6/15 God Is With Us On This Journey, And God Is Always Good

Acts Chapter 54 - Sermon

When: June 15, 2025

Title: God Is With Us On This Journey, And God Is Always Good

Text: Acts 10:17-22

[Acts 10:17-22]

17 Peter was still wondering what the vision he saw meant. Just then, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and stood at the gate.

18 They called out and asked if Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there.

19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men are looking for you.

20 So get up and go downstairs. Don’t hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”

22 The men replied,1 “Cornelius the centurion is a righteous and God-fearing man, respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to invite you to his house so he could hear what you have to say.”

God of Day and Night

In Acts chapter 9, the church faced really tough times because of Paul's actions after he returned to Jerusalem. Eventually, Peter and the other apostles started scattering. The first place we hear about Peter going was Lydda.

There, Peter healed a paralyzed man named Aeneas. Because of this amazing miracle, everyone in Lydda and the nearby area of Sharon believed in Jesus!

News of this spread to Joppa, a nearby city. It just so happened that disciples there were getting ready for the funeral of a female disciple named Tabitha, who had died after working hard in ministry. They asked Peter to come with them.

When Peter arrived, Tabitha's body was already prepared for burial. The mourners were all showing off the clothes Tabitha had made for them and talking about all the good things she had done, filled with sadness. The funeral atmosphere was set, and they were just about to start the service.

But Peter didn't start the funeral right away. He didn't even raise Tabitha immediately like he did with Aeneas. Instead, he sent everyone out and started to pray. After praying, Peter spoke to the body, "Tabitha, get up!"

Even Peter needed to pray to make sure he was doing God's will.

In the end, everyone who had gathered for the funeral got to experience a resurrection party that no one had expected.

Let's quickly recap what we can clearly understand from all this:

For Peter, having to wander around to avoid persecution in Jerusalem looked like a terrible thing to anyone.

However, if he had stayed in Jerusalem, the lives of Aeneas, Tabitha, and those who loved them would have been completely different. And what about the eternal destinies of countless people in Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa?

There's something common among people who have almost died and then come back to life: they value their lives more afterward and live more beautifully than before. Wouldn't Tabitha's life after her resurrection, serving her neighbors with a heart full of love for God, have been even more overflowing with gratitude and praise?

Death was a painful journey, but in the end, it became the prelude to an incredible reversal of blessings. So, wouldn't they have offered thanks and praise to the Lord, even for the painful journey of death itself?

The Holy Spirit shows us these stories to invite us. He invites us to that kind of life—a resurrected life, a life that conquers death, a life that looks to eternity right now.

Last week, in the video we watched, what did the pastor say as he stood on the pulpit, barely able to swallow, looking so thin? I can't forget it.

"God is with us on this journey, and God is always good!"

He shouted this while still going through a dark tunnel, unsure when it would end.

"God is with us on this journey, and God is always good!"

He then said that our God is not only the God of the day but also the God of the night.

[Isaiah 45:7]

"I form the light and create darkness; I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things."

Ultimately,2 Peter and this pastor—everyone who lived by the Spirit—learned to trust through this whole process.

They learned to trust God, who created not only light and peace but also darkness and hardship.

There are probably no other religious people who use the word "faith" as much as Christians do. But isn't the most basic meaning of "faith" "trust" in someone or something?

Do you trust God?

Do you trust the God of the night, not just the God of the day?

The Age of the Spirit

As we saw last week, we're living in the age of Acts—the age of the Holy Spirit and the Church. This means we're living in a time when God leads the community through the Holy Spirit, and believers participate in the Spirit's work through the community.

Even now, the Holy Spirit is continuously creating God's communities, leading them, and letting living water flow through them.

If you look at Peter's journey, you can clearly see him growing into someone who trusts the Lord more and more.

Soon, Peter is being led on the journey where he will do "even greater things" than Jesus talked about.

Something really important happened when Jesus died on the cross.

[Mark 15:37-39]

37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last.

38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front3 of Jesus, saw how He died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of4 God!”

What happened there?

The curtain separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Only the high priest could go into the Most Holy Place, and only once a year.

So, the fact that the curtain separating this super-special, set-apart place was torn means that the Most Holy Place was now open to everyone. Right after this, Mark's Gospel records the Roman centurion immediately recognizing Jesus as the Son of God—a prophetic moment.

This symbolizes that the age of temple worship is over. God's Spirit doesn't stay in just one place anymore. And Jesus is now the Savior for this Roman too!

So, after Jesus' ministry before this event, His death on the cross, resurrection, ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit which established the Church, a new era—the final era of humanity—has begun.

[Ephesians 2:14-16]

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the law with its commands and regulations.

15 His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,

16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.5

Through His death on the cross, Jesus tore down the wall that separated Gentiles and Jews. Because of this, He created "one new humanity" in Christ.

This means He created a new kind of human family, where there's no longer a separation between Jews and Gentiles. It also means that no matter how strictly Jews followed the Law, the Law itself could never save them.

All people, including Jews, can only become children of God by believing in Jesus as their only Savior and Lord.

Grace for the Righteous

However, this doesn't mean the Law is completely meaningless. Jesus spoke very strongly about the Law:

[Matthew 5:19-20]

19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever6 practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

He said that if you keep and teach the Law well, you'll be called great in heaven. But if you don't keep it well or teach it well, you'll be called the least.

Plus, He said that if your righteousness isn't better than that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law (who were super strict about the Law), you definitely won't enter heaven.

Doesn't this sound opposite to the Gospel message we usually hear?

The Old Testament Law can broadly be seen as four types: moral laws, social laws, ceremonial laws, and food laws.

The tearing of the temple curtain, the ability to eat foods previously considered unclean, and the breaking down of the wall separating Jews and Gentiles—meaning everyone is now brothers and sisters in Christ—all mean that specific parts of the Law (especially ceremonial, social, and food laws) have been done away with.

And even in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, there were already slight changes to these laws. This was because the environment and situations changed a lot when they were wandering in the desert versus when they settled in Canaan.

But throughout all of that, the moral law—the right standard for God's people—remained unchanged.

Matthew 22:37-40

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

So, when the Law is put in an absolute place and becomes an idol, as if it can save your life, then it becomes bad. But when the Law is kept in its proper place, as a moral standard based on its core idea of "loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself," then it's very good.

Loving God! Isn't that a commandment Christians truly want to keep, and can keep with even greater joy? This can't be compared to the Pharisees and Sadducees, who lived righteous lives to be seen by others or because they believed it would bring them blessings.

In Cornelius's case, being highly praised by the Jews meant that because he feared God, he didn't treat Jews as people to control, but instead cared for and helped them as neighbors. In that sense, he lived by the spirit of the Law as a moral standard, which is why the Bible praises him as righteous.

Most people in the world believe in "general grace." It's like a law of nature: if you do evil, there are consequences, and if you do good, blessings come. People who care for the poor, orphans, and widows often have more prosperous lives.

But Cornelius received an eternal blessing that can't be compared to those temporary blessings. The Bible consistently shows a pattern where God pays special attention to those who live righteous lives.

When you look at people like Noah, Job, Abraham, Moses, and David, they weren't perfect or sinless, but they all had one thing in common: compared to others of their time, they were good people who tried to live righteously because they feared God.

So, while we can't know all the reasons, there are moments that show God's grace and plan aren't random.

[Luke 13:4-5]

4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.7

Jesus said this to His disciples, explaining a tragic accident in Jerusalem that everyone knew about. A watchtower collapsed, killing 18 people.

He said that they didn't die in that unfortunate accident because they were more sinful than other people in Jerusalem.

What did this mean? It meant that everyone in Jerusalem was sinful enough to deserve such an accident. He was saying they only avoided the accident by grace, not because they were less sinful.

But what He said next is even more significant: "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

This means all of us, who are all equally sinful in our own ways, are eventually going to perish in some way! Unless we repent!

So, only people who repent before God, who are able to look at themselves and truly regret their wrongs, have hope! That's what He meant.

These are the people who truly fear God. Those who quickly admit their mistakes and repent won't just perish meaninglessly! They won't suffer pointless accidents. For them, death is just a pathway into God's eternal kingdom; they won't simply perish. That's what He said.

God's Amazing Guidance

Cornelius acknowledged God and did good. He was also someone who could admit his wrongs and repent. He was invited, and by immediately obeying the opportunity given to him, he received eternal grace by being chosen.

Ultimately, the conclusion of our lives is decided by God's invitation and our response to it.

Peter was praying on the rooftop of Simon the tanner's house when he saw a vision. God showed Peter a large sheet with unclean animals on it three times, telling him to kill and eat them.

When Peter refused, God spoke to him three times: "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

Just when he was confused and wondering what this vision meant, at that exact moment, the men sent by Cornelius arrived at the house!

Again, the Lord spoke to Peter:

[Acts 10:20]

"Get up and go downstairs. Don’t hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."

But in verse 17, it says Cornelius sent them, and in verse 20, God says, "I have sent them."

This means Cornelius was acting according to God's will.

This scene is so important because it shows how God works.

Like you, for me, coming to New York was a pivotal moment—it completely turned my life around.

But honestly, I had never once thought about wanting to come to New York. The only reason I was going to New York was because a friend, whom I was trying to share the Gospel with and who was in trouble, asked me to. But then my friend's US visa was denied, and he ended up going to another country, so there was no reason for me to go to New York anymore.

Plus, I was even hoping it wasn't God's will for me to go to New York for my friend. So, I applied for a visa through the cheapest language school. My visa interview was scheduled a few days after my friend's was denied.

Of course, I had no reason to even go to the interview. But that morning, as I prayed, I strangely felt like I should go since the interview was already scheduled. So I went. As I watched everyone before me get rejected, I was almost sure I'd be rejected too. I didn't even answer well during the interview.

So, when I saw the "approved" stamp, I didn't even understand what was happening. A few days later, I got my passport back with the visa attached. I had applied for a 4-month visa, but the one I received was for 4 years. I had no idea why, but I could only take it as a sign that I had to go to New York.

At first, my friend had begged me, but I had other plans, so I had good reasons to say no. And even though we applied for visas together, when my friend was rejected, there was no reason for me to go to New York alone.

Looking back, the small choice, the obedience to that tiny whisper from the Lord, made such a huge difference 17 years later. I can't help but feel awe and even a little fear.

How I respond to that whispered invitation from the Lord now... it makes an eternal difference. It's not just about one life.

Over the past 17 years, there have been times I followed the Lord's voice well, and times I closed my heart and ears, rebellious and stubborn. I still have a long way to go, but through that process, God's will has become much clearer to me now.

And now, I surrender much faster than before. I've learned through painful regret how much of a waste and loss it is to be stubborn and close my ears.

Now, even in situations I don't like, I'm more and more sure that the Lord is with me, and God is always right, always good.

This is all part of learning to trust.

God wants to be with us on this journey.

And God is always good.

Amen!

This is just like what Paul declared:

[1 Thessalonians 5:16-18]

16 Rejoice always,

17 pray continually,

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.8

"Always," "continually," "in all circumstances"...9 aren't they all saying the same thing? They mean to be aware of God all the time.

Then you'll see things to be happy about and rejoice. Then you'll pray about your painful situations. And eventually, you'll be thankful and praise Him!

In your daily life, pay attention to those small stirrings in your heart, those whispers from God, and respond immediately and correctly to His invitation without delay. In everything, seek the Lord's will. If it's different from your will, follow it with even greater certainty that it must be the Lord's will.

Experiences of obedience in small things will help you understand God's will more and more clearly, and moments of regret in your daily life will gradually disappear.

As our will and the Lord's will become one, our lives will bear the beautiful fragrance and fruit we've always dreamed of, blessing our community and those around us.

Let's pray.

6/1 The Price Tag Placed on Eternal Life – The Call to Discipleship

The Price Tag Placed on Eternal Life – The Call to Discipleship

Scripture: Mark 10:17-31

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.

19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said.

“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words.

But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel

30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

I read an article in the Korea Economic Daily, and it goes like this: “While eating, a senior colleague suddenly asked me, ‘Seok-hwan, how long do you think you’ll live?’

Caught off guard, I casually replied, ‘Probably until around 100.’ He scolded me, saying I was being overly optimistic.

But I pointed out that with today’s average life expectancy surpassing 80, and by simply adding 10 years to the age my parents passed away, I could easily expect to live past 100. I emphasized that reaching 100 seemed realistic.

But he told me not to be mistaken — that I would live until 120. 120 years.

The number hit me hard. I had never considered living that long.

Even my bucket list is set to age 100, with all the things I want to do based on that timeline. I envisioned my prime in my 70s and planned to enjoy life leisurely for the next 20 years after that.

But now, the idea of living to 120 — an extra 20 years — was a shock. Looking back, an extra 20 years during my youth or adulthood wouldn't have seemed so dramatic.

But post-retirement, the difference between dying at 100 and at 120 is massive. Just thinking about it is not enjoyable — it’s actually dreadful.

When I told my wife, she just said, ‘Let’s just stick to 100.’” Now let me ask you:

If you were to live to 120, would you be happy or worried? Living a long life should be a gift.

But after reading this article, I began to see longevity as a challenge — one that nations, families, and individuals must now prepare for. The writer then goes on to suggest some countermeasures for dealing with aging:

Prepare for the future with a solid pension plan. Maintain good health.

Plan for a meaningful life in later years. I’m 56 years old, which means I could potentially live another 60+ years.

I once hoped to live by God’s grace until 80, but now I’m facing the possibility of 40 more years beyond that. To live an extended life of 40 additional years, we must prepare — financially, physically, and spiritually.

If you’re in your 30s or 40s now, you may need to prepare for another 80 to 90 years ahead. And for us who believe in the Lord, we will live forever.

So today, I want to speak on the theme: “The Price Tag on Eternal Life.” The story of “one man” we’ll talk about today is recorded in both Matthew 19:16–30 and Luke 18:18–30.

These two passages, along with the version in Mark, are considered part of the Synoptic Gospels — so called because they share a similar perspective, though each has its own nuances. In Matthew’s account, the man is described as a rich young man, while Luke refers to him as a rich ruler.

Taken together, we understand that he was a wealthy, young man in a position of authority — likely in his early 30s. The fact that he ran up to Jesus and knelt before Him suggests he was a humble and earnest seeker.

He approached Jesus to ask a burning question that was on his heart. In Matthew 19:16, he asks, “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

This question reveals his mindset — he believed that eternal life could be obtained by doing good works. It also implies that he had lived a morally upright life and valued righteousness.

The “eternal life” referred to here is used interchangeably in the passage with “the kingdom of God” (v. 23), and “being saved” (v. 26), as the disciples later ask, “Who then can be saved?” In Mark’s version, the encounter begins with:

“As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on his knees before Him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’”

The word “way” here comes from the Greek word hodon, meaning a road or a path. It subtly hints at the direction Jesus was heading — the road to Jerusalem, where He would ultimately give His life.

This contextual detail reminds us that Jesus was walking toward the cross. It’s a powerful contrast: one man is walking toward laying down His life, while the other is seeking to gain life.

The two paths intersect here — but they are moving in opposite directions. Not long before this moment, in Mark 8:35, Jesus had said,

“Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it.” This young man was trying to save his life.

Jesus, on the other hand, was preparing to give His away. When the young man calls Jesus “Good teacher,” Jesus replies,

“Why do you call me good? No one is good — except God alone.”

This doesn’t mean that Jesus isn’t good. Rather, Jesus was challenging the man’s understanding of “goodness.”

He wanted the man to think beyond human goodness and recognize the absolute goodness that belongs to God alone. After all, even the best human goodness falls short of God’s perfect standard.

We may be “better” than someone else — but never perfectly good in God’s eyes. Then Jesus points him to the commandments — specifically those from the Fifth to the Tenth Commandments — which deal with human relationships.

Interestingly, when Jesus gets to the Tenth Commandment, “Do not covet,” He restates it as, “Do not defraud.” This seems tailored to the young man’s situation.

Perhaps Jesus was implying: “Don’t increase your wealth through dishonest means.” Much like how we might tell children, “Obey your parents,” instead of saying, “Honor your father and mother,” because we know their struggle is often with obedience.

The young man responds, “All these I have kept since I was a boy.” And it appears he really had lived a morally upright life.

But note — Jesus hadn’t yet mentioned the first 4 commandments, which relate to one’s relationship with God. From the conversation so far, we see that the young man had done well in terms of his human relationships.

This is a person who has lived a good life. He was a rich man, he held an official position, he did good deeds, and he kept all the requirements of the law.

Then we can expect praise from him. "Well done, my faithful servant!" It is a compliment.

However, the conversation takes an unexpected turn. When Jesus saw him, he lovingly said to him, "Go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor, for there is one thing you still lack, and you will have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me" (verse 21).

When the man heard this, he was very sad and went away, because he had a lot of wealth. If you question God, you may have to do a lot of work.

This rich young man may have just asked the Lord a question. How proud he must have been when he said that he kept all the commandments from his youth.

Perhaps he asked this question because the Lord wanted him to say, "You have nothing more to do." If the Lord had asked him to go and pray more, he would not have been so sad or disappointed.

But the Lord tells us that the rich young man, who has done all the good deeds and is humble, lacks one thing: to sell his wealth and give it to the poor. Not only that, but He tells him, "Follow me."

This call is truly shocking. There was a blessing that he received, but it did not help him to do something, but it became a reason for disqualification.

The Lord says that this man's wealth is not enough to help him gain eternal life. In a culture where doing good deeds and becoming rich is accepted as the result of a life pleasing to God, throwing away what God has given you and saying, "Follow me" is like a slap in the back.

Why did Jesus ask this man like this? When Jesus called the other disciples, they were fishermen, but He didn't tell them to sell everything and say, "Follow me."

It was the disciples' decision to leave the nets and boats, not what Jesus demanded. He didn't tell the tax collectors to give up their jobs.

Scholars say there are two possibilities: One is that he thought he could gain eternal life without having to sell his possessions. The second possibility is that he trusted material things more than others.

This story is preceded by Jesus blessing the children (Mark 10:13-16). 13 And the disciples rebuked those who were bringing little children to him, hoping that Jesus would touch them.

14 When Jesus saw this, he was angry and said, "Suffer little children to come to me, and do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such people." 15 Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.

16 He took the little children in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. What are the characteristics of children?

There is no power. There is no wealth.

dependent. There is no position.

Jesus embraced the children who were led by someone's hand and blessed them. The children are left in the hands of the Lord and accept the Lord's embrace and blessing as it is.

However, Jesus says that the kingdom of God belongs to these children who do not reject Jesus and accept His acceptance, embrace, and blessing as they are, and this is eternal life. On the contrary, this person has power, wealth, and status.

Completely independent. He is a person who can live safely in the world with all he has, do good, and be respected.

He is also sincere and authentic. Moreover, this man is not satisfied with this present life and runs to Jesus.

He asked Jesus wonderful questions, such as how to receive eternal life. The children accepted Jesus, and he thought he could have eternal life with what he had.

Jesus' request to a rich young man who thought that eternal life was what he could get by doing good deeds and to follow him was to make a special arrangement to meet this man's spiritual needs. In order for the rich man to receive the eternal life he wanted—the kingdom of God—it would not come by his own works, but only by God.

Did this rich man really want eternal life enough to give up his all? It wasn't.

Thus he went back with a sad face. Because the price tag of eternal life that Jesus offered him was all that he had.

He had no choice but to go back with a sad face. He wanted eternal life without having to sacrifice anything, so he chose to continue on his path rather than give up everything.

There are minimum conditions for a good marital relationship. It is the same for maintaining friendships between friends.

If you really want the other person, the minimum conditions for maintaining the marriage will automatically be met, but if you don't really want the other person, even the minimum conditions will not be kept. These minimum conditions include giving up remote control, who will empty the trash, who will clean the toilets, and prepare meals.

This minimum principle will also apply to maintaining the relationship between individual believers and the church and the Lord. If I really want a good church, I will keep the minimum conditions that I have to do.

Therefore, if you really want the other person in any relationship, the minimum conditions for maintaining the relationship will be observed. It would be nice if all relationships were maintained well with at least a minimum, but in reality, relationships require more than the minimum.

There would have been no problem for this man to sacrifice a little of his wealth for eternal life. However, the price of eternal life that Jesus showed him was all that he had.

Do you want to give your all, the real Christianity, the real church, and the real relationship with the Lord? Jesus will not make the same demands of everyone that He would make of the rich man, but I think He will make the right demands to meet your and my spiritual needs.

What is eternal life that it requires everything we have? "This is eternal life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

Knowing God and Jesus, the Son of God, who is the Savior, is eternal life. What is the price tag for knowing God and his Son, Jesus?

When the Lord calls you and me to be His disciples, He will surely ask for all that you and I rely on. We need to think about why everything is required.

You have to ask questions. Do I want true Christianity enough to give everything?

Do I want a church that is true enough to give everything? Do I want a relationship with the Lord that is true enough to give everything?

Today's verse can be more frustrating than hopeful for those who really become disciples. Because we, like this young man, will turn away with a worried and sad face.

It was because I also turned around because I couldn't live by the price tag of knowing the Lord. I was a person who didn't have much to throw away.

I still felt guilty and kept looking for the Lord, but when I received the answer, I turned away with a sad face again and again. Rather than condemning the rich man, we should now look at the eyes of Jesus who looked at the rich man.

Mark records Jesus' gaze on this young man. "When Jesus saw him, he loved him" (verse 21).

At first, the tone of the passage seemed to flow in the direction of 'Why can’t he do it?' However, in fellowship with the Lord, the Lord's gaze on this young man came to me strongly.

This young man's image was also my self-portrait. I was in the image of him who couldn't do it, aesthetically, and hesitantly leaving.

You may have been there. No, it will have to be in the future.

But when he turned around with a sad face, I saw hope. A sad face expresses despair, but it also includes hope.

I kept searching for answers to live and met Jesus, and every time Jesus gave me a special mentor and gave me answers, and I knew the answers, but I couldn't live according to those answers either. I was so afraid...

When I threw away everything I was relying on and did as God said, I really didn't know what was waiting for me, but that uncertainty... Because I don't have the confidence to handle it.

When I meditated on what the Lord had done to me at that time, I was also troubled and sad like this rich young man, but the Lord did not condemn me. He was not the one who kept pointing out that I could not do what the Lord asked.

The Lord was patient with me. There is something I really want, and the price is too high.

So, what do you do? Do you forget?

Or do you save money and prepare to buy it? If you want to buy something really valuable, you will save money.

In Matthew 13:44-48, there are three parables about the kingdom of heaven. 44 The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, and when a man finds it, he hides it and rejoices, and goes back and sells all that he has and buys it.

45 And the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who seeks a good pearl. 46 When he finds a pearl of great value, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.

47 And the kingdom of heaven is like a net that is set up in the sea and gathers all kinds of fish. 48 And when the nets are full, they pull them out to the water's edge, and they sit down and put the good things in the vessels, and throw away the bad things.

Heaven is the kingdom of God and eternal life. Eternal life is to know God and His Son, Jesus.

If we truly want to know the Lord, we must pay the price for eternal life. In verse 44, the person who found the hidden treasure found it and hid it.

He hid it because he couldn't come back right away. He returns home rejoicing.

Then he comes back and buys the field. The time when he returns home is the time when he prepares to buy the field.

In the same way, the merchant who found the most valuable pearl in verse 45 went and sold everything he had to buy it. These are the people who have paid a high price to buy the best ones.

If we were Jesus' disciples, we would not want cheap grace and Christianity. I can't value that I don't pay anything.

It is easy to think of it as something insignificant that can be thrown away at any time. In my heart, you and I will want to give our all for Christianity and the Lord.

I've been on this path for 30 years. It is not that I was tempted to do something else, but I knew that there was the most valuable treasure on this path.

I couldn't buy right away, but the Lord gave me time. He was patient.

I want you to know how much I exert myself for you, and for those who are in Laodicea, and for all those who have not seen the face of my flesh that they may be comforted in heart, and united in love, that they may understand all the riches of sure understanding, and the mystery of God, Christ. In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:1-3).

The words, "Sell all that you have and follow me," made the young man turn away with a sad face. But the Lord will be patient with this rich man.

The Lord waited for me and was patient. The Lord will also be patient with you.

He will allow you the time you need and wait. How precious is life, let us set our eyes on the treasures.

Jesus is a treasure. The Bible testifies.

He said it was the mystery of God. I can't throw my entire life, having experienced the miracle of salvation, into something worthless.

I want you to learn to love others as God has loved you, so that they know their worth. "Do I really want the Lord enough to give my all?"

We do this because Jesus loves each of us and supports us. There is no cheap eternal life.

There will be no cheap grace. Now you have a job to do.

Go back and save money to buy treasures. It is as much as the price tag placed on knowing the Lord.

Stay healthy. And prepare how to live meaningfully.

It is because eternal life awaits you, not for 40 years.

5/25 Beyond 'Fear of God' for Love

Acts Chapter 52 - Sermon

Date: May 25, 2025

Title: Beyond 'Fear of God' for Love

Scripture: Acts 10:1-8

[Acts 10:1-8]

1 In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.

2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who1 came in and said to him, “Cornelius!”

4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.

8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to2 Joppa.

Kim Jang-ha, The Elder

A few years ago, a documentary film was released in Korea that created a sensation, gaining immense popularity. It was a documentary called 'Kim Jang-ha, The Elder'.

In an age where we ponder the difference between an old person and an elder, the media, both secular and Christian, found an answer in him, pouring out numerous articles highlighting his life.

Among them, I'd like to quote a passage from a Christian channel called 'Institute for Archival Culture' that featured him:

At the corner of an alley in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do, beyond an old herbal medicine signboard, a warm aroma wafted. There was a person who prescribed a more valuable life remedy than the old oriental medicine clinic. His name was Kim Jang-ha. He was a man who left behind his heart rather than his name, and an elder who moved his hands more than his words. He didn't carry a Bible, but he lived a life more biblical than anyone else, quietly yet deeply leaving traces of love that pleased God.

Following the footsteps left by Mr. Kim Jang-ha, one encounters three distinct Christian spirits etched within them: love, humility, and justice. These three flowed like breath from his fingertips, his gaze, and his quiet retreating figure, and they were, in essence, the fragrance of Christ.

The reporter for this channel asserts that Mr. Kim Jang-ha's love is distinguishable from worldly love, based on three pillars: 'love, humility, and justice'.

First, the practice of unconditional love.

He provided scholarships to thousands of students, cared for orphans, repaired the homes of elderly people living alone, and paid off the debts of disadvantaged neighbors. Yet, most of those he helped never knew his name. He approached quietly, extended a hand, patted backs without a word, and loved by erasing his own traces. "Once you've given, that's it." This single phrase encapsulates his philosophy.

Like Christ, he loved first, gave unconditionally, and left without expecting anything in return. That's why his love was real, and that's why his love was the Gospel.

Second, humility, the path of thoroughly hiding oneself.

Mr. Kim Jang-ha disliked having his name called. If someone tried to bow and express gratitude, he would consistently avoid the situation, and he forbade his photo or name from being displayed in any school or memorial he founded. He lived by erasing his presence, saving the lives of others, and protected their futures by concealing his own contributions.

Third, treating everyone with dignity.

His life embodied a deep sensitivity to justice. He served as the first chairman of the Hyeongpyeong Movement Commemoration Project, remembering those in the lowest positions. This Hyeongpyeong Movement was Korea's oldest human rights movement, advocating for the abolition of discrimination against baekjeong (butchers) during the Joseon Dynasty.

He wished for children not to be discriminated against due to poverty, for the elderly not to be marginalized for being alone, and for those with disabilities not to be treated inhumanely.

That justice is the social ethic of God's Kingdom, and it was the reality of the Gospel that He came to earth to actualize.

Upon encountering this content, I, too, felt a warm, quiet yet powerful感動.

I was so curious about the truly inspiring life of Mr. Kim Jang-ha that I searched diligently, but there was almost no information available because he never gave an interview in his entire life.

However, that made it even more moving.

The stories from those who observed his life, the testimonies that painted his life, seem even more beautiful because he didn't add a single word about himself.

The Christian media outlets that highlighted his life all confessed, "We are ashamed."

I felt the same way.

However, at the end of the video from the Christian channel that introduced Mr. Kim Jang-ha, the reporter said this.

I'll quote it directly:

Whether Mr. Kim Jang-ha was a Christian or not is not important. He may not have frequented churches, but clearly, there was a cross in his life, and the love of Jesus resided in his touch. The Bible says, "Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:35). He was a person who acted on God's will through action rather than words, through life rather than faith.

As a Christian channel, wasn't this a statement that could be quite problematic? While I fully understood the intention, I momentarily worried.

Theology and Faith

Fortunately, though not many, there were comments on that video like, "No matter how good a person is, if they don't believe in Jesus, they'll go to hell!"

What would you say to such people?

[1 John 4:7-8]

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

The truth flowing throughout the entire Bible actually defends such people.

How should we view those who claim to believe in Jesus but have no love, are indifferent, and perpetually self-centered?

What's the bigger problem? In fact, the Bible's stance is clear:

"Whoever does not love, no matter what they claim,

in reality, does not know God!"

I cannot discern his eternal destiny, but I cannot deny that the God I know—through countless sincere testimonies of those who experienced Jesus' love from him—affirms that God's love and fragrance were with him.

Cornelius, the Roman centurion in our text, was not yet a Christian who believed in Jesus. However, he was diligent in charity and good deeds, helping the weak.

Surprisingly, God sent an angel to him, commanding him to bring Peter.

God, the Lord, went to a Gentile commander, who didn't even know Jesus or Yahweh, and bestowed grace upon him.

The Bible states that the reason he could live such a righteous life was because he was a "God-fearing man."

To Reverence is To Fear

The Hebrew verb 'yare' (יָרֵא) is the most common word used in the Old Testament to mean 'to revere' or 'to fear'. This word encompasses the following nuances:

Fear, Terror: This refers to the actual terror felt in threatening situations or before a powerful entity.

Looking at key verses where this word is used:

Genesis 22:12: "“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear (יָרֵא) God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”"

In the scene we examined in detail last year, when Abraham was about to offer his son Isaac, God stopped him, saying, "Now I know that you fear God!"

However, this same word is used this way:

Exodus 14:10: "As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them. They were terrified3 (וַיִּירְאוּ) and cried out to the Lord."

Not only does it refer to fearing God, but the fear felt when seeing Pharaoh and his army pursuing them is also the same word.

While we translate it differently in Korean as 'to be scared,' 'to be afraid,' and 'to revere,' it's all the same word.

So, whether good or bad...

We can see that there's a common characteristic in what it means to be afraid.

What people fear can be different.

Some of you might not be afraid of zombies or ghosts at all, but might be truly terrified of a tiny insect.

For such a person, if a single insect appears in the room and makes eye contact...

They would feel a shiver down their spine, as if all their hair stood on end.

They wouldn't be able to divert their attention for a moment and would likely lose sleep that night.

While the object of fear may differ and the atmosphere can be vastly different, there's a crucial commonality in fear, terror, and awe.

When Abraham had to offer his beloved only son Isaac on the altar, could he have thought of anything else for even a moment?

And when a terribly disliked insect is in my bedroom...

What is the commonality?

That commonality is the most important meaning of 'yare'.

It's not about being first, second, or third...

It's about a presence so overwhelming that it captures all attention, making all other things incomparable,

It's the awe felt for a being so precious that dedicating everything wouldn't be too much,

It's the inability to shake off thoughts for even a moment, leading to an unavoidable focus on the object.

This is when we 'yare'...

And that's why the Bible consistently expresses it as 'fear and trembling'.

Those for whom God becomes such a being are the ones who 'fear God'.

People who do good deeds to be seen by others are, in fact, doing good business. They are investing their wealth in good causes and, in return, building a reputation and gaining social influence. This is a transaction.

However, those who truly do good deeds with their right hand not knowing what their left hand is doing—people who thoroughly conceal themselves to an excessive degree—are not seeking such social fame. The more inexplicably pure it is, the more the reason for their actions becomes an awe of the God who is the master of all things.

Cornelius was not a Jew, a people who believed in monotheism. Like all other cultures, Cornelius would have believed in multiple gods and followed customs of offering sacrifices to them.

However, he had a special difference.

Although he couldn't yet fully grasp it, his conscience believed that there must be a greatest God above all gods, and that people ought to fear that God. Therefore, he was a person who strived to live devoutly and righteously before God.

This is the characteristic of those who fear God.

The characters portrayed in the Bible had a commonality. Even if they didn't know much about God, Old Testament figures, who possessed only a piece of the puzzle compared to us now, commonly revered that God, even though they didn't know Him in detail. They 'yare' – they feared Him.

Fear Enters

Initially, when God created everything and rejoiced, fear did not exist. However, Adam and Eve, who committed the first sin, hid from God.

At this point, the first expression of fear is found.

[Genesis 3:10] He replied, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

It was sin that transformed the heart focused on God from love into fear.

1 John 4:18: "There is no fear (φόβος) in love. But perfect love drives out fear (φόβον), because fear (φόβος) has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

This verse clearly shows the source of fear.

One feels ashamed for what is not yet perfected, and at that point, one experiences fear.

However, when this verse is applied too simplistically in a theological context, hypocrisy and falsehood can creep in.

The message becomes: "Since we believe in Jesus and are saved, we are already in perfect love, and therefore, it is wrong to be afraid!"

What we gained through the grace of the cross is the authority to become children of God. We gained that right, that qualification, but it does not mean we have fully recovered our childlike nature.

How much does the Bible emphasize the continuous process of change demonstrated by the disciples?

That's why it proclaims, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling!"

Jesus also taught that mourning over sin and hungering and thirsting for righteousness are blessings.

Fear of God

Recently, a fashion brand named 'Fear of God' gained great popularity.

The moment I first saw it, I felt certain it was a brand created by a Christian.

The designer explained how he chose the brand name:

'Fear of God' came from an experience I had with the Lord. I was doing morning devotion with my parents in Northern California, and they started talking about the clouds and darkness surrounding God's kingdom. Righteousness is the foundation of His throne. And for the first time, I saw God as something truly cool.

He said that he had always thought of God as gentle and accepting, not very "cool," but for the first time, he felt that God was "cool" and kept that expression in mind.

He explained the meaning of 'Fear of God' as follows:

Fearing God means reverence, love, and respect for God. When we have that, we can be at peace with the darkness surrounding His throne and our own inability to understand Him.

While I cannot know how faithful a believer he is, the feeling I had when I saw the brand name—that it was created by a Christian—suggests that his true intention was conveyed.

