241-The Purpose of God Giving Jesus#
241-The Purpose of God Giving Jesus
(JP Text Group - Organized by Life Like an Eagle)
Isaiah 9:1-7
1 But there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past, He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future, He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan. 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. 5 Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! Thank You for giving us such a wonderful time to listen to Your words together. Through these words, let us know more about our Lord Jesus Christ, understand what You accomplished for us on the cross, and recognize how You have changed our lives. I believe it can also change our lives. Renew our thoughts and intentions through today’s words, let us act according to Your words, and all glory be to You! In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!
The topic of sharing is: Why did God give us Jesus?
At the end of Isaiah chapter 8, it mentions something: they look to the earth and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish. They will be thrust into utter darkness. Brothers and sisters, when you read this passage, what do you think of? Humanity has no hope. Everyone looks at the heavens and the earth, and it is all distress, darkness, and pain, and people are thrust into utter darkness, which refers to having no direction and no way out.
If we do not believe in Jesus, life is like this. No matter how hard we try, we are still in distress, darkness, and pain, and in the end, the outcome is still death. This is a portrayal of humanity. Why do people live in this dark pain? Because of Adam's sin, humanity has been brought into sin, and there is no way to escape from these evils by oneself, nor can one escape from darkness by oneself. You do not strive to become light; it is given to you by God; nor do you strive to escape from darkness; this is the strength given to you by God. He has already saved you. Many things have already been accomplished by Jesus; what we need to do is believe that He has accomplished them and let this strength come forth from within us. Thank and praise the Lord!
Earlier, it was mentioned why people live in dark pain. When we tell them that Jesus is the answer, not everyone can accept it. The reason is the pride within people, not knowing the true God. When did this pride begin? It entered humanity after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Everyone has their own standards of judgment and believes they are correct. This pride also manifests when judging God. They cannot understand God's matters and are unwilling to understand, thinking they are right. But what is God's method for us? It is completely beyond human imagination. We think that if a person wants to live, they must have a living person to save them; if we die, there is no chance to save them. But when Jesus came to save us, what method did He use?
He used His death to give us life. Is there such a thing in the world? How can one person live through another's death without suffering loss themselves? We cannot do it, but Jesus can. When Jesus accomplished this, not everyone could accept it, because there is pride within people, and they do not know the true God. Another reason is that the whole world is under the power of the evil one, causing us to live in this darkness and pain. Many people do not know where the direction of life is, do not know what their value is, and do not know what Jesus is for. They only know that Jesus teaches people to do good.
Brothers and sisters, does Jesus only have this little ability? No, we need to understand: why did God give us Jesus? Not only will you know where the direction of your life is, but you will also know what your value is, and you will know what Jesus has truly brought to you. Amen! The purpose of God giving us Jesus is to let us see the form and ability that God created for humanity. If you do not know how to live a meaningful life, just look at Jesus; if you do not know how to have God's ability and live a full life, just look at Jesus.
Jesus lived out this fullness; He had no lack and was not limited. No matter what difficulties He encountered, He never said it was over or that He was doomed. Some people are very wealthy, very powerful, and have everything, but they still encounter problems they cannot solve and can feel discouraged, disappointed, and frustrated. But none of this was found in Jesus. Jesus faced so many things and never became discouraged. He was very busy, handling many matters, but He never became discouraged. When you see Jesus, you see how God created humanity to live from the beginning. Many people live far from how Jesus lived.
Some say they live very well, but in reality, they are still far from it. When you see how God created humanity to live, we should have a better way of living. Why can’t we live like Jesus? They do not have the life of Jesus. But we have the life of Jesus within us, and by relying on Jesus, we can live out His kind of life. Jesus brought peace, authority, power, and glory to the world, which is what people have been pursuing and is already the best. Hallelujah!
Speaking of glory, can the glory we find in the world compare to the glory of Jesus? It is far from it. Whose authority is greater? Jesus' authority is greater. Even if you are the most powerful person in a country or globally, how does that compare to Jesus? Jesus' authority is greater. In terms of power, we have the most advanced weapons and can practice martial arts to harm some people. Do you know how great Jesus' power is? The Bible tells us that Jesus can kill with the words from His mouth; can such power be found in the world? Jesus' authority, power, glory, and peace are what people have always pursued. Jesus gave this to you; the moment you believe in Him, He gives it to you.
