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- Testimony Of Jesus Present Testimony - Part I
Testimony of Jesus - Present Testimony - Part I
Stephen Kaung

Stephen Kaung (1915 - 2022). Chinese-American Bible teacher, author, and translator born in Ningbo, China. Raised in a Methodist family with a minister father, he converted to Christianity at 15 in 1930, driven by a deep awareness of sin. In 1933, he met Watchman Nee, joining his indigenous Little Flock movement in Shanghai, and served as a co-worker until 1949. Fleeing Communist persecution, Kaung worked in Hong Kong and the Philippines before moving to the United States in 1952. Settling in Richmond, Virginia, he founded Christian Fellowship Publishers in 1971, translating and publishing Nee’s works, including The Normal Christian Life. Kaung authored books like The Splendor of His Ways and delivered thousands of sermons, focusing on Christ-centered living and the church’s spiritual purpose. Married with three children, he ministered globally into his 90s, speaking at conferences in Asia, Europe, and North America. His teachings, available at c-f-p.com, emphasize inner life over institutional religion. Kaung’s collaboration with Nee shaped modern Chinese Christianity.
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Sermon Summary
In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of bearing witness and reporting the truth. They explain that in order for something to be considered a testimony, it must be seen and heard by the person giving the testimony. The speaker uses the example of a car accident to illustrate how people often shy away from being involved and reporting what they have witnessed. They also highlight the testimony of Jesus Christ and how he connects humanity with God and the angels. The sermon concludes with a prayer for the Lord to help close the gap in believers and enable them to be faithful witnesses.
Sermon Transcription
Before we go into the word for tonight, I think probably I would like to read one passage to serve maybe as an explanation to some. Actually, I don't think we need an explanation, but maybe for the sake of a few who may wonder what we have just done. So let me just read one passage for you. The book of Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2, verse 42. And they persevered, that is, the Christians, in the early days. And they persevered in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in breaking of bread and prayer. And fear was upon every soul, and great wonders and signs took place through the apostles' means. And all the believers were together and had all things common, and sold their possessions and substance, and distributed them to all according as anyone might have need. And every day, being constantly in the temple with one accord, and breaking bread in the house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those that were to be saved. The breaking of bread. Breaking bread in the house. Some translation says, from house to house. And every day. I cannot forget, it's about 150 years ago, a group of believers in Europe. They were translating the Bible. And as they were translating the Bible, as you know, it took lots of mental exercise. They had to search many manuscripts. They had to try to find out the best word, the counterpart of the Greek or Hebrew. You had to search your brain to the limit. And as this group of believers were doing this work of translating the Bible, they were afraid, lest they will be so fully occupied with the letters of the word, that somehow, their hearts might grow cold. It is not only true that when we are occupied with so-called earthly things, that we may feel ourselves being led away, as it were, from the Lord. Even in so-called spiritual world, this can happen. And because of that, this group of believers, they decided they would break the bread every day. Just to remember the Lord. To remember what He has done. And thank God, that keep kept up from doing the Lord's work and bound their hearts away from the Lord. So brothers and sisters, while we are gathering here this time, we have the same fear. Lest other things, even spiritual things, may somehow steal our hearts from the Lord Himself. We want to center upon Him. Not upon anything else. However precious, however correct, they may be. We do not want to make it a fixed thing. But we hope that every evening when we come together, the Lord's table will be prepared. And if brothers and sisters feel in your heart we should remember the Lord, we'll do it. Our only desire is we want to center ourselves. There is nothing, nothing more precious than that. The Lord. Lord, Thou art the center of everything. Thou art the center of our gathering here together. We do not want anything to take away Thy place in us and among us. We pray that Thou will examine us. Thou will protect us. Thou will draw us that we may run after Thee. O Lord, not even the ministry of Thy Word should take Thee away from us. But Lord, we pray that