February 2017 – Sungrak Church

2017.2.19_The Church that Hears the Words of the Holy Spirit

February 19, 2017/in 2017 Lord's Day /by Suna IHM

Senior Overseer Ki-Dong Kim

Outline

[Revelation 2:1-7]

God
is spirit.
He is one in three persons:
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Mt 28:19).
The Father set His will as righteousness (Jn 6:38-39),
the Son manifested the Father’s will as the Word (Jn 1:14),
and the Holy Spirit preaches the Word as truth to the church (Re 2:7).
Thus
the church of Jesus must hear the words of the Holy Spirit to live.
To hear the word of truth with one’s ears means
to receive the Holy Spirit into one’s spirit (Ac 10:44).
The Holy Spirit is He who comes out of the Father (Jn 15:26).
Therefore
whoever accepts God’s words (Jn 6:63-68)
is filled with the Holy Spirit;
whoever does not will only hear the words of man
which is not the words of the Holy Spirit.
If one fails to hear the words of the Holy Spirit, he cannot be spiritual (1 Co 12:3)
and he will forsake his first love which began through the Holy Spirit.
A church that has the first love has a lampstand,
and this is called the temple of God (1 Co 3:16-17).
○ The lamps must always be lit to give its light in the temple.
This is the duty of the priest,
and the priest is the holy saints.
○ Do not only pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit
but believe and receive God’s word as truth.
Only the truth can fill you with God’s inspiration.
○ The church will be Spirit-filled
when it hears what the Holy Spirit says to the church.
It is corruption if the church hears the words of the Holy Spirit but disobeys.
※ Our church knows the truth.
We know and believe the Picture of God’s Will.
We are a church that overcomes the world by the words of the Holy Spirit.

Summary

The Church that Hears the Words of the Holy Spirit

The identity of a child obtained through ministry of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

God is spirit. Generally, the spirit is not physical nor tangible, so it cannot be seen by the human eye. That is why people can so easily say that God does not exist. But the Christian has seen God. This is because the Word which was with God from eternity has come to this earth as a man.
Jesus Christ is God. He is called the Son of God, not because he is inferior to God, but because he is equal to God. When you hear the word “God,” many think of the Father. However, the word ‘God’ is a word that refers to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God the Father has established His righteous and perfect will. The Son of God revealed His will to the world. Through the Son of God, we have come to know and receive God’s will. The Holy Spirit declares the righteousness of God. If we only know the Son of God and have not received the Holy Spirit, we may possess the righteousness of God, but we will not declare it.
No one had ever seen God until Jesus Christ came to the earth. However, the Old Testament indicates that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses had seen God. They certainly saw someone who was perceived as God. It was an angel of God who was sent from heaven. (Ex 3: 2) On the other hand, the God we see today is not an angel. We have seen Jesus Christ, the heir of God, who has received all authority in heaven and on earth from our Heavenly Father.
God has resurrected Jesus Christ and has taken Him up into heaven as His heir, who came to this earth and was slain according to His will. The mission of the angel who kept the heavenly throne in the name of Jehovah was completed at that time. The Son of God taking His place and sitting on the throne ushered in the age of His reign over the heavens and the earth. Christian faith is neither ideological nor subjective. Christians place their trust in God who sent Jesus Christ to this earth to accomplish His will two thousand years ago to die for man’s sin, in order that He might raise him from the dead to the heavens.
Within the same Bible, there is a difference in inspiration between the New Testament and the Old Testament. There is the Law that was delivered through angels in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament there is grace and truth from Jesus Christ (John 1:17). The preaching of grace and truth is done by the Holy Spirit. After Jesus ascended into heaven He sent the Holy Spirit. That is why the Holy Spirit did not come and dwell in anyone before Jesus Christ was glorified (John 7:37).
Of course, not everyone who wants it can receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will only come to those people who are holy in God’s sight. People’s standards and God’s standards are different. No matter how good a person’s character is, or how deep their knowledge is, in God’s eyes they are still a sinner. God recognizes as holy those who confess they are sinners, clothe themselves with the power of the Blood of Jesus, and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Confess that your righteousness does not come from yourself but from faith in God, and keep that which you have gained
Those who are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ are born again by the Holy Spirit. Those who are born of the Spirit are born in heaven and born of the Spirit. Their status is quite different from that of unbelievers. Unfortunately, many Christians today are forgetting their noble identity. The Holy Spirit has come into us and we have become a temple of God. If we treat our identity lightly, we defile the temple (1 Corinthians 3:17). Jesus did not deny His identity as the Son of God even while He was being crucified. So we must confess our identity in Him and through Him regardless of the circumstances.
It is not by our own righteousness or deeds that we keep our identity as children of God. Paul regarded all his accomplishments, charisma, great learning and things that were beneficial to the body as dung (Philippians 3: 8). No one will treasure rubbish. Likewise, if we have repented, been baptized, and become children of God, we must not apply our own righteousness. There should be no criticizing the church and judging church members based on our own standards.
Judas Iscariot had many great qualities in order to surpass many other people from Galilee and become one of Jesus’ disciples. He was smart enough to earn Jesus’ trust in a short period of time, and had insight into philosophical thought forms. But he fell for his own trick and eventually used it to betray Jesus.
The church at Jerusalem chose seven people who were filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom as deacons. Among the seven was Nicola, a Gentile who had converted to Judaism. He must have been full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom in order to be recommended as a deacon over other Jews. However, he began to criticize and evaluated the church based on his respectability and talents. People who were dissatisfied with the church for different reasons flocked to him and fostered a negative public opinion, which gave the church great difficulties. Revelation 2: 6 says, “You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” It is very important that the Saints have good personality and skills. But it should never be a hindrance for God’s righteousness. It is only because of the fact that we have acknowledged that there is no righteousness in ourselves that we have received grace. We should not lose sight of the things we learned at the beginning.

