Consider Jesus — Stephen Kaung

Will you please turn to the book of Hebrews chapter 12? Hebrews chapter 12. We'll read from verse 25 through verse 29. Hebrews chapter 12 verse 25 through verse 29. See that ye refuse not him that speaks.

For if those Did not escape who had refused him who uttered the oracles 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.

But this yet once Signifies the removing of what is shaken as being made that what is not shaken may remain. Wherefore 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 same book chapter 3 verse 1. Chapter 3 verse 1. Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling Consider the Apostle and high priest of our confession Jesus. May we look to the Lord. Dear Heavenly Father.

Our hearts do rejoice Knowing that Thou has given thy beloved son to us. We do praise and thank thee that even though all things around us are being shaken. Yet thou who art in us remains forever. We do praise and thank thee that we can meet together this morning.

Hebrews and the Coming Shaking

We do commit this time into thy hands and ask thy blessing upon it. For thy praise and glory in the name of our Lord Jesus. In the book of Hebrews was written before AD70. Before the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple.

It was written to the Hebrew believers. That is those Jews Who believe in the Lord Jesus in the first century as a preparation for the catastrophe That was going to fall upon that nation. In other words God was preparing his people.

For what was coming to them very soon the earth as he gave the oracles to the children of Israel. We know that that happened at the Mount of Sinai. When God gave law to the children of Israel God descended upon the mountain in fire and the whole.

The whole mountain it was a terrible sight and even Moses Proclaimed that he was in trembling and in fear. But that was not to be compared. What God has promised that yet once God will not only shake the earth But he will also shake the heaven.

And we know it is a quotation from Haggai Chapter 2 verse 6. Now indeed that prophecy in Haggai chapter 2 verse 6 That once yet once God will not only shake the earth, but also shake the heaven. It will be finally and literally fulfilled at the coming of our Lord Jesus to establish his kingdom upon this earth and If you want to know how it will be fulfilled you can read a book of Revelation.

Because there you'll find how this prophecy will be finally and literally fulfilled, but we know this prophecy is Partially and spiritually fulfilled and the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. Why is it because as we read the context of the book of Hebrews?

You'll find that this is written to the Hebrew believers to prepare them For the great shaking that was coming to them in AD 70. Therefore we know that this prophecy can be partially and can be applied spiritually.

Even to that time if it is John Owen that great Puritan theologian he mentioned that this can refer to The Worship shake the heaven and the earth and the heaven refers to the mosaic worship time of AD 70.

So brothers and sisters We know that chosen by God himself. You remember in Deuteronomy chapter 12? God said after you enter into the land of promise He will choose a place. To put his name there children of Israel must go to that place to offer their sacrifices.

Jerusalem was chosen by God and in Psalm 132 we find that I have chosen Zion To be a place of my habitation. So to the Jews Jerusalem was a heavenly thing not just an earthly thing all in Jerusalem. We remember how?

David in his great love for God he desired to build God a temple to build the temple because he was a man of war and Yet God was pleased with that idea and God promised that his son Solomon would build that temple so both Jerusalem and its temple were always considered by the Jews as things of heaven from God the heaven and its shadows.

Shadows shall pass away Jerusalem a place to the temple and worship God. But all these are Jesus. They still together to into the liberty you find this universe new tended to do under a Kind of this special liberty to our days and to say to us today in a day Something in the future I'm of great shake of situations or situations economic situation.

They shaken nothing is we think that that is real estate now that is real. But this time when I was in Hong Kong you know real estate is no longer real. Because our ability of the communist China to take over Hong Kong.

Well, maybe earlier than that is beginning to come out you'll find real estate just became unreal. Nothing on this earth is real thing that you can hold on as if it will continue. There's not only the earth is being shaken challenged in everywhere Christianity today you'll find even in theological Seminary or coming out where it may be you'll find our very Executions believer it is considered as a crime.

Unreal you remember what our Lord Jesus said great into them. I do believe That we are in a time of great shaking. Thank God for the great shaking. Because Harry the kingdom that cannot be shaken. Then this because there are many things he's shaken off.

Why because they are shadows? They are not the reality of great shaking all these things to happen to us. It is because Christianity today has become so jeweled eyes from above institution a religion living faith had become Judaism a living faith.

But today it has become an Institution become a religion of the coming soon coming of our Lord Jesus He has to deliver us is unreal to that which is real from that which is Outward word reality, and I believe it is for this reason that shaking around the world today a man about Judaism Judaism to one place and That is must travel to Jerusalem to worship.

