The Marvelous New Man — The Church

Labor Day Conference 2018. Meeting 2. 

The Marvelous Creation of Man Is with Eternity in View

What we covered this morning was marvelous, and marvelous. We see there are five items, am I right? First marvelousness comes with God’s creation of man, and rarely do people realize God’s creation of man is with eternity in view because he is the eternal God. He will not do anything just for instances, just for time, just for the happenings. If there are instances where things happened, there is always a purpose. He desires to use this to bring an eternal element into our being. Do you get it or not? You know the way you grow up, the way you receive the Lord, the way many things happen to you, as a man, you have to realise, there are not just because God wants to work with you, it’s God’s desire to produce the element of eternity into your being, into your person. So at the beginning of these notes, we said in the first paragraph on page 4, “When we consider the work of God, we are amazed at the eternal value, the wisdom, the mighty and the fine work of God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ. He is marvelous [so] whatever he does, out of Himself and through His hand can only be marvellous.” Why? Because He bears the nature of eternal. 

You should be very happy. You know, many Christians are so self-centered, you hear many testimonies such as, “God loves me.” Yes, God really loves you huh? “God gave me a house, God gave me a degree, God gave me a really good wife.” Which is extremely important. A good wife is better than a good house, better than a car, than a degree. To a sister, you may say, “God gives me a very good husband.” All these are marvelous, do you get my point? Of course the most marvelous gift is wife and husband. This is the top gift God has given to you, but for what reason? For you two together to gain something that is eternal. God desires that whatever happens to us, this can come with the element of eternity as its value. No eternity? It doesn’t mean that much. People are so fortunate, they win the lottery, so what? They are unfortunate, because the lottery causes them to be rich, and they ruin their life. So it’s not so good. People are so good they become a PhD, I heard one of you is a PhD candidate is that right? Are you, is one of you here or not? You, you are the one, you are going to get a PhD? You got it already. Are you permanent head damage? Haha, sorry ah, I hope I didn’t offend you. From where? From Ohio State. What’s the major? Welding Engineer. Wow that’s very interesting. That can have a PhD. And one brother, when I asked him what is your major, he is from University of Massachusetts, then he has a postdoc in Cincinnati. I said, “What is your major?” He said, “I studied glass, but the glass I studied is made so solid so it’s more solid than steel.” This is interesting. So men’s mind is getting more and more. But anyway huh. 

Everything is advancing. What does that mean? Means everything is changing. God desires us to focus, to realise that He is eternal God. For God to give you a house, it is too easy, for God to give you eternity, that means a lot. You can easily say I got a house, or I got a car, or I got a good promotion, or I got a good job, I am a professor in a certain university. But when you get there, you find they are all professors, so many professors. Eventually you realize these are gifts of God, blessings of God. The leadings in grace from God for you to go on with the intentions that your life can gain eternity. Man was created with eternity in view; man was not created with a human life in view. So God will ask you this question: Do you believe in me? Yes I do. Do you love me? Yes I do. Do you go to meetings? Yeah I am just a good church-goer. Do you offer money? Yes, every meeting I offer then dollars, to pay my utility. Do you what what? Then eventually the Lord will be very simple and ask there is nothing wrong with going to meetings, there is nothing wrong, of course it is precious to be saved. But when you are saved what did you gain? You cannot say: “Oh I am very happy, I don’t go to hell” Is that English? How do you spell that word? How do you pronounce that word? Hell, I don’t go to hell. I go to heaven. Do you know how poor this kind of object? Because there is no eternity in view. 

You don’t realize, do you? To go to heaven and have heaven in you are two matters. Go to heaven and to be one with the heavenlies, that is two matters. God desires you not just to go to heaven, God desires you to be heavenly, God desires you not just to have eternal life, but be constituted with eternal life. God has eternity in view. That’s why He made man. Man’s sole reason for man’s existence, for men’s continuation, is that eternity can be brought to man. I am sorry, then man fell. When man failed, Jesus came. Jesus is unique, first God-man, right? He was born in Spirit. He never knows sin, but he has the quality of eternity. So He has eternity as a constitution. In a way He really should not die and cannot die, but he is willing to die for us on that cross. So what? He can save us right? Then he can shed his blood to cleanse us from our sins. Then also more than that, He can become a life-giving spirit to dispense life to us. 

You know what is the most precious things in a Christian? Usually we say: “Oh the day I got saved, so very very happy. Praise the Lord for that, you should be very very happy, but remember that, not just very very happy, I got saved, more than that, I realized, I am from mortal to become immortal. I am in time to become eternity. I am in limitation to come into unlimitedness. I am in short span of something, come into something that is forever. I tell you that is real joy. More than “I got saved,” more than “I don’t go to hell.” No, there is something higher than that. God desires you to have eternal salvation. 

Gaining Eternity

You know brother, in his resurrection, we come to the third marvelousness: the marvellous new man, the church. It’s very interesting. We all are individuals, right? Like what’s your name? Ying Shi Hui. You are an individual. You got a bachelor’s?  You first got a bachelor from Oberlin right? So you are very good with your piano right? Then you got a masters in Northwestern. These are all top universities. Something you can be very proud of. Then it’s very normal for you to think, “I got a degree.” The Chinese say, “If I am born with a talent for something, it has got to be useful.” Then we interpret it. “If I am educated with something, I’ve got to be useful.” You know sister Fang, you’re a dentist right? Isn’t that not so right? Your husband graduated from Case, major in engineering right? How to say? It’s engineering of nutritious stuff? Well isn’t that, it’s a kind of engineering, you did this, something produce, you do this, something produce, you do this something produce so you are engineer of something that keep people healthy. Your dad will say my son graduated from university and that’s nutrition so he should be a dietician or something, or go to graduate school to get his head permanently sorry huh, don’t be bothered I am just teasing. To have a PhD, I better not say too much because you are so new. I hope I didn’t offend you. You know your mind is not damaged. 

