Introduction

Good day to all, we gather today to delve into Chapter Twenty-One. I urge everyone to adopt a proactive approach in studying the Scriptures. What defines a proactive approach? It involves first reading the content, followed by active contemplation. Active contemplation is an outstanding habit. The Gospel of Luke, authored by Luke, what exactly does this Gospel entail? Luke was closely associated with Paul, and thus, his understanding of the term faith is profound.

The theme of Chapter Twenty-One is Heaven and Earth Shall Pass Away, but My Words Shall Never Pass Away! This theme not only unifies the chapter but also connects the preceding chapters. Why have I chosen this topic? Firstly, the first, second, and third sections of this chapter must address the same matter, which constitutes the theme of this chapter. Furthermore, the theme of this chapter echoes that of the preceding chapters. Chapter Eighteen centres on choosing to believe in one’s heart, Chapter Nineteen explores the consequences of belief and disbelief, Chapter Twenty affirms Jesus Christ as Lord, and Chapter Twenty-One asserts that heaven and earth will pass away, but God's words will endure forever. Why do I assert this? Allow me to elaborate in detail.

Living Well Through Trusting in God's Word

Let us first examine the initial section:

And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. (Luke 21:1-4)

Jesus observed the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. The contributions of the rich were undoubtedly substantial, perhaps bundles of dollars or renminbi, deposited in one swift motion. However, a widow came forward and contributed two small coins, prompting Jesus to create a narrative.

Why did Luke include this discourse of Jesus here? It relates to what people truly believe. In the previous chapter, you believed that Jesus Christ is Lord. In this chapter, you believe that heaven and earth will pass away, but the words of God will never pass away. How much more so our own mortal bodies? Therefore, the potency of the widow lies herein. I once delivered a sermon based on this passage of the widow contributing her coins, but my current contemplation of this scripture far surpasses my previous understanding.

This widow is not foolish. What she did is not of paramount importance, but Jesus extracted it to create a narrative, a small anecdote, which is crucial. Why did Jesus say this, or why did Luke include this event? Because this widow disdains life. Why does one disdain life? Consider carefully, to what extent can one disdain life? Living is a simple matter. Once enlightened, one can toss in two small coins and return home penniless. According to today's standards, who will pay for the phone bill? What about the water and electricity bills? What will one eat tomorrow?

However, this widow believes that living in this world is insignificant, but the word of God endures forever. You may deem paying the phone bill important, the water and electricity bills crucial, the rent payments essential, and earning money vital, but this widow scorns everything, to the point of placing her last two small coins, all she has to live on, into the treasury. If I have nothing to eat, I will simply not eat.

Some may argue that your God is harsh, depriving the widow of her last two small coins. However, it is not God who deprives the widow of her two small coins, but the widow who believes in her heart that the word of God endures forever. In the past, during times when survival depended on physical labour, widows were in dire straits, lacking the strength of others, and often subjected to unfavourable gazes. If she were to encounter a lecherous elder, he might try to take advantage of her. Why? Because in his mind, he believes that the widow may have unmet physiological needs.

I may be digressing, but the widow does not regard this as significant. Whether she has money or not is immaterial. Can you understand? She feels that living in this world is meaningless. Ask yourself, how much significance do you place on living in this world? If you find living exceptionally meaningful, you would not contribute all two small coins. The question is whether it is better for us to see through things like the widow or not? Those who see through things disdain everything and do not take these matters seriously.

This widow is an enlightened master. Deep down, I share this widow's drive. I find living to be a simple matter. I am not an enlightened monk, but I am an enlightened master. What doctrine did Jesus preach in the synagogue? He preached that people who see through living in this world scorn it.

In fact, this was not the first day the widow contributed these two small coins. How did she survive before? She must have tasted the sweetness of it. Perhaps a long time ago, she went through a struggle, unable to see through life. It is difficult to please God when one cannot see through life. Then one day, the widow saw through it and began to learn to give. As a result, she contributed all she had, come what may, and just lived like that! Then, something amazing happened the next day: she had money again. Although the widow did not have much money, she lived year after year, day after day, until the day Jesus spoke.

