Occupy Till I Come #1 — Stephen Kaung

Will you please turn to the Gospel according to Luke, Luke chapter 19, verse 13. Last night our brother has already read this whole section, so I'm not going to go over it again, but I will just read verse 13 in a different version.

And having called his own ten bondmen, he gave to them ten miners and said to them, trade while I am coming. Trade while I'm coming. Let's have a word of prayer. Lord, as we gathered here this morning, we want to thank Thee for all Thy kindness and mercy towards us.

Who are we that Thou should treat it in such a way, that Thou should gather us together and give us opportunity to hear Thy word, to commune with Thee, to give ourselves to Thee and allow Thee to work out Thy glorious salvation to the praise of Thy name.

Lord, as we gather this morning, we do submit ourselves to Thee completely and say, Lord, here we are. What has Thou to say to us? Speak, Lord, Thy servant heareth. We ask in Thy name, Amen. Anyway, the theme of this conference is Be Occupied Till I Come.

Or as Darby's version said, trade while I'm coming. I think it's more vivid in this translation. What are we to be occupied with? Trading. Why? Because He is coming. Brothers and sisters, I think we all are aware that the coming of the Lord is so imminent.

Everything seems to tell us the world has come to an end. And the Lord is coming to establish His kingdom upon this earth. What a glad tiding that is. His coming is what we are all expecting. To me, I always think the Lord can come back at any time.

We do not need to wait for some more prophecies to be fulfilled. For as we understand, all the prophecies preceding the coming of the Lord have already come to pass. The next thing is the coming of the Lord.

And we are at this very juncture. On the one hand, it is most thrilling thinking that we may be ones who will be caught up to the throne to welcome the return of our Lord. And on the other hand, it is a very solemn thing.

What if He comes now? Can all of us be caught up to the throne? Or some will be left? So I think as we are at this time, it is really a serious time for us to seriously consider what the Lord has said.

Trade, for I am coming. Our Lord was going to Jerusalem for the last time. And even His disciples thought He was going to take the kingdom. So our Lord tried to tell them the truth. It is true that He is going to take the kingdom.

But not this time. Because He is going to Jerusalem to die. To accomplish the work of redemption. To lay the foundation of the church for His imminent return. So the Lord used a parable. He said, a certain high-born man went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom in return.

Now of course we know this has a background. Because during the time of our Lord, while He was on earth, He was under the Roman Empire. And it was the practice in the Roman Empire that people would go to Rome to get the kingdom.

And then to return and rule over His domain. But here you find the Lord using the parable. He is the high-born man. Because He is the Son of God. As well as the Son of Man. And He is now returning to heaven to receive from His Father the kingdom.

Not of this world. But kingdom of the heavens. Before our Lord left, He called His ten bondservants to Him. Brothers and sisters, in one sense, we are all His bondservants. It is true so far as grace is concerned.

We are His children, being born by the Spirit of God. But as children of God, we also have responsibilities. So far as our responsibility is concerned, we are all bondservants of God. And as His bondservants, He gave each and every one of us a minor.

Spiritual Gifts and the Common Life of Christ

Now we know there is a difference between minor and talent. You remember your Matthew chapter 25? Our Lord Jesus told us the story about giving talents to His bondservants. According to their ability.

To one He gave five talents. To the other, two talents. And to steal another one, He gave one talent. He gave these talents according to their ability. Natural ability. But here you find ten servants.

And they were all given one minor. They were equal in what the Lord has given. Why? Because talent in Matthew 25 and minor in Luke 19, they are different. Talent speaks of spiritual gifts to every servant of the Lord.

Every brother and sister. Everyone who is born again. He has given us some gift. Just as in the body. You find when God created this body. To every member of the body, He has given some gift. He created me with an eye.

And to that eye, He gave the gift of seeing. Every member in the body of Christ. When you are saved, you are being given a certain spiritual gift. According to the place that God has put you in the body.

So that you can exercise your gift. Not for your own glory. But for the growth of the whole body. So we find every brother and sister. When you are saved, you are given a gift. According to your ability.

According to the place that God has given you. It is not for yourself. It is for the whole body. Now that is talent. But in minor. You find that there are ten servants. And they were all given one minor.

The same. Why the number ten? The number ten is a number of responsibility. You know brothers and sisters. Sometimes we think. That in believing in the Lord Jesus. It is all grace. No responsibility. But that is not true.

