11 New Wine in New Wineskins - Coming to Jesus to Receive Life — Zac Poonen

Evening we will listen to brother Vincent. He's another brother who has been an elder for a number of years maybe over 10 -12 years in a couple of places in Tamil Nadu. And he's now an elder in one of the towns in Tamil Nadu.

It's very interesting how He became a part of us. A wise woman builds her house. We had a fine young sister in our church who married him when he was in the I think the Assemblies of God and I don't know all the details, but I think he agreed to marry her if She would never bring him to our church.

And he never wanted to come here but His wife suggested why don't we go just for one conference and see. So he knew he was strong enough to resist all the wrong doctrines being preached here and came but you see how the Lord can grip a man If he is sincere.

Even if he's going astray. Like the Apostle Paul who was going in a completely wrong direction the Lord could turn him around and He was gripped and more gripped than many others who had been here longer than him and Wherever I go in Tamil Nadu now he's Been my faithful Tamil translator.

It's very easy to for me to speak in Tamil Nadu and he is there translating so I thank God for him is a very precious brother and He's given great leadership to The church in Tanjore and we thank God for him and his family.

He's got two fine sons. We praise the Lord. We praise the Lord for families like this for elders like this who he's a professor In a college and I understand registrar in a university and all that. But you'll never sense that when you meet him He's just an ordinary brother.

So brother Vincent, please I praise God for his.

Manifold wisdom That he brought me in touch with. I Don't know what to say. Otherwise, I would have missed a lot in my life will turn to John's gospel chapter 5 and verse 39. You search the scriptures Because you think that in them You have eternal life and it is these that bear witness of me.

Coming to Jesus to Receive Life

And you're not you are unwilling to come to me That you may have life. It's possible that We search the scriptures. We read the scriptures. We hear the scriptures. We come to church. We come to conferences and yet to be found as one in this group That you are unwilling to come to me to receive life in order to receive life.

Those Pharisees were around Jesus. They were all very near to Jesus But Jesus says that They were unwilling To come to him to receive life. The result With all the searching of the scriptures Reading the Bible Coming to the meetings they just had the knowledge But they never received the life.

Again Jesus says I do not receive glory from men. But I know you That you do not have the love of God in yourselves. So the result of not coming to Jesus is That they don't have the life. They don't have the love sandwiched between these two verses is That Jesus is I do not receive glory from men.

Probably the reason that the Pharisees the religious people Could not come to Jesus is that? They want to receive glory from men. That's what Jesus says. I do not receive glory from men. I Do not receive honor from men.

I Do not want to get the good opinion of the people. But these Pharisees they wanted the glory honor and opinion of men now first it starts with opinion, but what do you think I Do and it's always good to have the opinion of the godly brothers mature brothers for our growth and Definitely it is not wrong to get their opinion.

Suppose some elder brother says brother you Love your honor or you are loving money by all means I Have to receive life from them. I Have to receive their opinion But I should not have the opinion of men which blocks me from receiving the life of God as brother was telling I Went to so many churches and Then came to a conclusion that You cannot find a church where you can receive life Where The thoughts of hearts are exposed.

I wanted that because everywhere I Went they said you are reading the Bible and you are praying you are coming for the meetings. You are a good brother and I said Lord, is it all that I need? I want something more to be exposed so that I can cleanse myself.

And I said it's it is vain to attempt Searching for a good fellowship so I was involved in the students ministry and I was going here and there preaching and I was engaged to my wife. I Never knew that she was from CFC because The relatives who introduced her to me were from IPC.

I thought she's also from IPC. So I accepted and Our engagement was also over and then I received A letter which Exposed that they are from CFC from the Zacman's Church. I Was really taken aback and I thought I should stand for the Lord and immediately.

I told my parents that I'm going to Reject her and I'm going to cancel this and I went to her and I told her I never knew that you are from this particular cult and And probably I thought God sends me as a savior to save her and probably through her her family and I told her I am going to Reject this proposal.

She said if it is God's will it will be rejected. I never expected the dancer, but then I Told her okay. I'm giving one more chance. Are you prepared to come to the church where I go? She said yeah by all means then I came to a rest then I Went to my place of work and then I had a very serious assignment.