whatever we do, Thou mayst be added to us. And we may be added to Thee, Lord. O Lord, how we praise and we thank Thee. Thou hast begun Thy good work in us. Thou hast redeemed us. Thou hast drawn us. We are here tonight by Thine appointment because Thou hast drawn us, Lord. Thou art the only reason for us to be here. Oh, how we praise and thank Thee. Now, Lord, anoint. Anoint our ears. Anoint every one of us. Make Thy Word living, operative in our lives. Do not allow Thy Word to fall on the wayside. But Lord, may Thy Word fall upon good ground that will patiently bear fruit unto Thy glory. O Lord, we just wait upon Thee together. Speak, Lord. Speak. Thy servants wait upon Thee in Thy precious name. Let's read from Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 and 2. God having spoken in many parts and in many ways formally to the fathers in the prophets at the end of these days has spoken to us in the person of the Son whom He has established heir of all things by whom also He made the worlds. Revelation chapter 1, verses 1 through 3. Revelation chapter 1, verses 1. Revelation of Jesus Christ whom God gave to Him to show to His born man what must shortly take place. And He signified it sending by His angel to His born man John who testified the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ all things that he saw. Blessed is he that reads and they that hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things written in it for the time is near. Revelation chapter 19, verse 10. The last sentence. Revelation chapter 19, verse 10. The last sentence. For the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. Dear brothers and sisters, we are living at the close of the end days. In the Bible you'll find terms such as the last hour, the end of these days, the last days, the end time, and they actually all refer to one thing. As a matter of fact, the last days, the end time, the end of the days refer to the days of Messiah. Because to the Old Testament saints they are looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. And to them that is the end days. Of course they do not know that there will be two comings of Christ. His first coming, he will come as a lamb. And his second coming will be as the lion. The Old Testament prophets do not have such understanding. Because between the two comings of Christ is the time of the church. Which is a mystery hidden in God. So the Old Testament prophets have no way to know the two comings of Christ. They only know Christ shall come. And that is the end days. So when you read the Bible you have to see that the end days does not refer just to our days. Actually the end days began when Christ came to this world for the first time about 2,000 years ago. Now if about 2,000 years ago it was the end days then how much more closer we are to the end. If the believers in the first century are waiting for the return of Christ and they are right in waiting for his return then how much more we should be expecting the coming of the Lord in our lifetime. Brothers and sisters we are not here waiting for death. We are here waiting for rapture. Because we are living at the close of the end days I think we are living in a very very important day. We cannot afford to be careless. Things are coming to an end. By an end certainly it means much more than the end of this world. It should mean the realization the fulfillment of God's purpose through the ages. What is God's purpose on this earth? What is it that God really wants? And what it is that he's really after? Now we know that God is the faith. Yesterday, today and forever. His purpose yesterday is the purpose today and will be the purpose for tomorrow. He never changes. His purpose is one and the same. Put it in another way. His burden for yesterday is the burden of today and will be the burden for tomorrow. It is the same. The only difference is as the time is approaching the end how much more urgent and how much more fuller God's burden will be revealed and will be and also it will be challenged even much more than ever before. What is the burden of the Lord for today? It is no different than the burden of the Lord yesterday. And yet the intensity is different. And I think there is an urgency today among God's people to know what God's burden really is. What is his mind? What is his purpose? What is it that he really wants to have for? Thank God in recent years there is a great revival of the interest on prophecy. We should be interested in prophecy. But dear brothers and sisters what is prophecy? Probably we think of prophecy more in terms of foretelling the future. It is true. Prophecy includes the foretelling of future. What will happen to this world? What events are being predicted beforehand? But prophecy in the sense of foretelling the future is the small part of prophecy. The greater part of prophecy is not in foretelling the future. The greater part of prophecy is in foretelling the mind, the will, the purpose, the burden of the Lord. Even