App
First Day of Unleavened Bread 2019—LIVE
Put on the new man who is being renewed
Fred R. Coulter—April 20, 2019
- PDF | Audio | [Up]
Greetings, everyone! Welcome to the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! This first day is on a regular Sabbath. It's interesting what a counterfeit that Satan has designed. Tomorrow is Easter. That's in celebration of Ishtar the goddess of Babylon.
I was getting a haircut the other day and the gal asked me, 'Are you all ready for Easter?' I said, 'No! I don't observe it!' She being a Catholic and from Mexico, she said, 'You don't observe it?' No! Easter bunnies do not lay hardboiled chicken eggs colored and tattooed! She's going down to Mexico where Easter bunnies lay hardboiled chicken eggs colored and tattooed. It's interesting!
This is why there was such a great calendar problem in the 1500s—I forget which year—because Easter was not close to Passover at that time. They were still using the Julian calendar in Rome, and the Julian calendar was off a quarter of a day every year. So, over the centuries it was a ten-day period; it was in October. But the way they did it was they had Oct. 4th to catch up the next day was Oct. 15th.
God works differently. His calendar has been true and correct from the beginning. Why is that? Because on the fourth day He set it in motion at that time! He had to set it in motion at that time, because who needs the sun and gravity to find their way on the earth? Many animals, birds, fish! So, that had to be all set before He created them!
When we come to the Holy Days, God has done something very interesting. The carnal mind is enmity against God, and not subject to the Law of God! So, they look for every excuse not to do what God says. When everyone does what is right in his own eyes that is called Iawlessness! What did Jesus say would happen before His return? Lawlessness would be multiplied! He didn't say increased, multiplied!
We're seeing it in this generation because God made our human mind to receive the Laws of God, the Truth of God and His Spirit! But human beings must choose, because He didn't want to create robots.
When we come to the Holy Days and the Feasts, God has done something very, very special. It says in one of the Proverbs, 'It's the glory of God to hide something, but it is the glory of the king to discover it.'
God did this very cleverly by putting in the only place in the entire Bible all the Holy Days listed in chronological order with the dates:
Leviticus 23:1—here is what God did: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, "Concerning the appointed Feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations, even these are My appointed Feasts"'" (vs 1-2).
What's the first thing that men and women like to do? It goes clear back to Adam and Eve. They like to add things to what God has said. When you add a little bit here, that's a little leaven. Then what happens? Somebody else comes along and they add a little be more! Then somebody else comes a long and they add little bit more.
So, that's how people are apostatized away from the Truth. Then when they're shown the Truth, it's 'How can that be?'
If I would have continued the conversation with the hairdresser that would have been a disaster, to tell her that she believed absolute lies! People don't like to be told that. Here these are the Feasts of God. What does He start out with? The Sabbath!
Verse 3: "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a Holy convocation. You shall not do any work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings."
How about all the Sunday-keeping. Every one of these Feast days that are listed here are utterly rejected, beginning with the Sabbath, by the Christianity of this world: by the Catholics, by the Protestants, and all the pagan religions also.
Sidebar: We have a man in Cambodia who is there beginning to teach some of the Cambodians. Andrew Moses, the elder from Malaysia, goes over there from time to time. It is astounding how these people react to the Truth.
They've never heard it! There's one man, when he saw the Bible in Its Original Order, said, 'I've been waiting for years to translate one of these.' So, guess what they're doing? They're beginning to translate! Think of that! Steeped in demonism so deeply in that country!
Remember when the Khmer Rouge came? They stacked the skulls up like cordwood. Now a generation later, they're hearing some of the Truth. It's astounding.
Here in America we all have the Bible, same way in Europe, but it is 'old ancient things' that don't count. Yet, God says, 'These belong to Me.' Remember the three words: Obey My voice!
Verse 4: "These are the appointed Feasts of the LORD, Holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month, between the two evenings, is the LORD'S Passover" (vs 4-5).
Exo. 16 gives Biblical proof that between the two evenings is after sunset and before dark.
I got an e-mail from a man who says that 'I have a friend of mine who went to Ambassador College and MIT and he doesn't agree with your interpretation of it.' I told him that Everett Fox, who translated the first five books of Moses said it was between sunset and dark. {note book: The Schocken Bible: The Five Books of Moses Vol. 1 by Everett Fox}
So, this fellow knew Everett Fox, so he asked him if that was true. Everett Fox did not verify that it was true. Why? When I was going through his translation, he had an excellent translation, but in the margin and commentary were pages and pages based upon Jewish tradition. So, he didn't want to 'upset the applecart.' I sent a nice little memo that was very clear about Exo. 16.
We all kept it. What are they going to do? What's going to happen tonight at midnight in Rome? Midnight mass to celebrate the resurrection! Well, Christ has nothing to do with that!