Will living by God's word lead to a good life? Yes, it will! A person who trusts in God lacks no good thing, do you know that? A person who trusts in God can be content at any time, did you know that? A person who trusts in God can rejoice at any time, can you compare? If you cannot compare, it is best to learn to be such a person. Have you ever seen a person who trusts in God starve to death? Have you ever seen a person who trusts in God unable to pay the rent? Have you ever seen a person who trusts in God unable to pay the water and electricity bills? No! So, where did the money come from? Don't guess blindly; it was supplied by God. How does God supply? God has many ways to supply. Isn't that so?

Scorn Living in This World

Whether you are rich or poor today, I tell you, scorn everything, scorn living in this world. Things that cannot kill you are small things, and things that can kill you are even less important. Because when people kick their legs and close their eyes, they don't have to pay for water and electricity bills, they don't have to pay for rent, and even the funeral expenses are unnecessary. Just find a broken mat to roll them up and throw them away. I'm dead. Why do I care about these things?

I had a phone call with a sister. She has been a lawyer for many years, but she has a bad habit of always being nervous. She is afraid of not doing well in everything and takes what she does too seriously. If you are a lawyer, you cannot be a good lawyer if you take being a lawyer too seriously; if you are a football player, you cannot play football well if you take playing football too seriously; if you take the exam to seriously, it will be difficult for you to pass.

When I took the college entrance examination, I scorned it; when I studying, I scorned it; when I worked, I scorned it. Whenever I take work seriously, my work always goes wrong. Whenever I scorn work, God helps me settle it. My relationship with the boss is good, but I didn't manage it. God has grace on me. I don't have that kind of neurotic habit. It's easy to handle things if you scorn everything. If you scorn living in this world but you are still not living well, you can come to me to settle the account. If you come to me, I will say that you still haven't seen through things, and you still regard this matter as a big deal.

What should we learn? We must strategically despise the enemy and tactically respect the enemy. These are the words of our great leader Chairman Mao. Others have already understood living in this world, but we Christians don't understand it. Isn't it embarrassing? Heaven and earth will pass away, and the trivial things people living in will also pass away, but the word of God will last forever.

Trusting in God's words is trusting in God. We do what God says. We implement what God says. God says that living is a trivial matter, and we treat it as a trivial matter. God said that if we trust in God, we don’t need to worry or be afraid. If God does not allow it, not a single hair on our heads will fall. If we believe that this is God’s word, God will surely accomplish it.

Do you know why the devil Satan can deal with so many of us? It is because people have not seen through this little thing of living. A sister resigned from her job because she managed fifteen stores, and the pressure was so great that she was in a terrible mess. Why? It’s just that they didn’t see through it and took this matter too seriously. Once people take it too seriously, how can the pressure not be great? Do you think I have great pressure? I have no pressure at all. I just live like this, and as a result, I’m living very well.

Therefore, I have learned the secret to everything. Whether I am in humble circumstances or noble circumstances, whether I am rich or poor, whether I am a slave or a prisoner, or whether I am a rich man, no one can take away the joy inside of me, because I have seen through this little thing of human life. You can live with money, and you can live without money. You can live with anything, and your heart is completely at ease. Where does the great pressure come from? People live so happily that you don’t know how happy they are, and they are so good.

I have seen through this little thing of human life, and I have also seen through building a church. Building a church cannot become my bondage, and serving cannot become my bondage. Because heaven and earth, my work, my service, and everything I have will all pass away, only God's word will last forever. So I will implement it according to God's word. Even if I work to the point of exhaustion, I am still very happy.

Many years ago, the widow threw a handful of money and found that nothing happened and she was still alive. Later, she did it again and again. Living is a very simple thing. First, see through a little bit, then see through a little bit more, including gems, diamond rings, big gold chains, and BMWs. After the widow threw in two small coins, did you think she went home crying? No, she went home happily and joyfully.

