Matthew 20:1-16
Sunday Morning – 31 Mar 2019 10:53:37 am – Pastor James Yang

It does not matter what problems you have but as long as you are connected to Jesus, it is not a problem.

This morning, as I was reading Genesis 3, a word struck my heart. God cursed Adam saying that “From dust you are, and to dust you shall return”. Truth is that God made us humans with dust (Genesis 2). There is a reason why God had to tell Adam that he was from dust. It was because from the heart, Adam had departed from God.

Diamonds and sapphires cannot bear fruit. Only dust – i.e. the ground – can bear fruit and bear life.

Eve means life. But after Adam and Eve ate from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (TGE), they left life.

Many people do not perceive that they are far from the Word of God – i.e. life. Thus God reminds us that we are from dust and to dust we return.

In Isaiah and Ezekiel, it talks about Lucifer the archangel who left the base position of the position of life. Because of this, he is evil in the eyes of God.

If your heart is connected to true life, then you are blessed. If not, then you have departed from God already.

Matthew 20 talks about the kingdom of heaven. The labourers who came in last were paid first and the ones who came in earliest got paid latest. The last to get paid thought they would get paid a lot more because they came in much earlier and worked much more. But they got paid the same and so they were very angry.

I always state that there are three kinds of heart when I deliver the mind lectures:
1. I am right
2. I maybe right
3. I am wrong

I always focus on the last mindset.

Folks, have you ever been angry? Don’t you often blame others or attribute it to a cause? The truth is that you are angry is because you are evil.

“Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!” Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!” But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ” And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him. It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.”
‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭16:5-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

How would you feel if you were David? If someone was cursing you, and you had all the authority in the land, what would you do?

If you have God in the heart, you can receive whatever comes your way. If you have God in your heart, even if someone is cursing you, you will be able to receive it. Without God, you will only fight back. Consider Abishai. He tried to fight back and kill Shimei.

“And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him. It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day.””
‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭16:11-12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

David could acknowledge God. This is evidence that he had God in him. If you have God in you, then you cannot be troubled by the problem. You will not be dominated by the frustration and anger in you.

David simply received all the curses.

Likewise, when you have difficulties as from God, then they turn into blessings in the end. In fact, God tells us to go back to the position of dust. As dust, what can it do? It can only receive – pee, poo, curse, etc. Recall that God made us of dust. But at some stage, we think of ourselves as precious jewellery that wants to be recognise. But this is being far from life.

Around 2009, I was in Korea. Pastors in the mission wondered how the overseas missionaries were doing. So they had fellowship with them individually. One of them asked me, “Pastor James, where do you minister?”

“Townsville, Australia.”, I said.

“Right, how many people attend your church?”

“Well, we started in November 2004, and now (2009) we have about 15-20 brethren.”, I said.

“Oh really, what about the mission fee?”

“Oh, with that we stopped the support fees and we are now operating by ourselves independently.”, I said.

“Right. How do you preach the Word?”

“On Sunday morning, I use the translator because there are some Korean brethren and for the remaining services, I use my English although I am very lacking”, I said.

The pastor glared at me. He said, “Pastor James, you have been just mucking and playing around. You did nothing!”

“Oh yes, pastor I did play and muck around”, I said.

“Ok, pastor James, when do you return to Australia? Fare thee well!”.

And this was how I returned back.

Another pastor from China however, ministered in a village on the top of a hill. So many people received salvation there. Only after 6 months about 150 people received salvation. The same pastor fellowshipped with him and said “Pastor, you have been mucking around in China, haven’t you?” Then the pastor from China was so outraged and said “What? Mucking around? Pastor, do you know how hard it is to minister in China? I don’t even have a car there.” So the pastor replied “Ok, pastor, when are you going back to China again? Please postpone your ticket (for training)”. And so the pastor stayed back and was trained in Korea for 1.5 years in the mission school.

Folks, I am not trying to boast, but I am talking about the world of the heart. If you know you are dust, you know you cannot and have not done anything.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

There is a sister who cries a lot. I asked the sister why she tried comforting herself. Fact is, no humans can comfort themselves.

Let’s think about it more carefully. God spoke to Adam that on the day they eat of the fruit of the TGE, did they die? God said they would die. So as per the Word of God, they died. But why do we have to die again as in Galatians 2:20. The point is that that is the evil spirit that is crucified. So if we try to rely on ourselves, it means we are different from the Word in Galatians 2:20.

In David, he himself did not exist anymore. But in Saul, he himself constantly wanted to be exalted. Even though he committed sin, he still wanted to be exalted.

When I preach the gospel even to pastors, there are some who have a very low heart and there are some with high heart. The same applies to brethren in church as well. Those with the low heart hear the gospel and they can testify like this – “I have not been a true pastor in the pastor. Now, I have received salvation!”

The workers who came in the early hour to work in the vineyard lost the promise of the owner that they would only get paid a denarius a day. Thus, their heart became hardened and exalted and evil.

In Luke 15, the heart of the elder son was not happy to see the younger brother who was lost and was found, who was dead and was alive. His heart was truly hardened and exalted.

If you have the same heart as the heart of God, then you can have the heart like the kingdom of heaven.

If you are free before God, and you can see the true position of your heart before God, then your heart can only be lowered down.

To be honest, when I minister, there are times when I do want to quit because I heard all kinds of people back-biting me. But one day I listened to pastor Park’s sermon – “Can a pile of dirt complain if someone defecates on it?” I was shocked and my heart changed. “Ahhhh, I am dust”, I realised who I was clearly.

David’s heart was fixated on the heart of God. His heart was so stable towards the work of God and that’s why God could work though him.

If you have the faith through the servant of God, then you will see God works for you. If you have faith in the Word and just step forward, you will see the many people prepared by God through you this time.

Please adjust your heart and you will see how God works and you will be happy.

Because of the Word, we say that we are righteous. This is what we call faith. The same applies to our spiritual life as well.

Please participate in the promise and not in the deeds alone. If you do so, then thankfulness, joy and happiness will stay in your heart.