit. The work of the Triune God has the goal of infusing His own person into us, thus saturating our spirit, soul, and body with Himself. By combining this portion of the Word with 1 Timothy, it becomes clear to us that God’s goal is to infuse His economy—the objective Faith—into our subjective faith (1 Tim. 1:3-4). Hence, we see the benefit of the Bookafé and of colportage. We need brothers and sisters who have been perfected and know how to spread the books. This is how God’s New Testament economy can be presented to everyone. The colporteur is the equivalent of the Old Testament’s high priest and the New Testament’s apostle, for he leads people to God and has been sent by Him. The Lord Jesus is both the Apostle and the High Priest (Heb. 3:1). Our responsibility is ever increasing. God has recently charged us to preach the gospel of the kingdom in Europe, Africa, and Central America. He needs more people to supply His need in these countries. Therefore, it is beneficial that more brothers and sisters enter the CEAPE and become colporteurs. Hence, “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). Praise the Lord!

Key point: Being perfected to promote the Faith. My key point:

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles - Part 2

Question: What is the importance of the BookafĂŠ and colportage in preaching the gospel of the kingdom?

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Week 1 – TUESDAY Scripture reading:

Matt. 4:19, 21; 9:9; John 1:1, 14; 14:16-17; Acts 2:41; 4:4; Eph. 1:3-14 Read with prayer:

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory (Eph. 1:13-14). THE ANOINTING FOR THE CARRYING OUT OF THE MINISTRY

In His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus chose a group of people to cooperate with Him. Jesus “…went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:13-14). As we saw yesterday, He called these twelve men and also named them apostles. These were their names: “… Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him” (Matt. 10:2-4). It is important to notice the relationship between the occupations of each one of the 12 apostles, and their function while serving the Lord. Peter and Andrew were casting out their nets into the sea when the Lord called them to follow Him. The Lord said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (4:19).

Key point: Exercising our function to supply God’s need.

My key point: Question: How did the disciples cooperate with the Lord?

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles - Part 2

After that, the Lord called James and John who were “in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets” (v. 21). The Lord called James and, especially, John to carry out the work of spiritually mending nets to prevent life from escaping. Peter preached the gospel, casting out nets, and many were saved (Acts 2:41; 4:4). However, little by little, they became dispersed due to the “tearing of the nets.” When this happened, God called out John and used him to “mend the nets”, that is, to restore the saints with the divine life. The disciples chosen by Jesus were mostly fishermen who did not have much education. Among these men, the Lord Jesus chose Matthew, a tax collector (Matt. 9:9). Matthew had some administrative background and was used by God to present matters concerning the kingdom of the heavens. During the three and a half years He spent with His disciples, the Lord Jesus spoke many things, yet they did not understand His words very well, especially, the words that referred to the eternal life, to the Spirit, and God’s New Testament economy. Later on, Paul, who had not been among the original group of apostles, spoke in Ephesians about the dispensing of the Father, of the Son, and of the Spirit (Eph. 1:3-14). In his gospel, John also spoke about God’s economy in detail. God is the Father who was in the beginning (John 1:1). The Son is the embodiment of God; He is the Word which became flesh so that God could abide among men (1:14). He was named Immanuel, yet as a man He could not be with us forever. Therefore, John chapter 14 shows us that He became the Spirit of reality (vv. 16-17). Hence, as the Spirit, the Lord is always with us. Hallelujah!

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Week 1 – WEDNESDAY Scripture reading:

Matt. 3:16; 4:17; 10:5-7; John 1:12-13; 3:3, 5 Read with prayer:

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you (John 14:16-17). THE GOSPELS OF MATTHEW AND JOHN

While He was with His disciples, the Lord Jesus did many things. Moreover, He also taught high and heavenly words. The majority of His disciples, nonetheless, focused more on the words about healings, miracles, casting out demons, signs, and wonders. Matthew was a tax collector, an official of the Roman government. Hence, one may infer that he was perhaps more used to taking notes than the others, hearing the Lord’s words about the kingdom and recording them in his gospel. The New Testament begins with John the Baptist—Jesus’ forerunner—as he was announcing: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matt. 3:2). After being baptized, Jesus came up out of the water and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him (v. 16). As Jesus initiated His ministry, He also announced, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (4:17). The Lord Jesus was among fishermen and tax collectors. Among His followers, He chose twelve apostles and sent them firstly to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, instructing them: “And as you go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (10:7). Nevertheless, Matthew was not the only one who wrote about the kingdom of the heavens. God preserved John and many years

Key point: Announcing that the kingdom of the heavens is

near. My key point: Question: What is the most basic requirement to enter into the kingdom of the heavens?

