Category: Gospel

The Agonizing Saviour

The Lord’s agonizing prayer in the garden of Gethsemane is recorded in the gospel of Matthew, Mark and Luke. The gospel of John however did not record the Lord’s travail during prayers to His Father in heaven. In fact even the name of the garden was omitted. The other three gospel accounts vividly described the Lord’s agony and travail when He prayed before heading to the cross of Calvary.

This was the end stage where Lord was dealing with His calling and mission to come into this world for the express purpose to save sinners from their sins. As the drama for the redemption of fallen men was heading into its epilogue, the intensity of the Lord’s conflict and sorrows became manifest just prior to His arrest and subsequent road to Golgotha Hill for His eventual crucifixion.

Matthew 26:36: Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

Matthew 26:37: And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Matthew 26:38: Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

Matthew 26:39: And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Matthew 26:40: And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Matthew 26:41: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Matthew 26:42: He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Matthew 26:43: And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

Matthew 26:44: And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Matthew 26:45: Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Throughout the Lord’s earthly ministry, He had never been exposed to be weak other than prior to entering the ministry during the forty days fasting tempted by Satan. The heart wrenching episode here before the Lord went to the cross fully manifested the severe burden with regard to the Lord’s mission to save lost sinners. Never had the Lord asked His disciples to keep Him company and share His burden and sorrows other than during this occasion.

The Lord’s request was reasonable and even very simple. It was not something requiring enormous resources or exceptional effort. It was simply just to watch the Lord while He prayed. Yet they failed Him!

The disciples failure was really tragic. In fact, they failed the Lord on three consecutive occasions in that short time span. Whatever happened to their empty boasting just prior to this incident in the garden of Gethsemane?

Matthew 26:30: And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Matthew 26:31: Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

Matthew 26:32: But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Matthew 26:33: Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Matthew 26:34: Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Matthew 26:35: Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Peter boasted he would be the last man standing even when everyone else denied the Lord. He went as far as claiming he would give up his life for the Lord. But he could not even stay awake to watch over the Lord during His time of need.

So when the Lord found them asleep, He spoke to Peter who boasted earlier and still Peter could not rise to the occasion. He was asleep again when the Lord returned the second time after pouring His heart out to His Father in heaven.

The Lord already told Peter he would deny Him three times before the cock crow. Right here Peter had already failed the Lord three times. Of course the rest was history when he denied he knew the Lord three times after the Lord was arrested and being judged by the religious authority of the day.

Likewise the other disciples who also boasted they would not deny the Lord and would die for Him also failed completely. This illustrated how weak human flesh is! Hence the Psalmist advice is always current.

Psalms 118:8: It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Even before the Lord began praying, He already told His disciples He was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Didn’t they get the message? Did they empathize with the Lord? That was before they fell asleep. Continue reading The Agonizing Saviour

Pearl of Great Price

Matthew 13:45: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Matthew 13:46: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

The Lord Jesus Christ likened the kingdom of heaven like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls. Once found, he is willing to part with his all to obtain this pearl of great price. From this piece of information, there must be great value placed on pearls, in particular, special pearl of great price.

Since ancient time, pearls have been used in ornamental adornment together with precious stones for women. Apart from the purpose of treasure collections together with other precious stones, pearls are also used in medicine and cosmetic products as well as part of the burial items for the dead.

Pearls in some part of Taiwan have been so good due to the pearls being cultivated in mountain spring water, they could be used to alleviate many aliments as well as used as eyes cleansing solution when the pearl powder is mixed with water. These pearls are not cheap. They are sold in grams. The pearls are then ground to powder in your presence and put into small bottles. These pearl powder can be consumed with water as health supplements for its excellent minerals and medicinal properties.

In Wuxi China, the pearls obtained from clams in the lake Tai Hu are also much sought after for its beauty and often used as adornment pieces. The first lady of China was reported to like purple colour pearls and hence the price for this type of pearls has gone up. A beautiful white pearl necklace was also given to Michelle Obama during the US president’s visit to China some time back. These pearls are also made into cream and used as skin whitener as well as other cosmetic products much like the Japanese SK II cosmetic products.

Legend has it that the last Qing Dynasty Empress of China, Empress Dowager Cixi was buried with a lot jewels when she died and a massive pearl was put in her mouth to prevent her corpse from decomposing according to Chinese traditions. During the civil wars, her tomb was robbed and her corpse was said to be intact. Once the pearl from her mouth was removed, her corpse began to decay. The pearl was then given to the Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek by the warlord but ended up as an ornament on the gala shoes of Chiang’s wife, Soong Mei Ling. Notwithstanding the fact that this is just a legend and the truth required authentication, the importance and the premium placed on pearls of great price cannot be under estimated.