Do the deeds you did at first
The Ephesian Church, one of the seven churches in Asia Minor, was so highly regarded in many respects that Paul stayed there for three years and taught his disciples. The Ephesian Church received praise from God in many ways but was rebuked because they had forsaken their first love (Revelation 2: 1-4).
What is your first love? Many are they who repent and are baptized and they say, “I will love the Lord, who has been gracious to a sinner such as I am for the rest of my life, and I will continuously devote myself to the church that shared the gospel with me and disciplined me.” And so they confess. However, as time passes, they begin to complain about their faith and criticize the church. This is the first sign that their love is growing cold.
The bride and groom promise each other a lifelong love. However, after a few years, those promises are often broken and become a cause for shame. When a couple begins to complain about one another without fully understanding each other, it can escalate and ultimately become overt dissatisfaction, and when this type of behavior is repeated, trust is broken and it becomes increasingly difficult to keep the family together. The same kind of things happens in the church. Those who are ordained as deacons often commit themselves to the Church in sincerity and with tears. However, there are some who very quickly begin to lack any care about the work of the church, and some even attack the church.
The more people in the church lose their first love, the more difficulty the church will face. Just as the professions of love that married couples give should not change, confessions of faith before God should never change either. Revelation 2: 5 says, ” ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first.” If you took a wrong turn, you must retrace your steps, find out where you went wrong, and start again from the beginning. That is repentance. Repentance is not simply a word of mouth. True repentance is painful, but once you succeed in repentance, you can be led by the Holy Spirit.

