Love of the Triune Godhead (GL80)

  'Appreciating God's Love'

 

Triune Godhead Revealed

I John 5:7  For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

    God revealed Himself in the Triune Godhead (Trinity) as the Father, the Son (Word) and the Holy Spirit, for us to see the unity and harmony from the perfect divine love within the Godhead.

    Whoever comprehends and practises God's perfect love, he too will be able to find the unity and harmony within his own family and also in the family of God.

John 17:22   And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

Father's Greatest Blessing

    From the OT, we have a fair knowledge of His attributes of love, mercy, provision, delivery, salvation, teaching, protection, healing, comfort and care.

    A good, holy and faithful Father whose unfailing love and great patience blesses His children by teaching and helping them to reject and overcome sin, walk in righteousness, live in holiness and partake of Jesus' sufferings until they achieve perfection.

Acts 3:26   "To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."

Father's Chastisement

Heb 12:6,11  For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives... Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

    Out of His great love, our Father God chastises His children to transform the wayward to those bearing peaceable fruit of righteousness.

    Unfortunately, disobedient and faithless Christians using worldly wisdom have created spoilt brats.

Father's Protection

    From the OT, many cannot understand God, who seemed cruel and unreasonable for wiping out many nations, till we see Jesus protecting His people from being destroyed by deceptions, idolatry and abominable practices of the wolves and the wicked.

    For Jesus cursed the depraved and covetous Jewish leaders who were wolves in sheepskin and hypocrites for they were the devil's agents out to destroy the faith of His people and lead them to damnation.

Note remove all wolves from your chat groups and churches.

Mat 23:13-14  "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."

 

Jesus as the Son

Phi 2:5,8  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus... And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

    As Son, Jesus obeyed the Father even the horrific death on the cross.

    Similar, as God's children, we must obey Him by keeping His commandments.

Jesus as the Husband

Eph 5:23-26  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

    Jesus loved His church by willingly accepting all the pains, sufferings and death meant for us because of our sins. We, being His bride, must love Him by keeping His words.

Holy Spirit as the Helper

John 16:13-14  "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."

    God sent the Spirit of truth to teach and guide us into all truth so that we are free from all worldly fears and bondages, and helps us to overcome the deceptions and temptations of the evil one.

Indwelling of the Triune Godhead

John 14:23  Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."

    The Triune God loves to dwell within us to temporarily fellowship with us before finally accepting us as His son or the bride of the Lamb in eternity.

True Disciple - Fervent love for one another

John 13:34-35  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

    To be a disciple of Jesus, we must love one another as He had loved us. We have been commissioned by our Lord Jesus to make disciples of all nations by teaching them to observe all His commandments.

Mat 28:19-20  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

Lamb on the Cross (GL79)

   'Appreciating God's Love'

Final Week of Jesus

Jesus Poured Out His Blood

John 19:33-34  But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

    The most wicked people in the bible - Jezebel, wife of King Ahab, who killed many of God's prophets and Judas Iscariot who betrayed our Lord Jesus both shed blood after their death.

    Our Lord too shed blood after His death, so that His precious blood can cleanse all sins including the worst sins and iniquities.

Note at the bronze altar, a sacrificial animal was offered for the redemption of sins.

Jesus Poured Out Water

John 4:10  Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

    In the OT, before the priest could enter the Holy Place, he must first wash himself with water from the bronze laver and then put on the holy priest garment. Our Lord promised us that He will give us His living water when we ask it from Him

    On the cross, our Lord not only shed blood for the remission of our sins (at the bronze altar) but also the promised living water for the cleansing of our bodies (at the bronze laver) to prepare us to be holy so that we can enter into His presence (Holy Place).

Cleansing by His Pure Water

Heb 10:22  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

    The pure water poured out on the cross was to prepare us to be holy by cleansing our hearts from evil consciences and our bodies from lusts.

     During the last supper, our Lord told His disciples, who had given up everything to follow Him, that they were clean because they had kept His words.

