Greetings! This is the final lecture. After finishing Victorious Discipleship today, we will move on to Glorious Hope. Through this event, I have gained some treasures. If I gain treasures, angels in heaven will rejoice for me! Look for treasures, not a basket of garbage. These treasures live in this world with a glorious hope.

I. People Need Hope to Live

When people become decadent and lose hope, life is reduced to eating, drinking, and waiting for death, which is a tragedy. If living is no different from animals on earth, it is the greatest sorrow. It is a tragedy that people do not realize they bear the image of God. Without hope, people live like beasts. Look closely, when people live in hope, whether that hope is real or false, as long as they live in hope, you will find a light in their eyes. Sometimes that hope is to build a good company, which is vanity, but living in that hope, you will find they have a drive. So, it is troublesome when people live like animals, living only to survive, which is not hope.

Consider two old men, and calculate how long they have left to live. Even at 90, they have only ten or so years left, a little over three thousand days. Instead of seizing the time to live in glory, the two old men are fighting. I saw two old men fighting fiercely in a video the other day, and I didn't know what they were doing. While watching, I suddenly thought of the dirty hyenas on the African savanna, two hyenas fighting over a bone, something like that. The video alternated between two hyenas and two old men. I wondered, what is this, fighting to the death? Where does such interest come from? There are also old men fighting overseas, suing each other in court, exhausting themselves.

Sometimes when I study animals, I particularly enjoy watching Animal World. When my colleagues see me watching Animal World, they say, Teacher, you have a childlike heart! It's not just that. I feel that if people live like animals, it is a tragedy. People should live gloriously, but without a glorious hope, they live like beasts. I like to describe human life as vanity of vanities, so where is the hope? There is no hope. You will find that before you had a car, you dreamed of buying one. Once you buy it, it's just okay. Before you buy a house, you are excited, but after you buy it, it's just okay. Later, I also discovered something: people have many things, but they are still unhappy. It turns out that people don't need houses, cars, and money to live. People need a glorious hope to live. It is troublesome when people live without a glorious hope.

My lectures on Ecclesiastes are good, and very pleasant to listen to. Actually, everything I talk about is quite good. Once, while driving, they were playing my lecture on Ecclesiastes. I said, Who is speaking so well? They said, Teacher, it's you. It turns out it's so pleasant to listen to, and refreshing! If you start with vanity of vanities, why are you fighting? So, the root of the problem is that people cannot see through things. Not seeing through things leads to depression from studying for university. People really need to know that living is vanity of vanities. Because I see these things as vanity of vanities, I seek.

II. Seeking the Truth

At that time, I was seeking the truth with all my might. Why? Because it was difficult to survive. When people are not struggling, it seems okay, but when people are struggling, they really want to understand the meaning of life. I sought the truth, seeking and seeking, and later entered the church, thinking it was good, probably because I had a connection with Jesus. You might ask, Why didn't you pursue something else? The reason is very simple: Jesus Christ has the way to eternal life. If you ask me if I truly understand it, no, not really, but I think it's good, and I have walked this path. People need to have the hope of eternal life and a longing for eternal life to seek the truth. So, God sits on His throne, looking to see if there are any who seek and understand. If not, they are all useless. Why do people choose to be victorious disciples? Because they have figured out that living is meaningless, so they seek the way to eternal life. After you seek it, you will find it is good. God sees this as treasure and that as garbage, collecting the treasure and discarding the garbage.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. (《Matthew》 13：47-48)

I have discarded many bad things, so Lao Ma is very important; he takes away the garbage. If you have hope in this life, you don't need to seek the truth. If you live well every day, building a company, then listing the company, making money, fooling people, and cutting leeks, you just fuss about that. Anyway, I don't see much meaning in that. In the end, it can't stop the urn, and it can't stop people from dying. So, what I seek is to become a treasure in God's eyes. I want to gain eternal life because I think it's meaningless to live and then die.

