The Perplexity of Jesus

This chapter speaks of the perplexity brought by Jesus Christ. When the history of a church begins to recover the power of the Holy Spirit from 1900, it brings great confusion, with fierce debates in the process. In 1904, a great revival of the Holy Spirit in Wales, UK, brought an anointing that poured down. In those one or two years, lawyers had no money to earn, prisons were empty, bars were empty, and all entertainment venues were deserted as people flocked to churches. This was a wondrous work of God.

However, later it brought great confusion, with many traditional Christians pointing fingers and criticizing such a movement, always finding fault with it. Later, you will find that in 1906 and 1907, there was also a great revival in the United States. In the preceding century, and now more than a hundred years later, during this century, the Holy Spirit has greatly poured out in different places.

When the practice of praying in tongues was restored, even today, many people are still confused. The New Testament in the Bible, in black and white, has become a classic, and the Old Testament is also there, with the words all there, yet people cannot read them. Not only are they confused, but I am also very confused. Why do we read the same Bible, yet produce so many interpretations? Some time ago, I met a Singaporean who put some cards in the church, and the cards were about Mark 16:16. His pastor removed him from his leadership position. The verse said: And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Is there a problem with this sentence? This sentence is wonderfully stated and immediately solves the problems of the medical field.

Don't you want it? I want it very much! But the pastor of their church removed him from his leadership position. This brother is a very good brother who has helped me before, and I am very grateful to him, but he is no longer a church leader. What did he do? He just did this. He himself did not speak in tongues, nor did he lay hands on people to pray, nor did he cast out demons. It's just that his pastor said in the church that this sentence was never in the Bible.

The Bible has existed for so many years, it was not added in today. In 1700, this sentence was already in the Bible, how could it not be in the Bible later? Even if you don't believe that this sentence is not in the Bible, you must believe what Jesus did in that generation. Aren't the things Jesus did these things? It is not surprising that Jesus said such things.

Even today, among Christians, the same Bible brings a lot of confusion. Jesus performed a miracle, which was to heal a lame man on the Sabbath, which brought great confusion: Jesus' brothers were confused, they did not believe. The brothers said to him sarcastically: Leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples can see your works too. Are you not seeking fame? No one who does anything in secret seeks to be known publicly. That's probably the tone.

Jesus' answer is also very interesting. People's confusion is very deep. We also do some new things in the church, which are highly original, and will bring a lot of confusion. In fact, I am not surprised that some people hate me for no reason. Do you know why? Because I cast out many demons.

Jesus also cast out many demons. Anyone who casts out many demons will bring confusion to many people. Those who do not cast out demons are actually very confused when they see those who cast out demons. Someone who left our church said on Weibo that they prefer traditional churches. He must have had a lot of confusion among us. I also understand his confusion very well. Will that confusion be like the Pharisees when Jesus suddenly appeared among them, the confusion they showed?

The Perplexity of the Crowd

The God who created the universe comes among us and brings great confusion, because what He does is not done according to human logic, but according to God's logic. Even Jesus' brothers were confused. Jesus turned water into wine in Cana, did you see it? A patient who had been lame for 38 years was able to walk, did you see it? In fact, they all saw it. Jesus performed many miracles in that place, and people saw them all. But His brothers did not believe Him. How could their carpenter brother do these things? They were very confused.

I work at a university, and many people are not confused. When I become a pastor, many people become very confused. When I cast out more demons, they become even more confused. I am also very emotional.

When Jesus comes, He will create a lot of confusion. When the Spirit of God is manifested and descends among us to do God's will, many people are confused. I don't even know what I have offended them, and they start to hate me. It was the same in that era, they hated Jesus. What did Jesus do to make them hate Him so much? He just healed a few patients and performed some miracles that those people could not do, that's all. When God wants to do things among us, you will find that many people will put many labels on us, including heresy. In fact, the arrival of the Holy Spirit a hundred years ago was labeled by many people.

A pastor did a very good job in healing the sick and casting out demons, and the church grew rapidly, but he was fired. He did not belong to any denomination, but was only focused on casting out demons with a few disciples, and he did better and better. Now he leads a church with 800,000 members. When people see that the church is so large and the pastor has so much influence, many who have slandered him and said he was a heretic have apologized to him, and some have even knelt before him. Where were they back then? Why did they label him as a heretic back then? It is very strange to kneel down and apologize to him later.

The Perplexity of the Jews

Some people said, He is a good man. Others said, No, he deceives the people. Jesus became a deceiver of the people, isn't that strange? Then some said He was a good man, and some said He was deceiving the people. They spoke secretly, because the government had its position, and the Jews had their position, so they discussed it privately. I was thinking, what did Jesus do to make them think these things, that He was deceiving people. What did He deceive people with? He just said in the previous chapter that He was the bread of life and performed many miracles. Did He kill anyone? No. Did He set fire to anything? No. Did He cheat anyone out of money? No. He just preached the word of God. Later, I found that those who firmly believed in the word of God would create a lot of confusion for others.

