106 - The Seven Last Words of the Cross (7)#
106 The Seven Last Words of the Cross (7)
(JP Text Group - Happy Angel Compilation)
Look at the last lecture of the Seven Last Words of the Cross, Lecture Seven.
Luke 23:46-49:
46 Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” Having said this, He breathed His last. 47 When the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” 48 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. 49 But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we are so grateful and praise You! You are the only one we can worship, You are our Lord, our God. When You sent Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into this world, it was out of love for me, to solve the problem of my sins, so that I can dwell in Your grace and Your blessings for a long time.
In this world, we have no way out on our own; You have prepared a way for us. Because of Jesus' death, all who believe can receive His eternal life. Today we come to seek You with our problems and burdens; You will touch my heart, take away all my fatigue and worries, and grant me Your rest. Lord, I thank You for this. I receive Your words, Your provision here. The Holy Spirit is also working in my heart, helping me understand Your words and keep them in my heart. Thank You and praise You. In the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!
The Seventh Lecture of the Seven Last Words of the Cross
The last words Jesus said on the cross were: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
Brothers and sisters, why did Jesus commit His life into God's hands? Jesus died for us on the cross; what is our life like? The Bible says your life is like a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away, and like the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven. This is what our life is like.
Brothers and sisters, although our lives are like this, they are precious because we no longer live for ourselves but for our Lord Jesus. Thank God! When Jesus said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit,” our lives are in the Lord's hands.
Sharing Point One: Our Lives Are in God's Hands
Why do we say our lives are in God's hands? The God who created the universe and everything in it also created man, and human life is a gift from God. Whether you believe it or not, all life in this world is given by God; all things are created by God, and human life is even more so.
When Jesus was on the cross, He sent His spirit back to the Father. He committed His spirit back to the Father; this is what we are sharing today: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” The original text indicates that He sent His spirit back to the Father. What is the biggest difference between humans and animals? What we learn in textbooks is that the biggest difference is that humans can walk upright and make tools. I want to tell everyone that the biggest difference between humans and animals is: humans have a spirit, while animals do not. Humans are composed of spirit, soul, and body. The similarity we share with animals is that we both have a soul and body. The difference is that humans have a spirit.
Is this spirit referring to the Holy Spirit? Yes, it is the Holy Spirit. When you accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit enters you. This spirit is the Holy Spirit. What about the soul? The soul is our intellect, emotions, and will. The body is the physical body. Animals do not have a spirit, but they have intelligence and emotions. When God created man, this man was unique; he was God's most perfect masterpiece in the world. We all are, Amen!
After God created Adam, he could not be called a living person; he was dead. In God's eyes, if a person does not have the Holy Spirit within, he is dead. After Adam was created, God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and he became a living being. Amen! Where does a living being come from? It comes from the breath of God; the breath is the Holy Spirit. This is how we receive life.
Because we have all sinned, sin must be paid for, and Jesus died for us. He committed His spirit back to the Father. The Father has given us life; our lives are not in the hands of the devil but in God's hands. Amen! Some may not understand and say that it is clearly the devil who tries to kill people in various ways.
That is true, but the devil does not have the authority to kill people. How does the devil kill? Through God's justice and God's law. The management of this world is in God's hands; it was originally in God's hands. When all things were created, God said to Adam, “You shall have dominion over the earth, over the birds of the air, over the beasts of the field, and over everything that creeps on the earth.” This shows that the management of the world is in human hands. Amen!
God gave management authority to humans. Will God interfere with human freedom? No. Why? Let me give an example: When building a house, does one need to apply to God? No, one just measures and can build a high-rise. This is human management authority, just like you have authority over your children; you have the right to name them anything. God does not interfere with your freedom.
After God created the world, He gave management authority to Adam. But Adam gave that authority to the devil. Therefore, this world is in chaos. The only thing God did not give to humans is the authority over life and death; God did not give humans the authority to kill at will. Although the devil tricked Adam out of his management authority, the devil still does not have the authority to kill. If the devil had the authority to kill, there would be no people left in this world.
Our God is just. A just God will reward righteousness and punish evil. This is part of God's justice. At that time, God told Adam that he could eat from all the trees in the garden, except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; if he ate from it, he would surely die. And death came in this way.