It is clear that Christians often view God too leniently, taking Him for granted, and this leads to various serious spiritual insensitivity and apathy.

Considering the most important characteristic of yare that we examined earlier,

the opposite of fear is 'insensitivity.'

There is no awe of God, no mourning over sin. Therefore, there is no impression, no thrill, no gratitude for anything.

That's why Jesus lamented:

[Matthew 11:16-17]

16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

17 “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not4 mourn.’"

Isn't this generation like that? It's the Lord's sigh over indifference, insensitivity, and apathy.

Therefore, I believe the message of 'Fear of God' has significantly inspired this generation.

But why is there no fear of God, even when people commit sins? Regarding such people, Kant first used the term 'practically atheist.'

While they verbally acknowledge that God is always everywhere, and that they believe in a God greater than the world, if they can actually live by almost ignoring God, as if He doesn't exist, then for whatever reason, they are living as a 'practically atheist.'

If such practical atheists constitute the majority in every church,

if weeds far outnumber the wheat... could we still call that place a field of wheat?

Could we call such a church the light, the salt, the fullness of Jesus Christ left in the world?

That's why those who are practically atheist, while calling themselves Christians, are more dangerous and harmful than those who openly declare themselves atheists.

[Titus 1:16] They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for any good thing.

Let's look at four characteristics of practical atheists, as summarized by a theologian:

First, they view the teachings of the Bible as merely one opinion, not absolute.

Second, they generally live by the values and philosophies of the world.

Third, they rarely pray and have no expectation from prayer.

Fourth, they are not serious about heaven and hell.

Sinners must first pass through the Fear of God to reach true love.

Only by humbly seeking God with a mournful heart can one encounter true love.

From Fear to Love

But if you are someone who often feels fear of God,

let's briefly revisit the example of people who fear insects.

Why are tiny insects, thousands of times smaller than humans, so frightening?

It's the fear of them suddenly appearing... the mere thought of them jumping on me or flying at my face gives me goosebumps. It's because I can't control them or predict their actions.

But wouldn't it be much less frightening if the insect were safely confined in a small trap box?

Or what if the insect is outside the window? In that case, we would hardly feel any fear.

While the objects are completely different, from the perspective of fear—yare—can't we also understand our relationship with God through this analogy?

Firstly, we fear God because we don't know Him well enough. Moreover, God is infinitely greater than us and immensely powerful—He can do anything. We don't know what He might do. That's why we are afraid.

If we don't know how God will react to our thoughts and actions, it's natural to be afraid.

Jesus respected and reverenced God, but because He knew the Father and acted according to His will, He lived in peace and joy without fear and loved God perfectly.

Jesus consistently described His relationship with God as that of a deeply loving Father and Son. And His disciples, who followed Him, also trusted God the Father and committed everything to His will.

God is so great that endless adjectives cannot fully describe Him, but the Bible ultimately defines it in one word: 'love.'

He created us because He loved us and to love us.

When we chose the path of destruction through sin...

He sent His sinless Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sins on our behalf.

That is the proof of God's love for us.

No one in the Old Testament or among the righteous in the world had the qualification to become a child of God through their own righteousness alone.

If Cornelius had been enough as he was, God wouldn't have needed to send Peter.

However, because he became a God-fearing man, he received grace and had the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Have you, like Cornelius, lived as a God-fearing person and then encountered the Gospel?

Did God grant you the grace to hear the Gospel because you diligently engaged in charity and sharing?

If you're not even sure about that... how great is the grace you have received?

Among Mr. Kim Jang-ha's scholarship recipients, many became respected figures in society.

I saw an interview with one of them, who became a pastor. He was accepted into a science high school but, as an orphan, couldn't afford the tuition.

After much searching, he finally met Mr. Kim. In their first meeting, without many words, Mr. Kim promised to cover his tuition and living expenses not only through high school but until he graduated from university.

When he later said he would surely repay the kindness, Mr. Kim, as always, told him to repay it to society.

The pastor's eyes welled up throughout the interview.

Why did this person live with such a sense of indebtedness, giving away everything? I hope that one day, when Mr. Kim Jang-ha receives grace and encounters Jesus through someone's obedience, that secret will also be revealed. When he finally looks upon Jesus, Jesus will surely praise and welcome his life, lived as a truly righteous person in his time.

And I dream a dream.

Though not thousands, I hope that during my lifetime, one or two people here, through the love I have given without calculation because I love Jesus, will experience the love of Jesus, and repay that debt of love not to me but to others, thereby moving the world.

I hope that one or two such people will appear in that land of South Dakota.

Let us pray.

5/18 To the Tanner's House

Acts Series 51

Date: May 18, 2025

Title: To the Tanner's House

Scripture: Acts 9:43 - 10:8

43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.

2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.

8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

**Simon the Tanner**

The Bible testifies that the news of Tabitha, who had died and was raised back to life, spread quickly throughout Joppa, and many people believed in Jesus as the Christ because of this event.

If that's the case, Peter, who raised the dead, would have also become famous there as a great prophet whom everyone would want to meet. The kings and rulers of that place would have wanted to invite Peter and treat him to lavish banquets.

However, the place Peter actually went was a shocking twist.

A tanner is someone who makes leather, and if you only hear that, you might think of a leather craftsman or an artist. But their main job was to take animal carcasses, mostly the leftovers excluding the edible meat, skin them, and process them.

So, in that house, the smell of blood was constant, and it was bound to be swarming with all sorts of bugs, with the stench of rotting carcasses filling the air.

Therefore, they couldn't be located in the main residential areas and had to be as far away as possible, in the outskirts where few people lived.

So, the region of Joppa itself was already by the sea, and even within that, Simon the tanner's house was located right on the beach. Now, with advanced construction technology, luxury apartments are being built near the water in cities like Manhattan, and this region of Joppa is currently the wealthiest and most modern city in Israel, Tel Aviv.

However, back then, houses were built with mud, so being close to water was structurally unsafe. Also, the coast had no defenses like city walls against external invasions, making it a dangerous area prone to robbery, so only the poor lived there.

I once went to a market in Mongolia, and since they eat a lot of meat, the smell of blood from the meat was overwhelming as soon as I entered. I couldn't help but hold my nose. Lamb, in particular, seemed to have a strong odor.

If that's the case for a market selling cleanly prepared fresh meat, imagine Simon the tanner's house, without refrigerators, dealing with animal carcasses and their remains to make leather. Just being near it would have been unbearable due to the blood, stench, bugs, and flies—the hygiene would have been unimaginable.

But that wasn't all.

Leviticus says that even unintentionally touching the carcass of an animal makes you unclean.

[Leviticus 5:2] ‘Or if anyone touches something ceremonially unclean—whether the carcass of a wild animal or the carcass of livestock or the carcass of any creature that moves along the ground—even though they are unaware of it, they have become unclean and are guilty.

In reality, no one wanted to go to the tanner's house, which reeked of foul odors. Moreover, it was a religiously unclean place.

Therefore, it was a completely unsuitable place for Peter, a disciple of Jesus Christ and considered the top leader of a newly growing denomination. Besides, hadn't he just raised someone from the dead, making him the most famous person in the area?

While even kings wanted to invite him, Peter went to a place that no one wanted to go to and where no one even remembered who lived there. Moreover, the Bible records that Peter didn't just visit; he stayed there.

This extreme situation—when Peter performed the greatest miracle of his life and countless people praised God because of him, at that very moment, he stayed in the tanner's house, which was considered the dirtiest and most unclean place—therefore! It wasn't Peter's will, but God's leading!

And in verse 6 of today's scripture, God commands Cornelius, a Roman general, to send people to Simon the tanner's house in Joppa because Peter is staying there.

What does this show? Peter and Cornelius didn't know why, but it proves that God's plan was unfolding step by step.

God led Peter to Simon the tanner's house.

And Peter was once again spreading his arms wide, being led to a place he wouldn't have chosen himself.

**The Baekjeong of Korea**

While researching tanners, I found that they were very similar to the 'Baekjeong' of the Joseon Dynasty in Korean history.

During the Joseon Dynasty, Baekjeong belonged to the seven lowest social classes (cheonmin) under the caste system and faced extreme discrimination. Various records related to the status of Baekjeong remain.

Firstly, unlike ordinary commoners (yangin) or other lower classes, Baekjeong in the Joseon Dynasty were not recorded as 'male/female' in the census register. Instead, they were recorded as 'Baekjeong' or often omitted entirely.

This is a clear example showing that they were not even recognized as people in the official records of the state.

Secondly,

They were not allowed to wear gat (traditional Korean hats) worn by ordinary people and had to wear a specific type of hat called a paeraengi. This was a marker that easily identified them as Baekjeong from afar.

Also, Baekjeong only had given names and could not have surnames. Surnames belonged to the nobility (yangban) or commoners. Therefore, even children spoke informally to Baekjeong, calling them only by their given names or using derogatory nicknames. They used contemptuous terms like 'Baekjeong-a' (Hey Baekjeong) or 'Saeangchi' (a derogatory term for someone who skins animals).

In conclusion, Baekjeong were regarded as something less than human.

While researching Baekjeong, the obvious question that came to mind was: How did these people become Baekjeong in the first place? Did they commit terrible crimes like trying to sell the country or plotting treason, leading to a curse on their entire lineage? That's the kind of question that arose.

However, no matter how much I researched, there was no such information. Even those who committed high treason and had their status stripped away became slaves (nobi), not Baekjeong. It was simply stated that one was born a Baekjeong if their parents were Baekjeong.

Shockingly, even though the work they did was considered unclean by everyone, and they were not treated as human beings, this was determined at birth and could not be changed. Moreover, their children automatically became Baekjeong.

It is incredibly shocking that such blatant injustice was considered normal in Korea just over a hundred years ago.

Then, amidst the social reform atmosphere of the late Joseon period, an incident occurred where a Baekjeong named Park Seong-chun, representing the Baekjeong, directly appealed to the king.

In this appeal, he pleaded for Baekjeong to be properly registered in the census, have surnames, and be allowed to receive education. Although the appeal did not bring about immediate major changes, it is recorded as an important event where the Baekjeong themselves actively demanded their social liberation.

But how could such a thing happen?

How did a Baekjeong, who was despised even by slaves and had no name, come to have the name 'Park Seong-chun' and possess the courage and knowledge to appeal to the king?

**Park Seong-chun**

Records of Park Seong-chun exist in various places.

A Baekjeong, he was pained that his intelligent and diligent son 'Bong-chul' could not receive education and would inevitably live the same fate as him. He heard news that 'Yesugyo Hakdang' (Jesus Academy), founded by Samuel Moore, a missionary from the United States, provided free education regardless of social status, and he enrolled his son.

However, after some time, this Baekjeong suddenly fell ill and was on the verge of death. When Moore (S. F. Moore), the missionary at the Jesus Academy attended by his son Bong-chul, heard this news, he rushed to his side.

Surprisingly, missionary Moore brought with him Avison (O. R. Avison), a doctor at Jejungwon, the first modern hospital in Joseon, and also the royal physician to Emperor Gojong. Thanks to Avison's devoted care, Park Seong-chun miraculously survived his near-death experience.

The king's personal physician treated a Baekjeong.

Through this event, Park Seong-chun began to diligently attend Gondanggol Church, where missionary Moore served. Within the church, he experienced a warmth and welcome he had never imagined before.

However, when the noblemen (yangban) in the church learned that he was a Baekjeong, they couldn't bear to worship alongside him and demanded that missionary Moore expel Park Seong-chun.

But when missionary Moore insisted that there was no distinction between noble and common before God, the noblemen led the majority of the church members and left to establish another church in Hongmunseogol.

Seeing the church empty because of him, Park Seong-chun traveled throughout Seoul, as well as various Baekjeong villages in Suwon, Pyeongtaek, Yangju, and Pocheon, sharing the good news that everyone is equal before God.

The Baekjeong and lower classes, moved by his sincere evangelism and the 'gospel,' flocked to Gondanggol Church, and within just one year, the church was filled with them.

Realizing the value of the gospel that everyone is precious before God, Park Seong-chun now took the lead in the movement to find the human rights of Baekjeong like himself.

In the autumn of 1894, the caste system of Joseon society was nominally abolished. However, the prejudice and discrimination against Baekjeong, accumulated over hundreds of years, remained deep-rooted. Many Baekjeong who, believing in the abolition decree, wore the clothes of commoners were beaten on the streets.

In April 1895, with the help of missionary Moore and a Korean teacher, Park Seong-chun once again submitted a fervent petition to the government cabinet demanding the complete abolition of the Baekjeong discrimination system. Yu Gil-jun, the Minister of Home Affairs at the time, listened to the courageous appeal of the Baekjeong, and on May 13th of that year, he re-promulgated a decree ordering the end of discrimination against Baekjeong and had it announced nationwide.

That day, the moved Baekjeong gathered on the streets of Jongno in Seoul, wearing dopo (traditional Korean overcoats) and gat for the first time in 500 years with dignity. Today is May 18th, so it was almost exactly 130 years ago that Baekjeong were finally able to be treated as human beings.

Through this process, Park Seong-chun rose beyond the Baekjeong class to become a leading figure representing the common people of late Joseon.

On October 28, 1898, he was invited as a representative of ordinary citizens to the Gwanmin Joint Assembly, an important public debate held by the Independence Club in Jongno, Seoul, where he delivered a speech.

Speaking on the theme of 'loyalty to the king and love for the country,' he emphasized that the government (gwan) and the people (min) must unite their hearts to benefit the nation. His speech was recorded in detail in the 'Daehan Gyeonsa,' a history book written by Jeong Gyo at the time, showing that he had become a socially notable figure.

Meanwhile, Gondanggol Church, which Park Seong-chun attended, faced difficulties when its chapel was destroyed by fire in 1898. However, this became an opportunity to reunite with the Hongmunseogol Church, which had been established by the noblemen who left, and in 1905, they established a new worship place in Insadong, becoming the Seungdong Church we know today.

Park Seong-chun continued to serve as an important worker at Seungdong Church and was elected as an elder of the church through a vote in 1911.

There was another elder named Lee Jae-hyung who served at Seungdong Church with Park Seong-chun. He was a famous figure known for calling his former horse groom, Eom Yeong-su, a commoner whom he had evangelized and who had come to believe in Jesus, 'hyungnim' (older brother)—and this Lee Jae-hyung was a member of the Joseon royal family.

A member of the royal family and a Baekjeong served together as elders in the same church.

What happened to Park Seong-chun's son, Bong-chul?

Information about him remained in the Korean Doctors' Newspaper.

Park Seong-chun's son, Bong-chul, changed his name to Park Seo-yang and graduated from Jejungwon Medical School in June 1908, becoming one of the first seven Korean doctors.

He worked at the Severance Hospital Nursing School until 1918, after which he resigned and opened the 'Guse Clinic' in Manchuria. At the same time, he established a church there and served as an elder, and he also established an elementary school for children's education, serving as its principal and participating in the independence movement.

Source: Doctors' Newspaper ([http://www.doctorstimes.com](http://www.doctorstimes.com))

Let's think about the life of a boy named Bong-chul.

His father, an unknown Baekjeong, gained the name Park Seong-chun, which led to countless Baekjeong and lower-class people regaining their names. His son, Bong-chul, became one of the first Korean doctors and a professor, established a church, and built a school, changing the destinies of countless other children.

Where did all these incredible things begin?

If missionary Moore hadn't accepted Bong-chul, the son of a Baekjeong, into the school...

If missionary Moore hadn't gone to unimaginable lengths to save a dying Baekjeong, who was not even treated as a human being at the time, even bringing the king's personal physician...

What about when the noblemen, upon learning the Baekjeong's status, threatened missionary Moore that they would leave the church if he didn't expel him?

As Pastor Chun Min-sung's sermon last week also covered, what would have been the strategic choice, the wise decision for the church's growth in that situation? Of course, it would have been to choose the noblemen, who were literate, followed Bible study well, and could financially support the church, wouldn't it?

However, missionary Samuel Moore, for the sake of one smelly and illiterate Baekjeong... chose that one Baekjeong over the group of noblemen, prepared to have the church empty. How was that possible?

The only reason it was possible is that!

130 years ago, missionary Moore held the same Bible we are looking at now.

The one who led Peter to the house of Simon the tanner, not the royal palace, 2,000 years ago! The same Holy Spirit was upon missionary Samuel Moore.

He, too, was spreading his arms wide and following where the Holy Spirit led, not the path he desired.

With two other groups joining the South Dakota mission trip departing at the end of June, the total number of participants is now 54. It has become the largest team ever. With a diverse range of genders and ages, it seems it will be a very fruitful mission.

However, what if we...

In 2019, after hearing the heartbreaking news about Nicole, the teenage girl we were close to in South Dakota, we had listened to the enemy's whispers to give up on that place...

Moreover, considering the church's situation at that time... Pastor Choi's dispatch, the church's financial situation, the remaining members...

...if we had placed more weight on all those realities...

We had gone for 12 years, and the church's situation had changed so much...

A new leader had been established, so... we had done enough!

Who could have pointed a finger if we had stopped there?

If we had stopped then... what would have happened?

These fruits that we are now faintly seeing would have all vanished like a mist.

Just as the dawn before sunrise is the darkest, and spring comes at the end of a long winter,

There is the fiercest opposition that makes you want to give up right before bearing fruit.

In those moments when you feel powerless and meaningless, what is needed is unwavering trust and faith in the Lord who called you,

A moment when unshakable faithfulness is required.

The fact that a Baekjeong, who was born a Baekjeong, would give birth to Baekjeong, live that way, and disappear without a name, could regain his name and help countless others, including his son, find their names...

It was accomplished through the obedience of one person who followed the calling, by those who spread their arms wide and followed the path the Lord led, even when the fruit was not immediately visible, the loss was clear, and they didn't understand why they had to go there.

**The Fate of Sinners**

We were born in a good era and, through various fortunes, were not born as Baekjeong in the Joseon Dynasty. However, spiritually, humanity is born with deep-rooted sinfulness, unable to escape the shackles of sin, living by making all sorts of things our masters, moving from one addiction to another.

Global smoking rates have recently plummeted, but it is now medically being proven that cell phones and scrolling can be more dangerous than smoking. Public schools, aware of the danger, are belatedly operating cell phone lockers to lock away children's phones during class hours... but what about the rest of the time?

What about adults and office workers who don't go to school? There are no cell phone lockers at work... can they restrict themselves?

Even though slavery and the caste system have mostly

...been abolished, aren't modern people always living as slaves to something?

For example, in Korea, all children born spend their entire lives aiming for a single university.

How many people are living as slaves, bound by things like academic elitism, lookism, and materialism, unable to escape? It's passed down from parents to children... isn't it pitiful?

Isn't it to break those chains and remove those snares that the Lord came? It's to make us see the eternal truth, not just the immediate reality.

Don't live a futile life chasing after different kinds of empty things. Don't waste your life on things that will disappear in a moment. Know that you are eternally precious beings, break free from the childish shackles of temporary things, and see the truth of your and our worth, each other's eternal worth!

Then, all those things that everyone chased after, risking their lives, will seem so childish and insignificant!

When your eyes are opened to the truth like that, you will see the shining narrow gate, and from there, the narrow path that follows will unfold as truly beautiful and fragrant for the first time.

That path is one that turns away from the easy and comfortable road. It is a gate that can only be entered when you lay down your own thoughts, plans, and will and surrender to the Lord.

For missionary Moore, that gate was the door to the house of Bong-chul, the dying Baekjeong's son.

For Peter, that gate was the door leading into the house of Simon the tanner.

For this church, that gate is this land of Manhattan, the white plains of Mongolia,

And the gate of the neighborhood swimming pool in South Dakota, where the Native American children were so excited they left their belongings scattered.

What were Simon the tanner and his family like when Peter came to them?

When someone like the Son of God, who had recently raised the dead, said he would stay at their house...

What about when Moore came to Bong-chul's house with Avison, the king's personal physician?

The end of today's scripture concludes with a high-ranking Roman official, who ruled the world at the time, being sent to the house of Simon the tanner. The tanner's house, which no one wanted to go to, had now become a place everyone sought to meet the Lord.

We have the same Bible that missionary Moore saw, and the Lord who leads Peter lives within us.

Where is that Lord leading you?

5/4 Stretch Out Your Arms and Go Where You Do Not Wish To Go

Acts Chapter 50 - Sermon

Date: May 4, 2025

Title: Stretch Out Your Arms and Go Where You Do Not Wish To Go

Passage: Acts 9:32-43

32. Then Peter, as he traveled about from place to place, went down also to the saints living in Lydda.

33. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, since he was paralyzed.

34. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” Immediately he got up.

35. All those living in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

36. In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas) who was always doing good and helping the poor.

37. About that time she became ill and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.

38. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

39. Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

40. Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.

41. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive.

42. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

43. Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

We will continue looking at the same passage from last week. As persecution intensified in Jerusalem, the apostle Peter also had to leave.

It was sad to leave Jerusalem, where he had ministered with Jesus and where the first church was established. But what was even more daunting was not having any plan for how long to flee or where to go.

Have you ever left home without a destination? It's like heading to the airport without knowing where your ticket will take you.

Verse 32 says that Peter "traveled about from place to place." This means he wasn't hiding in a safe, comfortable place, but was constantly on the move. Eventually, he arrived in Lydda.

Lydda was a Gentile city, but there were already believers there, and they led Peter to a man named Aeneas. Aeneas had been bedridden for eight years due to paralysis, but with a word from Peter, he got up and took care of his mat himself.

The healing was amazing, but what happened because of it was even more amazing.

All the people in Lydda, a Gentile city, and the surrounding Sharon region saw Aeneas healed and turned to the Lord!

This clearly shows the true purpose of healing.

The works of God always have meaning on two levels:

The immediate situation, and the history of salvation that results from it - eternal meaning.

And this second meaning is as important as eternity.

Because of the news of Aeneas' healing, disciples from Joppa, which was near Sharon, urgently came to find Peter.

This was because their beloved female disciple Dorcas had died, and they were preparing for her funeral.

The term 'female disciple' appears here for the first and last time. The unusual expression used as Dorcas' title suggests that, unlike Aeneas, she was a coworker whom Peter knew well.

And the fact that this woman was called Tabitha in Hebrew and Dorcas in Greek suggests that she was a female missionary sent to the Gentile regions, called Dorcas by the Gentiles and Tabitha by the disciples.

She had been doing missionary work among the widows and women of Joppa, and was especially gifted at making clothes, which she shared with the poor.

When Peter arrived in Joppa, Dorcas was already dead, washed, and dressed for burial. Neither the disciples who had urgently sought Peter nor Peter himself had ever raised anyone from the dead. However, a scene must have come to their minds.

In John 11, when Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary from Bethany, became ill, they sent for Jesus. But Jesus did not go immediately. Instead, He said,

[John 11:4] “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

The illness would ultimately bring glory to God and His Son, Jesus.

But strangely, Jesus did not rush to Lazarus. He stayed for two more days. By the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been buried for four days.

Knowing the situation, Jesus said to His disciples,

[John 11:15] “But for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. Let us go to him.”

Jesus was saying that He was glad He wasn't there because Lazarus' death would provide an opportunity for them to believe.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Martha came out to meet Him and complained,

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” But she did not stop there. Martha went on to confess,

[John 11:22] “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Then Jesus said the famous words that were written on the card we shared on Easter.

[John 11:25-26]

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

And as you know well, Lazarus was resurrected, bringing glory to God and His Son. As a result, many people came to believe in Jesus as the Christ.

The most unfortunate event in Lazarus' life was reversed into the most moving event, a blessing that led many to turn to the Lord.

However, most Christians will not experience being raised from the dead like Lazarus, four days after dying from an illness. Yet, the Lord has recorded this event in great detail in the Bible, which will be read forever.

As I said, the work of God always has meaning on two levels.

The eternal meaning that the sign points to is incomparably more important than the visible sign.

The Lord will give us visible signs in ways that are necessary for us in each era and situation, but something even more amazing and precious will surely happen to those who believe.

Our bodies will die someday, but we will ultimately be resurrected with new and perfect bodies, just as we have always dreamed.

Lazarus' resurrection was used as an event to help the disciples believe by showing them what will actually happen. It was not that Jesus made Lazarus sick, but knowing that death was imminent, He deliberately delayed His arrival, turning the sorrow brought by the illness and death into great joy.

In our lives, even in prayers that seem to go unanswered for a long time, God is preparing a reversal that will clearly convey and be remembered in the eternal dimension.

How concretely and completely can we imagine being clothed in a perfect body and being resurrected with eternal life in heaven?

This is as difficult as trying to explain snow or ice to a child in the remote Amazon jungle who has never experienced or seen winter. If explaining that ice is a sign, then directly experiencing it is the eternal reality.

Jesus asked a paralyzed man, after declaring that his sins were forgiven,

[Luke 5:22-23]

22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?”

Here, being forgiven of sins is the eternal meaning, and the paralyzed man getting up and walking is the visible sign.

Both are good, but the visible sign is shown as a result of the incomparably more important eternal grace of having sins forgiven.

Peter was a witness not only to the resurrection of Lazarus but also to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.

He now had the faith to see the eternal meaning of the visible signs.

So, wouldn't death, disease, and the inevitable misfortunes of life have a dramatically different meaning for Peter than for the people of the world?

That is the faith of believing in the resurrection.

We each received Jesus as the Christ in various ways. There were moments when we came to believe in the existence of Jesus, and moments when we became certain that He died and was resurrected.

More important than how it happened is that the purpose of all miracles is that the most precious miracle of believing in the resurrection has now occurred in my life.

Peter had a very certain belief that the dead could live again, and he also knew that the Holy Spirit could easily do such things. Therefore, no hesitation or fear of failure is seen in his healing ministry.

For Peter, who believed in the resurrection in the eternal world, the sign of healing a disease that would only prolong life for a few more years was like a doctor who had successfully performed delicate brain surgery putting a band-aid on a slightly cut finger.

How can we even compare the value of healing someone's body from an illness with the value of a soul being transferred from eternal hell to eternal life?

In fact, our problem lies in our inability to truly believe in the world where we will live eternally, the resurrection to eternity. That is why we are so easily agitated by the things that happen in this world. Because we do not believe. We do not truly believe in the eternal world, nor in the fact that we will surely enter it.

Let's focus again on Jesus' question!

[John 11:25-26]

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

A Life Lived with Arms Stretched Out

Last week, I went to Chicago for the annual Korean General Assembly. Since I became a staff member at the General Assembly three years ago, it has been a meeting that I feel more burdened than excited about because I have to participate in the preparation and various meetings.

Looking at my calendar app, which shows my schedule for this year, I discovered that most of the schedules were not chosen by me, but rather seemed to have been arranged for me. As I thought about it, I felt more strongly that I was living a life that was gradually being led by someone else's plan, not my own.

Let's look together at what Jesus said to Peter in John's Gospel.

[John 21:18] Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your arms, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”

Here, 'younger' and 'older' are expressions of comparison rather than referring specifically to young and old people.

And 'dressing oneself' means putting on clothes, which naturally signifies a position and role.

The expression 'stretch out your arms' symbolizes the cross, but the act of stretching out one's arms toward the sky is also an act of praising God and receiving the grace He pours out, and stretching out one's arms downward is an act of embracing those in need, like holding a young child.

In summary, this means that when one is spiritually immature, they do what they want and go where they please, but as they mature, they can no longer live according to their own will but live according to God's will, in the position of being held by God's calling.

Do you desire such a life? Not a life according to your own will, but one where you stretch out your arms and live as the Lord leads you?

Peter leaving Jerusalem and moving from place to place, and the amazing miracles that occurred along the way in Lydda and Joppa - none of these were things he chose for himself, were they?

And isn't this the most blessed life?

Some of you may remember when Bishop Jung Jae-ho of the Korean General Assembly came and shared his testimony. After enduring the pain of almost losing sight in one eye, he gave up his beloved position as the pastor of a church and accepted the position of bishop of the Korean General Assembly, putting his arms out and obeying God's leading.

Watching him from nearby, there were many times when I felt sorry for him. Bearing all the difficult situations that occurred in many churches due to the pandemic and its aftermath was an unimaginable hardship.

Of course, the bishop did his best in that role, but at the same time, he was naturally eager for his four-year term to end. Not only I, who had been assisting him closely, but also many pastors had repeatedly asked him to serve at least a second term, but the bishop was firm about that.

Moreover, considering his age and health, his children were all opposed, so we could no longer ask him. However, the children's ministry that we presented at the Easter service received sponsorship from an external organization, and the contracted ministry period extended beyond the bishop's term, which seemed to put him in a dilemma.

And eventually, he surrendered to the Lord, who was leading him through the situations and people that had unfolded, and began his second term this year. With a human heart, I felt sorry and resolved to follow him more faithfully and diligently.

It is clear that more and more pastors are feeling the same gratitude as I do towards the bishop and the Korean General Assembly. What could be more pleasing to the Lord than churches uniting to love and spread the kingdom of God together?

Among them, a really good thing is the movement of churches uniting with each other.

This time, we are also going to South Dakota in collaboration with three churches.

The Orlando team is composed of elderly deacons and elders, who, at the recommendation of Pastor Park Tae-seok, are participating for the first time two years ago and have been looking forward to this mission trip for a year.

These people had served the church for a long time, but it was their first time on a mission trip, and they experienced the Lord's love and miracles, shedding many tears.

In the first year, a deacon had severe back pain, and she looked even worse last year. As our team and I prayed earnestly for her, something amazing happened. It was not the deacon who was healed, but another elder.

So, I wondered if that deacon would be able to come this year, but I heard that she is preparing more actively than ever. Isn't it because she saw something more precious than the visible sign?

This time, we are also facing a new situation where the church in New Jersey, Cham Joeun Church, is participating with a number of people greater than our church's members. But since this is also not something I planned, I am obeying the Lord, who is leading me to "where I do not want to go (different from my plan)" and stretching out my arms, rather than my own calculations.

The plane I was supposed to take back from Chicago, where the Korean General Assembly was held this time, was originally at 6:36 PM. On the last day, Thursday, the pastors in the area showed us around and gave us time to rest, and I was planning to spend some time with my sister's family since her house was nearby.

However, there was a big event that day where my nephews, who were about to graduate, wore clothes from the schools they had each been accepted to and congratulated each other, so I was scheduled to meet only my sister and brother-in-law without seeing my nephews.

But then, emails kept coming in, changing the time due to a delayed flight. At first, I blamed the budget airline, but I found out that all flights were being canceled or delayed due to a problem at the New Jersey airport.

Eventually, it was delayed for four hours until 10:40 PM, giving me time to have dinner with my nephews and pray for them sufficiently, and I returned after spending a warm and grateful time.

The tiredness of arriving at dawn was there, but it is incomparable to the eternal value of meeting my nephews, who are graduating from high school and facing new challenges, and giving them words of God and praying for them.

John 8:29: "The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

Here, "pleases" is not just about being fun and laughing, but it is the same expression as when He said He was pleased that he was not there when Lazarus died.

A life lived according to the Lord's will, not my own! A life where God is always with me.

A better life, even when things do not go as I wish!

A life where, in the end, the Lord's will gradually becomes my will, and my will aligns with the Lord's will!

A life of constantly stretching out my arms, being filled abundantly from heaven, and generously sharing it with those who do not even have the courage to stretch out their arms, like Jesus.

Go to where you do not want to go. Turn your body and take a step on the narrow path. There is a treasure there that I cannot create, that the world cannot give. The selfishness, jealousy, and desires that have stubbornly blocked my path will be shattered and collapse. Love! Peace! Joy! Those eternal things will fill you.

Let us pray.

4/27 Turning Hardships into Endless Blessings

Acts series 49

Date : 4/27/2025

Title : Turning Hardships into Endless Blessings

Scripture : Acts 9:32-43

Acts 9:32-43

32 At that time Peter traveled through the whole area. Eventually, he went down to visit the believers in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been confined to his bed for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those living in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to urge him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

Turning Hardships into Endless Blessings

It's been a while since we've been in Acts. Before today's passage, Paul's appearance had once again stirred up Jerusalem, and eventually, even the apostles could no longer stay in Jerusalem.

To escape the threat of death, Paul had to return to his hometown of Tarsus. However, as the apostles scattered, the churches in various regions became stronger, and new churches continued to be established.

Also, isn't it a blessing that the miraculous healing and resurrection of the woman Aeneas and the disciple Dorcas, who appear today, came about as a result of the apostles leaving Jerusalem?

There is a wisdom in the world called 'Jeonhwa-wibok'. It's an expression that means misfortune turns into a blessing. It's a Chinese idiom that we often use because we actually experience such things.

The person who first used this expression is known to be Sojin of the Warring States period in China. He led a coalition of weak countries to oppose the powerful Qin state, which was strong enough to unify the whole country at that time, and blocked Qin's advance for 15 years.

The weak countries, threatened by Qin, united and their relations improved, and in the end, they together resisted Qin, it was truly turning misfortune into a blessing.

So Jin originally challenged for a position in Qin but failed, and after that failure, he worked harder to hone his wisdom and eventually became the prime minister of six countries (Zhao, Yan, Qi, Wei, Han, and Chu), wielding great power.

Thus, 'Jeonhwa-wibok' was a wisdom he actually experienced in his life, and that belief led him to that high position.

However, his later years were not smooth. As the interests of each country diverged over time, his position became unstable. In particular, he was falsely accused in the state of Yan and fled to the state of Qi.

In Qi, So Jin was appointed as prime minister, but he was assassinated by assassins sent by other officials who were jealous of his success.

His life's end was not a 'Jeonhwa-wibok'.

Misfortune can turn into a blessing for anyone, but that is not always the case. On the contrary, misfortune can bring even greater misfortune, which is called 'Seolsang-gaseol' (one misfortune after another). This can happen at any time.

Like this, the word 'Jeonhwa-wibok' sounds good and hopeful, but it is not a law of the world that always happens.

However, we Christians have true hope.

Romans 8:28-30

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

In today's passage, Peter, who had to flee far from the persecution in Jerusalem, came to a woman named Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years. He said, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!" With this command, he completely healed her illness.

He made it clear that the one who heals is not Peter, but Jesus Christ. At the same time, he is declaring that it was also Jesus Christ who led Peter, who was traveling around, to Lydda where Aeneas was, and eventually to Joppa where Dorcas was.

The persecution that occurred in Jerusalem became a grace that saved the lives of Aeneas and Dorcas.

Like this, for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, not only good things but also things that seem like misfortunes work together to bring about good.

But Romans goes on to say that there is a purpose in that. He wants us to be conformed to the image of his son, Jesus Christ, who is the firstborn of all Christians! It means that Jesus is the firstborn we should follow, and at the same time, we must also become a brother or sister for someone to follow!