Note priests must wash themselves with water from the  bronze laver before entering the Holy Place.

John 15:3  " You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."

Saints or Holy Christians

John 8:31-32,36  Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free... Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

    When a Christian keeps His words, he will know the truth which will set him free from wickedness, worldliness and evil conscience. Being holy, he can now enter the Holy Place.

I Pet 1:13-15  Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

Obedience to Perfection

Heb 5:8-9  though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

    Because of the complete obedience of Jesus to endure suffering until death, He became the perfect sacrifice with eternal redemption.

    Christians do not need to offer any more animal sacrifice for their sins, but only need to confess and repent of their sins  for forgiveness.

Heb 9:12  Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Boldness into Most Holy Place

Hebrews 10:19-22  Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

    After being saved by the perfect sacrifice at the bronze altar, and the cleansing by His word at the bronze laver, we can then put on the holy priesthood garment to enter the Holy Place.

     God will allow sufferings to sanctify us to perfection so that as the bride of the Lamb we can enter into His presence inside the most Holy Place .

Heb 2:10  For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Death of Jesus (GL78)

   'Appreciating God's Love'

 

Final Week of Jesus

Hung on the Cross

Deu 28:15  "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

   In the Old Covenant, whoever did not obey the laws and commandments of God, a curse would be upon him, until he had repented by offering the sacrificial lamb for the redemption of their sins.

   When the Old Covenant ended, God left the temple of God, thus making the temple of God, priesthood and all religious sacrifices and ceremonies obsolete. Since the animal sacrifices for their sins were no longer acceptable then the associated curses would continuously be upon them.

     Out of the great love of Jesus, He offered Himself to be cursed by dying on the cross to redeem the Jews from the curse of the law and the Gentiles under the curse of wickedness and idolatry.

    Thank God that both Jews and Gentiles who humble themselves to believe Jesus and accept the gospel of grace will be completely free from curses.

Gal 3:13  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),

Death of the Testator

Heb 9:16-17  For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.

    Our Lord Jesus (Testator) was sent by God to bring in the New Covenant to obsolete the Old Covenant. His teachings were the conditions of the New Covenant but in order for the New Covenant of the blood of Jesus to become effective, He had to die to seal the covenant.

    On our part, when we believe Jesus as the Messiah and accept the gospel of grace, then we have signed the New covenant. Immediately, our Lord Jesus will give us the Holy Spirit as the seal of redemption and we are born again and become His children.

Tasted Death for Christians

Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

    Since Jesus had to die to obsolete the Old Covenant of the law and bring in the New Covenant of Grace, He chose the slowest and most horrific and painful death by being hung on the cross to take upon Himself all our pains caused by our sins, rebellions and curses.

    Because of His sacrificial love, all born again Christians will not suffer any pain when they are tortured, crucified, burned on the stack and killed during martyrdom.

Free From Fear of Death

Heb 2:14-15  Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

   Men fear death because they are not sure of the horrific and painful taste of death and also their future with the possibly of eternal suffering in the fire of Hades.

   After the resurrection of Jesus, He gave His godly disciples the Spirit of truth. With the truth in them, they knew that they would not taste death and that they will be enjoying their eternal bliss with the Lord in the kingdom of God.

Painless Death for His Saints

John 8:52  Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'

   Of all the various types of martyrdom, our Lord chose crucifixion, the most horrific and painful death on our behalf to take away all our pains so that we will not feel any pain at death.

    Stephen saw the Lord coming in heaven before the first stone touched his body so He did not taste death nor feel any pain before his death.

Mat 16:27-28  "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

The Blood of Jesus (GL77)

   'Appreciating God's Love'

 

Final Week of Jesus

Sweated Blood at Gethsemane

Luke 22:44  Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

    Men in the olden days had to work hard till they sweated in their faces to be able to eat from the ground. Today, the poor are fearful of their inability to provide the next meal for the families, and even the rich are fearful that their wealth may disappear with rebellions and wars, especially World War 3.

