Forgiveness in the kingdom of God (Matthew18:21-35) by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Weekly Message: Forgiveness in the kingdom of God (Matthew18:21-35)

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

            Messiah Christ Jesus taught a lesion of forgiveness, unveiled in the Matthew 18:21-35. When Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you not seven times, but seventy seven times” (Matt.18:22). Why Jesus emphasized the importance of forgiveness that we must forgive those who sin against us, not only seven times, but seventy seven times? For it matters to the forgiveness in the kingdom of God. If we do not forgive a brother from our heart today, we will not be allowed to enter into the kingdom in the coming age.  

            The judgment seat of Christ about the forgiveness in his coming, Jesus used “a king who desired to settle accounts with his salves” as parable to explain the forgiveness in the kingdom. “One owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him, “Be patient with me”, he begged, and “I will pay back everything.” The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarili. He grabbed him and began to choke him. Pay back what you owe me! He demanded. His follow servant fell to his knees and begged him, “be patient with me. And I will pay you back.”  But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.” When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. “you wicked servant.” He said, “I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” in anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.

Implication of Matt.18:23-35           

             Ten thousand talents such a large amount indicates that it was impossible for the debtor to pay off the debt. This refers to the heavy debt of our sins against the Lord accumulated after we are saved. The forgiveness of our debts incurred after we are saved and become salves of the Lord. One owed a hundred denarili symbolizes that once we face a brother sin committed against us after we are saved and become salve of the Lord. Not forgive the brother who sins against us will grieve the other brothers, and they may bring this matter to the Lord. The Lord’s dealing with His believers at His coming back. If we do not forgive the brother who sins against us, we will be disciplined by the Lord until we forgive him from the heart. Until we repay all that is owed, The Lord will forgive us. This is forgiveness in the kingdom of God. This implies that if we do not forgive a brother from our heart today, we will not be allowed to enter into the kingdom in the coming age.   

            Turn to him the other cheek (Matthew5:38-42) is the most difficult lesion to Christianity. Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." but I tell you that you are not to seek revenge of an injury. Whoever strikes you on the cheek, turn the other to him also. Whoever wants to sue you for the shirt on your back let him have your coat as well. Whoever forces you to go one mile with him, consent to go two, give to whoever begs of you, and do not turn your back upon him who wants to borrow.

             My friends, can you fulfill these commands? Can you let go all the hurts the man had done to you? No, you can't, but Jesus did. That's why we need Jesus to be our savior and redeemer. Jesus has been carried all the hurts for us on the cross since 2000 years ago. When you got hurts, just look at cross, and call upon the name of Jesus, and say, “Lord, please heal me, I let all the hurts go and hand it over to the cross". 

Bibliography,

                     

                      Bruce, Katherine L. Weekly Message: Forgiveness in the kingdom of God (Matthew 18:          21-35)  Orlando, FL: Christian Arts Ministries, 2016.         

                Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3^rd Chicago: The University of Chicago press,2000.

                 Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.

                 Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

                 Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

                 Strong, James. Strong’s: the expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010. 

The destruction of Amorite coalition and implication of Joshua10:1-43 by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

My friends, are you the will of God and predestination to be King? Are you a King, heart of God’s own heart and walk in the way to please the Lord? Gibeonites faced five kings joined the force against them, how to defeat these huge army? Who helped them to conquer the battle? Who were the true authority and power in the military to defeat the enemy?  Today, we will learn the battle in O.T. book of Joshua 10: 1-43 and discover the destruction of the Amorite coalition and the victory of Israelites.  When the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel, they were living near them. The king of Jerusalem-Adoni-Zedek appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon for the coalition in order to attach Gibeon, because the people of Gibeon had made peace with Joshua and the Israelites. These five kings of the Amorites joined forces. And moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it. (Joshua10:5)

               When there is nation crisis, to whom will you seek for help? It is significant element to win the battle.   The Gibeonites asked Joshua for help and said, “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined force against us.”  So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” ((Joshua10:6-7).

The Lord’s hand is with Joshua and the army of Israelites, the Lord demonstrated three supernatural powers to defeat the Amorites forces. 

1.      The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah.
2.       The Lord casted down the large hailstones on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “O Sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon. So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
3.      The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel. (Joshua 10:10-14).

There are three different assumptions to view this phenomenon supernatural event.

1)      Some assume a slowing or suspending of the normal rotation of the earth so that there were extra hours that day (either twelve or twenty four). God did this so that Joshua’s forces could complete their victory before the enemy had a night for rest and regrouping. The Hebrew for stood still is a verb of motion, indicating a slowing or stopping of the rotation of the earth on its axits which would not affect the earth’s movement around the sun.

2)      Some assumes no irregularity in the rotation of the earth. One such view argues for the prolonging of daylight by some sort of unusual refraction of the sun’s rays. Therefore, there were more daylight hours but not more hours in the day.

3)      Some view supposes a prolonging of semi-darkness to give Joshua’s men relief from the blazing summer sun, accomplished by God’s sending an unusual summer hailstorm. This view takes stood still in verse 13 to mean “be still” or “cease”, indicating that the sun was clouded by the storm and no extra hours were added to the day.  

