110-Escape City-Our Refuge (2)#
110-Escape City-Our Refuge (2)
(JP Text Group - Min Organized)

Old Testament Book of Joshua Chapter 20 Verses 6 to 9
6 He shall dwell in that city, and stand before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days; then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled. 7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee, in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. 8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain, and Ramoth in Gilead, and Golan in Bashan. 9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither: and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You, Jesus Christ is our escape city, our refuge. As a new week begins, we need You to protect us; You are our stronghold, our refuge. The world is full of uncertainties, but we stand firm on the rock of Jesus Christ, entrusting this new week into Your gracious hands, looking solely to You.
Grant us Your strength and provision. We receive what You supply us, and the Holy Spirit works wonders among us, guiding our hearts to rightly know You and learn to rely on You in our lives. Thank You, Lord, we completely entrust this time into Your gracious hands, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen!
Last time we shared that the escape city is the refuge given to us by Jesus Christ. Why did God establish escape cities? The reason for establishing escape cities is simple; there are certain laws in the scriptures.
Leviticus 24:19-22:
19 If a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; 20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 21 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; and he that killeth a man shall be put to death. 22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.
Do you see how strict the law is? Under the law, God has said: if you cause a blemish in your neighbor, whatever you do to them, the judge will do the same to you. This is very frightening, and then the issue of avenging blood arises. If the avenger of blood encounters this person outside the escape city and kills him, there is no guilt of bloodshed. Amen!
What does this mean? Regardless of whether you accidentally killed someone, if the enemy catches up with you and kills you outside the escape city, that person is not considered guilty. According to the laws of that time, the relatives of the slain could kill the murderer to avenge the dead. Avenging blood was a very natural thing back then, somewhat like the ancient practice of paying with life for murder or repaying debts. This is a matter of course, so God established escape cities for the Israelites to save those who accidentally killed someone, allowing them to escape the hands of the avenger of blood, as they should not die because they had no enmity with the slain. Amen!
In fact, very few people intentionally commit crimes; many commit crimes unintentionally or without knowledge. Before God, the judge, God's law will never change. Amen! God must punish evil and the sinner, whether they are Israelites or Gentiles; as long as they sin, God will surely pursue your sin. Can brothers and sisters understand this? Do you know how many sins you have committed? Have you ever thought about how many sins you have committed in your life? Do you commit more than three sins in a day? Some say, I don't know; it doesn't count what you say.
Why? Because God sees your sin; you have sinned. In the Old Testament Psalms, David once prayed to God: Lord, create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me; forgive my hidden faults. What does hidden sin mean? It means you have sinned but do not know it; God knows. When God judges the world in the future, it will not be based on how many sins you know you have committed, but according to how many sins God sees you have committed; that is called the law. Amen!
People under the Old Testament are very fearful because God judges according to His own standards. If you sin and do not know it, you have still sinned! Are people under the law living in fear and trembling every day? As mentioned earlier, if you accidentally harm someone, that person should not die, so God established escape cities for them. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
After committing sin, it must be resolved; if not resolved, it is destined for destruction. In other words, if sin is not resolved, it is destined for destruction. Just like the Israelites, if they did not have escape cities, the one who accidentally killed someone would surely die.
Because the relatives of the slain would pursue him with a knife every day until they killed him, and it was legally permissible. Wouldn't the one who accidentally killed someone feel wronged? He has nowhere to run, and God is absolutely fair and just. He established escape cities for the Israelites so that those who accidentally killed someone could run into the escape city; as long as they entered the escape city, their sins would not be pursued by the avenger. Amen! Thank God.
In the past, we were all sinners; how should sin be resolved? Because God loves us so much, He is loving, but at the same time, He is just. Amen! God's two attributes have never changed.
What is God's justice? It means that if you sin, God absolutely cannot say you did not sin. If you are a sinner, God cannot say you are righteous. But likewise, if you are righteous, God cannot say you are a sinner. This is called God's justice. Amen! God's justice has always existed and has never been compromised. When we face God's love, we should also know that God's justice exists simultaneously.
If you have sinned, according to the penalty of sin, everyone must die. Many people say, I have not violated the laws of the country; God does not judge according to what you know, but according to God's standards. Because Adam sinned, you must die; you say this is too unfair. Indeed, it is like this, but God immediately says: if you feel it is unfair that you became a sinner because of Adam's sin, I tell you, it is according to God's standard, the Ten Commandments. What is sin? Murder is sin; the Bible says: anyone who hates his brother is a murderer. Who has not hated anyone? Who has not lied? In God's eyes, all these must pay the price; all must die.
