444-Who is Your Covering#
(JP Text Group - shalom organized)
Dear family, peace in the Lord, welcome to your arrival. Today is Sunday, let's share God's word together.
The topic of sharing is: Who is Your Covering?
Psalm 32:1-2:
1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered! 2 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Let’s start with a prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you for preparing such a wonderful time for us to listen to the truth, to listen to your words. Your words are our life, our strength, our helper, and our provider! As we begin a new week, we come before you to receive provision and live with your words, for you have overcome the world and told us how to live a victorious life! Holy Spirit, help every brother and sister to receive something. We completely surrender the time ahead to the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, and renew us. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.
Looking at the content of this passage in Psalms, David says: Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered! But who can forgive a person's transgressions? It is clear that humans cannot forgive each other's transgressions because we all have sin and problems, and we cannot forgive another person's sin. The sin mentioned here is not the kind of sin that people commit in the world, but the sin that comes from Adam. We are born with this sin, and this sin cannot be forgiven by humans. So when David saw that he had sinned again and had problems again, he thought: How blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven!
It goes on to say: Blessed is the one whose sin is covered. When a person sins, they will try every possible way to cover their sin, not wanting others to see it. If they have some bad habits or have done wrong things, they like to cover it up. In fact, they know very well that before God, everything is naked and open; there is nothing that our God does not know. No matter how much a person tries to cover their transgressions and sins, they are always revealed before God. So David said: If sin can be covered, how blessed is that person! Only our God can forgive transgressions and cover sins. Amen! He knows everything about you but does not remember your sins; that is the truly blessed person.
Verse 2 says: Blessed is the one whose spirit is not deceitful, and the Lord does not count as sin.
What does it mean to have no deceit in the heart? It means that what is in the heart is what comes out of the mouth. In fact, most people are double-minded because everyone has transgressions and has sinned. In front of others, they try to show their good side, but in God's eyes, this is deceit. Everything we do is truly revealed before God. God knows, yet He does not count it as sin; that person is blessed!
Think about it, David lived under the Old Testament law, and the characteristic of the law is that if one sins, they are condemned. So how can one avoid being condemned? It requires God's grace. We are not under the same covenant as David; we are not under the law but under grace. Jesus Christ took our transgressions upon Himself; He bled and sacrificed for our sins on the cross. Therefore, God has forgiven all our transgressions and blotted out all our sins. Thank the Lord.
God no longer remembers the sins of those who believe in Jesus. Therefore, this person is blessed because of Jesus. God's righteousness has not been trampled upon; this sin has not been punished upon us but has been punished upon Jesus. Jesus became our sacrificial lamb. Hallelujah! When you understand this, you will know how much God loves you, and you will have true gratitude towards God from your heart.
The first point of sharing: Who are you? Where are you?
Galatians 3:13-14:
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Where are you? You are in Christ. Now, who are you? Verse 13 tells us: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
You can replace "us" with "me." Jesus Christ became a curse for me. Why? Because we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. When Jesus Christ became a curse for us, this curse comes from the law. Because when a person violates what is written in the law, they will be cursed. Jesus took the curse for us and redeemed us from the curse of the law. So today, you are no longer under the curse of the law. Amen.
God says this with basis: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." What does this mean? It means that his transgressions must be publicly displayed, and he must bear the consequences of sin. The law is public and just; it reveals human sin. Therefore, Jesus Christ was hung on a pole so that people at that time could see that He was cursed. He Himself had no sin but bore our sins. Thus, He saved us from the curse of the law. Therefore, you are no longer under the curse of the law. No matter who curses you, mocks you, or speaks harshly to you, you must believe that these things will not come to pass; all these words are ineffective. So when facing those who curse you, you need not be angry, for God no longer curses you.
Verse 14: This is the blessing given to Abraham, so that the blessing might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus.
Since you are not under the curse, you are under the blessing. Where does our blessing come from?
The blessing of Abraham. Why Abraham? Because he is a representative of faith. When we believe in God, just as Abraham believed in God, then the blessings of Abraham will come upon all who believe. We believe in Jesus, believing that Jesus has bled and sacrificed for your sins on the cross and resurrected from the dead three days later, and is still alive. Then you can receive the blessings that come from Christ, so that by faith, we might receive the promised Spirit.