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles - Part 2

later instructed him to write the words the Lord had spoken to His disciples during the three and a half years He spent with them. At nearly the age of ninety, John was in the spirit and he remembered very important words that had not been recorded by the other gospel writers. For instance, Jesus said in John 14: “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever — the Spirit of truth… I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (vv. 16-18). The Lord Jesus explained that He Himself would become the Spirit of truth, the other Helper, so that He could always be with them. John was the only one who wrote these words in his gospel; there is no mention of this passage in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, or Luke. Likewise, in the past, we emphasized matters concerning the church, according to the direction we received then. Today, however, we have received a commission from the Lord to preach that the kingdom of the heavens is near (Matt. 10:7). Although Matthew shows us many aspects concerning the kingdom of the heavens, it was through the help of John’s writings in his maturity, that we have seen that the kingdom is a matter of life. In order to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, we must first have God’s life (John 3:3, 5). Only he who is born anew can enter into the kingdom; that which is born of the flesh is flesh (v. 6), but he who is born of the Spirit is a son of God (1:12-13). Today, not only do we have the life of our parents, but we also have the divine life. In order to enter into the kingdom, we need to receive God’s life. The gospel of the kingdom of the heavens is also the gospel of life.

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Week 1 – THURSDAY Scripture reading:

Mic. 7:19; John 19:25-27, 31-36; Eph. 2:5 Read with prayer:

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out (John 19:30, 34). THE LORD JESUS DIED, THEN SHED HIS BLOOD

We praise the Lord for granting us His grace and saving us from sin (Eph. 2:5). The Lord Jesus died on the cross for our sake, His blood was shed, and our sins were forgiven (Mic. 7:19). Through the gospel of grace, we have been enlightened concerning this fact, repenting and receiving God’s life into our being that we may enjoy everything the Lord has done for us. The gospel of grace establishes the ground from which we can advance, fulfilling God’s will. We were saved, regenerated, and now we must grow spiritually so the kingdom of the heavens will be manifested. Hence, we must announce the gospel of the kingdom, which concerns denying the soul-life and allowing the divine life to grow that we may reign in the coming world (Heb. 2:5-7). The apostle John showed us that the Lord’s death was not merely to deal with the problem of sin, but also to deal with our old man, our soul-life. John was near the cross during Jesus’s crucifixion. He was hung on a tree on a Friday (Mark 15:42; John 19:1418). The next day was a Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest; that Sabbath held special importance, for it was a high day, the

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles - Part 2

Passover (v. 31). For this reason, the Jews asked that those who had been sentenced to death have their legs broken and be taken away. On either side of the Lord two criminals were crucified whose legs were broken; yet when the soldiers approached the Lord, they saw that He had already died and did not break His legs (vv. 32-33). This happened to fulfill the prophecy that none of His bones would be broken (v. 36). Then, perhaps to make sure that Jesus was indeed dead, “one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (v. 34). In the book of Genesis we read that God “caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept.… Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man” (2:21-22). Eve was made from one of Adam’s ribs. The gospel of John shows us that the Lord’s side was pierced with a spear, flowing out blood for the forgiveness of sins and water to infuse us with life, thus begetting the church. Man possesses veins, arteries, and capillaries. There is usually not much bleeding associated with the smaller vessels. It would take a long time if the Lord shed all his blood through the wounds on His hands and feet. He died before then, and when He was pierced by that spear, blood and water flowed out. Due to its color and volume, many must have seen the blood. However, John was close to the cross and was the only one who saw and recorded that water came out of the Lord’s side (John 19:25-26, 34-35). This water was a lymphatic liquid, it was not abundant; only someone standing very close would be able to see it. A large number of Christians believe that the Lord Jesus shed his blood and then died. However, according to the record in John, the Lord Jesus had already died when blood and water flowed out of His side. John made sure to point

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out that Jesus had died when He shed His blood. He shed His blood to purify us from our sins and died to eliminate our old nature, our soul-life. When we present the gospel of the kingdom, we must remember this. Key point: Blood and water.