According to this standard, are we not all destined for destruction? God's standard is always here, but God does not want people to die; He wants people to live. Amen! This is God's intention, so God also established an escape city for us, which is Jesus Christ. Because of Adam, we became sinners; because you do not know your sin, you became a sinner. God says, I have established an escape city for you; whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, you can enter this escape city, and I will no longer pursue your sin. Amen!
This is what we call the escape city, which is our Jesus Christ. Once you enter into Jesus Christ, God no longer pursues your sin. Amen! Our God's love does not wish for anyone to perish; He desires everyone to have life, so God gave us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died, so you do not have to die. Hallelujah!
The Bible also tells us: He truly bore our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes, we are healed.
This is God's salvation for you; you cannot find peace or salvation in the world. Entering into the escape city is your salvation. Amen! Lord Jesus has become our escape city. God loves us very much and does not wish for us to die; He has prepared an escape city for us. Amen!
Let’s take a look at the distribution of the escape cities among the Israelites. Do you see this map? This is the map of Israel at that time, with six circles marked. These six cities are called escape cities. In the middle is the Jordan River, with three cities on one side and three on the other; this is the distribution of Israel's escape cities. This is the distribution of escape cities mentioned in the scriptures. God has given this wonderful gift of escape cities to the Israelites to save the lives of those who accidentally killed someone; God wants to save them completely. Look, the loving God has evenly distributed these escape cities, and God also said a word,
Deuteronomy 19:3: Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, and thou shalt prepare a way for the slayer to flee thither.
God not only established escape cities but also told Joshua and Moses: You must repair the roads leading to the escape cities. Amen! As seen in this map, the escape cities are evenly distributed on both sides. This means that the nearest place can be reached to escape from the avenger of blood. This road must be well maintained. Why? To prevent the avenger of blood from pursuing him with a hot heart, for if the road is long, he might kill him on the way, even though he should not die, as he had no enmity with the slain. God is very considerate of those who commit unintentional crimes, saying to them: You should not die; I have prepared an escape city for you to enter. And I have commanded them to ensure that the roads leading to the escape cities are well maintained.
You will not be caught by the enemy because of road issues. There is a person who accidentally killed someone and is running towards the escape city. On the way, suddenly there is construction blocking the road, and he cannot get through; this person catches up with him and kills him. This situation would not occur in Israel. God ensures that the roads to the escape cities are like fire escape routes in China; no matter how crowded it is, this road must be kept clear. Amen! To save lives, to save the life of the one who accidentally killed someone. Amen!
God has established Jesus Christ for us; He established the church to ensure our lives are protected. Thank God! So, repairing the road into the escape city is God's love, hoping we can enter this escape city and not be killed by the enemy. Amen! God repeatedly instructed Moses and Joshua to establish escape cities and prepare such roads, ensuring that the person can escape there in time. Preparing the road is God's special and wonderful reminder to us.
In the New Testament era, God has prepared Jesus Christ as the way of salvation for the world. Jesus Christ said: I am the way. We can enter through Jesus Christ. Even if you are an accidental killer, it does not refer to the worldly definition of murder. It means we have become sinners before God, and we can enter the escape city through Jesus Christ.
When you enter the escape city through Jesus Christ, God no longer pursues your sin. The Bible says, God loves the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. The purpose of God preparing the escape city for us is so that we can live.
God has established Jesus Christ and the church in the world to ensure we live, not to let us die. Brothers and sisters, have you ever thought about where our lives would go without Jesus and the church? Everyone would perish. Amen!
But today is different, brothers and sisters; this is where Jesus Christ is, the church is the body of Jesus Christ, and this is the way, the entrance to the kingdom of heaven. We can receive God's protection here. Thank and praise the Lord! Why did Jesus Christ come to the world? He did not come to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Those who believe in Him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Although escape cities have been established, does everyone want to enter? No. There are always some outsiders or Jews who, after accidentally killing someone, think, I do not need to enter the escape city; if I enter the escape city, I will lose my freedom; I must wait until the high priest dies before I can come out. Relying on myself, I can still avoid the pursuit of the enemy. Do you believe there are such confident people?
