<p>As Judas betrayed Jesus, today many churches and holy people of God are betraying the church and Jesus for money, personal pleasure, or their own temper and desires, losing their faith in the process. There are not a few who attend church yet betray Jesus. Still, Jesus endures even this. </p><p> </p><p>When Jesus said, "Suffer you thus far," it not only referred to that immediate situation but also meant to endure until the "appointed time" set by God. The reason the church of Philadelphia is praised in the book of Revelation is for their patient endurance in faith. It is a call to persevere until Jesus returns. </p><p> </p><p>When the world raises weapons against the church, the church must not take up weapons to fight back. The church cannot treat the world the way the world treats the church. When Jesus said to be as innocent as doves and as shrewd as serpents, the purity of the dove comes first. Only then can the wisdom of the serpent follow.</p><p> </p><p><i>Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, Dec 13, 2024.</i></p><p><i>Luke 22:47-53</i></p>
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