When the devil tempted Adam and Eve, he did not directly bite them to death because he did not have that authority. Amen! So, brothers and sisters, no matter what your circumstances are, no matter how desperate they seem, always remember that the devil can never kill you. The authority over life and death is in God's hands. Some say many Christians have fallen ill and after praying, God did not heal them, and they died.
We find it quite regrettable. From a human perspective, many things seem regrettable. Why didn't God heal them? But from God's perspective, the view of life and death is completely different. When God says, “Your mission is complete, child. You have suffered too much on earth; come back,” it is not a tragedy when Jesus died at the age of thirty-three. It is the best age; we think if Jesus lived to be a thousand years old, how blessed the world would be! Thirty-three is the prime age of a person, the strongest and most intelligent time. Why did God take Him at that time? Because His mission was complete. Amen!
So, the authority over life and death is in God's hands, not in the devil's. Do not be discouraged because our lives are in God's hands. God sees that His Son has died for our sins, completing the work of redemption. At this moment, Jesus said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” No one could kill Jesus. Jesus willingly laid down His life for us. Amen!
John 10:17-18:
17 Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.
Do you see? No one could kill Jesus; He willingly died for us, willingly laid down His life for us. He willingly gave His life so that you could receive His life. Lord Jesus laid down His life for the world, becoming the price for sinners, allowing God's salvation to be freely given to those who believe in Him. When He committed His life into the hands of the Father on the cross, we received His eternal life.
Our Lord Jesus then returned life to the Father; it was absolutely not a payment to the devil. If it were a payment to the devil, Jesus should have committed His spirit to the devil. No, He did it to satisfy the justice of the Father. We have shared before that because all have sinned, God must punish sin. At this time, Jesus paid the price for our sins. John 19:30: When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” and bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. Amen!
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He bowed His head. I checked the Greek original text, and there is a very important meaning here that I want to share with you: When Jesus bowed His head on the cross, it is the same as another word.
Matthew 8:19-20:
19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
What is a place to lay one's head? It is a place to sleep. After working hard during the day, one rests at night on a pillow. You see, foxes have holes, which means a fox's hole is a place of rest. The birds in the sky are always flying; where do they want to fly? They want to fly back to their nests to enjoy their rest. Jesus means that even animals have a place to rest, but Jesus could not find a place of rest in this world. If you want to find a place of rest in this world, it is also very difficult. Some may say, didn't you just mention a pillow? Yes, but can everyone sleep on a pillow? No, what we need is God's rest. Even if you have a luxurious pillow, if you cannot sleep, it is useless. What people need is not a pillow but rest. Hallelujah! Jesus said it is very hard to find a place of rest in this world; Jesus could not find it in this world. Finally, on the cross, He found a place of rest. Brothers and sisters, perhaps it is your family, or your relationships, or your business that troubles you, puts you under great pressure, and makes you feel burdened. These are what bind you and cause you to lose rest. The best way is to look up to Jesus Christ, for Jesus has already found rest.
When He bowed His head on the cross, He granted you the rest He obtained. No matter what problems you encounter, when you look up to Jesus on the cross, His rest can be given to you. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus does not add burdens to you; He does not give you a heavier yoke. What He gives you is rest. Hallelujah!
So why did Jesus find a place of rest on the cross? Is it not as the Psalms say, “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow”? Is this not true? This proves that what you need most is God's rest. Jesus accomplished rest for you on the cross, so come and receive His rest. Thank and praise the Lord! In Him, there is life, rest, peace, and abundant blessings.
After Jesus died on the cross for our sins, those who believe received His life. On the cross, Jesus returned this life to the Father. We just talked about why Jesus had to die on the cross. Because all have sinned. Amen! Brothers and sisters, the wages of sin is death.
What price must you pay when you sin? The price of death. Brothers and sisters, let me repeat: The price after sinning is absolutely not confession but death! God did not say that if you sin, just confess, and it will be fine. That is not possible; the wages of sin is death. You must pay the price for your sin. What should you do? The common saying is, “Just go die.”
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Is it true that all have sinned? What should be the result? But did God give you death? The latter part says, “but the gift of God,” which can be understood as God's grace. What is grace? Grace is what is undeserved, unearned, and unmerited. But God gives it to you freely; this is grace. Amen!