My key point: Question: What is the importance in realizing that the Lord died first and then shed His blood?

Week 1 – FRIDAY Scripture reading:

Matt. 3:11; 16:18-19, 24; 17:1-5, 24-27; Rom. 6:6 Read with prayer:

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin (Rom. 6:5-6).

The Lord has been speaking to us in a very special way about denying our soul-life. In Matthew 16, Jesus reveals the church and continues speaking on how to live it, highlighting the need to deny the soul-life. Matthew 16:18 says, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” After that, in verse 19, he reveals the connection between the church and the kingdom: “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The church has been given authority for it holds the keys to the kingdom of the heavens. The authority comes from the kingdom and it is the authority of the kingdom. Hence, whatever we bind on the earth is bound in the heavens and whatever we loose on the earth is loosed in the heavens. This authority has been given to us through the Lord’s death on the cross and His resurrection (Matt. 28:18-19). We have already seen that the Lord died first and then

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles - Part2

PETER, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF DENYING ONESELF

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blood and water flowed out from His side. Along with Him, our old man was also crucified (Rom. 6:6). The old man is our soul-life. In the past, we attempted to eliminate it through the sufferings which would come upon our flesh. Some would fall gravely ill, suffer much, confess their sins, repent before the Lord, and even be healed—yet the problem of the soul-life would remain untouched. This happens when we only look at problem of sin and neglect the grave problem of the soul-life. The apostle Peter heard Jesus speak of the need to deny the self in order to follow Him (Matt. 16:24). Nevertheless, it was only as an older man that Peter realized that the sufferings produced by the outward circumstances were not enough to completely eliminate the soul-life. We already know Peter’s story. Despite having his old man buried through baptism, he would still manifest it at times. In Matthew 17, six days after having heard the Lord speak about the importance of denying the soul-life in order to follow Him, Peter held Jesus as an equal to Moses and Elijah, suggesting three tents should be made for them (vv. 3-4). However, the Father said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (v. 5). Peter should have learned the lesson and not acted according to his impulses at that moment. On a different occasion, those who collected the temple tax, or the two-drachma tax, asked Peter: “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?” (v. 24). Peter immediately answered and said “Yes!” The Lord anticipated Peter and asked, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” (v. 25). Peter realized that he had failed and spoken in himself, thus manifesting his soul-life. He realized the dangers contained in his soul-life and understood that

his answer had been too hasty. The Lord Jesus had mercy on Peter and sent him out fishing to find a piece of money inside the mouth of the first fish he caught. The coin he found was the exact amount to pay the tax for both (v. 27). This was one of the situations used by the Lord to expose Peter’s natural soul-life. Peter realized that it was essential to burn the impurities of the soul-life in the fire of the Spirit. Advanced in years, Peter realized that despite the many times he had been exposed by the Lord, his soul-life still had not been completely eliminated. Likewise, it is time that we understand the dangers of living by our soul-life and repent like Peter by allowing it to go through the fire of the Spirit (Matt. 3:11; 1 Pet. 1:6‑7). Key point: Realizing the dangers of living by the soul-life.

My key point:

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles - Part 2

Question: What can we learn from Peter’s experience amid sufferings?

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Week 1 – SATURDAY Scripture reading:

Matt. 3:11-12; 13:4-8 Read with prayer:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:6-7). THE BAPTISM WITH FIRE IS TYPIFIED BY THE PURIFICATION OF GOLD

The Lord Jesus showed the need to deny the soul-life in order to reign in the coming world (Matt. 16:24; Heb. 2:5-7). Sometimes we deny ourselves, yet fail shortly afterwards by acting according to our soul-life, that is, our own thoughts, feelings, and emotions. The parable about the sower in Matthew 13 is of great help to us: “Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: ‘Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.’” (vv. 3-7). Although the seeds germinated and grew, the thorns also sprang up and choked them, preventing them from receiving sunlight. Without sunlight, plants cannot bear fruit. Others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty (v. 8).

Key point: Burning the thorns so that life may grow. My key point: Question: What does the Bible mean with being baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire?