Let us hear the word of the Holy Spirit
We must be the church that listens to the word of the Holy Spirit. The word of the Holy Spirit is not a new word. The Holy Spirit does not speak on his own but tells us what Jesus has said. It is a spiritual word. Jesus also said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. ” (John 6:63, NASB). No matter how well someone speaks with charisma and impressive knowledge, it is not the word of the Holy Spirit if it merely asserts the righteousness of the flesh and does not provide man with spiritual benefits.
Revelation 2: 7 says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” When you hear the word of God preached, the word comes to your ears. But do not treat it as just another of the many sounds that come to your ears. He who judges or criticizes the word of God as the voice of a mere man cannot triumph in spiritual life, and he cannot eat the fruit of the tree of life since he is not victorious.
When Adam and Eve sinned, God expelled them from the Garden of Eden so that they could not eat the fruit of the tree of life. God wants to give the tree of life to those who firmly hold onto their first love. Our hope is not on this earth. Do you not want to eat the fruit of the tree of life that God will give to those who are victorious? Do you not want to experience how the tree of life will change you? Therefore, when we repent and are baptized, we must firmly hold onto the love we had when we repented and were baptized with a true confession before God to the end. When Jesus returns we will be resurrected and go to heaven where we will have glory with Jesus. Therefore, we must acknowledge the righteousness of God, no longer our own righteousness, which has already been counted as rubbish. You must remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first.

Semuon’s Letter

Training a great leader requires much time effort and investment. Since 1964 I have done my best to find leaders with the intent to educate and equip them. Even though I was not fully educated, I helped my juniors attend school, and I kept doing it even though my wife and I lived in a small rented room. However, it has come back to hurt me and even now I am disappointed with the present situation that I cannot see leaders that I had hoped for.

There is considerable investment in establishing a theological seminary. But few are grateful for it, maybe none at all, even though I have wanted to see a faithful worker such as a prophet for God, not just a man who just wants to make ends meet. This is a great disappointment. There is no sense of ownership and most of the students seem to graduate with a slave’s spirit and mean – can they really be considered leaders?

As it is written, ‘The kingdom of God can be likened to a sower sowing seeds in the field,’ if a seed is sown in the field, it should sprout and take root. However, there do not seem to be many such people. There is no one who says, by grace I have been educated and I will repay for the grace I have received with grace.’ Instead, many of them are like useless, dried, and fallen leaves. There is no pity for lost souls who are without hope and no brave warrior enduring the fierce winds and frost of winter and looking forward to spring.

A Scholarship is not to be wasted nor is it given out of an abundance of wealth, but rather it is an investment for the future, but no one seems to understand it. This year, many students are graduating, but are there be any ‘fools’ like Semuon among them? I am profoundly disappointed.

Our church has established Christian Leader Center in the hope of raising many international leaders. It was and is my hope that hundreds of couples who would become leaders would come and receive intensive training. Anyone who wants to study in our seminary should lay themselves humbly, before the Lord.

If you want to be a true leader, it is up to you to make yourself a leader while you have the chance. No one else trained me as a leader. I have been qualified by the cooperation between God and me. If I had not been diligent to do my best with all my power and life, God would not have held my hand and the Semuon that you see today would not exist. I cannot help but say that I have made it from nothing. Nevertheless my flesh is broken, but I am grateful to God. I strongly desire to see true leaders, who will lay down their lives, and for this inspiration to not end.

2017 Audio

2017 Video

Credits

2017.2.12_The Church Purchased By God

February 13, 2017/in 2017 Lord's Day /by Suna IHM

Senior Overseer Ki-Dong Kim

Outline

[Acts 20:26-35]

God
is the righteous Master.
By His word
He created heaven, earth and mankind (Jn 1:2-4),
and purchased mankind with His own blood.
He gathered them and called them, Church,
and the Holy Spirit chose and appointed
an overseer to shepherd the church
which God purchased with His own blood (Ac 20:28).
Hence
through prayer alone (Act 6:4)
the overseer must commune with God always
and receive the inspiration of the Word
to provide it to the church.
The church of God is the testimony revealed to the world
of the divine image of Jesus Christ
who is the image of God’s being (Jn 15:26).
Therefore,
a true church of God should, under the overseer’s leadership,
fulfill the will of God and the will of Christ
and be moved by the Holy Spirit.
The church is not a religious body bound by ceremonial rituals,
rather, the church has to obey the working of the Holy Spirit every time.
○ The church ought to trust and respect the overseer.
The overseer is not a god but a man.
Thus he has flesh just like us.
○ The overseer cannot give his own flesh and blood to be eaten.
He is appointed with a holy office to serve only with God’s inspiration
as a mediator between Jesus Christ and the saints.
○ If anyone disregards the overseer,
he disregards the Lord Jesus
who appointed the overseer.
※ The overseer does not cause trouble to the church
but sacrifices and dedicates himself.