He now sanctifies and glorifies us who have been justified by following Jesus! This is the goal of the Lord who saved us for us. That is the purpose of our lives.

If so, everything that happens in our lives is ultimately heading towards that.

Paul's Turning Hardship into Blessing

As soon as Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he began to preach that Jesus was the Christ in the synagogue. Naturally, he was threatened with death by the Jews in Damascus, and in the end, he escaped by being let down in a basket.

And he tried to go to Jerusalem, but in the end, he had to run away for more than two years, and only then could he enter Jerusalem. Even in Jerusalem, which he barely managed to find his way to, no one accepted him at first, but the apostles accepted him with Barnabas's guarantee.

Paul seems to have stayed in Jerusalem for about two weeks at that time. During that time, he also went to the Hellenistic Jews, who were once his allies, and tried to preach that Jesus was the Christ, but he was threatened with death again.

In the end, Paul, who could not stay in Jerusalem either, fled to his hometown of Tarsus. There, Paul spent nearly 10 years in seclusion, with no one looking for him.

Considering Paul's tendency so far, what kind of time would that have been? Considering his passionate nature, that period would have been a very frustrating and painful time.

But that time, like a wilderness, was the time when the impatient and uncompromising Paul was being refined.

In fact, even when he was in Judaism, he was always a zealous young man. He volunteered to do things that were not asked of him, and he was always active, and he was the one who traveled the farthest to catch Christians.

We have examined in detail the scene where he met Jesus on that road, lost his sight, repented, and was baptized.

But as soon as he was baptized, he again unhesitatingly began to preach that Jesus was the Christ in the Jewish synagogue in Damascus. And after being on the run for more than two years in Arabia and other places, when he arrived in Jerusalem, he immediately preached the gospel there and clashed with the Hellenistic Jews.

On the one hand, I admire his passion and activeness, but was that always right in every situation?

There was someone close to me who I forcibly took to church shortly after I started believing in Jesus, which had a great negative effect, and I couldn't even bring up the topic of church for quite a long time.

It's not that worldly wisdom was more necessary. And it was zeal for the Lord, so I believe that it would eventually lead to good results.

However, that was not the best. When that intense passion was not covered with love, it could hurt roughly, so careful attention was needed.

Paul's strong character remained even after 10 years of seclusion. It was Barnabas who brought Paul, who had been in seclusion in his hometown of Tarsus, back to the stage of history. Do you remember Barnabas, the son of consolation and encouragement?

He invited Paul to be the co-pastor of the Antioch Church. At that time, the church was spreading throughout the Roman region, so the most important ministry was church planting and visiting the planted churches to help them.

However, when they were on their second missionary journey, Acts records the incident of a major dispute as follows.

Acts 15:37-40

37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.

Paul vehemently opposed taking the young man Mark, who had irresponsibly left during the first missionary journey, and Barnabas, who wanted to give him another chance, did not change his mind, so in the end, the two went on separate missionary journeys.

Mark was the son of Mary, the owner of the house where about 120 believers gathered and prayed on the day of Pentecost, and he was Barnabas's nephew. At that time, a house large enough to accommodate about 120 people was virtually the same size as a synagogue.

Mark was a young man who grew up in a wealthy Christian family. He went on a missionary journey with his uncle and his colleague Paul, but he suffered a lot and gave up halfway and returned.

Paul could not accept such Mark, and Barnabas wanted to give him another chance, so they had a big fight and eventually went on separate missionary journeys.

These records prove how faithful the Bible is to the truth. The people who appear are clearly exemplary in many ways, but it also shows their less than perfect characters without any exaggeration.

By the way, if you were in Mark's position, wouldn't you have been greatly hurt by Paul's stubborn attitude of not giving him another chance?

Or if you were in a position to decide whether to take Mark or not, would you decide like Paul? Or would you make a decision like Barnabas to give him another chance?

If I were in Mark's position, I would have been hurt by Paul. I think I would have had similar feelings not only for Paul but also for Jesus. So in the end, it seems like it would have been a big event that could have led me to a path away from the Lord.

But when Barnabas accepted him, when he gave him another chance, like Jesus gave Peter a chance after he denied him, Mark was able to recover.

In fact, didn't Paul also get found and accepted again by Barnabas?

I used to have a attitude like Paul, but now I think I would make a decision more like Barnabas. I would give him another chance.

Like this, the Bible does not hide the fact that the person named Paul also needed a process of maturity.

The apostle Paul is the person who wrote a total of 13 books in the New Testament and established the doctrine of Christianity through Romans and other books.

In his letters, he constantly emphasizes that he is an apostle sent by Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:1: "Paul, an apostle—sent not from people nor by a human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead"

Ephesians 1:1: "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God"

What is the reason for this? Unlike the other apostles, he was not with Jesus when he ministered with his disciples on earth, but in fact, he was on the opposite side.

Although there is no record in the Bible, considering that he, who was second to none in religious zeal among the Pharisees, could not have been absent from Jerusalem on the Passover when Jesus was crucified, he must have been among those who shouted to crucify Jesus.

Of course, he was not included in the twelve disciples of Jesus, and he did not participate in the first church in that upper room where the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, but at that time, he was on the opposite side, preparing to become an extreme persecutor.

Therefore, he continues to emphasize at the beginning of his letters that he is a legitimate apostle sent by God and Jesus.

The book of Galatians was the first of Paul's letters and was written around the time of the first missionary journey when Paul took Mark with Barnabas. And Ephesians and others were written about 10 years after Galatians, after the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd missionary journeys.

Do you see the difference?

In Galatians, he says, 'Paul, an apostle—sent not from people nor by a human agency, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead,' emphasizing at length that he is qualified as an apostle.

Sent not from people nor by a human agency.. What is the difference between these two phrases? Why did he have to write such a long introduction on such precious paper at that time?

But why does he simply mention God and Jesus Christ in all the letters after Ephesians 10 years later?

It shows that there was a continuous change in him as well.

And he writes this in a letter to the saints in Colossae.

Colossians 4:5-6

5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Isn't this a very different from Saul, who rushed in unconditionally as shown in Acts 9? When dealing with people who do not yet know Jesus, he says to always speak graciously, little by little, step by step, like seasoning with salt.

Saul, who used to clash head-on, has now become someone who deals with others wisely and warmly in grace. Paul has gone from an apostle who was only burning with passion to an apostle of love who embraces that passion.

Kulan's Gospel of John

Do you remember that I gave Kulan, a high school student from Mongolia, a Bible reading assignment a few weeks ago? She really did the assignment of reading John 1:1-18.

I asked her what she felt new after reading it. She replied, "I knew Jesus was wise and wonderful, but in the Bible, Jesus was the Word who existed from the beginning, and he was God who created all things."

I felt a thrill. Compared to the insignificant sincerity of about two and a half years that I had put in, it was a feeling of receiving too much reward already.

While teaching English to that kid who did not know Jesus, I have been doing it according to Paul's teachings... Because I am the only Christian this kid meets... I have always been gracious, like seasoning with salt. I have been patient without forcing my faith, and now I am experiencing something is happening is Kulan.

And there are also family members who I only pray for and continue to show love by treating them kindly. I am trusting in the Lord and being patient. That time of waiting will also use me for the Lord as an eternally beneficial and glorious time.

This is the writing of the most famous letter written by Paul in the process of change. Let's read it together.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

The best, with skills and passion that no one could match, but rough and hurtful, what Paul needed was the warm and loving character like Barnabas, and such a change of character was also taking place in Paul who lived in the Holy Spirit.

When we become someone who is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, does not keep a record of wrongs... Then we too can show Jesus to someone!

That is the only way to evangelize those who are close to us - ‘love’.

By the way, what happened to Mark in the end?

Philemon 1:23-24

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

Philemon was also written by the apostle Paul. He calls Mark "Mark, my fellow worker."

The warm second chance that Barnabas gave, as well as Paul's stern admonition, all worked together under God's providence to make Mark a wonderful fellow worker.

1 Peter 5:13

She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.

The apostle Peter also regarded Mark as his son, and he became a fellow worker who was a strength to the apostles.

It was this Mark who recorded the 'Gospel of Mark', which best summarizes the life of Jesus in chronological order.

The life of Mark, who loved God and was called according to his purpose, is a true story of endless ‘Jeonhwa-wibok’.

Romans 8:28-30

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

The Lord who renewed Mark and the Jesus who shaped Paul into a person of love is alive in us.

Like the ‘Trencadis’ that I showed you last week, he sometimes leaves us broken and shattered, but he does not leave us broken.

Into the image of Jesus, who is more beautiful, more generous, and deeper in love... He is now crafting us, who have been justified, even more glorious.

So we have hope even when we are broken and when we collapse. Because we know that all things work together for good.

4/13 Palm Sunday "Passion of Christ"

Palm Sunday Sermon

Date: April 13, 2025

Title: Passion of Christ

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

1 When they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,

2 saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied, and her colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.

3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”

4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.

7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.

8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”

11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

"Today is Palm Sunday.

As we just read, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, a great multitude spread their cloaks, their entire fortune, on the road to welcome the king’s procession, and waved palm branches, shouting praises.

'Hosanna, Hosanna!

Son of David!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest!'

That’s why it’s called Palm Sunday."

"I didn’t grow up in a Christian household, so I wasn’t very familiar with Lent, Holy Week, Good Friday, or Easter.

In our evangelical Protestantism, every day is emphasized as the Lord’s Day, so observing these special days has been somewhat weakened.

Of course, it would be best to regard every day as the Lord’s Day and every Sunday as Easter, but is that really the case?

Isn’t it often the case that even Sunday, which means the Lord’s Day, is actually regarded as one’s own day?"

"Therefore, I feel it is necessary to appropriately emphasize important commemorative days.

In fact, for us Christians, Easter is more important than Christmas.

That’s why, before Christmas, we spend a special time for four weeks called Advent, and the period to prepare for Easter is designated as a full 40 days.

That’s why it’s called Lent."

"The Wednesday that marks the beginning of Lent is called Ash Wednesday, and not only in Roman Catholicism but also in the Anglican, Lutheran, and Methodist churches, a ritual of marking the forehead with ashes in the shape of a cross is performed that morning.

It is a time to remember that we are beings who deserve to become ash but have been saved by the grace of Jesus, and it is also an opportunity to express one’s faith by going around all day without washing it off.

I remember being surprised on my first Ash Wednesday in the United States."

"I was surprised by the sight of people walking around with a somewhat smudged black cross on their foreheads, but also by seeing friends from school and thinking, ‘Were you actually a Christian?’

In fact, on that day, the cross on the forehead is often seen as a sign that one is a child of God who has received salvation, so there are many families who have a tradition of visiting a church that morning to receive the mark, even if they don’t usually attend church.

And 40 days after that, excluding Sundays, is Easter Sunday."

"This year, Ash Wednesday was March 5th, and Easter Sunday, which is six weeks after that excluding Sundays, is April 20th.

(6x6 = 36 + 4 (Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat) = 40) So, you understand Ash Wednesday and Lent, right?

And the last week of Lent, starting today, is called ‘Holy Week.’"

"After entering Jerusalem, Jesus was arrested on Thursday night and crucified on Friday afternoon.

The Friday of that week is the evening when Jesus breathed his last on the cross, so we commemorate it as Holy Friday or Good Friday and hold a worship service.

Now!

Have the meanings of Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Good Friday become clear?"

"Let’s say you are scheduled to ascend to heaven next week.

If you only have four days left on earth, what would you do during that time?

That situation is what was happening to Jesus.

Therefore, the events of this last week—the approximately four days before being arrested by the chief priests—cannot help but have a very important meaning.

Today, I would like to organize them by day."

"On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem amidst the tremendous cheers of the crowd.

The reason there were so many people in Jerusalem at that time was that it was the time of the Passover, the greatest Jewish holiday.

In fact, Jesus and his disciples had come to Jerusalem to officially observe the Passover.

Jesus received the cheers of the people, but Luke records that he wept, rather than being pleased."

"[Luke 19:41-44] 41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, 'Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!

But now they are hidden from your eyes.

43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up an obstacle wall around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’"

"This was not because of the painful things that would happen to him.

It was because God showed him the terrible judgment that would soon take place in that city.

About 40 years after Jesus made this prophecy, in 70 AD, there was an event in which the Roman Empire’s army besieged and captured Jerusalem.

The Roman army, led by the Roman general Titus (who later became emperor), completely cut off escape routes and supply lines by building a siege wall, about 8 kilometers long, around Jerusalem."

"This precisely matches the part of the prophecy, 'will set up an obstacle wall around you and surround you and hem you in on every side.'

Josephus, a historian, recorded that an enormous number of Jews (estimated at about 1.1 million) were killed.

The Roman army destroyed the city of Jerusalem.

In particular, Herod’s Temple, which was the center of the Jewish faith, was burned down and completely destroyed."

"The Western Wall, known today as the ‘Wailing Wall,’ is part of the massive retaining wall surrounding the Temple Mount, not the main building of the Temple.

The Temple itself disappeared without a trace.

This was the terrible fulfillment of the prophecy, 'they will not leave one stone upon another in you.'

What made this week Holy Week was not only the persecution and physical suffering that Jesus endured from the religious leaders, but also the culmination of his sadness and anguish over the fate of Israel that would unfold afterward, and his deep sorrow for the people who stubbornly refused to turn back."

"The events of Jesus’ Holy Week are recorded in detail in the Gospels, but it is the Gospel of Mark that records them in chronological order.

First, on Palm Sunday, he enters the temple and looks around at everything, and then, as evening falls, he returns to Bethany.

On Monday, the next day, as Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he cursed a fig tree that had only leaves and no fruit.

It was a very difficult action to understand."

"At that time, a huge crowd was gathering in Jerusalem.

The reason they were gathering was to offer Passover sacrifices.

However, they had long lost the true meaning of the Passover.

Although many people gathered, there were very few who truly loved God, and there were only abundant leaves.

The fig tree that could not bear fruit symbolized the corruption of Israel."

"The evidence of this was the state of the temple.

Jesus had once cleansed the temple, which had become a marketplace filled with merchants, early in his ministry, but the temple had returned to its original state, crowded with money changers, merchants selling sacrifices, and people who came to buy things.

Also, the fact that it had only leaves and no fruit meant that it was lush only on the outside, and that was the state of the temple at that time.

The appearance of the temple, which was much larger in area and volume than Solomon’s Temple, completed according to God’s specific commands, and decorated much more splendidly, also made Jesus angry."

"[Mark 11:15-18] 15 And they came to Jerusalem.

And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the chairs of those who sold pigeons.

16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.

17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, 'Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?

But you have made it a den of robbers.'

18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching."

"Jesus again entered the temple, overturned the tables, and drove out the animals with a whip.

Considering that he did not often show such anger, it is clear that what made the Lord most angry, as in the case of withering the fig tree, was ‘hypocrisy’—losing the essence and being flashy only on the outside.

Tuesday was the day when Jesus taught the disciples an enormous number of things.

From Jesus’s point of view, it was the day when he felt he had to urgently tell them many things because there were not many days left to teach them directly."

"First, to the disciples who were amazed to see the fig tree withered from the roots, he taught about the power of prayer.

If you ask in faith, even a mountain can be lifted up and thrown into the sea.

When we see this part, it may feel like Jesus is giving an irrelevant answer.

We want more of an answer about why he caused such a strange thing to happen, but what the Lord was more urgent about was that the power of God would come upon the disciples who would be left behind after he left."

"Is the saying that if you ask with 100% certainty, even a mountain will be moved, mean that if you have 100% conviction, all your wishes will come true?

If you have 100% conviction, will even something that goes against God’s will happen?

Of course not.

Therefore, what Jesus urgently emphasized was that if you know God’s will and pray with the faith to believe it, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished with God!"

"He wanted them to have that power and faith so that they could live with that power in the persecutions and dangers that would soon come.

Also, seeing the poor widow’s offering, he praised her, saying that she gave the most, rather than the rich people who boasted and gave a lot of money.

He shows that in matters of finance, the ways of the world and the kingdom of God are completely different."

"Following this, Jesus teaches the way of God’s kingdom, which is different from the world, through three parables.

The first parable, the parable of the two sons, is about a father who asked his first son to do something, and the son said he didn’t want to, but later repented and went and did it.

But the second son said ‘yes’ in reply, but did not go.

At the end of this parable, he said that tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the kingdom of God before the religious people."

"In the end, this parable is saying that those who seem outwardly obedient but are actually passively resistant are worse off than the sinners who seem not to listen now but eventually completely turn around, repent, and return.

Second, the parable of the vineyard is about a owner who entrusted a vineyard to tenants and kept sending people to receive some of the produce, but the tenants instead drove them out and killed them.

Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘They will respect my son,’ but the tenants said, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him and take his inheritance,’ and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard."

"It was a terrible story of God’s fearsome judgment on the owner who was furious about it and destroyed them all.

This parable shows how God feels as he watches Israel, who has consistently ignored the pleas to repent from God’s people like John the Baptist and has even killed them, and now does not welcome his son, Jesus Christ.

And the third parable is the parable of the wedding feast, which is recorded in Matthew 22."

"A king invited people to the grand wedding feast of his son, but the people who were initially invited did not respond to the invitation, saying they had other important things to do.

So the king sent his servants again, telling them to announce again how much he had prepared for the feast, but they now mistreated and drove away the king’s servants.

Then the king was furious and told his servants to invite anyone they found on the streets, and only then was the feast filled."

"What is the common point of these three parables?

First of all, we can see that they are somewhat frightening warnings.

Through these many parables, we can see that what the Lord is trying to do is to wake people up with a jolt.

Because he loves them, he wants to wake them up, open their eyes, and see the truth.

He wants them to see what truly has eternal value, and to see the truth that they are actually wasting their lives in a way that they will only regret for eternity, even though they think they are living diligently."

"Isn’t it true that leaving those who are running at full speed towards a cliff, telling them that everything is fine, is not love?

That’s why he warns them so frighteningly and wakes them up.

In particular, this last parable of the wedding feast ends with a frightening conclusion, with the appearance of a strange character who is eventually kicked out because he is not wearing wedding clothes among those who came to the feast.

There are several interpretations of this person’s problem, and if it is a biblical interpretation, all of them are correct."

"However, looking at the king’s great anger towards him, it is possible that he was the one who had repeatedly refused the invitations at first and had mistreated and driven away the servants.

So, he came to the feast after changing his mind, but he did not have the wedding clothes that were sent with the invitation.

In conclusion, the message of this parable is that the opportunity to be invited by God is not forever.

It is a warning not to miss the opportunity when it comes."

"I have given you a very brief summary, but this Tuesday was a day with many debates and teachings.

It was a day when the urgent cry of the good shepherd, who wanted to open the eyes of even one soul and find even one lost sheep, was evident.

On Wednesday, there was an event in which a woman poured expensive perfume on Jesus.

Everyone was furious."

"Even Jesus’s disciples rebuked the woman, saying it was a waste that could have been used for better purposes.

However, Jesus said that this good deed of the woman would be told wherever the gospel was preached, and he praised her greatly.

This was a declaration that, contrary to common sense and realistic standards, whatever is given to Jesus with a heart of love can never be a waste."

"Now it is Thursday.

Thursday is the day for Jews to have the Passover meal before the Passover.

So, Jesus and his disciples had the ‘Last Supper’ in a place known as the Upper Room.

The only Christian ritual that Jesus commanded is the Eucharist.

The Lord said, 'Do this in remembrance of me.'"

"What is it that we commemorate?

The bread and wine, symbolizing his flesh and blood, are to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who died for us.

And Paul told us what to do with the power of the Eucharist, which is to proclaim ‘his sacrifice’ and the hope that comes from it until the day the Lord comes again, every time we partake in the Eucharist.

Is the church of this era doing this well?"

"Could the loss of power of Christianity in this era be unrelated to this?

And when we eat and drink the Eucharist, we experience union with the Lord, which is the really important purpose of the Eucharist.

It is to experience love with the Lord as one.

What was importantly emphasized here is that the leadership of the world and the church must be different."

"A person called a leader in the church must be the most humble servant, not someone who dominates.

Washing each other’s feet was described as an act of showing forgiveness to one another.

We are people who have been forgiven.

We are people who have been pardoned from eternal punishment.

Therefore, there can be no one who has committed a greater sin against us than what we have been forgiven."

"Forgiving someone is not only a duty but also a privilege.

When we forgive, God is most pleased, and it becomes a great gift for both the one who is forgiven and the one who forgives.

Another thing is that Judas Iscariot was included among those whose feet Jesus washed.

It was said that washing feet is forgiveness.

Jesus forgave him once again."

"Jesus also prophesied about Peter’s denial of him.

Looking at the situation in detail, it was not a warning because he knew that Peter had no possibility of making a different choice.

Rather, it showed Jesus’s concern to comfort Peter, who would be so discouraged afterward, in advance.

And he gave a new commandment."

"That night was the last night of his ministry with the disciples.

Jesus preached to them and prayed for them.

To summarize all of that, he emphasized and commanded, even calling it a new commandment, 'Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.'

As I organize this, I feel that Jesus really poured everything out during these few days of Holy Week."

"It feels like he was shaking them violently, as if to say, 'If you fall asleep, you will die!'

He gave opportunities, even forgiving the person who had already betrayed him.

How much he wanted the power of God, which can move mountains, to come upon them and upon us!

He imprinted that shocking scene by withering a tree from its roots.

Especially, he kept emphasizing until the end that brothers and sisters should continue to forgive each other as if washing each other’s feet, and to admit their faults and ask for forgiveness as if entrusting their feet to each other, and to love one another as much as they love God."

"He even emphasized that this was a new commandment after the Ten Commandments.

Since Jesus himself defined the Ten Commandments as those two things, this is a re-emphasis!

Even if you don’t know anything else, you must follow my will on this one thing!

Love one another.

And the last event of Thursday night was the Garden of Gethsemane."

"The last lesson Jesus taught his disciples, showing them an example himself, was prayer.

It is recorded that he prayed so earnestly and with all his strength that drops of blood fell to the ground.

It reminds me of the scene where Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord all night at the Jabbok River.

However, when you look at how Jesus went to his disciples three times in the middle of such pouring out of prayer, you can see that Jesus wanted to show us that scene."

"The Bible records Jesus’s prayer at that time as follows: [Matthew 26:39] And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'

And, as we all know, that mountain was not moved.

The Gospel mainly records the major events of Jesus’s life, and this scene of prayer in Gethsemane does not seem to be of great help to the overall flow."

"In this scene, Jesus has a different will from God, and it even says that he was afraid to the point of death.

However, the fact that it is recorded in such detail means that the Lord definitely wanted to show us something through this.

We can gain practical wisdom that if even Jesus’s prayer was not answered, our prayers may also be like that, but as I look at this entire Holy Week in connection for the first time, the most strong resonance that came to my heart was Jesus’s sincerity."

"Weren’t all the targets that Jesus so strongly criticized and rebuked all hypocrisy—ultimately, about falsehood?

How strongly did he rebuke and cry out to strip off that ring of falsehood, which was deceiving even himself?

Because nothing can happen if you don’t see the truth, your own miserable spiritual reality.

There is no way to fix it if you are not okay but think you are okay."

"That’s why he showed it.

Even his own weakest self without any pretense… How much did he want the disciples to live like that?

Truly sincerely… freely in the truth… How much did he want them to live without falsehood or hypocrisy?

Therefore, when we look at ourselves in this mirror called Jesus, we will face our own miserable selves that we cannot lift our heads up."

"But we must face it.

We must offer our shameful hearts to the Lord.

The journey of a Christian’s faith is, in fact, the continuous repetition of that process.

Then, we will become humble enough to show ourselves completely even to the people we need to help.

And they will see Jesus in someone like me.

If you love the Lord, and you begin to look at your brothers and sisters with that love, that day will surely come."

"Holy Week begins today… Jesus’s suffering was to make us truly free.

During this year’s Holy Week, let us reflect on ourselves in the mirror of Jesus… Although it cannot be compared to Jesus’s suffering, it may be a bit painful to face the reality.

But as a result, we will become more free."

"This coming Friday is Good Friday.

Good Friday is the climax of Holy Week, and it is the day when Jesus, who even wanted to avoid the cross, finally faced it and opened the way of hope and salvation to countless hopeless sinners.

Until the Friday worship service commemorating that day, let us encounter Jesus’s zeal.

Let Monday be the day to purify our hearts, Tuesday to meditate on the many teachings, Wednesday to find things to waste for Jesus, and Thursday to face the mirror of Jesus, who wanted us to be truthful in our weakest status."

"Let us pray."

4/6 Joy of Disciples and Saints

Acts Sermon series 48

Date: April 6, 2025

Title: Joy of Disciples and Saints

Text (Acts 9:26–31, NIV):

26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.

27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.

29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him.

30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

⸻

A Change of Ownership

In today’s passage we see how the believers in Jerusalem struggled to accept Saul. From their perspective, their fear was understandable. It was as shocking as if a ruthless oppressor—one who had arrested and even killed Christians—suddenly reappeared as a champion for independence.

But Saul himself must have felt deeply hurt. After fleeing Damascus in a basket to escape death threats, he finally reached Jerusalem, hoping for fellowship and safety among the apostles. Instead, he found suspicion.

Worse yet, the Greek-speaking Jews who had once been his companions now labeled him “Public Enemy No. 1,” a traitor whose life was in danger. Even within the church walls, Saul had nowhere to turn—until one brother stepped forward.

“But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles…” (Acts 9:27a)

Do you remember the name Barnabas? During the months of revival following Pentecost, the apostles and the early believers—mostly poor—lived together, sharing meals and resources. This required generous funding. Among those who gave sacrificially, one man stands out in Scripture for his generosity and encouragement: Joseph, nicknamed Barnabas.

“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” (Acts 4:36–37, NIV)

Though his given name was Joseph, everyone called him “Barnabas”—“son of encouragement,” or “son of consolation.” What a fitting nickname! The Bible preserves this detail to show how vital he was to the young church.

When Barnabas sold his field, his motivation was beautifully simple:

“He had land; so he sold it and brought the money…” (Acts 4:37a)

No elaborate explanation—just, “I had land, so I gave it.” It’s like someone pouring their heart into service and, when asked why, replying simply, “Because I can.”

Barnabas was that kind of person.

When he heard what had happened to Saul—how the Lord had appeared to him on the road, how Saul had preached boldly in Damascus—he believed it without hesitation. While others shied away or doubted, Barnabas stood by Saul, vouching for him before the apostles.

In this, Barnabas reminds us of Boaz, who rescued Naomi and Ruth. Though he isn’t a headline figure throughout Scripture, Barnabas shines as a model disciple—one whom the Lord highlights for our example.

Just as his name suggests, Barnabas was a son of encouragement and strength—not only to the church but to God Himself.

Children Who Bring God Joy

God loves all His children, but there are some who bring Him special delight—just like Barnabas.

In the Old Testament book of Job, we see God speaking of Job with pleasure and boasting about him before the angels.  David, Moses, Abraham, Joseph, and, as we saw last week, Ruth the Moabite and Boaz—all of these brightly shining figures in Scripture were children whom God especially delighted in.

Don’t you want to be someone who brings joy to God?

Think of children: when they draw a picture or make something, they can’t wait to show it to their teacher or parent.  When they do well on a test, they shout, “Look, Dad! Look, Mom!”  They want to be a source of joy.

Every person has a natural desire to be loved, affirmed, and to bring joy.  When that desire is directed wrongly, it can ruin lives—but at its root, it springs from our Creator-Father.

In his Confessions, Augustine of Hippo put it this way:

“You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

And the 17th‑century mathematician Blaise Pascal said much the same in his Pensées:

“There was once in man a true happiness, of which all that remains is a trace and a shadow.  Man endeavors to fill this void with everything around him, but it is all in vain.  This infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object—that is to say, only by God himself.”

Not only Christians but the wisest in the world agree: human desire is endless.  You cannot fill an infinite void with finite things.

What sets us free?

When you’re recognized and praised at work or at home, it means you have met someone’s expectations—and there are few feelings sweeter than that.  You’ve done your part.

But that satisfaction vanishes the moment you fail to meet those expectations.  How then can we fill this infinite space?

Jesus gave us the answer:

“The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

—John 8:29 (NIV)

Our Lord Jesus, the perfect Son of God, always did what pleased the Father—and so the Father was always with Him.  This is the only sure way.

To be God’s child is to be God’s delight.

Like a toddler learning to walk and feed himself, this is an ongoing process—and yet it holds the hope of completion, of maturity.

Scripture makes clear the difference between a life that bears fruit and one that does not:

“If anyone builds on this foundation [of Christ] using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,

their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.

If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”

—1 Corinthians 3:12–15 (NIV)

On that Day nothing will be hidden.  All that we have done—whether out of love for the Lord or for ourselves—will be laid bare.

Those who have accepted Jesus as the Christ may wander and live as though they were their own masters, but unless they fall beyond the reach of repentance, most will turn back in true repentance and be saved at the last moment.  Yet their lives will be filled with regret—watching their labor become ashes, meeting the Lord in sorrow and shame.

As your pastor and brother, my mission is to help you avoid such tragedy.  I long for every member of our community to have a life filled with eternal, shining moments with the Lord.

That’s why through these sermons, through service, retreats, missions, one‑on‑one encounters, and every means available, I teach you how to spend time with the Lord, help you focus in prayer, and, when your heart is drawn away by distractions, I urge and challenge you to wake up.

Ask yourself: are you “investing” in things that will burn away?  Or are you living for the things that will shine forever?

Disciples and Saints

Aside from cults, North Point Church has been the largest church in the United States for several years.  Its pastor, Andy Stanley, once said in a sermon that the very first name given to us—before we were ever called “Christians”—was “disciples.”  This remark made headlines in most Christian publications at the time:

“Christians are, in fact, all ‘disciples’!”

What do you think?  Is that surprising to you?  In many evangelical churches—ours included—the Great Commission at the end of Matthew’s Gospel (“go and make disciples of all nations” [Matt. 28:19, NIV]) is regarded as the church’s primary purpose.  Logically, then, everyone who believes in Jesus is ultimately a disciple.  So it’s almost puzzling that the statement “all Christians are disciples” caused such a stir.

Why were people so amazed?  Clearly, they regarded “disciples” as something special—reserved for an elite few.  Only when I saw their reaction did I understand: many churchgoers happily call themselves “Christians,” but hesitate to call themselves “disciples.”

What makes them draw a line between an ordinary Christian and a disciple?  Seminary training?  Those who feel “called” to ministry?  Or perhaps only those who have completed an advanced “disciple-making” Bible study?

In truth, the reason “disciple” feels too weighty for many is that they assume Jesus’ hard sayings don’t apply to them.  For example:

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:

‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.  And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.’”

—Luke 14:25–27 (NIV)

To love Jesus more than your own family—or even your own life—and to take up your cross is no optional extra.  Jesus Himself made that clear.  Do you think these demands apply only to some “special” disciples, but not to ordinary Christians?  Do you want to remain in the crowd rather than truly follow Him?

In Acts, another title appears: “saints.”  In many churches, “saints” is used more loosely than “disciples,” often referring to everyone who isn’t a specially trained disciple.  But the Greek word is hagios—“holy ones,” “set-apart people.”  In English, “saint” means “holy one.”

Compared to “disciple” (“one who follows Jesus”), “saint” (“holy one”) is an even higher title.  One of Jesus’ own titles was “the Holy One of God.”  To be called “saints” is not merely to follow Jesus but to be like Jesus.

Two weeks ago at Communion, we examined the meaning of “Christian”—one who acknowledges Christ as Savior, Lord, and King.  So none of these titles—disciple, saint, Christian—is lightweight.  Who are you?  A disciple?  A saint?  A Christian?

In truth, if you are a disciple, you are by definition a saint; and if you are a saint, you cannot help but be a Christian.  So why did the simple statement “Christians were first called disciples” shock so many believers today?  What does that reveal about us?

Is that normal?  If the majority insists on something, does it become the standard?  Even if it contradicts Jesus?  Must we accept that?

Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”

—Luke 13:23–24 (NIV)

J.O.Y.

I found this in an old children’s Sunday‑school curriculum: J.O.Y. teaches that God’s joy comes when we set the priorities of our lives in the order of J, O, Y:

1. Jesus first

2. Others second

3. You last

This is the standard God gives us throughout Scripture: “God – community – myself and family.”

The whole Bible commands us with all our strength to love God first, and Jesus Himself taught that our love for our brothers and sisters—the community—expresses our love for God:

“And we have this command from him: Whoever loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

—1 John 4:21 (NIV)

In fact, J and O are so intertwined that there really is no distinction in rank between them.

Through history, faithful Christians have taken this so for granted that they taught it even to children.  But what about today?  Among those who call themselves Christians, how many truly honor Jesus’ command and this divine ordering?

In our day, if you emphasize J‑O‑Y in that sequence, might someone think, “What’s wrong with that pastor?  Isn’t loving Jesus first enough?  What kind of church is this?”

Here’s the truth: if your life’s priorities aren’t J‑O‑Y, then no matter what you claim, you and your family—“Y”—will always come first.

God’s J.O.Y.—His delight—fills that place when we lay aside selfishness.  From there it overflows forever.  That infinite void nothing else could satisfy is filled when God delights in us.

For Barnabas, the joy of giving up his field paled beside the joy of meeting his suffering brothers’ needs—and the infinite joy it brought to God.

That is the joy of a disciple, the joy of a saint, the joy Jesus promised to every Christian.

Joy Is an Inheritance

I have a Mongolian disciple named Khulan, a high‑school senior. Three years ago, she and her mother came to our mission team, saying she desperately wanted to learn English. Every Thursday morning since then, I’ve been helping her with English—even though I’m neither a certified teacher nor particularly skilled, and even though I’m busy with other responsibilities.

Yet none of that stopped me from saying, “Sure—let’s do it!”

Over the years our lessons haven’t always gone smoothly.  She’s had cell‑phone problems and slow internet.  In summer, her family’s rural traditions meant months without classes.  Other Mongolian students joined at first but dropped out for various reasons.  Only Khulan stuck with it, faithfully doing her homework and staying focused on my imperfect teaching.

At first, we could barely communicate.  She imitated native speakers and practiced pronunciation.  Now she can hold basic conversations and even writes English journal entries.

Last week, at the end of our lesson, she surprised me by asking for a recommendation: “Please give me a good song—Jesus song, not just a pop song.”  My heart leapt.  Khulan’s family doesn’t attend church, and though I always began class with a hymn and a prayer, I hadn’t pressed my faith on her.  Early on, we couldn’t even communicate the gospel in English.