We have all sinned; we are sinners. The result of sin should be death, but God's grace has come to you. God says you do not have to die anymore because My Son has already died for you. I will give you the eternal life of My Son. Brothers and sisters, this is what we have received. According to what we have done, we should have died, but God says you do not have to die anymore. I will give you eternal life, even if you feel you do not deserve it, do not earn it, or are unworthy of it. But you still need to receive this eternal life. This is what Jesus brought you when He bowed His head on the cross. Amen!
1 Peter 2:24: Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
Did Jesus die on the cross for your sins? Reading this verse makes it clear. Jesus bore my sins in His own body on the tree, so that I, having died to sins, might live for righteousness. This righteousness is God's righteousness, not your righteousness, because we have only sin and no righteousness. So God says, “I will give you the righteousness of My Son.” Today we are righteous.
Some may say your behavior is not good. Yes, I am not good. This righteousness is not mine; it is Jesus Christ's. I live in this world relying on Jesus' righteousness. Amen! Do you understand? This is particularly important. Jesus has paid the price for us before God. The devil has no authority to take your life or your health. You have the ability and the right to refuse these things from happening to you. Amen!
The devil can only cause people to die through the law. I mentioned the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden; is that not a law? The devil knows he cannot directly bite Adam and Eve to death, but there is a way to make them die: by making them touch the law, allowing God's law to judge them to death. For those of us who are saved, the devil cannot make us die. However, the devil tries every means to make us lose rest and blessings.
How does the devil do this? Unbelievers are also under the law. The devil does not have the authority to kill, but how does he make people die? By using the law. In the Old Testament, during the time of Sodom, the Bible often mentions the term “full of sin.” The common people believed this. When sin is full, it is the time for retribution.
We all believe this. This is God's standard. When people sin to a certain extent, God will surely execute just judgment. Punishment means death. Unbelievers, the devil continuously leads them to sin, and when sin accumulates to a certain extent, God will destroy them all. The time of Noah was like this. God saw that people's thoughts were only evil all the time, and the earth was full of violence and corruption. At that time, God killed them all. It was because of God's justice and righteous attribute. A believer in Jesus will not be killed by God for this reason. But because of the devil's temptation and deception, one may lose God's blessings, especially losing God's rest.
Let me tell a story; perhaps you will understand how the devil works. The devil whispers bad things about another person in someone's ear, and as a result, this person believes it.
Do you know? This person has been talking bad about you behind your back.
I thought, why does this person look at me strangely these days?
The devil deceives you like this every day, and you become increasingly angry, resulting in illness. You lose the blessing of health and rest. This is how the devil deceives us. Jesus Christ said you should forgive your brother seventy times seven.
The devil says, “Do not let him go; look, he has been staring at you for a long time, always looking for trouble.”
The devil uses this method to pull you under the law, to condemn yourself and others. It makes you see that the whole world is unfair. This is the devil's work. You can also see it in the news; some people think society is unfair, and they set fire with gasoline. They have fallen for the devil's trick, thinking it is unfair and evil, and these people must die. Believers in Jesus must recognize the devil's schemes; he tries every means to pull you under the law, to condemn you, causing you to lose God's blessings and rest.
When you have problems, come to the cross of Jesus, and know that Jesus has already borne all the curses for you on the cross. The insults from others will not fall on you; they have already fallen on Jesus. You say, “Jesus, I receive Your power, I receive Your rest.” Jesus became flesh and took our place as the Son of Man. Why did Jesus come to this world as the Son of Man to die for us? Because we humans sinned, and it must be a human who bears it. Amen!
If someone kills another person, when the judge sentences him to death, can he say, “Kill my pig instead”? No, because a pig cannot substitute for a human's sin. All have sinned; to save humanity, God needs a person to bear the sins of humanity. And this person must be sinless. There is only one person in the world who can bear our sins, and that is the sinless Jesus Christ. He committed His life to God on the cross. This means we do not have to die anymore; we have received Jesus' righteousness and holiness. We are fully accepted by God because Jesus has settled the debt of sin. Thank God! The Lord Jesus bore God's wrath and all of God's punishment with His own death. In the Old Testament, when a person sinned, he had to bring a sacrifice to God. The high priest would offer sacrifices for them to atone for their sins.
