Sunday Service – Today Jesus 92

21/5/06
<Luke 12:54-59>

THE ERA THAT CANNOT INTERPRET THE TIMES

• You should know the darkness of this world in this era. Though you cannot see
it, the darkness is in fact affecting you, your family, etc everyday. And this
darkness is increasing.
• Due to the darkness, more families are having worse quarrels, there are more
divorce cases, people have more greed even though they are earning more
money, the temper of people are growing from bad to worse.
• Therefore, we have to possess the answer to protect ourselves and also to use
our prayer to umbrella our love ones.
• We have to keep hearing His words in our lives. Once we forget His word, we
will fall into the trends of this world and will get worries
• It does not matter how dark is this world now; God had allowed it for the
benefit of His Children. In such a dark era, God has prepared a very important
mission and answer for us
• In order to keep remembering this answer, we have to have successful
worship and prayer.
• We should not simply go to church and worship Him. We must acquire great
answer while doing so.
• We must not pray just for the sake of praying. We must pray because we’d
realised that the forces of darkness is attacking us and we cannot stand
without hearing Him.
• However, the battle God wants us to fight is not to be extra careful over
everything and cynical of everything in this world. Rather, while the whole
world is living in worries and fear, God wants us to live our lives with great
assurance and possess the most peace and joyful heart in similar environment
and situation. When we are able to do that, we have already won the battle
• Last week’s message talks about:
• Lord Jesus Christ came to bring division because people have different
spiritual perspective. People are divided because of that. Moreover,
division occur among those who are closest to you
• The division that God has intended for His children is not about having
quarrels but to use the fire in us to influence others
• We had already come out of Egypt thus He will wipe out our enemies for
us. We are already victorious and all we need to do is to give in, repay evil
with good, intercede and wait upon God’s timetable.
• If your strength is the same as Satan, then we have to strive very hard to
win the battle. However, since you are already victorious, the way you
fight the battle should be different.

Read <Luke 12:54-59>

v.54-55 The Israelites know the weather because of their geographical
position
v56 However, they do not know their spiritual conditions