Heavenly Father gave us Jesus, and when we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior, these powers are within us, and He also gave us the Holy Spirit to help, guide, and renew us, so we can live a wonderful life like Jesus. At the same time, He gives us a mission to bring the world into peace and harmony, living out the life of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
His name is Emmanuel, which means God is with us. The moment you accept Jesus, Jesus is with you, God is with you; this is the best blessing in the world. He will never leave you. We say that parents are good in this world, but one day they will leave us; friends are good, but will they not change their hearts one day? But Jesus will not; Jesus will never. He is Emmanuel; He is the Prince of Peace. The Prince of Peace always brings peace to people and is the one everyone should rely on. Hallelujah!
Let’s look at the scripture, verse 1: But there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past, God humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future, He will honor Galilee of the nations.
Brothers and sisters, there are a few places here I want to explain: the land of Naphtali and the land of Zebulun are both in the northern part of Israel. Looking at the map of Israel in the back of the Bible, Naphtali and Zebulun are both in the northern part of Israel, and the most important part of Jesus' ministry began in Galilee. I will briefly share what differences these places have.
Between 734 BC and 732 BC, Assyria invaded Israel, and Zebulun and Naphtali were the first to suffer. They were in the north, and Assyria was further north; when they invaded from the north, these two places were the first to be invaded and suffered greatly. The king of Assyria divided Israel into three provinces, one of which was Dor, which is now known as the Way of the Sea, another was Gilead, which is beyond the Jordan, and Megiddo.
These names have been mentioned in the Old Testament; Megiddo is the land of the Gentiles in Galilee, which had already been occupied by Assyria at that time. These people, after becoming slaves, fell into darkness, with no freedom, nothing, and no hope. But God gave them a promise that in the end, they would receive glory; in the end, He would honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, the land of the Gentiles in Galilee.
Matthew 4:12-17
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee; 13 leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali—14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
These places were the first to enter into darkness, but God gave them a promise that He would let them see the light first. Therefore, most of Jesus' preaching ministry took place in the Galilee region, in the land of Zebulun, Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, and Galilee, which were all places Jesus often visited. Brothers and sisters, why am I telling you this? If you say that your life has already entered into darkness and you have been in darkness for many years.
I want to tell you that when Jesus enters your current environment, the darker it is, the more the light can shine. In the daytime, can light show its brightness? At night, light shows its brightness. Brothers and sisters, the darker you are, the less you should worry; when God's light shines into you, you will become incredibly bright. They will receive glory; those who walk in darkness will see this great light! Those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death will have light shine upon them. It is not that they seek light, pray for light, or say they desire light and create it themselves; it is given to them by God. Just like Jesus finds us, it is not us seeking God, saying, "Lord, I am really suffering too much; please give me Jesus!" No one seeks God like that; it is Jesus who comes to find us.
“Jesus left Nazareth and went to Capernaum and lived there. That place was by the lake, in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali.”
This is the center of Jesus' ministry. I want to tell you another meaning: if what you are doing aligns with God's path, that thing will definitely succeed. Whether in business or managing a country, if you walk in the path of the gospel, it will definitely succeed. The people of Israel did not have a country for nearly two thousand years. But two thousand years later, after the world wars, one day the Jews woke up and said they needed to establish a country; we must have a country. At that time, a Jewish man invented smokeless gunpowder and offered it to the British. At that time, Britain had no chance of winning, but with smokeless gunpowder, they became very powerful and turned the tide. This Jewish man told the ruling party, "I can provide this for free, but on one condition: you let us go home and have a place of our own."
Brothers and sisters, does this idea align with God's will? We think it was this person who thought of it, but in reality, God had already promised them: previously, you rebelled against God, and one day you will be thrown into the world, coming and going, just like people throw things around, today you are thrown here, tomorrow you are thrown there. But one day, I will surely gather you back. This is God's promise. When they had this heart, God began to work.
Whether believing in Jesus or not, if you can understand these principles of God, you will succeed in what you do. Those who do not believe will receive blessings in this world, such as status and fame. Those who believe in Jesus will receive double blessings. In this world, you will receive blessings from God, and in heaven, God will also bless you. It is the same in any industry; it just depends on whether you can understand this principle.
