Jesus Who Looks Back On Walking the Path of His Fate

In this hour today, I will speak briefly on the topic “Jesus Who Looks Back on Walking the Path of His Fate.”

Due to their fall, Adam and Eve lost the Garden of eternal ideals that God had granted. In other words, Adam and Eve lost the Garden of goodness where they could share the pleasures and pains of life with God. For that reason, they came to leave the bosom of God and started a sorrowful life of longing for God.

Accordingly, humankind has walked along the course of a 6,000-year history of suffering until now, looking back toward God with sorrowful hearts.

Just as our ancestors walked the course of life looking back toward Heaven, today, humanity is also walking forward through the course of life, looking back toward Heaven, wishing to restore their original position. Jesus, too, who came to save humankind, was searching for the people on earth who could look back toward Heaven.

God sent Jesus Christ out of love, hoping that the people of the world would listen to the new gospel of Jesus Christ, who was turning things upside down and altering their life course. He was hoping they could cling to Jesus Christ.

However, humankind then and the numerous people since then have not been able to rightfully welcome and attend to me as their master who can make them look back toward Heaven. Because of that, history has been flowing forth without fulfillment of the purpose of life, in which they can proceed looking back toward Heaven.

Similarly, you of today also are faced with the destiny to go forth, looking back toward Heaven at all times. Because humankind cannot go back to Heaven on its own ability, God provided the way by sending Jesus Christ, through whom humankind can go back.

If humankind had looked in the direction that Jesus looked and walked as Jesus walked, humankind could have accomplished the hope of returning to the bosom of God. You must know for certain that this was the central meaning of why God sent Jesus Christ.

The Israelite people and the whole world should have gone back to the bosom of God after achieving the purpose of life; they must go forth looking back toward Heaven, holding on to Jesus. However, because of humankind's distrust, Jesus and humankind have become separated from each other, each going their different ways.
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Therefore, you must bear in mind that Jesus was put in a situation where he had to stop walking on his course and look back toward the earth.

While humankind has been passing through the course of its 6,000-year history until today, there has been no one among them with enough faith to turn back toward Heaven and exert themselves both physically and mentally.

What is more, there has not been a single soul of faith who has wholly devoted his or her life, love, and action. In other words, no one became the undefiled sacrificial being who could halt Jesus Christ from stepping further on the course of suffering toward Heaven for humankind.

You must know that this was the source of the bitterness that pierced God's heart. Humankind must go forward, sweeping aside the influence of the Word and appealing for mercy from Heaven.

Yet, they distrusted Jesus, having held fast to the earthly ground and centered on the hope of the land. Therefore, the dispensation of the will that God had unfolded on the earth for 4,000 years suffered a setback.

God sent Jesus Christ to fulfill the will of humankind on the earth, and it was hoped to be realized. Because they did not elevate Jesus Christ, God ended up in a situation where He had to look back again to the earth, passing through the long history of the 2,000 years since Jesus' death.

In like manner, Jesus and the Holy Spirit came to stand in a position where they, too, had to look to the earth again.

What, then, was Jesus' desire that he cherished throughout the thirty years or so of his life? He desired to devote himself solely to others' benefit. Although he felt sorrow and lamented in his heart, Jesus did not express those feelings. Instead, he led a life of serving and caring for others.

If humankind at that time had known Jesus to be the master who could restore and fulfill their whole desire and had turned around toward Jesus, Jesus would not have gone to the cross to die. The Israelite people were to go forth toward God in unified action with Jesus during his course of life to awaken ignorant humankind.

Yet because they betrayed Jesus, Jesus had to stop stepping forth on the path he was meant to take.

You must fix this in your memory: Jesus could not fulfill the mission assigned to him by God. Therefore, he had to stand in a position where he looked up again toward Heaven for the sake of humankind and to take the steps seeking the bosom of God as the representative of humankind.

If humankind had devoted itself to the sake of God and Jesus and walked in the direction Jesus was taking, in his place, and had taken care of him for his sake, Jesus could have reciprocated with humankind in place of God, who loves humankind.