Because on the one hand. It is grace. But grace does not allow us to be irresponsible. Grace actually helps us to be responsible. And they are given equally. Why? Because minor here. Does not speak of our gifts.

It speaks of our life. Even though we may have different gifts. But the life given to us. Is the same. Christ is our life. But when Christ is given to each and every one of us. And we are being born again.

Remember. So far as our spiritual life is concerned. We are just babes. We are not like Adam. When he was created. He was a grown up. But when we who are saved. We were all children of God. Why? Because the life of Christ in us.

Is just the beginning. It is the will of God. That this life. That God has given to us. Even Christ in us. Is the hope of glory. In other words. This life of Christ in us. Must grow in us. Or put it another way.

We must grow into Christ. And allow the life of Christ. To be fully grown. And it is only after. We are fully grown. That he will come back. And receive us. As his bride. So in this parable. It is not talking about spiritual gifts.

It is talking about spiritual life. We are all given the same life. Of our Lord Jesus. But this life. Needs to be traded. In other words. It leads to be exercised. And when you exercise. Your spiritual life.

Then your spiritual life. Will grow up. If you do not exercise it. Do not trade with it. As that bad servant. He put it in a tower. He did not do anything. To the life. That the master has given him. And the result was.

His life. Does not grow. When our Lord Jesus has come back. He is still a babe in Christ. So dear brothers and sisters. This is a parable. That exhorts each and every one of us. To exercise. The life that Christ has given us.

Physical Exercise and Exercise Unto Godliness

You know brothers and sisters. In recent years. We find physical exercise. Has attracted. The attention of this country. Everywhere you go. You find people was running. Or either exercising. Even in a hotel.

They have to have that exercise room. To make provision. For you to exercise. While you are outside. And the Bible said. Physical exercise. Has little profit. In other words. It does. Has profit. Young people.

In this country. Spend so much time. Before the television. Or others. They do not exercise. Even if you eat well. You will not have a healthy body. We need physical exercise. But physical exercise. Profits little.

Why? Because. The major profit is your body. Your body of course. Become healthy. And with a healthy body. Then you have a healthy mind. So it does affect. Somehow. But. Essentially speaking. It is only your body.

That has the largest. Benefit. And. How long. Will you have this benefit? Supposed to live to a hundred years old. A hundred twenty. It's only a hundred years. A hundred twenty years. It's not eternity.

So it profits little. Now it doesn't mean because it profits little. So you don't do it. Even that little. You have to do it. But brothers and sisters. There is another exercise. It is exercise unto godliness.

In 1 Timothy 4 verse 8. Exercise unto piety. Now I do not like the word piety. But somehow. In my mind piety. Is just something outside. I remember once I was in the Philippines. I went to an island called the Gada.

And when I was in that island I saw. A cathedral. So I went in to look at it. And when I entered into the cathedral. I saw four white statues. Kneeling at the altar. Not moving at all. But when I approached to the front.

I saw these are not statues. These are nuns. Four nuns. Kneeling at the altar. Without any motion. The first thought that came to me was. How pious they are. Then the second thought came. It is really godliness.

Godliness. Comes from the inside. And it is true. That it will be expressed outside. But without the inside. Only the outside. This is not godliness. This is not an expression. Of the life of Christ. In you.

So brothers and sisters. We need to exercise godliness. May I ask you this question. Do you know. What spiritual exercise really is? Have you ever exercised your spirit? I suppose you all know. That after you believe in the Lord Jesus.

You receive a new spirit. The old spirit. That God has created. Was dead. In sins and transgressions. And death does not mean. That as an organ. It was no longer there. You know to an unbeliever. Even if.

They live by their soul. Or by their body. Because their spirit was dead. Unto God. And yet. Strangely they still can communicate. With evil spirits. You may not know it. But I came from China. And in these old countries.

You find that people. Have communication. With evil spirits. Everywhere. But they had no contact. With God. Why? Because. They were dead. Unto God. So scientifically speaking. What is death? Death is the cessation.

Of communication. With its proper. Environment. What is the proper environment. Of our spirit? God. God is spirit. He created us with a spirit. That we may communicate. With him. You cannot communicate.

With God in your body. You know many years ago. The Russian astronauts. Cosmonauts. They went to. The space. Came back. And he said. There is no God. Why? Because he said. I've been to outer space. I look around.