Jesus did not just go wherever He wanted to preach the gospel. The route He took to preach the gospel was also given to Him by God. Did He read the Bible? It was the Old Testament, and He would see that Isaiah 9 mentions that those who suffer will no longer see darkness. When Jesus came to the land of Israel, were Zebulun, Naphtali, and Galilee the only ones suffering? There was darkness everywhere, but what Jesus wanted to do was to fulfill those words in the Old Testament; He settled on the border of Zebulun and Naphtali. From another perspective, this is also an important factor for the gospel to flourish and succeed.
Why didn’t He go to Jerusalem? Now, from a human perspective, you will understand this matter. The Bible has a lot of wisdom for us; it is not just about spiritual blessings floating in the sky; it is the same on the ground. Don’t you also hope that what you do is effective? You live on the ground, not just in heaven!
You must follow God's way. Now, from a human perspective, if Jesus had started preaching in Jerusalem, it would have been very difficult to develop the ministry. Why? Because the people there have too many preconceived notions and too much legalistic thinking. Even if Jesus is God, being there would be the greatest obstacle. He went to the Galilee region, which is a mixed area of Gentiles and Jews; those Pharisees and scribes who thought they were holy did not go to these places. They thought Gentiles were like dogs: "I cannot stay with them every day; I want to be in a holy place, in a holy city, Jerusalem."
In that place, Jesus' ministry proceeded very smoothly. This is why when Jesus was in Zebulun and Naphtali, He healed people and told them not to spread this matter everywhere; just know it. This is wisdom, brothers and sisters. We need to have the wisdom of Jesus, which is to live according to God's way. Amen!
This wisdom has already been written in the Bible. I have told you many times that if you want to establish a company, carefully look at two books: the first is Deuteronomy, and the second is the Acts of the Apostles. Find the wisdom God wants to give you from these, and you can easily establish it because God's principles are in there. Paul, such a great man, did he have power? Did he have wisdom? At first, he did not have so much wisdom; he insisted on going to Jerusalem. No matter what anyone said, even when prophets repeatedly warned him, he did not care; he had to go, and as a result, he accomplished nothing. The Holy Spirit personally told him: "You need to go to other places to bear witness for me." In the end, he left.
Brothers and sisters, do not think that if the church starts with a thousand people and all conditions are good, it will be great! These are not the issues; the issue is that you need to have God's wisdom. The darker the place, the more it needs light. First, prepare your heart; those who sit in darkness will see a great light. What do they need most in darkness? The redemption of Jesus. Amen! Perhaps you say the most pressing need is money, the need for children to be obedient, or the need to solve current problems. I tell you: what you need most is Jesus. Some say: "No, I want to be healed immediately." What you need now is to hear the word. Many people, when encountering problems, always focus on the problem, wanting to solve their problem first. In fact, what you need most is to know Jesus first. He not only wants to solve this problem but also wants to solve other problems.
A person in darkness has many problems: in darkness, they cannot do homework, do not know where the direction is, and do not dare to walk around... these are all problems. Always being in darkness will only lead to more problems. Once the light comes in, all problems are solved. Let Jesus enter into your current problems; you should first get to know Jesus. When Jesus came, He did not say: "First, let me heal these sick people, let me give them some bread to eat." He first told them the gospel.
In verse 17, from that time on, Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!"
How can a person move from darkness to light? Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near! This sentence in the original text has repentance first and the kingdom of heaven near second. The meaning in the original text is that you need to let go of your preconceived notions to see that the kingdom of God is near. What does it mean to let go of your preconceived notions? Do not use your fixed thoughts to view the current person or to view Jesus: "Have you attended a Jewish university? Do you have a degree? How many years have you served?" Jesus had none of these, but He began by saying: "The kingdom of heaven is near; you should repent!" He wants you to not judge things based on your own sight but to let go of your fixed thinking. Do the people of Naphtali and Zebulun not have preconceived notions? They do, but they are just fewer than those in Jerusalem! Amen!
At any time, remember: your problems are not the most important. As long as you know Jesus and are willing to let go of your preconceived notions, Jesus can solve all your problems. Jesus made Capernaum the center of His preaching. Capernaum itself is by the sea, on the road from Egypt to Damascus, which is called the Way of the Sea. The light of the gospel shines over the entire Galilee and the banks of the Jordan. Later, the gospel reached Jerusalem, all of Judea, and to the ends of the earth. What I want to tell you is: do not say how serious your problems are. Let Jesus be in you; first, let go of your preconceived notions, and you will see that Jesus is the answer to all your problems.