Anyways, that’s very normal. I got this education, I must do something. I am in this place, I got to do something. I have a certain  talent, I have to do something. Brother, very few people realize really all of what you have doesn’t mean that much. What God cares is, are you associated, related, working at developing something in eternity. Only that has a real high value. Are you applying to be a professor or  something or go to the industry? Well that can be industry right? Both. You can be a professor? Don’t be too happy, you can be assistant professor, not really professor right? Then you can become an associate professor, then you become a non-retirement professor. Then you teach students at the age of 80. Did you realize, all these things come into our mind, “We can do this, we should do this, we can do that, we should do that, we can develop—” But God will say all this is fine, because you are a human being, you need to live properly. 

However, do you realize that the highest value of your existence is to keep on gaining something with eternity in view?  This is why, once He saved us, He said, “The marvellous human!” I will read what I wrote here: We were formerly dead in sins and offenses. We were formerly in sins but He made us alive. More than that, He caused us to be resurrected with Him, and more than that, He caused us to sit in the heavenlies with Him together, as in all of us together, as a created new man. What is the reason for this new man? To testify of the bountiful riches of his grace. 

This is a simple verse. Where were you? Dead. I didn’t say it, the Bible said it! You were formerly dead. Do you know what “dead” means? You should realize “dead” is a very pleasant stage. Of course, no one living wants to be dead, because of all the troubles. All the labors, all the veterans, they don’t fight. No dead man rises up from the coffin and tries to fight for a little bit of food or something. They are just dead. They are very relaxed and comfortable. They just sleep. If they have Christ then they are waiting for the resurrection; If they don’t have Christ then they are waiting for… whatever, I don’t like to use that word, it’s kind of too harsh. And when there still can be a chance, but I know the Bible, at least the Bible didn’t tell us, there is such a chance. You know brother, that means I have no feeling. What do you mean we were dead in sins and offences? 

Being Dead versus Being Alive

You know the thing that makes me feel so good is that, praise the Lord, in my many years of salvation, in the many years I have been saved, I’ve loved the Lord. What have I gained? Eternity. I gain eternity. Because I was formerly in sins and offenses. What does that mean? Dead means I have no feelings. When you talk with Gentiles, and tell them, “This is sinful,” He will tell you “Everybody does it.” You see a doper and say, “Don’t smoke like that, don’t smoke that stuff, it’s going to hurt you.” “No, it makes me very happy.” I have a relative, literally died as a teenager. I think something happened to the parents. The father and mother had a little bit of confrontation and so he was a young man, doesn’t know how to handle himself. He went to smoke the dope and was killed. At the age of 17-18? But when you tell him, “Don’t do this,” he is dead. Dead in sins and offenses. This is not good, but everybody does it. This is not proper, but everybody does it. Don’t do this kind of, it’s going to hurt you, but everybody does it. Why? We are dead in sins and offenses, but He made us alive. 

What does alive mean? Alive means I have a lot of feelings now. Now if things come, I begin to realise that this is sin. If something is offensive to God, now I realise this is offensive to God because I am alive. Alive is a good thing. Brother, do you understand me? Physically, spiritually, being alive is a good thing. People usually ask me, “Titus, do you like to eat?” Yeah I really like to eat. Of course in these two months I try my best not to eat that much. It’s really not that comfortable. But anyways, I like to eat. You know, then people usually say, “Brother, that’s very good. At your age, you serve. Your heart, you have many meetings regularly. You should eat a lot.” But nobody ever told me that when you eat a lot, you put on a lot of weight! Do you get my point? You know, brother, their words are very simple: for your physical body, appetite indicates your healthiness. So I see some sisters, they try their best to take care of their weight and make sure they don’t become overweight. They eat less and less. It’s not a good thing. Of course, they will say, “Hallelujah Titus, after your message, I am going to have a big meal after the meeting.” And that’s not a good message either but anyways — made us alive means I begin to follow its law. You eat, you sleep. 

Are you a PhD? Are you highly educated? If you are so highly educated, then you don’t need to eat and you don’t need to sleep because you have a good mind, don’t you? If I told you this then you will say “No no no! That’s another realm. As long as I’m alive, I like to eat!” Physically, if I’m a living person and I don’t like to eat then, usually, that’s not a good sign. That’s not a good sign. You know brother, we were made alive, not only in our physical body, but also in our spirit. Our spirit was made alive. Aren’t you surprised? That we were dead in sins and offenses, but God—Jesus Christ—came in and made us alive. And more than that, He caused us to be resurrected with Him. This is hard to believe now, right? Made us alive, we understand. Physical body, if we’re alive with a physical body, then what? We eat. We sleep. We exercise. We do things physically. If we are alive with psychological being, then what? We love, we hate, we want to be satisfied. But God says, “I made you alive in your spirit. With this aliveness, do you know that I want you to be resurrected with Me and to sit in the heavenlies with Me?” That is really marvelous! Now, we were terrible, right? We were terrible; in the bottom. We were dead in all things, in our sins, we had no feelings. Whatever the worldly people did, we did. Then, one day God came in and saved us. Once we were saved, we became alive. 

