They Follow the Lamb Wherever He Goes — Stephen Kaung

Would you please turn to Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 12, verse 4, Hebrews chapter 12, verse 4. He had not resisted unto blood, wrestling against sin.

你们与罪恶相争 ,还没有抵挡到流血的地步。.

Redemption by the Precious Blood of Christ

我们再看1 Peter.

Let's turn to 1 Peter again. Chapter 1, 第一章 ,彼得前述第一章, verse 18, 十八节开始。.

Knowing that ye have been redeemed, not by corruptible things, such as silver or gold, from your vain conservation, handed down from your fathers, but by precious blood, as of a lamb, without blemish and without spot.

The blood of Christ, foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but who hath been manifested at the end of times for your sakes. Who by him you believe in God, who has raised him from among the dead, and giving him glory, that your faith and hope should be in God.

Chapter 18 -21, 不是凭着能坏的金银等物 ,乃是凭着基督的保血, 如同无瑕疵无玷污的羔羊之血。 基督在创世以前是预先被神知道的, 却在这末世才为你们显现。 你们也因着他信 ,叫他从死里复活 ,又给他荣耀的神, 叫你们的信心和盼望都在于神。. 请我们低头祷告, 求我们满心感谢赞美你,.

在你主宰的恩典里, 你叫我们今天早晨能奉你的名在这里聚集。. 我们感谢你, 因为你允许我们, 无论在哪里有两三个人奉我的名聚会, 我就在他们中间。. 无论在哪里有两三个人奉我的名聚会, 我就在他们中间。. 求我们知道你在这里, 求你赐给我们一个敬畏你的心, 求每一个弟兄姊妹都能谦卑在你的跟前。. 求每一个弟兄姊妹都能谦卑在你的跟前。. 愿意你光照我们, 除去我们里面一切的误会, 叫我们能安静听你自己的话语, 但愿你的话能落在好土里面, 能届时不备把荣耀归给你。.

我们恭恭敬敬, 把这个世界交在你的手中, 求你祝福 ,求你使用, 叫你的名被告举, 叫你的众儿女蒙恩典,.

叫你的众儿女蒙恩典, 我们把这个世界交给你, 求你祝福, 奉主的名 ,阿们。. 你讲英文,.

对不起啊, I'm supposed to speak in English. 我应该是讲英文的。. We thank God for gathering us together this morning. 我们感谢神早上叫我们聚在这里。 I often think it is the most blessed thing, 我实在觉得这是一个最蒙恩的事件, that we may gather together in his presence.

我们能够在他的同在里面聚集。 We do not know how much time we still have, 我们实在不知道我们还有多少时间, but we are conscious that our Lord is coming soon. 我们实在是知道主很快就要来。 He may come at any moment. 他可以每一时刻都来到。 He may come when we are meeting here.

他可能在早上我们聚集的时候 ,他就来了。.

He may come this afternoon. 也可能是今天下午。 Nobody knows. 没有人知道。 Only God knows. 只有神知道。 But we are pretty sure. 但是我们很确定地知道, that brothers and sisters, we are living in the last days. 我们实在活在末后的日子。 These are amazing days. 这实在是美好的时光。 Because our Lord may come at any moment. 我们的主可以每一个时刻就来了。 I want to emphasize, 我愿特别来这里加强地说, Our Lord may come at any moment. 我们的主他马上就可以来。 If it is will for him to come this morning, 如果他今天早上就来了, He may. 他可以。 If it is his will that he will still wait, 如果是他的旨意他再等一下, we know that it is his long patience. 我们知道这是他长久的忍耐。 When he was on earth, 当主在地上的时候, before he left, 他离世以前, he told his disciples, 他告诉他的门徒们, that he is coming. 他必快来。 He is coming to receive them to himself. 他要把我们接到他那里去。 So from the first century onward,.

从第一世纪开始,.