I do not see God anywhere. So there is no God. Nonsense. How can you. Contact God. With your body? You have to contact God. With your spirit. But his spirit was dead. There was no contact. With the proper environment.

It has contact. With improper environment. But not with proper environment. That is God himself. But thank God. I believe. You all have this experience. The moment you believe. In the Lord Jesus. You know what happened?

Suddenly. That contact. Was made. I can vividly remember. My own experience. I was brought up. In a Christian family. I used to pray. I knew how to pray. But I was praying. To the ceiling. And the prayer fell down.

No contact. But the moment. I really repented. And returned to the Lord. You know what happened? Heaven opened. Immediately. In my spirit. I had contact. With God. I can truly say. From my heart. It is different.

And I believe everyone of you. Have this experience. So brothers and sisters. Thank God. When you believe in the Lord Jesus. He has given you. A new spirit. In other words. He has cleansed. Your sins.

And give you. A new spirit. He that is born of the spirit. Is. Spirit. So your spirit. Is born again. Is renewed. And now Christ has come. And dwell. In your spirit. That is being saved. Brothers and sisters.

The Holy Spirit's Discipline and the Believer's Growth

When you are saved. God has given you. Every provision. For you to exercise. Your spirit. How? Because. Not only. Christ has come. Into your new spirit. And become the life. Of your new spirit. But you know.

God has also given you. His spirit. The Holy Spirit. The third person of the Trinity. He has also come. And dwell. In your new spirit. He is the new comforter. He is there. To take care of you. In what way?

Brothers and sisters. He is there. To help you. To exercise. Your spirit. Why? Because he does know. Not only. Arrange your outside environment. Now we do believe. To a believer. There is no such thing.

As by chance. To a believer. Everything that happens to you. Is. Arranged. By the spirit of God. We call it the discipline. Of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit. Will arrange your environment. The people you meet with.

The thing. You encounter. Everything. Every detail. In your life. Is arranged by the Holy Spirit. In order to discipline you. In order to teach you. In order to develop you. So that you can really grow.

In the life of Christ. In you. So brothers and sisters. In 1 Timothy 4 .8. He said. Exercise yourself. Unto. Godliness. Why? Because. It is profitable. Not only for this time. This age. But also. For the age to come.

Brothers and sisters. May I ask you. Look back into your experience. Has the Holy Spirit. Ever. Spoken to you. Have you ever heard. His voice. It is not. Something from outside. It is something. From within.

You know in 1 John. Chapter 2. Verse 27. The Bible says. You have the anointing. Within you. Or the ointment. Within you. Now who is the anointing? Who is the ointment? Within you. The Holy Spirit. Who dwells in you.

He is called anointing. Because. When he works in you. It is like you are applying. Upon yourself. An ointment. Suppose you hurt yourself. Somewhere. And you put an ointment over it. And there is a soothing.

Feeling. Within you. Now that is the way the Holy Spirit works. He does not come. Like a great. Mighty wind. That blows. He does not come. Like a fire. That is burning. He comes. As a still. Small voice.

He will speak to you. But he is very persistent. He will not allow you to go. Until you respond. One way or the other. And through that. He is teaching you. How to exercise. Your spirit. For instance.

After you are saved. Suppose you are a person. That likes to talk. Extravagantly. You like to say things. About what they really are. And the more you boast about things. The better you feel. That is the way you were.

Before you are saved. But after you are saved. You will do the same thing. Because all habit. Is not easy to die. But strangely. As you begin to boast. And to exaggerate. While you are doing that. There is a still.

Small voice. Within you. Saying that. That is not true. You better stop. Like while you are. When you are driving a car. And a brake is put on. But no brothers and sisters. We were still going on. But the voice will not go away.

And if you persist in doing that. You do not feel good. As you did before. Actually you feel very bad. And unless you repent. And ask for the cleansing of the blood. You find your fellowship with God.

Was interrupted. Do you have this experience? I believe so. If you never have such experience. I wonder. Whether you are really saved. Whether you really have the Holy Spirit. Dwells in you. How can he dwells in you.

And not. Doing his work. To let Christ. Life. Grow in you. So in. First John chapter 2. Verse 27. Says. You have the anointing. The anointing. Within you. You do not need anyone to teach you. Because he will teach you.

In all things. Not only. In big things. But also in small things. Now brothers and sisters. We think we can take care of small things. And only when. We are faced with big things. That we need to pray.