What did the coming of Jesus bring them? Verse 2: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
First of all, the birth of Jesus Christ is to bring us light. Once light enters darkness, darkness disappears. For example, in this room, if it is dark, is it useful to rebuke the darkness? Is it useful to call for light? When you get home at night, if you do not turn on the light, can you solve your problem by praying and fasting? What should you do? Turn on the light. It’s very simple. The premise of turning on the light is that there is electricity and a light; the wires must be connected for it to be effective. Let me ask you a question: Has Jesus accomplished all this? Yes, He has. What you need to do is connect to it.
First, you must believe: Jesus is that light; Jesus is already connected to you inside. How do I let the light shine in? By believing and declaring. It is like saying that the first thing you do when you get home is to turn on the switch. You do not need to shout loudly, jump around, or curse the darkness to make it leave; it is useless. You just need to quietly turn on the switch, and the darkness will disappear. Many times, the methods God gives us are very simple. The birth of Jesus Christ is to bring us light. Those in darkness and pain should receive Jesus into their hearts, and these things will no longer exist. Those who are despised will receive glory because Jesus is the true light that enlightens everyone who comes into the world.
John 8:12, Jesus spoke again to the people, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Why do you not walk in darkness when you follow Jesus? Because His light is so bright that all darkness disappears. If I am in darkness now, it is because I am in darkness. The way to solve darkness is to be under the light. Jesus is that light; when you follow Him, darkness disappears. It’s that simple. He has already given us light; He has already given us the way, the truth, and the life. What we need to do is follow Him. As long as you are willing to follow Jesus, you will not walk in darkness; you have already received the light of life. No matter what problems you encounter in life, believe that Jesus can solve them for you. With Jesus, life has light; with Jesus, life has direction; with Jesus, even in a dead end, Jesus is your hope.
John 1:12-14
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Here, to all who received him, how do we define receiving Jesus? The following clearly states: to those who believe in His name. As long as you are willing to believe in Jesus, He gives them the right. What does it mean to give? It means it is given to you without you having to work for it. In many ancient costume dramas, when the emperor bestows something on someone, that person does not need to pay a price; it is given freely, as a reward. When you believe in Jesus, it is equivalent to receiving Jesus, and He gives you the right to become a child of God.
Children of God, these people are not born of natural descent, nor of human decision, nor of a husband’s will, but born of God. In 1 John and 2 John, there are many verses, and many people read them and say: "Look, those born of God do not sin. Why do some people sin? Because they are born of the devil; those born of the devil sin. So when you see someone sinning, you know whether they belong to God or the devil."
They always look at behavior; they check if they still sin. If they sin, they must be children of the devil. Today they may not sin, and they may be children of God, but tomorrow they may become children of the devil. Is that right? What does it say here? When you receive Jesus, 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John were all written by John, and the Gospel of John was also written by John. The words of the same person cannot contradict each other; the Bible does not have this problem. So it says that those who receive Jesus, those who believe in Jesus, when you believe in Jesus, you are no longer born of natural descent, nor of human decision, nor of a husband’s will, but born of God. Amen!
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, full of grace and truth. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father." Why is this passage immediately followed? It tells you: why are you not born of natural descent, nor of human decision, nor of a husband’s will, but born of God? Because when you accept Jesus, the Word made flesh, His spirit enters you, and you have a new life.
Many people are always entangled, saying: Am I really saved? I tell them: If you believe, you are saved. They say: Then have I been born again? Many people insist on separating salvation and being born again. Are these two the same? Yes, salvation and being born again are the same. In Jesus' time, some may have believed but not yet been born again; this situation existed because the Holy Spirit had not yet entered. Many people followed Jesus and believed in Jesus, but the Holy Spirit did not enter them, so they were not born again.
When were they born again? After the Holy Spirit entered them, living inside them, their life became different; they became a new life. We do not have this situation now; the moment you believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in you, and these two things happen simultaneously. In Jesus' time, there could be a sequence. Do you understand? Now you need to know that the moment you believe in Jesus, you are a child of God; you are born of God and do not need to be born again a second time. Some sects say: "If you do not speak in tongues, you are not born again." We will reserve our opinion on this for now.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, full of grace. What is Jesus? Jesus is that Word; the Word is the message. Some new translations say that the Word became flesh. Can you understand how a message becomes flesh? Is it incomprehensible? Let me tell you, at the beginning of Genesis, God's Word created this world. For you, making a message become a plant, become this soil, is too difficult; we cannot do it at all. But for God, it is very simple: God said, "Let there be light," and there was light; God said, "Let the earth bring forth various trees," and it was done. This is the message becoming a fact. For God, making the message become flesh is incredibly easy. Now, the words from our Heavenly Father have become flesh and dwelt among us, referring to Jesus.
