July 8, 2018 The Church is the Lord’s Temple (John 2:13-22)

Sermon Outline

God
is spirit.
He
revealed Himself through the Word (Jn 1:18).
The Word is the Son (Jn 1:1).
No one can see God,
but the Image of God’s Person was revealed (2 Cor 4:4).
Therefore,
faith in God is to see, know and believe Him (Jn 14:8-11).
God was revealed as the Word
and the Word was revealed as the Son of Man (Jn 1:14).
The Son of Man was revealed as the temple (Jn 2:21)
and the temple is His body.
He revealed His body like this:
The church of Jesus Christ is the temple, which is His body (Jn 1:22-23).
The Holy Spirit dwells in the temple, reflects the Lord’s glory,
and reveals Jesus Christ’s power (1 Cor 3:16-17).
The church of Jesus Christ is not in word but in power.
When you see the church, you do not see the Nazarene
but see the resurrected Lord.
Only the Holy Spirit reveals the resurrected Lord (Jn 16:14).
◎ The church
is built by the Holy Spirit.
He shows Jesus’ resurrection.
◎ Jesus was also saved
by the Holy Spirit.
He newly establishes the church.
◎ The church
must be renewed by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit’s work is the power to establish the church.
※ Each of us is the temple.
The temple receives the Holy Spirit.
We must reveal the glory of the resurrection by the Holy Spirit.

Semuon’s Letter

Let us love the Church! Let us all truly love the Church! The Church is the body of the Lord Jesus. So let us not harm the body of the Lord, nor grieve the Lord himself. Let us only love him and love his Church. The Church is the collected body of the souls that have been bought by the blood of the Lord. And just as the Lord has loved us, so we must all love the church.

I will die for the church. I am a servant of the church. If the Lord says ‘stay’, then I will stay in the world, and in this church. But if the Lord says, ‘stay no longer’, then I will not refuse this command, but will at once, leave the world as he commands. No matter what the circumstances are, I am not a servant of man, but am a servant of the one who died on the cross, and after three days resurrected from the dead – the Lord Jesus Christ. I am proud to be a servant of the Lord. I do not condemn others, and for my whole life, I continue to perform the Semuon (“he who sees but does not speak”). I will continue to walk on this narrow path.

For my entire life, I have never used the internet, and I have never used a cell phone. This was for the sake of preaching the gospel alone. That I would not indulge in idle talk, or be brought into temptation by the feelings and emotions of man, I am determined to walk on this narrow and dangerous road. If someone reads these words, and sneers at them, I only say that this is my life and this is the truth. My inner man and my outer man constantly conflict and battle with each other. But in the end, my inner man will be victorious. And that will be the day that I leave this earth.

I am of old age and have the frail body of one who would fall over even if a little child were to attempt to push me. Therefore, from time to time, I endeavor to exercise. Up till the last, I will persevere and continue to use all my strength. I only ask that my dear Sungrak saints, whom I love, would continue to support me. I ask this with patience and humility. So that the light of this lamp will not be snuffed out, I earnestly ask that you would all continue to supply the running oil of your prayers. I ask that you would help stop this fierce wave that has come upon us. I ask that you would not despise this lonely man who is walking on this narrow road, and whose flame is constantly being threatened to be snuffed out. This frail body of mine is still required from the Lord, and I ask that you would continue to love and protect him -him who no longer seems to be needed any longer.

What I greatly desire is love. What I desire for my soul, and from my dear saints, is their love. For the time that I have left to live on this earth, I, now an old pastor, would ask that you would walk together with me and gather around and follow whole-heartedly the Acting Overseer, that you would love and bless your own souls, and that you would continue with us on this road to continue the mission of the Return to the Word Berea Movement that is located in Sungrak Church. What I ask is not your sympathy, but your dear comfort. What I desire is your love. In love, there is no hatred, but forgiveness; there are no lies, but only earnest zeal.

O my beloved Sungrak People! You who, along with me, have all devoted to lay down your lives for Sungrak Church! I appeal that we all receive courage, faith, and love from the Lord, and endeavor to please him to the end. I have no regrets concerning this world. I only get up boldly everyday to face it once again.v

Semuon