But over time she’s shared prayer requests, and her journal entries hinted at an open heart toward God.  Now she was asking me for a worship song.  I immediately had her install an English Bible app and assigned John 1 as her next reading.  She agreed without hesitation.

As we closed in prayer, tears welled in my eyes—tears of JOY overflowing.

Nothing we offer for the Lord’s sake is ever wasted.  He multiplies our small gifts thirty‑, sixty‑, even a hundred‑fold.

Barnabas’s name means “son of encouragement,” “son of consolation.”  I want to be a Barnabas—to each of you, to our community—because that’s how I become a Barnabas to the Lord.  And the abundant joy that flows back will bless me and my family more than anything else.

Even when the world and our flesh pull us toward the easy, wide road, remember the order of JOY:

1. Jesus first

2. Others second

3. You (yourself and family) last

This is God’s order—the priority for a life filled with His infinite joy.

Are you a disciple?  A saint?  A Christian?  Then join in God’s JOY.  Arrange your life in that order.  It’s not merely an option; it’s the only path to true joy.

Filling your heart with anything else only creates a deeper void.  Haven’t we all tried?  Marriage, children, travel, career advancement, a bigger salary—none of it satisfies unless you first become a source of joy to the Lord.  Then you can rightly enjoy those blessings and make them gifts to one another.

So why keep pouring your energy into temporary fillers?  Why believe they’ll satisfy?

Fill your worship and daily life in the J‑O‑Y order.  Like Barnabas, do what needs doing for the Lord and the community simply because “you can.”

Jesus didn’t seek crowds—He sought disciples like Barnabas: believers who encourage one another, who build up the church in God’s joy.  Let’s dream together of a community strengthened by saints filled with divine joy and a growing number of true disciples.

God, who spoke to us today and gave us this desire, will surely bring it to pass as we obey.

Let’s pray.

3/30 The Lord does not mock the child who has fallen after trying to do things by their own strength.

Sermon:

“The Lord does not mock the child who has fallen after trying to do things by their own strength."

Scripture: Ruth 1-22

1 In the days when the judges ruled,[a] there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.

 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.

3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 

4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 

5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.

6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 

7 With her two daughters-in-law she left the place where she had been living and set out on the road that would take them back to the land of Judah.

8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me. 

9 May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”

Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept aloud 

10 and said to her, “We will go back with you to your people.”

11 But Naomi said, “Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? 

12 Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons— 

13 would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!”

14 At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.

15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 

17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 

18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

20 “Don’t call me Naomi,[b]” she told them. “Call me Mara,[c] because the Almighty[d] has made my life very bitter. 

21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted[e] me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

"Are you coming home today?" "When are you coming?" These are the questions that parents ask in anticipation of their children's coming. 

It is a word that parents ask with anticipation while waiting for their children who are absent or have been away from home for a long time. Children can freely come and go at their parents' house whenever they want. 

We all left Korea or our homeland and came here, but if we want, we can return to our parents' house. However, some people may not want to go back home, or there may be people who can no longer return. 

If, when you left home, there was a serious argument with your parents, and if you had doubts or denial about their love, returning home will not be easy. 

This is because the condition for returning is confessing your mistakes, so you will feel guilt, shame, and embarrassment on the way back home. 

When you see your parents, who might say, 'I knew this would happen. Didn’t I tell you so?' or 'I knew you'd come back begging like this,' it will be hard to go back.

In Luke 15:11-14, the Parable of the Prodigal Son is mentioned. Let's read it together."

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 

12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 

14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 

Like this son, there are many moments when we reveal the prodigal son’s image, and we can relate the heart of the prodigal son to our own hearts. 

We want to search on our own, do things the way we see fit, and have the desire to try things out, preferably by going far away to a distant country to experience everything in life. 

When students go to college, they often want to go as far away from home as possible. Why? Because they want to live without being interfered with, and they want to take those risks and adventures. 

We have the right to leave, and we use it. Moreover, we also have the right to return. Leaving and returning is a continuing theme in life.

There’s a quote that says, “There is a psychoanalytic theory that explains why Christians can become violent towards others. It says that Christians, because they have never truly chosen, experienced, or integrated their faith, are in a state as if they are angry. 

In other words, because their faith is not based on experience but on conclusions learned, they accept faith like a burden they cannot refuse"(Home tonight, Henri Nouwen).

Today’s story is about Naomi’s departure and return. In her story, imagine it as your own story, something that repeatedly happens in your own life, and I pray that the Holy Spirit opens our spiritual eyes.

Naomi’s name means ‘pleasantness,’ but she found herself in a reality that was the opposite of her name. As she returned to her hometown, she told the villagers who recognized her that she was no longer Naomi, but Mara. 

In other words, she said that God had made her life bitter.

She lived during the time of the Judges. What kind of time was it? As soon as Israel entered the land of Canaan, they sinned, and history repeated itself. 

The promised land should have been the kingdom of God, but the people didn’t want God to rule over them directly. Even though they disobeyed God, whenever they were invaded by enemies, they cried out to God, and the Lord raised up judges to save them. 

But once they became comfortable again, they would betray the Lord, serve idols, and do what seemed right in their own eyes. This period of the Judges lasted about 400 years.

 This is similar to how we, who believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord and are saved, fail during the process of sanctification when we do not follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth. 

When we do what seems right in our own eyes, it is not God's kingdom but our own. One of the reasons the period of the Judges ended in failure was that during this time, Israel did not gather to worship. 

Without worship, they inevitably became focused on visible things, thinking that what they saw was all that mattered.

In this time, a famine occurred. Due to the drought and food shortage, Naomi and her family had no choice but to leave their homeland. God, the Creator of all things, controls the rain, making it stop or fall. 

The famine was a sign that something was not right in the land. Famine due to drought was considered a punishment from God. 

The family of Elimelech left the land of Judah, Bethlehem, to go to the land of Moab to escape the famine. We can understand why Naomi’s family left the land of Judah. 

How could they survive during a famine? They probably left with the thought that no land could be worse than Judah. Naomi’s family seems to have settled down and lived a relatively stable life in Moab. 

However, just when things seemed stable, problems arose. Naomi’s husband died, and her two sons also died. Only three vulnerable women were left—Naomi, the elderly widow, and her two daughters-in-law.

Then, Naomi heard the news that God had shown mercy to the land of Judah, bringing about a plentiful harvest. 

She decided to return to her homeland with her daughters-in-law. On the way back, Naomi urged her daughters-in-law to return to their own homes. 

Her suggestion for them to find new husbands and start fresh was an expression of genuine love for them. She believed that sending them back was the best thing she could do for them. 

Obedient to Naomi’s words, one daughter-in-law, Orpah, returned to her homeland, but the other, Ruth, said she would go with Naomi to the end. 

When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she no longer tried to stop her.

Looking at Ruth, Naomi might have remembered how resolutely she herself had left her Father’s house. 

God did not stop or prevent Naomi and her family from leaving the land of Judah. Just as the father of the prodigal son allowed his son to leave, even though he knew what would happen, God allowed Naomi to leave as well.

The reasons Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth were leaving Moab were different. One was returning to her homeland where her father was, while the other was leaving her parents and going to live with strangers. 

Ruth, despite the possibility of a better future, or even remarriage, chose to go with her elderly mother-in-law, who seemed to have little hope for the future. 

Ruth did not consider other possibilities, even though other paths existed. She chose the path that appeared to have the most hardship, accompanying the elderly Naomi. 

In those days, marriage meant safety and protection for a woman—protection by a husband, raising children, security, and the hope of future happiness. 

Ruth, however, chose to accompany Naomi, who would have to live alone with no one to protect her. Even though Naomi heard the news of the harvest in Judah, Ruth left her family and homeland, not knowing whether her future would be one of abundance or famine. 

From a third-party perspective, this was clearly a difficult and challenging choice.

These two women, with their many stories, return together to the land of Judah. 

When Naomi brings Ruth back to Judah, the village becomes noisy and buzzes with talk.

19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

These villagers ask, 'Is that really Naomi?' This shows how Naomi returned to her hometown and how the people of the village reacted to her appearance. 

Because of this, Naomi tells the people that she is no longer the Naomi but she tells them to call her 'Mara,' which means bitter, because the Lord has brought great suffering upon her. 

This was an appropriate way for Naomi to explain her return to her hometown with nothing, empty-handed. 

Naomi must have left Judah with bitterness in her heart, doubting and distrusting God's existence, power, and love, thinking that she could overcome the famine on her own. 

God was not the one who stopped her; the Lord allowed her to do as she wished. Just as the father of the prodigal son allowed his son to leave, despite knowing what would happen, Naomi was allowed to leave as well. 

The father’s love for the son was not expressed by stopping him from leaving or threatening him, but by letting him go.

We can assume that Naomi lived somewhat decently in Moab, but in the place where she stayed for a while, she lost her husband and two sons. 

Naomi must have wanted to leave the land of Moab, where she had lost everything. How could Naomi, who couldn’t bear the famine in Judah with her family, endure the 'famine' of life in Moab, a place where she had no one? 

Ten years ago, Judah was the land of famine, but now, Moab had become the land of famine. There is no place on earth that is truly safe. 

A land of famine can become a land of plenty, and a land of plenty can turn into a land of famine. How have you responded when you have encountered such confusing situations?

Henry Nouwen describes four characteristics of spiritual signs: 

First, they are simple, not complicated. Second, they are persistent.

 Third, they seem difficult to prove. 

And fourth, they are always connected not just to ourselves, but to others. 

As seen in Naomi’s story, events and situations that arise from both inside and outside of us are enough to capture our attention. Don’t miss the signs, and use them wisely in your journey of faith. 

If you are encountering such signs right now, pay close attention. Do not ignore them, because these signs and movements of the heart provide clues to what will happen in the future.

The sign that leads Naomi to return to God’s constant love is this: Naomi, who had lost her husband and two sons, found life painful and difficult. 

It was in this situation that she heard the news that there was a plentiful harvest in Judah, and Naomi must have remembered the love of God the Father. 

Until then, she had only blamed God, unable to think about His love. If Naomi had been successful in Moab, she would not have returned to her homeland. 

She would have lived decently in Moab and would not have been able to remember the love of her Father. When Naomi returns to her hometown, how does she confess?

 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

In other words, she left my father’s house full, but the Lord has caused her to return empty. Can I return home as an empty-handed person?

 Yet, when Naomi became aware of the emptiness in her life and heart, she was able to turn toward the Lord and remember the love of the Father. 

In the land of Moab, there may have been enough food. The labor of three men would have provided protection and security. 

However, when that security and protection were no longer there, Naomi made the decision to return to the house of God, where there is eternal rest and protection. Why?

Because Naomi remembered the love of God that had been accumulated in her heart. 

“The Lord does not mock the child who has fallen after trying to do things by their own strength" (Home tonight, 78).

When I left Korea and came to the United States, I was so happy. No one could interfere with me, I could go anywhere, and whatever I did, no one would know. 

I was excited about how free I could live, filled with expectations. However, just three days after coming to the U.S., I was caught by someone who was more knowledgeable than my parents. 

The Lord in heaven led me to the church in just three days, and for the past 30 years, He has guided me. I haven’t been able to visit Korea often. 

I could only visit once every 3 or 4 years at most. But one day, I realized that my mother was waiting for me. 

I began to see a little bit of the heart of a mother who waits for her child to return. Though I couldn’t visit more often, my mother was waiting for me. 

Even 15 years ago, just before her passing, she waited for me and held on to life. I arrived early in the morning, went to the hospital to see her, and a few hours later, she passed away. 

A parent’s love remains in the place where the child has left, even if it is considered a departure. 

In the same way, God’s love is the kind of love that stays 'there' before anything happens and after something happens. 

However, because we lack wisdom, we only remember the love of our parents when something happens, and then finally, we remember God and reflect on His love and grace. 

When my son was about to enter college, he injured his ankle while playing sports. I graduated from high school in June and spent a few months hanging out with my friends until I entered the school in August or September. 

A child who had never had such a time was busy walking around when he had time. We really walked around so much that we didn't have time to eat together. 

But he injured his foot while exercising, and from then on, my child really stayed at home. When he entered university, he picked up crutches. 

There is an entrance ceremony at the university, and the new students parade. But my child was on crutches. 

There was another child in the same situation. He had broken his leg while diving. So I remember the school providing these kids with an open car or something like that, and they rode it to watch the parade. 

The point is this. Because he hurt his foot, my son was spending time with me. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to spend time with me until the time he was gone off to university.

When Naomi was empty-handed, she turned her steps toward God the Father.

When Naomi returned to her hometown, God the Father prepared a great feast for her. 

Just like in the parable of the prodigal son, a feast was prepared for the returning son. Let’s read Luke 15:22-24.

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 

23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 

24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”

This feast is an expression of God's joy and love for the returning prodigal son. The feast given to the prodigal son is for this one son. 

It shows how precious the Lord considers one soul that returns to His love. The feast for Naomi, however, is beyond imagination in scale. 

In this case, the feast goes beyond just being for an individual; it is like the prelude to the salvation of the nation of Israel. 

Let’s see how God works in the lives of Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, as they return.

At that time, the barley harvest had begun in Judah. Ruth started gleaning for food, and the field she worked in belonged to Boaz, a close relative of Naomi. 

When Boaz heard about Ruth, he treated her kindly and instructed her to only glean in his field. He also told his workers to be kind to her and provide whatever she needed. 

When Ruth asked Boaz why he was showing her such kindness, Boaz replied,

11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 

12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge”(2:11-12).

When Ruth returned home and told Naomi that she had worked in Boaz's field, Naomi replied that Boaz was their close relative. 

He was the one who would take responsibility for Naomi and Ruth’s lives—he was their kinsman-redeemer.

Having returned to God’s house, Naomi finally found rest. She lived under the Lord’s love and protection. As Naomi saw her daughter-in-law, Ruth, she must have realized deeply how much Ruth needed a safe place to be protected. 

Naomi, filled with compassion for Ruth, saw her daughter-in-law working hard, not complaining, but diligently gleaning for their livelihood. 

When you receive salvation, you can’t help but desire that others experience salvation as well, and so you pray for them.

Naomi, wanting Ruth to have a happy home and to live in safety and protection, began to make a plan. 

Knowing that Ruth had been working in the field of Boaz, a powerful relative, and understanding that Boaz was their kinsman-redeemer, Naomi sent Ruth to the threshing floor at night. 

Ruth obeyed her mother-in-law’s plan, going to the threshing floor as instructed. There, she lay down at Boaz’s feet. When Boaz woke up and was startled, Ruth humbly lowered herself and, in front of her redeemer Boaz, did not hide or internalize her needs. 

Instead, Ruth asked Boaz, “Spread your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.”

Boaz praised Ruth for her good character. 

“You could have gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor, but you did not. Don’t worry, I will do everything you ask. Everyone in this town knows you are a virtuous woman.” Boaz also said,

12” Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. 

13 Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning” (3:12-13). 

Boaz meets a relative who is closer to Naomi than he does, and he urges the elders to buy Elimelech's land and restore the family land.

He also emphasizes the responsibility of marrying Naomi's daughter-in-law, Ruth, to have future generations and continue the family. 

Then the close relative said that he could not redeem it, and Boaz became the inheritor of the house of Elimelech, that is, the savior. 

Not only did Boaz buy the land and give it back to Naomi, but he married Ruth and gave birth to Obed, who begat Jesse and Jesse begat David. 

Through the family of David, the Savior, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for us, comes. God prepared Boaz to be the one who would save Naomi and Ruth in Bethlehem in the land of Judah, so that she would be a savior, to give her the safety and protection she needed, just as Ruth showed her mother-in-law Naomi.

Ruth gave birth to Obed, and the Bible says, "Naomi saw a son" (4:17). When Naomi returned to God's house and asked her to call herself Mara instead of Naomi, God gave her such a feast that would bring about the salvation of Israel and all mankind. 

He gave a new life, Obed, to Naomi, who had lost the lives of her husband and two sons.

What land are you in now? Are you in Moab, where you can escape God's providence and sovereignty and do what you think you want, and you seem to be rich? 

But is there a problem? Are you losing everything? If so, don't ignore the signals. This signal would be a signal to return to Heavenly Father. 

Can't you go because you're empty? Are you afraid of the eyes of others? Was it easy for Naomi to admit her failure? Probably not. 

However, when Naomi saw the signs of life's events, she could not take her eyes off God's unwavering love. That's the only way to be saved and safe. 

Heavenly Father's love is the love that does not laugh at His children who fail and return, or at His children who have fallen. 

"The Lord does not laugh at a child who has fallen down trying to do something with his own strength." Like Naomi, we are empty. 

I tried to live on my own, but I became empty. So where do you go? Is it the land of Judah? Will you stay in the land of Moab? 

We must go to the place where God's presence and love are. It is only in God's love that we can be filled and enriched again. 

Salvation is when we return to the place where God's presence is and God's love awaits us. 

If the place you are in is only filling your physical stomach and making you even more empty, do you hesitate to go to the land of Judah? 

Remember Heavenly Father's love. And return to God, the land of Judah, where God takes care of His people. 

Let us pray.

3/9/2025 Becoming Jesus and in His Power

Acts Sermon 46 -

Date: March 9, 2025

Title: Becoming Jesus and in His Power

Scripture: Acts 9:15-22 (NIV)

Acts 9:15-22 (NIV)

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.

16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,

19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

⸻

Acts 9 records an extraordinary transformation: Saul, a young man who was once the leading persecutor of the church and a rising figure in Judaism, switches sides to stand with the very people he had been attacking.

Considering that Paul would go on to write much of the New Testament, this event is one of the most pivotal moments in church history.

Last week, we examined how Saul, despite being deeply knowledgeable in Scripture and zealous in practicing his faith, had actually become an enemy of God. His spiritual blindness had left him unable to recognize the truth.

What were the two issues that blinded Saul’s eyes?

1. Stubbornness

2. Rebelliousness

We discussed how these two factors can also blind our own spiritual vision, preventing us from encountering the Lord even when reading Scripture or attending church.

God is not just an impersonal force, like the magnetic fields or light that flow through the universe. He is a person. And when people encounter a perfect person, the natural response is conversation.

A Personal Relationship with God Through Dialogue

2 Samuel 5:19 (NIV)

“So David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?’ The Lord answered him, ‘Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.’”

Here, we see David asking a question and God responding directly. This is what prayer looks like for those who have a personal relationship with Him.

When I first came to the United States and attended an English language school, I found myself in a small classroom filled with students from every continent and background. Among them, I was particularly intrigued by the Muslim girls wearing hijabs.

One day, I struck up a conversation with a diligent and kind Muslim student and asked her,

“What have you been praying about to God lately?”

She looked confused, so I rephrased my question:

“When you pray, what does God say to you?”

At that, she gave me a look of disbelief and firmly responded, “That’s not how prayer works!” She then turned away from me.

For Muslims, prayer is something offered up to Allah, and they believe Allah speaks exclusively through the Quran, which they consider his direct revelation.

Most religions have prayer rituals, but what sets Christianity apart is the concept of a personal, two-way communication with God. 

However, history shows that whenever Christianity becomes too institutionalized or ritualistic, believers often reduce prayer to a one-way practice, much like in Islam or Buddhism. 

Instead of listening for God’s voice, they replace it with simply reading Scripture in a routine manner.

The Special Prayer of Christians

Just as Ananias conversed with the Spirit of Jesus, those who are born again through the Holy Spirit can communicate with God and live in intimacy with Him. 

This is called being filled with the Holy Spirit, and Scripture commands Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit as both a privilege and a duty.

When Saul lost his sight and was staying in Damascus, Jesus appeared to Ananias, a leader in the church, and gave him a command:

“Go to him and lay hands on him so that he may regain his sight.”

Ananias, unable to understand this command, questioned the Lord.

Acts 9:13-14 (NIV)

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.

14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

The news of Saul’s arrival must have caused confusion and fear among the Christians in Damascus. Saul was already notorious as a destroyer of the church and a murderer. Ananias could not comprehend the Lord’s command.

How could he go and pray over the leader of their enemies—the one who was actively arresting the Lord’s disciples? Moreover, Saul had official authority to capture believers, including Ananias himself.

Although Ananias was a man of deep faith and had a close personal relationship with the Lord, he honestly expressed his concerns when given an incomprehensible command.

Jesus did the same.

Matthew 26:39 (NIV)

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

There is something significant to note about Jesus’ prayer:

There is no recorded response from the Father.

Yet, Jesus understood God’s will.

Similarly, in the Psalms, David often cries out to God, but in many cases, there is no record of what God said in response. However, David’s cries of distress often turn into praise.

Psalm 13:1-6 (NIV)

1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”

and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;

my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,

for he has been good to me.

In verses 1-4, David is almost arguing with God, crying out with intense expressions. But suddenly, in verse 5, he declares joy in God’s love and salvation.

What happened between these verses?

Personally, I experience this process every day—many times a day.

Though I may not always cry out in despair, I never hide my frustrations or sadness from the Lord. I openly share my heart with Him multiple times a day.

Just a few days ago, I went through something deeply painful. In that moment, I opened my heart to the Lord, seeking Him in my loneliness and brokenness.

And when I do this, the Lord covers my heart in a way that is beyond human language—

in a way that does not even require words.

A mysterious warmth and peace fill my soul.

Of course, when I praise the Lord on joyful days, that joy overflows into every part of my being.

Jesus prayed more than anyone else, and through prayer, He relied on God’s power to accomplish His ministry. He also taught His disciples to do the same.

I Have Set You an Example

John 13:15 (NIV)

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

The reason Jesus lived humbly on earth, as one of the least among men, is crystal clear:

“You should live this way too!”

We don’t all need to become carpenters or wandering rabbis,

but we can live as ‘Jesuses’ in this world.

God sent Jesus so that we might live like Him,

and Jesus showed us how by setting an example!

As a preacher,

and as someone whose every action is seen by my family,

I sometimes feel the temptation to say:

“Well, of course, Jesus lived that way—He is the Son of God.

But we are sinners, so there’s no way we can truly follow Him.

We are just sinners living by grace…”

But if we set aside our stubbornness,

if we look humbly and honestly at the Bible,

the truth of Jesus will become clear.

Hebrews 13:7 (NIV)

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.

Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

Here, the writer of Hebrews tells us to carefully observe the lives of those who lead and preach the Word and to imitate their faith.

1 Peter 5:2-3 (NIV)

2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;

3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Peter also teaches that those who lead the church should not do so for personal gain,

but willingly and eagerly.

They should not rule over others harshly but lead by example.

Philippians 3:17 (NIV)

“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters,

and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”

Did these early church leaders ever say,

“I am just a sinner saved by grace… Don’t look at me, just look at Jesus!”?

This March marks five years since I became a pastor—

which means I am still a rookie pastor.

And right when I was ordained, the world entered the COVID-19 pandemic,

forcing churches to stop gathering.

For an inexperienced pastor facing an uncharted world,

this was an enormous challenge.

Yet, at the same time, it was an opportunity—

a chance to see everything with fresh eyes, free from biases.

I began to understand why many preachers avoid certain messages.

From a human perspective, it makes complete sense—

preaching this kind of message places a heavy burden on the preacher.

So, most tend to take one of two approaches:

1. The Korean church model:

Pastors strictly hide their personal lives behind a veil of secrecy.

2. The American church model:

Pastors emphasize the “priesthood of all believers” and argue that

since everyone is a priest, no one should hold them to a higher standard.

But looking at Scripture, don’t both approaches miss the mark?

If pastors must set an example,

but they hide their lives completely,

should we follow their secrecy?

As a young pastor, I feel deep sorrow

when I see the modern church filled with spiritual infants

due to these unhealthy practices.

At the same time,

I feel a sense of shame that I struggle to say, “Follow my example.”

That’s why I have been thinking about what I can do best

to serve the church in my current state.

One of my solutions is our Spiritual Reading Group.

Through this group, we read books written by faithful spiritual mentors,

drawing close to their thoughts, struggles, and experiences.

In doing so, we follow their examples,

and I, as a pastor, continue to grow alongside the congregation.

One day,

I hope to be someone who can truly set an example for others.

For now, I believe that walking this journey—

even as an imperfect pastor—

is the best way I can serve the church.

A Church That Sets an Example for the World

What is the church?

It is not a gathering of perfect people,

but what if it is a place where we grow together—

becoming gentler, more faithful, and more loving

while fulfilling our mission to spread the gospel and care for one another?

What would the church become in this world?

What if, as Scripture promises,

Christians actually became more beautiful and admirable as they aged?

What would happen?

2 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV)

“Therefore we do not lose heart.

Though outwardly we are wasting away,

yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

But why does this not always happen?

Is Scripture speaking empty words?

Or is the problem with us?

The power of Jesus, the life of Jesus,

is revealed when we strive to live like Him.

The joy of heaven and the peace of abiding in Christ

naturally come when we go where Jesus calls us

and live the way He teaches.

Isn’t that exactly what the Lord promised?

But following Jesus does not happen automatically.

It does not come easily or naturally.

That is why we must look at the next verses

to understand how this daily renewal actually takes place.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

“Our light and momentary troubles”—this is the key!

Raising children has taught me something:

You cannot raise a child properly through praise alone.

Children grow not in a sterile, greenhouse environment,

but through disappointments and hardships.

Think about the people we admire most.

Did any of them live without suffering?

Most of them endured unimaginable hardships.

The same is true for the figures in Scripture.

That is why Jesus told Ananias about the future of Paul’s life:

Acts 9:16 (NIV)

“I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Isn’t this a bit harsh for a new convert?

Shouldn’t Jesus have said,

“I will show him how many blessings await him!”?

Yet the Lord said the opposite.

We call ourselves Christians,

but how much of our thinking resembles the world rather than God?

We need to open our eyes to see how often we think and act contrary to God’s ways.

The Greek word for “how much” in Acts 9:16 is “hosos”,

which means both “many” and “this much”—

as if Jesus were stretching out His arms and saying,

“This much suffering awaits him.”

Scripture repeatedly teaches a truth:

There is a minimum amount of suffering that even Christians cannot escape.

But this is not meant to make us afraid.

Rather, it gives us peace,

because it means that suffering is not unlimited,

and that it is never meaningless.

God, in His love, has set boundaries around our pain.

When I entered seminary, the enrollment rate in the U.S. was already at its lowest.

Yet, because of that, those who did enroll were deeply serious.

As I got to know my classmates, I noticed a common theme—

each of them had endured deep suffering.

Henri Nouwen’s book “The Wounded Healer” states:

“Our wounds are not something to be ashamed of.

Rather, they can become a tool to reveal God’s love and grace.”

The Japanese author Ayako Miura, known for her novel Freezing Point,

experienced incredible suffering:

• Diagnosed with tuberculosis at 24

• Suffered from severe tuberculous spondylitis, spending 13 years bedridden

• Endured 10 years of chronic coughing and high fever

• Lost the ability to walk due to spinal damage

• Lived through deep pain, depression, and despair

Yet, she left behind this faithful confession:

There is a prayer I could not have prayed unless I suffered.

There is a word I could not have heard unless I suffered.

There is a sanctuary I could not have entered unless I suffered.

There is a holy face I could not have lifted my eyes to unless I suffered.

Ah, without suffering, I could not even be human.

Haven’t we all suffered?

Then we understand these words.

There are prayers we can only pray in suffering.

There are words from God we can only hear in suffering.

There is a sanctuary we can only enter in suffering.

It is His embrace.

Suffering and pain humble us and restore us to our rightful place—

the place where we realize:

“Without the Lord, I am nothing.

But with the Lord, I have everything.”

I have never met anyone who encountered Jesus personally

while laughing in perfect comfort with no troubles at all.

In her book Even in This Earthen Vessel, Ayako Miura writes:

“I am nothing but a clay vessel, yet God has poured countless blessings into my life. For that, I give thanks.”

The late Tim Keller, one of the most influential pastors of our time,

planted Redeemer Church in New York, wrote over 40 books,

and profoundly impacted the modern church.

After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he made this confession:

**“It may sound exaggerated,

but my wife and I never want to return

to the prayer life and spiritual life we had before cancer.

Through this illness, we have truly experienced Psalm 90:14:

‘Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.’”**

This is a man who had already written one of the most famous books on prayer.

Yet, after suffering, his prayer life was transformed—

so much so that he said,

“It is so good, I would not want to go back.”

When Saul met Jesus and became Paul,

his life became a path of suffering.

First, he became the #1 target of the Jews who once stood with him.

At the same time, the church itself did not welcome him.

The Hellenistic Jews, the brothers of Stephen, also sought to kill him.

Saul had given up everything—his status as an elite Jew—

to follow Jesus.

Yet, it only led to greater suffering.

Why?

As we continue through Acts,

we will follow his journey and see what God was doing through it all.

At the Time of My Departure

Then, did Paul’s life end in failure?

Did he feel resentment and blame God?

In his final letter to Timothy, his beloved spiritual son, he wrote:

2 Timothy 4:5-8 (NIV)

5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

A drink offering was a liquid sacrifice poured out before God.

Paul knew that his life was meant to be an offering,

and he willingly walked that path.

If, at the moment of my last breath,

I could leave these words to my children,

and to all those I have loved through the church…

“I have fought the good fight,

I have finished the race,

I have kept the faith.”

If I could say this and close my eyes in peace—

would there be any greater success in life?

Would there be a greater legacy to leave behind for those who remain?

Perhaps the things we will regret the most on that day

are the opposite of the things we are chasing after now.

So what if, as an evangelist for the kingdom of the Lord,

we choose the path of willingly bearing small sufferings for the church—

the way of the cross, just as Jesus did?

What if, with souls in mind,

we open our homes and welcome others?

What if, with Jesus’ heart,

we go out to share the gospel,

or join a short-term mission trip?

Aren’t these all ways of voluntarily stepping onto the path of small sufferings?

Isn’t this the narrow road?

If a set amount of suffering is already determined for us,

wouldn’t it be better to embrace it willingly

rather than keep running from it?

Doesn’t something deep inside us resonate with this truth?

To be an example to even one person—

isn’t that the true purpose of our lives?

And if that is the most precious thing,

then the things we must give up for it—

aren’t they not so precious after all?

That is what it means to live as Jesus.

To carry our small crosses and follow Him.

This is the most normal life of a Christian.

And when we do,

the heartbeat of Jesus will pulse within us.

The power of Jesus will be revealed in us.

Just as a bird is freest when soaring in the sky,

we will find the greatest joy, the deepest peace,

and finally, true freedom—

when we live as Jesus.

Let us pray.

2/16/2025 My Chosen Vessel

Acts Lecture 44 - Sermon

Date: February 16, 2025

Title: My Chosen Vessel

Main Text: Acts 9:1-5

1 Saul was still breathing out threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest

2 and asked for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who followed the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

3 As he was traveling and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.

4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

Saul appears once again in this passage.

Do you remember who he was?

He was the notorious young man who led the Jews in stoning Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Acts 8:3

“But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.”

Stephen’s martyrdom caused many Christians to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria. When a person lives for the Lord, even their death holds meaning and shines eternally in the kingdom of God.

Saul ravaged the church, entering every house and dragging off believers to be imprisoned.

Verse 1 of today’s passage states that Saul was still breathing out threats and murder. This shows how excessively brutal he was in persecuting Christians.

He even put them to death. Let’s hear his own testimony.

Acts 22:4

“I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison.”

He was so zealous that he voluntarily went to the high priest and requested permission to travel over a week on foot to Damascus, just to capture those who followed the Way.

What drove him to abandon his own work and become so obsessed with persecuting Christians? Was it a sense of legalistic duty?

No, it was religious fanaticism.

He was possessed by a spirit that opposed God. Even as he murdered innocent people, he felt no guilt—he truly believed he was doing a holy work for Yahweh.

Did Jesus or His disciples ever use their power to instill fear, force belief, imprison, or punish those who did not accept the gospel?

No. When people rejected the gospel, Jesus simply said, “Shake the dust off your feet.” That was all.

Yet, there are those who demonize and attack people who have not yet accepted the gospel. No matter how many crosses they carry, no matter what titles they hold in the church—if they are acting in violent religious fervor, they do not belong to Jesus.

Among them, Saul was the worst. He relentlessly pursued God’s people, forcing them to flee their homes and live as refugees.

Then, as Saul neared Damascus, a brilliant light from heaven suddenly surrounded him.

The light was so intense that it nearly blinded him, and in fear, he fell to the ground.

Then he heard a voice:

Acts 9:4-5

4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.

Every time I reflect on this scene, I am deeply moved.

Jesus had never personally been persecuted by Saul. Yet, He said, “Why do you persecute me?”

Jesus identified Himself with the very people whom Saul had arrested, beaten, and killed. He declared that they were a part of Him, His own body.

Hurting them was the same as hurting Jesus. Inflicting pain on them meant inflicting pain on Jesus Himself.

Are you abiding in Christ?

1 Corinthians 12:26-27

26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Who later wrote these words? The very same Saul!

After encountering Jesus, he became part of the body of Christ and personally experienced what it meant to be united with Him.

Saul’s Three Days of Darkness

After this encounter, Saul was struck blind and spent three days in Damascus, neither eating nor drinking, only praying.

Imagine his inner turmoil. Outwardly, nothing was happening, but internally, he was in the midst of a storm.

He must have been thinking:

“What have I done? How could I have been so wrong?”

“Stephen was right. Jesus is truly the Messiah, the Son of David we had been waiting for.”

“All those people I imprisoned, all those I persecuted… They were the true children of God.”

“What have I done to them?”

The weight of his sins, the blood of the martyrs on his hands—it must have been unbearable.

Yet, at that moment, Jesus spoke to Ananias about Saul:

Acts 9:15

“But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen vessel to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.’”

To the very person who had killed His followers, Jesus now extended grace and called him “My chosen vessel.”

My Chosen Vessel

Previously, we studied how Jesus chose simple, ordinary people to be His disciples.

But this time, He chose someone far worse—an enemy, a persecutor, a murderer. Jesus transformed him and said, “He is my chosen vessel.”

God does not see as people see. Where we see a lost cause, God sees a vessel of grace.

If Jesus could turn Saul, the greatest enemy of the church, into Paul, the greatest apostle, then truly, no one is beyond God’s reach.

This is the amazing power of God’s grace.

No matter how broken, lost, or sinful a person may be, if Jesus calls them, they can become His chosen vessel.

Paul Continues to Be Raised Today

Lee Strobel, the author of The Case for Christ, which was also made into a book and a movie, was originally a journalist for The Chicago Tribune, a newspaper similar to The New York Times. Before he came to believe in Jesus, he described himself like this:

“I lived in a world without God, and I thought that was more realistic. I believed that faith in God was nothing more than a psychological crutch that people relied on in difficult times.”