What is the purpose of God giving Jesus? To let you see God with your own eyes. When you see Jesus, you see God; when you see how Jesus treats us, you know how the Father treats you; when you see Jesus is light, the Father is also light; Jesus can dispel your darkness, and our Heavenly Father can do the same. Think about this: Jesus has now returned, but God's Word remains. This Word, if you believe, also has this power. As long as you hold God's Word in your heart, your problems can still be solved because the Holy Spirit lives in you! We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son. Brothers and sisters, do not think of Jesus as just a simple person, a good person; that would be underestimating Jesus. He is the Savior; He is also the light. Amen!
Isaiah 9:3-5
3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. 4 For you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as in the day of Midian. 5 Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
What do verses 3-5 tell us? Jesus Christ is our joy. Another purpose of God sending Jesus into the world is that God wants to give you joy! As the Psalms tell us, if a person is strong, even if they can live to eighty, when they look back at their life, what is it? Just labor and sorrow. Is this not a fact? But when your life has Jesus, it is filled with joy. This joy is absolutely not something the world can give you. This joy is like the joy of those who harvest.
Why do harvesters have joy? Because they have sown seeds with a hopeful heart, always expecting a good harvest! When it comes time to harvest, the seeds that were sown have now become a very abundant harvest. That joy is hard to experience unless you have sown it yourself, fertilized it, and watered it, then anticipated its growth and results. That joy is something you can only experience after going through this process.
I want to tell you: even if you are now in darkness, in hardship, in pain, and without hope, if you understand that Jesus is your joy, when you go through this period, it will be like the joy of the harvester seeing the harvest, and like the joy of dividing the plunder. What does it mean to divide the plunder? It means you have won the battle; you can only divide the plunder if you have won the battle. If things have been taken from you, you are the one who has been plundered. You will find that who is doing all this?
Verse 3: You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy.
Where does joy come from? It is given to us by God. Do not strive to hope for joy yourself; that is useless. You need to see more of what Jesus has done in your life, and then you will have joy. Without Jesus in life, we are like those in darkness; do not say there is joy; we do not even have our own lives. But now, because of Jesus' redemption, everything is different; He is our joy; He is our hope! Never say it is over, and never say there is no way out, because Jesus is the beginning, and Jesus is the end.
Unless Jesus says it is over, you should not say it is over. We are different from the world; unless Jesus says there is no way out, we can say there is no way out. Do you understand, brothers and sisters? We should live like this; you are different because you are a person of hope; you are a person of reliance; Jesus is your joy. Amen!
There is another sentence that says, "For you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor..."
Did we shatter it ourselves? Who shattered it? Jesus. The yoke that burdened them, the Israelites became slaves; this yoke was shattered by God. The bar across their shoulders and the rod that oppressed them, all these used to bind, restrain, and pressure them, are now shattered. Brothers and sisters, when you truly believe in Jesus, you will find that Jesus is your joy! He will shatter all those yokes and the rods and sticks that strike you, just like in the days of Midian. What happened in Midian? In the Book of Judges, there was a man named Gideon. At that time, the Midianites invaded; they were truly despicable. When the Israelites were planting crops, they invaded Israel, resulting in no land to plant. When it was time to harvest, they invaded again, causing famine throughout the country, and the Israelites had no way to fight the Midianites.
At that time, Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress; a winepress is for making wine. There was no wine; all the grapes had been stolen. Threshing wheat should be done on the threshing floor, but now he could only hide in the winepress to thresh wheat, indicating that life was extremely painful and hopeless. God said: "Mighty warrior! The Lord is with you!" First, He comforted him with God's words. At that time, how did Gideon respond? "If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?"
At that time, our Lord said: "I will use the strength you have to save the Israelites." What did he have in his hand? Was Gideon a mighty warrior? No, if he were a mighty warrior, he would not be hiding in a winepress to thresh wheat. The only thing he had was the ability to bundle the wheat; nothing else. God said: "Use this ability in your hand to defeat your enemies." At that time, Gideon achieved one of the greatest victories in human history and military history; three hundred men defeated one hundred and twenty thousand. They used the sword of the Lord and Gideon, placing a large loaf of barley before the enemy, crushing them.