What is the Church? 

The first thing after we are alive is that we begin to realize the things of God become very precious. You are made alive. Then He said you are resurrected with Him. Then He said you are sitting together with Him in the heavenlies. You are brought into a realm. A realm that is 100% in resurrection, that is 100% in ascension, 100% in the enthronement of Christ. So now, who are we? Everyone is the same. Number one say dead. Number two I was made alive. Number three I resurrected with Him. Number four I was sitting with Him in the heavenlies. How many of us? All of us. We were all dead in sins, we were all dead in our offenses. But Christ came and gave us life. When we were receiving life, we were made alive. After that aliveness, we begin to realise, hallelujah, we are not just alive—we are saved, we are elevated, we are ascended, we are sitting together with Christ in the heavenlies! And what is that? That is actually the totality of the church. 

Very few of you realise what is the church. The church is not earthly. The church’s testimony is earthly, on earth, but the church itself is heavenly, and this heavenly church is in the heavenly realm. You have to say, Christ, Christ as the center here.We become His enlargement, we become His body, we become His fullness. Do you get my point? How does the Bible describe the church? He was made to be the head over all things to the church. Do you get my point? Then, what? He wants to be the head over all things to the church. Then what? The church is His Body. So what is the church? The church is his body. Who is this body? This Body is the fullness of this One. Do you see this picture a little?

Hey you, with your good mind: How long have you been saved? Three years? Two years? Do you understand what I am saying? Try to understand me. We think salvation is an individual matter. I got saved, and you got saved. I have been saved 63 years. The years I have been in the Lord are close to three good brothers added together. So sometimes brothers ask me, “Brother, how long have you been saved?” I say, “Before your dad was born.” That’s a very simple answer, but it’s true. Then you ask this question now: All these years when you were saved, what did you do? Well, first I found out I am no longer dead. Many saints have no feelings before. I can do a lot of improper things. But my feeling is, this is normal, everyone is doing this, so it should be ok, because I’m dead in sins and offenses. Then secondly, I have a lot of feelings developed because I am made alive. After being made alive, I found out, wow something very interesting. Not just made alive, this life is called an elevating life.

The Christian Life Is an Elevating Life

After I give you a few messages, my English is coming back a little bit. I have a hard time because I have been in China for a half year, and I gave all the messages in Chinese. Ok, it’s elevated. Is that English? Elevated life, with an elevated living. My life is an elevated life. Do you get my point or not? You have a good psychology. So your psuché life, your life, your soul-life, is an elevated life. You have primary school, you want to be high school. In high school, you want to be in college. After college, you want to have graduate school. Then when in graduate school, you like to be a PhD. Am I right? Do you want to be a postdoc? Actually you are? Going to. Well, post that’s no good. “Post” usually means you are stationed there, be careful. 

But anyways, elevated. Your soul life. Your Christian life, if the same, even your physical life, elevated. Ideally it’s full stature. Do you get my point?  For instance, I was much taller than today. I’m skinnier than today. So when I was in my early twenties, when I gave a message, the brothers comment was, “You are just like a bamboo, and the wind can come and blow you away.” And today, I stood up here, you are just like a bear. Do you get my point? You put on too much weight. But anyways, there is about 20 years, 22 years, where I am elevated physically. Then psychologically, soul life, maturing and maturing. But spiritual life has two facts. 

Maybe I say this. When I was born, this is my height. Somewhat decided. Do you get my point? Not totally decided. It has a lot to do with nutrition. It has a lot to do with the environment you grow up with. But basically, when you are born. Today I saw a brother, a young brother, a lovely young brother. He stood at the basketball hoop, leaned over there for basketball, basket. He was standing there just as high as the basket. He picked up the ball, put it in. Pick up ball, put it in. He was tall, but he was supposed to be tall, you know why? His dad is tall; Li Chun Wang is tall. His mom is tall. I don’t know her name. Grace? Zhong Hua, Zhong Hua. Li Chun is tall, Zhong Hua is tall. He was born tall. But even though he was born tall, he needs to be elevated to be tall. He was not born the first day. He was a baby, the second day mom look at him, you are 185cm. In other words, gradually, gradually. In fact if you ask him, if you ask him what’s your height? I don’t know, he can be 185, 190 maybe. Brother Li Chun, are you here? Another one disappeared. How tall is he? “193.” Oh, that’s why he can stand at the basket. You know he can actually go to the basketball team. All he needs to do is, I don’t play, I just hand that, you throw the ball at me, I just catch it. Then you throw another one, bong. I have made it. You know brother, anyways. 193 is a fact. When he was born is 193. But in experience, he needs to be elevated, come into the reality of the 193, to enjoy the height of 193. Christian life is exactly the same. When you were born, you were born in the heavenlies. But it does take you four steps. Firstly, you cannot be dead anymore. Secondly, you need to be made alive. Thirdly, you need to enjoy the power of resurrection, which keeps on elevating you. Your life, your Christian life is an elevated life. Elevate you from one place, one height to another height. From one realm to another realm, from one understanding to another understanding, from one appreciation of Christ to a further advance appreciation of Christ. You should be elevated all the time. Eventually come the third stature, you have to realise, we are sitting with him in the heavenlies. Sitting, you know what does “sitting” mean? That means you don’t fight for your stature anymore. 