However, his wife became a Christian after being evangelized by someone, and this made him increasingly uncomfortable. Feeling that his wife’s new faith was a threat to their family, he persistently argued against it and created conflict at home.

Eventually, he decided to use his skills as a journalist to uncover the truth about Jesus. He set out with the determination to expose Christianity as a baseless superstition, confident that he could quickly reveal its falsehood.

But as he investigated, the people he met and the evidence he encountered only led him into deeper confusion.

Finally, after 21 months of research, he made this confession:

“I set out to disprove Christianity, but I came to realize that rejecting Christianity actually required a greater ‘leap of faith.’”

With this realization, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. He then became a writer and an evangelist for Jesus.

Hearing such stories makes my heart race.

Because I, too, was once one of those people.

Before I knew God, my life was a miserable cycle. When I achieved something and received recognition, I became arrogant, looking down on others. But in front of those who were more successful than me, I would shrink back in fear.

I also disliked churchgoers and even harassed them.

For example, when I was working in a company, I once attended a team dinner where a young subordinate refused to drink the alcohol I poured for him. In frustration, I asked, “Does your church feed you?” “Isn’t it your company that provides for you?” I pressured him to obey me, ignoring his beliefs.

After repeatedly refusing, he finally took a sip, got drunk quickly, and I found pleasure in watching him struggle. That was the kind of person I was.

If an employee’s performance suffered due to personal circumstances, I would tell them to quit without hesitation. I still remember one such employee leaving in tears, calling me a heartless and cruel person.

Yet, even to a person like me, the Lord came.

At that time, I spent about two weeks barely eating, standing blankly on the beach for hours every day, as if living in hell. But in the midst of that despair, I first came to realize that God is real. From that moment on, He drew me closer and led me all the way to where I am today.

That’s why there are many people from my past who would probably find it unbelievable that I am now a pastor.

But the reason I share this embarrassing story is simple—

to boast about my Lord.

The forgiveness of the Lord is not just a story in the Bible.

I want to testify about how He lifts a person from the depths of sin, washes them clean, and dresses them in new garments.

The world says that people never truly change.

But the Lord can. He can make someone completely new.

I am a witness to that, and I am still in that process today.

Now in my late 40s, my face has more wrinkles, and my gray hairs multiply every day.

But I don’t mind it. My body may age, but my soul grows clearer.

I am a better person today than I was when I first met Jesus in my late 20s.

I am becoming a more mature and complete person.

Isn’t that the privilege and blessing of Christians—

to breathe and live with the life of eternity?

A living being cannot remain stagnant.

During winter, trees may look dead, but beneath the soil, changes are happening.

Even those dark, bare branches, if observed closely, already carry winter buds—small buds preparing for spring.

When flowers bloom in spring, they display their beauty only for a short time.

But I find these winter buds even more precious and moving.

Don’t they look like they are wrapped in fur? If you touch them, they feel soft and warm—

as if God has clothed them in a cozy garment to protect them from the cold.

The more I come to know God,

the more I realize that His love is not only present in full bloom or in abundant fruit—

but also in the stillness of winter buds.

Such people can rejoice not only in moments of achievement

but also in the journey of preparation and practice.

However, if a Christian fails to understand this truth and only sees worldly success and accomplishments as proof of God’s love,

their life will inevitably be filled with misery.

Those Who Have Left God

The journalist Lee Strobel, now a Christian evangelist and author, once conducted an unforgettable interview. The man he spoke with was Charles Templeton, a Canadian preacher who was not only a co-laborer of Billy Graham but also the one who introduced Billy Graham to the world.

At one of his revival meetings in Evansville, Indiana, 90,000 people attended, even though the town’s total population was only 120,000. After his gathering, church attendance in the area increased by 17%.

He was once recognized by the National Association of Evangelicals as “the most promising evangelist being used by God.”

Templeton traveled the world with Billy Graham, preaching to hundreds of thousands. Every time he spoke, thousands of people accepted Christ in a single day.

Yet, over time, he began to have doubts about his faith. In 1957, he left Christianity entirely, and in 1996, he published his autobiographical book Farewell to God.

In his book, he wrote:

“If God designed this world, why do some creatures have fangs that crush bones and tear flesh, claws that grip and rip, venom that paralyzes, mouths that suck blood, and jaws that swallow prey whole? … Why is nature, as Tennyson described, ‘red in tooth and claw’? Life is a bloodbath.”

He ultimately reached this conclusion:

“How can an all-powerful and loving God create such horrific things as we have seriously examined?”

His struggles began as he traveled the world, witnessing different religions, natural disasters, poverty, and disease.

The well-known Bible verses we love to quote are easy to remember, like catchy headlines that inspire confidence and lead to conviction.

But if we don’t also know the countless other scriptures in between, we risk misunderstanding God.

If we build our entire perception of God on a handful of popular memory verses,

we will fail to grasp the depth and greatness of His love.

If we only understand God’s love as warm, gentle, and comforting, we will be unable to see how Stephen, who loved and obeyed God completely, was brutally stoned to death by his own people while God seemed to do nothing.

Looking back, those who stood in support of Stephen’s execution could not have imagined that God would go to unimaginable lengths to save someone like Saul—a man who, in their eyes, was nothing less than a devil.

Their first misunderstanding was this:

they only recognized love in its soft and tender forms.

After reading the testimonies of former pastors, theologians, and Christian writers who left the faith, I have noticed they all wrestled with similar inner conflicts.

First, they struggled with the existence of immense tragedies, like tsunamis that wipe out thousands of innocent people in an instant. If there is a loving God, how could such things happen?

Second, they were disillusioned by many Christians who seemed indifferent to suffering, lived without love or holiness, yet still confidently claimed they were saved and guaranteed eternal life.

These were the two main reasons they walked away from Christianity.

And these are serious, deeply valid concerns.

Sin has corrupted and distorted all of creation. Natural disasters, as well as monstrous individuals, have appeared throughout history without end.

But where do we draw the line on who is a monster?

By what standard do we define it?

Someone may be a savior to one person, yet an unforgivable source of pain to another.

Are they good or evil?

Who decides?

Even scripture teaches that God judges based on what each person has received:

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.” (Luke 12:48)

Think of the two Koreas. Though separated by only a few kilometers,

what it means to believe in Jesus carries vastly different implications.

Even though they are the same people, sharing the same language under the same sky,

the faith required of them is not the same.

If God’s expectations are proportional to what has been given,

what score would we receive, having been given so much—living in a country like the United States?

The Golden Bell of Grace

Yet, there is something like a “Golden Bell” in God’s kingdom—

something that overturns every score and rewrites the results.

It is the work Jesus did for us.

Even the most wicked enemies—those who imprisoned and murdered Christians—

were offered a path to salvation through Jesus.

If we truly believe this,

if we have been reborn through the life of Jesus,

then following His word should naturally become our way of life.

And when we stray from it,

shouldn’t it feel as if something is terribly wrong?

Those who breathe with the life of Jesus should feel the greatest peace and joy when they walk in His ways.

And when they follow the ways of the world, shouldn’t their steps grow heavy?

Still, some may ask:

“Why does God allow monstrous people to remain and cause so much suffering?”

Perhaps Jesus would answer,

“That person, too, was created in the image of God. There is still hope. He is my chosen vessel.”

Templeton traveled the world preaching the gospel,

but in the end, he failed to realize that without Jesus,

he himself could become the very monster he despised.

The world is full of evil because of sinners—including ourselves.

Yet God, who longs to save even one more soul,

endures and waits with unfathomable patience.

But Templeton, failing to see this love,

eventually turned his back on God.

The same man who once shouted, “Come back to Jesus!”

ended up writing books that encouraged others to leave Christianity.

At the end of Billy Graham and Charles Templeton’s revival meetings,

they always invited people to come forward to accept Jesus.

Hundreds, even thousands, responded every time.

For some, that moment was their true salvation.

But the act of walking forward itself does not save anyone.

This is another grave misunderstanding.

A sinner’s prayer is not a magical formula that guarantees salvation just because someone repeats it.

If we are truly born again in Christ,

then the Holy Spirit must become like an umbilical cord,

connecting us to God through prayer.

And that is only the beginning.

We must continue to receive from Him,

sharing the details of our lives with Him in an ongoing, connected relationship.

“Lord, why? Why does that innocent person have to suffer? Can’t You do something? Can’t You make it right?”

“Lord, I can’t take it anymore because of that person! Please do something!”

This is how we seek the Lord in prayer!

And in most cases, rather than answering with clear words or audible sounds,

He pours His heart into ours—not through the ears, not through the intellect,

but directly into our spirit.

Sometimes, He tells us to share in the pain.

Other times, He assures us, “Do not worry. It’s all in My hands.”

Without this kind of intimate conversation with God,

it does not matter if thousands gather to hear our preaching—

our souls will only grow emptier.

But those who remain connected to the Holy Spirit,

even when speaking to just one person,

can see the infinite worth of that soul through the eyes of Christ.

Because He fills their hearts with His own.

Jesus called Saul “My chosen vessel.”

A vessel is meant to contain something.

To be Jesus’ vessel means to be filled with Him.

Saul became a vessel overflowing with the Spirit of Christ.

What about you?

Perhaps you have not seen a blinding light,

but have you ever experienced a moment where you could do nothing but fall to your knees in repentance?

A moment when the Lord embraced you like the father of the prodigal son,

without asking questions, without hesitation?

Was that connection with Jesus a past event?

Or is it still strong through worship and prayer today?

If so, He will call you too—

“My chosen vessel.”

What, then, is filling your vessel?

Many like Charles Templeton failed to understand that this world is meant to be a place where we experience both heaven and hell.

God desires that we learn to love heaven and hate hell with all our hearts.

Will you choose the kingdom of God today?

Let us pray.

2/9/2025 From “Evangelical” to Gospel-Minded

Acts Lesson 43

Date: February 9, 2025

Title: From “Evangelical” to Gospel-Minded

Scripture: Acts 8:35–40

Acts 8:35–40 (ICB/Standard New Translation)

35 Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this passage, taught about Jesus and proclaimed the gospel.

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water. What is preventing me from being baptized?”

38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water. Then Philip baptized him.

39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but he went on his way rejoicing.

40 Philip appeared at Azotus and went on to preach the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Overview

Last week we encountered the scene in which the royal treasurer of Ethiopia received baptism from Philip. This event marks the very first time the gospel was introduced into Ethiopia—a country that today is recognized as a true Christian nation with 60% of its population being Christians. About 300 years later, in the 4th century, Christianity became the state religion of Ethiopia.

All these events began with the ministry of Philip, as recorded in Acts chapter 8. From that moment on, one person’s sharing of the gospel became a seed that spread throughout an entire nation. Nowadays, it is increasingly difficult to find any place in the world where the cross and the church do not exist.

From the beginning of Acts to the very end of Matthew’s Gospel, the “Great Commission” to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth has remained an ongoing “mission on earth” for all Christians throughout history.

I, too, encountered Jesus in an evangelical church and received training, with evangelism being one of the most important disciplines. Especially after coming to New York, I quickly realized that this is truly a place where evangelists are desperately needed. As you may have noticed, whether at school or work, you will encounter foreigners—and many of them have never been to a church or heard the gospel.

Once, when I was engaged in campus evangelism, I met a variety of people. At one point, I encountered a Jewish student at Hunter College. Coincidentally, I had been reading a small booklet on methods for Jewish evangelism from a Jewish Christian group, so I showed that student Isaiah 53. When I asked him who he thought this passage referred to, he replied as if it were obvious: “Isn’t it Jesus Christ?” I then explained that this passage is not from the New Testament but from Isaiah—a prophetic book held in high esteem by the Jewish people—and his eyes widened in surprise.

Let’s take a closer look at this passage:

[Isaiah 53:1–12]

1. “Who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

When we speak of someone as being the “right hand” of another, we mean a trusted person or one who embodies power. In this context, the “arm of the Lord” signifies His mighty power. Ultimately, this passage refers to the Messiah, yet it tells us that many do not believe.

2. “He grew up before the Lord like a tender shoot,

and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty

that we should desire him.”

Being compared to a tender shoot indicates fragility, while a root from dry ground suggests a withered, hard condition. In other words, he had neither a beautiful appearance nor any majesty that might attract us—overall, an unremarkable and insignificant appearance.

3. “He was despised and rejected by mankind,

a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”

There is little recorded about the approximately 30 years between when Jesus was baptized by John and when He began His ministry. Most portray Him as a carpenter who lived a quiet life in the countryside, making and selling furniture. However, this passage in Isaiah shows that such portrayals are far removed from reality.

In fact, the Bible tells us that Jesus had no beauty that would render Him attractive. Moreover, the original Greek word for “carpenter” is teknon, which refers to a construction laborer who works with stone and wood.

About 6 kilometers north of Nazareth—where Jesus spent most of His life—Herod Antipas, the son of King Herod, was rebuilding a city called Sepphoris. This massive construction project required enormous manpower, so it is reasonable to assume that carpenters from the surrounding area were all called to work there. 

Since the work lasted from 4 BC to AD 40, we can deduce that Jesus’ entire life overlapped with this period of construction.

At that time, Jewish children began learning and assisting their fathers from around age 7, and by age 12, they took on responsibilities and began working seriously as adults. 

Thus, until about the age of 30—when Jesus began His ministry as a rabbi—He likely spent over 20 years commuting daily to Sepphoris and living as one of the construction laborers. 

The Bible does not mention this period at all, which indicates that Jesus lived each day just like most laborers in Nazareth, in an unremarkable manner.

What I find most astonishing is that Luke records that at the age of 12, Jesus clearly understood who He was. From that point on, He knew that He was the Son of God, the Lord of the whole world—yet He spent nearly 20 years living as an ordinary construction laborer. 

It must have been a time of unimaginable humility and patience.

Jesus lived in lowly circumstances—not only in appearance but also in social status, identity, region, and occupation.

In verse 3, we read that He suffered contempt and rejection, experienced great sorrows, and was intimately acquainted with sickness. Here, “sorrows” corresponds to “suffering” in English, signifying that He endured many kinds of pain, while being “acquainted with sickness” implies that He was thoroughly familiar with illness and physical affliction.

Thus, this verse does not refer solely to the suffering of the cross.

Jesus experienced a variety of pain and suffering even before beginning His ministry and long before the agony of the cross. He became so accustomed to physical pain and illness that He knew it all too well.

As I shared last time, having studied art and drawn countless images of Jesus in meditation, I came to realize that no movie or illustration truly captures the appearance of the real Jesus who walked the streets of Israel 2,000 years ago.

 Most portrayals show a handsome, majestic figure played by a very attractive actor. Perhaps that image reflects not the Jesus who lived on earth, but rather His transformed, spiritual glory.

Discovering the True Jesus

There is a reason I emphasize Jesus as a human being today. Jesus Himself continually stressed that He was the “Son of Man.” 

Only by recognizing Jesus in His humanity can we more clearly and profoundly understand God’s love.

We come to grasp the significance of Jesus having lived not only the three years of His public ministry on earth but also an additional thirty unrecorded years—a span of time ten times as long—in which He lived an utterly ordinary life.

What does that mean?

Even though many people were already following Him, when Jesus chose His twelve disciples He did not select the most promising or outstanding individuals. Instead, He chose those who were ordinary—even so ordinary that they were regarded as lowly and ignorant fishermen, considered insignificant by the world. 

This was no accident.

It is no coincidence that when God sent Jesus, He allowed Him to live most of His life first as the weakest of infants and then as an exceedingly ordinary construction laborer, subjecting Him to a wide range of hardships and even accustoming Him to illness. 

And when Jesus departed, the very people He commissioned to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth were not chosen from the elite but from those so ordinary that they would be looked down upon wherever they went!

Isn’t it all interconnected?

Thus, the meaning is exactly this:

“You too can do it!”

Most of us have enjoyed better food, received higher education in fairer environments than Jesus or His disciples—even worshiping on some of the most expensive land in the world. There is no need to mention Nazareth in Galilee… Can Jerusalem be compared to New York?

We live in an environment and a world that the disciples could scarcely have even dreamed of. That means we cannot say that what they were capable of, we cannot do.

Yet we rarely take this thought seriously. We seldom hear of such challenges. Instead, we tend to think, “He is the Son of God” or “They are specially chosen disciples.”

Evangelicalism

Most Christian churches in Korea and the United States are “evangelical” churches. No one denies that, according to Jesus’ Great Commission, our most important mission is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus throughout all of Judea, Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.

Evangelical churches have dispatched missionaries more zealously than ever before and have poured tremendous effort into evangelism. Churches have been established with the express purpose of spreading the gospel as widely and as far as possible throughout the world.

It has become increasingly difficult to find any continent or country without a church, and the Bible is now translated into most of the world’s major languages. Since the Internet age began, there has never been a generation for which it was easier to seek out and listen to the message of the gospel and songs of praise.

However, because the very word “gospel” means “good news,” evangelical churches naturally emphasize messages that comfort and give hope. In fact, when evangelicalism spread throughout the world, the positive message aimed at opening the hearts of those encountering the gospel for the first time was emphasized far beyond its actual proportion within the New Testament.

Yet, just as the law, though good in itself, can lose its essence when it becomes legalism… so too can the gospel, though inherently good, become problematic when it turns into a mere form of “evangelicalism.”

Just as a mistaken equation arose—that keeping the law is equivalent to loving God—so it has happened that in evangelicalism the act of proclaiming the gospel, evangelism itself, is mistakenly taken to be the very expression of loving God.

In Jesus’ day, when legalism was widespread, believers exerted every effort to strictly obey the law—perfectly keeping it—even though they paid little attention to God; they diligently performed charitable acts for the poor as commanded by the law, yet lacked a heart of love. That is why they ultimately received the most severe warnings from Jesus.

Likewise, if the motivation and meaning behind proclaiming the gospel are lost and evangelism itself becomes regarded as an absolute good—a purpose in itself—the same situation may occur.

A few months ago, before we moved to this place, I once tried a method on Sunday evenings at Bryant Park with several fellow church members. We sang and worshiped, and when the Holy Spirit came upon the heart of Manhattan, we would invite those who showed interest to join us for a meal or fellowship.

However, every time, an older Korean gentleman—wearing a mask and hardly making eye contact—silently handed out an evangelistic track. When I tried to greet him and speak, he simply tucked the track back into his bag without a word and left. I saw him repeatedly, always wearing a mask and using the same method of evangelism.

That approach might very well be his calling; if it leads someone to believe in Jesus, I have no desire to criticize him.

But I would like us to consider it as one example together.

At the very least, couldn’t one offer a gentle smile with kind eyes, or say something as simple as “God bless you,” as is common in the United States? Yet before I attended church in Korea, I too often encountered evangelism of a similar style—and each time, the impression I got was, “Either accept this or go to hell!”

Just as one can strictly observe the law without genuine love for God… (not that this is always the case) preaching the gospel without love—something that should be impossible—can, and all too often does, happen. It has become a case of “evangelicalism.”

Since we have decided to take a period of rest and preparation for street evangelism until this year’s Easter, let us pray together and seek methods that are well suited to those to whom we must now bear witness.

When the law—a good gift from God—becomes a shackle that binds someone, or a tool for wielding power over others, Jesus was most vehemently angered by it. This is because the very reason for keeping the law—loving God—was lost, leaving behind only an empty shell of form and ritual.

Without the love for other human beings that is revived through loving God, everything else becomes the same.

The most effective and clear way to make this possible is selfless prayer! When we pray every Sunday morning for the nations, it is not only a prayer for those countries and peoples, but also an opportunity to nurture within ourselves God’s love for them.

When we research countries we never even knew, think about their prayer needs, and pray for them, something stirs within us without even realizing it.

Then, if we happen to meet someone from one of those countries on a street in Times Square… that encounter becomes special. It is like a tiny mustard seed of interest—but that interest is none other than God’s love. If you have ever called out that country’s name and prayed for it even once, isn’t that making a difference?

Let us now continue with Isaiah 53.

4 “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.”

5 “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

As we live in this world, we must continually experience this grace. The Lord takes away my suffering and grants me peace; He takes away my illness and bodily pain and gives me health.

And with that health and grace, we are to live as a living, little Christ for others. What is the purpose for which Jesus took my troubles upon Himself and gave His life in my stead?

Positive Message

6. We are all like sheep, for we have all gone astray, each of us turning to his own way; yet the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7. When he was oppressed and afflicted, he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers remains silent, he did not open his mouth.

In evangelical churches, the emphasis is often placed on the message, “God loves you just as you are!” But if that means it’s acceptable to live without hope—without knowing God or even realizing one’s own sinfulness—doesn’t that message seem intended for those who are not yet Christians?

Yet for those who have returned to God through Jesus, have they not come to understand the 30 years of endurance Jesus underwent to rescue us, as well as the agonizing suffering of His final cross? And even if they continue to live in the same old ways—without any distinction from the world—does it mean that God loves them and rejoices in them just as they are?

Among us, there may be friends who have not yet established a genuine relationship with God. For them, the open arms of the Lord who accepts them exactly as they are should always be proclaimed.

But what if that becomes the conclusion of most messages—if it turns into what is known as an “evangelical message”?

If God’s Spirit dwells within us and eternal life has begun, does that life not grant us a new longing and the power to live anew? Even when we stumble, the life of Jesus within us continually leads us to be transformed in His likeness, never allowing us to remain stagnant.

Thus, an evangelical-style sermon might, on the contrary, produce the unfortunate result of shutting down that inner demand for life and renewal—or, if that life has not yet truly manifested, it may lead to a state of religious brainwashing, a false sense of security in which one considers oneself a Christian without sensing any true need for change. I am afraid of this!

Jesus said, “Follow me!” and He instructed us to live according to His example.

Indeed, He even commanded us daily to deny our desire to be the masters of our own lives and to follow Him by taking up the cross that has been entrusted to us.

Loving those who are not lovable, and sharing the gospel with others, are both aspects of bearing one’s own cross.

Jesus demonstrated the gospel with a love that willingly sacrificed for others—a love that endures suffering for the sake of others, a love that mirrors the cross.

What do you think? Could evangelism be accomplished in this manner?

In this era, is it truly impossible to encounter Jesus simply because the information does not reach someone? Rather than due to the gospel’s message failing to reach or being insufficient…

Is it not that, in the lives of those who profess to believe in the gospel, they fail to perceive its reality—the life of Jesus and the transformative difference it should make in their lives!

In this age of self-promotion, where selfishness is no longer a source of shame, the greatest miracle is a love that comes at a cost—a love of sacrifice.

 In such times, that miracle will be mightier than ever. People who experience the love conveyed through us—those of us who daily bear a small cross in following Jesus—will be won to the gospel.

Become a Gospel-Minded Person by Living a Gospel-Centered Life

Why did Jesus—who was the greatest at evangelism—entrust evangelism to His disciples and then depart?

Jesus left the task of proclaiming the gospel in the hands of His disciples, who were still far from perfect, in order to give us the opportunity to become little Christs. 

He charged us, being filled with the Spirit of Jesus, to willingly take up the cross for the sake of the souls that need salvation—just as He did.

Imagine if Christians truly heeded Jesus’ words and took up their crosses every day… if, for even one soul that needs Jesus, someone carried the cross. Just imagine: if you were to bear the cross for that person, how would that person react? 

Would the world still point its finger at our community? 

Would they scorn this church that bears the cross for others?

9 He committed no violence, nor was there deceit in his mouth; yet his tomb was with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.

10 It was the will of the LORD to crush him with suffering; and when he had offered his life as a guilt offering, he would see his offspring, and his days would be prolonged; and through his hand the will of the LORD would be accomplished.

11 He shall see the result of his labor and be satisfied; my righteous servant will justify many, bearing their iniquities upon himself.

12 Therefore, I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall share the spoils with the mighty; for he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors—but he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

We do not confront evil with violence or deceit. We may suffer the injustice of being regarded as villains—even face martyrdom. Yet in the end, the truth is revealed, and the light of the Lord’s glory shines forth.

That we shall “see our seed” and that “our days will be prolonged” signifies that the spiritual descendants who follow him will continue to multiply. Just as it is written in Daniel that those who bring many back to the right path will shine like stars forever, 

those who follow the path of Jesus will be remembered and shine as an example for eternity.

Our own small crosses carry injustice, suffering, and affliction. Thus, to love people is always a challenge that entails sacrifice—because it is a cross to bear.

Yet this cross is exceedingly precious and costly. But the will of the LORD that delights Him will be fulfilled in us.

Being counted among the rich after death means that we do not truly suffer a loss.

Whatever seems like a loss now will be rewarded with a crown of glory of equal measure—a resurrection that is the most radiant and glorious.

Although evangelistic tracts (such as those still circulating among people who have never heard the gospel) may be useful, the most powerful method of evangelism is “the story of God and me—our testimony.”

As with my own testimony last week, take a moment to reflect on the stories in your life that are worth testifying to. Will the story of how you schemed to avoid any loss be the testimony you share? 

In time, such actions may indeed come to be regarded with shame.

It is the stories of loss—of choices that the world may deem foolish, of the endurance we displayed like the lamb led to the slaughter who did not open its mouth—that remain. Only these stories of small crosses will shine like stars for eternity.

The time we spend following Jesus, the days in which we live as a little Jesus for someone, are what will forever bring us joy and fulfillment.

This is the way of life to which Jesus has invited us. 

“If Jesus of Nazareth was able to do it as the Son of Man, then you too can do it. Follow Me!” 

This is a gospel-centered life—a life filled with the light of Jesus and the light of the gospel.

1/26/2025 Witnesses, Offerings, and Priests

Acts 41

Date: 1/26/2025  

Title: Witnesses, Offerings, and Priests  

Passage: Acts 8:25  

**Acts 8:25**  

25 After the two apostles had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of Samaria.

**Samaria and the Ends of the Earth**  

As persecution began against the church following the first revival in Jerusalem, the church started to scatter to different parts of Judea and even Samaria. If you look at a map, Judea is to the south of Jerusalem, while Samaria is to the north. Israel, with its elongated shape, resembles the geography of Korea, stretching from north to south. The prophecy that the disciples would be witnesses in all of Judea and Samaria shows that the message of Jesus Christ would eventually reach all corners of the earth.

**Acts 1:8** "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

This was the last message that Jesus gave just before His ascension.

Last week, we saw how, through the apostles laying hands, the Holy Spirit came upon the people of Samaria. There was a clear, unmistakable transformation in them when the Holy Spirit came. 

Now, they were no longer followers of Jesus in an indirect way by following Philip. Instead, with the Holy Spirit living in them, they could directly follow Jesus and live as His brothers and sisters, children of God.

As a result of this transformation, the change in their identity, Jesus called them "witnesses." 

**Who are witnesses?**  

Witnesses are those who have evidence and testify to it to the world. 

We were all trapped in sin and bound by the darkness, but the Son of God, Jesus Christ, took on all our sins on the cross, died for them, and after paying the price, He resurrected! Anyone who believes in Him is reborn with new life and can experience eternal life, starting from here and now!

These two apostles, on their way back to Jerusalem, continued preaching the gospel in every village they passed through.

They lived as witnesses of this gospel. This is what happens when the Holy Spirit comes upon us.

**Samaria**  

There was a reason why Jesus specifically mentioned "Samaria." Geographically, Samaria was only about 50 km from Jerusalem, about a 3-day walk, so it wasn't a long distance.

However, the emotional distance between Jerusalem and Samaria was vast.

The Bible clearly states that Jews did not associate with Samaritans; there was a deep hostility between them, almost as if they were enemies.

Because of King Solomon's sin, Israel was divided into the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel. The capital of Judah was Jerusalem, while the capital of Israel was Samaria.

On the map, the northern part was called Israel, and the southern part was called Judah. This division happened because the ten northern tribes formed Israel, while the southern part consisted of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the Levites who lived around the Jerusalem temple.

For over two centuries, these two kingdoms remained hostile. As a result, the northern kingdom built places of worship in Bethel and Dan, where they placed idols, even going as far as setting up a golden calf as a representation of God.

**1 Kings 11:38** "If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by observing my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David, and will give Israel to you."

Here, we must remember something: In God's great plan, certain things must come to pass, and no one can change them. However, many other things depend on the choices we make and the paths we walk in response to the opportunities God places before us. It depends on the prayers we offer.

Moreover, when we are uncertain about God's unchangeable will, we must focus on how we respond rightly. This is what the Lord expects from us, and it is in such moments that we contribute to making an eternal difference.

Although God gave King Jeroboam a promise of blessing and opportunity, he ultimately betrayed God, and the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria in 722 B.C.

As the people of Israel and the foreigners who entered were mixed, these people became known as Samaritans.

For this reason, the Jews harbored not just a hatred for Samaritans as Gentiles, but a deep animosity. Furthermore, when, around the 4th century B.C., the Samaritans built their own temple on Mount Gerizim and claimed legitimacy, the anger of the Jews deepened.

Yet, the Lord sent the first missionary to Samaria—Philip.

**Deacons**  

Who is Philip?  

**Acts 6:5-6**  

5 The whole group was pleased and chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.  

6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.  

Philip, along with Stephen, was one of the first to receive the laying on of hands and became an official leader in the church. What was their mission?

**Acts 6:2**  

So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables."

The task of waiting on tables — in English, it says "Wait on tables" — refers to the work of serving meals or providing for the needs of others. They were called to serve in this way, and that is why they were given the title “deacon,” which means "servant" or "minister."

To understand the qualifications for these deacons, we should look at why they were chosen.

**Acts 6:1**  

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

During the time of the first revival, many people, especially those in need of economic support, gathered together. It was clear that they needed help with food and daily provisions. The twelve apostles, who were the primary leaders at that time, were handling the distribution. 

However, managing all these needs personally became inefficient and problems started to arise, particularly with the Hellenistic Jews, who felt neglected in the distribution.  

The seven deacons chosen for this role were all Hellenistic Jews, indicating that the apostles specifically chose them to address the needs of this group.

**Acts 6:3**  

Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them.

The qualifications for these deacons were that they should be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and have a good reputation. These qualities show that they were to be people who lived by God's power and not their own strength. Additionally, they needed to be recognized as good and virtuous people, worthy of respect. This is also mentioned in 1 Timothy 3:7 as part of the qualifications for deacons.

**1 Timothy 3:7**  

They must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that they will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.

These qualifications apply to anyone who serves in the church in any capacity. First, they must be filled with the Holy Spirit, then they must have wisdom, and they must also be recognized as good people by those outside the church.

This is the qualification for being a deacon. Imagine if deacons in Korean churches, and in churches in the United States, truly met these three criteria. 

Can you imagine how beautiful the church community would be if the deacons truly embodied these qualities? The church would undoubtedly be recognized as good in the world. The church would shine as a city on a hill, reflecting the fullness of Christ! This is the vision that God has for His church.

The members of the church do not need to be highly trained or masters of advanced Bible studies. Simply accepting and living by these clear standards from Scripture would be enough. Why, then, do we disregard these standards while professing to believe in God’s Word?

These seven deacons were established after the laying on of hands.  

The laying on of hands was originally done to consecrate sacrificial offerings, and God commanded the Levites to perform the role of priests. The Levites were considered offerings, "shaken offerings" (as it’s described in the Hebrew term **"תְּנוּפָה" - Tenufah**), meaning "to shake" or "to move." 

The Levites were seen as moving offerings, and this is reflected in Paul’s writings in Romans where he refers to this as “living sacrifices.”

**Romans 12:1**  

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.

Peter tells us that we are now holy priests who will offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.

**1 Peter 2:5**  

You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Isn’t this all part of the same story? In truth, if we are to build the true church, we must all be holy priests offering spiritual sacrifices that are pleasing to God.

Becoming a priest means offering ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice.

While it may seem illogical for a sacrifice to live and move, this is the most important spiritual truth: everything we do with our lives should be an act of worship. This is the true meaning of spiritual worship!

Someone like Simon, who followed Jesus for his own benefit, was baptized, and even spent money, could not truly be filled with the Holy Spirit. This demonstrates that a true Christian cannot live for their own benefit.

So, what kind of life should the Levites, those who are living sacrifices, and priests lead?  

Since all of us are spiritual Levites, we must understand the identity of the Levites. Don’t you think it’s important to know what it means to be a Levite in spiritual terms?

**Who are the Levites?**

When the land was divided among the 12 tribes of Israel, the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin were together in the southern part, and many Levites lived among them. However, not all Levites were in Judah, which is why there were only two tribes in the south, not three.

So, where were the Levites?

The descendants of Jacob's 12 sons formed the 12 tribes, and the land was distributed among them. Technically, there are 13 tribes in Israel because Joseph’s tribe was divided into two: one for each of his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.  

Yet, as seen in the map, the Levite tribe is not listed. Why is that?

**Numbers 3:12**  

The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.”

The Levites did not receive land like the other tribes. Instead, God declared, "I am your inheritance." 

Do you think the Levites felt happy hearing this? While it's wonderful to have God as your inheritance, didn't they need a place to live?

**Joshua 21:41-42**  

41 The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, and the pasturelands for them.  

42 Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true of all these towns.

The Levites were given cities to live in, along with pasturelands around them. These were good lands—about four cities from each tribe. While the other tribes lived together, the Levites were scattered among them.

Why was this?

When Moses was blessing the tribes before they entered the Promised Land, he gave a special blessing for the Levites:

**Deuteronomy 33:10-11**  

10 They will teach Jacob your laws and Israel your teachings; they will burn incense before you and offer whole burnt offerings on your altar.  

11 Bless all his skills, Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands. Strike down those who rise up against him, his foes, so that they will not rise again.

The Levites were called to teach God’s law to the people and guide them in offering true worship to God. They were spiritual leaders.

As they carried out their role, God promised to bless their work and protect them from their enemies.

Now, those who belong to Jesus Christ are all spiritual Levites. Our role is that of witnesses, offerings, and priests.

We are all sent to teach others God's law and to lead them in true worship. Whether in the church, workplace, or school, God has sent us to those people. It’s not about making money, but about showing them the law of love, the light of Christ, and leading them in true worship.

From an earthly, temporary perspective, other things might seem more important, but in light of eternity, there is no greater calling than revealing Jesus Christ to others and guiding them into true worship. That is our mission as Levites!

If we live according to this calling, God will bless us, prosper the work of our hands, and protect us from our enemies. Amen!

Will we live constantly worrying about our material needs, trying to protect ourselves by our own strength? Or will we live as people who fulfill the mission God has given us, trusting that He will bless and protect us? 