I can't wait to die sooner and leave this world sooner so that I can be with the Lord. Although I will still worry about my brothers and sisters, I still want to be with the Lord sooner. This is called an enlightened master. If you see through money, it will go into your pocket. If a person sees through living in this world, their words and deeds will be different.

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. (Luke 21:5-6)

Jesus's concept is quite different from that of ordinary people. Gems sell for 30 million, 50 million, 100 million, or 500 million at auction, which sounds scary; a stamp is worth $2 million, and if you cut off a corner, it will be tens of thousands of dollars. Once, I was driving a sister in my car and stopped at a red light. Next to my car, there was a Lamborghini, commonly known as Lan Bao. When this sister looked at the car, she said, Wow! I also said, Wow! She was complimenting the car, and I was mocking her ignorance. Because I have seen through these things, whether it's Lan Bao, Red Bao, or Ma Bao, none of them are useful. I also think that car is quite uncomfortable to sit in. You have to lie down to drive it, as if you were sitting in a massage chair, and you can't see the road ahead.

Jesus said that not one stone would be left on another, and the things in this world, and even heaven and earth, would pass away. Your life and mine will pass away, and no one will remember, and neither will you nor I be able to remember. However, God's word will last forever. If we trust in God's words and keep and obey them today, we will see that we are all raised by God.

I'll tell you a joke. One of our sisters went for an interview as a teacher. She didn't prepare, but this sister trusted in God very much. Actually, she had just been released from depression. The interviewer asked her, Which dynasty did the Picture of Qingming Shanghe come from? She said it was from the Qing Dynasty, and everyone laughed so hard.

Then the interviewer asked what her hobbies were. She said it was prayer. Isn't that nonsense? Who knew that she would actually be hired later! I think God may have done something. The sister said nonsense, but the people interviewing her heard something else. No matter how strange the whole interview process was, this sister got her wages and went to work.

It doesn't matter if people don't have wisdom, but people need to trust in God's word. Trusting in gems, genes, and treasures is not as good as trusting in our God. Such a magnificent temple, in the future, not one stone will fall on another, but God's word will last forever.

A few days ago, a sister coughed and went to the hospital. The doctor told her that her lungs had turned white. This sister called me, and her hands and feet were out of control and trembling. This is how people are. When they encounter things, they will be frightened and tremble uncontrollably, which is actually fear of death in their bones. So when I served her, I told her that living is just a trivial matter. If people are not afraid of death, then this will not happen, right? Today, let's all be brothers and sisters who are not afraid of death and don't care about these things.

Be an Enlightened Master

Next, these people heard what Jesus said and discussed a question about the future with Jesus. It is good to discuss questions about the future. What will it be like in the future? If that's the case in the future, let's prepare well, right? If in the future it is another way, then we will have plans and arrangements. Since not one stone will be left on another, what will be the sign when this is about to happen? Jesus didn't know whether to answer the question or what.

And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. (Luke 21:8-19)

Jesus spoke a large paragraph in this place. What kind of person can not be frightened at all when encountering this kind of thing? I didn't explain this passage very clearly before, but today I can explain it clearly. What kind of person can not be frightened, and what kind of person can not think in advance about how to answer? How do I round this up, should I lie or not? What kind of person can say wise words that enemies cannot resist or refute? What kind of person can have such wisdom? I tell you, it is those who scorn living in this world and downplay living in this world, those who have seen through life and death.

For example, if I say that everyone has to die, can the enemy refute it? The enemy says I want you to die, I say good; the enemy says I want to kill you, I say good. Die if you die, kill if you kill, how can you refute it? The enemy says I want to convict you, good! The enemy says I want to put you in jail, good! How can you refute it? You can't refute it. Because what? Because people despise living in this world, everything is easy to handle.

Why despise living in this world? Because people live by the word of God, so we should be determined not to think in advance about how to defend ourselves. Because God will give us eloquence and wisdom. We don’t care much about living in this world, so we don’t need to think so anxiously. Some people are very arrogant in the world, but when they are caught, their hair turns white overnight.

Can we clearly understand the matter of people living in this world clearly when we are still living so well today? Heaven and earth will pass away, our lives will pass away, but we live by the word of God, because God’s word will last forever.