When I was very little, no no no. When I was young, 16-17, you really cared about your height, right? How tall can I become? Until what? Until 21-22, you realise it makes no difference now. Then the most is from 173, 172-173. I was 173, then I went to get a driver license in China, in Taiwan. They say, “What’s your height?” I stand there, it’s 170. I protest. I was 173. Now he says you can try again. So I try again. I try really hard. So then, 171. So he looked at me, oh you are 170, close to 172, 171.5. Cause you’re shrinking, why you’re shrinking? Because you’re not sitting there properly. 

Sitting with the Lord, do not shrink. You just realize, oh hallelujah, this is my Christian life, I was dead in sins, then I am made alive, then I am in resurrection. And I am in resurrection all my life until I obtain a certain kind of maturity. Then I enjoy it. What I enjoy was what I’m supposed to have anyways. Do you get it or not? Like Wang Li Chun’s son right? He was 193. He enjoys being 193, I can see that. All the young brothers were surrounding him, passing the ball to him. He put in, take another one, put in, get another one. He does not even have to jump, he does not have to go like that. Pong, pong. Of course, I think our basket may be lower than normal. That’s why, because I don’t understand this kind of stuff. My guess is that many basketball players are 190 some. Am I right? Otherwise, it’s hard for you to be a basketball player. But they still have to make an effort. They don’t just put in like this. Maybe if 210 you can do that. But anyways, 193 is a fact. But you need him to attain it, through mother’s feeding, through father’s feeding. 

You better listen to me. What are you doing? What are you doing brother, you are so lovely. “I don’t even know.” Then why don’t you listen to me. How tall are you? 5’10. Come on, come on, you are my height. You are taller than I. Is he taller? Yeah a little bit. Handsome young man, maybe when I talk about height he was bothered. I’m not tall enough, I’m not tall. I tell you, 170 sounds pretty good. What? You are 178? Well, that’s the only problem, too much muscle. Which is true right? When you are too wide, make people think you are shorter. If there are no muscles, just bone, then people will think he’s really tall. But anyways, handsome young man, listen to my message. Sitting in front of me, and don’t listen to my message, that’s an insult. “I’m sorry.” You’re sorry. Better look at me, and don’t go like this. I tell you, some brothers even know how to sleep in the meeting and staring. Look at something, and eventually slept, but how do you know he slept? His eyes become reflecting. There is light; the eyes has light. Then whenever I see a brother go like that, I wake him up. Brother, wake up, wake up. And the brother will say, I am listening, I am listening. Hallelujah. 

The Body of Christ Is in the Heavenlies

Well, you should be very happy. So I am no longer dead and in offenses. I am made alive, I am resurrected, eventually means I am sitting in the heavenlies. And who is there? I found out that multi-millions of Christians are in this realm, enjoying reality. You can’t believe it, how rich is the body of Christ. Then where is the body of Christ? The body of Christ is in the heavenlies. The body of Christ are the brothers and sisters, the saints who have the reality, the position, and the reality of being sitting with Christ in the heavenlies. So in this marvelous body of Christ, you can say it’s elevated, so that’s your Christian life. Your Christian life is alive, of elevation. You need to be elevated, and elevated, and elevated. Do you get my point? 

Hey, you are not listening to me. You are? Am I that offensive? I’m going to cry. “Why are you so offended?” Because you don’t look at me. What’s wrong with looking at me? I’m so ugly, too old to look at. Unpleasant. Bothersome. Why don’t you look at me? “I don’t know.” Better look at me. “Alright.” Your dad, look at me. Thank you brother, you are really a pleasant young brother. I mean even he was glaring at something, having daydreams. You ask him, what are you thinking, I don’t know. But don’t think that’s a joke. Most of you are doing that. In every meeting, there got to be a few times you don’t know what you’re doing, without suddenly your mind getting away. Does this happen? Someone can say I listen from beginning to end, that’s only wife to husband. Or children, and even children may not be like that. I think if the husband gives a message, the wife really pays attention to him. Got to make sure the husband doesn’t mess things up. 

But anyways, brother, we should be very happy. We come here, we find out, wow it’s not only elevated, it’s also a corporate. Is that, how do you say, how do you write that? C-o-r-p-o-r-a, it’s a corporate value. You find out, well this body is corporate. I’m in the heavenlies. Hey, where are you?  Where are you? “In the heavenlies.” Positionally…two words. Positionally means that’s where you are, who you are. Dispositionally, that’s what’s real with you. Like I see, Yin Shi Hui. Not her. I see…I can’t see anyone. Let me see if I can, wow no second generation. Right? All you young people are so encouraging, but. No, you are half second generation. You are second generation. Half Chinese. Do you speak Chinese? “A little bit.” Are you Chinese? “What do you mean?” Well you say my mother is Chinese. Are you a Chinese? Do you speak Chinese? What is wrong with you? Your mother is Chinese, then you do speak Chinese. “She didn’t teach me enough.” No, you just say that. Dispositionally, positionally I’m a Chinese. Dispositionally I’m still half-Chinese. I don’t know how to speak Chinese. Do you know how to speak Chinese? “Yeah.” Come up. Do you know how to speak Chinese? “Yeah.” Can you say that, we are elevated. How do you say that in Chinese. What is that? “Wo men ju gao.” Not ju gao, ti sheng. Ti sheng. We are elevated. In other words, ti sheng shang qu, we are elevated. Wo men, “wo men”. Wo men, “wo men”, ti sheng, “ti sheng”. Wo men, “wo men”, cheng zhang “cheng zhang”. That cheng zhang is not so Chinese. But does that take away the fact he’s Chinese? In origin. 