All in my mind was that I should go and prove to them That this is a cult from the Word of God and they are preaching wrong doctrine from the Word of God so I started asking one after the other. I Went to one brother and asked him.

He was also a minister of God and And they said they will all pray with a loud voice and suddenly they stop. I thought that is now you cannot prove that from the scripture that is wrong. Nowhere, it says that you should not stop suddenly.

You should stop slowly progressively and I Was not satisfied then I went to another brother and said He was he attended Bible studies in this fellowship in Bangalore and he was working in Karni and I asked him brother this is The matter it's for me.

It's a life and death. I'm going to marry from this fellowship and Please tell me what's wrong? And he was scratching said and said, you know, but Zack is a very very powerful personality and he Attracts people and he dominates this and that no, but tell something from the Word of God.

And I went to nearly more than 10 people with sincere heart, but nobody could tell. One pastor told the church where I was going. He's a senior pastor of many churches and he said They preached that women should not go to job.

I was very happy. I didn't want my wife to work so I Don't know how to convince them that it's the wrong doctrine, but I was having the urge to find out from the scriptures. So I started listening to some of the messages and Then she called me for the conference Bangalore conference.

I was warned by many people that I should not go to Tirugatapalli and She's from the church where brother Victor yesterday is for he spoke and They want me you go to your father-in-law's house only during the weekdays.

Even if you have to apply leave because when you go on weekdays weekend They will pull you so they want me and With all these warnings I was bit careful. But then she called me to come for the Bangalore conference.

I Thought I should be very careful and I should avoid. But then she was calling me then my friend. He's also living in Bangalore and he came to Bangalore only to listen to these truths. And he said the first time she's calling me after the marriage.

Why can't you go and come? I came for the conference with much Carefulness and I was very cautious. I didn't want to yield in any other way to the Poland. The first meeting God broke me. Because When I came for the meetings, I was all the people's words were ringing in my mind.

Be careful. Be careful. You should not go the way your wife goes and nobody should pull you there. I Think I was sitting in the back in the CFC Church and the first thing God told me was I Told the Lord Lord.

I died to the opinions of all men very close relatives Whom I loved very much and they loved me and many in the spiritual circle whom I Considered to be my mentors. Y 'all want me. I said Lord I died to all the opinions of men our opinions of all men even if they say that I have gone behind my wife Afraid of her and no problem.

Lord. I want to stand for you and that was the I think only conference where they prayed for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and it was a different experience for me and God broke me and Showed how much I sought after the opinion of men honor of men and glory of men in preaching God's Word to various places.

I started measuring myself. Based on how many callings I get to preach how many prayers or prayer groups or churches and God? exposed everything. How much proud I was and I was serving myself and I never thought what God thought of me.

Freedom From the Opinions of Men

So here probably no, they were all bothered about the opinions of men and They were not able to come to Jesus in order to receive life, but Jesus He said I'm not going to receive the witness from men we read in the 34th verse.

But the worst witness which I receive is not from man. But I say these things that you may be saved. I Don't receive the witness from man. I am telling these things so that you may be saved. It's such a serious thing.

That receiving a witness from man prevents prevents me from getting saved. Yeah. We come to hear the truth. Jesus says you shall hear the truth and the truth shall set you free. But many people stop with the first half they hear the truth.

They don't want to obey. They don't want to be delivered in order to receive life from Jesus. The reason is what? My parents would say. What my Village people would say. What my friends would say. What they would think of me.

Opinion of men. What my peer group would say. In the college or in the school where you study. And that prevents us from coming to Jesus. And here Jesus says. The witness which I receive is not from man, you know, which man.

He says even John the Baptist. Who came? Bearing witness for this truth. Yeah. Next verse we find that he was the lamb that was burning and was shining and You were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

But the witness of which I have is greater than greater than that of John. I don't even consider the witness that is given by John is important. The witness or the opinion or the glory or the honor that I receive.

I I receive one. I want to receive from God the Heavenly Father. I don't want to receive even from a godly man, and I want to be satisfied. That's what Jesus says. But these people they were willing to rejoice in the light of John.