Those who speak half human words and half divine words do not make people feel confused. Those who firmly believe in Jesus are very confused. But there is nothing wrong with it. Casting out demons and healing people, there is nothing wrong with it, is there? But many people will feel confused. Do you want to do what Jesus did? If you do what Jesus did, you will definitely create a lot of confusion. Many of those who are confused about me are people with a Christian background. They believe in the Lord, and when they see what I do, they become confused.

I stayed in Taiwan for 3 months to study. I prayed for the pastors who studied with me. I think I must have created some confusion for him. His back was stiff. I saw a lizard lying on his shoulder. After I chased it away, he was fine. What did I do? When we do these things, God is truly with us. We are just letting the captives be released and the oppressed go free. Isn't this the original intention of the gospel? Is it heresy to release the captives and let the oppressed go free? Is it orthodox not to release the captives and let the oppressed go free? He is very confused about what you say he cannot do.

Confusion About Where Christ Comes From

However, we know where this man comes from, but when Christ comes, no one knows where He comes from. They always thought that when Jesus Christ came, that person would pop out of a stone. Where did He come from? The Old Testament in the Bible says very clearly that the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son. He will become flesh and come among us, bringing abundant grace. Do people not know? The New Testament of the Bible has become a classic, but some people still do not know that Jesus Christ will do these things. Then they say that Jesus did those things in those years, and He no longer does them today.

They do not know that God still wants to restore the things Jesus did in that generation in this generation. Where Jesus comes from is a very wonderful question. People care about where Jesus comes from, but they do not care about what He does. I will teach you a way to learn to be a smart person, which is to look at what this person does, and never mind where he comes from. Instead of looking at where he comes from, you might as well look at what he has done.

I am very confused about those who cannot understand, and they are also confused about me, and I am also confused about them. A brother told me: I want to leave you, because I don't want to be so naive anymore. I am really confused, how can I be naive by following me? If you think it's naive, then take your naivety and find what you want!

I ask, which brothers and sisters have experienced miracles and wonders, and which of the testimonies they have given are not true, full, and full of grace? Their confusion makes me very confused. Later, I thought, I want to get out of this confusion, I am no longer confused, let them be confused! Know that if Jesus Christ were among us, would He perform fewer miracles than this?

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5) Isn't this in the Bible that you and I both read? Isn't this the Bible that many pastors read? What's so confusing about it?

Should we believe in wise and persuasive words, or should we believe in the demonstration of the Spirit's power? I am an engineer, and I know very well that it only counts if it is done. In colloquial terms, a mule or a horse has to be taken out for a walk. If it has diarrhea after the walk, then forget it. If you have the ability, build an airplane that can fly. Don't just talk about it. If the airplane you build cannot fly, it will take up space if you put it there. How much does it cost for an airplane that cannot fly to lie there? It's very expensive to lie there for a day. It costs tens of thousands of dollars to park at the airport for an hour or two. It's not a few dollars, it's tens of thousands of dollars, it's very expensive.

So we need to know, don't care where this person was born, or which university he studied at, or where he worked, these are not important, what is important is to release those who are captured and oppressed!

I want to do the things described in the Bible according to the words that the Bible tells us. Because the gospel I preach is to let the captives be released and the oppressed go free. (Isaiah 61:1) Amen! Brothers and sisters, we must do the work of binding demons and releasing oppressed souls.

This is a matter of course, miracles are a matter of course. Some people will say that I pursue miracles, I just desire to do the things that Jesus did. The most important thing is to put faith into practice. When we put our faith into practice, miracles will follow you. The Bible never says that miracles follow those who pursue miracles, but miracles follow those who practice faith, because these signs will accompany those who believe. This is a very simple principle.

People's Confusion About Jesus Coming From Galilee

On hearing these words, some said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. (John 7:40-43)

People are confused. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but they are unaware of this. There are many things you do not know; do not just look at the present. We are ignorant of much. It is not that Jesus came from Galilee; it is that He resided in Galilee. You are unaware that He went from Bethlehem to Egypt, and from Egypt back to Galilee. People move; people have legs. Today, I live in Galilee, but previously, I walked to Galilee from elsewhere.

Jesus is a descendant of David. Jesus’ mother, Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Few know about this. In fact, whether you know it or not, you can never fully investigate it. Many say they will only believe after they have examined history and verified everything. If you verify everything, you will no longer need to believe. You will die before you finish verifying; you will not complete it in this lifetime. If people believe based on what they know, they will be greatly confused.

I will teach you a very important tool: Do not look at what a person is like, but look at what the person does. If you want to marry someone, look at what that person does, not at what they say. One brother frequently posts messages on Weibo, and many girls become fond of him. Later, one sister told me she liked this brother very much because his Weibo posts were so well-written and edifying.

I said, “Sister, I know this person very well. I have pastored him for many years; how could I not know him? His Weibo posts are not his original words; he is writing down what I have said in his Weibo.” Just joking, you should like me! (But I have no chance, and you have no chance; none of us have a chance.) The problem is that people are too easily misled by things. Later, when they get to know each other and investigate, they find it is not the case. I said I told you long ago, why did you even bother, but she did not believe me. So, brothers and sisters, looking at such things is quite dangerous.