Verse 6: "And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread… [The first time you read that you wonder, what is that?] …to the LORD. You must eat unleavened bread seven days. On the first day you shall have a Holy convocation. You shall not do any servile work therein, but you shall offer a fire offering to the LORD seven days…." (vs 6-8).
Those are the offerings that were at the temple. It says in Deut. 16 that we are to come before God and give an offering. What we do is 'according to the blessing that the Lord your God gives us in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, in the Feast of Weeks and in the Feast of Tabernacles.'
(pause for offering)
1-Cor. 5—Why do I turn there? Very simple! What is one of the excuses that the Protestants use? All these things in the Old Testament was for the Jews and it's already all been fulfilled! Paul taught grace and the love of God, so therefore, we don't have to do those things!
They had a terrible problem of incest, a step-son with his step-mother. They were glorying in the grace of God that this was really quite a thing. Paul says, and here's the love of Paul:
1-Corinthians 5:5: "To deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." Some people will say that's harsh! No, it's necessary and needful. If you think that's harsh, consider the Lake of Fire!
Verse 6: "Your glorying is not good. Don't you know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?"
Here we find the symbolic understanding that leaven is a type of sin. That's true. Look at society! Look how it's multiplying in lawlessness! How did it start? A little leaven!
Let's look at the educational system: They took away the Bible and prayer and here comes lawlessness! So, if you get someone on the street and say, 'Hey, what are you doing?' and you tell them that they shouldn't do that. Well, it's like this:
There was a man who found a bag that came out of an armored truck. How it got out I don't know. But nevertheless, a man found it and turned it in. On the talk show in Los Angeles people were calling in and saying, 'Why did you do that?' It wasn't mine! 'You should have kept it, no one would have known.'
If no one knows, there's no thievery. If you murder, and no one knows that you did it… I saw this special on the man up in Washington who killed 70 women. It was right under their noses all the time. How did he kill 70 women? Because he didn't get caught! A little leaven leavens the whole lump!
Here's what we need to do as human beings, because we have the law of sin and death within us; v 7: "Therefore, purge out the old leaven…" [the old sin that's in there, down there deep ingrained] …so that you may become a new lump… [we are to be the firstfruits unto God] …even as you are unleavened…."
They unleavened their homes, but they weren't unleavening their lives! God is not going to waves a magic wand and all of a sudden you're going to be perfect. That's why He put us in the flesh. Therefore, with God's help and God's laws we overcome.
"…For… [here's the reason. How many people profess to be Christian and follow Christ, but refuse to do what He says. What did Jesus say if you refuse to do it? It's like building a house on the sand! Ken lives in Sand City, he knows what that's like. One big tsunami the whole town is gone! Hope you're not there.
"…For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us. For this reason…" (vs 7-8).
Think about it for just a minute. Because Christ was sacrificed for us, we have to react! Do what God says!
Verse 8: "For this reason let us keep the Feast… [Is that hard to understand? No, it's not!] …not with old leaven… [not you old way, not with your old life, not with your old sins] …nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and Truth." That unleavened bread is Christ!
Let's see what it's like in the world. What does Revelation tell us about Satan? Deceiving the whole world, and the whole world worships Satan! If you want to get killed real quick, go into St. Peter's Basilica and say, 'You're worshipping Satan the devil, all of you!' The Swiss guard will have a sword right through the middle of you. They're blinded because of their sins!
Ephesians 2:1: "Now, you were dead in trespasses and sins." You're the walking dead unless you have the Spirit of Christ!
A lot of people ask why would God do such a thing as killing infants, children, women and so forth, if He's a God of love. They don't understand about the second resurrection. All of those children who would be killed, will they be better off resurrected to a new life where there's peace? Where there's love? Where there is everything that they need? OR to continue to suffer in the circumstances that they are in?
Verse 2: "In which you walked in times past according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working within the children of disobedience."
Especially today! How many people come through television that registers in your mind? Nearly everything that comes along! There's a favorite ad that some people like—My Pillow. At the end there's a little ditty that if I hear it, it takes me three days to erase it. Delores doesn't like it, but I put it on mute when it comes to a My Pillow ad.
- What do we have in our mind?
- How quickly can things be transmitted to our mind? A split second!
Watch this some time when they have an ad that has all kinds of pictures coming up quickly. You mind register's those. So, that's how Satan is inner-working "…in the children of disobedience."
Verse 3: "Among whom also we all once had our conduct in the lusts of our flesh, doing the things willed by the flesh and by the mind…"
Some people think that 'if we could get all good people together, we'll solve all our problems.' Really? How many millions of times has that been tried in the history of the world? Adam and Eve thought that they could get along just find without God.
"…and were by nature the children of wrath, even as the rest of the world" (v 3)—because the thing they don't understand is that the laws and commandments of God are automatic! Just like all the laws that govern the world. His laws are made to govern us, by our choices to obey God. When we don't, things happen! Can't avoid it! God made it that way!