God they Jerusalem and in the temple a set of laws and commandments and With the Ten Commandments all the statues and the ordinances and the precepts. They have a set of laws to govern them. Number three they have an intermediatory class.

The Levites they love him then God would bless them Judaism or fear God then God will bless them with many children that God will of life the law of interpret the interpretation of the Revised before them and then another generation came here's arrived and they came to interpret the interpretation of the Interpretation of the great teachers of the law of God Jesus you remember the law said you keep the traditions of the fathers and you'll violate the law of God in the Appalachian today has been completely my church is some Country may be made up, but not he's of worship and o 'clock to 11 o 'clock that you'll find you're being entertained.

Not God is worship, but you are entertained and if you're not well entertained. Probably you had to go to another place of worship to be better entertained. And now you'll find another thing you'll find that even with lots of so-called believers.

They go to worship. Maybe once a year on Christmas Day, and if you're better, maybe twice a year on Easter, too but anyway you find that today worship among in Christianity is restricted to place conversation with the Samaritan woman.

Worshiping in Spirit and Truth

When the conscience of the Samaritan woman was awakened by the Lord. She began to ask about this matter of worship. So she inquired of the Lord and said we Samaritans worship on this mountain that is Mount Gerizim.

But you Jews worship in Jerusalem in the temple now which is correct. You remember the Lord said woman. The time is coming and now is everything or in Jerusalem in the temple but God is a spirit and is seeking for true worshipers those who worship him in spirit and in truth.

Dear brothers and sisters. What in your faith is that we worship the father in spirit? It is to a place or to a time worship him all everywhere. We worship him in truth now. It is true together to worship him in that when you are alone you don't need to worship him.

It is no longer a matter of place or time. It is spirit and truth but unfortunately to many Christians today Worship is still a matter of time and space. It is as if you Worship God on Sunday, but from Monday to Saturday.

It's your time. You can do whatever you like. You can worship Mormon Mammon if you want to but on Sunday you come to worship God. But you know the Bible said a man cannot serve two masters. You cannot say so God and so mammon Christianity Has been judaized it has become a religion instead of a living faith.

The Law of the Spirit and the Priesthood of Believers

Second in Judaism you'll find a set of laws. God gave them the Ten Commandments and all the precepts and ordinances and all these Statutes. Now do we have these in Christianity God give us? 11 Commandments is our life to be governed as a Christian by rules and regulations.

Read the Bible you'll find with us. There is only one law and that is the law of the spirit of life. In other words God has put his Holy Spirit in us and The spirit of life is the law That governs our living.

But dear brothers and sisters today how many? Believers are still governed by the rules and regulations of the church that they belong to instead of being ruled by the spirit of God within. They still walk an outward way of rules and regulations and that is judaized.

Christianity number three in Judaism you'll find an Intermediatory class called the priesthood. But in the New Testament We are told in first Peter chapter 2 verse 5 as we come to the Lord. We are all living stones being built up together a spiritual house a holy priesthood.

In other words in the new covenant there is the universal priesthood of believers. Every believer is a priest. We do not have an intermediary class between us and God our Lord Jesus is the only mediator between us and God.

Today through our Lord Jesus we can come directly to God we can worship him. We can serve him because all of us believers are priests. But dear brothers and sisters is this true in Christianity today.

You find in Christianity today There is still the so-called the sacred class and the laity. In other words you are the layman and all the layman are required to do is to Pay their due and also to attend Sunday meeting and all the spiritual works are Being monopolized by a class of people called the sacred they are Being set apart to Do all the things for you dear brothers and sisters.

This is not living faith. This is a religion. This is Judaistic Christianity number four. In Judaism you find there is a group of promises. But all these promise physical and the children of Israel are God's Earthly people are God's heavenly people.

Do you notice in the Bible? In the New Testament that God has blessed us with in Christ Jesus now that does not mean that God does not Supply us with our daily bread. Certainly he still takes care of our physical need but remember that the blessings that God has promised to his church are Spiritual and heavenly.

But today dear brothers and sisters Does it sometimes confuse you when you hear what today is very popular in this country called? Prosperity the Lord Jesus eventually Prosper you materially. You don't need to drive a Chevrolet you can drive a Cadillac.

Christianity as Living Revelation Rather Than Tradition

It dies. Christianity Judaism Christianity. Brothers and sisters Christianity in the beginning is a revelation from above the Heavenly Father Revealed his son in us. It is a living faith but today We find there's very little revelation known among God's people.

