Scripture Reading: Matt. 9:10-13, 15; Rev. 19:7-9

DAY 1 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 2 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 3 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 4 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 5 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 6 Outline　MorningRevival

«　WEEK 2　DAY 1　»

　　Matt. 9:14-15 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but Your disciples do not fast? And Jesus said to them, The sons of the bridechamber cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they?…

　　From the record of Matthew we see that all things related to Christ took place outside of religion. In that day Judaism was the genuine religion, the religion founded according to God’s holy Word. But everything concerning Christ took place outside of that. In other words, Christ had nothing to do with religion.

　　The record of Matthew 1 tells how the birth of Christ was accomplished outside of Jerusalem, away from the temple, having nothing to do with the holy priests…God sent His angel to a little town in a despised country, Nazareth of Galilee. He sent him to a girl, a virgin, in a poor family. Practically everything related to this girl and her situation was outside of Jerusalem, the temple, and the holy priesthood—the typical and genuine religion. The birth of Christ had nothing to do with religion; it was absolutely accomplished outside of religion. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 2, “Christ versus Religion,” p. 3)

　　Matthew 2 then proceeds to tell us how people found this Christ…He was not found in Jerusalem; He was not found in the temple; neither was He found by any priest or any holy people. We are all familiar with the account of the heavenly star appearing in a pagan country to people with no Bible and no genuine religion. We know also how those heathen magi exercised their natural mind, concluding that the King of the Jews should be born in Jerusalem. In so doing, they caused many young lives to be taken. But eventually, they found Jesus…When they came to Jerusalem, King Herod called the chief priests and scribes, those who had the knowledge of the Bible. They all gave Herod the proper and exact quotation, Micah 5:2, telling that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. They had the knowledge, they had the exact scriptural references, but none of them went to see Christ. They were for the Scriptures, they were for the Bible, but they were not for Christ.

　　Matthew 3 relates to us the principle of the introducing of Christ— this also is absolutely outside of religion. John the Baptist was the one who recommended Christ to the people. He was born a priest, but he would not remain in the priesthood; he would not stay in the temple or even in the city of Jerusalem. We read that he was in the wilderness. He stayed in a wild place, and even he himself became wild. He wore camel’s hair. The camel, according to Leviticus 11, was an unclean animal.

　　John did not teach people about religion—he called on them to repent, to change their mind, to change their concept about religion and culture. He did not tell them to do something; he baptized them, he buried them, he terminated them. John said, “I baptize you in water,…but He who is coming after me…will baptize you in the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 3:11). [Jesus] was recommended by a wild person in a wild way with nothing to do with religion.

　　Matthew 4 tells us that after Jesus was introduced, there were some dear ones who followed Him. Who were they? The high priests? The scribes? No. They were Galilean fishermen. Some were fishing in the sea, others were mending their nets—they were unlearned people, but they followed Jesus. They began to follow not in Jerusalem, not in the temple, and not even in the Holy Land, but in Galilee, a place then considered as “of the Gentiles” (v. 15)…The birth of Christ, the finding of Christ, the introducing of Christ, and the following of Christ were entirely apart from religion…Jesus came: He not only came in His birth, but He also came of age; He came forth to minister; He presented Himself to the people…He came to the people; there was no need to go and find Him. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 2, “Christ versus Religion,” pp. 3-6)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1970, vol. 2, “Christ versus Religion,” ch. 1

«　WEEK 2　DAY 2　»

　　Matt. 9:10-11 And as He was reclining at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and reclined together with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, Why does your Teacher eat with the tax collectors and sinners?