Because our choice have been wrong, here's what God has done; v 4: "But God, Who is rich in mercy because of His great love…" His love is so great that He sent Christ to redeem us] …with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, has made us alive together with Christ. (For you have been saved by grace.)" (vs 4-5).
Remember when you were called. There was one minute in time that you understood that you needed God. If you answered that, then you're answering the call of God. How many people does that come to, but it doesn't register? That answers the question about many are called but few are chosen!
Why are we chosen—and all the people of God—but not the world? They did not respond to God with repentance, baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit of God. That's just the way it is! It's just like saying that you're going to drop something so it will go up.
Verse 7: "So that in the ages that are coming He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." God is doing a work in all of us to prepare us to take over the world! Think about what a big task that is.
Verse 8: "For by grace you have been saved through faith… [your faith and the faith of Christ, or God's faith back to us] …and this especially is not of your own selves…"
It's not because you do something worthy that God must respond. The only thing you can do that is worthy, that God will respond to, is if you repent!
"…it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one may boast" (vs 8-9).
That's why we have the book of Job! Think about that for a minute! Job was blameless in his behavior, but he was a dirty, rotten sinner within! He even thought that his righteousness was greater than God's. His three friends who came to console him couldn't see that, until the fourth friend came and said, 'Job, do you think it's right for you to say that your righteousness is greater than God's?' I wish God would come and talk to me! You know the rest of the story, God did! Job repented! Same way with us!
- Why does God do this?
- What is God up to?
- Because God is perfecting us, and that is a step-by-step project!
Verse 10: "For we are His workmanship, being created…"
You don't go along and say, 'Look how much I have improved and changed.' No! What happens? God's Spirit let's you realize the inner depth of the sin within! You can't say, 'I'm so good! I've been in the Church 50 years!' Nonsense!
"…being created in Christ Jesus… [let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus] …unto the good works…" (v 10).
- How are we going to be judged?
- By intent? No!
- By faith? Partially!
- By the works produced by the faith that God gives us to respond to Him!
"…that God ordained beforehand… [When was His plan devised? Before the foundation of the world!] …in order that we might walk in them" (v 10). That's quite something!
John 6—We'll cover a little bit what we covered on Passover night, but I tell you what, the whole Gospel of John is just a tremendous and unbelievable book. To can study it, go over it again and again, and you're going to learn something every time!
John 6:47: "Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes…" This is a present tense participle in the Greek, which means the one who is believing continually. Not just an acknowledgement that there was a man called 'Christ.'
"…the one who believes in Me has eternal life" (v 47).
You have the down payment of it, and if you're faithful—and stay faithful going down the road—you have eternal life, and you'll be in the resurrection!
Verse 48: "I AM the Bread of Life. Your fathers ate manna in the desert, but they died. This is the Bread, which comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die. I AM the living Bread, which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this Bread, he shall live forever…" (vs 48-51).
- Isn't that interesting?
- Why is it put into that frame?
I believe that it's this way: God's Truth has to be in our mind and He's there busy writing it in IF we're responding to Him.
Hebrews 10:16: "…I will give My Laws into their hearts, and I will inscribe them in their minds." That's a process that's going on!
That's why we're here. It's like if you eat food, what does that food do? It goes into your stomach and it's digested, and then your small intestine separates it all out and sends this to that part of the body, and this to another part of the body. If you drink too much you're going to be wasted out. That's just the way it works.
That's what God wants with us spiritually speaking! In our mind we eat the Word of God by reading it. That's why we say to study and pray!
John 6:51: "…and the bread that I will give is even My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
We're part of God's plan that is so great, I mean eternal! So great! That is the fantastic thing of it. But when people get into 'church' or 'religion' after a while it becomes a routine. Then it is that they are going through the motions rather than daily going through prayer and study to grow and overcome.
- What happens when too many people do that?
- Who comes?
A truism you need to learn: Whenever God is left out, Satan fills in! Always!
Verse 52: "Because of this, the Jews were arguing with one another, saying, 'How is He able to give us His flesh to eat?' Therefore, Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves'" (vs 52-53).
Think of what that must have meant to those Jews. Here they are, 'We're always right. Never been wrong. We can tell you that. Here's this man, a Galilean telling us! They didn't like that.
Verse 54: "The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up in the last day."
They're probably saying, 'This man is insane! He wants us to become cannibals.' Not true! This is symbolic! hat's why He had it written down, so we have the words of God.
Verse 55: "For My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink." He was just grinding it into those Jews! Just imagine what they were thinking. 'Who is this guy.'
Verse 56: The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood is dwelling in Me, and I in him."
- How can a person dwell in a person? We understand it, it's spiritual! God's Spirit.
- What is the abode in our mind? The Father and Christ! 'We will make Our abode with him.'
That is really grace upon grace with that one. Here's the key, what does all of this mean? That' how we are to live!.