The relationship between humankind and Jesus would have been the same as Jesus' reciprocal relationship with God. Further, Jesus could have ushered in the day of glory by having established the altar of rejoicing on this earth.

However, because humankind at that time did not advance toward Heaven, Jesus and humankind became separated.

Since God bears the responsibility founded on the principle of creation, He wanted to see the day of triumph when humankind reversed their direction and moved forth toward the bosom of God through Jesus.

You must understand that since Jesus, who came to the earth, was rejected by the Israelite people and crucified on the cross, the will of God's dispensation to be carried out through Jesus failed.

By the way, while Jesus was going the path of the crucifixion, the lonesome path to the summit of Golgotha, he looked back at someone. He looked back at Peter, who was the representative of the beloved twelve apostles.

That was because Jesus feared that Peter, who should be the first one following him, might change his mind.

You must become the ones who experience again the sense of being gazed at by Jesus, who looked back at Peter with a loving heart despite having bitter grief in his heart over the fullness of his concern about God's will.

Yet three times, Peter denied he knew Jesus. Therefore, he ended up in a situation where he was completely separate from the will of Heaven and had nothing to do with Jesus.

Although Jesus knew all of this, he wanted to find just one person on this earth who could defend him to the last as he walked the path to death and could deeply sympathize with him, so he came to look back at Peter, who was the best, most beloved disciple.

You of today must understand that Jesus' intention to find one true person was buried deep in the gaze that he sent in the direction of the beloved disciple, Peter. There cannot be any more grievous scene to Jesus, who came with the responsibility of carrying out the whole dispensation of God, than standing in such a situation as this.

Not even one person could understand the feelings of longing and lamentation of Jesus, who wanted to find one person who could inherit his mission and who was heading for the pass of Golgotha, the path of death, owing to the distrust of humankind.

Accordingly, Jesus' heartrending feelings were beyond description. Only God understood Jesus' sorrowful heart and was worried about the lamentable situation of Jesus.

When Jesus reflected on the course of toilsome effort he had walked, representing Heaven alone in bitter sorrow for his lifetime, the resentment with which he wanted to scorn humanity and to call down curses on the earth pierced him to the very marrow.

However, Jesus restrained himself and stopped to look back at Peter, who was following behind. You must know that unless you can understand such feelings of Jesus' heart, you cannot proudly stand in front of all humankind after inheriting the work of the dispensation of God centering on Jesus.

What then would be the heart of Peter, who was watching Jesus concluding his life by walking the course of tribulation alone? He might have been in awful misery, pining in desolation, not being able to forget the loving relationship of his original nature he had with Jesus in the past.

Of course, the heart of Peter, who was watching the grieving and innocent Jesus being insulted and rebuked and dragged in bonds, must have been aching very much.

However, because Peter did not realize Jesus was the Messiah who came with the representative mission to restore the whole of humankind, he ended up in a situation where he could not step forward on behalf of the other disciples but instead thought only of himself.

When servant girls came out before Peter to ask whether he was one of the fellows who were with Jesus, he replied, “I do not know him” three times.

You must know this clearly – that aspect of Peter was the representative attitude of humankind on the earth.

When we look back upon the circumstances of Jesus and Peter again, the fact that Jesus turned to look back at Peter, who denied him three times, did not take place only between Peter and Jesus, but is shown to have happened throughout the whole of history.

When all humanity of the world steps forward before Satan as true Christians on behalf of the will of Christ on the course of Heaven, they will meet ungrounded accusations three times.

This can be considered the symbolic expression of the positions of Adam, Jesus, and the Lord of the Second Coming during the 6,000-year history.

This will again take place in the final days in the form of World War I, World War I, and World War III. Such happenings will appear not only throughout the whole of history like this but also within your course of faith today. You must understand this.

Today, then, what is going to happen right before you meet the Lord?

Just as there was the hour of betrayal in which Peter said, “I do not know him,” toward Heaven, we must be aware that such a time can come even to us today, faced with the final days.