　　The Lord took the opportunity given Him by the Pharisees’ question to give a very sweet revelation of Himself as the Physician …”Those who are strong have no need of a physician, but those who are ill” [Matt. 9:12]. The Lord was telling the Pharisees that these tax collectors and sinners were patients, sick ones, and that to them the Lord was not a Judge but a Physician, a Healer…A judge’s judgment is according to righteousness, whereas a physician’s healing is according to mercy and grace. Those whom He made people of His heavenly kingdom were lepers (8:2-4), paralytics (vv. 5-13; 9:2-8), the fever-ridden (8:14-15), the demon-possessed (vv. 16,28-32), those ill with all kinds of diseases (v. 16), despised tax collectors, and sinners (9:9-11). Had He visited these pitiful people as a Judge, all would have been condemned and rejected, and none would have been qualified, selected, and called to be the people of His heavenly kingdom. However, He came to minister as a Physician, to heal, recover, enliven, and save them so that they might be reconstituted to be His new and heavenly citizens, with whom He could establish His heavenly kingdom on this corrupted earth…The self-righteous Pharisees did not realize that they needed Him as a Physician. They considered themselves strong; hence, blinded by their own self-righteousness, they did not know that they were ill. (Life study of Matthew, pp. 311-312)

　　The self-righteous Pharisees criticized the Lord Jesus and condemned all those unclean people. But the Lord seemed to say, “These people are not unclean; they are sick. I have not come as a Judge to condemn them but as a

　　Physician, as their dear, lovely, intimate Healer.”…The Lord Jesus was…surely indicating that the Pharisees, who thought that they were righteous, were actually just as sick as the others were.

　　The Lord Jesus gave…a further word in Matthew 9:13: “Go and learn what this means, ’‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” The self-righteous Pharisees were confident that they knew all things concerning God. In order to humble them, the Lord told them to learn more…Self-righteous men do not like to receive mercy or grace from God; they prefer to give something to God. This is contrary to God’s way in His economy. Just as God desires to show mercy to pitiful sinners, so He wants us to show mercy in love to others (Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:33).

　　There is none righteous, not even one (Rom. 3:10). All the “righteous” are self-righteous, as were the Pharisees (Luke 18:9). The kingly Savior did not come to call these, but sinners. The Pharisees were proud of their knowledge of the Scriptures, and they thought that they knew the Bible very well. But here the Lord Jesus told them to go and learn something, to learn the meaning of the word “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” The Lord seemed to be telling the Pharisees, “You Pharisees are self-righteous, and you condemn these people without mercy. But God desires mercy. Now is the time for Me to exercise God’s mercy upon these pitiful people by being a Physician to them. I am not here as a Judge. I am here as a lovely Physician taking care of their problems, and now I am healing them.”

　　Blessed are those who do not think that they are righteous but who recognize that they are sinful. The reason for this is that the Lord did not come to call the righteous; He came to call the sinners. The Lord could say to the self- righteous ones, “If you consider yourselves righteous, you are not suitable for My coming, because My coming is for the sinners. Do not consider yourselves to be righteous. Rather, you must realize how sinful you are. If you consider yourselves as sinners, then you are ready for My coming.” (Life study of Matthew, pp. 312-313)

　　Further Reading: Life study of Matthew, msg. 27

«　WEEK 2　DAY 3　»

　　Matt. 9:12-13 …He said, Those who are strong have no need of a physician, but those who are ill. But go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

　　The Lord’s word in Matthew 9:13, addressed to the Pharisees, indicates that the Lord Jesus heals man’s spiritual illness, the illness of sin. Sin came first and death follows. Between sin and death there are all kinds of illnesses, diseases, and infirmities…As sinners, we are sick absolutely, for we are sick physically, spiritually, morally, and mentally. But Jesus, the Forgiver and the Physician, is able to heal all our sicknesses.

　　As our Physician, the Lord heals us mainly in our spirit and in our soul, not mainly in our body. The tax collectors and sinners in Matthew 9:10 were not physically sick; they were spiritually sick. While the Lord Jesus was feasting with them, He was healing them spiritually. Likewise, although the Lord may or may not heal us in our body, He is always ready to heal us in every part of our spirit and soul. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 2782-2783)

　　As the Physician, the Lord Jesus is not for the righteous but for sinners… There is none righteous, not even one (Rom. 3:10).