Brothers and sisters, where does your blessing come from? It comes from Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells within you. So everyone must remember, your blessing does not come from any person but from Jesus Christ. Amen.
Galatians 3:26-28:
26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
This passage is very interesting. You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. What do you believe about Jesus? That He bled and sacrificed for your sins and resurrected from the dead three days later. God no longer remembers your sins, so you have now changed your identity; you are a child of God. By faith in Christ Jesus, you are a child of God, and there are no other conditions. It is not that you must behave well to be worthy of being called a child of God; if you believe in Jesus, you are a child of God!
Verse 27 says: All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Here it mentions baptism. What does baptism signify? When we enter the water, we die with Christ, representing that the old self has died; when we come up out of the water, we are a new person! It no longer represents ourselves but Jesus Christ. We are all clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. God sees us as precious as Jesus because we are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus. God treats us as He treats Jesus; how He loves Jesus is how He loves us. How He blesses Jesus is how He blesses us. Remember, we are children of God. Hallelujah!
No matter how many identities we have on earth, whether you are a pastor, a teacher, or an engineer, you have your own career, but in God's eyes, you are His child. In this regard, there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile, free and slave, male and female. This means it has nothing to do with race, your identity, your profession, or whether you are male or female, because you have all become one in Christ Jesus. This is what we have under the New Covenant.
In the Old Testament, people could not approach God directly; they needed a mediator, such as the prophets in the Old Testament, who represented God working among people. People had to go to the prophet to express their matters. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ became our mediator. You can pray to our Heavenly Father at any time, in any place, about any matter. Our Heavenly Father can hear you. Amen! Because you are a child of God, do not let anyone take away your authority, identity, and glory as a child of God.
Every believer in Jesus is equally precious in the eyes of the Father. Amen! You are a child of God in Christ through faith. Christ is your Lord. What does this mean? It means your master is not a person; you must obey Jesus Christ. We all belong to Jesus Christ. Amen.
Paul says: Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. Why does he say this? His identity is also a child of God, but he says: I am a servant of Jesus Christ. He wants to emphasize that in his work, everything is done according to what Jesus says. This is in the context of work. Paul did not become proud because his ministry was large or even think that his ministry was greater than Jesus's. He did not have a sense of self-satisfaction; instead, he always believed that everything he did was for the Lord Jesus because he is a servant of the Lord Jesus.
Do not confuse sonship and servanthood. Many people ask: Why are we both sons and servants? Sonship is our identity; all believers in Jesus have the same identity before the Father, which is being sons. In terms of work, do not take a high and mighty attitude to work or evangelize, but serve with a servant's heart. A servant does things according to the will of the master. Those who serve the Lord should serve everyone with a servant's attitude. If this person does not believe in Jesus, it does not mean they will never believe! If one day they believe, they will be a child of God, right?
If we look down on a brother, we are looking down on a child of God, which is looking down on God, right? We are also children of God; what right do we have to look down on other children of God? We must be clear that our identity is all children of God. In Christ, God sees you as precious as Jesus. Amen.
Romans 8:1-4:
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 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.
Romans 7 mentions Paul's inner struggle. He has two laws within him, one is of the flesh, and the other is of the Spirit. These two laws are constantly at war, causing great pain. He ends up doing things he does not want to do. Paul is very troubled by this; he does not know how to overcome it. Finally, he gives us the accurate answer: We can overcome through Jesus Christ! How do we rely on Jesus to overcome past old thoughts, those evil desires, and those fleshly thoughts? It is to make you aware: Who are you? Where are you?
Romans 8:1 starts clearly: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Knowing that you are in Jesus Christ means you are a person in Christ. Amen! This means no one can pull you out of Christ; your identity is already established. You are a child of God. If God does not condemn you, how can people condemn you?
Let me explain what condemnation is. Condemnation means assigning someone a false identity or label. That is condemnation! If you point out someone's mistakes, that is not condemnation. For example, many people say that someone is useless because they keep making mistakes, that they will never succeed. This is condemnation. They may fail in what they do now, but that does not mean they will always be a failure. If such condemning words are placed upon them, and they accept this condemnation, they will truly believe they are a failure and may not be able to do anything. That is condemnation. Pointing out someone else's mistakes means they made a mistake in a particular matter, but you still accept the person. That is correct. Amen! So do not confuse these two.