Summary

The Church purchased by God

Acts 20:26~35

Those who have been baptized with the Holy Spirit and have become His children

God is righteous. God is invisible to human eyes. No one in the world has ever seen God. He has established righteousness for us to know Him.

The Israelites, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, received the law from God. The law was a standard of righteousness for them. They tried to keep the law, but it couldn’t make them righteous. It could make their bodies righteous and prosperous while they were living in this world, but it couldn’t save their souls.

In the fullness of time, God made Jesus Christ righteousness. From then on, whoever believes in Him is saved forever. John 1:17 says, “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”, and Galatians 3:19 says, “What was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions”. In the past, the Israelites were acknowledged by God by keeping the law, but we have become righteous by believing in Jesus Christ.

Jesus preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!”, while John the Baptist had preached that the kingdom of heaven has come. Although the words were similar, the meaning was very different. It is the same with baptism. John baptized people with water only. The baptism of John was for repentance and could not make anyone righteous. However, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, which we received after listening to the words of Jesus Christ, has made us righteous.

Jesus said to His disciples before the Ascension, “John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit”. (Acts 1:5) There is the difference between water baptism and the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Paul’s ministry verified it.

This happened when Paul went to Ephesus. There he found that the disciples had received John’s baptism. They admitted that they were sinners, but they had never been absolved from their sin and born again. Paul introduced Jesus to them, and he baptized them and placed his hands on them. Then the Holy Spirit came on them.

The baptism in the name of Jesus is the same as the one with the Holy Spirit. When we have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, God acknowledges that we are righteous. Our status after the baptism with the Holy Spirit is different from it was in the past. We are the children of God who can inherit the riches of heaven. This wonderful change of status that we have experienced is not abstract.

Because we have been baptized with the Holy Spirit He came on us. Those who have received the Holy Spirit can reveal the identity of demons and cast them out from a person’s body (Mt 12:28).

Those baptized with the Holy Spirit should treasure up the precious status given to them and be honored by it.

The overseer ordained for the church purchased with His blood

The fact that the Holy Spirit has come on us shows that God loves us. Parents love their children. It’s not necessarily because the children are smart or gentle. Even if they have defects in their character or bodies, parents still love them. Parents’ love encompasses not only their merits but also their faults.

A fault found in someone makes even his close acquaintances keep their distance.

However, his parents are different. They love their children faults in spite of their faults. Such a love fosters the children’s healthy growth and development.

God’s love toward mankind is the same. The fact that God purchased mankind with His blood proves it. The life is in the blood. (Leviticus 17:11) God’s life is in God’s blood.

The blood of God is so precious that it cannot be purchased, not even for the heavenly host and angels, and everything in the universe. God bought us with such precious blood. He bought not only our good attributes but also our faults and sin. That’s why we can freely reveal everything about ourselves to God without fear.

After the cease-fire of the Korean War, the United States and North Korea conducted a prisoner exchange. The United States exchanged one thousand North Korean soldiers for every one American Soldier in order to save their own people who had been taken captive in the North. It means the United States considered their people so valuable.

God bought the human race with His blood. That’s because He considered them so valuable.

Today we can acknowledge our sin and expose our faults because He paid such a high price to purchase us. God called the people He bought with His blood and made them the church.

It is not necessary to say how precious the church is in His eyes. He appointed overseers to care for the churches. Acts 20:28 says, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood”.

The overseer is not a duty that anyone can do just by volunteering nor can anyone take the office from another by force.

Only the Holy Spirit can appoint the overseer. He has the proper reason to designate the overseer.

Acts 20:29~30 says, “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them”.