We are faced with the historical, dispensational, and religious fate to follow the triumphant Jesus and to find and establish ourselves in the external position of Peter. We who must climb over such a hill of fate as this must understand we are responsible for whatever situation exists.

As Jesus walked on the paths to Golgotha before he was resurrected from the cross, all Christians of the world must walk on the path to Golgotha with the Lord in the final days at the time of the Second Coming, to take part in the glory of the resurrection. We must bear in mind that such a time will surely appear.

Then, from what position must we lead our life of faith?

Just as there was a moment in which Peter could not externally say, “I know him” while being heartbroken internally as his beloved and innocent teacher was being dragged on by the Roman soldiers, there will be a time when we of today will be put in a situation where, because of certain worldly conditions, we have to say against our will, “I do not know Jesus.”

We then must be able to say, I know Jesus. What is more, we must lead a life of faith, constantly paying attention to such vulnerable points.

Jesus, who walked to the pass of Golgotha on the earth, has walked forth until today to the pass of the world-level Golgotha, even in the spirit world. Similarly, Jesus, who personally walked the path to the crucifixion and the course of tribulation on earth and in the spirit world, leaving behind the beloved faithful believers, will develop a great conclusive war against Satan in the future.

In what kind of situation should we stand when such a time of fierce battle comes upon the earth? We should not be standing in a situation similar to Peter's when he said he did not know Jesus.

We must become those triumphant sons and daughters who can defend the course of blood, sweat, and tears that Jesus walked to the end, standing in a similar situation as Jesus, having divulged all of our reasons, circumstances, sinfulness, and inadequacy, reflecting on ourselves again. Unless we can stand in such a position, we cannot take part in the glorious position to receive the returning Lord.

Although Peter denied Jesus three times, saying he did not know the teacher who stood in the difficult situation, Jesus turned his body around to look at Peter.

Consequently, when Peter saw Jesus turning around to look at him, forgetting all about his difficulties and sorrow and his reasons and circumstances, a complete revolution took place in his mind.

Despite his three dreadful denials of knowing Jesus, upon seeing that Jesus truly cared about him and worried about his future, despite his sorrow, Peter experienced an explosion of emotion within. The moment he remembered and sensed the old relationship of having shared the joys and sorrows of the Lord, Peter became aware of his identity on the spot.

Peter saw the fact that Jesus, having determined to risk his life to accomplish the will of Heaven, was making a great effort to proudly cultivate the path of salvation for humankind without being affected too severely by the resentment that he felt as a human being.

Peter saw that even as Jesus walked the path from heaven to death, Jesus was concerned about the well-being of Peter. Peter felt insufficient and inadequate internally.

In other words, when Peter contrasted the position of Jesus, who represents God, and his position, which was to represent Jesus as the disciple who had pledged to render devoted service for the sake of Jesus only, he realized that there existed a world of difference between his devotion to Jesus and Jesus's reverence for God.

What is more, although he had thought he believed in Jesus, the minute he found out his faith was based on self-centeredness rather than on Heaven-centeredness, as was the case with the Lord, Peter received such a great shock as to be deeply ashamed of himself in the presence of Jesus. In short, he lamented about being distrustful.

We must know that the minute Peter saw Jesus, who endured the course of a cosmic-level mission without being doubtful at all, a figure of eternal immutability in the course of faith toward Heaven, Peter's mind underwent a complete change.

He felt an impulse to live for the sake of the Lord for the rest of his life. Once he came to realize he was being distrustful, Peter thought about the relationship between Jesus and himself and contrasted their life courses. As a result, he felt his inadequacy more strongly.

Jesus offered himself as a sacrificial being before Heaven for the sake of the One will, without pursuing his happiness, but for humankind on earth. He did not show any resentment despite being dragged away, bearing the cross on his shoulder.