Hebrews 10:11-12:
11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
Let me explain this passage to you. The latter part says that every priest stands ministering daily, which in the original text means “standing ministering according to the days.” What days? In Israel, there is a Day of Atonement, which is for atonement, and there is one opportunity each year. The high priest can enter the Most Holy Place to atone for the sins of the people.
They repeatedly offer the same sacrifices every year, offering the blood of bulls and goats. Amen! The blood of bulls and goats cannot take away human sins; it only temporarily covers human sins. These sacrifices can never take away sins. But this Man offered one sacrifice for sins forever. This is when Jesus on the cross said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” This time, He offered the sacrifice for sin. Amen!
I have shared before that when a person sins and brings a sheep to the priest, the sheep must die to substitute for his sin. Jesus died for us, and His precious blood flowed out, so we are forgiven! Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever and sat down at the right hand of God. What does it mean to sit down? The priests in the Old Testament were always standing. Why did Jesus sit down and once for all sit down? Because He completed His work.
You come to the meeting sitting down; why can you sit? Because you are receiving; you have already completed your work in the world this week. Coming here is just to enjoy rest. Do you know why I am standing? Because my work is not finished yet; I still have to continue preaching next week. When will the preacher no longer need to stand here to preach? When Jesus comes again.
Jesus only needed to offer one sacrifice for sins forever and sat down at the right hand of God. Why at the right hand of God? Because the right hand represents glory and victory. Jesus has already won and received glory, so He sat down at the right hand of the Father. Amen!
Verse 14 says: For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
Let’s read verse 14 together: For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Can you dare to say you are perfect? No, many people do not dare to say, “I just sinned; how can I say I am perfect?” But in God's eyes, you are perfect. In God's eyes, you are holy. In God's eyes, you are righteous. If you see yourself as never being perfect, as never being holy, but when Jesus said, “It is finished” on the cross, He ended all the sacrifices of the Old Testament and began the New Testament era.
We are different from the Old Testament. Jesus is perfect, so today you are perfect. What you have is not yours; it is Jesus Christ's. The righteousness you have is not yours; it is Jesus Christ's. You are justified by God through the blood of Jesus, and you are also forever perfect in God's eyes. When you believe that God has fully accepted you, it is not because of your behavior but because of the blood of Christ. You can boldly ask God.
Many people still say, “Lord, I really owe You. I have really failed. I am the chief of sinners.” I always want to ask, when have you not owed God? Or is there anyone in this world who does not owe God? Ask someone who has believed for eighty years; would they dare to say their behavior does not owe God? They certainly would not dare to say so. No one dares to say it, but God says you are perfect in My eyes! Because it is not based on your behavior, but on the behavior of Jesus. It is not about how good you are, but about how good God is. Amen!
After those days, God says, “I will remember your sins no more, nor your transgressions.” It is God who forgives us. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, do not doubt your identity. Many people say they are sinners; how can they dare to call themselves righteous? The Bible clearly says that because of the death of My Son, you have been justified. You must believe this. Amen! Do not doubt.
Sharing Point Two: Jesus has already been condemned, so God will no longer condemn you.
The verse we just read says that Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. There are two different kinds of people afterward because they do not understand what Jesus did for us on the cross; they are confused in their faith.
The Gentile centurion, seeing what had happened, glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man.” Amen! This centurion did not understand the 631 laws; he only knew that such a great person could forgive those who crucified Him and forgive those who persecuted Him. The centurion said, “This was truly a righteous Man.” He believed in the Lord. Amen!
Now look at verses 48-49:
48 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. 49 But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Why did this crowd beat their breasts and return? What does beating their breasts represent? In this situation, it has two meanings for the Israelites. One is: very regretful, very remorseful. The second meaning is: very angry. Do you think this crowd was remorseful when they beat their breasts? “We are truly sinners; we actually crucified Jesus.” Is that what they were thinking? No.
They were still being deceived, saying this man deserved to die, and finally, he died… When did they change? At Pentecost. Last week, I shared about Pentecost. When Peter received power and began to preach to the crowd, the Jews heard it and said, “Do you know? You often killed the prophets, that righteous Jesus, whom God has made Christ. You killed Him.”