So, these people wander outside, unwilling to enter the escape city, unwilling to enter this protective city, unwilling to enter this refuge city. If they are accidentally killed by the enemy outside, this person deserves it because God has prepared an escape city for him, yet he is unwilling to enter. Amen! What does this mean for us?
There is no salvation outside of Jesus; if you are unwilling to enter into Jesus Christ, you are destined to be pursued and die. The Bible says: Who can escape the judgment of God? There is a verse in the Psalms that says: Lord, where can I go to escape Your presence? Where can I flee from Your Spirit? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. Who can escape God's judgment? No one, not a single person. Amen!
The Book of Revelation tells us that when the great judgment day comes, the earth will give up the dead that are in it; hell will give up the dead that are in it, and they will stand before God for judgment. How terrifying this is! Therefore, there is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ; outside of this escape city, running to any other city means death. Amen!
Brothers and sisters, you are fortunate and blessed because you have entered the escape city prepared for you by God, which is in Jesus Christ. Once you enter here, your life is guaranteed. Look at this world; earthquakes, plagues, famines, and various problems are increasing; this is fulfilling the words of scripture: the end times have come.
The day of Jesus Christ's return is very, very near. What should we do? If these souls do not accept Jesus, they will be pursued and die. We must spread this gospel in these limited days, brothers and sisters. If we do not tell them where the escape city is, they will die.
Do the Israelites know where the escape cities are? These six escape cities are evenly distributed, and every year when they read the law, they would be told where the escape cities are. Whether you believe it or not, at least you know where the escape cities are. Amen! Today, you can understand the escape city as the church because it is the body of Jesus Christ.
Today, this escape city is not only in Israel; every city has God's escape city; the church is this escape city. You can tell the world: you will no longer worry that God will punish you; do not worry that a great disaster will come and take away life. Hurry and believe in Jesus, for here is your refuge. Hallelujah! So when we do, we are spreading the gospel to others. The Bible clearly tells us: You go and tell them my gospel.
What does this mean? Tell them the escape city is here. Hallelujah! But many people get it wrong; we insist on trying to convince someone, saying, believe in Jesus! If you do not believe, I will not look for another person; I will insist that you believe, making them very annoyed. What does God tell us? You go and tell the good news; whether they want to come in is their business. We should not have any burden. Amen! We only need to tell them the church is here; this is the refuge, this is the escape city. If you have problems, come find Jesus; here you can escape death. Because only by entering into Jesus Christ will you no longer be condemned by God.
Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Here is a group of people redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ; this is the escape city. Amen! You need to tell those around you that there is a church here, this is the escape city, and you can come over. If you are weary and burdened, if you have various pressures, you can come here; Jesus can take all of them away. Thank the Lord! Is this not good news?
You only need to tell others this good news. Just like the priests and the scribes at that time, they only needed to tell the Israelites that there were six escape cities; if pursued by the enemy, they only needed to go to the nearest one. What do we tell others now? If you seek Jesus Christ, you only need to go to the nearest church. You do not necessarily have to come to the Grace Church, but you must go to a church.
Because this road has long been prepared for us. Who says, my city does not have a church? I need to take a train for several days to find a church; I cannot find one like this anywhere in the world. God has already prepared escape cities in every city. As people inside the escape city, we must tell others that there is an escape city; you can come in; Jesus Christ welcomes you at any time.
Brothers and sisters, this road is something everyone should know. The responsibility of spreading the gospel lies with each person. We have already received assurance; we need to tell those around us that this is the escape city; if you are willing to come in, you can receive life. The person being pursued by the enemy will first think, I know where the escape city is. They will run there; as long as they reach the escape city, their life will be guaranteed. Amen! Thank the Lord! This is the road God prepared for the Israelites at that time. After this person enters the escape city, another thing happens.
Let’s read together, Joshua 20:6: He shall dwell in that city, and stand before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days; then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
Brothers and sisters, here is a question: when that person finally runs into the escape city, can outsiders chase in? Can they drag him out and kill him? No! This person living in the escape city must first do what? Stand before the congregation for judgment. Amen! Why does this person entering the escape city need to be judged? To determine if he is an accidental killer.
If he is a murderer, he will surely die in the escape city. The accidental killer, we know, because of Adam's sin, we all became sinners before God's law, and we must be judged. How is the judgment done? It is not to let this person die but to let him know he is a sinner. Amen!