• People know how or what to prepare when they know that it is about to rain.
However, they do not know what to prepare when the darkness is hovering
over the world
• People only know how to worry or live in fear but they do not have the answer
to resolve the root of their fear
• What Jesus Christ meant was people only know about the physical things but
they know nothing about the spiritual truths. Though people might be living
everyday without peace, they are not doing anything about it
• Therefore, Jesus Christ rebuked them as hypocrites because they are
concealing their own problems. People in this situation should therefore judge
whether they are correct or not.
• We who have received the fire of our Lord Jesus Christ are bound to have
fighting, both within ourselves and with the world. Therefore, we need to know
what is our battle like.
• What is the most important thing a player must do in a competition? It is
critical for the player to know the rules of the game or else he will be fouled
and he got to face the penalty (i.e. worse outcome)
• Likewise, we must know the spiritual rules before we can get rid of our worries
and accusations or else we will have to face a more terrible consequence
• How does a runner run in a race? Can a runner finish a race by using only one
breath? But mind you, we are not running a 100m race. We are running a
‘marathon’ of about 70, 80 years. Therefore, we need to keep on breathing
and sustain our breath so as not to be knocked out during the run.
1. Jesus Christ said: “You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and
the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret the present time? Why
don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?”
• In Jesus era, great darkness hovers over Israel. A person who truly walks
with God will be able to see it.
• In the era of Jesus, the temple is divided into many different groups (the
Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, Teachers of the Lord, Chief Priest group,
etc. The whole temple is filled with different sects.
• Normal believers were doing business inside the temple. It shows that
those people in the temple is only interested in worldly things
• Though people are selling / buying (i.e. doing business) in the temple, the
leaders are only interested in knowing who belongs to their group and
what benefits they can get from the people.
• The sheep of God are being put outside the temple. And because they do
not know how to rid themselves of the guilt of sins, they became helpless,
get all kind of illness and were powerless against sins.
• Actually, God’s glory has left them but they remain indifferent to this fact.
• Therefore, the last prophet, John the Baptist came to live out the life of a
true believer in this era of darkness. He went into the wilderness to be
alone and live his life centred upon prayers, an hear God’s voice. And he
continues to shepherd and taught the word of God to the sheep God
entrusted to him.
• Believers of this age know many things of the physical world, i.e. when the
stocks will rise and fall. They are fast to calculate and plan for their future.
However, they are totally ignorant to spiritual truths. Therefore, Jesus
rebuked them painstakingly and hoped they will open their eyes.
• Jesus Christ cried when he saw Jerusalem in its fallen state and he knew
that at AD 70, Israel will be wiped out from the face of the world.
• Jesus Christ wants to use the same message to tell the people and the
churches of this era
• What is happening in this era? The sins of this world became worse. People
inside the church love the world without measure. And the sins of men
travel at its full speed. People receive hints and darkness very fast due to
the source of media.
• At the release of a frightening news through the media, the whole country
receives hints and filled with unrest.
• Sinful, violent, erotic information reach out to the world almost
immediately via the Internet. Thus, news and crimes spread rapidly. This is
how Satan causes people to fall.
• The people in this era are controlled by only one world, one power, one
culture, thing (i.e. flesh) and this is the “culture of Babel”.
• They had all fallen into humanism where men put the needs of the flesh
above all things.
• People cannot get satisfaction from what was given by God.
• The “culture of Babel” means that people are all together and they have
common interest, common needs, and common goal without God.
However, though people get together to oppose the Lord, they will quarrel
and have disagreement among themselves. Therefore, in this culture,
family members turn against one another, people turn against people, and
nations turn against nation.
• We cannot get anything joyful or peaceful from the news, from the people
of this world as we are all affected in the spiritual environment. The
spiritual environment made us frustrated at all times.
• People can no longer control their spirit, soul and body. This is why people
are turning into drugs, drinking and smoking, or things that can make them
“high”. They need excitement and psychotic things to satisfy them
• People gamble because they cannot control their greediness.
• People want to divorce because they are sick of their spouse, and they just
cannot control these feelings.
• Children want to run away from home because they cannot control their
hatred and disappointment when they were scolded or beaten by their
parents
• Jesus Christ is asking us whether we realise that all these things are taking
place.
• Why do churches talk about psychology, worldly counselling when such
teachings are not able to help or cure people? Can all this human
knowledge help men? Can they solve the spiritual problem of men?
• All these are the scenarios of this world and things are only getting from
bad to worse and we must see where the problems lie! We have to
interpret the times and judge what is right!
• However, this era exists because of a group of people. The group of people
who are blessed. This group of people know what is going on in this era
and they want to get closer to the church and be different
• We can see other similar eras in the Bible. E.g. Noah’s era, the era of the
Judgers and the era of Priest Eli, where the word of God is rare. During that
era, it was not that there were no churches but people know nothing about
the spiritual truths. Therefore, God raised up Samuel.
• God also raised up Martin Luther when the churches had all fallen
• What is the reason for an era to fall into darkness?
• God has never leave the world but people neither see Him nor know Him.
There are churches around but believers cannot face God without any fear
or guilt. Men just cannot come before God.
• As long as we still feel loved and have peace with God, it does not matter
how dark is the world surrounding us
• It is not the problem of I having no money but because I have not met the
God of absolute abundance.
• It is not the problem of I having illness now but because I cannot let God
use my illness. Therefore, I lose strength because of illness and don’t even
have the heart to pray at such times.
 • It is not a matter of my family problem but because I cannot see God’s
grace. I cannot believe that God is still in control of the situation and he
works through this situation perfectly and magnificently.
• In this world, there’s no definite problem. The only problem is spiritual
problem, the problem of being unable to see God. God is present in every
and any situation.
• We did not see the root of the problem and fail to get the only answer.
• If we can see God in everything, there’s no problem already
• We cannot see God because there’s sin
• Sin = unable to accept and submit to God’s will. And this is what happened
to Adam
• And because of sin, men just cannot be convicted by God’s word and spirit.
• And being unable to hear God, men do not understand the loving God and
receive all kinds of hints.
• Thus, people are all living in all kinds of problems in this world. They know
they have problems but even so, they do not have the solution to it.