in the Old Testament time even the Old Testament prophets we often think of the Old Testament prophets as those who foretell the future. They do. But even with the Old Testament prophets they are foretelling the purpose, the mind of God. And in foretelling God's mind they foretell something. The basis the basic meaning of prophecy is to foretell the mind. What is the mind? People today are very interested in prophecy. Therefore they are very interested in the book of Revelation. I think 50 years ago many Christians who read the Bible skipped the book of Revelation. But now I think Christians are beginning to read the book of Revelation. As you find in the very beginning of the book blessed is he who reads it. Even the reading of it there is blessing to it. But you have to more than read it who hear who hear the word of prophecy and do it. But anyway you find people are interested in Revelation. Because they think Revelation is a book of prophecy that tells us what will happen in the future. And everybody is interested in the future. But dear brothers and sisters if you read the book of Revelation only with that in mind you misread the book of Revelation. You touch the letter of the book of Revelation but you miss the spirit of prophecy. Why? Because the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. It is true. You have prophecies on many things. Prophecies that will touch the world. The future of the world. Prophecies that will touch the future of the Jews. The Jewish nation. Prophecies that will even touch the future of the church. That's true. But these are letters. And these are all that you see. The spirit of prophecy. The spirit of prophecy is deeper than these things. Thank God for the letters. Because without the letters how can you go to the spirit? A spirit without the letter is very dangerous. But the letter is here. The spirit. What is the spirit of prophecy? The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. Dear brothers and sisters God is interested only in one thing. God's burden for yesterday for today and for tomorrow is only one. The purpose of God is only one. And that is the testimony of Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters do we know the testimony of Jesus Christ? Is our life linked with the testimony of Jesus Christ? How much are we related to the testimony of Jesus Christ? That will decide how much our lives are to be counted. So God willing we will fellowship together these days on this one thing. The testimony. What is a testimony? If you look up the dictionary you will find a testimony is a declaration or affirmation of a fact or truth as is given in the court. That's a testimony. A testimony is the evidence that is to support a fact. A testimony is a living experience of fact or truth. That's a testimony. A testimony is a declaration. It is a public declaration. But how can you make that declaration? Unless it is based upon certain fact or certain truth that you have seen or heard or witnessed. And as you are making that declaration you are testifying to a fact to a truth. That is the meaning of the word testimony. You know the word testimony is used more often in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. And in the Old Testament you'll find there are two areas where the word testimony or testimonies are used most. The one place is in Psalm 119. And the other place is in the five books of Moses especially the book of Exodus. Now in these two places you'll find the word testimony or testimonies are used many many times. Now brothers and sisters if we want to know what is the meaning of testimony probably we have to go to these places. So we'll do a little study tonight. Now tonight we just laid a foundation. So I hope you will not get weary about it because I think a foundation is needed before we can go on. We'll return to Psalm 119. I don't know if you have ever read that psalm. Probably you have read the rest of psalms but you skipped 119 because it is too long. We will not be able to read the whole psalm tonight. I would like to help you to read the whole psalm if you have never read it. But I hope we will go through all the places where the word testimony or testimonies are mentioned in Psalm 119. And I hope that will raise arousing you a kind of curiosity and you go to read the whole psalm. Psalm 119, verse 2. Testimonies are something that you can observe and testimonies are only found by those who seek the Lord with their whole heart. Verse 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimony as much as in all wealth. Testimonies have a way. It is not just words. But there is a way. The way of testimony. And the psalmist said, I have rejoiced in the way of testimony as much as in all wealth. Now you know how to rejoice in wealth. But do you know how to rejoice in the way of the testimonies? Verse 22. Or if we do not observe His testimonies there will be reproach and contempt upon us. But if we observe God's testimonies He will roll away our reproach and contempt. 