Last time we shared about two gates, one wide and one narrow. The wide city gate is the judgment gate. Amen! It is through the law that tells you that you are wrong and must admit you are a sinner. To enter the escape city, one must accept Jesus Christ and admit they are a sinner. Amen! Admitting you are a sinner is extremely important; why? Because those who think they have no sin do not need Jesus, right?
If this person says, I have no sin; I am righteous; I do better than anyone else; he does not need Jesus Christ. What kind of person needs the escape city? A sinner! Only sinners need the escape city; other people have their own places and properties and do not go to the escape city. Only those who accidentally killed someone and have become sinners need to enter the escape city; they know they are sinners and need to enter.
For us, when we realize we are sinners, we need the salvation of Jesus Christ. If he does not feel he is a sinner, he will not need Jesus. He comes to the escape city; the first thing he must accept is judgment, admitting he is a sinner. To enter into Christ and receive life, one must first admit they are a sinner. Hallelujah! This is so important. After he knows he is a sinner, the judge will say, based on your situation, you can come in.
People know they are sinners and need the precious blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse them; they need to enter into Jesus Christ because He is very willing to accept you. Amen! Is this not good news? Yes. He shall dwell in that escape city. Amen!
Until when? Why must he wait until the high priest dies? The Bible also tells us that if the high priest does not die, and this person secretly runs out of the escape city and is caught and killed by the enemy, it would be in vain; he must wait until the high priest dies before he can return to his own city and house.
Brothers and sisters, this represents our Jesus Christ. If one merely knows salvation, will they be saved? No. Amen! Will those who come to church be saved? No. Last week I attended a training for multiplying disciples, and there were two very important questions that I will introduce later regarding the benefits of spreading the gospel. Through these two questions, we can test your faith status.
First, do you think you can enter the kingdom of heaven? If you think you can, please raise your hand. If the person next to you still thinks they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, you should give them a detailed introduction to the gospel.
Second, what do you think is your reason for entering the kingdom of heaven? When you reach the gates of heaven, if God asks you, what gives you the right to enter? What is your answer? I have consulted some people about this question; some say, because I am a pastor. I have served the Lord for twenty years; why can’t I enter? Is it by works? Such a person cannot enter, understand?
They are not relying on the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse their sins but on something else. Such a person is not saved. Do they know Jesus? Yes. They have preached for so many years; how could they not know? Some say, I go to church every week; how can I not enter the kingdom of heaven? Is it by works? Brothers and sisters, this is not called God's grace; we have been emphasizing God's grace. What is God's grace? It is given freely, not based on your works; it is God giving you life freely, not because you are good enough, but because Jesus Christ is good enough.
Many people merely know God's salvation but do not trust Him; they cannot be saved. The six escape cities of Israel are there; knowing where the escape city is, if you commit a sin and are willing to go in, and are killed, do not complain to God. Amen! Because you know but do not trust, a person knows Jesus Christ but does not believe. If a person is very, very hungry and has not eaten for several days, and you describe to him how to make sweet and sour pork, and how wonderful it tastes, can this person satisfy his hunger? The more you describe it, the hungrier he becomes; the best way is to let him eat it, and then he will tell you how wonderful it is.
Many people say, you always say your God loves the world; where is His love? Let me see it. Conversely, when you believe in Jesus, you will see His love. Amen! People say, where is your God? If you let me see Him, I will believe in Him. You need to tell them, when you believe in Jesus, you will see His love. Amen! Tell others how wonderful God is, and invite them to come. Amen!
Do not always tell them how good Jesus is; you need to invite them to come. The Book of Revelation tells us, all who are thirsty can come; come to me and take the water of life freely. Amen! What does this mean? Call them to come. This is something we need to do; you let them come; whether they come or not is their business, but we must invite them to come. Amen! The word used in the Bible is “come,” not “go.” We are to go, and they are to come, meaning you are already here, already in salvation. Amen!
You have tasted the flavor of sweet and sour pork; you know what it tastes like. If you do not even have assurance of salvation, what can you tell others? You say, you strive to enter the kingdom of heaven because I am almost in. Do not tell others; if you have not entered, why tell others?
When Jesus says to you, come, come and take the water of life freely, it proves He is already here. When you tell others, come, everything is prepared; it proves you are already at home. Amen! You cannot call your friend and say, come to my house; I am still in Beijing; isn’t that deceiving?