Those who love God are waiting for his return. 所有爱主的人都等待他的回来。. Now we are living at the beginning of the 21st century. 如今我们活在21世纪的开端。. Our Lord is still waiting. 我们的主还在等待。. He is waiting for us. 他是在等我们。.

Because we are not ready. 因为我们还没有预备好。. I remember the story 我记得一个故事 of Hudson Taylor's great grandfather 就是戴德升的曾祖父。. When he was a young man, 当他年轻的时候, he was a careless young man. 他是一个很放荡的青年人。. He loved the world.

他爱世界。. He loved dancing. 他喜欢跳舞。. But on the day that he was to be married, 但是当他结婚的那一天, he suddenly remembered, 他突然想起了, This is the day of my marriage. 这是我结婚的大日子。. It is an important day. 这是一个多么重要的日子。.

So he went to the field to pray. 所以他就跑到田间去祷告。. And as he prayed, 当他祷告的时候, he was so burdened 他那一面充满了负担, that he prayed on and on and on. 他一直在祷告。. He forgot the time. 他把时间都忘掉了。. When he finished praying, 当他祷告结束的时候, he suddenly remembered, 他突然想起来, This is the time of his wedding.

这是他婚礼的时候嘛。. His bride and the friends were waiting. 新娘跟朋友们都在等他。. Waiting for him to come. 等新郎到。. They wondered where he was. 他们在这里说新郎跑到哪里去了。. So he hurried to the church building. 所以他就急忙赶到教堂去。. And there he was married.

他在那里结婚了。. That evening, 那天晚上, before they went to bed, 他们睡觉以前, he asked his wife to kneel down and pray. 他要求他的妻子跪下祷告。. His wife was really surprised. 他的妻子非常的惊讶。. She said, 他说, I didn't know that I married a Methodist.

他说 ,我真是不知道我嫁给一个慰礼公会的人啊。.

But anyway, he was forced on her knees. 但是他被强迫就跪下。. And Hussein Taylor's great-grandfather led in prayer. 戴德升的曾祖父代他祷告。. From that day onward,.

从那一天开始,.

They began to serve God. 他们就开始侍奉神。. For four generations, 直到四代, till Hussein Taylor, 直到戴德升, that family served God. 那个全家都侍奉神。. And we also know that Hussein Taylor served God. 我们知道戴德升侍奉神。. I know his third generation.

我认识戴德升第三代的。. When I was in Chongqing, 当我在重庆的时候, I saw him on the street. 我在街上见到他。 Shouting the gospel to the people. 向人大声地呼喊。. He loved the Lord. 他爱主。. And for generation after generation,.

一代一代地下来,.

That family served God. 那一个家庭他们侍奉神。. So brothers and sisters, 弟兄姊妹们, it is an important lesson to us. 对我们来讲是一个多么重要的功课。. If we and our family serve God, 如果我们跟我们的家侍奉神, we will give them a good example 我们会把一个好的榜样传下来, that our children will follow.

我们的孩子们他们会跟随。. But if we do not have a good example, 如果我们没有摆出好的见证, how can we expect our children to follow us? 我们怎么能够期待我们的孩子们跟从我们呢? So dear brothers and sisters, 亲爱的弟兄姊妹们, we are living at the end. 我们是活在最末了的日子。.

The Lord may come at any moment. 我们的主随时都可以来。. While we are meeting here, 当我们聚在这里的时候, He may come. 他很可能就来。. Hopefully He did. 我们希望他真的来。. And then, hopefully, this auditorium will be emptied. 希望这个大会厅就空了。.

Because by His grace,.

因为靠着祂的恩典,.

We have all been raptured to the third heaven. 我们都被提到三层天上。 This is our expectation. 这是我们的期待。 So we gathered here this morning with expectation. 所以早上我们满了期待的聚在这里。 We are waiting for the imminent return of our Lord Jesus.

我们在这里等候主马上即刻地回来。. The problem is, are we ready? 问题是我们预备好了吗? Brothers and sisters, 弟兄姊妹们, think seriously. 请你严肃地想一想。. This is not a light thing. 这不是一个小事情。. If the Lord should come this morning,.