Probably your parents are godly parents and You are willing to rejoice in their light. That prevents you from coming to Jesus to receive life. Probably in your church you have a very good elder and he thinks very good of you.

And he's good opinion. He's thought about yourself. Prevents you from coming to Jesus or prevents you from seeking the opinion of Heavenly Father. And the result that we don't receive life. We don't receive life and love.

So Jesus says I don't want to be one the opinion of any men. Then he goes on to say on 31st verse. If I alone bear witness of myself. My testimony is not true. Jesus Doesn't even want his own opinion.

Does not even want his own opinion. He says it may not be true. Yeah, he was tempted To think high of himself because he came in our own flesh like we are all tempted. So Jesus says I Don't believe in my own testimony.

Sometimes it could be wrong. What a sober estimate he has got about himself. He's an example. So my opinion could be wrong. Sometimes we have very strong opinion about ourselves. That prevents us from coming to Jesus to receive life.

To obey to what Jesus says. So he says I don't want even my own opinion. Then he says I want my father's opinion what father says. And Based on that what I do. I want to consider this as the witness. We find another group of people in John's gospel chapter 8.

The Truth That Sets Religious People Free

They were Jews who believed. Like we believe on what is preached they were also Jews who were believed. But they were not disciples. Because they were not abiding in God's ways or the doctrine of Jesus.

To them Jesus says you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free 31 and 32 verses. What was their problem? Their problem was that. They thought they are the descendants of Abraham. That is their opinion.

We are satisfied that we are descendants of Abraham. That prevented them from coming to Jesus to receive life. But Jesus told them the truth. You are not sons of Abraham. You are sons of devil if you read the whole chapter.

They were willing to rejoice in the light of Abraham a godly man. But they themselves were not willing to come to Jesus to receive life. Once Jesus was asking the disciples his disciples. What do people who do people say I am.

We read in Matthew chapter 16 and Disciples said that some people think that you are Jeremiah the Prophet. Some think that you are Elijah. Then he asked Peter. What do you think Peter says? You are the Christ son of the Living God and Jesus appreciated him.

Matthew chapter 16 and Verses 16 and 17 the word the Christ the son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said to him blessed are you Simon. But Jonah because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my father who is in heaven Jesus came in flesh and blood and Jesus said this is not something that I have convinced you to believe.

He even said don't tell others that I am the Christ. 20th verse he wanted the disciples don't tell that I am the Christ. Because he wanted everybody to receive a revelation from the father that he is the son of God is Christ the Son of God son of the Living God.

So He appreciated Peter because Peter received from the Heavenly Father. Yeah, Jesus is the son of the Living God. And When Peter thinks back about his life in 2nd Peter chapter 1 17th verse before that we read that Peter and two more disciples went to the Mount of Transfiguration along with Jesus and There he wanted a tent for Elijah and Moses and and one for Jesus.

Then he heard a voice from heaven. He's my beloved son in whom I am well-pleased. And Here in Peter 2nd Peter 1 and verse 17 we read that for when he received honor and glory from God the Father Peter was quoting when he thinks about Jesus Christ.

Yeah Jesus was always receiving the honor and glory from the Heavenly Father and As a sample he took us to the Mount of Transfiguration and we heard. We heard an utterance as this was made to him by the majesty glory.

This is my beloved son with whom I am well-pleased. Jesus also taught his disciples to always seek for the opinion of the father. Or the honor from the father. That's why he taught them to pray in secret.

Go to your room lock your door and pray to the Heavenly Father. When we lock our door and we are alone and we pray to God we are not Seeking the opinion of anybody because nobody knows that we are praying.

He taught us to fast in secret. He taught us to far to give alms in secret. Because in all these areas we can easily get an opinion. Honor and glory from men. Oh, he's a brother who prays for two hours or three hours.

Seeking God’s Approval Rather Than Human Honor

Today's Christendom is like that. And poor believers they have some problem. They want to go to their pastor for prayer or for some consultation the Assistance to the pastor they come and say you can't see pastor today.