Christians are interesting. Christian sometimes say a lot of things. Angels don’t understand, Jesus doesn’t understand, only Satan understands. But it doesn’t make a difference, he is still Christian. He can fail, he has problems, he has limitations, he can be divided, defeated, but he is a Christian. Where is he? He’s in the heavenlies. Let me ask you, where are you? Where are you? “Positionally here, dispositionally maybe here.” Not bad. It’s pretty high already. Come on. Where are you. Come on, where are you? Brother doctor, brother PhD, where are you? “Here maybe.” We have all these humble brothers. He ask me where are you, I say I am here, because Christ is here. I am one with Christ. You know brother, you can ask are you so one with Christ? I say uh oh. It’s not for, it’s for me to say as a fact, not for you to check. Do you understand what I say? The fact is, I’m in the heavenlies. The fact is, I cannot deny the fact. I’m sitting here in the heavenlies. Who said it? The Bible said it! I was dead in sins and offenses, but God has made me alive, and resurrected me, and sit me up with Christ in the heavenlies. This is a fact. It does take me many years to grow up. Thank you, thank you brother. 

One New Man

Then you find out, what is our life? An elevated life. What is our living? A corporate living. It’s a body life. When we have the body life, we find out we are a new man.  What is your, what is our existence? A new man existence. When you come to “new man,” it’s very interesting. He said created of two or something. Created in himself. Of the two, one new man. You like the word? You, you are a brother right? Congratulations. Hallelujah. Shake hands, shake hands. Come up, come up. So we are in the body together. This is a 65 whatever. How many years I forgot now. 63 year old senior. This is half day junior. But what’s the difference? We all are saved, we all are made alive, we are with power, with life of resurrection. We all are sitting with him in the heavenlies. That is a realm. So only one thing though. We talk about this one new man, is one new man. Where are you from? “Columbus.” No no no, where are you from? China or… “Fu Zhou.” Fu Zhou?  I am from Shao Xin. You know we two are neighboring provinces. With the speed train, I think in 3-4 hours I can be in your town. Where do you stay in Fu Zhou? “wo mei you hui qu. Hen zhao yi qian.” Hen zhao yi qian. Years ago. Your father or mother come from Fu Zhou. “I am born here.” Wow, you all see, look like you’re bothered by that. Hey come on, you, you naughty. I couldn’t find a brother here, so I have to get a sister. You know what’s the difference? I am born in China. Oh no no, yeah I was born in China. Then I have my education, more high school and college in Taiwan. And then the military. Then I came here. I really grow here. This is my longest part of my life. I came here in 1963, so how many year now? 55, I have been in the United States for 55 years. I’m an old man. And you are, you were born in the United States and you are a young man. She is a naughty one, but pleasant, good sister. You were born in China, and immigrated to US. “I just study here.” Are you going to stay here, or are you going to go back? “I don’t know. How will I know the future?” This is kind of a funny answer. I don’t like that kind of answer, this kind of answer is from a politician. Is that good? Yeah, it can be looked at from either side…good in a certain way, not good in a certain way….are you going to China? Oh of course I’m not quite sure. Of course I’m Chinese, I go back to China, but it depends all on the situation, the environment, and maybe the Lord will want me to stay….but however if the Lord wants me to go back. Brother, what kind of things is this? “I prefer stay here.” Oh, at least she says some truth now. I prefer to stay here Whether she can stay or not. Come on Brother Mark and what’s your name again? “Ade.” Audi. Ok, come on, easy to remember. Then come up also, Steve. You three come up. Ok, these are, even the three, we consider them as Black, right? That’s not an offensive word right? He’s Black. If he is a negro, that’s offensive right? Both are not offensive? Come on, come on. This is a Black, from “Kampala.” East Africa, Uganda. This is Black from Ghana, West Africa. This is a Black from where? “Lorain.” From United States. You were born here. Another Chinese born in China, educated in Taiwan and main part of my life in United States. He is the one nothing but United States, but with Chinese origin. She is one very Chinese. Am I right? 100%, maybe 95% Chinese. She is just as thoughtful and considerate as most Chinese. You know, you are Chinese too right? You know most Chinese are very picky. They always know what to do, how to get the best. When they make a decision, Christ is not there. When they made the decision, “I made it!” they give thanks to the Lord. Am I right or not? You make all the decisions right? Then finally you say, “The best is for me to teach in a certain university. If not in a certain university, if it doesn’t work, I’ll have a post doc, but I will have to be under the best professor. If the best professor is not there, I will get the second best professor. I’ll work to have a post-doc under him.” Do you have that thought? “Yeah, kind of.” Yeah, yeah. 

Well, you can answer in this way. Titus, aren’t we all the same? We’re all sneaky right? But anyways, here is one, one kind, here is another kind, another kind. Don’t think they are Blacks, they are three kinds of Blacks. This is sort of middle black. This is soft black. You know Ghanaians are very pleasant people. So you know all the other professors, no no, all the other countries like to get teachers, get doctors from Ghana, because their English is good. If you don’t believe, you let them speak English. His English is real English. He speaks English with a certain kind of accent. You speak English with an American accent. The Lord. How do you say it? Do you say the Lord, how do you say it? “Lord.” Yeah, sometimes I heard the preaching, “The Lord will bless you. The Lord will give you. The Lord. Praise the Loooord.” Is that feeling, oh all kind of funny guys. She is peculiar, are you peculiar? Yeah yeah, then you ask me, are you peculiar? “Are you peculiar?” Yeah, I’m very very peculiar. Are you peculiar? Yeah. Don’t think all you are in Africa. You are Kampala. You are from…what your country? “Uganda.” Uganda. You are from Uganda. You are. You know brothers, even with Ugandans, there are all kinds of different kinds of Ugandans. Am I right? He is successful. Look at the shirt, that’s very successful. Just look at this. None of us can afford it? Do you have something like this? How do you kids say that? Ci xiu. “Embroidery.” Embroidery. Whatever. See how beautiful that is? Nice, you must be very rich. And brother, so bad you are from United States. That’s why you are not that rich. 

