Matthew 21
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
This text is so rich in content that one can never expound it in only an hour.
It is a pity when people are blunt towards the things of heaven. The natural man cannot fathom or understand the things of heaven. The things of the earth are very dear and close to them, but the things of heaven are dim. This should not be the case. The things of heaven should be close to us and the things of the earth should be strangely dim. Our Lord said in Matt 6:33, “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you”.
Satan blinds the eyes of the people of this world so that they do not regard or seek the things of heaven. They are possessed with the lusts of this earth and have lost even their humanity. They have become like the beasts for they are ruled by the lusts of the flesh. Even their language and thoughts are perverted and bestial.
Every person should speak the heavenly language. But those who read the Bible without understanding, their minds quickly absorb the filth of pornographic magazines and pictures.
If you understand the heavenly language you will burst out into praise because your King says that He is coming unto you!
When an earthly ruler, like our president, mr Mbeki, comes to visit us, we will make all the necessary preparations to receive him as a king. But still he is only a man. Should our joy and expectation not be incomparably more when our Heavenly Bridegroom and King is coming to us? The Bible says in Matt 25:6, “behold the bridegroom comes; go ye out to meet Him”.
Think of Abraham who sent his chief servant, Eliezer to fetch a bride for his son (Gen 24). He loaded the camels with much treasure and many gifts to go and seek a bride for his son.
But with us, our Heavenly Bridegroom is coming to us, and He is offering us complete forgiveness from sin. His gifts cannot be bought with money. It cannot be compared. Our guilt is so great, yet He offers full forgiveness.
The Son of God comes to you today and woos you; may you not deny Him.
He has conquered the the devil and destroyed the works of the devil which is sin. Jesus’ heel was bruised when He conquered and vanquished satan. Today He offers you complete forgiveness and deliverance from bestial cravings, evil thoughts, bitterness and hatred, if only you will allow Him to enter in and cleanse you.
Like the congregation arise when the bride enters out of respect and as she then stands in her beauty before her husband, so He wants to prepare you to stand before Him and the heavenly host in purity, beauty and holiness.
We know that the church is the bride of Christ, but you must apply it personally that you are the bride of Christ. May it touch the very depths of your heart and may the world forever become strangely dim to you. It is terrible to become blunt to His voice, where your sins do not trouble you anymore; and you can go to bed at night with unconfessed sin in your life. There is no forgiveness without repentance from your sin.
Many call themselves children of God, but very few are true children of God. They have never felt true godly sorrow for their sin and they are still hell bound.
You may claim to believe in Jesus, but without a holy life, your faith is worthless. The devils also believe but tremble (James 2:19).
In Rev 3:20, Jesus says to the believers that He is outside the door and knocks. You must open the door for Him that He may enter and dine with you.
There are those who reject Him outright. But then there are those who said yes in the past and got engaged to Him, but in the meanwhile they got involved with other men. It is a shameful thing. If someone repent from their sin, but then go back to the very same sins they confessed, then they are like a dog that go back to its vomit or like a sow after being washed to her wallowing in the mire (2Pet 2:22).
I still remember the very first sermon I preached in 1959, where I asked the few that were gathered, “where is the blood of Jesus? Is it in your heart, cleansing you; or is it under your feet, being trampled underfoot?” Today you must answer the same question.
The real life of faith is simply obedience to Christ; that you believe what He says to such an extent that you’re obedient to it.
When Jesus told the two disciples to fetch the donkeys, they were faithful to do it as Jesus told them. They fetched the donkeys, told the owners that the Lord had need of them and brought them to Jesus.
They believed Jesus and acted in faith that they will find everything as Jesus told them. They did as Paul wrote in 2Cor 10:5, “casting down all arguments … bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience to Christ”.
Obedience to what Jesus commands is the highest form of wisdom. And those who are disobedient to Jesus are not wise but fools, even if they are the most clever people on this earth.
Those who haven’t repented yet, He invites today to receive full forgiveness from sin. Will you accept His invitation? Will you renew your vows today? He is waiting for your response.