Verse 57: "As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father; so also the one who eats Me shall live by Me."
That's why we have the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We are not perfect, and never will be perfect in the flesh. So, the process is greater conversion as we go along. Part of this was prophesied in the Psalms.
Psalm 34:8: "O taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. O fear the LORD, all you saints, for there is nothing lacking to those who fear Him" (vs 8-9). There it was in the Old Testament right there!
This is type of what it is with us; Jeremiah 15:16: "Your words were found, and I ate them; and Your Word was to me the joy and gladness of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. I did not sit in the circle of revelers, nor rejoice; I sat alone because of Your hand; for You have filled me with indignation" (vs 16-17)—because of the message that he had to give!
Much like in Rev. 10 that John was told by the angel to 'take this book and eat it; it will be sweet in your mouth but bitter in your belly.' Poor Jeremiah, 40 years of warning these people. Imagine, one man, a son of a priest from the town of Anathoth. All the men of Anathoth wanted to kill him.
So, if you feel like you're alone sometime, don't worry, God is with you. You have more than what the world has when God is with you! Same way with Ezekiel, he was told to eat.
Let's see how important that this is. This is the heart and core of the series we have: How to Overcome the Sin Within. Remember that David was 'a man after God's heart.' Look at all the Psalms that he wrote. God was so pleased with David that when he contemplating building a house for God he sent Nathan to him and said, 'God is going to make sure that you have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel forever.'
There are some twists and turns in that, but it is true: forever! What did David do? Went out in a cool breeze one night and looked down on the roof of the house below, and there was Bathsheba!
I'm sure that she knew—her husband was gone—that the king always came there every night. When the messenger was sent to come see the king, she didn't say she couldn't because her husband wasn't there. She came! Why did he send the message? He's converted! Think of it!
I'm bringing this out from the point of view that David came that close to losing it. But God was merciful!
Psalm 51:1: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion, blot out my transgressions"—plural, because there were many. This is over a period of ten months altogether.
Verse 2: "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity… [Where is it? Itched in the brain, your mind! That has to be cleansed! Purged!] …and cleanse me from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me" (vs 2-3).
That's what the Holy Spirit of God does. It will not let you get away with it, but it will continue to prick your conscience in hopes that you will not harden your heart!
Verse 4: "Against You…" There were other people involved, but why was it against God? Because God dealt directly with David, and he should not have done this!
"…You only, have I sinned, and done evil in Your sight, that You might be justified when You speak and be in the right when You judge" (v 4).
Doesn't this sound a little bit like Job's repentance, where Job said, 'Ah, now I know no thought can be withheld from You. I am the lowest thing possible.'
Verse 5: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity…" Not because his mother had sinned or anything like that. But because the whole process of human life without God is walking dead (Eph. 2).
"…and in sin did my mother conceive me…. [here is what God wants] …Behold, You desire Truth in the inward parts…" (vs 5-6). In your heart and mind!
- that's why we need the Word of God
- that's why we need to study
Sidebar on read: the Greek word is 'anagnosis.' That means an uplifting of knowledge.
Isn't that what happens when you read? Knowledge!
"…You desire Truth in the inward parts…"—the very depths of your being!
Stop and think about what God is going to judge, and judgment now is on the house of God. What is God going to judge?
- our actions
- our thoughts
- all the secrets of every human being
Remember when David wrote Psa. 139? Tremendous Psalm! 'Where will I go?
- If I go to heaven, You're there!
- If I go to beneath the earth, You're there!
- If I sit down You're there!
- If I stand up, You're there!
You made me, and everything. You know all about me!' God is going to judge the secrets of men!Think about what that's going to do. I hope someone like Hilary would hear that. There are a lot of people who have a lot of secrets they need to get rid of.
"…and in the hidden part… [that no one but God knows] …You shall make me to know wisdom" (v 6).
This is the activity of the unleavened bread. God's Word and God's Spirit inner working with us, with our choices, with our repentance, and everything that we have so that we can be molded to have the character we need. It's going to be a fantastic thing to be a spirit being.
Verse 7: "Purge me with hyssop… [that's like saying get a stainless steel scrubber and go at it] …and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones, which You have broken, may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities" (vs 7-9).
What does God do when He blots out your sins. Heb. 10—their sins and their lawlessness I will not remember ever again!
Psalm 103:1: "Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me… [Is that not loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and being? Yes!] …Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; Who forgives all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases" (vs 1-3). The ultimate healing is going to come at the resurrection!
Verse 4: "Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies." All of this is showing God's great forgiveness, mercy and kindness!
Verse 11: "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so is His mercy toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (vs 11-12).
That's quite a thing! Human beings, with the nature we have, need the renewal! We need this Feast of Unleavened Bread and renewing.
Proverbs 23:6: "Do not eat the bread of him who has an evil eye, nor desire his dainty foods; for as he thinks in his heart, so is he… [that's being aware of evil people] …'Eat and drink,' he says to you, but his heart is not with you" (vs 6-7). God is not like that! He is with you!
