Christianity: Shadow of Reality — Stephen Kaung

Christ as the Full Revelation of God

Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1 and part of verse 2. God having spoken in many parts and in many ways formally to the fathers in the prophets at the end of these days Has spoken to us in the person of the Son.

Chapter 3 verse 1. Chapter 3 verse 1. Therefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling Consider the Apostle and high priest of our confession Jesus the 8 verse 5 chapter 8 verse 5 who serve the representation and shadow of heavenly things.

According as Moses was articulately told. When about to make the tabernacle for see said he that thou make all things according to the pattern Which has been shown to thee in the mountain. Chapter 10 verse 1.

Chapter 10 verse 1. For the law having a shadow of the coming good things Not the image itself of the things can never buy the same sacrifices which they offer continually yearly perfect those who Approach.

And finally chapter 12. Chapter 12 will read from verse 25 to verse 29. Chapter 12 verse 25. See that he refused not him that speaks so if those who? Did not escape who had refused him who uttered the articles on earth?

Much more we who turn away from him who does so from heaven. Whose voice then shook the earth, but now he has promised saying yet once Will I shake not only the earth but also the heaven and this yet once?

Signifies the removing of what is shaken as being made that what is not shaken may remain. Therefore let us receiving a kingdom not to be shaken have grace by which let us serve God Acceptably with reverence and fear.

For also our God is a consuming fire. The letter to the Hebrews Was written with very special reasons it was written to Those Jewish believers those Jews Who believe in the Lord Jesus in the first century and it was written for at least three different reasons.

Why Hebrews Was Written to Jewish Believers

The first reason was in the beginning of the gospel there seemed to be a going together of Judaism and Christianity. Early believers those Jews Who believe in the Lord Jesus? They still went to the temple For prayer for worship went to the synagogues on Sabbath.

But on the Lord's Day they came together In the name of the Lord Jesus. So in those days It was very difficult for people to tell The difference between Christianity and Judaism and even the world at that time consider Christianity as a sect of Judaism.

The issue was not clear that God was going to separate Christianity from Judaism and in order to separate Christianity from Judaism God had to do a drastic thing. He had to destroy Jerusalem the city which he chose.

He had to destroy the temple his own temple. Because only by such drastic act God was able to separate Christianity from Judaism. Judaism had to come to an end so far as the believers were concerned and Christianity had to come to a clear beginning and of course we know the Jewish people at that time.

They look to Jerusalem. They look to the temple As the very center of their life if Jerusalem should be destroyed. If the temple should be destroyed, what will they be left? They will have nothing. And how they cling on to Jerusalem and they cling to the temple even With those Jewish believers and in order to prepare them for that day This letter was written.

It was written to prepare the Jewish believers. For the day when the temple shall be destroyed When they shall be completely freed from the bondage of Judaism and enter into the pure stream of Christianity then this letter was written with the second reason it was written with the purpose of Exalting these believers Not to circle around the foundations.

But once the foundation was laid They were to go on Press on to perfection and by perfection of course we know it means maturity. They were not to remain as babes in Christ, but they were to go on to grow up into sons and daughters of God into spiritual maturity and.

The third reason was this letter was written as a warning to warn the believers Not to draw back, but there was because there was always a danger. When the conflict and the trial became too severe People tend to draw back and A warning was given that they will go on and not to draw back Judaism it originated.

The Four Essential Elements of Judaism

Yet it was something given to God's earthly people the Jews in Judaism you find There are four things That are absolutely essential. Number one a physical temple a physical place of worship. There was a temple in Jerusalem.

Number two a set of law the Ten Commandments with all the precepts the statues the ordinances and so forth. Number three an Exclusive priesthood a family That was chosen to be priests to serve God as mediator between God and the people and fourthly of earthly blessing.

If they obey God If they keep the covenant They will be blessed with earthly blessings. Their baskets will always be full. Their cattle and their sheep will not lose their young. There will be no lack of rain, and they will have many children in the family.