But for some reason, God will say, I create in Jesus Christ, create in Himself, one new man. What does creation mean? What does create mean? Means you have your disposition, I don’t need it. You have your ability. I don’t need it. You have your seniority, I don’t need it. You have your eastern African speciality, I don’t need it. You have your western African pride. Ghanaians are the most proud people in Africa. Am I right? You know, usually, you see Africans, they’re not proud. Ghanaians are very proud. Ghanaians will tell you this, if you go there, you visit them. If you don’t believe, try to visit them. You will really enjoy the church life there. They are about ten thousand saints. About ten thousand saints. He serves a certain potion. He and the brother serve, that’s in West Africa, 5-6 countries. You just had a burden to go to a new country, Sierra Leone or whatever that is. Capital of, whatever. Brother, God says, you are wealthy, you know how to make money, but do you know how to make money? And did you, Wow did know that so fancy. Look how fancy this is. I don’t think US can make, ever make some shirts like this. Very colourful, very attractive, it’s a good display of the wealth of the guy who owns it. But God would say I don’t need it. But I’m just an American and Black. He says I don’t care, I don’t care. Then there is a White. Come on, come on Mike. Come up come up, brother. You come up. 

Brother, you are the most faithful brother. Could you believe, when he is old, he bought a thing like that. I didn’t know how to call that. That real big piano. Right? No no, violin. You have violin, middle violin, large violin, then oversized violin. Why? You know brother, the first time brother Lin, I was sitting there, almost I was in tears. I mean he is, sorry ah, somehow old,  He is not as old as I am. Am I right? And you are 70? 74. So you are 9 years, you are 44, you were born? 1944? Yeah yeah. 9 Years old? Okay. Whatever. You know brother, he loves the church. He loves to do something for the congregation. So he pick up such a giant stuff. (ed note: It is a double bass). I don’t even know how he can carry it to the meeting. He must buy a bigger car for this stuff. You do right? I mean he travels, he has to buy four seats, to put the stuff on. But I tell you huh, such a good Caucasian, old. Such a good American Black, good. What a wealthy capable African, West African, good. Good hopeful East African young brother. He is a leader, you know I was not with them for three and a half years, I did not realize now they have seven churches. When I was with them, only one church. I may have told them, spread. Seven churches now. Just give them some more years. Raise up more brothers with Mike Lee’s help. You need Mike Lee, do you know that? You may or may not need Vern Yoder. Are you here Vern? Yeah, you know why? You know Vern right? You may or may not know Vern Yoder because he is a good speaker. His speaking gets everybody elevated. Spirit high and whatever. But anyway, here is another brother. Just saved. You see? I am a baby. And here’s another one. Sorry only one sister up here. Sorry maybe you go down is not so good. Only one sister. Can we get a brother here? You, you come up, you are okay. Right? Are you a Chinese? And thinking about what to do next. Like to stay in United States? Long term you don’t. “I am not sure.” What? “I am not sure long term.”

The Only Element in the Church Is God Himself

Whatever, the Lord says, hey, do you see the new man? no you don’t see the new man, I tell you huh. If they come together, they beat each other up. Do you get my point? By nature, we fight. By nature we are aggressive. By nature, we easily put our self as a center. That is why when “new man” was mentioned, hey, I haven’t start my meeting, it’s already nine o’clock? Well I am doing fine, right?  Give me another 20 minutes. I’ll try to finish if I can. You know brother, the fact is you don’t count, you don’t count. You think you are a hero? You don’t count. You think you’re wealthy? You don’t count. You think you are American, you don’t count. You think you are zealous? You don’t count. And only me, and God says it’s your turn. You say well Lord, I do count, because I am your servant. Lord says, you don’t count either. Why? Everything in the church life, everything, the only element that constitutes the church is God himself. It’s Christ. That’s why He created the new man. With the new man, there is nothing that can be of the old creation. With the new man there is nothing that can be of the old possession. Whatever you have, sorry, no. Whatever you brothers have, God says no. He is the only one who qualifies is me sitting here. Brothers, let me tell you, I have loved the lord for how long? Only 63? Can you make it longer? But anyway, I have loved the Lord. No 62, in 53 I don’t love the Lord. I am just a church-goer. 64, no no, Yeah 54. I write 55 right? 64 to now is how many years? In 1964, I love the Lord. I have loved the Lord exactly 64 years. Isn’t that marvelous? Brother, if I don’t count nobody can count anymore. And God will say, I’m sorry Titus, you gotta get out. You gotta get out, Why? Because the new man is a new creation. That means other than Christ, more than Christ, less than Christ, anything that is not according to Christ, has no value before the Lord in the church. What is the church? The Church is the body of Christ. Only Christ can be the person, only Christ can be the life element of the body. Then with the new man He said create himself one new man. 