After hearing this, the crowd was deeply pierced in their hearts and asked Peter what they should do. Peter said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Amen! It was then that they truly understood and repented. Their beating of the breasts was not remorse; it was anger. I checked many verses that say the Israelites repented; it was not like that. If they truly repented, they would not have persecuted Christians. There are many such people; they beat their breasts and returned.
And all His acquaintances, those who had a good relationship with Jesus, did not beat their breasts. What did they do? The women who followed Him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things. Are they the third type of person? The last group of people who were very familiar with Jesus still did not understand what Jesus did on the cross. They were just watching from a distance and did not understand. There are many such people in the church. Many have believed for ten or even thirty years, yet they do not understand what Jesus did on the cross.
If you say, “Lord, I am a sinner; I owe You so much; I am unworthy…” you are denying what Jesus did for you on the cross. If we are still in sin and say we are the chief of sinners, it proves that Jesus died in vain. Do you understand? So when a person understands what Jesus accomplished for him on the cross, that is when change can happen.
Paul spent his life preaching nothing but Jesus Christ crucified. This is what we must always preach: understanding what Jesus paid for you on the cross will change your life. When Jesus died for you on the cross, because He has already been condemned, God will no longer condemn you.
Romans 8:1-4:
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
I want to ask, are you in Christ Jesus? Yes, so God does not condemn you anymore. God has called you righteous, so why do you still call yourself a sinner? Then you are despising what God has done for you. God says, “I do not condemn you in Christ.” You should not condemn yourself. Do not condemn others. Amen! Thank God! This is very important. Why does God not condemn you anymore?
The reason is that the law of the Spirit of life is the second law. The Old Testament is the law of the Ten Commandments; now it is the law of the Holy Spirit. The law of the Spirit has made me free in Christ Jesus. What does it mean to be free? Before, we were bound; now we are released. This is called freedom. Before, under the law, if you did something wrong, God would discipline you. Now you have been released from that, which is freedom. The Bible says, “made us free from sin.” Have you been freed from sin? You must be sure. God says you have been freed from the law of sin and death. You are no longer under the law of sin and death. Amen! That means you are no longer under the law.
The following explanation says, “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh.” Are the Ten Commandments good? Absolutely! Because the law makes people aware of sin. Just like in our country, there is a law that prohibits driving after drinking. Is this not a law? If you drive after drinking, you have violated the law. Knowing that you cannot drive after drinking, can it stop you from drinking? Many people know this law and still drink and drive. Why? Because the law makes you aware of sin but cannot prevent you from sinning.
The Holy Spirit has a characteristic: not only can it help you overcome sin, but it can also help you not to sin. This is the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not that when we sin, we just regret it; the Holy Spirit has the power to help us not to sin anymore. God knows our weaknesses and that we sin every day and are not perfect. So God says, “My Son has come to give you His perfection.” How does He do this? God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Jesus was condemned in the flesh, just like a sinner would be judged. This is the reason. Then He became the sacrifice for sin.
The characteristic of the sin offering is that all of God's punishment must fall on this sin offering. Amen! Last time, I particularly mentioned that when a person brings a sheep to the priest, saying, “I have sinned,” the priest carefully examines whether the sheep is perfect. He does not look at the person; God does not look at you today. He looks at the sin offering. Jesus is our perfect sin offering. Jesus was offered before God and condemned in the flesh. We cannot fulfill the law or keep all the laws. Jesus was condemned; He fulfilled the righteousness of the law and gave this righteousness to you. You can boldly say, “I am a righteous person,” because Jesus was judged, and His righteousness is upon you. Amen! Thank God!
Matthew 27:50-54:
50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Why was the veil torn in two? Our church is like the past temple. The place you are in now is called the Holy Place. This place is called the Most Holy Place. There is a thick veil between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. Historically, it is recorded that five horses could not tear it apart; this veil is very strong. But this veil blocked people from coming directly before God. If a person privately ran from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place, what would happen? He would surely be struck dead by God because he has sin.