These are the four essential elements of Judaism and Probably we can add a fifth one and the fifth one is the traditions of the fathers. It began with something that was given by God it originated from God and gradually you'll find men began to add more into it and That became the traditions of the fathers and the traditions of father became such a big thing That it literally buried the law of God underneath it and Probably that was the thing that make Judaism and ism now that's Judaism.

Christianity as Christ and the Spiritual House

What is Christianity? Speaking Christianity is Christ. Christianity is the gospel of Jesus Christ for and Heavenly people of God. It does not require a physical temple. Because we worship in spirit. And in truth.

It is not a temple made of dead stones or bricks. But it is a spiritual house built By living stones. It does not have of rules Regulations or laws because the Spirit of God is the law of that body the law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.

It does not have an exclusive priesthood. Because it is the universal priesthood of the believers. Every believer is a priest. There is no mediator between men and God and the promises in Christianity Are not earthly but heavenly not physical.

But spiritual. Thank be unto God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly in Christ Jesus. And if there is any tradition in Christianity it is the tradition of Christ not a tradition of the fathers.

Christianity is not a system. Not an ism. It is living it is real it is of God, you know dear brothers and sisters. This letter to the Hebrews Even though it was written at that time to the Jewish believers in the first century and yet we believe that it has a very Definite message for us today.

Separating Christ from Judaized Christianity

We have a problem today. With the Jewish believers in the first century their problem is to mix up Judaism with Christianity. Our problem May not be the same in that way and yet we do have a Similar problem.

The problem is how to separate Christ from Christianity or to put it in another way Christianity today is so Judaized. So our problem is how to separate all Christianity, which is Christ from Judaized Christianity through the years Christianity has been Judaized, you know, even in the first century.

They have this problem some people came from Jerusalem to Antioch and They began to teach the people saying that you must be circumcised. In other words if you want to be a Christian you have to be Judaized and Because of that there was great argument Paul and Barnabas argued with these people from Jerusalem and he was decided that Paul and Barnabas should go to Jerusalem and meet with Apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

Trying to clear up that problem. Whether Christianity should be Judaized or not? And thank God that in Acts chapter 15 you remember that council in Jerusalem it was a very important juncture in church history and by the grace of God.

It was decided by the Holy Spirit and by the Apostles and by the people there. That the Gentiles should not be Judaized. Christianity should be kept pure from Judaism. And letter was written. Messages were sent To all these Gentile churches and there was great joy.

There was great Liberty great freedom Experienced by the believers at that time. We will think that the whole whole problem should be solved. But it wasn't solved even after the council in Jerusalem you'll find this problem whether Christianity should be Judaized or not.

Remain a problem wherever Paul went. Whenever he preached a pure gospel of Jesus Christ the gospel of grace. There you'll find these Jewish believers always followed his prosthetic. They follow him doggedly and they always try to add something on and say well.

But Paul preach was right, but it was not complete. You must keep the law and this troubled Paul all his life. Even when he was in prison in Rome. There he was in prison for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ and while he was in chain Incapacitated and there these Jewish believers.

Outside the prison they were spreading their Judaized Christianity adding to the agony of Paul it wasn't solved even after Paul passed out of the scene at the end of the first century. You'll find the Apostle John for the sake of the testament of Jesus.

He was exiled to the island Patmos and There you'll find the Risen Lord. Wrote seven letters to the seven churches in Asia and in these seven churches you'll find in two churches the best of the seven.

The church Exmerna. Who suffer greatly for the Lord. The church at Philadelphia? Who was faithful to the Lord. And then to the end there in these two churches you'll find they were troubled by the synagogues of Satan.

Who say they were Jews, but they were not. And dear brothers and sisters through the centuries. You'll find Christianity has been Judaized more and more and more and more. When it come to our days Christianity has been reduced into a system.

Just like Judaism once was instead of being heavenly it has become earthly. Instead of being spiritual it has become material. Instead of grace it is mixed with law. Instead of Christ. It is Christ plus and the traditions of the fathers in Christianity is no less stronger strong than the traditions of the fathers in Judaism if you know.