Watching this, the three disciples came to realize that their lives had been too self-centered. Thereupon, before Jesus, who was not self-centered, the disciples reflected on themselves of their own accord and could make a definite promise and pledge to fulfill the will Jesus had hoped for and to realize the will on this earth.

He felt his distrustfulness and simultaneously the mistrustfulness of Jesus' entourage. While watching those wicked ones around him tie Jesus up and enjoy themselves whipping Jesus Christ, who was innocent and about whom anybody and everybody would say he was guiltless, Peter could see through the heart that was sorrowful and lonesome when he met the gaze of the persecuted Jesus.

Before the warm glow was sent off in his direction by Jesus, who was showing the way to protect and obey Heaven's rule even in such an undeserved situation, Peter felt the haughtiness of the surroundings.

Then Peter, Jesus' disciple, made a righteous resolution to fight against the haughty power of the surroundings until the time when the Lord would return to destroy the wicked crowd who could not be on the side of Jesus Christ.

There was a cosmic difference between the good, immutable attitude of Jesus, who was heading toward Heaven, and the haughtiness of his surroundings. Through Jesus' gaze, who turned briefly to look, Peter could liquidate his fatuous life history and determine to establish the standard of goodness by purging the environment and devoting himself toward God all the more.

Through Jesus' dying in silence for the sake of Heaven, earth, humankind, and the will, Peter came to respect the Lord naturally and shed penitential tears, weeping bitterly in the face of such a death.

This fact made Jesus Christ, who turned to look for the last time, realize that there was a disciple who understood him and that it was the moment in which the link that was disconnected between Heaven and humankind was being restored.

Feeling insufficient and inadequate toward Jesus, who died before the will of God on behalf of heaven and earth, Peter alone shed tears of contrition, representing all humankind and the many disciples.

After seeing that Jesus was being put to tribulations before being crucified, only Peter wailed, shedding tears. Because of this, you must know that a standard by which Jesus could uphold the dispensation centering on the disciples and a new standard by which Jesus and humankind could connect were created.

Just as Christians have hoped and longed for the time of resurrection and the Second Coming, holding on to the will of God alone since the time of Jesus' crucifixion, you have to go through a similar situation.

What is more, you must go through the process of restoration through indemnity from a position similar to that in which Peter found himself. Since this is the last fate left in the course of your faith, you have to be able to model yourself after the principles of Jesus by earnestly looking back on the relationship between Jesus and yourselves in a serious manner. You must bend down and be contrite before Jesus' countenance.

The problem is whether we have cared about the Lord while living, the way the Lord has been concerned about us throughout our life of faith up to now.

Although you may say you have lived your whole life being concerned about Jesus, how can that bear comparison with the life of Jesus, who was looking at Peter while thrusting his way through the place of death?

Now, by the principle of restoration through indemnity, in the same manner that Jesus looked back at the crowd on the path to death, we, too, must become those who can turn to look at Jesus on the path to death. In such a situation, we have to suffer and worry in place of Jesus while looking back to stand in a position where we represent Jesus.

At the same time, we must attend and worship Jesus in a glorious environment. The question is whether you ever had such an occasion.

If you have had such an occasion, on the last day, on the day we receive the glory of the resurrection, as Mary Magdalene grabbed hold of the resurrected Jesus Christ, you will not be able to grab hold of the Lord of resurrection and say, “Oh, my Lord!” and “Oh, my bridegroom!”

Although Peter and the three disciples were restored for the first time by looking back at Jesus on the cross, there has not been any faithful believer who has gone to the kingdom of Heaven holding on to Jesus in person.

Now, to become true, faithful believers whom Jesus can live with and whom Jesus can motivate according to his instructions to become true disciples who are loved by Jesus, you of the last days must be able to be truly concerned about Jesus' well-being and fight against Satan for Jesus, just as Jesus looked back at Peter even while walking the path to death. Otherwise, you must understand that you will not be able to bow respectfully to God, holding on to the glorious Lord.

Although we are leading a life of religious faith, we have not led a life of being concerned about the well-being of Jesus throughout all of our day-to-day lives.