Many people do not understand that when others point out their mistakes, they think others are condemning them. As a result, they do not associate with anyone. If they do not want to hear something, they think others are condemning them. This is incorrect. You must distinguish this clearly. If there is indeed a mistake between brothers, only when you are with him should you point out his mistake. If he listens, that is good. If he does not listen, we have our own choices: either to distance ourselves from him or continue to help him with love.
However, pointing out mistakes is not condemnation. When God does not condemn us, it means that no matter how many sins you have committed in the past, Jesus has already paid the price for your sins. Therefore, God no longer calls you a sinner but calls you a righteous person. So in Christ, God does not condemn you. It does not mean that God will not point out your mistakes, but it means that God will no longer call you a sinner or judge you as one who deserves to perish. He will not condemn you for that. However, if a person keeps making mistakes and going down the wrong path, they may fall into a pit and get hurt, but they are still righteous in God's eyes. These two, condemnation and pointing out mistakes, must be distinguished clearly.
God sees all who believe in Jesus as righteous. Why? Because the law of the Spirit who gives life has set me free from the law of sin and death. When Jesus Christ bled and sacrificed for our sins on the cross, He redeemed us from the curse of the law. What does the curse of the law bring? Death. Therefore, Jesus Christ has freed us from the law of sin and death. After Jesus died and resurrected, He went back and sent the Holy Spirit to help us. All who believe in Jesus have the Holy Spirit within them. The Holy Spirit is also a law; He will teach you to do good things and correct things. He always brings release and life. Hallelujah!
All who believe in Jesus, why should we walk according to the Spirit? Some say they do not know how to walk according to the Spirit. Look at how the victors in the Bible lived. How did Jesus live in the Bible? How did those spiritual predecessors live? Jesus actually told us a lot about how to live in the New Testament. In the latter half of almost every epistle in the New Testament, it mentions how you should live, how to love others, how to forgive others, and how to do good things.
Some say they cannot do it! It is precisely because we cannot do it that the Holy Spirit helps us, and then we can do it. Hallelujah! In this sense, you can pray to our Heavenly Father about everything and let the Holy Spirit help you, and you can do it. Thank the Lord! The Holy Spirit is now omnipresent, all-knowing, and all-powerful. He knows all your thoughts. As long as you are willing to let the Holy Spirit guide you, He can lead you to live a holy life because you are a child of God. The Holy Spirit loves you very much, and He is willing to help you.
Verse 3 says: For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh.
Why does the Holy Spirit need to help us? Because the law cannot help us. It is not that Moses's law is not complete, but the law is cold, without warmth, and powerless to help people overcome evil. It can only point out people's sins, and that is all. It makes people feel powerless. When people feel corrupt, that is the function of the law. If you hope the law can help you overcome this, it is impossible. This is the function of the law. It is not that the law is bad; it is the weakness of human flesh. Because the law is too complete, human flesh cannot overcome it. Therefore, no one can fully obey all the laws by themselves; this is the weakness of human flesh.
God wants us to live; He does not want us to live under the curse. So God sent His Son into this world. His Son overcame the law with His flesh and fulfilled the law. He did not sin, yet He became a sin offering for us. What does this mean? It means to redeem our sins. He condemned sin in the flesh, making all our sins rest upon Him. When we see Jesus, we know how much He loves us.
He fulfilled the law, and the righteousness of the law is upon Him. Jesus fulfilled the law for us. We no longer live for ourselves; we are willing to live like Jesus. That is the way to victory. Who wants to live in sin and have a miserable life? No one wants that. Everyone hopes to live victoriously, happily, joyfully, and with honor. What should we do? Just look at Jesus. Jesus indeed lived such a life on earth and gave us a beautiful example! Now that Jesus has fulfilled the law for us, we should imitate Jesus Christ in our lives, and we will also carry the righteousness of Christ. Hallelujah!