Many people may not Recognize it. But if you really go into Christianity you will find the tradition of the so-called church fathers such great influence that we are literally buried by the conditions of the fathers.

Shadows, Substance, and the Reality of Christ

Christianity today has become a system. It is important. We believe it is God's will that the time is coming. There should be a separation otherwise we do not see Christ. We see Christianity that we cannot see Christ.

Judaism given by God a shadow is not the reality. You know before the Sun Rises to its meridian It always cast a shadow on everything. But when the Sun Arise at its meridian Then The shadow disappears.

Only the substance remains. But when the Sun begins to go down again. Then you'll find it again cast a shadow. Is there any substance in the shadow. There is no substance in the shadow. It has a resemblance.

But there is no substance there. And you know how people play with their shadow. I remember when I was a boy. We like to step on our shadow try to turn ourselves around and step on our shadow and that's that we play with shadows.

And you know, this is exactly what you find in Ecclesiastics how we are trying to catch our shadows. It is vanity and vanity because it is shadow there is no reality in it of these shadows to such an extent.

That we think these shadows are realities. And because of our great love for the shadow we miss the reality all together. And the day is coming that if we want to have the reality we have to let the shadow go.

If we are not willing to shed and let the shadow go. We will never get the reality, you know in the letter to the Hebrews. There is one word That is repeated many times. It is the word better better. Better is word is the word that is used 12 times in the letter to the Hebrews.

Christ is better than the angels. Christ is better than Moses. He is better than Joshua. He is better than Aaron. He has a better sacrifice. He give us a better promise and he give us a better covenant.

And God give us a better country. Everything is better better better better. You'll find in the letter to the Hebrews when you compare Judaism with Christianity you'll find Christianity is better. Is better, but you know the word better.

We do not understand the word better in the Scriptural sense why the word better to us is well, it is better than the good. In other words here is that which is good. And here is that which is better.

Now, of course, it is better to have the better than for them to have the good. But there is nothing wrong if you want the good and reject the better at least you have something good. You see that is our feeling.

But this is not the feeling in the letter to the Hebrews. The feeling in the letter to the Hebrews is that well Christ is better. Christianity is better than Judaism. And because it is better It is important for us to let the good go.

So that you can get a better. Why because the good the Judaism is but a shadow. There is no substance there. But the better is the substance is the reality. So if you enter into the spirit of the word better in the letter to the Hebrews it tells us that The good is the enemy of the better.

It is not good if you say well, I am contented with the good. Let others have the better. I'm quite happy with the good. God say no, that is a sin. Because in doing that You miss the reality the substance, but everyone who has the old wine Will always say it the old wine is better.

They do not want the new wine. Oh how these Early Jewish believers, you know, it was a real problem to them. If we put ourselves in their shoes you will realize it was a real problem to them they love the Lord Jesus.

And yet they love Moses. You remember even on the Mount of Transfiguration The three of the disciples. And here you'll find Peter the leader of the group and There when he saw our Lord Jesus with Moses and Elijah.

Oh, he said that's good. That's good. We have not only the Lord we have Moses and we have Elijah. When he saw our Lord Jesus with Moses and Elijah. Oh, he said that's good. That's good. We have not only the Lord we have Moses and we have Elijah.

So let's have all three of them forever. That's their feeling. They don't want that Elijah go they don't want that Moses go. They will be happy if Jesus will be there and Moses will be there. Elijah will be there.

And you know even in the last day When they were with the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. When they came out of Jerusalem how the disciples lingered Behind and with such a longing look towards the temple and they even tell the Lord look look look.

What a temple that's their feeling to let all these go. Never we will have Jesus, but we want these things, too. We want the reality, but we also want the shadow but God said you cannot have both. There may be a time when the shadow and Reality will coexist.

Because the full light hasn't come yet. But when the full light is come Then there should be no shadow. In the former days God spoke to our fathers Through the prophets in many parts and in many ways God did speak to our fathers.

And God spoke through the prophets. But when he spoke for the prophets he could only speak in parts in bits in pieces in fragments in types in figures. Because there wasn't a full light. There wasn't a full revelation.