Therefore, although Jesus came looking for us hundreds or thousands of times because of our distrustful lifestyle, he might have only looked at us with sad eyes, turning around reluctantly.

Although Jesus came looking for us and had many occasions to do so, we cared only for ourselves, not being sensitive to his situation and his state of mind. We have led an easy religious life, hoping that things would work out as we wished.

When Peter contrasted the history of his life and the history of Jesus' life before the gaze of Jesus, he felt remorse about his distrust and became conscious of the fact that he had lived too self-centered.

Similarly, when you, too, contrast your life history with that of the thirty or so years of Jesus, and when you compare your life course with the dispensational life course of Jesus, who has upheld the dispensation for 2,000 years until now for the sake of God, you cannot help but feel that you have lived self-centered, just as Peter felt.

Unless you shake yourselves free from the path of such distrust, you must know that you can in no way greet the returning Jesus.

From what position, the,n do you have to move forth?

Acting in line with Jesus' unceasing gaze, you must be able to feel and experience the state of Jesus' mind and to move forward as far as the seat of the grace of resurrection after crossing over the hill of crucifixion, not the top of Golgotha, which is on the verge of seeing the suffering on the cross.

To accomplish that, you, like Peter, must be contrite about having a self-centered concept of religious faith. In the same way, Jesus lived, having his center on the will of God, not on himself, too must live for God's will, not having a concept that your faith is only for your salvation and for your well-being.

You of today have a concept of faith based on self-centeredness, just as Peter did. Peter's faith was based on his well-being. Peter betrayed Jesus three times while he was not aware of it. You must keep in mind that such occasions when you reject Heaven will occur at some time, some moment, and some period while you are not aware of it.

In other words, you must lead a life of faith in which you have faith, not in yourselves but in Jesus, in which you seek not for yourselves but for Jesus, and in which you make your goal not for the sake of yourselves, but for Jesus. You have to be aware of the fact that when Peter tried to lead a life of soul-searching faith, he had to go through indescribable hardships and deprivations.

As a result, his relationship with Jesus was finished, so you must steer clear of such a situation. You must change the style of your religious life of faith from one seeking your benefit to one seeking the good of Jesus and God.

Next, just in the same way Peter restored the atmosphere from that of distrust to that of trust and was grieved at the fact that he had been distrustful, you, too, must move forward with righteous indignation and animosity against the distrust that was against God's desire. You then must walk on the course of goodness that God desires.

What is more, goodness must not be self-centered, but God-centered, and goodness must be linked with ourselves. Only when you find this goodness can you, too, for the first time, feel sorry for the sake of humanity and the good of heaven and earth in Peter's position, just as Peter felt grieved upon seeing the atmosphere where the will of God was not being fulfilled.

Now, today, you have the responsibility to achieve the final victory in front of the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. What is more, you must become the ones who can follow Jesus, who is walking on the path to Golgotha, not betraying him.

You should not become the ones who are concerned about their well-being.

Instead, you should be able to exhort, “Oh, my teacher,” following Jesus, who forgot about his suffering. In other words, you must not become the ones at whom Jesus gazes out of concern. Rather, you should become those who can comfort Jesus with a heart of caring and being concerned about putting yourself in Jesus' position.

Who was doing this work?

Only Jesus had repeated the work of shedding blood, sweat, and tears for the sake of humankind until today, hoping the day when this work was completed would come.

Now, you must not become the target of Jesus' concern while living your life. You should not become the ones who offend the faith against the will of Jesus, who has placed all of his hopes in us and the dispensation of God.

Just as Peter sighed in grief looking back on himself after he had distrusted Jesus, you too must lament about your distrustfulness and move forward, ready to risk your lives, with the heart that has a tacit understanding of the circumstances of sorrowful Jesus, who was sacrificing himself for the will of God.

Accordingly, only when you move forward with the determination that you, too, will go to Jesus' course and cross over Golgotha can you greet the resurrected Jesus as the bridegroom and return to happiness and glory in Heaven.