Therefore, look at what a person has done. The Pharisees were actually very confused, but they did not know they were dying in delusion. The Pharisees said, “Are you also deceived?” They sent the officers to arrest Jesus, but they did not arrest Him. They went and listened to Jesus speaking there. He spoke very well and did good things, making the 38-year-old crippled man walk. What a great thing! The Pharisees asked, “Why didn’t you bring him?” The officers said, “We have never heard anyone speak like this.” The Pharisees then said, “Are you also deceived?” Those who are deceived do not know that they are the ones being deceived.

Several things are also very interesting. Foolish people do not know they are foolish; they think they are very clever. I often hear people say, “So-and-so in our family is very clever.” My goodness, the things they do are so foolish. The Pharisees said, “Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed in him? But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” Who exactly does not understand? They did not understand either. But when they saw Jesus Christ, who became flesh, they were all there waiting. That is, the Anointed One, the Lamb of God, who would save people from sin. Waiting there, waiting… When He actually came, they said no. Don’t you find it very interesting?

Christ Is Like This

God clearly demonstrates to them that Jesus Christ is the Messiah they have been waiting for. Brothers and sisters, do not be deceived. Many people will gossip, saying you are deceived, deceived by the pastor. You need to carefully see how that person lives, or see what they do. One of them, named Nicodemus, spoke a sentence from the Mosaic Law: “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” This Nicodemus was a clever man who went to Jesus at night to discuss eternal life. As a result, those Pharisees said of him, “Are you also from Galilee?”

If people hate you for no reason, you must know why, because that is how they hated Jesus. Nicodemus was silenced by them with one sentence. This world really belongs to the devil. So, the Pharisees were controlled by demons, but they did not know it themselves. The most厉害control is not back pain, serious illness, or headaches. The most fatal control is when a person is completely controlled by demons, seeing things very strangely, like Qu Yuan, thinking that others are deceived while he is very sober. In fact, the most confused one was Qu Yuan, who eventually jumped into the river. Don’t you think that’s confused? Live well! I think even farmers are smarter than him.

Jesus solves this confusion in this way: “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.” (John 7:16-18) What does this mean? If a person is determined to follow God’s will, you will definitely know which one is Jesus, which one is a person who is with God, and which one is not. Because a 38-year-old crippled man rising and walking is not a bad thing; it is God’s will.

Healing people is God’s will, setting people free is God’s will, releasing people from oppression is God’s will. So, God specially wrote a Bible for us, so that we may read it carefully. As long as we have a seeking attitude and look at what the person does, we will know whether it comes from God or not, whether it is walking in God’s will or not. Those Pharisees had a very strange mentality; when people walked in God’s will, they thought it was deceiving people. It is still like this in the church today.

Jesus spoke of the second thing: “If a boy is circumcised on a Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on a Sabbath?” (John 7:23) Because people must be circumcised; not being circumcised violates the law of Moses. Circumcising on the Sabbath does not violate the law of Moses. On the eighth day, he must be circumcised. If the eighth day happens to fall on the Sabbath, you cannot delay until the ninth day. The eighth-day circumcision is for the Jews. So why is circumcision allowed, but healing a 38-year-old crippled patient on the Sabbath is not allowed? “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” This person being completely healed is a fair and reasonable thing; setting people free from oppression is a reasonable thing.

The strange thing is that setting the oppressed free, setting the captives free, and healing the sick are said to be deceiving people. God’s will is originally for us to be healed, and those who long to be healed will be healed. On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (John 7:37-39)

Writing this Bible is to tell of the words Jesus spoke in those years. Whether Jesus came from God, you have to see if living water flows from within Him, if He can become a blessing to many people. John is a person who is very concerned about the Holy Spirit. In the Book of Acts, it is also said that whether John, Peter, they all ask you whether you have received the Holy Spirit. If you have received the Holy Spirit, rivers of living water will flow from your belly. Life is in a very strong state inside. Life can have a kind of joy, have an influence, become a blessing to many people, with the living water of life within. Is there any better proof than this?

In the Book of Acts, no matter who this person is, whether they believe in Jesus or not, whether they are baptized or not, when they meet Peter, John, Paul, they will all ask whether they have received the Holy Spirit. But today, many Christians, or non-Christians, can confess their sins and repent, they can be baptized, but whether or not they receive the Holy Spirit does not matter. When our Jesus came, He baptized us with the Holy Spirit and fire. The Bible speaks very clearly. If a person has not been baptized with the Holy Spirit, has not been filled with the Holy Spirit, it is actually a very serious problem. I once said that if a person is not filled with the Holy Spirit, at best, their state of believing in the Lord will be like Peter denying the Lord three times.

If we have these things, we will be very clear that people hating you for no reason will reveal people’s sins. Then you will teach the words that come from God, clearly teaching people, you will do those things that heal people, rivers of living water will flow from your belly, which will solve the confusion of many people. If you see these things, you don’t need to be confused anymore, this person is from God, and this person’s teaching is also from God.