36. The psalmist asked God to incline His heart to the testimonies of God and not to gain. I skip verse 31. Go back. I cleave unto thy testimonies, Jehovah. Let me not be ashamed. Cleave to the testimonies of God. Verse 45. Verse 46. God's testimonies are to be spoken before kings. And you need not be afraid. Ashamed of that. Verse 59. You walk in the testimonies of God. Verse 79. Testimonies are something to be known. It characterizes certain kind of people. Verse 88. It is something that is spoken by God. Verse 95. The testimonies of God are our protection. Verse 99. If you meditate on the testimonies of God then you will have more understanding than your teachers. 111. It's a heritage. A possession. 119. 129. Wonderful are the testimonies of God. 138. These are the qualities that go with the testimonies of God. Righteousness and faithfulness. 146. I call upon thee, save me and I will keep thy testimony. The son is called unto the Lord. To keep it. Why? Because he wants to keep the testimony. 152. The testimonies of God are founded in the old days. And will continue forever. 167. 168. Now these are the places in Psalm 119 where the word testimony or testimonies are being used. Now if you count them it will come probably to 22 times. The psalmist used the word testimony or testimonies 22 times in Psalm 119. And how does he use this word? You'll find he uses this word in conjunction with some other words. Thy law. Thy precept. Thy statute. Thy ordinance. Thy judgment. And so on. Thy word. Psalm 119 you'll find various words are being used. And they are used in such a way that as a whole they refer to the same thing. Even though they are different emphases. So anyway you'll find the way that the psalmist uses the word testimony is more or less in conjunction with God's word. God's law. God's statute. God's ordinance. God's judgment. Now why? Because God's words are something that are spoken by God. God declares something. God declares something about himself. God's law. God's statute. They all do the same work. They declare God in certain ways. And what is testimony? Testimony is God declaring. So that is the way you'll find it is used in Psalm 119. Now if you go to Moses' five books and especially the book of Exodus you'll find the word testimony is being used many times there too. The first mention in the Bible of the word testimony is in Exodus chapter 16 verses 33 and 34. Now let's read it. Exodus chapter 16 verses 33 and 34. And Moses said to Aaron, Take a pot and put in it an omer full of manna and deposit it before Jehovah to be kept for your generation. As Jehovah had commanded Moses so Aaron deposited it before the testimony to be kept. Here you'll find Moses said to Aaron Put an omer of manna in a golden pot and deposit it before the Lord. And what did Aaron do? He put an omer of manna in a golden pot and deposited it before the testimony. So here you'll find the testimony to deposit before the Lord is to deposit before the testimony. That's the reason why. I don't know if in your Bible you'll find the word testimony is in capital letters. Because here you'll find to deposit before the Lord is to deposit before the testimony. Now of course the testimony there as we understand now probably refers to the ark of the testimony. But anyway you'll find there the ark wasn't built yet. And yet there was the testimony already. Because the Lord was in the midst of his people. How very important is testimony. You'll find in Psalm 119 it seems to be equal to the word to the law of God. But now you'll find testimony seems to refer to the Lord himself. In the ark of the testimony you'll find two tables of the law are deposited there. Not only the two tables of the law but also the golden pot of manna. And also Aaron's rod that's buried. Now all these three things were all deposited before the testimony. And that is they are all placed in the ark. The two tables of law is called the two tables of the testimony. Why? Because the law declares expresses to us who God is and what he is like. To a certain degree. Not fully. To a certain degree. And that is what a testimony is. A testimony is God declaring himself to his people. And it is for this reason you'll find the two tables of law is called the tables of the testimony. I remember our dear brother Watchman he put it this way. He said when it is in God it is testimony. When it comes to us it is the law. In God's hand it is testimony. In our hand it is law. In God's hand he declares who he is and what he is. In our hand it tells us what is our responsibility and our duty. That becomes law. Brothers and sisters because of that testimony is a tremendous thing. The two tables of law are called the tables of the testimony. And not only the two tables of law but all the statutes and the precepts the so-called mosaic law the whole of the mosaic law is called the testimony. As you'll find in 2 Kings Jehoiada he gave the testimony to King Josiah. And it refers to the whole of mosaic law. The