He's in for he's on fasting. He's on fasting. Can't say you can't see him. They think oh What to do and they wait wait wait to see him or they go with a heavy heart. Our pastor is there on fasting for five days.

He can't speak to anybody because it's fasting and giving and we have seen in many churches all the fans will Be revolving with the names on it. Yeah, always it's a glory people to see. Oh, this fan is donated by so-and-so and this is donated by so-and-so.

And this room is donated by so-and-so so in giving and in fasting and praying. Very easily we can get the honor. That's why it's very difficult to become famous in other fields. We have because you have to work hard in business or in studies or in other areas.

Very easy to become very famous in Christian circle people know how to Get the honor and glory the spiritual circle through prayer fasting and giving so Jesus also says That you don't have the love. John chapter 5 we read that you are not coming to me to receive life and that you are not having love.

Do you think those people who are there? We are not showing love to their children to their families to their wives. Definitely they would have shown the love then why Jesus says that you don't have love.

What Jesus meant was the divine love the love which is shed abroad in our hearts by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Romans 5 5. Yeah, we have a vessel and we go to God Lord pour out your love. But that vessel is not clean.

God says I cannot pour pour my spirit pour my love in that one. Like nobody will pour a poor milk in a Dirty vessel or a vessel which is I've just got some something which will spoil the milk. They'll say first go wash your vessel and come.

Like that when our hearts are filled with the opinions of men honor from men glory from men and with that We go to God in faith. God says you can't receive my love because all the vessel the entire vessel is filled with the opinion and honor and seeking and You find in another place that Those who seek to please men they cannot believe those who want to receive glory from and they cannot believe.

So our love human love, how is it on the surface there will be some love but below the surface Hatred will be there. Amy Carmichael was telling once know when you have a sweet water in a vessel and When you shake it that which spills out will also be sweet.

It will never be bitter. Once I went to Chennai and I wanted to buy some articles and I saw the fevicol Tubes no 10 or 15 tubes sold at a cheaper rate. I thought so they are selling at a very cheaper rate 10 pieces for 5 rupees or so.

So I bought two or three bunches having 10 tubes. I came home and wanted to paste Something and when I pressed Initially there were one or two jumps of fevicol and after that Puss-puss nothing was coming.

It was blown with the air and every tube was like that one. Grandson was asking his grandfather grandpa. Will you get angry? He said no, I won't get angry. Grandpa, will you get angry? No, I won't get angry.

Grandpa really will you get angry? How many times I have to tell you I won't get angry. That's a human love. When it is squeezed. Initially there may be some love. Hello brother. How are you? And Then When something is squeezed or something is pressed Something else comes out probably hatred.

Or acid which hurts others. Yeah, ourselves got Some love on the top but beneath that has got acid when somebody comes and shakes it It comes out to hurt others. We find in Hebrews chapter 3 Do not be like the people of Israel who tried Heavenly Father in the day of wilderness and as That is a quotation from Psalm David also quotes that in Psalm 95.

And verse 8. Psalm 95 and verse 8 do not harden your hearts as at Meribah. As in the day of Masa in the wilderness. But in Tamil these two words are not coming. Meribah and Masa in Tamil Bible. It is not there, but in English Bible It is there.

Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah very specific what happened at Meribah. And in the day of Masa in the wilderness. We'll go to Exodus chapter 17 to find out what happened in Masa and Meribah. God led them in wilderness.

Testing of the Heart in Times of Lack

So that they can know they might know what is in their hearts. Exodus chapter 17 When the people were gathered in the wilderness a Place called everything there was no water for the people to drink therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said give us water that We may drink and Moses said to them why do you quarrel with me?

Why do you test the Lord? When there's a lack of water if people had asked water from Moses Moses would have told them why are you asking for water? But here he's not asking them. He's telling why are you quarreling?

Why are you rebelling? Whenever there is a lack of something It is like Being squeezed it's like being tested to find out what is there inside and These people. They were thirsty but because of that lack because of that lack they Started fighting quarreling.

In our homes. When husband brings a lot of money? Everything is happy. Everybody is happy. Because we have we can purchase anything that we want but then and the pocket money goes down. Wife has something and husband could not get them.