Brothers and sisters, when you taste the Lord's grace, you can invite others to come. I hope you experience God's wonders. Amen! Have you gained anything in the escape city? Yes. Knowing that God is truly wonderful, allowing you to see His great power. We need to tell others about the benefits of Jesus and invite them to come, so their sins can be forgiven. Because if they do not enter the escape city, merely knowing is not enough for salvation. Amen! You need to invite them to come; many understand the salvation of the Lord Jesus, know His works, but have not come. This is like a hungry person who has not eaten, merely hearing how good it is.
We need to tell others about the goodness of Jesus and invite them to come before God. Amen! We are sinners; when we cannot escape evil, God has prepared salvation for you, which is to enter into Jesus Christ. When you enter the escape city, everything changes. What changes? Your enemy is outside; you see him, and he sees you; can he come in and kill you? Because there is someone at the door to defend you. Amen!
This is our Jesus Christ's escape city; congratulations to you all; you are in the escape city of Christ. It is not by your works; you are a group of people loved by God, who have already entered the escape city. This person must wait until the high priest dies before he can leave the escape city freely.
Leviticus 17:10-11:
10 And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Why must the high priest die before this person can leave the escape city? Because the high priest must substitute for their lives. Amen! The high priest must die before they can come out. Look at this matter; in the Old Testament, the law clearly states not to eat blood. Should we eat blood? Can we eat it? Some say yes, some say no.
Let me ask you a question: what will happen if you eat it? It does not matter if it is pig blood, chicken blood, or duck blood. No consequences? Get sick? Will eating blood send you to hell? No, do you know what the law is, what the command is? The New Testament is a command; the Old Testament law is the law; what is the function of the law?
Carefully read the middle; if someone eats blood, I will set my face against that soul, and what will happen? Kill him. Have you been killed for eating blood? Raise your hand if you believed in Jesus and have eaten blood. Look, you are living well; do not worry about this issue. So this is called a command; understand, brothers and sisters.
The law is very different from a command. Living under the law, what are the consequences of eating blood? You will never be seen again. But thank God, you are not under the law; you are under grace. Under grace, God's command is not to eat blood, but if you eat it, you will not go to hell; it just will not benefit you.
For example, is drinking alcohol good? What about getting drunk? For example, if Brother Liu, I tell him today not to drink and drive, is that a law? Wrong, that is a command. Jesus gives us a new command: you shall love one another; this is a command. What is the difference between a command and the law? It is that you can listen to God's word, you can choose not to listen, and God will not send you to hell; understand? It just will not benefit you.
For example, if someone says, what is wrong with drinking? As long as I do not get drunk, I can drive without any problem. As a result, he gets caught by the police and fined a few hundred dollars; do not complain to God because this matter does not benefit you; you will not go to hell because of this matter, but it does not benefit you because it is under a command, not under the law. If it were under the law, you would be in trouble and would be cut off.
Why is it cut off under the Old Testament? The Old Testament says very clearly that the life is in the blood, which can atone for sin. Hallelujah! In the Old Testament, the sins of the Israelites were covered by the blood of bulls and goats.
Hebrews 9:11-15: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Who is the high priest? Jesus Christ is the high priest. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Do not think of yourself as a sinner because the blood of Jesus has cleansed you. Hallelujah! Jesus, through the eternal Spirit, has cleansed you. Are many still living in fear and trembling? In fact, they are suffering unnecessarily, doing meaningless things.
Suppose this person accidentally killed someone and ran into the escape city faster than Liu Xiang. He sees the person outside the escape city; can that person come in? No, he is safe. This person runs to the priest on the first day, saying, Priest, you must protect me; do not let that person in; he will kill me.
The next day he goes to the priest again, saying, Priest, you must protect me; do not let that person in; he will kill me. Every day he cries like this; what will the priest do? Why is he so worried every day? It is because he does not know where he is. Do you know where you are? This is the escape city; you need to tell others to look carefully at where they are. You are in the escape city! That person, no matter how capable, cannot come in; why do you worry every day? Amen!
Many people say, Lord! Have mercy on me; what should I do? I am so troubled; I am so scared. What should we do? Do not hit him; you must let him come into the escape city; let him see where he is. You are in Jesus Christ. Amen! So the Bible has clearly told us that those who are in Christ Jesus are not condemned.