whole law of mosaic is called the testimony. Why is the ark called the ark of the testimony? Not only because the law is deposited in the ark but the ark itself is the manifestation of the glory. The tabernacle is called the tabernacle of the testimony. Why? Because it houses the testimony. Not only houses it but it is supposed to manifest magnify the testimony. In the Old Testament time the children of Israel can be called a people of the testimony. And actually in Psalms you'll find such expressions. Psalm 122 The whole tribe the twelve tribes of Israel are a testimony of God to the world. Because God has spoken to them. God has deposited himself as it were in the midst of the children of Israel. They were the guardian the vessel the instrument of the testimony of God. Tremendous. Tremendous. To have the testimony of God was the highest privilege of the children of Israel. But because the testimony of God was in their midst it wasn't an easy thing. When their lives were not in line in queue with the testimony of God you know what happened. When they sing again the testimony of God the disciplinary hand of the Lord was heavy upon them. It was not just a mechanical thing. Even in the Old Testament it was something spiritual and of tremendous. Now what is it? A testimony has in it at least three factors. Number one a testimony is a fact a truth or to put it more exactly a reality. That is the first factor of a testimony. If there is no fact there if it is not real if there is no truth in it then you have no testimony. If you try to testify you bear false witness. It is not true. And you know that's perjury. A testimony must be based upon a fact a truth a reality. Number two this fact or truth must be revealed that is must be seen and heard. Suppose there is a fact there but you haven't seen it nor have you heard it. Can you testify to the fact? You cannot. Even though the fact is there but it has nothing to do with you. You are foreign to it. In order to be related to that fact you have to see it you have to hear it you have to witness it. So the second factor of a testimony is that fact must be revealed seen and heard by you. Then number three to be your testimony you have to report it. You have to report the fact that you have seen and heard. You know today people are afraid to bear witness. They don't want to be involved. So even when something happens say a car accident happens and you happen to be there and you see the whole thing you know the truth and yet you slip away. What? You do not want to get involved. If you take that kind of attitude it will not constitute a testimony. So number three you'll find that you have to report the truth as you see it. And with these three factors you'll come into the meaning of the word. Brothers and sisters as we come to the New Testament you'll find that the testimony has come to us in a fuller, richer way. And this is expressed in the term the testimony of Jesus. What is the reality? What is the truth? What is the fact? The ultimate. The supreme. The eternal. Christ is the reality. He said, I am the truth. You know we tend to think of truth as referring to certain teachings which are true teachings. Not to say that there are so many false teachings today. There are so many teachings that are not based upon the word of God. Make up by man. Undependable. Just for the itching ears. But brothers and sisters even truth even teachings that is based upon the word of God they are only the letters. But not the spirit. And the letter kills. You remember what the law said? Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. But dear brothers and sisters if you go back into your own experience you'll find the more truth so called you know the more you are bound. When you are first saved you are very free. You are free to move as the spirit leads you. But gradually you begin to know more truth. You think that you are glowing and actually you are being changed. And you'll find the links are being added. The more truth the more teaching you receive the more bound you become. What is truth? Why do all these so called truth teachings bind you? Why? Because the letter kills. Nothing wrong with the letters. Now today some people want to get rid of the letters. Brothers and sisters be careful. If you get rid of the letters you'll get rid of the spirit too. But the letters if you know the truth the truth will set you free. And brothers and sisters one day what you have learned what you have been instructed what you have hold as truth and probably you are even willing to fight for it and become very unchristian one day the Lord opens it and when the Lord opens up a teaching a truth that is based upon the Word when it is open to you suddenly you are free. Now who frees you? The Son of Man. The Spirit of the Word. The Living Word. Christ Himself. It is His life. It is Himself. It is not something about Him but something about Him has become something which is He. And when that comes to you it sets you free. Brothers