In the Old Testament, the high priest was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place only once a year to receive God's blessings, coming before the mercy seat to sprinkle the blood of the people's sin offerings on the mercy seat. God would say, “You go out and bless My people, and this year I will bless them abundantly.” After the high priest went out, he would begin to bless the people. The people would receive blessings. If God found even a tiny bit of sin in the high priest, He would strike him dead, and there would be no blessings for that year. Do you understand?
Whether the people can be blessed by God does not depend on the behavior of the people but on how the high priest is. Our high priest is Jesus Christ; He is eternally pleasing to God. This guarantees that God is always willing to bless you, and this blessing will not change. In the past, people could not see God directly, including many prophets in the Old Testament. Do you think Moses was great enough? Was he holy enough? But Moses did not have the qualification to see God directly.
Once, Moses said, “Lord, let me see Your glory.” God said, “No man shall see My face and live.” God said, “I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and when I pass by, you will see My back.” God did this for Moses' good. If God turned His face to look at Moses, he would be struck dead on the spot. The reason is that no one can see God directly because of sin.
People cannot go directly to the Most Holy Place because of sin. There is a thick wall in between; sin has separated us from communicating with God. But Jesus came; He was condemned in the flesh. He became sin. Therefore, He was torn apart, and our sins were paid for in Him. Amen! When Jesus died, the veil that originally blocked us from seeing God directly was torn from top to bottom.
Do you know what this means? God has been waiting for this day for a long time. When His Son died for us on the cross, God immediately tore apart the veil that separated us. Because God is eager to bless you. From that day on, we no longer need a high priest to speak for us; everyone can come directly to the Most Holy Place. Everyone can pray directly to God and come before God's mercy seat.
Hebrews 10:18-23:
18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 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. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
If you still think you have sin and do not dare to pray before God, memorize this passage completely and meditate on it. Let’s look at it: “Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.” We are now under the New Testament; we do not need to bring bulls and goats to offer sacrifices like in the past. None of you have done this, right? It is because Jesus is already your sin offering. We have boldness to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. We can come directly before God because of the blood of Jesus.
We can come directly to God's mercy seat, to the Most Holy Place, because of the blood of Jesus. His blood has already flowed out for you. You come before God through the blood of Jesus, so it is by Him that we have a new and living way opened for us. The old way was impassable.
Before, there was a wall separating us from God, and we could not pass through. Jesus came and destroyed that wall, opening a new way for us. This way is Jesus, through whom we have a new and living way through the veil. This veil is the body of Jesus. We come directly before the Father through the body of Jesus. Amen! Do you see the cross? The middle part is Jesus. We pass through the body of Jesus to meet our God. Thank the Lord!
Do not rely on your behavior to receive blessings from God. You say, “I have read the Bible for ten hours; You should bless me.” “Lord, I have fasted for a day; should You not listen to my prayer?” “Lord, I cleaned the house today; should You not bless my children?” None of these are true. It is because of the blood of Jesus that you can pray at any time before God. You come directly before the Father through the body of Jesus. This is a new and living way, not the old way, because the veil has been torn. Amen! Now this veil is the body of Jesus. Hallelujah!
And we have a High Priest over the house of God. This High Priest is our Jesus! And our hearts have been sprinkled from an evil conscience. This means do not feel that you owe God anymore because you can never owe God. God says do not feel that you are in debt to Me anymore because Jesus has already paid the price.
First, do not say you are in debt in your heart anymore.
Second, your body has been washed with pure water. God has completely cleansed you. Your body and your soul have been cleansed by God. If you know these two things, the following can be realized. Knowing that you no longer owe God because Jesus has already paid the price for you, and your body has been completely cleansed by God, you are holy and righteous and can come before God.
If you have this heart, the following says, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” Amen! How can you have a true heart? It is because when you know what Jesus has done for you, you can have such an honest heart. Amen! Why is it full assurance of faith? This faith is knowing that Jesus has already paid the price for your sins, so you dare to come before God. If you do not even understand God and think that when God is happy, He will bless you, and when He is unhappy, He will punish you, then you would not dare to pray to God. You would not dare.
The high priests of the Old Testament entered the Holy Place with great fear. If God found even a tiny bit of sin in the high priest, he would die. They were in fear and trembling. But God today says, “You should come boldly into the Most Holy Place.” What does it mean to come boldly? Do not be afraid. Amen! Come confidently to seek God because Jesus has already paid the price. God is pleased with you. Amen!