After Jesus fulfilled the law, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. From now on, we no longer live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. This means you are not living in the flesh; you are a person living in the Spirit. This is a part we must remember: you are not living in the flesh but in the Spirit. Hallelujah! So you do not belong to anyone; you belong to Christ. You are a child of God. You can pray to our Heavenly Father about everything, and He will guide you on the right path. As long as you are willing to obey God's words, that is enough. The Holy Spirit can help you.
The second point of sharing: Who is your covering?
We have many ministries, such as pastors, prophets, evangelists, and teachers, etc. They are indeed helping and serving believers. Unconsciously, believers think that the authority of the pastor is great and their faith is strong. Some even say that some ministers, because they think highly of themselves, believe they can cover believers. Some even shamelessly say: If you do not belong to our group, if you are not in our church, you will lose your covering! They think pastors cover believers, and if believers are not covered, they will be exposed to the devil's claws and will be devoured. This statement is incorrect and has no biblical basis. We must be clear! No one can bring you covering; only Christ can cover your sins, as we have shared above. So where does this term come from? Let's look at a passage and tell a story.
Ruth 3:1-11:
1 One day Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, said to her, "My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? 2 Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down; he will tell you what to do." 5 "I will do whatever you say," Ruth answered.
6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do. 7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned and there was a woman lying at his feet. 9 "Who are you?" he asked. "I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer." 10 "The Lord bless you, my daughter," he replied. "This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character."
The background of the story of Ruth is something you should read for yourself. I will briefly explain it. Here it mentions Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law. Ruth is a Moabite woman. Ten years ago, Naomi took her family to the land of Moab. After ten years, all the men in the family died, and now only three widows are left, and one daughter-in-law has returned to her hometown. Ruth did not want to leave her mother-in-law, so she followed her back to Bethlehem. After arriving in Bethlehem, the two women needed to live, so Naomi hoped to find a home for her daughter.
At that time, the Jews had a law that said if a family had two sons, and the elder married a wife but had no children, and then the elder died, the younger brother must marry his brother's widow to produce a child, but the child must be named after the deceased brother.
Some might ask: What if he has no younger brother? Then they need to find the nearest relative from the man's family to see who is closest to him. The woman must marry that person and have a child. This was the law in Israel at that time, aimed at ensuring that the deceased man would have descendants and not cut off his lineage.
Now Naomi wants to find a home for Ruth because in that era, if there was no man in the family, life would be very hard. They mainly relied on physical labor to survive, and the two women would definitely have a miserable life. So Naomi hoped to find a home for Ruth through this law to provide for her.
Ruth went to the fields to glean the leftover grain after others had harvested, as she needed to sustain herself. Ruth happened to arrive at the field of Boaz, who was a close relative and a wealthy man. He was very kind and saw Ruth, learned her story, and told his servants: "Do not mistreat her; leave some extra grain for her because her family is in need!" It is clear that Boaz cared for Ruth's dignity and was particularly willing to help her. Boaz was very good and was one of their relatives.
After Naomi learned about the situation, she told Ruth: "You need to wash, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor and wait until Boaz is asleep. Then uncover his feet and lie down there." This was permitted by the law. If one does not understand this background, they might think that Ruth was an immoral woman trying to seduce the wealthy Boaz. That is not the case; Ruth's actions completely complied with the law. She listened to her mother-in-law Naomi's words and acted accordingly.
After Boaz finished his work that day, he was in good spirits and lay down beside the grain pile. Ruth quietly approached, uncovered his feet, and lay down there. In the middle of the night, Boaz woke up and said: "Who are you?" Ruth answered: "I am your servant Ruth. Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer." The term "cover" appears here. What does it mean? It means that I am lonely and my situation is dire, but according to the law, I need someone to take care of my life, to cover my family, to cover my life.
Ruth clearly stated that a woman cannot live by herself; she needs a man to form a family and take care of her life. This is the meaning of covering: "Spread the corner of your garment over me!"
Many ministers, especially some so-called pastors, claim to be the covering for believers. They cannot cover you. Think about it, can they take care of your entire life? When you are in need, can they take on everything to help you? Clearly, they cannot. Many pastors run away faster than anyone else when problems arise, let alone provide covering. We must be clear about this: only Jesus Christ can bring us covering!