2. Jesus Christ said: “I tell you, you will not get out (of prison) until you have paid
the last penny.”
1) Prison:
(1) On the last day where God judges the living and the dead. And the
dead will perish in Hell eternally. On the day he dies or at the second
coming of the Lord, Hell will be his (eternal) prison
(2) Prick by consciences
We are held prison by our consciences many a times. We feel lack, we
feel sad, we feel inferior, we feel lousy…and because of how we felt,
everything just becomes negative.
(3) The hardships, troubles, problems that we face daily in this world. All
these are affecting us

2) Jesus Christ told us that there an adversary accusing us daily. How or what
is that accuse us daily?
(1) Satan <Rel 12:10> He is the one who accuses us day and night
(2) Law <Romans 2:12, 4:15> The law judges us when we act contrary
to the law. You will feel the wrath of the judge when your desire differs
from the law
(3) Conscience <Romans 2:15; 1John 3:21> Because our heart (i.e. our
consciences) condemns us, we have no confidence to come before God
boldly.

• “I tell you, you will not get out (of prison) until you have paid the last
penny.” means we can only be freed when we are totally perfect and good.
Only then we will have nothing to fear. However, nobody can be without
fear because of Satan’s attack and accusation. And with fear, comes
judgement. With a little sin, Satan, the law and our conscience will bound
us. And the wages of sin is death.
• Therefore, Paul said: For I have the desire to do what is good (this is
conscience), but I cannot carry it out (this is the reality). What I wretched
man I am (this is the prison, where I’ve to bear the fruits of my sins/fears).
Who will rescue me from this body of death? (For I cannot be set free till
the last penny is paid!)
• Are you able to feel the extreme loss and helplessness of Paul in
<Romans 7:24>? If you can feel it, you will know there’s no other solution
to your problem other than Jesus Christ Himself.

3. Therefore, Jesus Christ said: “As you are going with your adversary to the
magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way…” What does this
mean?
• It means that before Satan accuses you and drag you before the law, we
must quickly resolve it through prayers.
• When your conscience gets prick, you must quickly receive peace and rest
through prayers. This is because once your heart is tormented until an
extent; it will be very difficult for you to be set free.
• You must resolve it quickly when you feel that your life is not correct; you
must quickly resolve it if you are having lots of negative thoughts about
your family members; you must quickly resolve it if you realize that you
are becoming a ‘Sunday Christian’, etc.
• If we realise and not resolve it, you will repeat it over and over again. After
some time, you will have difficulty getting out
• This is why John, the Baptist came and tell the Jews to “repent and turn to
God”. Jesus Christ similarly gave warning to this age. But when they turn a
deaf ear to it, disaster very quickly overtake them in merely a few
decades.
• Our spiritual problem must be resolved quickly.
• When God allows us to be born in this era of darkness, He has already
provided us with an important answer and designated us a great mission. If
we are born in a family full of problems, understand that there is a great
purpose for us.
• How can we resolve the problem then?
• It is not by our own effort or our hard work
• The church cannot gives us answer by teaching us psychology, worldly
counselling, religious living etc. We can only resolve it by meeting Jesus
Christ
• What then are the mysteries of Jesus Christ?
1) You must have the heart to repent, submit and turn to God
• Jesus Christ suffers and died on the cross for us. We must
understand the real meaning of this and turn to Him.
• Do not utter mere words like: “Jesus, cleanse me with your blood”
when our heart are still craving for the world.
• Being cleanse with the blood of Jesus Christ means we repent of
what we need to repent and submit to God in what we should
submit because we saw how wretched we are. This is then the real
meaning of turning to God.