There is no better life than this.

Let's look at the blessing given to the Levites as an example of the calling for all of us.

**Numbers 6:23-26**  

23 "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:  

24 The Lord bless you and keep you;  

25 The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;  

26 The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.'" 

All of us Christians are called to declare this blessing. Wherever we are, whatever tribe we are sent to, our purpose remains the same as the Levites: to declare the blessing of the Lord and guide others into true worship.

Witnesses, Offerings, and Priests!

The church is like the 48 cities where the Levites lived — a community where we gather together to comfort and encourage one another. And just like the Levites, we are preparing to go out into the world, into the land that God has entrusted to us. At the end of each service, I pronounce the benediction, right? The benediction is a sending forth. We are sent as witnesses to go back into the world!

Do not live for yourself. Half-hearted living is the worst kind of life. Wherever you are, whatever job you have, look at the souls around you. Be willing to become an offering for them.

Become a priest for them.  

Sow seeds with tears. It requires patience, courage, and love, but the blessings flow from that. When we live according to our calling, there is a joy in it that cannot be expressed.

We are not called to live for our own comfort and happiness.

You will never see it from a place of hesitation. Only when you begin to take that step, to make that choice, will things begin to reveal themselves. There is an array of indescribable lights, a joy that shines brightly from deep within, soaring with that joy. Let’s share that joy together.

This is the life we are called to — the life of a witness, an offering, and a priest.  

Jesus Christ, the true witness, offering, and priest, has invited us into this life.

Let us pray.

1/19 Are You Ready to Receive the Laying on of Hands?

Acts Chapter 40 - Sermon
Date: January 19, 2025
Title: Are You Ready to Receive the Laying on of Hands?
Text: Acts 8:9-25

Scripture Reading (Acts 8:9-25, NIV)

9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,
10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.”
11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.
12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.
15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money
19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.
23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

Last week, we reflected on how Christianity spread to Samaria through faithful Christians like Philip and what happened as the people there began following Jesus.

According to Scripture, wherever Jesus and His disciples went, evil spirits were driven out without exception. Similarly, in modern times, when the gospel first enters a place, similar events often occur.

Although Western society has rapidly entered a post-Christian era, a small remnant of faithful people of God still exists as the true Church. Where the worship of Spirit and truth continues, those places have not yet become entirely spiritually barren or lands of paganism.

The final verse of last week’s message has lingered in my heart: “There was great joy in that city!”

When does joy come?

Unlike fleeting pleasures or instant gratification, joy always includes hope. For example, when parents confirm a pregnancy, they begin to love the tiny, barely-formed life, giving it a nickname and looking forward to the child to come. This is joy filled with hope.

In Samaria, the activities of evil spirits that had long held the city captive began to retreat, and people were being freed from various forms of bondage. The joy they experienced was full of hope.

However, we must remember that during this period of great revival in Samaria, many house churches in Jerusalem were disappearing, and the city was becoming spiritually desolate once again.

### Outline

---

Last week, we reflected on how Christianity spread to Samaria through faithful Christians like Philip and what happened as the people there began following Jesus.  

According to Scripture, wherever Jesus and His disciples went, evil spirits were driven out without exception. Similarly, in modern times, when the gospel first enters a place, similar events often occur.  

Although Western society has rapidly entered a post-Christian era, a small remnant of faithful people of God still exists as the true Church. Where the worship of Spirit and truth continues, those places have not yet become entirely spiritually barren or lands of paganism.  

The final verse of last week’s message has lingered in my heart: “There was great joy in that city!”  

When does joy come?  

Unlike fleeting pleasures or instant gratification, joy always includes hope. For example, when parents confirm a pregnancy, they begin to love the tiny, barely-formed life, giving it a nickname and looking forward to the child to come. This is joy filled with hope.  

In Samaria, the activities of evil spirits that had long held the city captive began to retreat, and people were being freed from various forms of bondage. The joy they experienced was full of hope.  

However, we must remember that during this period of great revival in Samaria, many house churches in Jerusalem were disappearing, and the city was becoming spiritually desolate once again.

Looking Critically at Revival  

When we critically examine revival movements that lasted anywhere from several months to at most three years, it seems similar to how passion fades in young couples after about three years. Could it be nothing more than fleeting passion? Are most revival movements like this?  

When I first believed in Jesus, I attended church with great enthusiasm. I sought out every possible worship service and participated in more and more church activities. At that time, a senior colleague at my workplace, who had attended church since childhood, said something to me:  

“I’ve been there too... Everyone has that phase.”  

Those words hit me like a bolt from the blue. Looking back, I realized that I had similar experiences in the past—enthusiastically joining Mac user clubs, photography clubs, and motorcycle clubs, only to lose interest after two or three years.  

So when I heard that comment, fear overwhelmed me: What if this, too, was just a passing passion that would fade after two or three years?  

That Sunday during our small group meeting, we had a time to draw cards with Scripture verses on them. The verse I received was:  

**Matthew 7:25**  

*“The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”*  

At the time, I didn’t fully understand the verse, but the word **“rock”** gave me great comfort. It felt like a word that steadied my anxious heart, assuring me that there was something unshakable. Now, nearly 20 years later, I am thankful that the fire within me is still alive.  

Thousands or even tens of thousands of people simultaneously experiencing such fervent passion is undoubtedly a special time. During those moments, spiritual activities are often expressed through emotional zeal, and historically, it is clear that such movements tend to begin as temporary phenomena.  

However, not everyone who experienced those passionate seasons continued to carry that fire. This has been true of every revival in history. Many people allowed those seasons of passion to end as nothing more than temporary moments.  

### Simon the Sorcerer  

Today’s passage introduces us to an intriguing character: Simon the Sorcerer.  

Simon practiced sorcery, performing miracles by relying on demonic powers. Sorcery was a grave sin detested by God and punishable by expulsion under Israelite law. However, this was Samaria, and here he was regarded as *“the Great Power of God”*.  

Verses 9-11 provide a detailed description of this unique figure. Simon was not a transient charlatan who tricked people briefly and disappeared, nor was he a fleeting sensation. He had been in the city for a long time, astonishing people with his acts, and had earned the admiration of everyone—from commoners to the elite.  

Simon wielded enduring influence, much like a modern-day figure such as Elon Musk. A person of immense wealth and extraordinary ability, someone whose words and actions could shake the world and leave people amazed and envious.  

Yet, despite his prominence, Simon, along with the rest of the Samaritans, heard Philip’s message, believed, and was baptized. The passage tells us that men and women alike were baptized, and even Simon, the city’s most famous and admired figure, became a follower of Philip.  

The impact of this revival must have been tremendous. Imagine if someone like Elon Musk were to announce publicly that he had become a Christian and was baptized. It would make global headlines, with every media outlet rushing to cover the story.  

A few years ago, even a brief comment by Musk on a Christian podcast, where he expressed his respect for the Golden Rule and the teachings of Jesus, became a significant topic. Christian newspapers turned it into headlines, and it sparked widespread discussion.  

Back then, and even now, when someone like Simon converts, there’s a temptation to give them special treatment and leverage their influence to maximize the momentum of revival. From the text, it seems Simon might have expected to be treated as someone exceptional.  

However, instead of receiving special treatment, Simon was harshly rebuked by the apostles and ultimately rejected. The passage recounts this in great detail.  

Hearing of the remarkable revival in Samaria, two of Jesus’s closest disciples, Peter and John—referred to as apostles—came to join Philip in his ministry.  

The apostles began laying hands on the new believers who had already been baptized in the name of Jesus, praying for them to receive the Holy Spirit. It was then that the Holy Spirit came upon those who had received the laying on of hands.  

A Significant Theological Question  

This passage raises a profound theological question for us.  

The believers in the Samaritan church, including Simon the Sorcerer, had already heard the gospel of Christ through Philip. They had obeyed his teaching and been baptized in the name of Jesus.  

As a result, the demons in the city were cast out, and people’s values began to change. Joy, hope, and freedom swept through the city. Even Simon, the renowned sorcerer, became a devoted follower of Philip and was baptized.  

Yet the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon these people. Isn’t that astonishing?  

While Scripture focuses on Philip, it is likely that a small number of disciples from the Jerusalem church were also evangelizing in Samaria. Through their ministry, countless people were impacted, and their values and culture were being completely transformed. However, all of this was the work of the Holy Spirit operating through Philip and the disciples.  

The Bible makes this clear: even though the Samaritans had been baptized and were zealously following Jesus under Philip’s guidance, their experiences were external. The joy and power they felt were an overflow of the Holy Spirit working through Philip and the disciples. It was not a new life that had been birthed within them.  

Do you understand the difference?  

In sensational situations, people can experience excitement and passion for months or even years, much like falling in love for the first time. These experiences can be shaped and sustained by external circumstances.  

The Samaritans witnessed remarkable signs: the sick being healed and demons being driven out. This created a sense of awe and a sensational response. They were captivated by Philip’s message, obeyed his teachings, and followed him daily. But the new life of the Spirit had not yet taken root within them.  

Everything changed when Peter and John arrived and began laying hands on the Samaritans. Through their prayers, the Holy Spirit came upon the believers.  

Now, the act of receiving the Holy Spirit is not something visible to the naked eye. How, then, did everyone know the Spirit had come upon them? Isn’t that remarkable in itself?  

Moreover, these people had already undergone significant cultural and spiritual changes and were actively following Jesus. What further transformation could have occurred that made the Spirit’s arrival so unmistakable?  

A similar phenomenon occurred during the First Great Awakening in America, which took place in the 1730s and 1740s.

The figure who became the starting point of this revival was Pastor Jonathan Edwards, and the sermon that ignited it was titled **“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”**  

As a result of this revival, churches that had been nearly empty and lifeless were suddenly overflowing with people, so much so that services often had to be held outdoors. A massive wave of repentance swept across the United States like a tidal wave.  

However, Jonathan Edwards himself noticed something troubling amidst the revival.  

He observed the rise of what he referred to as **“enthusiasm” or “emotionalism”**—a phenomenon where people sought after powerful emotional experiences during services and revivals but did not undergo genuine personal or existential transformation.  

This prompted him to write a thick book titled **“Religious Affections”** to distinguish between the true work of the Holy Spirit and these superficial emotional responses.

*Religious Affections* is divided into three parts, addressing the essence of true faith and its evidence. Edwards argued that true faith necessarily includes emotions. Faith goes beyond intellectual understanding, involving “holy affections,” or a deep sense of love and reverence for God from the depths of one’s heart. However, not all emotions are evidence of true faith; the source and outcome of emotions must be carefully examined.  

Intense emotions alone are not proof of true faith. External emotional expressions (e.g., physical reactions, loud cries) are not evidence of true faith. Sudden emotional experiences cannot be assumed to be genuine conversions. Reciting or quoting Scripture does not guarantee genuine conversion.  

Evidence of true faith includes love and reverence for God’s glory and character, obedience to biblical truth, transformation into a holy life, humility and self-denial, and the fruit of the Spirit. While feelings of peace or passionate emotions are natural and good in Christ, they are not always evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work.  

The true work of the Spirit begins with an absolute acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty. It is accompanied by awe and reverence for Him, resulting in a joy born of love for God. This joy produces a longing for God’s Word, a desire to obey it, and an inevitable transformation into a holy life. Selfishness, greed, deception, and darkness gradually fade away, and pride diminishes as humility grows.  

What change occurred in the people who had zealously followed Philip? In short, they transitioned from merely following Philip to living their own lives as independent witnesses for Jesus. This does not mean they immediately became equal to Philip. However, they no longer needed Philip as their sole mediator to connect with Jesus. They now carried Jesus’s life within them and became Philip’s coworkers, living as evangelists according to their own calling. They became new beings—this is what we call rebirth.  

Even Simon the Sorcerer could see the unmistakable transformation in those who received the laying on of hands. At that time, most ordinary people lived passively, always following someone else. But suddenly, Simon saw these people displaying unprecedented boldness, confidence, and noble character. What astonished Simon the most was seeing traits he had only known in society’s elite—people of influence and authority like himself—now appearing in ordinary people who had received the laying on of hands. This was a miracle far greater than healing the sick or casting out demons. These individuals, who might have considered themselves worthless, were transformed into new and noble creations. Witnessing this, Simon resolved to obtain this power at any cost.  

Acts 8:18-19 (NIV):  

“18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’”  

The apostles did not lay hands on Simon or pray for him. Instead, Peter rebuked him sternly:  

Acts 8:23 (NIV):  

“For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”  

Let us imagine the situation. The laying on of hands involved the apostles placing their hands on the foreheads of individuals and praying for them one by one. Simon, observing this scene, was deeply shocked by the dramatic transformations in those who received prayer. He approached the apostles with money and made a special request: Unlike others, Simon said, “I’ll give you all the money you want—just sell me that power. Give me the ability to lay hands on people so that they, too, can receive the Holy Spirit.”  

What happened to Simon? He not only failed to acquire the ability to lay hands on others, but he also received a severe warning and ultimately did not receive the Holy Spirit as the other Samaritans had.  

Why does the Book of Acts suddenly include this strange story about Simon the Sorcerer? Today’s passage challenges us to find the answer to that question.  

In the Gospels, Jesus praises the faith of only two individuals, both of whom were Gentiles.  

One was a Roman centurion. A centurion was a high-ranking officer commanding 100 soldiers.  

Luke 7:6 says,  

*"He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: 'Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.'”*  

The centurion was so humble that he felt unworthy for the holy Lord to meet him, a Gentile who had committed many acts of violence, or to enter his house. For this humility, Jesus commended him:  

Luke 7:9 says,  

*"When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, 'I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.'”*  

The other was a Gentile woman who pleaded with Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus tested her faith with a seemingly harsh statement:  

Matthew 15:26 says,  

*"He replied, 'It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.'”*  

The woman responded humbly, and Jesus gave her great praise in return:  

Matthew 15:27-28 says,  

*"‘Yes it is, Lord,’ she said. ‘Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed at that moment."*  

Here, Jesus defines true humility as faith. He equates the greatness of faith with the depth of humility.  

The laying on of hands is also something one cannot receive without humility.  

In the Old Testament, laying on of hands was most commonly performed not on people but on sacrificial animals. It was a ritual to transfer one's sins onto the animal to atone for them.  

An instance of laying on of hands on a person occurs when Moses commissions Joshua through prayer.  

These two examples might seem like opposites—one transferring sin like a curse, the other bestowing authority like a blessing. But Numbers shows that they are fundamentally the same.  

Numbers 8:10-11 says,  

*"You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them. Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord."*  

Laying on of hands always signifies that the recipient is being dedicated as an offering to God.  

The significance of the Levites being presented as offerings is that they were set apart to live solely for the Lord.  

Joshua and the Levites shared this: their lives were fully dedicated to serving as mediators between God and the people. While their specific roles differed, and even among the Levites there were various types of work, they shared the same reality: God was the master of their lives, and their purpose was to bridge the gap between God and His people. In turn, God took full responsibility for their lives.  

All the ordinary Samaritan believers willingly accepted this calling, received the Holy Spirit, and began living out this mission. They had no reason to boast or grow proud; they were weak and humble, yet, as Jesus said, their weakness and humility became their blessing.  

However, Simon, who was powerful and high-ranking, sought to possess the power of the Holy Spirit for his own benefit. While he had listened to Philip’s teachings and followed him zealously, all his actions were ultimately aimed at elevating himself.  

The God we worship is not a deity who exists for our personal religion. He does not tolerate being treated that way. No matter how fervent one’s efforts, if the purpose of one’s faith is centered on oneself, God will deliver the same curse and severe warning He gave to Simon the Sorcerer.  

But to those who willingly offer themselves as sacrifices for God and His people, the Lord will lay His hands upon them and pour out His Spirit in abundance.  

The path of the cross that the Lord walked, the way of living sacrifices, is the most noble purpose of life. Those who walk this path willingly will experience the greatest blessing, dignity, happiness, and peace.  

The Holy Spirit comes only to those who are humble, ready to close their eyes, and receive the touch of the Lord’s hand upon their forehead.  

Are you ready to receive the laying on of hands?  

1/12 There Was Great Joy in That City

Acts Sermon #39

Date: January 12, 2025
Title: There Was Great Joy in That City
Scripture: Acts 8:1-8

1 And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.

3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there.

6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said.

7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

8 So there was great joy in that city.

### Today’s Scripture Shows That the Church Entered a New Era of Mission.  

To understand this, we need to revisit the birth of the church.

After Jesus was crucified on the cross, He rose from the dead and spent 40 days appearing to His disciples. During this time, a gathering formed around those who had encountered the resurrected Christ, and this became the foundation of the church.

Jesus instructed them to wait for the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem. Then came the event we have meditated on many times: the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

About 100 people were gathered closely together in an upper room. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were suddenly able to speak in various languages. Filled with power, the Holy Spirit led them out into the world.

This demonstrates the characteristic of the Holy Spirit: the power to share the grace one has received.

Coincidentally, during the Jewish festival, the temple was crowded with foreign Jews who spoke those very languages as their native tongue. 

When these uneducated Galilean fishermen began speaking in unfamiliar languages, some onlookers wondered if they were drunk early in the morning. However, Peter stood up and declared that it was the work of the Holy Spirit. He proclaimed that the prophecy of Joel regarding the last days was being fulfilled before their eyes:

**[Joel 2:28-29]**  

*28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,  

your old men will dream dreams,  

your young men will see visions.  

29 Even on my servants, both men and women,  

I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”*

Thus, the birth of the church at Pentecost also marked the beginning of the last days in human history.

At the time, pilgrims naturally formed groups based on their native languages. The disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak these foreign languages, approached these groups and interpreted Peter’s message into their native tongues, preaching the sermon in a way they could understand.

The fact that individuals who had never traveled to those countries or studied those languages were suddenly able to speak them fluently was an extraordinary miracle. It silenced the crowd and caused them to listen intently to the sermon.

The conclusion of Peter’s message was as follows:

**[Acts 2:36-38]**  

*36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”  

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”  

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”*

All who came to believe in Jesus Christ and were baptized were called “the church.”

Throughout church history, and even in our time, such as during the Asbury Revival two years ago, there have been miraculous experiences and manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The early believers gathered daily in the temple to hear the apostles’ teachings, praise God, and engage in a completely new form of worship.

**[Acts 2:42]**  

*“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”*

Before this, worship involved exchanging currency, purchasing offerings, and presenting them to the priests, who would then sacrifice the offerings, sprinkle their blood, and burn them. But now, there was no need for currency exchange or offerings. Worship became about receiving the apostles’ teachings, fellowshipping, breaking bread, and praying together—the very form of worship we observe today.

However, many pilgrims from foreign lands were part of this early community. The local believers in Jerusalem faced challenges in providing food and shelter for far more people than their own families. At this critical moment, individuals like Barnabas voluntarily sold their possessions and brought the proceeds to the apostles, creating a heavenly community the world had never seen.

**[Acts 2:44-46]**  

*44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.  

45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.*

This is the fragrance of heaven.  

Isn’t it common for close relatives to become enemies over money? Across cultures, financial issues are one of the main reasons for divorce. Earthly power is rooted in selfishness, while heavenly authority is grounded in selfless love.  

Imagine pooling all our paychecks on payday and redistributing them according to need. Most of us would feel an overwhelming sense of discomfort, maybe even shock. It’s such an alien idea, completely at odds with the values and norms of the world we live in. 

But 2,000 years ago, the disparity between the rich and the poor was even greater. Most people were in dire situations where they relied heavily on help just to get by. So, this concept was even more shocking back then. 

The degree of our discomfort or shock at such an idea is, in fact, proportional to the distance between our values and the values of the kingdom of heaven.

I remember something that happened many years ago. At the time, I was a young ministry intern leading a Bible study for the English-speaking group at our church. One of the members, a man who had been attending church for some time, began opening up more and participating sincerely in our Bible study. Week after week, he faithfully completed his assignments, showed a growing interest in Scripture, and seemed eager to deepen his commitment to the church. Watching his progress brought me great joy and a sense of purpose.

One Sunday after Bible study, he approached me with a serious question. He told me he wanted to start giving properly to the church but didn’t know how much to give. He asked if I could provide him with some guidance or a standard.

I remember feeling cautious. When I first started attending church, I was living in Seoul, struggling to make ends meet in a demanding job. The concept of tithing—a tenth of my income—had been shocking to me. It took time for me to fully grasp the truth that all of my income came from the Lord and belonged to Him. So, I understood how sensitive this topic could be, especially for someone new to the faith.

At first, I suggested that he simply give according to his gratitude toward God, as much as he felt comfortable. But he was persistent, earnestly wanting to know the “right” standard. Reluctantly, I explained the concept of tithing. His reaction was one of visible shock.

Sadly, not long after, he began attending less frequently. Eventually, he stopped coming to church altogether. I was heartbroken. For years, I thought about that moment. What could I have said differently? Was there a better way to approach it? Even now, I occasionally wonder about it.

In the world, fairness is often seen as everyone paying the same price for the same service or receiving the same wage for the same work. But the church has never operated that way—not from the very beginning. God’s ways are not like the ways of the world.

The parable of the talents clearly illustrates this principle: God requires more from those who have been given more—not only financially, but also in love, commitment, and service.  

**[Luke 12:47-48]**  

*47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.  

48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”*  

If everything we have has been given by the Lord, then isn’t it only fair that we live by His principles?  

When I was younger, teachers often said, *“Being first place isn’t what’s important. What really matters is being honest and giving your best—that’s the true victory.”* They would genuinely praise students who worked hard, regardless of their results.  

But as I grew older and entered the world, I realized how far ideals are from reality.  

Even at a children’s amusement park, wealth determines who can skip lines. What message does that send to kids about fairness and effort?  

When electing leaders, morality is no longer even a consideration; the immediate personal benefits they offer have become the main criterion. It’s no wonder that the people children admire today are often those who’ve accumulated the most wealth, regardless of their methods.  

In a world where children grow up learning such lessons early, the phrase *“Being honest and giving your best is what really matters”* can sound like a hollow echo.  

The values and culture of the world constantly shift—sometimes toward good, sometimes toward evil. In the 1950s, for example, in the United States, it’s said that if you weren’t a registered church member, you couldn’t even get a bank loan. At that time, attending church was so common that those who didn’t were in the minority. Christian values shaped the societal norms of that era.  

Even those who didn’t attend church shared similar moral standards with Christians: valuing fidelity in marriage, prioritizing honesty and diligence over mere achievement, and holding to a high view of integrity.  

When Christian values began to permeate society, they fundamentally changed it. For instance, in ancient Rome, where it was once common to abandon unwanted infants, the advent of Christianity led to the establishment of orphanages. Hospitals were built to care for the sick, driven by a new ethic of compassion.  

This pattern has repeated wherever Christianity has taken root. In Korea, missionaries introduced orphanages, hospitals, and schools, bringing transformative change to society.  

When Christianity enters a culture, it doesn’t merely establish churches—it eradicates widespread evils and builds a fairer, healthier society.  

A striking example of this comes from 1974, during the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Switzerland. An Indian pastor, while walking through Swiss pastures with a local pastor, noticed something remarkable. They passed a self-service milk stand in front of a dairy farm. The Swiss pastor casually took a bottle of milk from the fridge, left money on the counter, and walked away.  

Astonished, the Indian pastor exclaimed, *“Pastor, I’ve been wondering since we walked past those pastures without any guards. How is it possible that no one steals the cows? And now, how can you leave cash at the counter with no one watching? And what’s more, how can the milk be sold without adulteration?”*  

The Swiss pastor, equally puzzled, responded, *“Why would anyone need to guard it?”*  

It was then that the Indian pastor realized something profound. In India at the time, leaving cows unattended was unthinkable because they would surely be stolen. Shops always required attendants, and milk was often diluted with water to increase profits, necessitating multiple layers of quality checks. Ironically, despite India’s lower GDP, the price of a glass of milk there was higher than in Switzerland because of these inefficiencies.  

This wasn’t about the Swiss people being inherently more devout or pure. It highlighted the pervasive influence of Christian values on a society. Where trust, honesty, and fairness prevail, society becomes more efficient and just. Christianity shapes not just individuals but the broader culture in ways that promote human flourishing.

This passage shows us how such transformative changes in human history began.  

The Samaritans *listened to Philip, saw the signs he performed, and followed what he said.* The text implies that their values and culture were beginning to change.  

The gospel of Jesus Christ had reached Samaria.  

And what happened as a result?  

**[Acts 8:7]**  

*“For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.”*  

Do you know people around you who are possessed by evil spirits, screaming and manifesting violently? Perhaps you’ve encountered such cases occasionally, but it’s not something we commonly see.  

Yet, in the Bible, these occurrences are frequent. Doesn’t that strike you as curious?  

Jesus, the disciples, and Paul encountered such people repeatedly, and countless stories of exorcism are recorded throughout Scripture.  

So why don’t we see such cases as often in our time?  

Even in a world where finding a truly godly church is challenging, and Christianity faces criticism for its shortcomings, God’s presence still remains in the places we live.  

Just as ten righteous people could save a city (Genesis 18:32), the presence of even a small number of faithful believers who love God sustains our communities. The Holy Spirit, who dwells in and works through these believers, protects the region.  

This isn’t just a matter of historical differences. If you go to areas where Christianity has little to no influence, you’ll still find bizarre phenomena and people possessed by demons relatively easily.  

In regions shaped by what we often call Western civilization, where the influence of Christianity has been historically significant—even if it’s waning—there are still faithful remnants who keep the church alive. Because of these remnants, these areas are not overtaken by the dominion of evil spirits.  

The sustaining presence of God’s people and the work of the Holy Spirit prevent such places from becoming dens of spiritual darkness.  

A few days ago, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of 100. What caught my attention was the widespread recognition and admiration for his life, far beyond what I expected.

Though he holds the distinction of being one of the few one-term presidents in U.S. history, a title often seen as unfavorable, his post-presidency life achieved what no other president has accomplished.

As a human rights ambassador, Carter monitored over 100 elections in 39 countries and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his decades-long efforts in resolving international conflicts peacefully. He also devoted much of his life to volunteering through *Habitat for Humanity*, traveling the world to build homes for the homeless—a mission he pursued for decades.

In 1976, during his presidential campaign, Carter faced a major crisis due to his unflinching honesty. Openly professing his born-again Christian faith, he was asked if he had ever sinned. He responded, *“I cannot say I’m without sin because I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.”* Yet the press twisted his words into headlines claiming, *“Carter Confesses to Adultery,”* a narrative that followed him throughout his life.

Even so, Carter went on to win the presidency, and one of his most famous statements became, *“I will never lie to you.”*  

He was the first U.S. president to openly identify as a born-again Christian. Advocating for limited government intervention, Carter believed the freedom this allowed should be filled with Christian values and a clear moral conscience.

Carter’s lifelong motto was encapsulated in his words during his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech:  

*"God has given us the ability to choose.  

We can choose to alleviate suffering.  

We can choose to work together for peace.  

We can make these changes—and we must."*

Seeing the world honor Jimmy Carter’s 100-year legacy—from secular newspapers to Christian media, and across the political spectrum—was both surprising and heartwarming. It felt as if God was affirming Carter’s life, allowing him to receive respect and glory from all people.

In these times of severe polarization—whether in Europe, Korea, or the U.S.—where nations are torn apart by far-right and far-left ideologies, Carter’s values shine even brighter. His life offers a stark contrast to the darkness of division and serves as a reminder of a higher calling.

As I wrote these reflections, his funeral on Thursday was broadcast globally. Current President Joe Biden described Carter as a *“faithful servant of God,”* a eulogy that felt more fitting for a pastor than a politician.

For Jimmy Carter, being a faithful servant of God mattered far more—eternally more—than being a president of the United States.  

And the same holds true for us all.

What kind of book is the Bible? While there are many ways to analyze it, when we look at its content, it’s not merely a list of rules or wise sayings for life. Instead, it’s filled with the stories of people—individuals God wanted us to know about.

The book of Acts we are reading now illustrates this well. It moves from the story of Barnabas to Stephen, and now to Philip, showcasing the commonalities among God’s faithful servants. These are individuals who loved and followed God, and through whom God worked powerfully.  

The Bible is the record of those who loved God and the works God accomplished through them.  

If that’s the case, then in the time after the Bible, God’s work should still manifest through those who follow Him.  

It has been 2,000 years since Christ, and now the church exists all over the world. If so, there should be countless individuals in every church who, like Jesus, inspire and move others—even nonbelievers.  

But where are such people today?  

When we think about Christianity in America, or even more so in Korea, who comes to mind?  

Among politicians known for their faith, it’s hard to find the honesty of someone like Jimmy Carter. Among pastors, it’s rare to find those filled with the fragrance of deep and boundless love.  

A few days ago, I came across statistics shared on a Korean Christian broadcast. It revealed that Christianity is the most disliked religion among Koreans. Even more startling was the reason: both Christians and non-Christians alike cited corruption and immorality within the church as the primary cause.  

There were other painful truths in the survey, but one stood out to me as the most serious problem.  

When asked about the most important aspect of faith, both Christians and non-Christians gave the same answer. Can you guess what it was?  

Both groups agreed that the primary purpose of religion is *“peace of mind.”*  

The professor presenting the results noted that this shift, away from “salvation and eternal life” as the primary purpose of faith, represents a profound paradigm shift.  

This change is more than just a statistic—it’s a reflection of how far the church may have drifted from its foundational mission.

For those who believe that this life is all there is, it’s natural to see religion as a source of “peace of mind.” I thought the same way before I met Jesus.  

But how is it that the majority of Christians today also define the purpose of faith as “peace of mind”?  

Peace of mind is a byproduct of having Jesus as Lord and receiving eternal life, not the purpose of faith itself.  

Yet, most Christians no longer agree with this truth. The broadcast concluded with the suggestion that we must find ways to improve Christianity’s public perception.  

But how should we approach this?  

Should churches work to provide the kind of peace people are looking for?  

Or should they boldly call people to repentance, saying, *“That’s not the way!”*  

This situation clarifies and explains so much.  

The harshest rebukes Jesus gave were directed at the religious leaders of Judaism. He called them *“whitewashed tombs”* and *“hypocrites.”* His criticism wasn’t of Judaism itself, which began with Moses, but of how it had become a religion serving their self-interests rather than a true worship of God.  

In the same way, Christianity has, for many believers, devolved into a religion that fulfills their personal needs. Recognizing this pattern in the data makes it all the more understandable.  

I believe this is why the Lord gives us sobering and, at times, frightening messages in Acts. Many churchgoers today live without realizing their state, pursuing the *“new idol”* of peace of mind as their ultimate goal. Doesn’t this call for us to wake them up, even if it means shaking them?  

If there are people around you who place the purpose of their faith in peace of mind, physical health, or their children’s success, pray earnestly for their salvation.  

Like the Jews of Jesus’ time, they need to be awakened to the true purpose of faith. And remember how sharply Jesus rebuked them to shake them from their spiritual complacency.  

In the introduction to *“Spiritual Disciplines and Growth,”* which we began studying this past Wednesday, the author emphasizes the necessity of spiritual training and warns against two prevalent extremes within Christianity.  

On one side are those who misunderstand grace to mean that we should remain passive, doing nothing because *“it’s all God’s work.”* On the other side are those who strive to live a godly life entirely through their own effort, apart from God’s power.  

Most of us have likely experienced both extremes, along with their discouraging results.  

I’ve seen many Christians swing between these two approaches, living joyless spiritual lives. I, too, have fallen into those traps at times.  

So, what should we do?  

**“Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”**  

**- Galatians 6:8**

If we look closely at this verse, it emphasizes that *we* are the ones sowing. Whether we choose to sow to please the flesh or to please the Spirit, the responsibility for that choice lies with us.  

The statement *“everything is grace”* is not meant to be an excuse for us to keep sowing to the flesh as if it doesn’t matter.  

However, neither can we manufacture grace. If we start to think, *“I’ve studied the Bible, I’ve gained knowledge, and now I can produce grace myself,”* we are setting ourselves up for failure.  

Even the seeds we sow, the ground they are sown in, the water that nourishes them, and the sunlight that shines upon them—all of these are God’s grace.  

No matter how much we grow spiritually, our role remains a small gesture to position ourselves to receive grace.  

This involves self-control: refraining from seeing, hearing, or touching things that hinder us from receiving grace. But even this self-control is not something we can accomplish by our own strength or willpower.  

The choices we make—to receive grace, to walk in love, to pray faithfully for others, to drag our tired bodies to fellowship—these are all acts of sowing to please the Spirit. Yet, even these are not things we can do on our own.  

Take this cold morning as an example. Are we here simply because of our own will? No. This is the result of both our choice and the Lord’s help working together.  

For some of us, the discipline of attending Sunday worship is well-ingrained, making the decision easier. For others, being away from worship for too long has made the step of coming back feel overwhelmingly difficult.  

In the same way, our daily lives are a blend of God’s guidance and our choices. Some will spend most of their day disconnected from God, while others will strive to make decisions aligned with their faith, grappling with what is right.  

But neither of these paths is what we seek.  

The life we pursue is one where we remember God and continually open up space for Him to work. The power and the love in that space must always come from Him.  

This way of life is not easily achieved. It’s like trying to change an old habit; it requires persistence.  

But faith is not about merely seeing or hearing—it is about following.  

Knowing about Jesus won’t transform the world, but following Jesus will.  

When more people truly follow Him, great joy will spread throughout the city.  

Let’s dream together this year, in 2025, of being the kind of followers through whom His joy can radiate. Let’s make choices that open up space for Jesus to move and work.  

In every one of those spaces, the fragrance of God’s kingdom and His great joy will overflow.  

**Let us pray.**

1/5 From Saul to Stephen

Date: January 5, 2025

Title: From Saul to Stephen

Scripture: Acts 8:1-6

It feels like it’s been a very long time since we’ve worshiped here. We’ve truly lived the life of travelers this time of the year as well.

But in my heart, it feels more like a warm and cozy time, as if we all went on a journey together. I believe it’s because we’ve been surrounded by God’s grace.

In the neighborhood where I live, there are two large Jewish synagogues, and about 30% of the town’s population is Jewish, so it’s common to see them around. Every year, around September to October, during the time of Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles), you can easily spot homes with sukkahs (temporary shelters) set up in front.

The Feast of Tabernacles is a time to remember the days when the Israelites lived as travelers in the wilderness. Especially in the fall, during the season of the harvest, God made sure that, in the midst of abundance, they wouldn’t forget Him. He wanted them to remember the God of the wilderness—the God of Gershom.

For Jewish children, experiencing the cold air and the hard, uncomfortable ground each year offers a completely different experience compared to just hearing stories about the wilderness from thousands of years ago.