Let's see how this process works! Let's see how we are able to overcome:
- by the Word of God
- by prayer
- by choices
Everything we do is a choice!
Proverbs 16:1: "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, are from the LORD."
In other words, God gave us a mind so it works the way that it works. But it needs to be properly educated and trained.
Verse 2: "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes…" That's what we've been talking about! All those who go out and sin and do the things that are wrong.
"…but the LORD weighs the spirits…. [here's how we are to do it; here is what God wants from us] …Commit your works unto the LORD…" (vs 2-3). How do you do that? By prayer and study! Then God will guide you! What will that do?
"…and your thoughts shall be established…. [that's what the Word of God is to do for us] …The LORD has made all for His own purpose; yea, even the wicked for the day of evil" (vs 3-4).
You read the book of Revelation, that's going to be something. The more you read and study the book of Revelation, those are going to be the greatest, the most fantastic things that have ever happened in the whole history of the world. It's going to be awesome, indeed!
Verse 5: "Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; though joined hand in hand, he shall not be unpunished."
Now, here is how you get your mind straightened around; v 6: "By mercy and Truth iniquity is purged… [cleansing. David said, 'Purge me with hyssop'] …and by the fear of the LORD men turn away from evil. When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him" (vs 6-7). We can apply this to a person or even a nation!
- How much peace do we have as a nation?
- How many enemies do we have? More than you can count!
Proverbs 4:13: "Keep hold of instruction…" This is why we have the Sabbath every week, every seventh day. We don't work, it's dedicated to God and we come to learn. Whoever is the teacher or minister has the responsibility of bringing the Word of God and teaching everyone what they need to know.
Why? Because generations come and generations go! It is true and we need to pray about this as well. The Church is getting older. Anyone getting younger? None of us are getting younger!
"…do not let go; keep her, for she is your life" (v 13). How many people lose lives because they don't listen to anyone, and they do what they think they want to do. BAM! It's gone!
Verse 14: "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not into the way of evil men. Avoid it; do not go in it; turn from it, and pass on!" (vs 14-15).
Look at all the instruction right here in these two verses. Don't go the way that wicked people go, evil and wicked! Evil probably means that inward they are probably very evil, but outwardly they are your closest friends! They're called con artists!
Verse 14: "Enter not into the path of the wicked…" You have to choose what you're going to do!
Verse 16: "For they do not sleep except when they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall."
Watch National Geographic when they do some of these undercover drug things. I tell you, this nation is so drugged up it's unreal. Everybody knows it and everybody's participating in it who ought to know better.
Verse 17: "For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence…. [but here's what we need to do]: …But the path of the just… [that's us; we've been justified from our sins, forgiven] …is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day" (vs 17-18)—the resurrection!
On the other hand, v 19: "The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble. My son, attend to my words… [choice] …incline your ear to my sayings…. [listen] … Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart, for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Above all… [especially today] …guard the door of your mind… [or your heart] …with diligence… [an active thing you have to do] …for out of it are the issues of life" (vs 19-23).
For us it's the issues of eternal life! There is no second chance for us; we've got one chance and that's it! That's why we have forgiveness and mercy in between!
Verse 24: "Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and devious lips put far from you. Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. Ponder… [thing about what you're doing] …the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established" (vs 24-26).
The whole thing here from vs 13-26 ends with "…all your ways will be established."
Verse 27: "Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left; remove your foot from evil."
(go to the next track)
We are going to see that at the very beginning of Jesus' preaching the Gospel He was showing very clearly that it's not that actions alone, but the state of mind and what you think, and how you act.
Matthew 5:3: " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." An attitude of not haughtiness, but you are humble and not presumptuous and all that sort of thing!
Verse 4: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Mourning is one of the hardest, most difficult things mentally speaking that you go through! When you mourn it drags you down, you become depressed. Everything is just a downer. God will comfort you!
Verse 5: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Almost identical with v 3!
Think about this: You go through every none of these, every single one, and all of those have to do with attitude. Let's look at David's attitude toward God. How is it that you will be, if you're loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and being?
Psa. 63 is one of the greatest Psalms for what is the most profound attitude toward God. Remember that in David's palace he had a special addition put on where he put the Ark of the Covenant in a special tent. Nathan the priest and prophet, and the sons of Zadok were there to watch over that.
But David would come when he would write a Psalm and present it to the priest. He would also sing before God. The Psalms were generally sung. How that would be, I don't know.
Psalm 63:1: "O God, You are my God, earnestly I will seek You!…. [Think of that on a daily basis.] …My soul thirsts for You…. [blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, they will be filled] …My flesh longs for You, as in a dry and thirsty land where no water is, to see Your power and Your glory… [John as called in vision to see the throne of God, but here David says]: …as I have seen You in the sanctuary" (vs 1-2).