2) Must have the ideology of Jesus Christ (i.e. His purpose, content, goal
and method)
• You had dead and resurrected with Jesus Christ. Therefore, you will
need His ideology
• You are fully humble before Him as you are no longer your own
master

3) Let go of yourself and live in accordance to His perfect will

• For you have a master. Therefore, understand and live according to
his will, be it what we do. The problem with believers is that they do
not know the Lord’s perfect will and they keep doing everything
with restlessness, with no assurance.
• We must be led by the Lord’s perfect will and not our will. Only
then, will we have the strength / reason to work, eat, play, serve,
etc.

4) And when we’ve done that, there will be times when we will be weak
 and fell prey to sins. When that happens, hold on to the blood of Jesus
Christ with a contrite spirit and God will cleanse us fully.

5) Only then, will we be able to truly love and bless others, for we’ll see
ourselves as sinners receiving the same grace.

• Use every of your situation/ circumstances to ‘learn about’ and to

“practise” Jesus Christ. Use all things as our lessons.
• What is the most joyful thing/time for you?
• Isn’t it when your heart interacts with God in such a manner and your spirit
enjoys the favour of God? Everything you do can then be a blessing to
others! Your prayers will change every circumstances around you.
• Everything you do, do it with your heart connected to God and the things
you do will be most wonderful
• Therefore, after knowing the mystery of Jesus Christ, we must learn how to
pray.
• Prayers are not about asking God for a lot of things and keep praying with
many words. Prayer is about conversing with God. One needs to hear him
to converse. Therefore:
1) Prayer is about discovering God’s love. Do not stop till you see that God
loves you above all else and without condition. If you pray without
seeing the love of God, all the things you’d prayed for will bring you no
assurance, and the more you pray, the more dishearten you will be. But
if you see the love of God, you will receive answers immediately for all
the things you prayed for.

2) Prayer is about discovering how we are already victorious! Without

being assured of our victory, we will easily receive hints through man’s
words and our situation.

3) Prayer is about receiving hope. This is because God has already

promise us. Our future is already promised by God. Therefore, though
we don’t see it now, it will be fulfilled in years to come. Our future will
definitely get brighter and brighter!

4) Prayer is about restoring the heart of the Master. Therefore, prayer is

about discovering the master’s perfect will and plan. Therefore, one
who has discovered them will treat all things as serving the Lord. Eat
for the Lord, play for the Lord, work for the Lord, and even endure
hardship for the Lord. When we live to serve our master, we will have
no more troubles. But if we live to serve our desires, we will quickly fell
prey to disheartenment.

5) And in order to live out his will, we need to have wisdom. Thus, prayer
is about asking God for wisdom. For God promise: All who lacks wisdom
should ask from God who gives to all without finding fault. You will not
have to compromise or become an outcast in this world if wisdom is
given you. You will be able to influence everything around you, for the
kingdom.

Understand that: what we need in serving the Lord is not eloquence or

superior wisdom. What is needed is the understanding of Jesus Christ and
Him crucified.

Prayer & Sharing Topics

1. The Lord asks us to interpret. Ponder: what sort of spiritual
 environment am I living in now? Diagnose: Are my heart and mind
enjoying the assurance, peace and freedom? Discover: What are the
things (channel of the devil) that will bring worries and fears to my
heart and mind?

2. The Lord asks us to judge what is right. We have already acquired the
answer – all our problems can only be resolved when we are cleansed
together with Christ. We had shared about the five meanings of
believing in Jesus Christ in our message this week. As you revise,
reassure your life, your experience and your evidences.

3. The Lord says “As you are going with your adversary to the
magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way”. As we pray,
we must acquire “love, hope, victory, master, wisdom” by relying on
the Lord’s blood and Covenant. How is the condition of my prayers?
Ponder more: try to acquire all these results as you pray.