Finding a place to worship every year at the end of the year isn’t easy, but the experience of feeling the same longing that Mary and Joseph must have had when they searched for a place to give birth to baby Jesus during Christmas is truly a blessing.

Just like the Feast of Tabernacles that God gave us, having a pilgrim’s heart and placing our hope only in God is a miraculous blessing.

Here, where a million people gather to welcome the New Year on January 1st, isn’t it a miracle and a privilege that we can worship Jesus Christ every week?

Let’s thank the Lord for yet another miracle that has happened today and give Him our applause!

We have been studying the sermon of Stephen, whose name means “crown,” over the past few weeks, and through this, we’ve also explored the history of Israel—God’s history.

Through Stephen’s sermon, the Israelites would have felt a sense of pride as they listened to the great stories of their ancestors, from Abraham, their proud forefather, to Jacob and the era of the patriarchs, as well as the great history of the Exodus led by God with Moses.

However, the incident of the golden calf, which took place just before the Ten Commandments were given in the wilderness, turned the mood around dramatically.

Despite having experienced the miraculous parting of the Red Sea and other great miracles of salvation, how quickly and easily the Israelites had turned their backs on God—this was the truth that Stephen exposed, and it stirred up the crowd.

Without hesitation, Stephen proclaimed the shocking truth he really wanted to share.

“You are no different from the Israelites in the wilderness who foolishly called the golden calf God and worshipped it. You have come to treat this temple as if it were God Himself. Do you really think God is confined to this temple?”

They were enraged and picked up stones.

But think about it for a moment.

Was Stephen wrong?

Was God not present before the temple was built?

What about before the tabernacle was established? Was God not there then?

The God of Jacob and Abraham did not have a physical form or a designated place, did He?

Was God’s presence lacking because there was no temple? Isn’t it the opposite?

God was everywhere and was always with them, wasn’t He?

Stephen wanted to tell his Jewish brothers about the restoration of worship.

[John 4:21] Jesus replied, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.”

This was Jesus’ response to the Samaritan woman, who had asked whether the true place of worship was the temple on Mount Gerizim in northern Israel or the temple in Jerusalem.

And He continued:

[John 4:23] “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

Stephen wanted to convey this message:

“You say you value the temple because you love God, but now are you not only loving the temple itself?”

If you truly loved God, how could you kill the prophets He sent?

When John the Baptist died, you didn’t mourn.

You killed the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and now you want to kill me too, don’t you?

I’ve shared this a few times before, but as I reflect on Solomon’s Temple and Herod’s Temple, I find myself thinking deeply.

Solomon didn’t build the temple simply because he lacked materials, money, or love for God. He was the wealthiest king in Israel’s history.

Yet, he humbly listened to God’s will and completed the construction in seven years. On the other hand, the expansion of Herod’s temple, according to the Gospel of John, took forty-six years.

[John 2:20] “The Jews responded, ‘It took forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’”

By the time of Jesus, the construction had already been ongoing for 46 years, and it was completed in AD 63, taking a total of 83 years. However, in AD 70, it was completely destroyed by the Roman army.

What is the significance of the size of these two temples, and the fact that one took 7 years to complete and the other 83 years?

There are many meanings, but I believe the most important lesson is, “Do not pour too much energy into building the temple!”

What did God want to accomplish through His protection and blessings on the nation of Israel?

[Exodus 19:5-6]

5 “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.

6 Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

In the Old Testament, God was pleased and blessed Israel when they feared Him and served as a light to the nations. On the other hand, when they became more and more like the nations around them and even envied them, they suffered defeat in wars and were destroyed.

The characteristic of the prosperous foreign cities of that time was their enormous idols and temples, which attracted pilgrims from all over. The fact that Herod expanded the Jerusalem Temple into something more beautiful and grand was not unrelated to this.

Among the Jews of that time, it was almost unthinkable not to believe that the long, ongoing expansion of the temple was for the glory of God and in accordance with His will.

However, God did not want the construction of such a grand and elaborate temple. Instead, He wanted Israel to live as His people and become a holy nation of priests, spreading His salvation to the ends of the earth.

When grand church buildings were constructed in medieval Europe, how many people truly thought that these were being built for God, to make Him happy and glorify Him?

However, we must remember that when St. Peter’s Basilica, the most beautiful and magnificent church, was built in Vatican City—recognized today as the heart of Catholicism—it was also during a time when the church had fallen so far that it had nowhere left to go.

The Reformation was a resistance by a poor monk who saw how the construction of such church buildings was funded by the blood and sweat of the common people.

Something very similar happened in Jesus’ time in Judaism and in Catholicism during the medieval period. Thus, the same force that led to this deception must also have been at work.

What is shocking, however, is that medieval Catholicism was no different from Judaism in many ways. That is truly shocking.

They had read the same Acts of the Apostles we are reading, and they had heard Stephen’s cry.

And yet, they were deceived again, and returned to the path of idolatry.

Their hearts, eyes, and ears were once again darkened.

They had the truth that leads to light, but they never met God in that truth.

Can we confidently say that our evangelical Christianity is different? Can we be sure that today’s churches are truly meeting God in the light of truth?

Do we sometimes think that we can lead people to God through visible success and grandeur? When a successful businessman or a famous celebrity reveals they are Christian, we get excited and proud, sometimes even showing off their crosses or religious symbols. We expect that many people will follow Jesus because of them.

I, too, had similar thoughts for a while. But now, I don’t see it that way.

Even if people are led to church through such individuals, I’m not sure if they will be helped toward true faith, or if those individuals will actually be a hindrance to their faith.

Jesus Himself rejected people who followed Him because they thought being a Christian would bring them success in business or wealth. He said to them, “You follow me because you ate the bread I gave you and were filled. You just want to make Me your king so that you can live well and prosper. But I will not be that kind of king for you.”

But do we see churches today saying such things? Have we ever heard a church say, “If you follow Jesus with such intentions, you are not worthy to be His disciple. Think carefully, count the cost, and then come.”

Instead, we hear churches saying, “Come sit down first, regardless of your reasons. Faith comes from hearing, so listen to the Word!” Haven’t we all heard this? But have churches that attracted people with such an approach become shining examples of the light of Christ in the world? Has Christianity truly become the fullness of Christ revealed to the world?

Look at the examples of Christians shown in the Acts of the Apostles, aside from the twelve apostles who had a special position with Jesus. Barnabas, for example, did not consider his wealth his own; he freely shared it with the community to help those in need.

And Stephen, whom we’ve been reflecting on for the past few weeks, did not even hesitate to give his life.

God may not be asking all of us to live the same way, but if Christ is truly our Lord, can we give only a portion of our possessions to Him, keeping the rest for ourselves? Can we still call Him our Lord while doing that?

It’s good to admire the life of Jesus and to gain wisdom from reading the Bible—these will benefit us greatly in life.

However, that is not what makes someone a Christian.

A Christian is a “ChristiAN” It means belonging to Christ. It means Christ is the Lord. That’s why we call Him “Lord, Lord.”

“Lord” is a title that elevates the name of Jesus, showing that He is both God and the Owner of our lives. In English, it is written with a capital “LORD” to signify this. It’s not just any master; He is God Himself.

The ones who stoned Stephen to death were not Gentiles or Roman soldiers. They were deeply religious Jews. They were absolutely certain that they were punishing a heretic who was blaspheming God.

If they truly knew God and encountered Him through their faith, how could they not recognize a faithful brother like Stephen? How could they have stoned him to death for blasphemy?

Who, then, was the “Lord” they so firmly believed in and followed? This is not something we should take lightly, is it?

The most religious Jews of that time did not truly follow God as their Lord. Similarly, during the Middle Ages, countless priests and popes presided over the most grand churches. They wore magnificent robes and hats decorated with crosses, but in reality, Jesus was not their Lord.

Isn’t this a serious and frightening matter?

In today’s passage, it is recorded that some Jews, like Saul, rejoiced in victory at the death of Stephen, while another group of Jews mourned and wept for him.

They were the same people, likely from the same synagogue, growing up and learning together, yet they had completely opposite reactions.

The difference between Moses and the people of Israel…

The difference between Stephen and Saul…

In the same era,

Having witnessed the same miracles of God, they chose completely different paths.

What makes the difference?

[Acts 7:51]

“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your ancestors: you always resist the Holy Spirit.”

In the Bible, when God rebukes Israel, He often uses the phrase “stiff-necked people.”

This expression literally refers to being stubborn and proud. These two qualities are inseparable.

When it says that their hearts and ears were uncircumcised, it means their hearts and ears were covered by lies, making them unable to see or hear the truth.

When covered by lies and stubbornly proud, no one can help you.

We are being told not to be stubborn but to open our hearts and ears. We need to be humble before both God and people, and obedient to the Holy Spirit.

Personally, no matter how many times they hear the gospel or receive sacrificial love, a stubborn person will not accept Jesus as Lord.

Without a heart that pleads for help in weakness, without mourning over one’s sins, without the desperate, humble recognition that there is no hope for salvation except through Jesus, salvation cannot come.

The first appearance of the young man named Saul is connected to the death of Stephen.

[Acts 7:58]

“They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.”

If we misunderstand this scene, we might think that Saul wasn’t actively involved in the brutal killing of Stephen. However, the reality is the opposite.

Later, as the record shows, Saul was a key figure who ruthlessly sought out and destroyed churches one by one. The book of Acts clearly records how he eagerly volunteered for this task.

The fact that the witnesses laid their coats at Saul’s feet actually shows that he was the leader of this mob.

The Pharisees were careful never to stain their hands with the blood of sinners. Even approaching a dead body was considered taboo for them. They saw themselves as holy and left the dirty work to the common crowd.

When Stephen was put to death, the English translation of Acts 8:1 says, “Saul approved of their killing.” This shows that he permitted and led the crowd in the execution.

Forgiveness

However, as we saw in last week’s passage, Jesus sternly warned that anyone who causes one of the little ones to stumble would be better off tying a millstone around their neck and drowning in the sea.

How heavy must Saul’s sin be?

Stephen, who lived exactly as Jesus did, a man so precious that he could even make Jesus rise, was stoned to death by Saul. Saul stirred up the crowd, and without getting his hands dirty, he was the one who orchestrated the brutal killing. How much more grievous must his sin have been? Doesn’t he deserve the harshest punishment?

Yet, God forgave him.

When this man lost his sight and knelt before one of the very Christians he had been hunting, God not only forgave him but also made him walk the same path as Stephen—living a life like Stephen’s.

This Saul became the Apostle Paul.

Who was Paul?

Some scholars even say that Christianity is the religion of Paul, who completed the doctrine of Christianity.

It was a complete reversal.

Furthermore, due to Stephen’s martyrdom, the Christian faith that began in Jerusalem quickly spread throughout Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

[Acts 1:8]

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Whatever the cause, whatever the method, the Lord wanted His church to spread beyond Jerusalem and reach the whole world.

Though one Stephen was martyred, countless other Stephens spread out into the world, didn’t they?

This is the Christian version of a happy ending, where everything works together for good.

Death and Sleep

In Acts 7:60, it says that Stephen “fell asleep” rather than “died.” It expresses it as sleeping, not death.

[1 Thessalonians 4:16]

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

Being “in Christ” means belonging to Him, being His possession. As those who belong to Christ, we will awaken, and that day will be more refreshing than any morning.

Jesus, while on the cross, said to a repentant sinner, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise!”

In the physical world, the return of Jesus and the resurrection of those who are asleep in Christ could take thousands of years, but when we awake and put on our glorious spiritual bodies, that day will feel as if no time has passed at all—just like today.

For Stephen, who slept that day, he is not waiting for the second coming of Jesus after 2,000 years. From his perspective, the moment he “fell asleep,” he was already with his beloved Lord.

Do you believe this? If you truly believe this, how will our lives change?

The fears and frustrations we experience, especially the dissatisfaction with things that have not been achieved, could they actually stem from our inability to truly believe in eternal life?

When we stand before the Lord in that eternal place, we will look back on our lives and see them as if they were a dream, just a brief moment.

In that brief moment, we have been tricked into thinking we must accomplish everything, proving how important we are or that we deserve to be loved. We spend this short time trying to prove ourselves. Who is trying to deceive us into living this way?

Don’t we live with the same anxieties and worries as those who think their bodies, which will eventually decay and return to dust, are all they have?

How many of our life’s resources have we poured out trying to protect and preserve what is only a handful of things, living in fear of loss?

If this isn’t just someone else’s story, let’s dedicate ourselves completely to the Lord in this new year of 2025.

Let’s live a life where the Lord truly is the Master,

a life where He takes full responsibility from beginning to end,

and let’s live a year where we don’t interfere with His work.

When we look to the Lord, who is watching over us,

we will mysteriously find that sacrifices made out of love will no longer feel like losses.

The love that comes from eternity is something that grows the more we share it.

Loving like that is the fundamental reason we live in this world.

The One who can move someone like Saul to the place of Stephen—let’s entrust ourselves completely to Him.

We will rise up and meet the gaze of Jesus, who watched over Stephen.

12/29 Those Who Receive the Crown

Acts Lesson 37

Date: 12/29/2024

Title: Those Who Receive the Crown

Scripture: Acts 7:50-60

[Acts 7:50-60]

50 "Is it not he who made the heavens and the earth and everything in them?"

51 "You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors did.

52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him,

53 despite the fact that you have received the law that the angel of the presence gave.

54 When they heard these things, they were enraged and began to twist their ears and kill Stephen.

55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

57 At this, they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,

58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes down at a young man named Saul’s feet.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep."

Greeting

First, thank you to Chajojohneun Church for inviting and welcoming our church.

Our church is currently using a studio near Times Square in Manhattan as our worship location. However, since the studio itself will close from Christmas through the end of the year, we suddenly find ourselves without a place to worship.

Therefore, starting with the Christmas worship on the 25th, continuing through today—the last Sunday of the year—and up to the New Year’s worship a few days later, we have been wandering like strangers.

However, this is not entirely unfamiliar to our church.

We have worshiped at Dominican Republic Church in Washington Heights, Manhattan, and also at a nursing home.

As a result, when I mentioned that we need to hold three worship services at different locations by the end of the year,

almost no one in the congregation was surprised, which actually made me a bit embarrassed.

Last week’s Christmas worship was also held in Fort Lee, and many members attended, making it a warm and abundant service. Taking advantage of being in Fort Lee, we also had warm jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) delivered for lunch.

Repeating these processes every year is not easy, but

through this process, we are reminded of many things: the fact that the church is not a building, and that we are still travelers on the journey.

Jacob, the patriarch of faith, defined his life as a "traveler’s life,"

and Peter, a disciple of Jesus, also called his brothers "those who are strangers in Christ."

When we look at life from the biggest possible perspective, until we enter the Kingdom of God, which has eternal homes, we are all travelers living in temporary dwellings.

However, we keep forgetting that and think and act as if we will live here forever.

This is the most serious factor that binds our lives to be indistinct from the world.

Therefore, experiencing the life of a traveler through the church has been an opportunity for spiritual awakening.

Nevertheless, this last Sunday’s worship this year is another extraordinary and new experience.

Because two communities have gathered together to worship.

The sight of two children being friendly together can instantly make a parent’s heart go to heaven.

Even without specifically presenting related Bible verses,

I am confident that the sight of our two churches uniting to praise and worship the Lord today is like honey dripping from the Lord’s eyes!

Even before I started my pastoral ministry, such things happened occasionally, but after I started, I actually experience this quite often. What I mean is, "Wow... this is really not something I am doing. It is the Lord working through me."

The moment we decided on this united worship was just like that. It was not a plan in my mind. Probably, it was not a plan in Pastor Chun's mind either. It was just that when the two met, their hearts connected, and it was the work of the Lord.

At such times, although it is a new situation, it feels as if it has been prepared for a long time and must come to be this way.

Therefore, I hope you can fully expect today.

Not my sermon, but through today’s worship where we have united, let's fully expect the changes and great works that will happen to us.

Our church has been studying Acts together for 36 weeks, spending time finding and hearing the Lord’s word through Acts.

Today is the 37th session, which is the scene of Deacon Stephen’s martyrdom.

**Entering Acts Chapter 7, Stephen began his sermon to the religious leaders and Jews who were fiercely pressing to kill him.**

He started from Abraham, the patriarch of faith whom they proudly regarded, moving through Moses and the years in the wilderness, the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant created there, and Joshua leading the people into the land of Canaan. The Ark of the Covenant was finally placed in the Temple by Solomon, David’s son.

When the Ark of the Covenant, which had been housed in tents as a temporary dwelling for a thousand years, was finally placed in a stable Temple, the joy of the Israelites was overwhelming and indescribable.

Later, the Temple expanded by King Herod became almost ten times larger than the one Solomon initially built, becoming magnificent and a source of pride for all the people of Israel.

**[Luke 21:5-6]**

5 "Some of those who are present said, 'Look, Teacher, what magnificent stones and buildings!'

6 But Jesus replied, 'Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.'"

When we see that Jesus spoke about the destruction of the Temple slightly differently in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we understand that He did not mention it just once.

Moreover, the direct reference to the destruction of the Temple was the immediate reason that incited the Jews' greatest anger.

Jesus also esteemed the Temple, but only as a "house of prayer for all nations," not equating the Temple itself with God.

However, the Jews had come to worship the Temple as if it were God. Their behavior was no different from idol worshipers who treated Greco-Roman temples and idols with reverence, despite only the name of Jehovah God being used. Their attitudes and the meaning of their worship had already become indistinguishable from idol worship.

The main purpose and final key point of Stephen's lengthy sermon was ultimately:

You are now worshiping the Temple as Jehovah God, just as the Israelites in the wilderness sang and worshiped Jehovah, the God who saved us, while they made the golden calf during Moses' time.

But God was not there; He was with His Son, Jesus Christ... whom you killed!

It is Jesus, whom you killed, not the Temple, who is worthy of honor and glory!

That is what he shouted!!

Did they awaken upon hearing this truth?

The enraged Jews did not even give Stephen a chance to defend himself in court. Shouting loudly, covering their ears, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him to death without a trial.

What made them so angry and excited to the point of killing a person might have been their love for the Temple, but it was certainly not love for God.

Let's take a look at a verse that we often memorize and that gives us great strength.

[Romans 8:28] "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Paul, who wrote this letter to the Romans, was writing to fellow believers who were suffering and whose hope seemed to be fading.

So, when he says, "in all things God works for the good," he was reassuring them that even if it seems like nothing good will come from their current situation, eventually everything will work out for the best. He wanted them to understand that.

In the end, everything that happens in our lives can be divided into two categories: things that God actively gives us, and things that He allows to happen with sorrow in His heart.

As a result, both joyful and sorrowful things coexist in our lives.

However, there is a special promise for those who love God. The severity of their pain is limited, and God promises to help them bear it. Furthermore, even the pains we endure will eventually bear beautiful and good fruit.

This is the foundation of the true and deep peace that we have.

Sadly, there are many Christians who treat God like Santa Claus, thinking He simply rewards good behavior and punishes bad. These people hide the truth about themselves, pretending everything is fine and acting like they are good, quiet children who never cry.

They think that if they obey God's commands, their business will prosper, their health will be good, and their children will do well, as if everything should work out in a simple, transactional way.

But doesn't the Bible say that God sometimes rebukes and disciplines those He loves? Doesn't it say that He hears the prayers of those who mourn? Doesn't it say that the sacrifices God accepts are a broken spirit?

Thus, so-called "prosperity theology" can never be true faith, even if someone is outwardly religious and seemingly holy. The Jewish leaders, who were the most religious and appeared the holiest, are the ones who dragged Stephen—who was like a saint, looking directly at Jesus—and stoned him to death. This shows that, in reality, they were idolaters, having no true relationship with God.

When we look carefully at Romans 8:28, the verse that gives us hope and the basis for our peace, we see that the promise is specifically for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

It is not about pretending to love, or following the selfish love that the world speaks of. It is about those who are called according to His will—those who obey God's purpose.

Jesus explained who these people are:

[Matthew 10:37-38]

37 "Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me."

Isn't this shocking? Does it seem too extreme?

This is what it means to love God and to be called by Him.

And we see this in the example of Stephen, who is shown to us as a model.

Stephen was not one of the Twelve Apostles. He was not killed by the Roman soldiers but by the very Jewish people he called his brothers. These people, filled with anger, stoned him to death.

What could be a more miserable and painful death than this?

But is there any good in this? Do you see this as an example of Romans 8:28, where "all things work together for good"?

How could this possibly have a happy ending?

Indeed, how many people in human history have loved God as much as Stephen did, and given everything for His calling? He is undoubtedly one of the few. Moreover, wasn't he the first martyr, the one who laid down his life for his friends, just as Jesus taught?

If the promise of Romans 8:28 did not apply to him, how could anyone dare to speak of hope?

[Acts 7:55] "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God."

The Lord kept His promise to Stephen.

At the very moment when everyone was rushing to kill him, the heavens opened, and Stephen could see the throne of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand.

A miraculous event occurred in Stephen’s heart—there was no sense of injustice, rejection, or desire for revenge.

Although his body was being dragged outside the city and stoned by those around him, Stephen continued to gaze upward and speak only to God until the very end.

[Acts 7:59-60]

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

After being struck with stones and falling, Stephen rose again and knelt down. With his focus back on the Lord, he prayed his final prayer for those who had thrown him outside the city and stoned him. “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

After saying these words, he fell asleep.

This is the first Christian "happy ending" recorded in the Bible, a fulfillment of the promise to those who love God and are called according to His purpose, where everything works together for good.

Does this match the "happy ending" you expected? If not, what went wrong?

Someone once said that today’s Christianity started without counting the cost... and now, it is filled with ruins and remnants of unfinished towers.

The figure of Stephen does not appear again in the Bible, but his name reappears with a different meaning.

[2 Timothy 4:7-8]

7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing."

The meaning of Stephen's name is "crown." This passage from 2 Timothy, like the message in Romans, clearly specifies the intended recipients of this promise.

It is for those who have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. And it is specifically for those who long for the Lord's Second Coming.

This is not intended for everyone who simply calls themselves a Christian.

We can know this from a simple question: Do all those who call themselves Christians truly see the Lord's return as the best news they could possibly receive? Are there any who would not want to delay the Lord's coming, wishing they had more time to prepare?

It is not those who delay or hope for more time, but those who truly love God—those who love Him above all else, in every moment of their lives. Those who have been called according to His purpose and live a life of obedience.

These people long for the Lord's return at any time. The glorious crown is for them.

If one spends their whole life chasing after an easy and wide path, thinking that they are a Christian, it is okay. No need to count the cost. All their sins were God's will. The discomforts of avoiding obedience must be fought as spiritual battles. Eventually, we will all receive a crown.

But if this is the voice you're hearing, and if you find peace in it, know that it is not the voice of the Lord. It is certainly not the voice of Jesus, who rose from His throne to welcome Stephen.

When someone rises from their seat, it is a sign of respect.

Jesus rose from His throne to welcome His faithful servant, Stephen. "You are now my friend because you know and do my will."

Compared to Stephen, haven’t we lived much longer under God’s protection and blessings?

I hope that all of us can make choices that will cause the Lord to rise from His throne to welcome us, just as He did for Stephen.

When we look back on the final day, we will see that much of our time was spent blending into the world, living lives that were comfortable, where all we will have left are ashes and regrets. We will stand before the Lord empty-handed.

But I hope that we will be people whom the Lord cannot take His eyes off. Living lives that bring joy and gratitude to God, filled with peace from eternity, and living in endless joy, until we see Him place the crown of glory on our heads.

This is not about appearance or ability. In fact, it is often the opposite of what is visible.

Amidst the people who insulted and attacked him, Stephen’s gaze remained fixed on the Kingdom of God, on the throne of God. Whether alone or in the crowd, Stephen’s focus remained on the Lord. The depth, length, and clarity of fixing one’s heart and mind on God is what we define as "faith."

It is through this faith that we will receive the crown of glory.

Do we desire to be those who love God, are called by Him, and long for His return above all else?

Our final day has not yet come, and as long as we have breath, there are still infinite possibilities before us.

On that day, if we, like Stephen, receive the crown of glory, we will see how everything—our mixed life of joy, sorrow, disappointment, and hope—ultimately comes together and is beautifully completed, just as God promised.

The cost of such a life was shown to us through Stephen.

Now, the question is: what kind of life will you choose, and what path will you walk?

Let us pray.

12/22 Selah-hammah-lekhoth (the Rock of Parting or Escape)

Topic: Selah-hammah-lekhoth (the Rock of Parting or Escape) 

Scripture: 1 Samuel 23:1-15 & 24-29

23 When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” 2 he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

4 Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” 

5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 

6 (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

7 Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” 8 And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9 When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” 10 David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. 11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.”

And the Lord said, “He will.”

12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?”

And the Lord said, “They will.”

13 So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

14 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.”

24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

26 Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land.” 28 Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth. 29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.”

The most dangerous moment for a newborn is likely the very instant they are born, transitioning from their mother’s womb into the outside world. Though they cannot speak, how frightening it must be for them! Therefore, it is important to create the safest, most calming, and comfortable environment possible to help the newborn adjust. 

It is customary to wrap newborns in swaddling clothes (baby wraps). Swaddling involves gently wrapping a newborn in a light, breathable blanket, inserting the baby’s arms into it, and allowing some movement of the legs. This idea helps create a safe and comforting environment that calms and soothes the baby, resembling the environment of the mother's womb. 

The goal is to make the baby feel cozy and safe, just like when they were in the womb. Wrapping newborns in swaddling clothes is a long-standing tradition practiced in many cultures and is recommended for parents who have just had a baby. The benefits of swaddling include the following:

1. When a newborn is swaddled, the gentle pressure around their body mimics the sensation of being in the womb, which can help reduce fussiness and promote relaxation.

1. Newborns are easily startled and automatically react to surprises. Swaddling the baby can reduce the frequency of the startle reflex, which lowers the chances of the baby waking up unexpectedly. When a newborn is startled, it can cause anxiety for both the baby and the parents, especially during sleep.
   
   Swaddling helps keep the baby’s arms close to their body, which suppresses the startle reflex and provides more uninterrupted sleep. Therefore, swaddling the baby in this way can be an effective method to help the baby sleep longer and more deeply.

1. Since newborns' ability to regulate body temperature is still developing, they are easily affected by cold or overheating. Swaddling helps maintain a steady body temperature without the suffocation risk of heavy blankets, adding warmth to the baby.

1. The transition from the womb to the outside world can be overwhelming for a newborn. Swaddling helps recreate the cozy and secure environment of the womb, which can provide comfort and stability for the baby. This sense of security can reduce crying and improve overall mood, making the early stages of parenting easier to manage. Experts emphasize that it can be particularly helpful in reducing crying and irritability during the first few months.

1. One of the greatest concerns for parents of newborns is the risk of SIDS. Swaddling, combined with safe sleep practices, can help reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infants Death Syndrome). It is emphasized that babies swaddled should always sleep on their back, as this position is associated with a lower risk of SIDS.
   
   It is also important not to swaddle the baby too tightly, especially around the hips. Tight swaddling can lead to hip development issues, so it is necessary to leave space for the baby’s legs to move freely.
   
   In summary, swaddling a newborn promotes better sleep, reduces the startle reflex, and provides comfort and security. Swaddling supports the baby’s healthy sleep, calming, safety, and development, making it an essential parenting practice for at least the first 2-3 months of life.

Just as swaddling is essential for newborns, protecting life, even as adults, we too need a "swaddle" that can protect our lives. There are many times when we cannot protect ourselves. Today, the story of David highlights this even more. 

David was constantly running away and hiding because Saul, who was trying to kill him every day, was relentlessly pursuing him, David lived in fear. Escaping narrowly from Saul’s pursuit, David continued to survive, but it was not easy. Saul relentlessly chased David, but he could never catch him. It is because of God's providence, the Selah-hammah-lekhoth – the Rock of Parting.

The Israelites, who had entered and were living in the promised land, desired to become a stable nation like the surrounding countries. They demanded from the prophet Samuel that they too should have a king like other nations, and God, through Samuel, appointed Saul as their first king. 

Saul was the king chosen because the people of Israel asked for him. However, from the very beginning of his reign, Saul became more concerned about the people and feared them more than God, and he did not follow God's commands. He acted according to his own will, disobeying God, and as a result, he was rejected by God.

In contrast to Saul, the king that the people demanded, David was the king that God sent to the Israelites. David, who had been a shepherd tending to sheep, was exactly the kind of person God was seeking. 

God anointed David as the second king of Israel, and from that moment, David was filled with the Holy Spirit. He served Saul in the royal palace by God's providence, learning obedience. 

However, Saul, having been rejected by God, began to feel jealous of David, who was more capable than him, and made a firm decision to kill David. To accomplish this, Saul used his son, daughter, priests, and military forces. Saul dedicated himself entirely to trying to kill David. 

However, because he did not fully commit to his duty as king, particularly in the war with the Philistines, Saul had to fight them for the rest of his life.

What are the things you are doing half-heartedly?

Because of Saul’s continued pursuit, David fled to the land of the Philistines. Fearing that his identity might be exposed there, David did something desperate: he pretended to be insane. Eventually, David sought refuge in the cave of Adullam in Judah. 

There, David became the leader of 400 people who were oppressed, suffering in darkness, and unjustly treated. At that time, the prophet Gad urged David not to stay in the stronghold but to go into the land of Judah. David obeyed and entered Judah.

While David was in Judah, he heard that the Philistines were attacking Keilah and raiding its grain. David prayed to the Lord, asking if he should go to war against the Philistines. Although Saul still held the throne, David, the future king, was permitted to go to war.

It seems that David may have waited for Saul to respond to the Philistine attack on Keilah before proceeding. Saul likely heard about the Philistine oppression of Keilah but did nothing in response. 

Why did Saul, upon hearing the news that the people of Keilah were being oppressed by the Philistines, take no action? It is speculated that Saul hated David's tribe, the tribe of Judah, and therefore refused to go to war to defend them.

The reason David asked God if he should go to war with the Philistines was because he anticipated Saul’s anger if he took such action. Saul had been pursuing him daily, trying to kill him, and David did not want to provoke him further. 

However, as the situation worsened, David asked the Lord again whether he should go to war against the Philistines. The Lord answered and commanded David to go and defeat the Philistines to save Keilah.

David’s men, however, opposed the idea. They were already living in fear, constantly fleeing from Saul, and they felt that facing the Philistines would only add to their danger. 

But when David asked the Lord once more, the Lord assured him that He would deliver the Philistines into his hands. With this assurance, David went to war with the Philistines, defeated them, and saved the people of Keilah.

Amidst the battle with King Saul, who sought to kill him, David was also concerned about the crisis facing the community. David was fleeing from King Saul, uncertain of when he might lose his life, yet despite all the dangers, he courageously went out to fight for God's people.

 Even though, as his men pointed out, he could be putting himself in greater danger, David trusted in and obeyed God's word, going to battle and achieving victory. As the king sent by God to save Israel, David was willing to sacrifice his life.

On the other hand, King Saul was neglecting his royal duties. He was continuing to chase David. When Saul learned that David had entered Keilah, he exclaimed, "Now God has given him into my hands"(23:7). 

Saul believed that because God was on his side, he would finally be able to capture David. Saul thought of David as a mouse trapped in a cage. Saul then gathered his soldiers for battle and went down to Keilah to surround David. This marks a clear contrast: David was engaged in God's battle, while Saul was not. 

While Saul did not gather an army to defend the people of Keilah, who were being oppressed by the Philistines, he used the nation’s military force to pursue his personal goal of capturing David. 

As a result, David and his followers were in even greater danger, while Saul thought that the perfect opportunity from God had come. But would God truly give David into Saul’s hands as Saul thought?

God had handed the Philistines over to David, because the Philistines were a common enemy of both God and David. However, the passage tells us that God would never give David into Saul’s hands (verse 15). 

Why? Because David was not an enemy of God. Saul often made mistakes in his judgments. Just because David was Saul’s enemy did not mean that David was God’s enemy. This was Saul's very personal and subjective opinion. 

When one becomes too subjective, they fail to make proper assessments of situations. King Saul ignored God's war against the Philistines, a battle for God’s people. Instead, he mobilized the army to wage a war to eliminate David, the greatest threat to his kingship, driven by his own desires.

In doing so, he misinterpreted God’s providence for his own purposes, even using the suffering of the people of Keilah to serve his own ends. Saul was waging his own war, not God's.

On the other hand, David was fully aware that Saul was looking to kill him, and he moved accordingly. David asked God again, saying, "Lord, God of Israel, I have heard for certain that Saul has come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. Will the people of Keilah surrender me into Saul’s hands?" (23:10-11). 

The Lord answered David that Saul would come down and that the people of Keilah would indeed surrender him into Saul's hands. As a result, David and his men left Keilah, and Saul ceased his military action.

Even when David was walking through the valley of the shadow of death, he sought to align his path with God’s will. He did not use God for his own benefit or use the community as a tool to fulfill his own purposes. 

Neither did he rely on great national power or military strength to achieve his goals. Instead, David voluntarily entered deeper into enemy territory and selflessly fought for Israel.

However, this did not mean that David’s suffering stopped. Whether great or small, all the hardships he faced were things he had to endure. In verse 14, we see that after leaving Keilah, David did not return to a place of safety but continued to hide in the wilderness. 

Despite his selflessness, suffering did not cease, and David’s life was one of fleeing and hiding. Even though he walked with the Lord, David still faced hardship.

After fleeing from Keilah, David lived in the strongholds of the wilderness of Ziph, which was in the territory of Judah. Once again, the Ziphites, who were from David’s own tribe, Judah, betrayed him and handed him over to Saul. 

With the help of the Ziphites, Saul came close to capturing David. Psalm 54 was written by David during this time, when the Ziphites went to Saul and reported David’s whereabouts, betraying him.

1Save me, O God, by your name;
    vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
    listen to the words of my mouth.

3 Arrogant foes are attacking me;
     ruthless people are trying to kill me—
     people without regard for God.

4 Surely God is my help;
     the Lord is the one who sustains me.

5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
     in your faithfulness destroy them.

We can understand the emotional state of David when he wrote this psalm after being betrayed by his own family. Thankfully, David's friend Jonathan visits him in this situation to offer comfort. Jonathan reassures David that he will definitely become king. 

Saul, on the other hand, resolves to search all over Judah to find David. In verse 23, Saul told the Ziphites like this:

"Go and prepare thoroughly. Find out where he is hiding and who saw him, and get detailed information. From what I've heard, he is very cunning. You must search every possible hiding place, and bring back reliable information. Then I will go with you. As long as he is in this land, I will search all the villages of Judah and find him, no matter what."