The Masa starts Meriba starts quarrel starts fighting starts. You see the neighbor. He has also studied like you and you see what are the items he has purchased for his home. You are unable to do that.

Wife starts blaming her husband. Why did you marry me? Is it for this purpose that I should suffer here? Did you marry me? That's called all type of questions or husband can ask wife when something is short and when the food is not tasty.

Whenever there's some lack. Many homes they give a name Bethel God's house when there is strife and questioning and quarrel. On the back you should write Masa or Meriba and turn the Board and hang it.

It's not no more Bethel. It is Masa or Meriba the meaning of Meriba is a place of quarrel place of strife. Place where we try God there are many occasions where we are tempted by Devil by our own lust by the world by the attractions, but here people tried God.

When they're squeezed so God Certain occasions allows certain situations so that we find a lack in a heart. Lord when there is no water what these people could have said they could have gone to Moses and probably asked Moses Leader what shall we do?

There is no water and shall we search or shall we appoint some? People to go and search or bring water or shall we pray or shall we ask God? No, they never did that whenever the small lack is there they started questioning young people.

You want a bike like that? Your friend is having or you want a iPod on this and that and if your father is not able to get you if he's not financially sound to get you that and How do you respond? Do you fight back and quarrel and make your home a Masa or Meriba?

Loving Others With Divine Love

There was a dinner Hosted by Martha and Mary because they wanted to express their gratitude to Jesus for raising up Lazarus from the dead and They were all invited all the disciples along with Jesus were invited and Judas was very happy because he thought that Because Jesus raised Lazarus They are going to give us a very good dinner and more than that.

They are going to give Offerings a lot of money. So he went there with that expectation and to his dismay and disappointment Mary was pouring the costly ointment on the feet of Jesus. He thought is back.

It was lacking and Here She was wasting he thought If she it was sold and given to the poor He wanted something for himself for he wanted money and there was no money and all his hearts were exposed. He got offended and Jesus said the poor are always with you and she Jesus appreciated Mary for that act and that stirred the heart of Judas and He went and discussed with the Pharisees and all to betray Jesus.

And Jesus was also tempted now Judas is going to betray and he's having secret Relationship with the Pharisees and other people who are going to kill him so. But Jesus planned for the Last Supper Probably was tempted to Send Judas away and have dinner with other people.

But then he realized as we read in John's gospel chapter 13 third was Jesus knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and That he had come forth from God and was going back to God. But Jesus thought Judas and all other disciples were given by God and He has to love them until the end.

A divine love if it were a human love He would have sent him Judas or He would have told him all authority for judging is also given to me. I judge Judas now itself and He could have cursed him. He didn't do that he was concentrating on his own salvation.

He was telling to himself I have to love him until the end. When he was tempted he said Lord all these twelve disciples were given by you. When you find difficult to love a Particular person probably husband sometimes when your wife questions you you find difficult to love them.

And if you see them as they are probably you will not be able to overcome that unloving attitude. But ask a question Lord who gave this wife or who gave this husband? Young people children you can ask Lord My parents are given by you.

When you say that when you realize that they are given by God their value goes up. And it becomes easy for you to love it is easy. It becomes easy for you to overcome the hatred the ill feelings. Might be God has allowed one person to Be in your office the place of work who always does something to make you unpopular.

I Had that experience. I was working in a college and one person always wants to work against me and He wants to prove how strong he is. He used to go and get signatures and write this and that and I I was No in my night time I was thinking how to tackle this person and what way he would commit an error so that I can find and Take vengeance or take action and but God said I have kept that person in your place of work So that you may love him.

Whenever I come by scooter to my place of work. The first prayer Lord you have kept placed this person in the college so that I can love him. I want to love him. I want to think the best for him. I want to do good to him Lord.

When I was in my home As a young boy my younger brother. I have two brothers and two sisters. My younger brother used to fight and we used to fight and beat and But when I got saved I could not Work. I will beat and Sunday.

I will go and cry Lord. Please forgive me and Sunday evening. I will be tempted to beat him. Then God anointed me with the Holy Spirit after that I started trying to God Lord why he beats me and Then why he scolds me and then the prayer changed when God anointed me Lord.