It is a matter of course that all kinds of problems arise in the process of establishing and growing a church. Especially when a person turns up and provokes the people with doubts and complaints latent in their minds. By cunning words he stirs up people to follow him causing great difficulty for the church.

The overseer must rely on the Word to build up the congregation. Acts 20:31~32 says, “So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified”. And when the words are delivered through the overseer, members must accept them as the words of God and obey them with humility.

Those who hold up the overseer’s arms

Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. At that time, he needed a fellow worker. Even though there were many people in Israel, God appointed his brother Aaron, whom Moses trusted most, and anointed him.

It was God that appointed Aaron. However, some of them ignored his authority and went so far as to turn against him. They did so because they thought of him only as Moses’ brother.

1 Chronicles 16:22 says, “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm”.

When you see His anointed ones, you must be especially careful.

This is what happened when David was bringing the Ark of the Lord, which had been captured by the Philistines, into the City of David. He was so delighted to bring back the Ark of the Lord that he, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might.

Michal, the wife of David, despised her husband while watching the scene from a window.

And when she came out to meet him, she said mockingly, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his subjects’ female servants as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”.

Hearing it, David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel–I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” After that, Michal had no children to the day of her death. (2 Samuel 6:16~23)

If you respect the Holy Spirit and love the church, you will love the overseer whom the Holy Spirit has appointed. When you love the overseer, it doesn’t mean that you love only his good points. When Jesus bought us with His blood, He bought our sin and faults as well as our souls.

If we really are those who have received such love, we must love the overseer whom God appointed over the church with the same love.

We must love even his faults and shortcomings.

The support and love of the congregation play a vital role for the overseer to overcome all kinds of difficulties and effectively lead the church. After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, he underwent all kinds of hardships as a leader while they were passing through the desert.

When the Israelites arrived at Rephidim, the Amalekites attacked them. Moses left the battle to Joshua and went up the mountain with Aaron and Hur. He went to the top of the mountain and held up his two hands. Then the Israelites prevailed against the Amalekites.

But when he lowered his hands, then the Amalekites prevailed against the Israelites.

Moses had to keep his arms up. When Moses’ hands grew tired, Aaron and Hur made him sit on a stone and held his arms up on both sides. Because of them, Moses’ arms remained steady till sunset. and the Israelites was able to defeat the Amalekites. Like Aaron and Hur, we must hold up the overseer’s arms rather than be one of the men who drags down his arms. We must not speak a word of criticism or ridicule about him.

It happened that Noah drank some wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered inside his tent.

Ham, one of his sons, found him drunk first. He saw his father’s nakedness and laughed at him, and he told his brothers about it. But, after hearing it, Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness.

When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what happened, he blessed Shem and Japheth and cursed Ham and his son Canaan. We must be men after God’s own heart. There are also men’s faults in the church that God bought with His blood. The overseer is not a man without faults. But God entrusted His work to the overseer.

Who are you, that you should forcibly point out the faults God has forgiven and nullified what Jesus’ blood did? Avoid bringing any charge against those whom God has chosen. (Romans 8:33~34) It is the Holy Spirit that has appointed the overseer for the church. Put a gag in your mouth and hold up the overseer’s arms.

We must love the overseer who speaks for God, so he can always be courageous. Love his helpers.

And love the souls that God has left the overseer to take care of. Then, our own faults will also be hidden before God who bought even our faults.

Semuon’s Letter

Since I planted Sungrak church, I have often prayed for the constructing of church buildings and for church growth. I prayed an average of three hours a day, and even as much as ten hours sometimes. There was a conviction that a number of faithful servants would emerge from among many church members if the church grew. I became motivated to prepare a place for those many church members to gather. I labored for it with my all energy. At that time, in spite of having only a small number of members, all of them supported my vision, and all members prayed when they gathered and evangelized with a great passion when they scattered; like wildfire.

In the meantime, I have seen many churches that have moved or disappeared without their own building and many pastors who ministered just to make ends meet. They thought that all they had to do was gather a few dozen people in their church, so they would try to take some faithful saints who had been working diligently in other churches and plant their own churches.