There wasn't that vessel that could bring full revelation to the world. But in the last of the day God has spoken in the person of his son. In other words when God speaks through his son or in his son.

Then you'll find God speaks fully and completely. In the son the full revelation of God has been given. In other words the son has risen to his meridian. And When the light has come in its fullness dear brothers and sisters There will be no allowance for shadow and we do not have full light for revelation.

It seems as if some reality and many Shadows can exist in our lives. But the more revelation comes from God. And in the son there is full revelation. There is no reason why we shouldn't have full revelation.

It has already been given and in the full revelation of the son. Dear brothers and sisters There should be no shadow. Shadow and reality do not coexist. The shadow must flee away. And The reality Alone be made.

This was the lesson that God gave to Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration. When he dared to say let the reality and the shadows coexist God said never. God took away Moses. God took away Elijah. When they opened their eyes.

They saw no one but Jesus. Dear brothers and sisters in the full revelation of our Lord Jesus there Can be no shadow it must be reality. To the Jewish believers God was doing going to shake the earth.

The Shaking of Judaism and the End-Time Testing of Faith

In AD 70 God shook the earth. So far as the Jews were concerned the earth was shaken shattered. Why. Because in AD 70 God allowed Jerusalem to be broken in by the Roman soldiers and The temple was completely destroyed.

Not a stone upon another stone. That was the end. To the Jews that was the end of the world. That was the end of their life. That was the end of the nation. That was the end of everything. Mark a new beginning for Christianity from that day onward.

No one will make the mistake that Christianity was a sect of Judaism. From that day onward Judaism was finished and Christianity came out in its purity. But unfortunately for the centuries. When he comes to our time you'll hear the term Judeo-christianity.

Light began to fade When the Sun began to set. Then once again shadows. Dear brothers and sisters in Hebrews chapter 12 God said. Yet once he would not only shake the earth, but he will even shake the heaven and the earth.

Even though Christianity is heavenly. But it has become so mixed. So God said he is going to shake the heaven and the earth. Everything that can be shaken will be shaken off. So that that which remains would only be those that cannot be shaken.

And dear brothers and sisters we are living in this time now. You know, God is shaking the heaven and the earth. He is going to separate Judeo-christianity from pure Christianity. That is Christ. All the shadows must go.

What is Christianity today. A place of worship. A physical building that is called church. If you worship at a certain time at a certain place. As if it is not in that time and that place you can do what you like.

You live for yourself. The Jewish people were ordered to go to Jerusalem three times a year. And they were also Sacrificing and offerings in the temple aside from that the other days they live for themselves.

They could not worship. They needed not worship. Dear brothers and sisters. Is it not the thought among believers today. How we set up our worship as a matter of time and place. One thing a week We go to the church to worship.

It is almost like Judaism. When he spoke to the Samaritan woman. The Samaritan woman said we Samaritans worship on this mountain Mount Gareth. But you Jews worship in Jerusalem. Where should we worship?

It's confusing. The Lord said The time is coming and now is. You do not worship in Jerusalem. You do not worship in Mount Gareth. You worship in spirit and in truth. Because the father is seeking for such True worshipers.

What is that spiritual house? The sanctuary holy place. That we have to take of our feet. It's not a physical building. The people as we come to Christ a living stone. We are as living stone being built up together a spiritual house.

That's where we should take off our feet our shoes. We are holy ground. How many of God's people? See this we cling to the shadow and it overshadowed. The reality you find in Christianity you have to have a creed.

Some goes back to the apostolic creed. Some goes to the Nicene Creed and some say well that is not good enough. We haven't with Westminster the creed and so said no, that's not enough. We will write our own creed.

You have to go back to a creed. You have to have rules and regulations. You have to have disciplines. And these become the governing laws of Christian life. Christianity has been reduced into a set of laws.

Bondage Under External Rules and Human Mediators

No wonder we are under bondage. Oh many of God's people know that there is only one law. It is written in our heart the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. How many know how this law operates in them today as you look at Christianity?