Do you not believe in God's power? The judge has already defended you in the escape city; the person outside cannot come in. Amen! It is not by your own efforts to maintain the city walls; someone is guarding it, and that is Jesus Christ. Isn’t it funny? If you meet such a person, you would think how ridiculous it is. In fact, how many Christians live in such uncertainty? Every day they worry, every day they fear that God will punish them, fear that the devil will attack them. Because they do not know where they are, they do not know what this place is.
They might say, it does not matter; whether I go or not is fine; they do not know how important this place is. Amen! If you know you are in the escape city, you will not worry. Inside the escape city, what does this person hear every day? It is the words of the priest; the priest sings, and he sings along; the priests dance, and he dances along; he wears the priest's clothes, eats the priest's food, and hears the words of Christ every day. This will correctly guide him; inside the escape city, do not worry, do not fear, for God is with you.
After coming to church, I want to guide you correctly and tell you where you are. How many people are uncertain about themselves? I am talking about Christians; they often say, Lord, I owe; Lord, I am weak; Lord, I am really unworthy. Do you hear such words the most? How many Christians dare to say: Lord, I am complete? How many dare to say: Lord, I am holy?
As mentioned earlier, does not the blood of Jesus cleanse your hearts? He is the mediator of the New Testament. Amen! Since He died, He redeemed those who were under the first covenant from their transgressions, and they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. What does the first covenant refer to? The law. Amen! Under the law, everyone is a sinner because the law is to make one aware of sin. But now Jesus has taken upon Himself the sins committed under the first covenant; He has died. What does Jesus' one death bring us?
Let us read aloud, Hebrews 10:14: For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Is that you? Tell the person next to you, you are forever perfected. Many people do not dare to say this; relying on yourself, you will never be perfect, but God sees you as perfect. Why can we say this? Because we just said, what gives you the right to be perfect? Because of the blood of Jesus, He has made you perfect; His one offering has made you perfect. Why are you holy? Because Jesus was hung on the tree, you have become holy. Why are you righteous? Why are you justified? Because Jesus shed His precious blood, I am justified; His resurrection is my justification. All the focus is on Jesus.
Every time you say, I am perfect, it is not based on your own works; it is based on what Jesus Christ has done. Every time you say, I am holy, it is not because your works are holy enough; it is because of what Jesus Christ accomplished for you on the cross. All the focus is on Jesus. When you say, I am unworthy, where is the focus? It is on yourself. When you say, I owe, where is the focus? It is on yourself.
You must look at yourself correctly with God's words; our focus is on Jesus. Every time you see Jesus, your faith will rise; when you see yourself, you will feel unworthy, full of filth, and unable to overcome all circumstances.
Focus on Jesus; His one offering has made you forever perfect. Every morning when you wake up, do not say, I am unworthy. If you are unworthy, how can you ask God for things? If you say, because of Jesus, His one offering, I have become perfect. Then you can live out this perfect behavior; the focus has changed. Before, it was always about me, me, me; now it is about Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Our church will always let you see Jesus.
God is indeed just; He is the God who judges people. God tells us that if you are willing to enter the escape city, everything in the escape city will no longer look at yourself; you look at Jesus Christ. Amen! So they must wait until the high priest dies before they can come out. Why must the high priest die? If the high priest does not die, the sins of these people are only temporarily covered; if Jesus does not die, we must go to Jerusalem to worship Him because there are limitations. This is very important, brothers and sisters.
If the priest does not die, all the people inside the escape city cannot come out. Coming out would mean life-threatening. Before Jesus Christ died, the sins of those people were only temporarily covered by the blood of bulls and goats. Amen! Until the high priest died, this is a huge good news. What good news? It is huge news among all the Israelites.
After the high priest dies, all those in the escape city who are sinners will be released from guilt. Brothers and sisters, how wonderful it would be if there were such a lucky person! This person accidentally killed someone while chopping wood; the relatives of that person all chased after him, and he ran into the escape city. Just as he arrived at the escape city, the next day the high priest died. What is this person's good news? Starting from the next day, he can return to his own home, and the relatives of the dead can no longer pursue blood vengeance. Because through the death of the high priest, all those in the escape city, who accidentally committed crimes, have had their sins forgiven.