A branch stretches out and bears fruit, and that fruit is moved further away, sprouting where it lands. Since I was only focused on the ‘Berea Movement’ in my ministry, I tried my best to fill my church with spirit-filled believers who could perform miraculous signs and wonders, and I trained them. There are many passionate and spirit-filled believers, but only when the Holy Spirit works in them and inspires them will they manifest signs and wonders.

Being ‘Spirit-filled’ does not just mean praying a lot. The Holy Spirit will only abide in you when you listen to God’s word. That is why He is referred to as the Spirit of Truth. Not only must you listen to God’s word with your ears, but you must also receive it. God’s word must abide in you and command you, for His commandment is life. We often use the term ‘the word of life’, but in order for it to give us life we must obey it. We must believe the word is the commandment of God directed to us. So then, as it is written, the Holy Spirit is given only to those who obey in each church.

Many people report feeling blessed after listening to God’s word, but they only listened with their ears. They do not regard God’s word as His commandment that must be obeyed.

I, the senior overseer, greatly desire that each of you become true and faithful ministers with me, and that we all enter the kingdom of the Lord together. I beseech you, that none of you would be swayed but rather that you be deeply rooted in Jesus Christ, the rock of faith, and not follow your own emotions or do your own will. Please, do not let others consider you an easy target. Do not let others tempt you. Be a true Sungrak member your whole life. I desperately urge you not to associate with those who have tried to alienate you from the church.

2017 Audio

2017 Video

Credits

2017.02.05_The Church Blessed to a Thousand Generations

February 6, 2017/in 2017 Lord's Day, 2017' Lord's Day, Sung Hyun Kim /by Suna IHM

Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim

Outline

[Exodus 20:4-6]

God
is the source of blessing.
He blesses us with heavenly blessings (Ep 1:3)
as well as earthly blessings (Dt 28:2-6).
For this, Jesus came to the earth
and subdued the power of sin, unrighteousness,
destruction and unhappiness.
and commanded peace and obedience to the Church (Jn 16:33).
God gives both heavenly and earthly blessings
to those that keep their spirit holy
and serve His Church with all their heart and body
to which they have been called to serve (Dt 12:7).
Whoever sets up idols in his heart
will be forsaken by God (Ez 14:3-5),
and will pass on curses to his descendants (Ez 14:9-23).
However,
only the one that loves and supports God’s church
can receive God’s blessing
to a thousand generations (Ex 20:6).
○ Let us use our faith, which is our spiritual inheritance,
for the success and blessedness of the Church
and be a delight to God.
○ Let us cast off
every act of evil and temptation
in order to keep our spirit holy and pure.
○ Let us become saints
worthy of seeking blessings
for our children, prosperity and peace.
※ Let us keep our spirit pure,
and serve the Lord’s church
with sacred heart and deeds.

Summary

The Church Blessed to a Thousand Generations

Exodus 20:4~6

The Word of Blessing

In the Christian’s faith, it is basic knowledge that God gives us the blessing that extends to a thousand generations. Some people believe that only those who have a great faith can receive this blessing. However, the blessing is promised to all who believe. So, if you are a Christian, you must have the will to inherit your blessing to a thousand generations. This is the attitude that you ought to have as a Christian and is a way of conforming to God’s way of leading us into eternal life.

God has given us His word. That is because it is His word that is the only way for us to possess God’s blessing. On the Lord’s day, we attend the worship service and listen to the sermon. The very time of worship is when we hear God’s word and receive it by faith. Unfortunately, there are some people who do not recognize it as God’s word but rather judge the content of the sermon by their own standards. The problem is that even though they are listening to God’s word, if they do not acknowledge it as God’s word, they can never be blessed as God wants to bless them.

The church is the framework by which God gathers and raises believers, nurturing them by His word, and the mechanism which God established to bless them. God has never abandoned those who are bought with His blood. God wants believers to remain in the glory that His Son enjoys. To this end, it is through the church that God keeps all believers until Jesus Christ comes again to the world.