Brothers and sisters, God will use the little ability you have to solve your problems! This is what God wants to use you for. This is why, like in the days of Midian, they were victorious; three hundred men defeated one hundred and twenty thousand. Their yoke, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod that oppressed them have all been shattered, and from that time on, they were free.
Verse 5: Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
Why are the warrior's armor and garments burned? There are no more warriors. Because Jesus is peace.
Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
What does it mean to be weary and burdened? If you have a heavy yoke, a rod on your shoulder, a stick, and someone oppressing you, you are often in battle, wearing very heavy armor, rolling in blood; who would want to live that way? No one wants to live like that. If you are like this, it is like the Israelites mentioned in the Bible, who during the day said, "When will it be night?" When night came, they said, "When will it be day?" Living like this every day, is it interesting? Life has no hope.
But now it is no longer like this. All you who are weary and burdened do not strive to break the yoke, do not strive to overturn your stick or rod; it is not like that. You come to Jesus with your problems. This is the purpose of God giving Jesus: to come to Jesus: "I will give you rest." This means that when you come to seek Jesus with your yoke, your pressure, your difficulties, and your despair, what does Jesus do for you? He unbinds your yoke, shatters your stick, and brings you hope.
I am gentle and humble in heart; you should take my yoke. The original yoke is no longer needed; now Jesus gives you a new yoke, which is rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. After believing in Jesus, please remember: no matter how many sermons you have heard or how many years you have believed, if your faith in Jesus makes your life harder and your pressure greater, it proves that the direction is definitely wrong. The more you believe, the more you are bound, it proves the direction is wrong. At any time, when you come before Jesus and listen to His teachings, it should be increasingly restful; it should make you feel more and more that this Lord is your hope, your joy, your strength. After listening to the word, my heart should no longer be so entangled, no longer so fearful and anxious. This is the correct way; you should have the most basic judgment. Amen!
No matter how famous that person is, if listening to their teachings makes you feel more filthy, smaller, and more useless, they must have misrepresented Jesus. Now, do you all have discernment? Go to Jesus; He gives you rest; He will unbind your yoke; He will shatter your stick; the days of being fearful and anxious will never return. Jesus went to Galilee, to Zebulun, to Naphtali, first preaching to the people, then healing, allowing many to be released, to be free. Those oppressed by demons, the lame, and the blind were all healed. Therefore, these people were particularly willing to follow Jesus; this is the right path.
Brothers and sisters, I just mentioned armor and garments, which represent that they were always in battle, always in battle, but now they are in rest. If you believe in Jesus and are still in battle, adjust your direction. You need to know that the purpose of God giving Jesus is to let you find rest! Thank and praise the Lord! Why are these things no longer present?
Verse 6 tells us the reason: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.
This child has a characteristic: He is given to us by God, and His identity is the Son. There is a son given to us; it is very clear that God specifically emphasizes this. These two words are definitely not synonymous; they indicate two different facts: A child is born for us, which proves the relationship between God and you, and the relationship between Jesus and you; He is born for you, indicating that today His relationship with you is different. The second is that a son is given to us, which proves your position, your identity.
One indicates your relationship with Him, which is freely given to you by God; the other is that a son, what is Jesus' identity? Is He not the Son? Then you also have the identity of a son. If God gives you a servant, you are also a servant. These two aspects: the first tells you your relationship with Him, the second is your identity.
Romans 8:3-4
3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
The law is weak because of the flesh, which is the weakness of every person, so we cannot obey the law. Because we cannot do it, God sent His Son to fulfill the law for us, becoming our sin offering, and has already condemned sin in the flesh. After these things are accomplished,
Verse 4 is fulfilled in you, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
The original meaning is not in the flesh but in those who are in the Spirit. When you accept Jesus, you are in the Spirit, and the Spirit is also in you. A son is given to us, and it immediately points out the position we have; we are no longer servants but sons.
Galatians 4:3-6
3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."
Now do you understand the important significance of these two sentences? A child is given to us; a son is given to us, referring to two aspects: you are now a son. When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, referring to Mary, born under the law, because Jesus lived under the law; He had to first obey the law to bring us out from under the law. To redeem those under the law, Jesus came into this world with a purpose: to redeem those under the law.