Saul’s determination to search every village in Judah to kill David leads him to the Wilderness of Ziph. When David, who was in the Wilderness of Maon at that time, hears this news, he descends to the rocks in the wilderness. 

Saul follows him there. So, while Saul and David were on the same mountain, David was fleeing from one side while Saul pursued him from the other side. It was a chase, back and forth. 

However, at this moment, Saul receives news that the Philistines have suddenly invaded Israel, and he is forced to turn back. He had to divert his attention and abandon his pursuit of David. 

According to Matthew Henry's Commentary, scholars generally agree that without such divine intervention, David would almost certainly have been captured. It is also interesting to speculate about which area of Israel the Philistines attacked. 

One might ask why Saul had not acted so quickly when Keilah was attacked, but now he is hurrying to leave. Henry speculates that the area might have been Saul's territory in Israel. If it had not been, Saul would not have stopped pursuing David. 

The place where Saul stopped his pursuit and David was able to escape is called the Rock of Escape or the Rock of Parting. Whenever Saul came to pursue David, he missed David. What made the difference? Was it because, as Saul said, David was cunning and managed to avoid death? Or was there another reason?

The Rock of parting symbolizes God's providence between David and Saul. The fates of David and of Saul were separated, and life was spared from death. In other words, David narrowly escaped King Saul's pursuit, and it was the moment of his salvation from death. Psalm 66:8-9 says,

8 Praise our God, all peoples,
    let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
    and kept our feet from slipping.

God’s providence saved David from the brink of destruction, never allowing him to fall into Saul’s hands. The reason Saul always missed David by a hair’s breadth is because God was protecting David's life. We can find the reason for this in the words Abigail spoke to David in 1 Samuel 25:28-29:

" 28 “Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. 29 Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling."

The reason Saul always missed David by a hair’s breadth is that God was holding David’s life securely, wrapped in the bundle of life. At the beginning, we discussed how important swaddling is for a newborn. For a newborn to adapt to the world, to be calm and safely protected, they must be wrapped in swaddling clothes for a period of time. 

Similarly, no matter how much Saul pursued David day and night, God was wrapping David’s life in His protective swaddle, preserving and guarding it. This is why David experienced what is referred to as Selah-hammah-lekhoth (the Rock of Escape or the Rock of Parting). 

God kept David’s life in His protective covering. While David fled, he must have experienced being enveloped in God’s protective covering. But even though Saul mobilized the entire army, he could not take David’s life, which was under God’s protection.

When we protect valuable treasures, we use locks and keys to secure them. But our lives are not protected by locks and keys. Only when our lives are in God’s protective covering will they be preserved forever. This is because God Himself is the guardian of that life. 

Those who, like David, fully trust in the Lord, who live with the Lord as their Protector, and who always fight the Lord's battles, will experience Selah-hammah-lekhoth. The reason is that their lives are wrapped in the Lord's protective covering of life.

Jews often use this verse as an inscription on their tombstones:

"Here we have laid the body, but trust that the soul is bound up in the bundle of life, with the Lord our God. There it is safe, while the dust of the body is scattered.”

Are you now wrapped in God's protective covering of life, experiencing the Rock of parting Selah-hammah-lekhoth right now?

Let us pray.

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28). First, take a moment to reflect on what Jesus said here. Start from here and reflect whether you are, like David, fully trusting in the Lord, believing Him to be your Protector. 

Jesus is our protective covering of life. I will offer a heartfelt prayer, praising Him, dwelling in His Word, and hoping that we can trust in Him and live in greater dependence on Him.

Are you helping those around you who are in need, or are you, like the proverb says, “too focused on your own problems,” avoiding God’s work because you are too caught up in your own urgent issues? 

David fought against the Philistines for the residents of Keilah, willing to sacrifice himself for them. King David was a type of the coming Jesus Christ. Our true King, Jesus, gave everything for our salvation. 

Because of Him, like the people of Keilah, you and I have escaped the power of sin and death. Through Jesus, Selah-hammah-lekhoth (the Rock of Escape) has become real for us. Fight the Lord's battles! That is God's will. Serve the community well. I will pray for that.

Now think about the symbol of God’s providence that is happening in your life. David relied completely on God, while Saul relied only on himself. If you have faith like David’s, God will command your escape from the Philistines at the most desperate moment. 

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you this, you will not stand firm (Isaiah 7:9). In the events of God's providence, I will take a moment to pray that you may experience God bringing about your escape through the Philistines.

12/15 The Lord’s Resting Place

Date: December 15, 2024

Title: The Lord’s Resting Place

Scripture:

[Acts 7:44-49]

44 Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.

45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David,

46 who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

48 However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:

49 “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?”

The passage we just read captures Stephen’s final cry. What enraged the religious leaders to the point of losing control and rushing to silence him was his claim that “God does not dwell in the Jerusalem temple.”

This was the same accusation that provoked them to seize Jesus—setting up false witnesses to claim that He threatened to destroy the temple.

Last week, we examined how easily Israel fell into idolatry, worshiping the golden calf as if it were the Lord God Himself. They sang to it, calling their idolatry worship.

In today’s cry, Stephen is essentially shouting, “Don’t you see that you’ve begun to call this temple building the Lord God? This too is idolatry!”

Do you hear Stephen’s cry?

Or perhaps you think: “Isn’t it too harsh to call the temple of God an idol? Could that really be true?”

Yet, consider this: When Jesus was on the cross, passersby mocked Him, repeating this very accusation.

[Mark 15:29-30]

29 Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying,

“So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,

30 come down from the cross and save yourself!”

For these people, the temple itself had become their god.

They did not set up idols like Molech or openly worship false gods.

To them, even the word “idol” was a term of utter disgust.

But what was the reality?

The temple building, along with the laws and commandments given by God, had become idols to them.

Stephen’s cry was this: “How can this building contain all of God? Can the Scriptures you study and memorize fully contain Him? Is God so small?”

No, to Him, the whole earth is merely His footstool.

When I undergo a medical examination, the doctor may learn a lot of medical data about me, but that doesn’t mean they know me as my wife or family does.

[1 John 4:7-8]

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

This is not about knowledge of the Bible.

That’s why Jesus rebuked the teachers of the law, calling them “blind” for reading the Scriptures every day but failing to see God.

It’s like receiving a letter from a loved one and being impressed by its content, studying and memorizing it, but not actually thinking about the person behind the letter—becoming fixated on the letter itself while failing to love its author. How could something so absurd happen?

Isn’t that frustrating and baffling?

This doesn’t happen by chance. It is the result of Satan’s persistent deception.

Satan blinds our eyes in this way. He tempts us by baiting our desires and, at the same time, makes us idolize even the good things God has given us, like the temple or the law, leading us to the path of destruction.

The problem is, this path appears to be a good one. It looks like a smooth road that promises stability and success, but its end is destruction.

That’s why Jesus emphasized:

[Matthew 7:13-14]

13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

When we encounter an easy and wide-open path, we should not feel relieved.

Instead, we must seek the Lord more earnestly and stay alert, because, as Jesus warned, they come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

[Amos 5:25-27]

25 Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings for forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?

26 You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god—which you made for yourselves.

27 Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty.

This passage is very similar to last week’s text. Some scholars even argue that Stephen quoted from Amos, but upon closer examination, this is not the case.

Verse 25 is nearly identical: “For forty years in the wilderness, you never truly worshiped me.” However, in Amos, additional idols such as your king—Melek, Sikkuth, and Kiyyun—are mentioned, and the place of exile for their idolatry is Damascus, located in present-day Syria.

Amos’s warning was fulfilled in 722 BC when the Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria.

Meanwhile, in Acts, Stephen referred to exile in Babylon, which occurred approximately 120 years later when the Kingdom of Judah was taken to Babylon (modern-day Iraq), where they spent 70 years.

Though the events are similar, they refer to two distinct incidents.

The objects of worship and the resulting tragedies may differ slightly, but ultimately, the same patterns are repeated over and over.

How different is our era today? Why does the tragic history of humanity repeat itself?

When we look at what is most emphasized in the Ten Commandments, we see that God did not want to be represented by any visible form. Nevertheless, seeing the limitations of the Israelites, God provided something visible for them.

Interestingly, the things God instructed them to make all share a characteristic:

simplicity.

Where had the Israelites come from at that time?

They had just left Egypt, hadn’t they?

For example, Egypt’s most famous structure, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, stands at a height of 150 meters—about the same height as New York’s Flatiron Building—but its base covers an area equivalent to about eight New York city blocks.

And that was just a tomb for one pharaoh.

Additionally, there were massive statues, such as the Great Sphinx, which stands 20 meters tall and stretches 80 meters long.

Even today, these structures are considered awe-inspiring and mysterious in their grandeur.

Yet, what did God provide to represent His presence?

The stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. According to the Talmud, these tablets were thin and small, approximately 30 cm by 30 cm in size.

The Ark of the Covenant, which housed the tablets, was a small box less than one square meter in size.

And the tabernacle, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, was a modest structure measuring only 63 square meters (about 19 pyeong in the traditional Korean system).

To compare the scales, it looks something like this:

To the Israelites who had lived surrounded by the grandeur of the Great Sphinx and the pyramids, the tabernacle—barely different from the tents they lived in—must have seemed exceedingly modest.

While idols compete to display their greatness, why is the true God so humble?

The first reason is that, unlike idols, God did not want to burden His people with heavy obligations.

Jesus also said to His disciples:

[Matthew 11:28-30]

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

More importantly, God did not want to compete in the same realm as visible, finite, and temporary things.

Have you ever had a favorite book you read as a child?

If that book was ever made into a movie, you were probably disappointed.

Even the best-made film can never fully recreate the scenes you imagined while reading.

Technology continues to advance, from 4K to 8K, and with AI creating ultra-realistic virtual worlds. Yet, these cannot compare to the boundless experience of diving into the world of a book as a child.

When imagining, time flows differently, space is transcended, and the laws of physics are ignored in a limitless world where we get a taste of eternity. We were created to have these extraordinary experiences within ourselves, without the need for VR headsets or similar devices.

While advancements like TV and virtual reality make it seem like imagination is becoming reality, most of the “realities” we enjoy today were imagined decades ago in someone’s writings.

Those authors experienced these realities long before the technology to create them existed.

Even in today’s highly developed world, our reality is merely catching up to the imagination of the past—it has not surpassed it.

However, as we rely on conveniences like driving everywhere, we might begin to find even a 10-meter walk burdensome.

This is an example of technology diminishing human abilities.

New technologies may cause us to lose opportunities to train and develop our imagination. We must be cautious about this.

Reading books and engaging in deep conversations with others can stimulate and train our imagination.

For me, the happiest moments with my children are when we talk about heaven.

In those moments, the experience of such a world becomes vivid, and the more we discuss it, the clearer it becomes. It is a training of the imagination.

The Second Commandment is directly related to this concept.

God not only forbade the making of images of false gods but also prohibited creating any representation of Himself.

Many artists have tried, but not even one of God’s essential attributes—such as His love—can be perfectly represented in any form.

God cannot be depicted by anything on earth.

Is Michelangelo’s depiction of a white-bearded man supposed to be God?

It may represent one small, partial image of God that the artist envisioned through prayer, but it can never fully express who God is.

As someone who draws, I’ve tried countless times to depict God, but neither on canvas nor even within my heart could I ever capture His image.

Yet, this does not mean I’ve experienced God’s absence.

In those moments, as I earnestly sought God with all my heart, I couldn’t capture Him in an image, but I could feel His presence. God was undeniably with me during that process.

The reason God has not given us a visual image of Himself is that He desires this kind of imagination and focus from us.

It is not merely intellectual concentration but a total dedication of all our being.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

—Hebrews 11:1

This does not mean imagining something that doesn’t exist.

It means using our imagination to perceive the One who is real and present with us.

This is spiritual focus. This is loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.

This is the faith to see the unseen God.

This is also why we, unlike followers of other religions, do not create or display images in our homes.

Some Protestants, citing the Second Commandment, criticize Catholics harshly for creating and displaying various images or statues.

If someone can often think of Jesus in their daily life without such items, and if they can remain spiritually focused, that is undoubtedly the best case.

But if they rarely think about the Lord throughout their day and place a small cross on their bookshelf to remind themselves of Him, even for a brief moment when their eyes pass over it—would the Lord really say they have violated the Second Commandment?

Moreover, if they are not keeping the other commandments perfectly themselves, they have no right to criticize others for this.

Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments as follows:

[Matthew 22:37-40]

37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus explained that all the laws, including the Ten Commandments, are condensed into two principles: love for God and love for one’s neighbor.

The Ten Commandments, which consist of ten laws, are generally divided into two parts:

• Commandments 1 to 4 deal with our relationship with God.

• Commandments 5 to 10 concern our relationship with other people.

However, Jews traditionally hold certain numbers as significant—3, 7, 10, and 12.

For this reason, I believe the commandments concerning God are not four but the complete number, three:

• Commandments 1 to 3 focus on God,

• Commandments 5 to 10 (six in total) focus on humanity,

• and the 4th Commandment—the Sabbath—stands in between, as a meeting point of God and humanity.

Thus, the Ten Commandments are structured as:

• Three for God,

• Six for humanity,

• One uniting the two in the Sabbath.

This completes the Ten Commandments.

If we count the commandments, however, the ones concerning humanity are twice as numerous as those concerning God. Why is this the case?

Jesus gives us a clue:

[John 15:12]

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Jesus redefined the Ten Commandments, condensing the two principles into one: “Love one another.”

The Apostle John explains why this love is so central:

[1 John 4:20-21]

20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

21 And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

One critical point here is that the word “love” has been distorted in meaning, so we must first clarify its true definition.

[John 15:13]

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

The love described in the Bible refers to this kind of self-sacrificial love.

Most of us experience this love primarily through the love of a mother. Ordinary mothers are willing to sacrifice everything for their children. For this reason, we often encounter God’s true love through our mothers.

However, there is a difference: can you extend such love—not for your children—but for your friends?

This is transcendent love, not of this world, but love that comes from heaven and is enabled by divine life.

The Hebrew word “hesed” embodies this meaning. Often translated as “kindness,” it refers to a love that manifests through kindness—

not kindness to make oneself look good or from surplus resources, but kindness that comes at a cost, kindness that involves sacrifice and loss.

This is the love God demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ.

Perhaps few of us will ever face a situation where we must literally lay down our lives for a friend.

However, all of us have someone we can show such sacrificial kindness to for the Lord’s sake.

Primarily, we are meant to be such people for one another.

In today’s passage, Stephen refers to the tabernacle where the Ten Commandments and the Ark of the Covenant would be placed as the “tent of testimony.”

In Hebrew, the word “edut” has three meanings: “testimony,” “law,” and “covenant.” This is why the Ark of the Covenant is sometimes referred to as the Ark of the Testimony.

However, since today’s text comes from the New Testament, it was written in Greek rather than Hebrew. Among several interpretative options, Stephen deliberately chose the expression “tent of testimony.”

He emphasized the meaning of the tabernacle as a testimony.

What kind of testimony?

The very existence of the tabernacle served as evidence of God’s presence with His people.

If the tabernacle is the “tent of testimony,” then the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments also become the “tablets of testimony.”

[Exodus 25:16]

“Place inside the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you.”

The Ark of the Covenant, made during the time of Moses, remained with Israel as a symbol of God’s presence for nearly a thousand years until the time of David.

Under Solomon, David’s son, the ark was finally placed in the temple—Israel’s first immovable structure built to house it.

As we saw earlier, the tabernacle was a small structure of about 63 square meters (19 pyeong), and even Solomon’s temple, compared to the temples of other idols, was modest. This is why Herod expanded it to nearly ten times its original size in volume.

Did Herod do this out of love for God? No, it was to display his own grandeur and authority.

However, as the Second Commandment clearly states, seeing God through visible forms was only a temporarily permitted way; God never intended to limit Himself to such representations.

When the tabernacle is called the “tent of testimony” and the tablets of the Ten Commandments are referred to as the “tablets of testimony,” it signifies that the Israelites were to live as witnesses of the living and loving God.

Two thousand years ago, in a season as cold as today, God’s presence came to this earth in an entirely different way—humble and unassuming.

A child was born with the name Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”

Looking at the life of Jesus, He was not only the fulfillment of God’s promises—the Ark of the Covenant—but also the Ark of Testimony.

He revealed the living God and lived as His testimony.

Likewise, we are called to do the same.

When Jesus came, Judaism had become a heap of hypocrisy, even though the temple was the most extravagant it had ever been in history.

Was it a coincidence that the largest and most elaborate cathedrals were built just before the Catholic Church faced the Reformation?

Building something grand and magnificent, like Herod’s temple, is not what pleases the Lord.

Our Lord, who said, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head,” did not value such things.

As the “tent of testimony” of God’s presence among us, we are to live in such a way that demonstrates it through our lives and words as witnesses of Christ.

In this cold season, we remember the Lord who was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn, who rested in a manger used to feed animals.

Though the place was humble and uncomfortable, His heart was surely filled with joy.

And now, the Lord comes to dwell in us through the Holy Spirit,

choosing to reside in hearts that may be even humbler and more uncomfortable than the manger.

No matter how shabby we may be, the One who dwells in us is the King of kings.

He declares, “You are my temple.”

Moses, whom God loved so much, never entered the Promised Land.

David, whom God called “beloved,” was not permitted to build the temple.

Yet, who are we that He would make us His temple?

He has made us His “tent of testimony.”

He desires us to live as witnesses, bearing the testimony of Jesus.

Just as Jesus revealed the unseen God, we are called to become “little Christs,” showing Him to the world.

Even though He is unseen, we must cultivate spiritual focus on the Lord within us,

becoming increasingly aware of Him, communicating with Him in every moment until we grow into the full measure of Christ.

If a cross helps you focus, look at it.

If a quiet hymn helps, seek the Lord in the hymn.

If the Scriptures draw you near, meet the Lord through the Word.

But do not remain there.

Train yourself to focus on the Lord even when you cannot see the cross, hear the hymn, or open the Bible—

in your workplace, at home, or even while driving.

Do not remain still.

Strive to reach the full measure of Christ, opening the narrow gate and walking the narrow path.

If we are reborn in Christ, we must now grow into maturity.

Love cannot be fully learned by simply receiving it. It must be practiced through sacrifice and kindness.

This is why the church was established and why the Lord commanded us to love one another.

Only then will we become the resting place where the Lord finds joy and peace. Amen.

Let us pray.

12/8 How to cross the Desert

Acts Sermon 35

Date: 12/8/2024

Title: How to cross the Desert

Text: [Acts 7:38-45]

38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us.

39 But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’

41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made.

42 But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon, and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets:

“‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings

forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel?

43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek

and the star of your god Rephan,

the idols you made to worship.

Therefore I will send you into exile’ beyond Babylon.

44 Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.

45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David.

With the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, the Israelites escaped from Egypt. When Moses stretched out his hand again, the walls of water collapsed, wiping out Pharaoh and his elite army entirely.

Here lies the profound wisdom of God. Although we cannot fully comprehend His plans, we can glimpse some of His divine purposes now, which were unknown at the time.

God orchestrated this situation intentionally.

Looking at the map, there was a route to Canaan that didn’t require crossing the Red Sea. Yet, God chose to show this extraordinary event. Why? Firstly, it was to establish Moses’ authority among the Israelites, who were quick to complain. Through Moses, God demonstrated the kind of people He wanted Israel to be.

Secondly, it was to completely annihilate Pharaoh and the Egyptian army. The Israelites were about to embark on a long journey through the wilderness. Who could guarantee that Pharaoh wouldn’t change his mind and attack them again? By this act, God ensured Pharaoh’s forces would never threaten them.

However, these two reasons didn’t necessarily require parting the sea. The most significant purpose behind this method was to make it absolutely clear that there was no going back. How could they return after crossing through a path carved in the sea?

It was God’s strongest declaration: “Do not even dream of returning to Egypt.”

Yet, despite this, some among the Israelites continued to grumble and long for Egypt at every opportunity. Still, God took this extraordinary measure to minimize such thoughts, sealing the way back as if covering it with a lid and stamping it with a seal. Later, the Apostle Paul compared this event to baptism.

Thus began 40 years in the wilderness.

Stephen, in the New Testament, referred to the Israelites in the wilderness as the “church in the wilderness.”

Jesus and His disciples also provided verses defining the purpose of the church in the world. Likewise, Stephen highlighted an essential aspect of what it means to be the church.

The Greek word for church, ἐκκλησία (ekklēsía), derives from “ἐκ” (meaning “out of”) and “καλέω” (meaning “to call”), with “σία” indicating the result of an action. Combined, it signifies “those who have been called out” — a gathering of people who have been summoned out of the world, though still living in it, to form a community.

Stephen further explains what kind of community this is:

a group of people walking together through the wilderness — a wilderness community.

Does this concept of the wilderness feel familiar to you?

Ultimately, the true Canaan where we will dwell forever is the Kingdom of God. From that perspective, our life on earth is, in the grand scheme of things, a journey through the wilderness.

So why didn’t God, after performing such miraculous acts to save the Israelites, take them directly into Canaan? Why did they have to spend 40 years in the wilderness?

Stephen highlights the infamous “golden calf” incident as the root cause of many problems, pointing to it as the most significant reason behind Israel’s failure. Ultimately, every other issue stemmed from this one event.

This incident took place while Moses was on Mount Sinai, spending forty days in God’s presence.

[Exodus 32:23]

“They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’”

The Israelites were overwhelmed with anxiety. They begged for a god they could look at, one that would give them a sense of stability. In response, they collected the gold they had brought from Egypt and handed it to Aaron.

It’s baffling to consider what Aaron was thinking when he complied with their request and crafted the golden calf. Later, when Moses confronted him, Aaron explained his actions by saying he was afraid of the crowd’s demands. However, Aaron described something extraordinary in the process of making the calf:

[Exodus 32:24]

“So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

This, of course, is not entirely accurate. The Bible explicitly states that Aaron fashioned a mold, poured the molten gold into it, and then carved the figure of a calf. Despite this, Aaron’s statement implies that he experienced something beyond his own capability—a supernatural phenomenon.

This is evident in what Aaron declared to the Israelites after creating the golden calf:

[Exodus 32:4]

“He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’”

Aaron made the golden calf with his own hands, yet he proclaimed to the Israelites, “This is your god, Israel, who brought you out of Egypt!” He even built an altar in front of it and claimed that this idol was “the LORD.” The people celebrated, eating, drinking, and dancing before the idol.

How could such a thing happen?

Aaron was astonished at the outcome of his craftsmanship, perhaps believing that God had assisted him in creating the golden calf. Despite being chosen by God, Aaron failed to discern between the true God and deceitful spirits.

Even today, people celebrate great inventions and admire those who make life easier for humanity, often elevating them as heroes. However, if such talents and popularity truly come from God, it will be evident through the fruit of their lives. It’s critical to remember that such abilities are not always from God.

How shocking is it that the Israelites, along with Aaron, were dancing and rejoicing before Satan in worship, proclaiming that the golden calf was the LORD who had delivered them from Egypt?

The oldest literary work in human history is considered to be the “Epic of Gilgamesh” from Mesopotamia. Gilgamesh is believed to have been a real figure who lived in the region of Uruk (modern-day Iraq). The oldest archaeological record of him is found in Sumerian tablets, which are clay tablets dating back to around 2100 BCE.

Later, Akkadian versions of the clay tablets are estimated to date from the 19th to 18th centuries BCE, while the most complete form of the Epic of Gilgamesh is found in Babylonian tablets from the 12th century BCE.

The discovery of these clay tablets caused a significant stir in Western societies because the epic contained a story strikingly similar to Noah’s Flood as described in the Bible.

Moses, who is traditionally believed to have written Genesis, is thought to have lived around the 15th century BCE. This means the most complete version of the Epic of Gilgamesh is three centuries later than Moses. However, the Sumerian tablets mentioning Gilgamesh date back to 2100 BCE, making them over 500 years older.

This has led some scholars to argue that Moses might have drawn on ancient Near Eastern myths that had been passed down through generations. In the flood story from the Epic of Gilgamesh, the protagonist is named Utnapishtim, who parallels Noah in many ways.

Let’s compare the two stories.

It is astonishing how many striking similarities exist between the two stories. For example, both Noah and Utnapishtim sent out a dove, a sparrow, and a raven to check if the waters had receded. Such specific details are hard to dismiss as mere coincidence.

How should we understand this?

Scholars generally agree that both the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Bible were first passed down orally before being written down at a later point.

This means that no matter when these stories were recorded, what we have today are merely manuscripts, not the originals. Finding an older manuscript doesn’t necessarily mean that the oral tradition it represents is older as well.

When comparing the two, it becomes clear which narrative is more logically structured and even verifiable through modern understanding.

For instance, Utnapishtim’s ark is described as a perfect square, with its length and width both measuring 120 cubits. Have you ever seen a square-shaped ship? It’s impossible for such a vessel to stay afloat; it would spin uncontrollably and capsize with the slightest waves. On the other hand, Noah’s ark was built with dimensions of 300 cubits in length, 50 cubits in width, and 30 cubits in height—ratios remarkably similar to those used in modern shipbuilding. How could Noah have known these precise, scientifically sound proportions?

Moreover, when reading the Epic of Gilgamesh, even in its best-preserved versions, the narrative appears disjointed, its logical flow weak and superficial. It lacks the emotional depth and progression needed for readers to connect with its characters and events.

Contrast this with the account of Noah’s flood in Genesis. Can you not sense Noah’s emotions and God’s feelings toward him? This narrative exhibits a literary quality that surpasses even the standards of 15th-century BCE literature, let alone the manuscripts of the 1st century CE. Its vivid, cohesive storytelling is unparalleled.

What does this suggest? It points to the idea that the flood story in Genesis is a divinely revealed and accurately recorded account, where God showed Moses the true events and guided him to write them down. The Epic of Gilgamesh, by contrast, seems to be a distorted retelling of the same historical event, passed down through oral traditions and gradually transformed into myth.

There is another critical point to consider. While Noah was a flawed but faithful servant of God, Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh becomes an immortal being, almost godlike by the end of his story.

This reveals not only the corruption and distortion of the original event but also the direction of that distortion. Polytheistic systems like Greek, Roman, Norse, and Hindu mythologies show similar patterns, where humans and gods blend and interact in exaggerated ways. These traces are visible in Utnapishtim’s transformation.

The Hebrew word for “god,” Elohim, literally means “heavenly beings” and broadly refers to spiritual entities. This term can denote God Himself, as well as angels or other celestial beings, depending on the context.

However, Yahweh is used exclusively to refer to the one true God we worship.

Thus, the gods and idols that appear in various mythologies could be understood as fallen angels who were falsely revered as deities by humanity.

The ancient Greek word “εἴδωλον” (eidolon) later transitioned into Latin as “idolum.”

In Korean, the term for idol is “우상” (usang), derived from the character “우” (偶), which means “likeness” or “image.” Interestingly, “우” can also mean “ox” or “cow” in Korean, making “우상” interpretable as “the image of a cow.” This is fascinating given that one of the most common objects of idol worship globally is the “horned bull or ox.”

In today’s passage, there is a warning against the golden calf, as well as Molek and the star of Rephan. Both the golden calf and Molek are known to have been represented as horned oxen.

Little is known about the star of Rephan. However, considering the Bible often personifies stars and frequently associates them with angels, it is reasonable to view Molek as one of these fallen stars, a fallen angel.

The name Molek frequently appears in the Bible as Baal, which means “lord” or “master.” The original form of Molek, Melek, means “king” in Hebrew. The similarities between the two outweigh their differences. Both were idols worshiped in the Canaanite region, and both were often depicted as bull-like figures.

This suggests that these names were less about specific deities and more about titles or descriptors of divine-like beings.

Outside the Bible, rituals dedicated to Molek reportedly involved a bronze statue of a bull with human arms. Infants were placed on its outstretched arms, and fire from the hollowed body consumed them as sacrifices. To drown out the cries of the children, drums were beaten, and festivities ensued.

Amos 5:26

“So you offered sacrifices to Molek and worshiped the gods you made for yourselves, bringing offerings to them.”

This practice wasn’t due to a lack of value placed on children. As seen in the stories of Abraham and Moses, children were regarded as great blessings and extensions of one’s legacy. They were cherished deeply.

Ironically, the desire for prosperity—often sought for the well-being of their offspring—led people to offer those very children as sacrifices. This starkly reveals the essence of idol worship: it promises abundance while taking away what is most precious.

Idols are not always tangible objects. When Jesus came, He rebuked the religious leaders of His time for idolizing the law itself and treating obedience to the law as a form of righteousness. About them, Jesus said:

[Matthew 15:14]

“Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

These leaders meticulously observed not only the Ten Commandments but also the 600 additional laws derived from them. Yet, they had forgotten the original purpose of these commandments.

At that time, the law, rituals, and acts of worship themselves had become idols.

It is not that observing the law is wrong—after all, the law was given by God. However, if the purpose of keeping the law is not rooted in love for God and for one’s neighbors as commanded by Him, then even outward obedience can become idolatry.

Today, it’s unlikely that the law itself becomes an idol for us. So, what could be our idols?

Let’s examine whether the desires that once led humanity to worship idols in the past continue to tempt us today.

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously said, “God is dead,” and he predicted that money would replace God’s place in society—a claim that has been proven true.

But that’s not all.

Most ancient gods shared common characteristics: they never aged or died, and they embodied health and youth. Are these desires significant in our culture today?

Moreover, the gods of mythology were often portrayed as physically attractive and sexually alluring. Their appeal was centered around their sexiness.

Isn’t this reflective of our era? Today, being described as “sexy” is often considered the highest compliment, regardless of age or gender.

Respecting and maintaining the health of our God-given bodies is not idolatry. However, the problem arises when good things become the ultimate things.

For example, love and addiction share similar traits. Love fosters trust and freedom, while addiction breeds anxiety and traps people in bondage.

The feeling of being loved or happy is a good thing. Achieving this requires effort and patience. But what happens when we bypass the process and seek instant gratification, wanting happiness whenever and however much we desire? The pursuit of the feeling itself becomes the goal.

A clear and extreme example is drug addiction.

You may have heard of the opioid crisis in the United States during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Misleading claims that opioids had low addictive potential led to countless patients being prescribed these drugs, only to become lifelong addicts. This tragedy culminated in Purdue Pharma, the company at the center of the crisis, admitting its responsibility in 2020 and agreeing to a settlement of $40 billion.

Yet what happened? Purdue filed for bankruptcy and is now attempting to restart its business under a new name.

Isn’t this pure evil?

While some victims of addiction are tragic cases, many are also the result of their own unchecked desires.

How convenient it would be to feel good without any external reason! To decide when and how much happiness we experience. Yet, the cost is devastating.

Initially, drugs create moments of euphoria, but over time, it’s not about feeling good anymore—it’s about avoiding the misery of not having the drug. What began as a pursuit of happiness leads to deeper despair.

This is the essence of all idolatry.

If something that brings energy or excitement into your life starts making most of your remaining time feel dull or lifeless, it is becoming an idol, much like a drug.

If prioritizing a particular person or relationship makes you increasingly indifferent to everything else—especially God—that’s a red flag.

The most striking part of the golden calf incident is this:

While Aaron and the Israelites were engaging in such an outrageous act of rebellion against God, God and Moses were preparing the stone tablets for them.

After 400 years of slavery, as the Israelites faced a new chapter in their lives, God prepared a priceless gift for them. This gift was the Ten Commandments, a fundamental guide for life and values—ten simple rules that would serve as the foundation of their relationship with God. Alongside this, God planned the Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle, symbols of His presence that the people so earnestly desired.

At the very moment God was preparing these gifts, the Israelites, unable to wait just a little longer, committed one of the greatest sins. They violated the first and most important commandment by crafting and worshiping an idol, the golden calf, calling it Yahweh and offering sacrifices to it.

Right before God is about to give His greatest blessings, Satan’s temptations often come strongest. How many times have we, too, made foolish choices because we couldn’t endure those last few moments of waiting?

Earlier, I mentioned how our lives as a whole can be likened to a wilderness journey. But within that larger journey, there are periods of desert and periods of milk and honey—just as the Israelites eventually entered the Promised Land with Joshua. These alternating times are like day and night: the dark hours of the night prepare us to fully embrace the light of the day.

Similarly, small desert moments in our lives teach us to persevere and let go of idols. These moments refine us, preparing us for victories in our own “Promised Lands.”

The purpose of the 40 years in the wilderness was to let go of idols and renew their hearts. Likewise, the recurring desert-like experiences in our lives are God’s way of helping us remove the idols within us.

While God governs the entire universe, He also focuses intimately on His relationship with each of us individually. In the conflicts and struggles we face with others, God is not primarily concerned with those who hurt us but with us—our reactions, our growth, and which idols we will choose to let go of during these times.

Thus, in those moments when the temptation to sin feels overwhelming, we must remember and believe that God is preparing a gift we truly need.

Even in biblical times and still today, idols tempt us by offering many things—wealth, fame, power, health, beauty. Fallen angels can provide these things, but they cannot give the heavenly peace or the freedom and confidence we long for.

What in your life is so important to you that losing it would feel like the end? What unmet desire leaves you feeling a persistent emptiness that nothing else can fill?

These are our idols. As long as they hold that place in our hearts, they will ultimately bring unhappiness to us and those around us.

We must come to a place where, as we sing in our worship songs, we find our satisfaction in Christ alone. Even if we lose everything, even if we lose the people we love most, we must believe that if God is with us, we will be okay. Only then can we truly love others.

When God is the most precious presence in our lives, we stop demanding from others what they cannot give us. This is love, and it is what distinguishes true worship from idolatry.

Remember the God who parted the sea to rescue us from Egypt. See His passionate desire and love in closing the waters behind us, ensuring there is no turning back.

Idols often boast of their size and grandeur, competing with one another in splendor. Yet our God chose to dwell in a small wooden box—the Ark of the Covenant—measuring less than one square meter, made of acacia wood.

The Creator of the universe dwelt in that small wooden box, designed to be carried by just a few people, so that He could go with His people wherever they went.

And now, the God who created the heavens and the earth, who parted the sea, desires to dwell in someone even smaller—you and me. He longs to be with us, day and night, because of His great love.

When something, whether bad or good, begins to steal your focus and devotion, threatening to become an idol, turn back to the Lord. Set it in its proper place, and peace will come to you, to God, and even to those around you.

By faithfully walking through your deserts, you will experience overflowing joy in the radiant light of God’s presence.

Let us pray.