    God knew of men's fear in facing the uncertainty of the future, so out of His great love for His children, He Himself, volunteered to suffer the excruciating pain on their behalf.

    He called on the angel to strengthen His physical body not to give way. He suffered far beyond the endurance of the human body until His tiny blood vessels ruptured to become blooded sweats falling onto the ground.

    With this curse broken, Christians can now commit their future into the Father's hands. We can rest assured of food and provision for He is our Father and Provider.

Gen 3:19  "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."

Chastised for our Infirmities

Luke 23:13-16  Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him "

    Our Lord knew that it was prophesied that it was only by His stripes that the people can be healed of their hurts, pains and sicknesses.

     Pontius Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent of the crime which the Jewish priesthood out of jealousy, had falsely accused Him

   So God instilled into Pontius Pilate to chastise Him so that when the Jews saw Him suffering such excruciating pain, out of compassion, they might spare His life.

    We thank God for Jesus who suffered on our behalf so that He heals us by taking all our pains, worries, sorrows and sicknesses when we humble ourselves before Him.

Isa 53:3-5  He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Blood from Crown of Thorns

Mark 15:17-19  And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.

    Why did Jesus allowed the Roman soldiers to torture Him with the crown of thorn?

    Before His dead, again He blessed men by offering Himself to suffering the extreme pains caused of the thorns and thistles in life.

    In life, we will always meet wicked and evil people who will either obstruct or hurt us in our pursuits. Many will steal our contracts by crooked means and there are those who revile us with lies and falsehood.

    Jesus shed blood caused by the thorns of crown and thistles to break the curse so that Christians today can forgive even their enemies, cheats and competitors.

    Nothing can hurt us now, for His pains caused by the thorns and thistles has healed and comforted us.

Gen 3:18  Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field.

The Last Sermon (GL76)

    'Appreciating God's Love'

Final Week of Jesus

The New Commandment

Mat 5:43-44  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 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,"

    In the Old Covenant, the Jews were to love their neighbours but hate their neighbours. In the New Covenant, our Lord will give us a new heart so that Christians can love not only their neighbours but also their enemies.

    In this New Covenant, God also expects Christians to bless all those who curse them; help, care and do good to those who hate you; and pray for all those that spitefully use you and also persecute you.  

    Without our transformation by the Holy Spirit into new hearts, none of us will be able to keep His new commandments. Our Lord Jesus loved and died for all His enemies, who persecuted, whipped, chastised and crucified Him, as an example of how Christians should love their enemies.

John 13:34-35  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

God's Friends Know His Will

John 15:14-15  "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."

    Brethren, out of His great love for men, God gives us this opportunity to draw closer to Him. He promised us that if we keep His commandments we will no longer be His servants but His friends.

    Once we are His friends, He will made known to us the knowledge, plan and will of God.

Abraham was a Friend of God

Jam 2:23  And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.

    Similarly, when God called Abraham His friend for he believed God and obeyed His commands, He revealed to Abraham His imminent judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins and abominable practices.

Gen 18:17-18  And the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?"

New Spirit of Truth

John 14:15-17  "If you love Me, keep My commandments. 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."

   The Lord knows that the failure of men is mainly in these three areas - the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

    So He promised to give the Spirit of truth (New Spirit) to every Christian who keeps His commandments so that they will be free from worldliness.

Truth Will Set Us Free

John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

   So when the Word was made flesh, our Lord was full of grace and truth, so that all those who abide in His word will know the truth. This truth will set everyone free from worldly bondages.

John 8:31-32  Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

The Last Supper (GL75)

   'Appreciating God's Love'

Final Week of Jesus

Jesus Celebrated Passover

Mark 14:13-14  And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" '

      On the eve of Passover, our Lord Jesus being a devout Jew kept the Passover and ate the Passover lamb with His disciples. Since the Jewish day starts from evening (6pm) till the next evening, then the eve of Passover is beginning of the Day of Passover.