今天早上主来了,.

Are we ready? 你预备好了吗? Should we be raptured to the third heaven to receive him? 我们能够被提到三层天那里遇见他吗? Who to us if we are left behind? 如果我们被留下, 那实在是多么的伤害。. Brothers and sisters, this is as urgent as it is.

这是那么的迫切的一件事。. We cannot afford to be careless anymore. 我们实在不能够再粗心大意了。. There is no more time for us. 我们没有剩下时间了。. We have to be prepared. 我们一定要预备好。. Do you think the Lord will not come this morning? 难道你以为主早上不会来吗?

I believe he can. 我实在相信他会来。. Even in the first century, before he left, he promised his disciples that he will come back to receive them to himself. We know that these people in the first century, they are waiting for the Lord's return.

我们知道第一世纪的人, 他们在那里等候主的回来。. Their hope was not careless. 他们的等候不是不精心的。. Because the Lord can return in the first century. 因为主第一世纪的时候就可以回来的。. If his church is ready. 如果他的教会预备好了。. The problem is not with him.

问题不在主那里。. The problem is with us. 问题是在我们这一边。. Because of his long suffering, 因着主长久的忍耐, he did not want anyone to perish. 他不愿意一个人灭亡。. He was all to be saved. 他愿万人都得救。. So he is waiting for us. 所以他在等我们。.

The Urgency of Being Ready for Christ’s Return

Brothers and sisters, 弟兄姊妹们, this morning, 今天早上, I want to impress you upon this point. 我愿意你们实在看清楚这些点。. We are living at a very thrilling moment. 我们是活在一个多么关键的时刻。. What can be more thrilling than the coming of the Lord?

还有比主回来更重要的事情吗? If the Lord should come now,.

如果主现在回来,.

Are we ready for him? 我们预备好了见他没有? This is something we need to exercise ourselves. 这是我们今天自己需要有操练的。 We cannot afford to be careless anymore. 我们实在不能够容许自己再精心。 The Lord is coming. 主要回来了。 Are we ready? 我们预备好了吗? Where are we? 我们在哪里啊? If he should come, 如果他回来, are we ready to go to the third heaven to receive him?

我们预备好去三层天堂里 去见我们的主吗?

Or because we are not ready, 或者我们还没有预备好, we will be left behind. 我们会给剩下。. This is an important question for each and everyone to answer. 这是我们每一个人都要回答的重要问题。. Brothers and sisters, 弟兄姊妹们, if the Lord should come this morning,.

如果主早上回来,.

And it is very possible, 这是非常可能的, are you ready? 我再问我们预备, 你预备好了吗? Is there anything in your life 在你生命里面还有什么东西 that you still love the world so much 你还在那里贪爱这些世界的东西 that you hope that he will delay his return? 你希望主能够再晚一点再回来? The bad servant 那恶仆人 thinking that his Lord will not return so quickly, 他想他的主人不会马上就这么快回来。 he began to drink and began to beat his fellow believers. 他在那里吃喝, 他在那里打那些同伴。 But in his unexpected time,.

当他没有想到的时刻,.

His Lord returned. 他的主人回来了。. Brothers and sisters, 弟兄姊妹们, this is why I say we are living in a very thrilling time. 这是我为什么说我们是活在这么重要的日子。. Are you ready? 我们预备好了吗? This is a serious question. 这是多么严肃的问题。.

And that's the reason why we are gathered together this morning. 这是我们早上为什么我们聚在这里。. If you read the Bible, 如果你读圣经的话, the Bible tells us in the beginning God.

起初神.

Before God, there was nothing. 神之前一无所有。 God is the beginning. 神是开始。 Anyway, it may use human expressions. 你可以用人的讲法 to describe what has happened. 可以说发生了什么事情。 Of course, it all depends upon the Bible. 这都是根据圣经。 In the beginning, God.