Thank you brothers. Eh Eh, come on don’t go. Steve come on, sorry, sorry, I forgot you have a little hard time, brother. They don’t count. They don’t count, but they are needed. It’s very interesting rjght? If the Lord says I created the new man, none of you count. Then we say sayonara Jesus, then we all go home. Then Jesus gets nervous. Jesus gets nervous, “What’s happened?” Then all the saints are away. You got to say, if I say, God says: “Shut up, you don’t count.” You say, “If I don’t count, I go home.” Well no no, you can’t go home. You are in the heavenlies. You are the body of Christ. You are the God-created one new man. With this one new man, you have no way to get out. It’s a fact, you are the constituents of this one new man. So you should be very happy. 

In this new man there is no Jews, so Paul, you are necessary but you are Jewish, but you are out. And there’s no Chinese. Amen? But don’t go home, you are needed, but your Chinese element is not needed. Do you get my point? And you, huh No Caucasians! Can you say amen? Yeah then, but but but but be careful huh, you are still needed. No old, don’t you like that? Hey brother Scott, you are brother Scott, right? I am very happy. Yeah, talk about you. Your hearing is okay? Praise the Lord huh, you look fine, I haven’t seen you for 10-15 years. I was at your home years years ago. Then brother Vern doesn’t want to care for your locality. He wants all of you to move to Pittsburgh to support him. Am I right? See Vern am I right? Vern? What did he say? Say loud before the Lord. Then why is he in? What do you call it? Tell me…Then why is he in state college. You don’t visit him? Why come to Pittsburgh, you use him? Hohohu. Haha. I love you, Vern I love you. But anyway ah, I see you, I am very happy. I am very happy. Even when I met you in state college, I visit your place, that maybe the last time I saw you ah. You were limited, a little bit limited with your hearing or something, but today you look just fine. Hallelujah. Now I have limitations with a certain level of sound, pardon? A certain level of frequencies I can’t quite hear. This is why with whom it’s hard to fellowship with Joshua Lee. Frequencies exact matches what I can’t hear. So he was, I said please speak loudly, he said I am loud! Hahaha. Well I am very happy. 

Two Lines: The Body of Christ and the One New Man

Brother, we all are needed, we all are necessary, yet whatever we can boast, whatever we think is crucial, God will say no, that’s not I want because the new man was created. This created new man, the body of Christ, has two lines. Here is a body, right? Body is a matter of life. Here is a new man, man is a matter of a person. Do you get my point of not? When you talk about a man, it’s a person. When you talk about a body, it’s a matter of life. When my life is strong, then body is filled with energy, like he got good builded body, ready to become, sorry I better not say too much. Become offensive. But I tell you, then with this body, which is a new man, you go two lines. One line, you become a nation. One line, you become a household. As a nation you develop into a tabernacle, temple, temple, right? As a household you develop into a dwelling place. Is that English, no am I writing? Well just try to guess what I am writing here. A dwelling place. Brother, even I don’t know what I am writing. But very good huh, remember that, 66, a body, a new man, a nation, a temple, a household, and a dwelling place. 

What’s the secret? Ephesians 1 mentions body, Ephesians 2 mentions a new man, after he mentions the man, he said, we are fellow citizens, in other words we are the nation. Fellow citizens of what? With the saints. We are fellow citizens with the saints. You okay? Thank you. I know you are okay. You are all okay, I know you are okay. Thank you, you two okay?  Well brother, come on, I am very happy. Ahhh, if I marry real early. You can be my grandson. Am I right? I’m 80 some, to have a grandson 20 some, very normal, am I right? But anyway I don’t have… so praise the Lord. All this, one of my family in the third generation is how old is he? Anna? 15? That big? Wow praise the Lord, hallelujah, almost 15. You know brother; it’s very good. Do you have any way that you can love me at all? Is that in the meeting or really? With you? Come to my home, I will treat you to some good steak. I will make sure Lily will buy some good steak, she is a good cook. She will make you a piece of steak; you can bring three brothers with you. Four of you together. Just give me a call. Brother Titus, we are coming, got to be four hours ahead of time. Otherwise we don’t have food or we don’t know how to cook. 

But anyways, brother. Basically, he is nice and he honors the old man. Basically we are very different. Whatever he likes, I don’t like. Whatever I like, he doesn’t like. The food he eats, I don’t care for. The food I eat, he gives up. Am I right? He plays with the devil box with all kinds of devilish in and out, I don’t play this, I do use that thing to watch news. You get my, it has news there, to watch what happened. What’s happened in China, what’s happened in Taiwan, what’s happened with Trump. He is such a good president, if he doesn’t talk that much. He loves the US, that’s why he offended so many Chinese. Don’t threaten people. Do you like Trump? What we don’t usually get a good president like him. Because he means something, he loves his country. Most politicians love their career; love their name in history. He loves the United States, he is really, that is why he offended so many Chinese. Even I am bothered. Because I am Chinese too. Even I am bothered, I wish I could say please, I mean, don’t keep on threatening people. You know threaten is something evil. You want to do something through your department head, commerce department talk with China commerce department head, tell them it’s what we want. You get my point? Don’t say IF you don’t ——–, what kind of thing is this a dog bite? It’s just talk too much. But to be honest he is a good president. You like Trump? If he keeps his mouth shut you like? Sometimes. I like him all the time. 

Are We the Same Nation?