　　The Lord’s use of the word righteous in Matthew 9:13 is related to the matter of sins. This word also indicates that the healing of the Lord as our Physician is not mainly physical but spiritual. He is the One who heals our spiritual sicknesses. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 2783)

　　Without the environment portrayed in Matthew 9:9-13, the Lord Jesus would not have had the opportunity to reveal Himself as the Physician. The Lord did not simply tell His disciples, “You must know that I have not come as a Judge but as a Physician.” This would have been merely a doctrine. As the Lord was feasting with all those sick ones, He revealed Himself as the Physician. Those tax collectors and sinners were not physically sick; they were spiritually sick. While the Lord Jesus was feasting with them, He was healing them. The Lord was telling the Pharisees, “Pharisees, you are the judges, but I am the Physician. As a Physician, I can heal only the sick ones. If you feel that you are not ill, then I have nothing to do with you, and I cannot heal you. I have come here to call the sinners, the sick ones, not the righteous, the whole ones. On which side do you stand—the side of the righteous or the side of the sinners? If you take the side of the sinners, then I am here to be your Physician.”

　　Matthew reveals…Christ as the Physician…If we have this vision, we will have faith in Him and trust Him whenever we are sick physically, spiritually, or mentally. The Gospel of Matthew is a book…full of the riches of the heavenly King. This heavenly King is our Physician with healing authority. His healing is not simply a matter of power; it is a matter of authority. To heal us there is no need for Him to touch us directly. He needs only to speak a word, and His authority will come with His word. Remember the case of the healing of the centurion’s servant. The centurion said to the Lord, “Only speak a word, and my servant will be healed” (8:8). Furthermore, the centurion could say, “I am also a man under authority, and many others are under me. I simply speak a word, and they obey it, because with my word there is authority. Lord, You don’t need to come to my home. Simply give a word, and Your authority will go with Your word.” The Lord’s word heals us not with power but with authority… The Lord’s healing is not a matter of His ability to heal; His healing is a matter of authority.

　　[The Lord] seemed to say, “You Pharisees, you religious people, are wrong. I am not here as a Judge condemning the people. I am here as a Physician healing them. And I would heal you also, if you were willing to be healed.” How sweet and intimate is this portion of the Word! (Life study of Matthew, pp. 313-314)

　　Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 268

«　WEEK 2　DAY 4　»

　　1 Tim. 5:23 No longer drink water only, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

　　2 Tim. 4:20 Erastus remained in Corinth, and Trophimus I left at Miletus sick.

　　Paul’s experience in his later ministry helps us to have a proper appreciation of Christ as the believers’ Physician. In 2 Timothy 4:20 Paul says, “Trophimus I left at Miletus sick.” Why did the apostle leave such an intimate one in sickness without exercising healing prayer for him? Why did he not also execute his healing gift (Acts 19:11-12) to cure Timothy of his stomach illness rather than instruct him to take the natural way for healing (1 Tim. 5:23)?…There is no record that he prayed for healing, and he certainly did not exercise the gift of healing. Instead, Paul encouraged Timothy to take a little wine, and he left Trophimus at Miletus. Paul cared for his coworkers in a very human way. The reason Paul cared for them in this way is that, in a time of suffering, Paul and his coworkers were under the discipline of the inner life rather than under the power of the outward gift. The former is of grace in life; the latter of gift in power, miraculous power. Paul’s experience should help us to see that, for the most part, Christ’s healing today is for the spirit and the soul. Christ is the believers’ Physician, the Healer of our spirit, our soul, and at times, also of our body. If we see this vision we shall trust in Him and experience Him as our Physician. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 616-617)

　　In the decline of the church and in suffering for the church, the gift of power is not as much needed as the grace in life…According to the New Testament, miraculous gifts may have a place when the church is first raised up. But for the church to withstand decline or persecution, miraculous gifts or powers are not very helpful. Only the eternal life on which we are to lay hold is prevailing. By this life we can withstand decline and persecution. (Life-study of 2 Timothy, p. 69)

　　Three cases [in Mark’s Gospel] reveal that the Slave-Savior serves those who are sick with a fever, those who are paralyzed, and those who are lepers.