起初神 God is the beginning. 神是开始。 And the Bible tells us 圣经告诉我们 God is a triune God. 神是三而一的神。 He is three in one. 他是三而一的神。 Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. 父、子和圣灵。 And they are completely in harmony with one another.

他们彼此是那么的和谐。. And try to use the human expression. 人很难能够讲得清楚。 During that time. 在起初的时候。 There was a conversation among the Trinity. 在神格里面有这样的对话。. The father loved his son so much. 父是那么爱他的儿子。 He wanted to create all things for his son.

他要为了他儿子而创造一切。. But being God. 因着他是神。 Knowing the end from the beginning. 他从始到终他已经完全地知道。. He knew that if he should create. 他知道他所创造的。. There will be problems. 会有一些的问题。. And sure enough. 也实在是这样。. It did happen.

问题发生了。. So he was wondering. What he should do? 他就在那里说。. 那怎么办呢? Then his son stepped forward. 他的儿子就起来说。. And father. 父啊。. If it is your will to create. 如果是你的旨意要这样创造。. Go ahead. 请坐。. I am willing to offer myself to be the Lamb.

我愿意把自己献上成为羔羊。. So in 1 Peter 1. 所以在彼得前书第一章。 We are told that even before the foundation of the world. 就会告诉我们说在创立世界之前。 The son offered himself to be the Lamb. 神的儿子献上甘心做羔羊。. And because of this. 因此这样的原因。 God began to create.

神就开始了他的创造。. As we all know. 我们都知道。 In the beginning. 起初。 God didn't create man. 神没有一开始就造人。. God created angels. 神创造了天使。. And among the angels. 在天使当中。 There was one. 有一位。 Called Lucifer. 叫做穆斯佛的。. The bright and morning star.

是明亮之星。. He was created almost perfect. 他被造几乎完美。. In Ezekiel chapter 28. 在以西节二十八章那里。. There was a description of him. 在那里有这样的形容。. He was highly gifted. 他实在是大有恩赐。. 他是一个带领的。 带头的天使。. 他是那位遮盖神宝座的天使。. 他应该带着天使们去敬拜神。.

And in the beginning everything was good. 起初一切都是好的。. But gradually. 但是渐渐地。. He began to look into himself. 他在开始注意自己。. Brothers and sisters. 弟兄姊妹们。. It is always dangerous to look into yourself. 你看自己的时候是很危险的。.

To look into yourself without God. 如果你在那里看自己你没有看神的话。. And when he looked at himself. 当他在那里注视自己的时候。. He began to be proud of himself. 他就自以为傲。. He was not satisfied with what God had given him. 他对于神给他的地位他不满意了。.

So in Isaiah chapter 14. We are told. He talked to himself. Five times. He said I want. I want to rise up. 我要升到天上。. I want to be equal with God. 我要与神同道。. I want to sit in the counsel of God. 我愿意坐在聚会的山上。.

He was not satisfied with what God had given him. 他对于神给予他的他还不满意。. And that is always the problem. 这一直是问题的所在。. Always satisfied with what God had given us. 我们满足神给予我们的吗? God knows best. 神他知道什么是对我们最好的。. Whatever he has prepared for each and every one of us is always the best.

他为你为我预备的一切都是最好的。. But Lucifer was not satisfied with what God had done. 他对于神所做的不满意。. He said in Isaiah chapter 14 five times he said I want, I want this, I want that. I want to be equal with God. He was not satisfied with what God had given him.

他对于神给他的他不满足。. And that is always the problem. 这就是问题的所在。. Brothers and sisters, are you satisfied with what God had given you? 你对于神给你的你满足吗? Are you satisfied with what he had provided your environment?

他为你预备的环境你满意吗? Are we willing to learn the lessons? 我们愿不愿意学功课? Or are you not satisfied with what God had provided for you? 或者你不满足于神为你预备的这一切呢? You want to be higher. 你要自己升高。. And Lucifer five times he said 我要与至上者同等。.