But there is a lot of tradition. In other words the way that we act the way that we do. Why do we do this way? Why do we gather this way or? Whatever is connected with your so-called religious life is actually based on tradition.

It is because your fathers have been doing that your grandfathers have been doing that. You do not have a living revelation from God. Everything is based on tradition. Not on revelation now. We do not mean that today you can have new revelation extra to the Bible.

Of course not all the revelations of God are Contained in the Bible. We cannot have new revelation extra to the Bible. But still whatever is revealed in the Bible must be revealed to you, too. That is revelation.

Then it will be real the word of God the logos of God has to become Rhema to you has to become a living life to you. But today dear brothers and sisters. Unfortunately you find that many believers live on traditions.

They do not have that Revelation from above it is for this reason you'll find Christianity today has been totally Judized instead of giving us Christ. It has become a substitute for Christ. God is very jealous about it.

Christ Alone in the Transfiguration

Do you remember the story on the Mount of Transfiguration. There you'll find our Lord Jesus took his three disciples to that Mount of Transfiguration and He was transfigured. It was a preview of the kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Moses and Elijah appeared and they talked with our Lord Jesus about his exit how he will leave the world and you remember how Peter as If he just awoke from his slumber and he saw that scene it was so wonderful.

So he blurted out and said it is good to be here. Let us make three tabernacles one for you Lord one for Moses and one for Elijah. He thought he was being very generous because he and John and James they were just sleeping open air but the moment he say that God took away Moses and took away Elijah and a cloud a bright cloud Covered them and they heard the voice.

This is my beloved son. Hear him. When they opened their eyes. They saw no one but Jesus only. Why? It is because God is very jealous for his son. When Peter tried to put Moses and Elijah on the same footing and the Lord Jesus God say now.

You cannot do that. Not only you cannot substitute Moses for Christ or Elijah for Christ you cannot even put Moses and Elijah on the same footing as Christ. God took away Moses discharged Elijah. Because God said this is my beloved son.

Hear him. Dear brothers and sisters the same jealous God is Jealous for his son today, and I believe it is for this reason at least this is one of the reasons why? God is shaking the heaven and shaking the earth today.

God wants to free us from Christianity as a religion. Into the fullness of Christianity has become a substitute for Christ today. Christianity has deceived us thinking that we have Christ. But dear brothers and sisters we need to wake up and see that all things that are Considered as Christianity are being shaken today.

From External Religion to Spiritual Reality

You will not have Christianity anymore. There are many places in the world. You cannot find a definite place of worship. You cannot go to a place called a place of worship. There are many places in the world there cannot be a fixed time of worship.

If you want to worship God you have to worship him in spirit and in truth. Whatever is external whatever is an ism. If however is a religion you will find it will go no longer exist. Why. Because God wants us to get the reality.

We are in a day when rules and regulations will not hold anymore. It is the Spirit of God within us and he never leaves us nor forsake us. We are living a day when God will take away all those people whom we depend upon.

As if our faith in God depends upon these people but God will take them away. You have to see that you have to worship God and serve him directly. We are living a time when you'll find even our properties everything will be taken away from us.

Even our life is in jeopardy. Will you still believe God? Will your faith be still vibrant and living? We are living a day when traditions will all crumble down. They will not be able to support you. Unless you have revelation from above and that will keep you through any trials and persecutions.

Brothers and sisters We believe that God allows this great shaking to happen to the world today is for our good. And it is time for us to wake up to see and let all these things that can be shaken shaken away.

Do not cling on to these things let all these things go because sooner or later they will go. Be shaken. Oh how we thank God. That anything that is made. Anything that belongs to the old creation? Anything that belongs to man you will find all these things will be shaken away.

Only that which is God which is of Christ Will remain forever. So it is Time for us to Understand what is going on in this world today that we may not Be despair, but instead we may press on into that which God has called us now brothers and sisters as We are in this time of great shaking.

Considering Jesus in a Time of Crisis

What should we do? You'll find in Hebrews chapter 3 verse 1 it is said girl of the heavenly calling. Consider the Apostle and high priest of our confession Jesus. When we are in great shaking it is the time for us to consider.

Now is any time for us to consider? Surely it is. But what are you to consider. Some people consider and say well? There will be nuclear war coming lead to the desert it is probably you will be hit but if you live in a far away desert then You can be saved.

All people say great famine will be coming. What will you do consider? Store food and It becomes a great big business. Dehydrated food becomes a big business. But the thing is if you have food and nobody else have are you able to eat it?