That's that little tent and he would come and bring his Psalms that he wrote and sing them before God. There were times that God let His presence be seen visibly. Just a outline of God. "…as I have seen You in the sanctuary."
Verse 3: "Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You as long as I live… [compare that with Psa. 51; quite a change] …I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips when I remember You upon my bed…" (vs 3-6). There will be times at night when you'll lay there and you won't be sleeping; you'll be praying and thinking all of these things. When you think about God and think of all that He has done and is doing, that's quite a thing! Think about it, everything that there is God created!Everything that is on this earth God created! He's given it to the whole human race.
I like these small oranges called 'Cuties.' I woke up and sitting there peeling two of these little oranges. I thought, these taste really good. God made it so it would taste good in every human's mouth who would ever eat it. That's fantastic to know. Think of all the beautiful things that God has made just for us to eat, consume and enjoy. God made it! Even people who don't deserve it, He sends rain and the sun. Every once in a while there are floods, earthquakes and all those things, too, as well. God has made it all!
Then you think about the best way to overcome vanity is to think about how big you were when you were conceived. Here you are trillions of cells later.
"…and meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore, in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice" (vs 6-7)—God's special protection!
How many of you have had their house robbed on the Sabbath, or when you're keeping a Feast away from home? Nobody! God says that if you obey Him, no one is going to desire your house while you're gone. Think about that with all the thieves that are around today.
Verse 8: "My soul follows hard after You; Your right hand upholds me." Compare that with the age we live in—Laodiceans—God has t say, 'You're telling me that you're rich and increased with good, and I gave you everything, and you're forgetting Me.' Here is the opposite.
Psalm 61:1: "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer…. [sometimes you have to start out your prayer that way] …From the end of the earth I cry to You when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the Rock higher than me" (vs 1-2)—Christ! Think about how God will intervene for you!
Verse 3: "For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower against the enemy. I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever… [New Jerusalem; imagine what it's going to be for all the saints when that happens] …I will take refuge in the hiding place of Your wings. Selah" (vs 3-4).
Let's see how all of this has to do with how we are converted, and how these things are accomplished.
Matthew 5:48—Jesus says: "Therefore, you shall be perfect, even as your Father Who is in heaven is perfect." I can't grasp that! Why? Because we're still carnal and fleshly! But that's the goal, and everything that we have in the New Testament is for us to attain that goal. That's an amazing thing!
Here we are almost 2,000 years from when Christ spoke these words. You can know that when you study the Bible it has an effect upon you that no other book in the world has because it's sprit and life.
Matthew 5:7: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy." You want mercy, you better give mercy!
Verse 8: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." That's the whole thing. When will we have a perfectly pure heart? At the resurrection!
I don't know how that's going to work. I don't know how a spirit body works. The closest we can come to is to look at what Christ did after He was resurrected. They could recognize Him. Yes, this Jesus. 'Look at My hands, see the holes in My hands. Look at My side.
Jesus said, 'Thomas come here and stick your hand in My side and your finger in My hands.' Thomas didn't do it. He said, 'O Lord my God…' He changed his mind. What is that going to be like to have a pure heart? No evil thoughts; that I going to be something! That's what we're working toward!
Verse 9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (vs 9-10).
What John Guenther has done with the Waldensians and those in the Piedmont Valley, there's really some fantastic things in what he has written. Sometimes we get so involved in just what we are doing in our daily lives that we don't think about what came before us. Read the book of Acts and find out what happened to them. Jesus makes it clear that He didn't come to do away with the Law, and so forth.
Verse 20: "For I say to you, unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way that you shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven."
How can your righteousness be more than theirs? They followed their own traditions and rejected the laws and commandments of God and the Word of God! They trusted in themselves and not God. If you trust in God and God leads you, motivates you and helps you, and you love and obey God, then your righteousness is greater than theirs.
That really struck home one time when I was getting off a plane in Chicago and here's this Jew with his hat and curls hanging down, and he had his prayer shawl on, and his two little boys with him and he was there reading and rocking back and forth. I thought of where it said, 'Don't do your righteousness so that men will see you.' There he is!
I thought, the poor little kids, they were only four or five. They're looking at their dad and everybody else. It was all I could do not to say anything. I didn't say a thing!
Verse 23: "For this reason, if you bring your gift to the altar… [or you're going to go pray to God] …and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (vs 23-24). What you want to do is pray for strength and understanding so you can do it, and then go take care of it.
Col. 2—there are some difficult verses here, but we won't get into all of those. I've done some Church at Home recently called Shades of Witchcraft. It's very interesting because rebellion is as witchcraft. How many shades of witchcraft are there? Look at the Protestant and Catholic religions; the fact that they keep Sunday is a shade of witchcraft! I'm going to do series on Walt Disney, the king of witchcraft.
