December 23, 2018 Receive the Forgiveness of Sins (Acts 2:36-42)

Sermon Outline

God
is righteous.
He
sent the Word
to let the world know about God’s righteousness (Jn 16:10).
He gave commands through the word of the Law,
and this was to show our sins (1 Cor 15:56).
He gave the Gospel of grace through the Word of truth (Jn 16:13),
and this was so we become God’s children (Jn 8:32).
We now
come before God and do the work He directs
to throw off the flesh and become spiritual people (Jn 3:4-21).
Eternal life
is to believe in Jesus, resurrect into a spiritual person
and live with Him in heaven as the bride of the Lord Jesus.
This is so we can become greater than the angels in heaven
and serve God forever.
Therefore,
each person must repent of their sins (Mt 4:17)
to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,
and the Holy Spirit must come on them so they become spiritual people (1 Cor 12:1-3).
○ Receiving the forgiveness of sins
is God’s wish
and Jesus Christ’s wish.
○ You must receive the Holy Spirit to be a Christian.
The Father and the Son cooperate to give the Holy Spirit.
Receiving the Holy Spirit is an absolute duty.
○ You are not saved because you did not sin.
You must be forgiven of sins to be saved.
Being forgiven of sins is true faith.
※ Jesus is the same yesterday and today.
Jesus’ blood redeemed our mortal sins.
Let’s repent and be forgiven of sins.

Semuon’s Letter

The devil has tried to deceive me by what he has said, by befriending me to his ways, and getting close to me. The ones that he had used in the past knew how hungry and worn out I was, and they tried to convince me with their lies in telling me that they would help me. They urged me, “Pastor, you have done so many good works. So, before you get into disrepute, do all those things we tell you and this will preserve your honor and pride.” They tried to tempt me into thinking that they would help protect my honor. But God had Himself spoken to me, by saying, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” So, what is the word of truth? God’s word or theirs?

I am not sure if the honor and pride of the world, which is as common and valueless as the stones found on the ground, can truly save one’s face while living in this world. But it can certainly not save my soul. However, the word of God has atoned for all my sins and has made me clean. The word of God makes me possess eternal life.

Whenever he can, the devil uses his minions to shout me down and tell me to step down from the authority that comes from God Himself. But I know that these are all the common methods used by the devil. His minions tell me that the angels will not let my feet touch the floor, but the ones who tells me these things are not even angels themselves. They are the workers of lies. And they are being used as the tool of him who has created all these lies. If they can, they will try to force me to bow before them and obey their every word. But their words are not the words that come from heaven, and their words are not the words that come from the Holy Spirit. Should anyone in their right mind be deceived by these words that they speak? The glory of the world that they claim they give is in fact: disobedience, lawlessness, and corruption. And finally, it is the eternal ruin of the soul.

Just as the Lord has Himself spoken, when He had said, “Be gone from me, Satan!”, so I also say to them: “Be gone from me!” For my whole life, I have not loved the so-called honor of the world, which is as common as the stones on the ground. Neither have I lived by this kind of honor. The reason that I have avoided all these things is because of all the spiritual language, word, and testimony that I have preached and experienced in my 60-year ministry. And these have been written down in the following books: ‘Christ’s Healings and His Holy Signs in My Life’, ‘Demonology’, and ‘Let us know God’.

They now write all sorts of shameful things to force me to step down from my position as Overseer. But these are all the words that belong to the world, and they are not the words that belong to God. No one must be deceived by any of these lies. The devil says, “I will lift you up, I will give you honor, and I will protect you, so prostrate before me, and listen to what these people of saying”. But the words of the devil will never succeed.

Jesus has spoken by his holy word, “Whoever desires to follow me must take up his cross and follow me”. Jesus has again said, “This is the way of My true disciples”. No matter what kind of glory, and no matter what kind of comfort the world has to offer, the order from the Lord to take up my cross, has come to me in the form of the commandment of God. I myself will walk up the harsh, uphill slope to Golgotha just as the Lord Jesus had Himself done. I will die the death that He Himself had died. This is the commandment of the Lord. I myself am a man of many sins. Yet the Lord has cleansed me from them all. I am a powerless man. Yet the Spirit of the Lord dwells with me. The way that I am walking on is the not the way of destiny, but the way of the work of God that was decided in the beginning in heaven. Therefore, I will shout ever louder, ‘May the will of God be done!”

Semuon