I Thank you that you have given me that brother. If I were born as a only child in my home, I would not have known how much anger I have in my heart Lord. I would not have known what is in my heart but I thank you Lord for giving me my this brother it became easy for me to love him and They also understood that God has changed me so Jesus Thought that they are given by God.

Is it difficult for you to love a brother a particular brother in your church? Lord it is that brother you have sent you have given me Lord, and they are very valuable. Somebody some great man has given me this as as a gift.

I will keep it very safe. Even a pen some great man has given whom I regard I will keep it very safe. It is not having the intrinsic value, but it has got greater value because of the person who has given me so the church Lord it is your church you have given me Lord and my elder brothers you have given me and In the place of work and your own family Jesus loved them till the end.

And he washed their feet when he was washing the feet of the Apostles know Peter had lot of hesitation. I remember some children know they will refuse to get their dress changed they will be stiff and When you call them to some place they will be stiff like that Peter would have kept his legs stiff on the ground Lord.

Should you wash my feet? I'm unworthy Lord. Please don't it was the attitude he had when brothers Come to service. What is our attitude? Brother, I am not worthy Brother, who am I that you are coming and giving this to me or you are inquiring or you're praying from.

I'm unworthy. But when he came to Judas He thought I am a holy man. He pretended. He was hypocrite. I was thinking why Jesus prayed for Peter, but He didn't pray for Judas or at least it is not recorded because Jesus Wants to pray for the sincere people.

Lord, I have prayed for you Peter that your faith Will not be lost. Now when he came to Judas Bible says he lifted up his heel Against the Son of God Said I am worthy to be washed. I was waiting. Oh, you're come now.

I lift up my head without any hesitation. How is our attitude? Yes yesterday we heard brother saying Even if I am in the hospital for one year and nobody comes to see me I will be at rest. What a great life it is.

Are we having expectations that others should serve us? Wife should serve me or children should serve me or husband should serve me and all should love me. In Philippians, there's a verse know let every man Let him not look for his own interest but for others interest.

In Tamil it is In a different way. So I should not be bothered as what is coming to me whether it is a Insult or somebody hates me or somebody doesn't do this and that I'm not bothered Lord, let me only be bothered about what is going from me.

Am I loving others? Am I serving others? And at the end of this Incident John chapter 13 and verse 34 Jesus says a new commandment. I give to you that you love one another even as I have loved you. That you also love one another.

How Jesus loved us with the divine love with the same love he wants to love others and he says it's a new commandment. What is it? Having spent three and half hours three and half years with his disciples.

They are coming close to the Earthly life of Jesus because this is the last supper after that he's going to the cross. When you go and join a company on the very first day or the first week, they will give you all the rules and regulations.

But Jesus After spending three and half years, he gives them a new commandment at the end of his life. Why should he give at the end of his life? Should he not have given him to the disciples as and when he had selected them?

That was the right time we would think. There may be two reasons. Number one Jesus wanted to do and then preach. He wanted to love Judas Until the end and he said now Lord, I glorify your name. God's name is glorified when he loved Judas until the end and He has finished that and then he says you also love one another.

Another reason is Jesus knew very well that if he had given that commandment earlier it is not possible to for the disciples because they have not received the power of the Holy Spirit. Anointing and Jesus knows that after a few days from this incident.

That disciples are going to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and with that anointing only it is possible to love his disciples. The cross two thieves are hanging. One said if you are the Son of God you first deliver yourself and then deliver me.

Where did he get that idea that he was the Son of God? Because he was looking after the opinions of the soldiers and other people who were scolding Jesus. Their opinion was great for him, but the other thief Who got saved he was not listening to those opinions.

He was seeing Jesus. Lord you did not do anything bad, but you are punished. He said we are justly punished. Both were near Jesus, but it was not their own choice. Probably some of you are here. Not because of your own choice, but because your parents are in the church or your brothers or your sisters are in the church.

But you have come to very close to Jesus now the question is are you going to receive life like the one thief? Who got saved or are you going to listen to the opinions of all others and In spite of coming close to Jesus you have to go away without life Lord.