Later, when I read the Bible, I pondered it and found that Abraham was very rich. Being rich is good, but he lived without meaning. People with a Mingding Doctrine who want to be victorious disciples are probably like this. If you live with meaning, then live with meaning. Actually, that hope of yours is fine, but I think it's meaningless. Abraham started seeking from vanity of vanities. That's why Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes: Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities... Abraham felt that living was meaningless. Why? Because you live and then you die. Today a funeral, tomorrow a funeral; today sending one off, tomorrow sending another off. What is this? When Abraham was alive, Lot's father died. I don't know if he died in a car accident or from some illness, but anyway, he died. Abraham felt that living was meaningless, so he started seeking, and then God spoke to Abraham.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (《Genesis》 12：1-3)

Abraham finally found the meaning of living, the glorious hope. The next day, Abraham set off with his servants. The house? He didn't want it anymore; he gave it to his father. He took what he could take and left what he couldn't. He began to wander in this world, dwelling on this earth as a stranger, because we know this earth is not our home. You buy a house with a seventy-year lease, or even a permanent lease. The house is still there, but you are gone. What's the meaning of that? So, in Abraham's time, land was all permanent lease because there was too much land, and permanent didn't mean much. Live in this world with an eternal hope, hoping for what? Hoping to be a blessing to many people. Abraham opened up the path of faith for us. The foundation of faith starts from a vain, hopeless life. If you believe there is no hope in this world, and people need eternal life; if people die and that's the end, and living is meaningless, then you will walk the path of Abraham.

Why do we love to serve people? Because after serving, we become their blessing, which is our meaning and Mingding Doctrine in life. So, Abraham opened up a path to become a blessing to all nations and peoples on earth! All who follow Abraham can become like Abraham and receive God's promises, and then come to know the spiritual world. As a result, Abraham was powerful in his lifetime, and no one dared to bully him. He led three hundred and eighteen servants and defeated four kings, and the defeated four kings had annihilated five other kings. Was Abraham powerful? Because he gained power and authority from heaven in the spiritual world.

III. Jesus' Conversation with Nicodemus

We are talking about John chapter 3, which records the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a Jewish ruler; he was rich and powerful, and probably greedy, but we don't know.

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”(John 3:2 )

Nicodemus immediately complimented Jesus, saying: No one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him, you are a teacher, you will give me a talk about the way to eternal life. So why did he come to Jesus? Actually, he took a great risk. Think about it, he was a Jewish official, so why did he come to Jesus? Because he was seeking the truth in his heart. Since he was seeking the truth, and then he saw the miracles, Jews like to see miracles, and when they see miracles, they know there is God!

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”(《John》3:3)

Was this a digression? No digression. Nicodemus avoided the topic, and Jesus brought him back to the topic.

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.(《John》3:4-6)

This sentence is profound. I may not have time to explain it so clearly today, but I will try.

“You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “Are you Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still, you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(《John》3:7-16)

What was discussed in this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus? The way to eternal life. First: miracles; second: being born again; third: the kingdom of God. What is born of the Spirit is spirit, what is born of the flesh is flesh, and then it says that eternal life is a spiritual matter. Whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life. Jesus Christ came and gave us, being lifted up and nailed to the cross, so that all who believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Believe in what? Believe that even if Jesus was crucified, we must walk this path. We tell you that this is because of the glorious hope that we are willing, loving our lives not even unto death. Because flesh is flesh, and flesh is of no benefit. What is born of the Spirit is spirit.

IV. The Hope of Eternal Life

Do you want to be a victorious disciple? If you only have hope in this life and no hope of eternal life, you are more pitiable than the people of the world. Don't misunderstand. Jesus was not nailed to the cross for your schooling, nor was Jesus nailed to the cross for you to make money, nor was Jesus nailed to the cross for your healing; Jesus was nailed to the cross so that you might have eternal life! Why be a victorious disciple? Victorious disciples can enter into eternal life. Some people say, What if you are not victorious? I don't know, really don't know. Why are you not victorious? Because you lack the hope of eternal life and value worldly hopes too much. Isn't that a tragedy? Today, our brothers and sisters need to know that sometimes as we live, we only have our work in our minds. What eternal life? What victory? What victory?

Brothers and sisters need to know that victorious disciples will definitely enter into eternal life. What about those who are not victorious? The Bible doesn't say, really doesn't say; I don't know. Later I understood a principle: whatever hope people have, that is what they will become. Do you have the hope of eternal life in you? Don't wait until the Third World War is over and the church is raptured, and you are left on earth, slowly hoping and slowly waiting. That's terrible! It is terrible for people not to be victorious. Not being victorious, let alone eternal life, you won't even live well in this life. Isn't that a tragedy? I tell you, with the hope of eternal life, God will not misjudge people, and signs and wonders will follow you, because you testify to God every day, you practice your faith in God every day, and your service will be full of miraculous testimonies!