The reason I bring that up is because the Colossians were being bothered by those who were coming and saying, 'Look, you need to worship angels and get power from them,' which then is witchcraft. So, Paul writes:
Colossians 2:1: "Now, I want you to understand what great concern I have for you, and for those in Laodicea… [we never received the epistle to the Laodiceans, but they had one] …and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (vs 1-3).
Witchcraft is to get knowledge and power away from serving God. One of the witches said, 'If I think these things and do these things then I'm Christ.' Amazing! It about blew me over when I saw it! That's the way the world is. Every human being wants something greater than themselves. Isn't that true? That's why they like to make themselves stronger or more beautiful/handsome or whatever.
That's why they take things to make them feel good, and that's what leads them into drugs, because they want something greater than what they are. Why is that? Because God put it in us to realize that we are limited! You don't know that until maybe a little bit around 30-years-old, you may gather a thing or two of that. But not before, certainly not when you're 16-years-old, because you know everything!
Verse 4: "Now, this I say so that no one may deceive you by persuasive speech. For though I am indeed absent in the flesh, yet, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, be walking in Him" (vs 4-6)—walk in His steps!
Verse 7: "Being rooted and built up in Him… [not something over here] …and being confirmed in the faith, exactly as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."
All of this leads up to v 8: "Be on guard so that no one takes you captive through philosophy and vain deceit…"
What happened when they wanted to change the nature of God in WCG? The sent philosopher Stavrinides! Remember that? He was so important that he had contempt for every other human being on earth, because he was smarter than any of them. Then they devised the booklet that led to the changing—first step—the nature of God then it's easy to introduce the trinity.
What happened was that people were all lulled to sleep, then it's easy to come in when it's all the same and everything then becomes you're not learning anything of God. But you're there to enjoy your friends. Isn't that what happens.
When these things were coming out and getting everybody upset. How did you feel when the core of what you believed was just being torn to shreds? Some of the ministers were even saying that it was all right for your children to watch Harry Potter movies and read Harry Potter books. Those were devised by a witch in England.
I wonder if some of the problems that the Brits are facing is related in a good part to what happened there, doing that. It's in the whole world now.
Verse 8: "Be on guard so that no one takes you captive through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ." Quite a warning! What are the elemental things of the world? Satan and the demons, religiously speaking! Here's what it leads to:
Verse 18: "Do not allow anyone to defraud you of the prize by doing his will in self-abasement and the worship of angels…"
That will happen tomorrow, Easter. In the Philippines there are three or four men, different ones every year, who allow themselves to be crucified and be hung on crosses for all to see. They don't die, they just take out the nails. I would imagine that someone would ask about the marks in their hands. 'Oh, I was crucified on Easter.' Quite a tradition!
"…worship of angels, intruding into things that he has not seen… [a spiritual power] …vainly puffed up by his own carnal min… [here's what happens] …and not holding fast to the Head, from Whom all the body, being supplied and knit together by the joints and bands, is increasing with the increase of God. Therefore, if you have died together with Christ from the elements of the world, why are you subjecting yourselves to the decrees of men as if you were living in the world?" (vs 18-20). That happened, we all went through it!
Col. 3 is an important chapter and an absolutely must read for Unleavened Bread; Colossians 3:1: "Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your affection on the things that are above…" (vs 1-2).
- loving God
- serving God
- studying His Word
"…and not on the things that are on the earth. For you have died…" (vs 2-3). You died the symbolic death of baptism! That symbolic death is that you have pledged your death if you don't remain faithful.
"…and your life has been hid together with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life, is manifested, then you also shall be manifested with Him in glory" (vs 3-4). John writes that 'we will see Him as He is.'
Here's what you do; these are things that constant, coming upon all human beings. Paul is writing to the Church:
Verse 5: "Therefore, put to death your members, which are on earth: sexual immorality…"
Sidebar: Guess who's trying to be in charge of sexual education in the Minnesota public and charter schools? Planned Parenthood! It is a debauching thing indeed!
Sexual immorality is the thing that gets most people in trouble very early.
"…uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (v 5). If you covet something so much, you've made an idol out of it!
Verse 6: "Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, among whom you also once walked… [don't go back and walk in that way again] …when you were living in these things" (vs 6-7).
Isn't it something that when you're living in them, you don't know what's up or down, or what's going. There it is.
Verse 8: "But now, you should also put off…" We're to put leaven out of our homes and out of our lives, and we are to put in unleavened bread. He says that you must eat it seven days.
"…put off all these things: wrath, indignation, malice… [those are hard ones] …blasphemy… [that could be hard] …and foul language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another… [Paul is telling saints not to lie to each other] …seeing that you have put off the old man together with his deeds, and have put on the new man…" (vs 8-10).
We find this continuously; put out sin, put in Christ, put in righteousness. Notice how he expresses it here:
"…put on the new man who is being renewed…" (v 10). We need to be renewed all the time! How long does spiritual knowledge stay in a physical mind? Not very long!