Boaz then said: "My daughter, may the Lord bless you." He made it clear that Boaz was a believer. He said: "May the Lord bless you. Your kindness now is greater than what you showed earlier." Why? Because what Ruth did now was in accordance with the law. Thank the Lord!
Then Boaz said: "Do not be afraid. I will do for you all you ask." This means I am willing to cover you and take on all your needs for life! Let me explain this spiritually: Boaz represents Christ, and Ruth represents the Gentiles. Her mother-in-law Naomi clearly represents the Jews. Naomi wanted to forcefully achieve this through the law, but when Ruth sought Boaz, Boaz offered her grace: "Your kindness now is greater than what you showed earlier!"
Why? It is not because the law required it, so I must take responsibility for you. That would become a burden. Boaz was pleased with Ruth because she was a woman of noble character, and he was pleased with her.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is pleased with us, not because we are good enough, but because we are already without dependence. If you are willing to seek Christ for His covering, Jesus Christ is willing to take on all your responsibilities for life. He is willing to accompany you, take care of you, and lead you forward. Thank the Lord.
So the term covering must be understood clearly. It does not mean: If you come to our church, I am your covering. No, it means taking responsibility for you, guiding you, and leading you forward. Only Christ can do that. Amen! Jesus Christ is particularly willing to take on all our responsibilities. Are you willing to let Jesus cover you? If you are willing, then completely surrender yourself to Christ, let Him lead you, and walk according to His words. The Holy Spirit will give you strength and guide you down different paths. Hallelujah!
So from this story, we can see that Ruth seeking Boaz is like us seeking Christ in everything. When you seek Christ, you hope He can cover you, provide for you, and help you. Our Christ will never forsake you or abandon you. Amen!
Hebrews 12:1-2:
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12 mentions that we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. Who are these witnesses? They are witnesses for Christ. These people have received Christ's grace. These witnesses surround us like a cloud. When we see so many people in the Bible who have been blessed, helped, and provided for by God, we should believe that God will not forsake us. Seeing so many witnesses in them, we should believe that God will cover you. Therefore, let us throw off everything that hinders.
Throwing off these burdens does not mean you throw them away and ignore them. Many people have debts and say: "Alright, God told me to throw off my burdens, so I will not repay this debt!" That is not the meaning. It means letting God take on your burden and give you wisdom, strength, and methods to solve this problem, throwing off the sin that so easily entangles us.
We see many people in the Bible who have had failures and sins in the past, but they relied on God and ultimately overcame. We should also rely on Christ in everything and live our lives accordingly, and we can throw off the sin that so easily entangles us. Brothers and sisters, do not place all your focus on people. People can sometimes help you, but their help is extremely limited. You must focus on Jesus.
People can walk with you, and if one day they do not want to walk with you, God will send someone new to walk with you. But you cannot replace our Lord. You must persevere and run the race marked out for you. Your direction and goal should be set on Jesus as the benchmark, heading straight towards Jesus Christ. That is correct. If you run in the wrong direction, it will be troublesome.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Fixing your eyes means you must focus on Jesus in everything. He is the author and finisher of your faith. What does author mean? It means the beginning! Finisher means the end! In other words, the beginning and end of our faith are in Jesus. Amen. Throughout our lives, we can have countless friends and can change many friends, but Jesus is the beginning and end of your faith. Thank and praise the Lord.
How did Jesus overcome His sufferings and problems? His focus was on the Father. He saw the joy set before Him and the final result. Therefore, He scorned the shame and endured the suffering of the cross, and sat down at the right hand of God. Thank the Lord!
Only Christ, who has already resurrected from the dead and is victorious, sits at the right hand of God praying for you. Hallelujah! Do not think that the pastor is your covering; he is not. At most, he is your spiritual partner or guide. If we speak in terms of shepherding, then Jesus Christ is the Shepherd, and the pastor is at most the leading sheep. He follows Jesus, and the sheep behind follow him forward. That is all. The faith of serving personnel is great because they look to Jesus. If they do not look to Jesus and their focus is not on Jesus, they will still lack faith. That is how people are.
If some believers think the pastor is their covering because others say so, they will believe it. If one day the pastor falls, will they also fall? Therefore, only when we focus on Jesus will you acknowledge that only Jesus is your covering. Then you will not fall or waver. We are afraid that sometimes we shift our focus from Jesus to people because people are visible. At that moment, it is easy to fall.