and sisters what is a fact? We say a fact is something that is already accomplished. That's a fact. We often say the finished work of Christ on the cross is a fact. Certainly it is a fact. What can be more factual than the finished work of Christ on the cross? It is done. It is done. You cannot make it more factual. If you try to make it more factual it begins to unfact it if I may use that word. And in your experience you know that. You know that. If you try to add something to the finished work of Christ it becomes unreal. It doesn't work anymore. You take it away. We say the finished work of Christ on the cross is the fact. The fact. Do you hold on to this fact? Thank God that you do. But how much does it work? If you are brought up in a Christian home you may believe in the finished work of Christ as a fact from your childhood. But are you sane? Does the blood of the Lord Jesus wash away your sin? Do you have that peace in your conscience? Does it open up a new and living way for you to approach the throne of grace? It is a fact. But a fact in history. The Holy Spirit has to bring that fact to you in such a living way that it is Christ to you. When it is Christ to you it immediately more than just a history of the past. He is the fact in front of you. What is reality? The ultimate. Brothers and sisters, nothing is real if it is not Christ. This world is not real. It passes away. One day it is here. The next day it is finished. It's not real. In this universe there is only one thing that is real and that is Christ. God is real. Christ is the reality. He is the truth. The fact. But he has to be revealed. If he is not revealed if we do not see and we do not hear by the Spirit of God even though the truth is there the fact is there the reality is there Brothers and sisters, we have no doubt. And that's the reason why in the first chapter of the book of Revelation it says Revelation of Jesus Christ and then immediately says the testimony. The testimony of Jesus Christ is based upon Jesus Christ. But it is Jesus Christ revealed. Jesus Christ is the truth. Jesus Christ is the fact. Jesus Christ is the reality. But Jesus Christ has to be revealed. The revelation of Jesus. Do not think that the revelation of Jesus Christ means the seven seals the seven trumpets the seven vows yes you will find all these in the book of Revelation. But these are the letters. What is the spirit of these seven seals, seven trumpets and seven vows? Revelation of Jesus Christ. God is revealing His Son to us. Christ is revealing Himself to us by His Spirit. And the revelation of Jesus Christ. He is so revealed that we see Him. We hear Him. We know Him. And brothers and sisters that constitutes otherwise no matter how real how eternal is the fact is the truth. On earth in us there is no. And then of course thirdly if God has revealed His Son in us is it not our privilege and responsibility to report Him. And you know that is exactly what the Apostle John not only in the book of Revelation but you'll find in first epistle of John he said that's what he is doing. What we have seen and heard concerning life the word of life, what has been manifested, we report it to you that you may have fellowship with us as we have fellowship with God and brothers and sisters if the law shall reveal Jesus Christ to you do not keep it share it, report it for the sake of fellowship. Now this is fellowship. You know brothers and sisters this afternoon we thank God we have a time of sharing together of fellowship. But what is fellowship? Fellowship is reporting what you have seen and heard. Because you have seen Him, you have heard Him and when you report Him to your brothers and sisters the Holy Spirit can touch them and make them see and make them not that your reporting will do the work but as you report the Holy Spirit can do the work. And that is fellowship. Fellowship. Oh what are we to fellowship with? We fellowship Jesus Christ that's all. We fellowship the revelation of Jesus Christ. And in fellowship it enriches the church and it gives us joy full and this is the meaning of the testimony. We will not go into it tonight but let us go a little bit more on it. What is the testimony? I think the testimony of Jesus as we see in the New Testament includes three aspects. Number one the testimony of Jesus is that which the Father bears witness to His love. That is the testimony of Jesus. You remember our Lord Jesus said no one knows the Son but the Father and to whom the Father is pleased. Our Lord Jesus is such a reality. Our Lord Jesus is such a fact. You would think that if He is so real and so factual everybody ought to know. Everybody ought to see. Everybody ought to hear. But no. The mystery is here. Because He is so real so factual that nobody can see it or hear it or know it. That's a mystery. No one knows the Son. No one knows. Even after He has come to this world and has presented Himself before people, nobody knows Him. And the Lord said no one knows the Son but the