Some people say how can those who trust in God be dragged away? How can they be hated by everyone? How can they be handed over to the authorities by their brothers, parents, relatives, and friends, and then be killed by them? Do you understand? We don't understand, why? We don't know that Jesus despises living in this world, because we take living in this world very seriously.

Some people say I can't do it. If you can't do it, you will be very entangled and you will live very tired. If you want to live happily, you must despise living in this world, then your boss, your work, your family, and the obstacles and persecutions you encounter will all become small things, right? It is difficult for us to understand why Jesus said this, because Jesus is an enlightened master.

If we also want to be an enlightened master, I tell you, no demon can stand before you, and no one can do anything to you. So whether you worry or fear, you can't add an hour to your life. But if you trust in God, it will not shorten your life by an hour either. Do you understand? The most important thing for people to come into this world is to be an enlightened master, and everything will become simple in front of you. It doesn't matter if you work a little harder, but you are happy to do it, and it is also good to solve problems, and you are very happy.

God's Word Endures Forever

Jesus continued,

When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. (Luke 21:20-22)

God's word will surely come to pass, as Jesus said. Today, when we look back at history, these things have already been fulfilled.

How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:23-24)

Can you comprehend these words? What wrong have pregnant women and nursing mothers done? But Jesus said this to tell us: Our God absolutely disregards this matter of living, and God is absolutely in control of everything.

A person who can disregard this matter of living is formidable; otherwise, people live anxiously. People should live happily and always possess the secret. Whether in abundance or in poverty, whether in honor or in dishonor, do your best in whatever you do. As a prisoner, be the best prisoner; as a human, dwell above all the nations. Because we have received God's word, let God's word reign in us.

We must know that if God disregards these things, we also disregard these things. Many people do not understand why it will be dreadful for pregnant women and nursing mothers, thinking God is so ruthless. But God really does not care about one more or one less death. Some defend God, saying that God desires all people to be saved.

God desires all people to be saved, including the Israelites. He wanted to bring all those Israelites to the promised land, but they were afraid of death, afraid of war, and unwilling to enter the promised land. In the end, they all died in the wilderness. Was that God's plan for them? No, it was their own choice.

God looks lightly upon this matter of living. If a person flees to the mountains, there are no houses, no sanitary facilities, and problems arise with eating, drinking, relieving oneself, and sleeping, not to mention mosquito and insect bites. Living conditions in the city are certainly better than in the countryside, but God says, Let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. It is hard for us to imagine, but Jesus Christ said so. How people live is a small matter because God's words will all come to pass.

It is a tragedy for people to live for the sake of living. This wrath will come upon the people, and they will fall by the sword. So lines are flowing out between the lines of this passage, God simply does not care, even when the heavens and the earth will pass away. Everyone hopes that all people will be saved, but whether or not one is saved depends entirely on one's choice. You say you believe in God's word, but I ask, what do you believe in? If you get sick, rush to the hospital and pray for God to grant a good doctor. Is this God's word? In fact, you do not know what God says, so people live in confusion and bewilderment.

One generation comes, and another generation goes. In the blink of an eye, my father has passed away for eleven years, and my mother for more than half a year. The pandemic has also lasted for a year and several months. A person's life is short and fleeting; you cannot hold on to it, can you? Some of us came to Singapore in our teens, and in the blink of an eye, we are in our twenties or thirties. Even if you put yourself in the freezer, you cannot freeze your age; you can only get frostbite. So as people's days pass so quickly, if you still cannot see through this matter of living, then it is troublesome.

From the time Jesus spoke these words until now, two thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye. Over these two thousand years, China has experienced the Western Han, Eastern Han, Three Kingdoms, Wei and Jin Dynasties, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Some time ago, I was reading Those Things of the Ming Dynasty. When I read the last volume, I thought it was about the descendants of Zhu Yuanzhang's family, but the author wrote about a man named Xu Xiake. Xu Xiake traveled around the mountains and rivers all his life in the late Ming Dynasty, writing millions of words of travel notes, of which about hundreds of thousands of words have survived to this day. He recorded China's great mountains, rivers, and waters very clearly.