2 Timothy 2:5-7:
5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor's crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
Our God does things according to rules. Just as a person competing in a contest must follow the rules to ultimately receive the crown, the same applies here. That is why I always encourage everyone to read the Bible more. You need to know what God's blessing rules are. Many people believe in the Lord and hope that whatever they say, God will accomplish it. This is incorrect. Many times, what you say may not be correct and could harm you. How could God possibly accomplish that? Therefore, read the Bible and see what God's intentions are. Look at how those spiritual predecessors were blessed step by step by God. Once you understand this, you will know how to obey the Lord's words and live, rather than expecting the Lord to obey you and serve you. This is what we call rules.
Paul tells us: "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this." In other words, do not get it wrong. Do not place all your hopes on a single person; you will be disappointed. Place all your hopes on Christ. People can be your spiritual partners, giving you advice and help, but they are merely spiritual partners. They also have weaknesses and problems. It is just that when they look to Jesus, their faith will be strong. We need to see this clearly. Thank the Lord! So in this sense, only Christ is your covering. Do not let people mislead you.
Let’s look at a passage, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18:
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
This passage actually gives us very correct guidance: Brothers and sisters, we ask you to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and admonish you. This refers to serving personnel. Even though we are all children of God and loved by the Father, when we live together, it forms a community. Since it is a community, there must be order. What order? There needs to be order in governance, so we should respect those who govern and admonish us among you, referring to serving personnel.
For example, a pastor in the church must manage the church and establish some rules. God's people should obey these rules because when establishing rules, it is not targeting any individual. Think about it: if believers can do whatever they want without following any rules, it would become chaotic, and nothing would be accomplished, right?
Whether it is a church, a family, or a company, there must be rules, and actions must be taken according to the rules. Even under grace, it is still the same. Many people understand grace and then do not even regard the pastor, saying: "I am also loved by God; I also have various gifts. Why should I listen to you? Why should I obey you?" Generally, speaking like this is not far from chaos. This is another form of spiritual pride.
Those who truly understand that they are loved by God and understand grace will humbly respect others. It is clearly stated here: "I urge you to acknowledge those who work hard among you." Why? Because these pastors and serving personnel are like servants helping believers. Should we not respect them? We should respect them by listening to their instructions and not make them worry or be anxious about us. If we go the wrong way and do not listen, the pastor may indeed become very worried.
You should also live in peace with each other. The latter part is very clear: warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. This means that when we establish community life, there need to be rules. We must love one another, be patient with one another, pursue good, rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. These are all common life principles we encounter.
What does this tell us? Jesus Christ is our covering. Under the great covering of Christ, we need to live in an orderly and rule-based manner. In this way, you will often have a joyful life. When you pray continually, you will experience more of God's grace. In everything, you will know it is God's grace, and you will thank Him. This is also the life God hopes for us to live.
We are a different group of people, a group redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. So no matter where you are, even if there are only two or three people together listening to God's words, Jesus is in your midst; He is your covering. Hallelujah! Even if you are alone in a place, when you pray to God, He is still your covering and your protector. The Holy Spirit is still your comforter, so do not feel that you are alone.
Of course, having community life is better. If it is inconvenient to have community life now, when you pray to God, He will still listen. Thank and praise the Lord! Always remember, you are in Christ; you are a beloved child of God. Jesus Christ is your covering. When you join church life or community life, obey the rules of that place. In everything, let others see that we are orderly people, so that we can see more of God's beautiful testimonies! Thank and praise the Lord. May today's words bring you some help.
Let us pray together
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for comforting and encouraging us through today's words. Because of Jesus Christ, you have forgiven our transgressions and blotted out our sins. We are a blessed group of people. You no longer remember our sins; you treat us with grace like Jesus and bless us, hoping we can live out the likeness of Jesus and spread the gospel, sharing grace so that those around us can also see the Father's love.
As we begin a new week, please lead me to experience you more. I am willing to look to you in everything because only you are our covering! Thank you and praise you. This is a beautiful week, and I look forward to good things happening to me. Thank you and praise you. All glory be to our Heavenly Father. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.