- Do you know people who have quit keeping the Sabbath?
- What do they know about God now? Oh, they may have a thought of God now and then!
But what do they know? That which was given to them will also be taken away.
Romans 12:1: "I exhort you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, Holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service. Do not conform yourselves to this world…" (vs 1-2).
This is the process that we are to go through and reemphasize every year during the Feast of Unleavened Bread so that we can be renewed:
"…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… [that's what we do] …in order that you may prove what is well-pleasing and good, and the perfect will of God" (v 2). Be renewed! That's what we are here for!
Colossians 3:10: "And have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him Who created him; where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian nor Scythian, slave nor free; but Christ is all things, and in all. Put on then, as the elect of God… [that means you're selected, chosen of God] …Holy and beloved, deep inner affections, kindness, humility, meekness and long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so also you should forgive. And above all these things put on love…" (vs 10-14).
That's the whole challenge of everything that we do. You have everything working against it with the human nature that tries to pull us down.
"…which is the bond of perfection…. [that's how we are perfected] …And let the peace of God rule in your hearts… [not the ministry] …to which you were called into one body, and be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And in everything—whatever you do… [this is inclusive] …in word or in deed—do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (vs 14-17).
Let's see how we apply all of this. As I go through and read 1-Cor. 13, think about the things that you need to work on. I'll think about the things that I need to work on. Let's see if we can all be able to grow more in character and knowledge in the coming year.
1-Corinthians 13:1: " If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels… [think about how important that person would be] …but do not have love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith…" (vs 1-2). Think about if one person had all of that!
- prophecy
- understand mysteries
- all knowledge
- all faith
"…so as to remove mountains…" (v 2).
You will see on Church at Home Shades of Witchcraft Benny Hinn. I don't know how they do it, but there are so many demons involved in that. He has these big audiences, and he takes his jacket and holds it by the collar and swings it and people fall backward. Amazing! Blew my mind! People flock because they think he has power!
But what does it say here? "…but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my goods, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned, but do not have love, I have gained nothing" (vs 2-3).
Remember the book of Job as you read this. Let's put our own name in place of the word 'love' and use this as a gauge as to how much you need to grow and overcome. I need a lot to grow and overcome, and I know that everybody else does too.
Verse 4: "Love is patient and is kind; love envies not, does not brag about itself, is not puffed up."
I think the latest classical example was Barak Hussein Obama in Germany in one speech referring to himself 392 times! That sound like a little puffed up!
Verse 5: "Love does not behave disgracefully, does not seek its own things, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil… [we all have a lot to overcome on that] …does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the Truth" (vs 5-6). When you pray and study every day, that will help you rejoice in the Truth!
Verse 7: "Love bears all things, believes all things… [pertaining to God] …hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there be prophecies, they shall cease; whether there be languages, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away…." (vs 7-9).
All the knowledge that we have now, just as human being, not counting the knowledge that God has given us. That's all going to vanish away. How much higher is the knowledge of God going to be when we're the sons and daughters of God and spirit beings?
"…For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is Perfect has come… [which will be at the resurrection] …then that which is in part shall be set aside…. [then he draws an analogy]: …When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child; but when I became a man, I set aside the things of a child" (vs 9-11). Many of these things that we covered are the things of children!
Verse 12: "For now we see through a glass darkly, but then we shall see face-to-face; now I know in part, but then I shall know exactly as I have been known."
These are the spiritual tools, and love is the most important of all and this is what we need to put into our lives, minds and hearts and emphasize through the days of Unleavened Bread.
Verse 13: "And now, these three remain: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love.
That's why we need the Feast of Unleavened Bread! Do some extra prayer and study the rest of the Feast coming up to the last day of the Feast.
Scriptural References:
- Leviticus 23:1-8
- 1 Corinthians 5:5-8
- Ephesians 2:1-5, 7-10
- John 6:47-51
- Hebrews 10:16
- John 6:51-57
- Psalm 34:8-9
- Jeremiah 15:16-17
- Psalm 51:1-9
- Psalm 103:1-4, 11-12
- Proverbs 23:6-7
- Proverbs 16:1-7
- Proverbs 4:13-27
- Matthew 5:3-5
- Psalm 63:1-8
- Psalm 61:1-4
- Matthew 5:48, 7-10, 20-23
- Colossians 2:1-8, 18-20
- Colossians 3:1-10
- Romans 12:1-2
- Colossians 3:10-17
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Exodus 16
- Deuteronomy 16
- Revelation 10
- Ephesians 2
- Psalm 139
- Hebrews 10
Also referenced:
- Book: The Schocken Bible: The Five Books of Moses Vol. 1 by Everett Fox
- Sermon Series: How to Overcome the Sin Within
- Church at Home: Shades of Wickedness {churchathome.org}
FRC:bo Transcribed: 6/11/19
Copyright 2019—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.