And seek the will of the Lord. But no. God loves us. So much. He loves you. Every detail. He wants to be involved. With you. And even in very small things. He has his voice. If. We are quiet enough. To listen.

The reason why. People sometimes. Come to me and said. Brother. You people often talk about. God speaks to me. But God has never. Spoken to me. Now I think it is very strange. If God has never spoken to me.

Now are you really his? If you are really his. How can he neglect you? He will take care of you. He will see that. The life of Christ in you. Will grow up into. Maturity. He will not let you go free. Why?

Because he loves you. He has to. Lead you on. So that. Your spirit. The life of Christ. In your spirit. Will grow. Into maturity. Brothers and sisters. The apostle Paul. When he. Wrote this letter to Timothy.

He told him. That is what he is doing. And if that is the case. Do you think. Brothers and sisters. That we. Are not trading. Occupied. While Christ. Is coming. Why is it. That the Lord said trade. While I am coming.

Why is it. That we must grow spiritually. In the statue. Of Christ in us. Before he will return. Why? Because. He cannot marry. A baby. Have you ever seen. A grown up man. Marry a baby. Never. It is unfit.

The Conscience as a Function of the Spirit

How important. It is. That we. Exercise. You know. Our spirit. Has three functions. Number one. Conscience. Conscience. Is one of the. Functions. Of our spirit. But unfortunately. Before we believe. In the Lord Jesus.

Our conscience. Has lost. Its proper. Environment. That is God. The conscience that people have today. We often hear people say. I do everything. According to my conscience. You can rob. And say I do it according to my conscience.

Why? Because. A conscience. Of an unbeliever. Is measured. Not by God. Is measured by custom. And habit. In the old days. When. An African. Ate. Another person. Did his conscience bother him? No. His conscience praised him.

Why? Because. His conscience was not governed. By the proper environment. But for you and me. To eat another people. Now how will you feel? You feel bad about it. Why? Because God is now. Your conscience.

He is telling you. What is right. What is wrong. Paul. When he was before. The governor. He can declare. That in everything. Before God and man. He kept. A good conscience. Do not throw away your conscience.

Because. Your conscience. Now. Is the voice of God. Formerly. Your conscience. Was in sin and transgressions. But now. You have a new. Conscience. And. It is for every believer. To keep a conscience. Without offense.

Before God. And before man. Sometimes. We find the Lord. Seems to disturb us. And he will never let us go. Until. We solve a problem. That we know. We shouldn't have. So conscience. Is an important thing.

To be exercised. Now you do not need to. Search your conscience. By yourself. Many years ago. There was. Something. Going on. In this country. And people said. You need to search your conscience. And confess.

Everything. From your childhood. Up to the time. Confess it before the Lord. And have it cleansed. By the blood. Brothers and sisters. You don't do that. If you do that. You will be under. Condemnation.

All the time. In China. When. I don't know if you know this name. Moral Rearmament. There was a time when. This teaching. Spreading over the world. It came to China. And it touched especially. The upper class.

Because they speak. Of absolute. You need to be. Absolutely. Clean. In absolutely. Conscience. Without void. And all these things. And there was a famous. Christian in China. He was in my father's. Rack.

And during the war time. We were all in. War capital Chongqing. And he talked with me. And he said. Whenever I am. Weak physically. All my past sins. Will come back to me. I have to confess. Everything.

Once again. So I told him. I said no. You don't need to do that. Because. All your past sins. Has been cleansed. By the blood of the Lord Jesus. And if it is. Under the blood. It is no longer there. It is the enemy.

Try to bring all this. Back to you. To bother you. But no matter what I said. He was not helped. Think of that. A life. And a constant. Now how can you live. A victorious life. So dear brothers and sisters.

I strongly urge you. When the spirit of God. Is touching your conscience. Now. That's the thing. When the enemy try. To accuse you. He will come like a whirlwind. He will try to press you down. He give you no.

Quarter to hide. But when the Holy Spirit. Is working in you. It is a steel. Spoiled boy. It is persistent. But it is. To your conscience. So to a Christian. You need to exercise. Your conscience. If in some way.

The spirit of God. Is speaking to your conscience. Bring it to the Lord. Just like the Bible said. He will teach you in all things. Not only big things. But even small things. And. If you abide in his teaching.

You abide in Christ. Now once. I asked some young people. How can you abide in Christ. And they gave me different answers. Some said. You need to pray more. In order to abide in Christ. Others said. You need to read the Bible more.