Be a Person Faithful to God

So how people live is how they live. Some people became emperors but later hanged themselves on Coal Mountain. Some people became Xu Xiake and traveled the mountains and rivers all their lives. I am moved and ponder whether Christians no longer fear death. If people are afraid of death, they will either become traitors when the enemy comes. When the enemy leaves, that is even more troublesome because they will be shot. Let us be faithful people, rather die than submit, I would rather die than betray God's word, I would rather die than betray God's good purpose in my life. Anyway, people die in the end, dying this way or that way is not much different.

There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will be overwhelmed with fear at what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. (Luke 21:25-28)

People are like this, often overwhelmed with fear because they care about this matter of living. But the end of this world will surely be disasters upon disasters, plagues upon plagues, natural disasters upon natural disasters; it can only be like this. This is what the Bible says. Disasters are increasing and becoming more frequent; plagues are also increasing and becoming more frequent.

If you are a person who is afraid of death, you may not be able to escape. If you are a person who trusts in God, you must know that these disasters are prepared by God for this world, not for you and me. Those of us who trust in God will come out of these disasters and lift up our heads to welcome the Lord Jesus' return.

Whether we like it or not, the world will pass away; you cannot hold on to it. If you want to keep yourself, you cannot keep yourself; simply do not keep yourself. Take my advice as an enlightened person. Then live happily and joyfully on this earth, trusting in God every day. I tell you, not a single hair will fall from your head without God's permission. Do not be afraid of death, fear nothing anymore, just fear God.

Some Christians are afraid of everything except God. Some pastors are afraid of everything: members, deacons, cell group leaders, but they are not afraid of God. I say these people are really possessed. I am not afraid of anything; I am only afraid of God. Everything will pass away, the deacons of the church will pass away, and many things of the church will pass away. Even if you build a very magnificent temple, not one stone will be left on another, but God's word will endure forever.

Today, you and I read God's word into our hearts, let us act according to God's word, and no one, nothing can deprive God of His good plan for us. The day of our Jesus Christ's coming is really very near. I believe that we are a group of special people prepared by God in the last days, those who lift up their heads, be joyful and welcome the Lord Jesus' return. We are to prepare the way for the Lord, so that when He comes again, God may be glorified because of us, and then we come before God and joyfully receive His reward.

We Must Always Be Alert

The day of Lord Jesus' coming is very near, so Jesus said this:

He told them this parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Luke 21:29-33)

When we see Israel's re-establishment in 1948, that is the fig tree putting forth leaves. Then many colonies sprang up and constantly became independent. Malaysia, Singapore, and India were all independent from the colonies at that time. As these things have been accomplished to this day, we know that the day of Jesus' return is very near. That generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. Understood?

Many of the words of God recorded in the Bible have already been fulfilled, and the return of Jesus Christ is at hand. Are we still afraid of death today? Do not be afraid of death anymore, just fear our God alone.

Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34-36)

Understood? The disasters of these last days will suddenly come upon those who are afraid of death, just like the Son of Man coming. If people only live in the hope of this life, they will suddenly be caught in a net. So we must always be alert and pray that we may be able to escape all that is about to happen. How to escape? It is to trust in God's word, not to trust in our own set of things that fear death.

The day of Lord Jesus' return is very near. If we see through this matter of living, will we have the anxieties of this life? No. Will we indulge in carousing and drunkenness? No. Behind carousing, drunkenness, and the anxieties of this life is all the spirit of the Old Horse, which is the unveiling of the first four seals in Revelation, and those four horses come out to restrain these people. But we are God's victorious people, we no longer live for the anxieties of this life.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, if you were afraid of your boss before, you do not have to be afraid anymore today. If you were afraid of not doing your work well before, you do not have to be afraid anymore today because these things will pass away. Let us begin to live each day on earth with our feet on the ground, relying on God's word and God's promises, and looking lightly upon this matter of living. This is my best blessing to everyone.

May God bless everyone.