For some reason, we are all of a new man. But we are not of the nation. When I ministered to a Chinese people I got to be very careful. Because if I just say a few words that do not make the Chinese feel like they are the top of the world, they are so offended. Because Chinese insist they are the top of the world. If not today, it will be ten years later. I tell you, Chinese are very ambitious. But I am very happy. Eh, You Chinese, are we the same nation? You are Chinese right? What are you? I’m from Taiwan, that’s good, I have a Taiwan passport, you want me to show you? I am from Taiwan, so which church are you from? Yes Columbus, it’s not supposed to have Taiwanese. I tell you eh, where are you from? Nono, this girl. Where are you from? No country. China. When I say Americans are so marvelous, what’s your reaction? “Huhuh. So what? Ten years later, we’re gonna go beyond you, do you know that?” Chinese have been oppressed so long. So they need the psychological boost. They need to have the assurance we Chinese are doing okay. Just like Koreans. Koreans try so hard to make sure they are okay, but they are coming to another crisis. You watch, Koreans may come to another crisis, just because they are overly developing. You know when you are overly developing with a good base; you know it’s dangerous. We don’t know. But it’s very good. 

Are we countrymen? (Yeah) Why? You’re American, I’m American. You see. Then I’m a Chinese-American. You are American-American. I am an immigrant, you were born in United States. And those who are born in America despise those who are immigrants. Am I right? Why not? Why would I despise you? Because I am not born in America, I am not born in United States. But anyway, are we of the same nation? Which nation?  Are we of the same nation? No he got it. Are we of the same nation? We are fellow citizens. You know Chinese always have the associations. In every place they have a Chinese association, Then Fuzhou association, fu Chinese association then What, what province association. We only have one association, Christ association. We all are of the same nation, if we are of the same nation, we grow. Our growth will develop us into a temple. Temple is what? For God’s dwelling, but more for God’s testimony. God can gain a testimony, now you see ah, here we have a body, then we are a new man. In this new man, none of the American, Chinese, high-educated, low-educated, none of this is involved because in this new man, it’s created. It’s only Christ as a substance. As an issue. Then we become a nation. 

Tell you honestly brother, I am not a muscle man, I am a fat man. Am I right? Just look at here, I wish I could cut a piece of it, but I can’t do it. I told some doctors, can I just take some fat away? That brother told me he doesn’t do it. I don’t understand why he doesn’t do it. I think, well I just lose some weight. That’s the fastest way to lose weight. Just after two hours, your weight is all different. Then why you don’t do it? But anyways, then brother “don’t do it!” You know brother, whatever that is, you are muscle man, I am fat man, you are young man, I am old man, you are American, I am an immigrant American, and you you, you sometimes will consider, “you Chinese!” “You Chinese” is not supposed to be said by brothers. You know sometimes, we brothers don’t drive carefully. So when we go through 40, you know we don’t stop at the sign, we zoom, go over. Just one day the official, the city officials there, he cannot give you a ticket, he is a city official, you know how he commented?  Those Chinese. That really made us very embarrassed. This is why no right turn from there, no right turn, you have to keep on going until 58, then right turn then right turn, do you get my point? When you go back it’s left turn, left turn, left turn and then you go all the way in cause you don’t go through that route 40. There is a house there, I told Tim, I said, “It’s for sale.” He said, “don’t buy a house on the 40.” I said what’s wrong? He said the people there drive so fast. And you get in and out it’s dangerous. Out of the driveway it’s dangerous. But anyways huh. 

Are we of the same nation? Really? Can we be of the same nation? Now you see what? You see a temple. People say, yeah, come on, you, dying your hair. Where are you from? Columbus. You live in Oberlin. Look at how peculiar are we three. Am I right? You can see three manners of living, three ways of handling things. They are very different BUT we are the body of Christ, we are the new man, and more than that we are one nation, we are fellow citizens of this one nation, am I right? 

The Temple of God

Then more than that, we are the temple of God. People say all these people but when they come together, God can be so satisfied and say, look, these are my children. Their position, place is with me in the heavenlies. When they are living on this Earth, they bear my testimony. And more than that, then on the other hand, you have the household. Do you get my point? Then eventually the household is so pleasant, then you are God’s dwelling place. You know brother, I don’t know you. First time I met you. You are Alex, just recently you got saved. Do you love the Lord? Do you know any brothers who bother you? Mike Samulak? Brother Mike is supposed to bother everybody. Does he bother you? Ohhhhohohoh. But do you love him? You honor him? You appreciate him? Can you hug him? He bothers you huh? Then why do you hug him? Well that’s the interesting part of the Church. 

If you begin to stress the age difference, the race difference, the gender difference, the culture difference, everything is in trouble, but when you say we all are in the heavenlies place. We all are Jesus lovers. We all are in the heavenlies, yet we live on this earth as the testimony of the Lord. So eventually what, we are, we can be together so sweet, so sweet to a point we are the dwelling place of God. God says I can stay here. You know this is called the dwelling place. I am so restful, with this group of Christians, I am so happy. You know brother, if you see something like that, if you see something like that, you will be surprised how marvelous is this eternity. This eternity, when pass through time, in the duration of time, become a nation, become a temple, becomes a dwelling place, become a household, and eventually develop into a dwelling place of God. What is the church? This is the church. It’s not a building. It’s not a meeting place, it’s not a congregation, it’s a spiritual being existing to give glory, to give rest to God Himself. Could you say Amen? Do you appreciate it? We say, Lord we are so thankful for your wisdom, for this new creation, in new creation we are created to be the new man, we worship you.