Father. And to whom the Father is pleased to reveal what the Father testified of the Son. The Lord said I have another who bears witness for me. When He was talking that He was talking about John the Baptist. John the Baptist bore witness for the Lord. But the Lord said I have someone far better. I have another one bearing witness for me. And His witness is true. He refers in the Gospels you'll find three times. The heaven is open. And the Father. When our Lord Jesus went to the river Jordan to be baptized of John to fulfill all righteousness. As He came out from the water the heavens opened. And there was a voice coming down. This is my beloved Father in whom He is mighty. When our Lord Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration He was transfigured. His face shone like the sun. His clothes became white. And Moses and Elijah appeared. And they were talking about His exit. And suddenly Peter woke up. And he said it is good. A bright cloud and a voice from heaven said this is my beloved Father in whom I am well pleased. He appeared and they said no. But Jesus answered. That is the testimony. Once again our Lord was in Jerusalem for the last time. And it seemed as if He was going to take the world. Not only there was such welcome as He entered into the city. Even the Greeks the Gentiles wanted to see Him. They came to Philip and said we want to see our Master. Verily, verily I say unto you unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die it abides alone. But if it die it shall bear much fruit. And He was speaking. He was thinking. When He was at the height of His fame and popularity He was thinking. And He turned His eyes to heaven and prayed Father deliver me from this hour. But it is for this hour that glorify Thyself. And a voice came from heaven saying I have glorified You. That is the testimony. Unless God testifies His Son to you you never will know Him. When Peter confessed the Lord Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. The Lord Jesus Peter you are blessed because this is not something shown you by flesh but by heavenly Father. Brothers and sisters the testimony of Jesus Christ is a tremendous thing. It is something that is beyond our human possibility. It is something that depends utterly upon the revelation of the Father. Unless the Father reveals the Son to us we are nothing. We have nothing of the testimony of Jesus. But when the Father testifies and we hear it and we see it. Brothers and sisters that becomes the testimony and you know is a tremendous thing. Peter was tested. One day our Lord Jesus was saying hard words. Do not seek for the food that perishes. I am the bread that comes from heaven. Seek the food that is imperishable. And all the Jews that follow Him said who can hear this? Nobody can understand it. My blood is drink. My body flesh is food. He who drinks my blood and eats my flesh he shall have life and eternal life. Many of His disciples neglected it. And our Lord Jesus turned to His twelve and said do you want to go to Him? And Peter said where can we go? You have. We know you are it. We have the testimony of Jesus Christ. God has revealed you to us. You have the word of truth, the life. Where can we go? There is nowhere to go. And brothers and sisters the testimony of Jesus is something that will hold us. The reason why many people today falter. The reason why people do not persevere. One reason is they do not have the testimony. They may have the law. They may have the letter. But they don't have the testimony. When the testimony of Jesus Christ is given you cannot get away. There is nowhere to go. You are caught. You are caught. What is the testimony of Jesus? The testimony of Jesus is that which our Lord Jesus Himself says. Or if you read the gospel according to John in a special way you will find many times the Lord is telling us all. You can read the whole gospel of John with that viewpoint. For instance, Nathanael. Philip brought Nathanael to the Lord. Philip told Nathanael we have met a Messiah. He is Jesus of Nazareth. And Nathanael being a true Israelite he said it cannot be. There is nothing good come out of Nazareth. Nazareth never produces a prophet. But Philip said you come and see. So when Nathanael came to the presence of the Lord the Lord immediately said Nathanael I saw you under the fig tree. And immediately Nathanael said my Lord. Because Nathanael was a true Israelite. The fig tree is a type of the nation of Israel. Nathanael was meditating under the fig tree dreaming of the glorious day when the Messiah should come. Then the nation of Israel would become the head of the nation. He was dreaming of that. And the Lord so when the Lord said I saw you under the fig tree he immediately said my Lord my God. You are the Messiah. But what did the Lord say? The Lord said I am going to show you greater things. You shall see the angels of God coming up and down on the sun. Our Lord Jesus is the letter that Jacob saw that connects the earth with heaven. That connects