What do you find? You find mediator between man and God. Man and Christ you'll find that so-called holy class they are set apart and trained to monopolize all these spiritual services. And you poor layman.

The laity you know nothing. You shouldn't do anything. You are not trained. You're not professional. What do you see in Christianity today? Even among those who love the Lord you'll find it is getting more and more spreading.

Prosperity Preaching and Earthly Blessings

Christians today are looking for physical blessings. The gospel of prosperity is being preached now and by that it is earthly blessing. Dear brothers and sisters. Do you think it is time that God? Is going to do something if he did it in the first century.

Do you think he will not do anything in our century. God has already begun? Doing that work of shaking into the world. There are many countries today in the world. Yeah, there was No Physical building all the physical places that were set apart as place of the worship were taken away.

Converted into factories schools social centers and whatnot. If you are going to find a place of worship you won't find it. And does it mean that because of that you cannot worship. They are in many countries today.

Awkwardly people are limited restricted or even taken away completely. From any place of worship, but thank God. Though so worship in spirit and truth they continue worshipping God. The shadow is gone.

Worshiping God When Physical Places Are Taken Away

But the reality is there and what worship all is today every place of worship is destroyed. We are not even allowed to worship. And yet we must worship oh. Maybe two and three threes and five. We try to slip out in the middle of the night.

Went to a forest. Sit on the floor in the cold and there we try to offer our heart to the Lord what worship that will be. It will be a hundred times better than what we did today. The reality is there.

Oh our shadows. Take away the reality brothers and sisters. We who are living in so-called free countries. Do you think? The shaking has not begun yet it has you find that everything in our Christian life Individually and together collectively has been challenged.

The Testing and Shaking of Christian Faith

Every Christian value is being challenged. Every Christian doctrine is being challenged. Every Christian experience is to be challenged. We cannot take things for granted anymore. Our faith our hope our love have all been Tested and tested and tested.

Thank God. Of course. It is not a pleasant experience to be shaken. Especially things are being shaken off and We are reduced and reduced and reduced and we wonder what will be left. The brothers and sisters it is so exciting.

I because all these that must be shaken. Let them be shaken. Because they cannot be brought into the eternal kingdom anyway, oh I cling to these things. Let these things go. Oh brothers and sisters if you have the full revelation the full life of Jesus Christ.

You can see that what is shaken off. It's but the shadow the shadow may make you big, but there's no substance in it. It's vanity, but when the shadow is shaken off. That which remains is the kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Any believers today have their faith tested many believers today have their love? The Lord Jesus say when he shall return. Will there be faith upon this earth? And because our lawlessness being in rampant the love of many will go cold.

Will your love for your brothers and sisters your love for God will be tested. It's already in the testing. Your faith in God your faith in his word Is being tested. Your blessed herb is being tested.

Individually you'll find how many of us today are being tested many trials many temptations many things that come to us today. Things that you do not experience ten years ago. And when you put things together as The body of Christ dear brothers and sisters how we are being tested.

The Unity and Reality of the Body of Christ

What is the body of Christ? Where can you find it? Where it is the unity of the body of Christ? How do you maintain that unity it is not a theory? It is a life and we find. The more you enter into the full light of Jesus Christ the more you'll find everything is being measured and tested and Shaken but thank God.

There is a kingdom That cannot be shaken and that is the kingdom that we are to inherit. So I believe there is a message for us in the letter to the Hebrews. We should be prepared to see the grace shaking in our lives and In our lives and not because there is such great shaking.

We can draw back. Instead we must press on to perfection because that is to come. Will come very soon. He will not delay. So dear brothers and sisters this morning I've got this burden in me. Do we have the full light of God?

If we do is the reality and that will remain Heavenly Father. We do praise and thank thee that thou does not leave us in the dark as thou art shaking the heaven and the earth. Thou dost tell us told us that thou art only shaking off the shadows.

What is thyself in us? Can not be shaken. For how we do praise and thank thee we are the O Lord that thou open our eyes. That under thy full light we may not hold on to the shadows as if they are realities and Miss the reality.

Oh have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us in thy precious name.