Overseer preaches God’s words in the church. And then the people believe and follow the Word of God proclaimed by the overseer. When both the overseer and the members faithfully carry out their own duties the church can stand firm. Each of the duties must not be interrupted by any situation. But, those who are weak in faith are susceptible to negative thoughts. Once a negative impression about the church or the overseer is imprinted in their hearts, they unconsciously have negative viewpoints on the church when observing what happens in the church. This is not just an obstacle in their own faith lives, but also negatively affects others around them, so we have to be cautious of it.

Among the factors that can negatively affect people’s thoughts is the influence of the recently developed online Social Networking Services (SNS) which have a significant effect on people. Through the services, many people can share information freely, but, at the same time, increasing numbers of people are hurt due to false information and maligning words. What is worse, this can even be used as a tool for blaming and attacking the church. If you want to keep your soul clean, you must not listen to that false information. Once the seed of a negative thought is sown in your field, which is your heart, it can never be removed, but rather becomes the source of anguish, even producing further negative thoughts.

Cleansed by the Precious Blood and Sanctified by Good Works

There are two components to preaching God’s word. First, there is the grace that comes by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Church members repent after listening to the sermon. Once they come to be under the grace of the precious blood, their hearts are cleansed. The second component is the instruction on the conduct of the believer. The people receive instruction regarding their conduct through which they must sanctify their souls by their actions and decisions. Therefore, anyone who hears the sermon should repent in the light of the message, and make up their mind to act in accordance with God’s instruction.

It is idolatry that prevents this from happening. Most people think of idols only as images or figures made of stone or wood but those are not the only idols. If the love and devotions of the saints which belong to God are redirected to something or someone else, then that thing or person has taken God’s place and has become an idol. Idolatry is a betrayal against God, which seriously pollutes the soul of the saints.

If a person builds an idol in his or her heart, God, instead of taking the idol away, allows that person to be tempted in order to test that person. (2 Thes2:11~13). If a person sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, God will answer Himself and make them bear their guilt. (Ezekiel 14:3-11)

We must not get involved with matters that might corrupt our souls. We are responsible for blessing our children as believers. Leaders of Israel, even in their old age, blessed their children with the authority that had been given from God. That is because God’s blessing can be passed on to their children not through the flesh but through the soul. So, in order not to block the inheritance of God’s power to our children, we must keep our soul clean and be approved by God through our good works.

We should be particularly cautious to not allow ourselves to be exposed to the blame and criticism against the church. Once you have been exposed to them, even without your wanting them to, they will cast a shadow upon your heart opening the door for demons to invade. On the other hand, if we choose the words and thoughts of faith and hope, the works that are pleasing to God can be accomplished through us more readily.

To build and grow a church, many members must endure hardships in order to keep their souls clean. In addition, many should sacrifice and devote themselves to keeping the souls of others clean. This is not at all easy. But many have done so, and also are doing it to serve the church. There must not be any casting of blame or malign that might discourage or hurt those who have been dedicated only to God.

Even unbelievers treat the church with a certain level of respect. Even those who oppress others show some respect when they meet pastors. Even thieves are reluctant to steal the church’s offerings. Unfortunately, the blaming and slander is happening among believers in the church and fostering distrust of the overseer. These kinds of acts not only destroy their souls but also leaves indelible scars on other people’s souls.

Once a person’s faith has been shaken, it is hard for that person to receive God’s word. Some people might think that when they hear negative news about the church they should listen carefully and judge for themselves whether or not it is true. However, entertaining this injurious conversation knowing that it might affect you in a negative way is the same as building idols. It is also improper to think that you need to listen closely to it in order to dispute the matter. These arguments and quarrels are useless and unprofitable. (Titus 3:9)

We must not defile our souls until the Lord leads us into His kingdom. God’s will is being fulfilled through those who keep their souls holy. Thus, God remembers not only them but also their descendants. That means those who are holy inherit blessings and prepare heaven for themselves.