Then you say well buy guns. To protect yourself to protect your food. Brothers and sisters you'll find not only the worldly people. But even Christians are considering all these things. Isn't that foolish?

What should we consider? The Bible tells us consider. Yes, we need to consider, but what should we consider? We should consider Not all these things, but consider one person Jesus. This is a time that we shall consider Jesus the Apostle and the high priest of our confession.

Brothers and sisters there is nothing that can save us this great shaking but the Lord Jesus. Now who is this Jesus that we must consider? He is the apostle and the high priest of our confession. Or Jesus is the apostle of our confession.

Jesus as the Apostle of Our Confession

What does it mean an? Apostle means one who is being sent. Who is sent on a mission? Jesus is the apostle of our confession. He is sent by God into this world. As an apostle to represent God no one has ever seen the father.

But the son has declared him. The Lord Jesus said if you see me you see my father. Why because he is the apostle of? God. God has sent him into this world to represent him and what a Representation what a perfect representation.

He is he has not misrepresented God in any way. You find he has represented God perfectly by seeing the Lord Jesus. We see God. The father he is the apostle of God. He was sent on a mission to Fulfill the work of Redemption.

And here you'll find our Lord Jesus as he was on the cross. Before he died he say it is finished. What is finished his mission is fulfilled. Is accomplished. What God has sent him to accomplish has been accomplished.

He has died for us. He has fulfilled the work of Redemption and not only that but the Bible said he is risen from the dead and he has now entered into heaven as Our leader. In other words he has opened a way for us to heaven.

Dear brothers and sisters. Consider our Lord Jesus as the apostle of our Confession and in considering him as the apostle of our confession. What should we do? Very simple hear him. Hear him. He is the apostle God therefore hear him.

Listen to him. What he says to us is true. What he has done for us is True open for us is true. Believe in him follow him. Because he is a puzzle of our confession. Do not follow me. Do not hear what man says but hear him and Follow him.

He is the apostle of God only the apostle of our confession. The Bible say he also the high priest of our company when he was on earth. He was the apostle of our confession. Now he is in heaven. He is the high priest of our confession brothers and sisters.

Jesus as the High Priest Who Intercedes

Apostle he represents God the priest. He is representing us. Before God us know him as the apostle know what he did on earth. But probably many of us are not very well acquainted With him as a high priest.

What is the Lord doing today in heaven? I often remember that story about an elderly sister. When she wanted to be baptized it was the custom of those days that she had to go through a kind of Examination of her faith, so she was brought in before a group of elders sitting there you know and of course she was frightened and they began to Question her faith and asking her various questions and one of the question asked was what is the Lord doing in heaven today?

And this sister really didn't know so she answered and said the Lord was standing in heaven looking down Upon the earth and looking at me to find fault with me. That was what the Lord Jesus was doing today in heaven of course we know that's not true.

Our Lord Jesus Seated right hand of the father. What does it mean by seated? Sit it means that the work of redemption is done. If the work of redemption is not finished that he cannot sit he has to stand.

But now you'll find our Lord Jesus sits at the right hand of the father. Why. Because on earth he has finished the work of redemption it is finished but that doesn't mean he sit there and Take nap because he has nothing to do.

Everything is done. Not at all the Bible said he sits at the right hand of God. He lived it forever Making intercession for us and he is able to save those who come through him To God to save them to the uttermost.

Dear brothers and sisters our Lord Jesus. It's very very busy in heaven today. Not because his work on earth is unfinished it is finished. But because there is something more to be done. He is there Representing you and me.

Thank God for that. Brothers and sisters, do you know that if you do not know Christ as the Apostle you will never be saved. Do you know that if you do not know Christ as your high priest you can never live a Christian life.

Why is there so many believers today? They believe in the Lord Jesus. They are saved and yet they are struggling through their Christian life. Why? It is because they do not know the Lord Jesus as their high priest.

Remember you have Christ Jesus Representing you in the very presence of God the Father. He is there for you Representing you. He is there making intercession for you. You may not know how to pray for yourself, but he knows even when you're not praying he is praying for you.

And where your prayer is weak. He adds his prayer to your prayer. Brothers and sisters, do you not know that he is there able to save you to the uttermost? What is meant by a priest? What is meant by the high priest?

It means Through him you're able to Enter and to live in the very presence of God and to please God. By yourself you cannot. Lots of believers today are trying to live by themselves. To live the life of Christ by themselves.