man with God. And the angels are the ministering spirit. They are ministering the grace of God upon man. And it is in Christ. That's the testimony. One day the Lord was talking with Nicodemus about new birth. And he just couldn't understand it. The Rabbi of Israel couldn't understand it. Now who are we to understand that? And yet the Lord said he said how can it be? How can it be? And the Lord said as Moses lifted the serpent so shall the son of man be lifted up and all who speak him. The Lord said I speak what I know. I bear witness to what I have seen. He is the faithful witness. And he testified to us as to who he is. One day he was brought before the high priest. They used all kinds of false accusations upon him. And the Lord would not answer. I wonder if the best way to deal with false accusation is to keep quiet. I think that's very difficult. But probably it is true. Because the more you try to explain the more misunderstanding will be created. I don't know. But anyway our Lord did not say anything. He did not say anything. Then the high priest said I adjure you by God. Tell us whether you are the son of God. And immediately the Lord testified and said you said it. You said it. You shall see the son of man coming down in glory in the clouds. And you know because he testified of what he is before the high priest he was condemned on that account. And then he was brought before Pilate. And again all kinds of accusations. And finally Pilate said are you the king of the Jews? And the Lord confessed before Pilate and said you said it. I am. And you know that the crime that he was to do. Oh we wish how foolish our Lord Jesus was at the moment. Why should he confess before Pilate that he was the king? Pilate will not understand it. He tried to explain and said but my kingdom is not of this world. But he was condemned on that account. Why should the Lord confess before the high priest that he is the son of God? They won't believe it anyway. If he doesn't say it he is still it. But he does not need to be there to die. But brothers and sisters when you come to the point of testimony either you say it or you lose it. The testimony is a tremendous thing. The testimony of Jesus Christ is a tremendous thing. Brothers and sisters I do hope as we go on we will see how tremendous is this testimony of what the Lord testified. And then the third aspect is what the Holy Spirit you remember in John the Lord said when the Holy Spirit the spirit of truth shall come he will bear witness of me. He will tell you all the things concerning me because you will take what is from me. Brothers and sisters what the Holy Spirit is testifying to you concerning Christ Jesus is the truth that will bring you into the testimony only when the Holy Spirit begins to testify. If the Holy Spirit does not testify it is still a letter not reality. But when the Holy Spirit begins to quiver so dear brothers and sisters what is the burden of the Lord? What is it that the Lord is looking for among his people? In one word the testimony that is what he is looking for. But dear brothers and sisters do we hesitate if our life is related. I think this will be the ultimate. The inner, the glory that you work at. Our Father we do pray that you may make us faithful witness of your Son. Our Father we do fear how you delight in your Son. Our Father our desire is to glorify him and to have him lifted up in our lives. We just pray that we may bear the reproach of Christ that we may be faithful witnesses. We just pray this in the name of our Lord Jesus. Who thou art. All we can say is make Christ real so that we may hear him and see him. Speak of him to report him to our brothers and sisters. Together we may share his focus his revelation. All we thank thee. Lord we want to tell thee my life is worth it. Enjoy the night song.
Testimony of Jesus - Present Testimony - Part I
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Stephen Kaung (1915 - 2022). Chinese-American Bible teacher, author, and translator born in Ningbo, China. Raised in a Methodist family with a minister father, he converted to Christianity at 15 in 1930, driven by a deep awareness of sin. In 1933, he met Watchman Nee, joining his indigenous Little Flock movement in Shanghai, and served as a co-worker until 1949. Fleeing Communist persecution, Kaung worked in Hong Kong and the Philippines before moving to the United States in 1952. Settling in Richmond, Virginia, he founded Christian Fellowship Publishers in 1971, translating and publishing Nee’s works, including The Normal Christian Life. Kaung authored books like The Splendor of His Ways and delivered thousands of sermons, focusing on Christ-centered living and the church’s spiritual purpose. Married with three children, he ministered globally into his 90s, speaking at conferences in Asia, Europe, and North America. His teachings, available at c-f-p.com, emphasize inner life over institutional religion. Kaung’s collaboration with Nee shaped modern Chinese Christianity.