The overseer of the church is the speaker that delivers God’s words. Although the overseer is just a man, God ordained him to bless the church members. When God appointed Aaron as the priest of Israel, He made him wear a special garment that was made for the priest. This helped the people of Israel acknowledge the authority of the priestly office by displaying the glory and beauty of the priesthood. (Exodus 28:2) Likewise, God covers an ordinary person with the mantle of ‘Overseer’, and proceeds to do His work. Therefore the saints should humbly follow the guidance of the overseer just as sheep do not follow another’s voice but the voice of their shepherd, so the saints should pay attention to the voice of the overseer.

Let Us Enjoy the Blessing of a Thousand Generations

God is the source of all blessing. He blesses us. Deuteronomy 28:2-6 says, “If you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.” Because blessing accompanies God, those who are with God will be blessed in all the circumstances of their lives.

The blessings introduced in the time of the Old covenant were imperfect. But thanks to Jesus Christ, we can completely enjoy God’s blessings. He has thoroughly dealt with the curse of sin and death and the destruction that would otherwise hinder our blessings. And He commanded us to obey. Since He has made all our ways straight, we can now see what is before us and walk the road that is before us.

We must build up our households to receive and enjoy God’s blessings to a thousand generations. In order to do this, we must do two things: First, we must preserve our souls. Second, we must serve our church with devotion through holy conduct and good deeds. Those who do these two things can bless their children and families. If you believe God created all things, that He is the atonement for our sins, and that he will resurrect us, then you must also believe that He will bless us while we are here on earth.

We are the church blessed to a thousand generations: Not just the church that ‘will be blessed’, but also the one that ’already has been blessed’. God has promised to bless us not to two or three generations but to a thousand generations. His blessings are as firm and trustworthy as His word, for He has spoken it. For the promise to be fulfilled in us, let us keep our souls that were bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. Let us be under the power of His precious blood. Then let us conduct ourselves in a right and godly way as members of the Lord. Let us exercise our faith, our spiritual inheritance, for the success and happiness of the church.

Semuon’s Letter

Looking back on all the days of my life, I cannot find even a single thing I did well. The only thing that I believe I did well is be patient. For the last eighty years I have gone through the world, being patient again and again. Looking back on those days at the age of eighty, I remember a lot of events that make me think, ‘Being patient at those moments, I did very well.” If I had not been patient, I wouldn’t be who I am today. And I do not have long left to live, so I am not sure how much more I will have to be patient.

Someone once said to me, “I can see the radiance in your face.” So I asked that person what radiance it was, and he said, “the radiance of patience.” Patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps I exhibit patience because the Holy Spirit has given me the power to be patient again and again. I remember patience as one of the greatest qualities of my fifty five year-ministry.

The work in the church is so delicate. It is like a feather that it is easily swayed by a gentle wind or soaked by light drizzle. But enduring it is only possible by patience. Resentments, dissatisfaction and complaints always come back to the pastor. But so what? I have to be patient again and again. If there is misunderstanding or conflict, the only answer is patience.

Young people do not realize how patient their mothers have been with them, because their mothers tolerate their annoyance. But when someone else offers a favor, they are very appreciative of it. In the same manner I have endured numerous annoying situations that many church members are not even aware of. I have taken myself up to the pulpit as if I have not been annoyed, not to put on an actor to play a role, but in order for my church to survive. I could do otherwise.

I strongly desire that my saints be patient with me, for the sake of our church. Although the Devil provokes us to resentment and backbiting, we must let the Holy Spirit govern all of our actions. From now on, let us not hate one another, but let us pray for each other and for our weakness. Let us never alienate, upset or be the cause of division among each other, ever.

I, Semuon, am so weak and imperfect, and I am not a god, so I am flawed. Nevertheless, I have done my duty with patience, so please give me a hand of encouragement, saying, “Rest assured that our church is going to fulfill our duty to the church, help the overseer, and protect the mission of the church.”

2015 Audio

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