And let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. You must always remind yourself of what Jesus has done for you on the cross. He died for your sins; this is a righteous exchange. You give your sins to Jesus, and Jesus gives you all His faithfulness, righteousness, and holiness. You can come to God at any time with Jesus' righteousness. It is that simple.
The last verse: Hebrews 4:14-16:
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
You can meditate on this passage repeatedly. We have a High Priest who never changes, our Jesus. As mentioned earlier, the condition for the Israelites to be blessed by God is whether the high priest is pleasing to God. Our High Priest is pleasing to God. Therefore, you are in God's blessings. Amen! We already have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, our Jesus. So you should hold fast to the confession of your faith.
Believe that you are blessed by God, no matter how bad your circumstances are right now. You must still believe that God can change your circumstances, that God can change your family, that God can change your life. I was like that before, but now everything will change because I believe in my Lord. I know my Lord. Hold fast to the confession of your faith; Jesus is the way.
Do not return to the law. The more you believe, the more afraid you become, the more uncertain you feel. When you are in Jesus, the more you believe, the greater your faith in God becomes. The more you believe, the more you feel that God is truly wonderful. Amen! Jesus knows we will still sin. Jesus knows you cannot be perfect on your own forever. Nevertheless, Jesus will not abandon you because He knows our weaknesses. He has been tempted in all points as we are, yet Jesus did not sin.
Jesus knows your current situation and what you need most. He says when you are in need, when you are weak, when you sin and need help, just come boldly to the throne of grace. He has the power to be your help. We come to the throne of grace to obtain mercy. Mercy is compassion. Brothers and sisters, what is human compassion? Let me explain the difference between human compassion and God's compassion.
Suppose you see someone on the street with a sign saying, “My husband had an accident, and I have a few children. My husband is in the hospital, and I have no money. Please have mercy on me.” You walk by, think for a while, and take out the smallest denomination of money from your pocket and put it in front of her. This person thanks you profusely, saying you are a kind-hearted person. You feel very happy and walk away. This is called compassion because you do not ask for anything in return. This is human compassion; perhaps our compassion is limited to a hundred dollars. This is how human compassion works.
What is God's compassion like? When Jesus saw many sick people and saw that these sheep had no shepherd, He had compassion on them and healed them. When you are sick, Jesus is willing to have compassion on you. He is willing to heal you. When we come before His throne of grace, we seek His mercy. God is willing to have compassion on you. As long as you say, “Lord, I am willing to seek You. I am willing to rely on You,” God is willing to have compassion on you and grant you grace.
Grace is unmerited favor; God gives you what you do not deserve, what you do not merit, what you should not have. God says, “Come to Me; I will heal you without charge.” This is grace. Hallelujah!
No matter how difficult your situation is, pray to God. Be brave to seek Him. He will be your help at all times. Amen! You can pray to God at any time and in any place. He is your help at all times. He is always willing to have compassion on you and grant you His grace. God is already prepared. Your heart must open to God. Amen! Because Jesus has completed everything for you on the cross, God is willing to be your help at all times.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You for Your grace. You keep us. When Jesus finished saying those seven words on the cross, He left us with great blessings, allowing us to dwell in Your grace for a long time. You know everyone's weaknesses and needs, so You do not look at our behavior. You just let us come before Your throne of grace to receive Your grace and mercy.
Lord, I commit what I cannot do into Your hands, everything into Your hands. You take control of my life. You can help me, and You are willing to help me. When Jesus committed His spirit into Your hands, God's eternal life was within me. You love me; You will never abandon me. The purpose of Your coming to this world is to bring the blessings of the kingdom of heaven to this earth. Let me receive such abundance from You. My life will no longer be the same. I can pray to You and call upon You at any time because the way to the Most Holy Place has been completely opened.
Heavenly Father, You always listen to my prayers and cries. It is not because of my righteousness, not because of my behavior, not because of my efforts, but because of Jesus Christ. I seek You with His righteousness and receive Your strength. This week, I will live relying on You. Grant me wisdom and strength, so that I may manifest Your glory in my work and family. I am willing to be Your beautiful witness. Thank You and praise You, in the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!