Others said. You need to attend the meetings more. And so forth. But brothers and sisters. The real secret is. You need to listen. To the Holy Spirit. That is what you need to do. And if you really listen.

To the voice of the Holy Spirit. He will. Purify you. And allow you to grow. Spiritually. Now the next thing is. How do you exercise your spirit? Your spirit has another function. We call it intuition.

Spiritual Intuition and Direct Knowledge of God

Now what is intuition? Intuition is direct knowledge. How do we gather knowledge? We gather knowledge. With our brain. With our body. With our mind. We gather them from outside. And the more knowledge.

You gather from outside. The more knowledgeable. You are. Now that is the word. But how do we know God? We know God. Not just by collecting. Mental. Knowledge. That is mental exercise. That is not spiritual exercise.

Spiritual exercise is. Intuitive. If you are in touch with God. You are. The Holy Spirit within you. Will touch your intuition. And give you a direct knowledge. From God. In other words. You begin to see things.

Even if. You cannot explain it. So you find. In Hebrews chapter 8. One article. Of the new covenant is. You do not need. To tell anyone. Know the Lord. Because. Every one of you. Shall know me. From the littlest one.

To the greatest one. Now that is intuition. Christianity. Has gone. The wrong way. It has gone. The way outside. After you believe in the Lord Jesus. They will tell you. What you should do. And what you should not do.

And you. If you keep these things. You are considered as a good Christian. I remember when I was. Young. I was brought up in a Christian family. We keep. Sunday. The Lord's day. And on the Lord's day.

We should not do any work. And I was a student at that time. And the one thing that I dread most. Was examination on Monday. Because I cannot read. On Sunday. I kept it. But you cannot just be. Doing nothing.

So what I need to do. I play ball. You see the absurdity of it. Keeping law. People will tell you. What you should do. And if you do them. You are a good Christian. But that is the outside way. It is not God's way.

God's way is inward. Because the Holy Spirit. Will reveal. God's mind to you. In your spirit. If you are quiet enough. He will speak to you. He will tell you. What is of the Lord. And what is not. And it is.

By intuition. It is intuition. That we grow. In Christ Jesus. Once you are saved. You are a little child. That spiritual intuition. Will begin to work. You know as a matter of fact. Children live by intuition.

Not spiritual. But still. It is intuition. Sometimes. You know. A child. Will go to certain person. But. He will shy away from other person. Intuitively. He knows. He knows something. And the moment we grow old.

Intuition. Began to decrease. And mental knowledge. Began to increase. So we are no longer living. By intuition. But we live by. Brothers and sisters. You do not need. Anyone to tell you. Because. The Holy Spirit.

Within you. Will touch your intuition. And allow you. To know his will. And that is the way. We grow. That is the way we serve God. And thirdly. The function. Of our spirit is. Worship. After we believe in the Lord Jesus.

Worship in Spirit and in Truth

Our spirit. Is living. Unto God. And we worship God. In spirit. And in truth. Worship. Is not an outward gesture. Worship is an inward spirit. But of course. When there is. That inward spirit. That. The outward gesture.

Will naturally follow. But it depends. Not upon outward gesture. How sad. That Christianity today. Is mainly outward. Gesture. Instead of that. Inward fellowship. So dear brothers and sisters. If we really.

Exercise. Our spirit. The result is. Our inner man. That is the Christ. In us. Will grow. Into maturity. And that is the way. To really. Know God. So dear brothers and sisters. This morning. My burden.

Is simply this. God has saved you. He has made every. Provision for you. To grow spiritually. But you need. To cooperate. You need to exercise it. You need to align. The spirit of God. To speak to you.

To talk with you. You need to be near to him. So that you can hear. You need to be quiet. So that you can hear. And. Remember. Christian way. Is an inward. Way of life. It is not. An outward. Dear Lord.

How we praise and thank thee. That thou has not only. Saved us. But thou want to. Save us. To the uttermost. How we thank thee for. The full salvation. Thou has prepared. For thy people. Do open. Our understanding.

Bring us back. To the original. Work of God. Pray Lord. That thou will really. Teach us how. To exercise. Our spirit. And learn to obey thee. In an inward way. That we may really. See. That the life of Christ.

Grows within us. And prepare us. To meet thee. And to be thy bride. We ask in thy precious name.