What does it mean to be born again? The logic in our minds is renewed. Before, it was a carnal logic; today, it is a spiritual logic, suddenly changed. The wind blows wherever it pleases. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit, meaning one day a wind suddenly blows: Ah, I have the hope of eternal life. I no longer love what I used to love. What I didn't care about before, I treasure today. What I valued before, I now regard as refuse. Why? Because I am born again in the Spirit! Today you are no longer a person of the world; you are a person of God. Whatever hope you have, that is what you will become.

Sometimes I am serving and feel a little discouraged, because some people have been served again and again, and I see they are still carnal people, and all their hopes are in this world. Today I cast out the demon, and tomorrow he invites the demon back in. The day after tomorrow I cast out the demon again, and two days later he comes back with the demon. Sometimes the demon even complains to me: Look how bad he is. He invites me over for no reason, and after I come, you beat me up. The demon is unhappy. Ah, I tell you, offending God and offending the demon, how can you live like this?

Actually, it's just a matter of values. Suddenly you find that living is vain. Suddenly you find that you no longer have much feeling for worldly things. Suddenly you find that we have begun to have eternal hope, to have glorious hope. Suddenly you find that you have begun to work for eternity, to pay the price for eternal life, to be a victorious disciple. These are all glorious hopes. Some people ask me, Have you seen the glory of God? Can I not have seen it? If I hadn't seen it, wouldn't I be fooling you? What does the glory of God look like? I have to tell you that.

V. Living in God's Glorious Hope Every Day

Filled with glorious hope, living in this world with this glorious hope, I live in God's glorious hope every day. What does every day mean? Let me give you an example: A man born blind came to Jesus. Jesus touched him, and he could see. A man born lame, Jesus touched him, and he was healed. Then Jesus said, Did you see the glory of God? They said they saw it. That is the glory of God, the power of God, the glorious power of God that can be manifested through us. So, I tell you, our service is filled with the glory of God. This glorious hope is not fake; it's not just for a moment; it's every day. So, you ask me, Is your glorious hope real or fake? Have you really seen the glory of God? Really.

So, living in this world with glorious hope, I see all suffering as light, the transient and light suffering will achieve an eternal glory beyond all comparison! God in eternity gives me a thumbs up because I made the best choice today. I tell you, I believe the story of our Chinese Mingding Doctrine is sung in heaven and on earth, and angels clap for us, because this is a group of victorious disciples, a group of people who willingly lay down their lives for Jesus and forsake everything. With victory, God pours down His glory, manifesting through this group of people all over the earth. Those who see it have seen the great light of God, and those who live in darkness have seen the hope. From now on, I regard all things as refuse. Only Jesus Christ matters to me. No one can restrain me, no one can deprive me of my joy, which is better than anything else!

Not only that, God is clearly with us, manifesting His power. God has given us the keys to the kingdom of heaven. We can use the keys to the kingdom of heaven to draw all the resources from heaven. Each key opens a door, and inside are treasures. Each treasure can subdue a certain kind of demon. Like Sun Wukong, taking that bottle, swoosh, he sucks the demon in; using that fan, whoosh, he fans the demon away. If the opponent has treasures, we have more treasures than him. If we encounter a difficult demon to defeat, we go to heaven to get treasures. Jesus Christ has given us all the treasures in the kingdom of heaven, and we can draw power from heaven. Can you not regard Jesus as the greatest treasure?

Actually, I tell you, if you live in this world with glorious hope, how can you live in poverty? It is impossible for you to live in poverty. The resources of heaven have become your resources. How can you live in poverty? How can you not live in joy? You will definitely live in joy. People in this world, wow, get whatever you want, whether it's wind or rain. Although you have to walk through the Flaming Mountains, I tell you, relying on the power of God, no Flaming Mountain cannot be crossed, and no Spider Cave cannot be passed. This is our group of victorious disciples. May glory be to our God!

Have you understood? Become disciples. Although the word disciple has been tarnished by those people, the disciples in the mouth of Jesus Christ are still our ardent hope. Start to desire today, start to desire to pay the price for God. Glory is increasingly manifested in us, until we see the face of God and receive His glorious praise. May the name of God be glorified through us. Amen!

May God bless you all!