Those who do not believe in Jesus live under the law, under the law of Moses, and if they cannot obey, they will die! But now Jesus has redeemed you; how can you be redeemed by Him? By believing in Jesus. When you believe in Jesus, you have already been redeemed from under the law, so that we might receive adoption to sonship. When God gives you the status of a son, He also sends the Spirit of His Son, which is the Holy Spirit, into you, so you have the qualification to call out "Abba, Father." Hallelujah! When Jesus has this ability and this identity, everything that follows becomes extremely important. This includes many descriptions of God, and it mentions:
Verses 6-7: The government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.
Is this not the style of Jesus? The government will be on His shoulders; this proclaims the power of our Lord Jesus. Wonderful Counselor refers to Jesus' ability to govern and lead the people; Jesus is a manager, but the way Jesus does things is wonderfully unique, and His methods and approaches are astonishing. People always say that emphasizing the law and sin will prevent people from sinning. But Jesus did not do this; He emphasized righteousness, the love of the Father, and the kingdom of heaven, and people overcame sin instead, using a different method.
Some believe that this method cannot be used; it will only lead people to fall further. But Jesus continuously gave grace, resulting in many lives being changed. When He taught, He did not teach the law with a list of rules, saying in church, "Do not speak loudly!" Do you know why? Because the Holy Spirit is like a dove; if you speak loudly, the Holy Spirit will be scared away! Did Jesus diminish God's power to such an extent? No, Jesus' teachings were different from theirs.
This difference made many people not understand: "What ability do you have to speak like this?" But you will find that when He spoke like this, all the power was manifested. Not only did Jesus have power, but His disciples also had this power. Hallelujah! We often describe Jesus as wonderful; He is a wonderful being! When you do things in the name of Jesus Christ, people will find it amazing! Amen!
Mighty God, in the original text refers to God as a warrior, this king has the ability and strategy to command above all. He is God's representative on earth. Everlasting Father refers to His time, His eternal existence, and His deep love and care for all. Prince of Peace refers to His way of doing things, which is peaceful. Do not think that Jesus came to compete for power and profit; He did not. You should also be like this, brothers and sisters!
When you serve, do not think about competing for power and profit. Because what Jesus does not do, you should not do either. Jesus came to give peace to all who are willing to repent and accept Him. When each of our hearts has Jesus, this world will truly achieve peace.
Verse 7: His government and peace will increase without end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
In this world, it is impossible for a kingdom to exist forever; there is no such thing. But God has said that the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Our God will do it Himself. Brothers and sisters, do not say that the current problems are too big, that the issues cannot be solved, and that my suffering is too much! God can accomplish this; this is what you need to believe. Amen! Jesus' kingdom still exists to this day; from the time Jesus was crucified until now, it has been two thousand years, and this kingdom still exists because God accomplished this.
Finally, I will share a verse with you, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
If you were to do the above things yourself, could you do it? Can you sanctify yourself completely? It is forever impossible. Can you keep your spirit, soul, and body? Can you make them completely sanctified and blameless? You can never do it. If God wants to accomplish this, He can do it; it is very simple. God will keep these things for you.
May, you can remove this word; the original Greek text does not have "may." The original meaning is: the God of peace Himself will sanctify you completely. It is not you striving to be sanctified; it is God making you holy, making you different from the world, making your thoughts different from the world, and your behavior and life different from the world. The world relies on itself, while you rely on our Lord Jesus Christ. Another purpose of the Heavenly Father giving Jesus is to let you know that He wants to keep you through Jesus, and He wants to keep you through the Holy Spirit, making you completely sanctified and blameless. Until when? Until the day Jesus Christ returns. Hallelujah! Remember your identity, remember the power of Jesus Christ, and you can rely on Him to live out His style in your life. Amen!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You. Thank You for giving us Jesus. In the past, I was in pain and darkness, but now I see the light because Jesus is my light. Jesus is also my joy, my hope, and my rest. In Jesus Christ, I look up to His words every day; He can help me and renew me. No matter what I encounter, I am no longer afraid, no longer worried, and no longer anxious.
Because You will help me, You will accomplish this. You have shattered the rod, the stick, and the heavy yoke that oppressed me. You are my Lord, You are my reliance, and You are my strength. As the new week begins, I am no longer afraid. You are with me; Your name is Emmanuel, and You will lead me into a place of abundance, enjoying Your joy in Your victory! Thank and praise the Lord; all glory be to You! In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!