Brothers and sisters, what does this mean for us? If Jesus does not die, we must go to Jesus to find Him, to worship Him, or be covered by the blood of bulls and goats every year, knowing how many bulls and goats must be sacrificed to cover your sins. This is a terrifying thing. Now there is good news: Jesus Christ has died; He has risen from the dead. What does this bring us?
After the high priest dies, this news will be announced throughout Israel; all those in the escape city can come and go freely. They can go home, and going home means they can receive their inheritance. You do not need to stay in the church every day; after listening to the word, you can go home and receive your inheritance. Because Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. Hallelujah! He is the Lord who lives forever. You are no longer responsible for past sins because the high priest died for you. Sin has such a result; it must pay the price for your sin; this is God's justice; God's standard is like this. But thank God, Jesus died for our sins. Amen!
You will not die again; God says that through Jesus' death, you have been completely freed. When you leave the escape city, it means you have received forgiveness of sins. When you leave the escape city, you have obtained a second life. This is the freedom that Jesus Christ has won for us through His death. Those who enter the escape city, before the high priest dies, are still sinners; their sins are just covered, but after the high priest dies, their sins are forgiven, and they can freely return home to their original dwelling place. Moreover, the avenger of blood will no longer pursue their sins.
Brothers and sisters, when Jesus Christ died for your sins, your sins were forgiven; when He rose from the dead, you were justified. Forever and ever. Amen! Do not blame yourself for your sins; look closely at what Jesus accomplished for you on the cross. Amen! The death of the high priest represents the forgiveness of sins for those in the escape city.
Jesus Christ died, allowing all our sins to be forgiven. When Jesus paid the price for your sins, you are no longer filthy; you are holy, righteous, and loved by God. But at the same time, I want to tell everyone that although your behavior is not perfect, God sees you as perfect. Because God accepts you, not looking at your behavior, but because of Jesus. Amen! You receive all of God's blessings, not because you did good deeds, but because of God's freely given grace. Hallelujah!
Let us pray together.
Know that you are in the escape city, in Jesus Christ; God no longer condemns you. Boldly call upon God with all your worries and tell our God everything that troubles you. Know where you stand; you are in Christ. Amen!
You now have assurance; you are in Christ, in God; you are in His escape city. Do not say you are threatened every day; do not say your life is unprotected; you are in Christ; everything you have is guaranteed. Because Jesus Christ has accomplished eternal redemption for you.
The blood of the goats and bulls in the Old Testament has such cleansing power; how much more the blood of Jesus Christ? His blood will surely make you completely accepted before God. This matter has been accomplished on the cross. Know where you are. You are in Christ; you are a child of God. Do not be deceived by the devil; do not say you are in debt now, because the blood of Jesus has cleared all your conscience debts. Jesus Christ is your escape city, your refuge, your ever-present help. Thank and praise the Lord; every day you are under God's protection; when you are perfect, you can live out this perfect life, living a victorious life. It is Jesus who has given you a second life.
(Song: All the Grace Given to Me by the Lord)
Jesus, Your love binds me
Joy in the spirit sings loudly
This little piece of hopeful land
Is what the Lord delights in
I will dedicate my love to You
Jesus, Your spirit rests upon me
Joy in the spirit praises the Lord loudly
This holy land is cared for by the Lord
I will worship You with all my heart
All the grace given to me by the Lord
Now open your mouth to pray to God; He will grant you His grace. Cast all your worries and burdens upon Him. Today is a day of transformation; this week is a new beginning; He will fill you with grace. You are in the escape city; you are in Jesus Christ. Do not be afraid; do not worry; God is already with you. He will open the way before you and pave the way ahead. Do not worry anymore; do not be anxious; give it to Jesus. Do not rely on yourself; live by God's grace. You are perfect; you are holy; you are loved by God. Rely on Him. Hallelujah!
All the grace given to me by the Lord
I am full of words that cannot be expressed
I follow You wholeheartedly
With a willing spirit
I dedicate this life to You
I dedicate this life to You
Heavenly Father, we truly thank You; it is Your grace that leads us every day. Every time we see ourselves, we see our unworthiness; we are in Jesus Christ, and it is Your grace that leads me to repentance every day, guiding my steps, making my actions more and more like You. I am a blessed person, possessing all of God's blessings in Christ. I will become a beautiful testimony of Christ, a beautiful testimony for the world, and a channel of Your blessings. I cast all my worries upon You; when I give them up, You will grant me grace. I will no longer rely on myself but solely look to You. Thank You, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!