They try to live up to a standard and they want to be good Christians, but it all self-effort they. They mean well, and they really put their whole Being into it, but the more you try the more you'll find it is impossible.

You cannot do that. But don't you know you have a high priest? One who is now in heaven. But who has come to this earth once He was he is sympathetic with you. Not because he is strong. He is not sympathetic.

He's sympathetic with you because he was tempted in all things just like we are but without sin. He is not only able to sympathize with you. He is able To support you. He will carry you through. He is your high priest brothers and sisters depend on him.

Through him by him. That is something we need to learn. You cannot live as a Christian if you do not live by him. If you do not depend on him, oh. Come to him look to him. He is your high priest. Cry to him.

Approach him with boldness and you will find Mercy. You will receive grace for your seasonable help. Brothers and sisters consider him. Consider Jesus your high priest. What do you mean by knowing him as your high priest?

The High Priesthood and the Ministry of the Spirit

Now sometimes we think that he is a high priest there. He's sitting heaven far far from us. You know and there he is praying for us, and is that all he does just pray for us. Well, you do not know the power of prayer as he pray for us.

You know what happened days for us. The Holy Spirit within us begins to work. You do not see Christ as the high priest. Separated from the ministry of the Holy Spirit as a matter of fact. He's being high priest is connected with the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Because when he ascended up on high God has Anointed him in psalm 133 you'll find the oil comes down from Aaron's head. That's the high priest and the oil began to flow down through a whole body. Even to the skirt hem of the skirt.

So you find that he's being high priest is Closely related with the ministry of the Holy Spirit in us. As our Lord Jesus pray and he prays according to God you know sometimes We pray we do not know what we pray for we pray on this.

But when he prays he prays according to God and God hears him and the Holy Spirit Begins to work in our life. Dear brothers and sisters the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives today is The result of the high priestly function of our Lord Jesus.

You know the Holy Spirit is working in you as he is working in you. He is bringing you Into Christ our Lord Jesus is a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. That is he is a high priest in the power of indissoluble life in the power of eternal life.

That is the way he is our high priest. And dear brothers and sisters you can experience this. How you can experience the power of the eternal life within you? Oh? Thank God there is his life in you. And this life is eternal life indissoluble life this life is a Conquering life this life is a glorious life.

This life is a life that has been tested and has been proven. Brothers and sisters this life is in you and You experience this life the power of this life in you through the Holy Spirit. And that is the work of our Lord Jesus as our high priest brothers and sisters He is representing us before God and through his prayer and Through the working of the Holy Spirit.

He is bringing us into maturity. He is bringing us into glory. Everything Is shaken around us. But brothers and sisters if it is Christ It is unshakable. What is the kingdom that we are to inherit? What is the kingdom?

On the mount of Transfiguration you can see what is the principle of the kingdom. The principle of the kingdom is the son. He is the principle of the kingdom. He is the kingdom and That kingdom cannot be shaken.

So dear brothers and sisters. If you find something being shaken off from you don't worry about it. If it can be shaken it will be shaken sooner or later. And it's much better if it's sooner. That we be not deceiving anyway, but thank God dear brothers and sisters.

We know there is something in us that cannot be shaken. God has given us. He is the kingdom that cannot be shaken. Oh that we may enter into that kingdom abundantly. Do not enter into that kingdom as one barely saved.

But as Peter said let us enter into the kingdom abundantly and What does that mean it means with much of Christ oh. That we may know him. Let us consider him let us think about him. Meditate on him ask him to feel us.

Closing Prayer: Knowing Christ in Resurrection Power

Because he is the only one that cannot be shaken and thank God He is yours. Shall we pray dear Heavenly Father. We do praise and thank thee as we see all things around us are being shaken. And oftentimes we find ourselves being shaken.

But we thank thee we know there's something in us that cannot be shaken. It is thy son our Christ our father. We do pray that thou will open our eyes deliver us from. Anything that is just traditional Religious, but Lord we pray that we may have the reality.

We may have that which is eternal. We ask the old Lord teach us how to consider Jesus the apostle and high priest of our confession. We pray that we may know him and the power of his resurrection in fellowship with his sufferings conformed to his death.

That we may also arrive at our resurrection from among the dead. Oh Our father we pray that I will put thy son before us. That we may not consider this or that thing. Knowing that all this or that will be shaken away.

But Lord we pray that we may consider thy son our Lord Jesus. Oh give thy son to us abundantly. We want him and him alone in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.