    Later, on the same day of Passover, our Lord Jesus was crucified. He died at about 3 pm on the same day before the evening of the next day sets in.

Note - our Lord celebrated Passover on the eve or the beginning of the day of Passover. Before the end of the day of Passover, He offered Himself to died on the cross to become the perfect sacrificial Passover Lamb for the redemption of all men.

Mark 14:16-17  So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover. In the evening He came with the twelve.

New Covenant of His Blood

Mark 14:22-24  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many."

    Out of the grace of God, while Jesus was eating the Passover meal with His disciples, He instituted the Holy Communion to constantly remind and encourage them of His great love, care and concern for men.

    He reminded them that the Word was made flesh, and whenever they partake of the bread (Word), they must always abide in His words so that they will be empowered to be like Him.

    He also reminded them that whenever they partake of the cup, His blood poured out for them have cleansed them of all their sins of old. Being made righteous, they must be holy just as God is holy by staying away from sinning.

    However, if they sin, God is gracious, righteous and faithful and will forgive them if they confess their sins. God has also given to every born Christian the Holy Spirit of redemption to convict him of sin.

Jesus Washed Disciples' Feet

John 13:3-5  Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

    When our baby has covered himself with his foul excreta, immediately we will joyfully cleanse him knowing that he will be more comfortable when cleansed. This is our love for the baby built within every parent.

    But if your aged parent fouls himself, will you cleanse him? Well, if we appreciate their love, care and concern, every filial child will joyfully cleanse his parents, but if without this filial love he will resent doing it.

    Our Lord Jesus, the Saviour and great Healer - their Lord and Master humbled Himself to cleansed the feet of His disciples as an example for us to wash one another's feet.

   If we can wash one another's feet, then we truly have the love for one another, just like the love we have for our own little children.

Note  brethren, let's not live like the earthly kings but as the King of kings in humility, love and the operations of His mighty power.

John 13:14-15  "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."

Jesus Final Warnings (GL74)

   'Appreciating God's Love'

Final Week of Jesus

Warning of Jewish Leaders

Mat 23:13-14  "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. (please read Mat 23)

    Just before His arrest, our Lord Jesus addressed the depraved Jewish leaders as hypocrites and even snakes and vipers..He revealed their hypocrisies and sins with the hope that they would realized their mistakes and repent of their sins and iniquities.

    He told them that the wickedness, hypocrisies, persecuting and murdering of God's servants since Abel were all found in the present generation of Jewish leadership.

    He also warned them that they could no longer worship Yahweh the Triune Godhead, until they believed and blessed the Word (Jesus) who came in the name of the Lord Yeshua.

Note God's Name is Yeshua (or Jesus in English)

Mat 23:36, 39  "Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation... for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' "

Endtime Prophecies & Signs

Matthew 24:3-5  Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many."

   Our Lord Jesus taught His disciples end time signs so that they would not be deceived by unscrupulous and covetous Christian leaders. He warned them against heresies and distorted doctrines of false christs.

    He pointed to the book of Daniel, where World War 3 will be so extensive and deadly just like the end of the world, the removal of the Al Aqsa mosque  and the rebuilding of the temple of God by the Antichrist.

    He also taught His disciples that He will put Christians through tribulations and the great tribulations for their refinement before He will come to collect the bride of the Lamb at Rapture.

Mat 24:29-31  "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Judgment of Christians

Mat 24:45-47  "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods."

    The Word was made flesh so that when men are saved they can be transformed to be like Him. By His grace, every Christian is given a new heart of love and mercy and the Holy Spirit to empower him to keep and teach His words, crucify his flesh and perform signs and wonders.

    When a Christian obey His words, he will be highly rewarded to rule over many as a king serving the King of kings.

    However, if a Christian does not bear good fruit, then He will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Mat 7:19). He may not have been saved in the first place or that he had lost his salvation caused by abominable practices or heresies.

Mat 24:48-51  "But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

(Please read Mat 25 as well)