　　The first case [is] that of Peter’s mother-in-law (1:30-31). Peter’s mother- in-law was sick with a fever…This fever may signify an abnormal, unbridled temper…In order to help someone who has a fever like this, we must first be calm ourselves. Then gradually, the other party will calm down.

　　The second case of sickness in this Gospel is the case of a leper (vv. 40- 45). This leper portrays a typical sinner. Leprosy, the most contaminating, contagious, and damaging disease, isolates a person from both God and man. Leprosy causes its victim to lose fellowship with both God and man. Hence, the cleansing of the leper in 1:40-45 signifies the recovering of a sinner to fellowship with God and with men. The leper needed not only healing but also cleansing.

　　The third case of sickness…is the case of the paralytic (2:1-12)…The cases of Peter’s mother-in-law and the paralytic indicate that men are disabled by sin and that women have a fever because of sin…Therefore, we may say that women are sick with a fever and that men are sick with paralysis, disablement. Furthermore, both men and women are lepers in need of cleansing.

　　The Lord serves us with His forgiving authority and His cleansing power. He forgives our sins, cleanses us, and brings us back to God. He restores our fellowship with God and man. Because of Him, our sins are gone, and we have God as everything to us. Now we are enjoying God as our life, our light, our everything…This is the gospel, and this is also the way to carry out the gospel service. (Life-study of Mark, pp. 76, 75-76)

　　Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 46; Life-study of Mark, msg. 8

«　WEEK 2　DAY 5　»

　　Matt. 25:1 At that time the kingdom of the heavens will be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

　　John 3:29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice. This joy of mine therefore is made full.

　　In Matthew 9:14 the disciples of John asked the Lord Jesus, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but Your disciples do not fast?” In His answer, the Lord revealed Himself as the Bridegroom [v. 15]…Matthew 25:1 is a further word… [which] reveals that the Lord will come back as the Bridegroom, as the pleasant and attractive person.

　　As the Bridegroom, He is the pleasant person for our enjoyment. When He is present, there is no need of fasting. When He is present, there should not be any sadness. Instead, everything should be pleasant. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 2783-2784)

　　In dealing with the self-righteous Pharisees, the Lord indicated that He is the Physician to heal the sick. In dealing with the fasting disciples of John, He revealed Himself as the Bridegroom coming for the bride. John the Baptist had indicated to his disciples that Christ is the Bridegroom (John 3:25-29), and in Matthew 9:15 the Lord Jesus reminded them of this. The Lord first healed His followers, then made them sons of the bridechamber. Eventually, He will make them His bride. Thus, they should appreciate Him not only as their Physician for the recovery of life but also as their Bridegroom for a living enjoyment in His presence.

　　The question raised by John’s disciples seems to be one of doctrine. However, the Lord did not answer with a doctrine but with the revelation of Himself as the Bridegroom with the sons of the bridechamber. The phrase sons of the bridechamber refers to the disciples of the Lord. In the transitory period of the Lord’s ministry on earth, His disciples were sons of the bridechamber, those who are with the Bridegroom in His chamber, gazing on Him and enjoying His presence. Later they would become the bride (John 3:29; Rev. 19:7). (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 2784)

　　In contrast to the disciples of John and the Pharisees, who were fasting, the Lord’s disciples were full of joy. How could they fast when the Bridegroom, the most important factor of their joy, was with them? In Mark 2:19…the Lord referred to His disciples as sons of the bridechamber. For them to fast when the Bridegroom was with them would be a shame to Him.

　　Suppose you are the best man at a wedding. While the wedding is taking place, you, the bridegroom’s best man, are fasting. That would be an insult to the bridegroom. No bridegroom wants to see his best man fasting during his wedding. Instead, he wants to see him joyful, properly dressed in good clothing, and enjoying the food provided. This is an illustration of the Lord’s word in 2:19. Here the Lord seemed to be saying to the disciples of John and the Pharisees, “Why do you ask Me why My disciples are not fasting? I am the Bridegroom, and they are all the sons of the bridechamber, a corporate best man. Matthew the tax collector is one of the sons of the bridechamber. They cannot fast when I am with them.”