Recently, it was reported that a Filipino fisherman found a gigantic pearl. He didn’t know what it was and kept it under his bed for ten years as a good luck charm. When finally discovered, this massive 34 kilograms pearl could be worth more than 100 million dollars.

Biggest Pearl in the World

Fisherman’s Giant 34 kg Pearl Worth 100 Million Dollars

Matthew 7:6: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Just like the scriptures admonished not to cast pearls before swine because some people simply can’t appreciate the beauty and price of pearls, those who could find such pearl of great price would willingly give up all they have to acquire this pearl. Today, the gospel is this pearl of great price where those who finds it will give up their all to go after the kingdom where pearly gates await.

Job 28:12: But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

Job 28:13: Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

Job 28:18: No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

While precious pearls may be valuable, wisdom is far above the price of pearls and precious stones. This wisdom can only be found in none other source other than in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:24: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Those seeking after the pearl of great price leading them to the Saviour of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, would be rewarded with inheriting the city of the pearly gates.

Revelation 21:21: And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

The 34 kilograms pearl found by the Filipino fisherman is absolutely nothing compare to the massive pearls that will the adorn the gates of that celestial city for the saints of all ages.

If you are not the dogs and swine the scriptures described, you have a good chance of seeking after the pearl of great price. If you wish to have a chance to see the greatest pearls of great price, you need to follow the sign posts below.

John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 10:12: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

Romans 10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

If you have followed the instructions above, you are well on your way to that city and enter the pearly gates together with the multitudes of other saints having found the pearl of great price in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21:23: And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Revelation 21:24: And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

Revelation 21:25: And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

Revelation 21:26: And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.


The Generation of Jesus Christ

Matthew 1:1: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Matthew 1:17: So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

The opening verse in the New Testament shows that there is only one generation of Jesus Christ. However, false bibles don’t teach there is only one generation of Jesus Christ; Christ is only indicated as a record of genealogy beginning with Abraham.

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: (NIV)

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: (NASB)

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (ESV)

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: (NKJV)

This a is critical issue because these false bibles destroy the difference between the generations of men in contrast with only one generation of Jesus Christ.

According to Genesis, there are many generations of men and not just one generation born in Adam.

Genesis 5:1: This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

Unlike the Lord Jesus Christ, Adam had more than one generation after him.

The NIV simply shows Adam’s family line instead of many generations of Adam’s descendants.

This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. (NIV)

The NASB and the ESV recorded there are more than one generation of Adam but their verse in Matthew 1:1 does not show the contrast and an important doctrinal truth is lost as a result.

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. (NASB)

This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man,he made him in the likeness of God. (ESV)

The NKJV, supposedly much closer to the KJV mentioned only one generation of Adam as though all of Adam’s generation lives happily ever after.

This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. (NKJV)

This is not nitpicking. There is an important scriptural truth to be learned where every word of God is pure and there is no mistake in the Holy Bible.

The unfortunate inconvenient truth is this, all the generations of Adam and his descendants died.

Genesis 5:5: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

Genesis 5:8: And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.

Genesis 5:11: And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.

Genesis 5:14: And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

The oldest man on record also gave up the ghost eventually.

Genesis 5:27: And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

When God wiped out those fallen men born in Adam with a global flood, survivors began with their new generations to repopulate planet Earth and not just one generation alone to keep this commission.

Genesis 6:9: These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Genesis 10:1: Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

Of course, all these generations of men expired accordingly being born dead in trespasses and sins.

In contrast, there is no mention of the generation of Jesus Christ ever died. Why is that so?

John 1:12: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:13: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

1 John 5:1: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

1 John 3:9: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

The moment you believe the Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, you are born again into the generation of Jesus Christ.

Should your children likewise believe the Lord and accept Him, they will be born again into the generation of Jesus Christ. There are no grandchildren of God. There is only one generation in Jesus Christ.

No one in the generation of Jesus Christ is recorded to have died spiritually because they are not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. None that is born of God will ever die.

Ecclesiastes 1:4: One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

As far as fallen man born of Adam is concerned, each generation will pass on but this is not the case for the generation of Jesus Christ.

Psalms 22:30: A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

The false bibles destroy this important doctrine of eternal security of the believer in Christ.

John 11:26: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Have you been born again into the generation of Jesus Christ?

Or are you still lost being born into the generations of the flesh where all died and will one day die?

You can become a member of a chosen generation in Jesus Christ if you would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from sin and hell fire.

1 Peter 2:9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Time is not on your side. Tarry not!