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles - Part 2

This indicates that we need to take care of the ground. It is necessary to till the earth and remove the stones, so that the roots are free to grow deeper. Also, in order to prevent the thorns from choking the plants, we must pull them out; nevertheless, they can grow again. We have previously seen that the best way to deal with the thorns is to burn them. Even John the Baptist, while he testified about the Lord Jesus, said, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt. 3:11). When the Holy Spirit comes, so does the fire. When we turn ourselves to the spirit, the impurities of our soul-life are burned in the fire of the Spirit. Jesus was baptized to fulfill God’s righteousness (v. 15), and this righteousness is His will. At that moment, it was God’s will that Jesus would bury His human nature through baptism. As for us, going through the baptism with water alone is not enough; we must also go through the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire. The Bible does not say: “…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit or fire.” It says: “with the Holy Spirit and fire.” We need newness of life! Everyone who has been baptized with the Holy Spirit will also be baptized with fire. Peter had this experience. In his old age, he compared this fire to the fire use to purify and refine gold (1 Pet. 1:7). Gold in its raw form contains many impurities, just like us. As gold needs to be refined by fire, we also need to be purified by the fire of the Spirit.

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Week 1 – SUNDAY Scripture reading:

Gen. 2:12; 1 Pet. 1:6-9; Rev. 21:18, 23 Read with prayer:

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy (1 Pet. 4:12-13). REFINED BY FIRE

In order to refine rough gold, it is necessary to pound it, break it, crush it, and then wash it with water or some special liquid. This process removes the apparent impurities, yet it is not able to eliminate the impurities entwined with the inner structure of the gold. Hence, it is necessary to place it inside a container where it can go through intense fire. This fire cannot go out or the container will break. Once the gold is placed in the container and the temperature is raised, it melts and becomes liquid. Since it possesses a high density (19.250kg/m³), the molten gold sinks to the bottom, and the impurities rise to the surface where they can be removed. The same applies to the church life, as we are disciplined and go through numerous sufferings. According to Peter, this is part of the “fiery trial” meant to burn and remove the impurities of our soul-life. As you increase the heat of fire, the amount of impurities floating up to the surface will also increase that they be eliminated. Therefore, the Lord raises up the temperature to five hundred, six hundred, one thousand, one thousand two hundred degrees, etc. At the

end of this process, our faith becomes even more precious than perishable gold (1 Pet. 1:7). In the Garden of Eden there was gold, bdellium, and onyx stone (Gen. 2:12). These materials were in the river which flows out of Eden to the New Jerusalem, the city of gold. This gold, however, was not ordinary, “the city was pure gold, like clear glass” (Rev. 21:18). Since that city is made of clear, or transparent, gold, it “had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light” (v. 23). This clear gold is more precious than perishable gold, for it is produced through sufferings and trials (1 Pet. 4:19). These are not outward sufferings of the flesh, such as illnesses or tragedies, but inner sufferings caused by the purifying fire. This was Peter’s experience described in chapter 1 of his first epistle. In chapter 4, he counsels that we should not regard the fiery ordeals meant to try us as strange, but that we should rejoice as we become partakers of Christ’s sufferings which help us deny our soul-life (vv. 12-13). Denying our soul-life is the most important thing for us today. Yet, we know this is not easily accomplished; we are still unable to deny it. Perhaps, it may be easier for the younger brothers and sisters in the Lord to accept this word; the rest of the saints still have difficulty practicing it. They may participate in conferences on marriage and family living; they may hear that according to 1 Corinthians 11, man is the head of the woman, the Lord is the head of man, and that God is the head of Christ; yet in their daily living, they completely neglect Christ’s heading up. In the beginning, the sisters may even submit, but after a week they go back to forcing their husbands. This indicates that mere mental conviction of certain doctrines is unable to change us.

We need the Spirit’s burning within our being. This is the best way to perfect the saints that they become like clear gold, a material used in the New Jerusalem. Hallelujah! Key point: Going through the refining fire. My key point: Question: What is the issue of the inner burning described in 1 Peter? Complementary Reading: “The Greatest Suffering of Jesus” – chap. 6 – Dong Yu Lan. “The Peril of the Good Side of the Soul” – chaps. 3-4 – Dong Yu Lan. “Like God in Life and Nature” – chaps. 2-3 – Dong Yu Lan.

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