The Lord defeated the Amorite coalition and has given five kings into Joshua’s hand. The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites. And they brought the five kings out of the cave (where they had fled and hidden) to Joshua. Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings. So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks. Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” Then Joshua struck and killed the kings and hung them on five trees until evening. (vv.24-26)    

 Joshua gained the battle, and took the Makkedah city, Libnah city, Lachish city, Eglon city, Hebron city, Debir, and whole region including the hill county the Negev.  He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel fought for Israel. (v.42)                         

The Implication of Joshua 10: 1-43

1.       Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, where there is God’s will and predestination, there will be the strength and victory. God fought for Joshua’s battle to defeat the coalition of five kings by sent nature disaster - hailstones, miraculously, none of the hailstones harmed the Israelites.

2.      Human need to submit and acknowledge God’s predestination. When Moses pointed out Joshua to be the leader, God’s face shine upon the Joshua and fight for his battle. Joshua is the will of God to inherit Moses’ leadership and fulfill God’s calling to lead His people into the Canaan the land of milk and honey. When there is God’s will and predestination, God fought Gibeonites battle for the sake of Israelites.

3.      Be humble; seek right God and godly council. The reason resulted of the destruction of the Amorite coalition, because Gibeonites humble asked Joshua’s help and the Lord is with Joshua, God’s favor is upon the Joshua and the Israelites. Even there were five kings Adoni-Zedek, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon joined forces to against Gibeon and attacked it. With Lord’s help, Joshua saved the people of Gibeon and defeated the forces of Amorite.

4.      Don’t be frustrated and don’t resist God’s will and predestination, if you are not God’s will and predestination in His timing, eve the coalition of fives kings, it can results destruction. Joshua struck and killed the five kings who had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah and subdued the entire city, conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. (Joshua10:42).

5.      When you are the predestination of God, God listen to your prayers and petition. When the Lord fought for Israel, the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, and answered Joshua’s prayers. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel.” (Joshua10:14).  

Bibliography,

                    

                        Bruce, Katherine L. Weekly Message:  The destruction of Amorite coalition and implication of Joshua 10: 1-43. Orlando, FL: Christian Arts Ministries, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSBBbmeaM9Q&feature=share                     

                Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3^rd Chicago: The University of Chicago press,2000.

                 Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.

                 Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

                 Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

                 Strong, James. Strong’s: the expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010. 

Biblical interpretation of religion by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

 My friends, do you have faith in the Lord? Do you hold your hope in your religion? When there are no help surround you, do you keep your faith and hope in the Lord and love Him? Some of you may give up their hope in religion, some of you, yet, keep steadfast love to the Lord who you trust.

  Today, Let us discover Biblical interpretation of religion and historical heroes in Old Testament and New Testament as examples to interpret the religion’s hope. What kind of hope do you have in the religion? What kind of religion do you rely on? What God do you trust in? Do you replace God with your own authority, wealth, power, self, as King Soul in the O.T. who replaced God with his own power and authority to offer the sacrifices on the altar without counsel and waited upon the Prophet Samuel. King Soul lacked the patience and self-center, it resulted Prophet Samuel regretted to anoint him as king.

 My friends, every step of your life journey, do you seek godly counsel and wait upon the Lord in his divine timing? Historical heroes in the Bible, there were many good examples who laid the foundation of religion’s hope, faith and love in the Lord, and they received the honor, wealth, and good name. Religion’s hope, faith and trust in the Lord, it leads people to overcome the circumstance and obstacle.  For example, in Old Testament,

1.    Josepha’s faith in the Lord, even through his brothers mistreated him and sold him to the Egypt, with faithfulness and patience waited upon the Lord, he gained the honor and wealth to save his people, included his family.
2.   Daniel’s faithfulness in prayers and trusted in the Lord, he defeated his enemies who set a trap for him to fall.  
3.  Job suffered the sickness and faced the death of his family; his faith was tested by Satan. Yet, God vindicated for him, healed him and rescued him from Satan’s torment.  
4.  Elisha’s hope and persistence to follow Elijah, it resulted him received the double portion of Elijah’s spirit.   

In New Testament, Father vindicated Jesus is Son of God. As Son of Man, Jesus faced his own people Jewish’s persecution, and be killed on the cross, yet, through the resurrection, Jesus revealed himself as Son of God to awaken Saul, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Saul suffered blindness three days; it led him to become Apostle Paul.

  My friends, what kind of hope do you have in religion? Do you expect to be wealth person, and gain a lot of money to approve your religion? Through the historical heroes’ examples, it tells us implicitly that religion reflects the Hope, Faith and Love in the Lord. This hope enable you to stand still, as Moses when he was  overwhelmed, and frustrated by his people’s complaints, God empowered him  with His divine power  to overcome all kinds of challenging and circumstances.    

Conclusion  

 What shall we interpret the religion based on the Biblical Precepts? The concepts of Religion consists three elements: Love, Faith, and Hope. He who loves the Lord with all his heart and all his mind and all his strength will enable him to has Faith in the Lord. He who trusts in the Lord with all his heart will keep in perfect peace and keep his mind steadfast. Hope in the Lord and wait upon the Lord patiently, knowing that seek his kingdom and righteousness, all his needs will be met.  My friends, every step of your life journey, do you seek godly counsel and wait upon the Lord in his divine timing? Biblical Precepts of religion lead you to understand that religion consist fundamental elements: Love, Faith, and Hope, once you love Lord deeply, you will have faith in His word, and wait for Him patiently with hope.  May God strengthen you to keep hope in the Lord and wait patiently in His divine time. 

Bibliography,

 Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3^rd Chicago: The University of Chicago press,2000.

Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.

Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

 

 Strong, James. Strong’s: the expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010.