Session 2. 09 Mar 2008 9:00 a.m.
家家有本难念的经。但是，如果我们是在主里，我们的家就成为爱念的经。
假冒伪善，难进天堂。
Pastor Wang have two sons, one like him is perfect. The other is like the mother. At 4, the eldest son went to kindergarten. The children were to introduce his father. There were fathers who were doctors, lawyers and teachers. His son introduced him as a pastor. The teacher asked the son to explain.
He stands up on Sunday to say a few words, he goes to the door to shake hands and people give him money. Is that what a servant of God do?
How does Jesus transform ordinary people like us? How would Jesus make us fruitful and multiply? We chose not only to be his children but also his servants.
A high ranking minister of civil affairs in China told Pastor Wang that as officials in the communist party, they are supposed to be atheist. But he read the Bible and acknowledged that Jesus is the most successful revolution in history for his ability to stir up and mobilize people. Pastor wanted to know how he came to that conclusion. The minister told him Jesus started as one – not as a general, a poet nor a writer. He was an illegitimate son and died young. The one we worship is such a simple and ordinary man. Even his followers doubted anything significant could come out from Galilee. He was a fugitive and a low level worker. But 2000 years later, almost half the population acknowledge him and believe in him.
Luk 8:1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him,
The Scripture didn't say the twelve co-operated with him nor assisted him. They were fighting among one another for a bigger position and title.
Even today, many followers Jesus are like that. Luke mentioned some sisters by name and commended them.
Luk 8:3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.
The women serve Jesus and his disciples with their own resources. Today, the women serve God.
Luk 9:1-2 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, (2) and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
Jesus gave. It is not that the twelve earned it nor did they deserve it. It didn't say the twelve graduated from seminary, had a change in heart nor repented. They were the same with their old habits and tendencies of bickering and fighting. Jesus gathered them and gave. That's how god operate.
He doesn't want until we become perfect saints. He gave them power to do what he did in Luke 8. He gave them power and authority and his own job.
We see the twelve went out as disciples (Luke 8:1) and came back as apostles (Luke 9:10.)
Pastor Wang celebrated his 35th anniversary 2 years ago. The wife chose to have candlelight dinner op top level of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It was the bi-centennial celebration of Eiffel Tower. Pastor Wang was enjoying his tartar steak. He preferred raw beef. Without warning, the wife asked him whether he still loved her. He thought only Jesus asked that kind of questions. Why do women always ask this kind of questions? He gave what he thought was the perfect answer. He said 35 years ago, he told her he loved her in front of the church and if there is any changes, he would tell her.
The next year, they went to wild life safari in Africa. They saw many wild animals. At the hotel, a tall African manager dressed in white pointed at a tree house in the hotel. He revealed that 50 years ago, a little princess climbed up and slept there one night. She became the queen when she came down. She was Queen Elizabeth the 2nd. Her father died while she was up there. The wife wanted to stay there. It was very expensive. The wife climbed and wished she climbed as a fat lady but would climb down as a beauty queen.
The Bible said if we are willing then we are worthy. It is not whether we are qualified. We asked where our power and authority are. Pastor Wang asked if we have even tried to 'go.' As we go to heal the sick, to cast out demon and the proclaim the Kingdom of God, we will return as apostles (with the power and authority.)
But, those were the twelve, weren't they? We are are ordinary people. We can just give our offering and listen quietly. We are so timid. We are unqualified and we are also so 'people.'
Luk 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
This is after the people gave Jesus all sorts of reasons not to follow him. This is common among God's people. We all have a PHD in Excusiology. We can come up with the silliest of excuses. Some version has 70, some 72. It's not an exact numbers. The Bible didn't mentioned their names or gender. They were willing. (Chinese version said established while English versions said selected or appointed.)
Jesus sent them our two by two and to every village and every town and every city. They did the exact same thing that the twelve do. Jesus wanted us to be fruitful and multiply because of the harvest (which is plentiful.) We tend to think we are not qualified to be fruitful because we look at ourselves. But the Lord of harvest sees that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Luk 10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!"
They came back full of joy. They came back victorious! They reported their victories in Jesus' name. That makes a difference. It is not because we attended a seminary or a special class. It is only because we have learned to trust in his name.
Php 2:8-9 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (9) Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
Phil 2 tells us because Jesus humbled himself and obeyed God, he became a servant. Because of that humility and obedience, God raised his name. In his name every knee shall and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord in the glory of the Father.
The disciples said not just people but even the evil spirits were subject to the name of Jesus.
This is a very rare time that Jesus declared that a battle is won. Jesus saw the principality of the air tumble down.
Act 1:3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
How ordinary were these people that Jesus called? In Acts, there were 120 who were led by the 11. Jesus taught the 11 the same principles of the Kindgom for 40 days.
Act 1:6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
The disciples didn't change. They still ask the same question. Jesus reminded them to wait. Waiting is not a matter of time but more of a matter of attitude and of mindset.
Isaiah said those who wait on the Lord will rise up like the eagle. They shall run and not be tired and walk and not fall, all because they are willing to wait. We need to change our habits that we are willing to wait.
Pastor Wang visited the Louvre. Everyone went there to see Mona Lisa. Pastor Wang saw a 10 meter tall Ascension by Raphael. He could only see the nail-pierced feet of Jesus in the clouds. People were looking up. We are the same as these people. These people in the painting looked stupefied. We are then reminded how the angel called them Galileans. But they did two things right. If we do these two things right, we will be fruitful and multiply.
Act 1:14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
同心合一。恒切祷告。They were in one accord. Devoted in prayer.
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