I want to be equal with God. 我要与至上者同等。. To put it in more detail, 详细来说, he wanted the position of God's beloved son. 他要得到神儿子的地位。. And because of this, 因着这样的缘故, 神不会允许这样的事情发生。. No one can take the place of his beloved son.

没有人能够取弃神儿子的地位。. So this Lucifer, 这个明亮之星, was dismissed from the throne of God. 所以就从神宝座那里被赶下来。. Most likely, the earth that we know today belonged to Lucifer's control. So when Lucifer was thrown down, the earth entered into emptied and void.

And it was covered with water. This was the Ice Age. We do not know the Ice Age continued for how long. But we do know one thing. One day, the Spirit of God brooded over the empty space. And that is the beginning of the new creation.

God’s Purpose in Creation and the Defeat of His Enemy

Now why did God do that? It is easy for God to destroy Lucifer. The breath of his life can completely annihilate him. But God did not do that. Because if he did that, he would not give God glory. For a man to beat a baby, there was no glory there.

So with God, even though it was easy for him to destroy Lucifer, that's our human thinking. If God destroyed Lucifer, then everything would be all right. But God has a higher plan. He wanted to create man a little lower than the angels.

The angels are spirits. They can go anywhere. But man has a body. And body is a restriction. In the body, we cannot go anywhere.

If we are here, we cannot be there.

We are limited. But God gave man in such a condition. Why? Because it is the glory of God. For a lower than the angels to defeat God's enemy, the archangel. And this is the reason why man was created.

But brothers and sisters, God foreknew what will happen. After he had created man, he put man in the Garden of Eden. It is a garden of pleasure. And in the garden, God planted all kinds of fruit trees.

Good for food. Because man at that time ate only fruit and not other things. So God made provision for man. And he put man in the garden. And he told man to do two things. One thing is to till the ground to improve what God had created.

And the other is to guard the garden. It was a garden. There was no wall. So God wanted man to be that wall. Because God knows that Satan is outside the wall. He is anxious to get in. So God made man the wall.

He was not only to till the ground to improve it. He was to guard the garden as wall. That was God's command to man. Man ought to be a guard. But unfortunately, we do not know how. Adam and Eve were separated.

The Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

Eve wandered towards the middle of the garden. He saw the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It looked beautiful. Its fruit looked tempting. And he was wondering why God didn't allow them to eat that tree.

And because man and woman were separated. She did not have the protection of her husband. Her husband knew directly God's command. And she only knew indirectly. So there was not deep in her life. The more he looked at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The more he desired it. And this was not only that. Where was Adam? Adam was supposed to guard the garden. But somehow Adam neglected his responsibility. He allowed Satan to slip into the garden. And Satan used the form of a snake.

And began to question Eve. He said, did God forbid you to eat any fruit in the garden? Of course he knew better. Oh, he said no. God allows to eat all the trees, all the fruits in the garden. Except this tree.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Because God knew. If they should eat the fruit of that tree, they would die. So God warned them. Eve knew that. But when he looked at this tree. The more he looked at the tree.

The more he was attracted to it. Then Satan slipped in. In the form of a serpent. And began to ask Eve a question. Did God forbid you to eat any fruit in the garden? What a blasphemy. Because it means that God wanted them to die.

Without giving them anything to eat. Of course it was not. So Satan said. God knew. Then if you eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. You will have knowledge in yourself. You do not depend upon God.

The knowledge is yours. You have knowledge. God forbids you to eat it. Because he was jealous of you. And Eve was tempted. He took the fruit and ate it. And not only that. When her husband came. He gave it to her husband to eat.

No brothers and sisters. Eve was tempted. But Adam was not. He was fully aware of what had happened. He knew the command of God so clearly. But he had to make a choice. Whether he would choose God or choose his wife.

And sad to say. He chose his wife. So Eve ate the fruit deliberately. He knew what he was doing. And in that way man fell into sin. Brothers and sisters. This is the story in the Garden of Eden. But thank God.