　　Are you a disciple of John or of the Pharisees, or are you one of the sons of the bridechamber, part of the corporate “best man” of the Lord Jesus? We all should testify strongly that we are part of the Lord’s corporate best man. All of those who have had their sins forgiven by the Lord Jesus have become sons of the bridechamber. In the second chapter of the Gospel of Mark, we see that even those who were tax collectors and sinners became sons of the bridechamber. (Life-study of Mark, pp. 81-82)

　　Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 210

«　WEEK 2　DAY 6　»

　　Rev. 19:7-9 Let us rejoice and exult, and let us give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And it was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints. And he said to me, Write, Blessed are they who are called to the marriage dinner of the Lamb…

　　Revelation 19:7-9 unveils that the Lord Jesus is the Lamb as the Bridegroom. Similarly, in the Gospel of John, Christ is presented both as the Lamb and as the Bridegroom. One day John the Baptist declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (1:29). This verse clearly reveals that Christ came as the Lamb to take away the sin of the world. Later, John the Baptist also indicated that Christ is the Bridegroom. John said, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice” (3:29). Hence, in the Gospel of John, Christ is revealed both as the Lamb who came to take away sin and as the Bridegroom who came that He might have the bride…The Lamb is for redemption, and the Bridegroom is for the wedding. The redemption was accomplished by Christ as the Lamb of God, and the wedding will take place when Christ as the coming Bridegroom takes His bride. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 4319)

　　Christ’s goal is not to remove sin—it is to have the bride. In the book of Revelation, which is also written by the apostle John, we see again that Christ our Redeemer is the Lamb and the coming Bridegroom. Therefore, as the Bridegroom, He must have a wedding. The wedding of the Lamb will be a universal wedding. It will be the marriage of the Redeemer and the redeemed. At the end of the Bible we see a city, the New Jerusalem. This city is the wife (21:2, 9-10), and the redeeming God is the Husband. Our position is that of the bride, and the position of the coming Christ is that of the Bridegroom. We are on the earth being prepared to become the bride to meet Him, and He is on the throne in the third heaven prepared to come as the Bridegroom to meet us. Thus, He is coming as the Bridegroom, and we are going as the bride (Matt. 25:1). The bride and the Bridegroom will meet, neither in heaven nor on the earth but in the air. When we meet Him in the air, we will have a wedding. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 4319-4320)

　　[In Mark 2:18-22] the Lord answered the disciples of John and the Pharisees not in a direct way but by using certain figures of speech. [He] referred to Himself as the Bridegroom, and He also spoke of new cloth and new wine. The Lord seemed to be saying, “Why should My disciples fast when they have everything they need to make them joyful? They have Me as the Bridegroom, and they have Me as their righteousness, their new cloth, and also as their life, their new wine. I am everything they need. I am God and man; I am the Physician and the Bridegroom, the most pleasant person. It is ridiculous for My disciples to fast when they have Me. I am the garment that covers them and beautifies them, and My life is the real wine that fills them, stirs them, and satisfies them. Instead of fasting, they should be full of joy. You ask them to fast. But I tell you it is impossible for them to fast, because the Bridegroom is here with them, the new cloth is upon them, and the new wine is within them.” How wise and how wonderful is the Lord’s answer, His word concerning the Bridegroom, the cloth, and wine!

　　Perhaps we should have a gospel meeting and tell the people that Jesus Christ today is the Bridegroom, that He as our righteousness is the cloth to cover our nakedness and to beautify us, and that His divine life is the wine for us to drink for our satisfaction. This is the real gospel—a living person with righteousness and life. Hallelujah, we have the Bridegroom, and we have Him as righteousness outwardly and as our life inwardly! (Life-study of Mark, pp. 83-84)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Mark, msg. 9