He knows everything. From the beginning to the end. Thank God his son had offered to be the Lamb. So this fallen situation of the earth lasted for a long time. This was what we call the Ice Age. We do not know how long this age continued.

But we do know that it happened thousands of years. Thank God. Until one day. The Spirit of God brooded upon the face of the deep. God's Spirit began to work. And in six days. He restored the earth to be habitable.

And he put man into it. Hopefully man will understand. Will cooperate with God. And will be used by God. To defeat God's enemy. Brothers and sisters. From one lower than the angels. To defeat the one higher as the angels.

This was the wisdom of God. So dear brothers and sisters. We are here. Not by chance. God deliberately created us. He created us. With a definite purpose. He wanted to use us. To defeat his enemy. This we will give glory to God.

Humanity’s Calling to Stand With God Against the Enemy

So this is the purpose of man. This is why we are here. We are to be used of God. To defeat the enemy of God. That God may get all the glory. Are we doing it? Or do we fall into the trap of God's enemy?

Which side are we on? Are we with God? Are we with God's enemy? This is a question we need to decide. Who is on the God's side? Who will step together with God? Against God's enemy. And be used of God.

To defeat his enemy. For the glory of God. Not for our glory. For the glory of God. How marvelous is God's plan of salvation. Dear brothers and sisters. We are here this morning. Supposed to be saved by grace.

Supposed to have the life of Christ in us. Do we realize why we are here? We are here not for ourselves. Don't be selfish. We are here for God. God created us for his purpose. Are we standing with God?

Against God's enemy. Are we standing with God's enemy against God? This is a question before every one of us. If you are not for God. Then you are for the enemy. If you are for God. Then you will be used by God to defeat the enemy.

The enemy today is not outside of you only. The enemy today is within us. He has already come into our life. So our life has been contaminated. Brothers and sisters. Why is it that the Lord did not take us as soon as we are saved?

Sanctification and the Believer’s Inner Conflict

I often think. If the Lord should take me as soon as I was saved. How good that will be. That will save me from all the struggle of life. But God has a better plan. He did not want us to be barely saved.

He wanted us to be saved to the uttermost. In Romans chapter 8. We are told. Whom God has foreknown. He has foredestinated. That we should be conformed to his own image. Whom he has justified. He has also sanctified.

That God's will may be done in our lives. Dear brothers and sisters. Do you have any such idea? Why is it that God did not rapture me immediately after I was saved?

Why is it that God did not rapture me immediately after I was saved? If that is the case, then that would be too good for us.

But God knows. After we are saved. He left us on earth. To give us an opportunity. To defeat the enemy. In our lives. To glorify God. Brothers and sisters. Our enemy is no longer outside. He is also inside within us.

He is in our flesh. So the Bible says. The spirit war against the flesh. And the flesh against the spirit. Where are you? This morning. Are you standing with God against the enemy? Or have you surrendered to the enemy and against God?

Which side are you standing? Let us ask ourselves. Oh dear Lord. That all of us here. May give ourselves totally over to you. If there is anything in our lives. That is not of you. Pray that our spirit will reveal it to us.

We are willing to get rid of all these things. We want to be totally thine. And be prepared for thy imminent return. Return. The Lord is coming back. Are you ready? May the Lord have mercy upon every one of us.

Prayer of Surrender and Preparation for the Lord’s Return

That we give ourselves to him totally. Ask him to search our heart. To see if there is anything evil in us. And lead us in the way everlasting. May the Lord bless every one of us here. Here. Let us pray.

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank thee for thy wonderful salvation. Even before the foundation of the world. Thou has already known us. Whom thou has known thou has called. Whom thou has called. Thou has sanctified.

Oh dear Lord. We want to give ourselves totally over to you. Only thy will shall be done in our lives. Reveal thyself to us. That in our daily life we may learn how to submit to you. Until the day. When thou shall call.

And we can respond. Hear the cry of our hearts. In the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.