The Scripture you just read was from Matthew 16. Every time we listen to a sermon, we first read the Bible, and this Bible is inseparable from our faith life. There are many different incidents and events written in the Bible: some took place 4000 years ago, some 3500 years ago, some 3000 years ago, some 2400 years and others 2000 years ago. Thus, various events and stories throughout time are written in the Bible.

There is a truth we can learn from these, and it is that the words of God – the words written in the Bible – came to fulfillment. They were fulfilled as was said. Incredibly those words were all fulfilled. If they had not been God’s words, they would not have been fulfilled. However, since God who spoke those words is living, they come to fulfillment, even though the men who received and wrote the words down have long since died. It is marvelous.

It’s not as though we say, “Let’s just say they came true.” What was written about 2000 years ago was even fulfilled in me as well. And it will be fulfilled in you too. That is the remarkable thing about the Bible. That is why we believe that the words written in the Bible are God’s word. Otherwise, we wouldn’t need to even open the Bible or come to church and lead a hard faith life of believing in God.

There are many religions in this world, yet living a faith life in the church is a lot harder compared to those religions. Nevertheless, the reason we still come to church to hear God’s word and live a faith life, despite the persecution from others and the many things to do and places to go on the Lord’s Day, is because every word written in the Bible comes true.

At first, we feel doubtful because we are not certain of this. But as we start to obey the words in the Bible one by one, we experience that the word comes to fulfillment. If the fulfillment of the word was possible with our own abilities, we might think of it as a coincidence or good luck. However, that which we get to experience after believing in Jesus and also by obeying the word is truly remarkable and something we never experienced before.

In the past, I never had the experience of healing a sick person. Actually, I used to just go to the hospital. But from some time, I started to heal the sick. This is not something unique to me; anyone who believes in Jesus is meant to do that. The only thing is that some people are not able to put it into practice because of their measure of faith, but each believer has the power to.

Perhaps I have a simple faith. Once, I met a paralytic lying down. The Bible has a story like that. In the Bible, Peter met a man who was paralyzed and couldn’t stand up. He was lame. As Peter held him by the hand and lifted him up, saying, “Gold and silver I do not have, but I give you what I do have. In Jesus’ name, get up! Walk!” And that lame person started to walk. It’s remarkable, isn’t it? It is easy for people to think, “Hey, how on earth can that be possible?”

Recently I gave a testimony about something similar in Lord’s Day school. It wasn’t a story from the Bible, but my own testimony. A little child said, “Hey, that’s a lie!” Whether adults or children, some will not believe, while others will. So, I said, “The fact that you don’t believe just because you haven’t seen it and sounds illogical is wrong! God is able to do it! If I said I did it, that would be a lie, but it was God who did it! Be a person who believes without seeing!” The Bible likewise writes about the works the disciples of Jesus did as well.

The Bible promises that if we believe, we can do the same. Such signs will accompany those who believe. Just 3 months after I came to have faith in Jesus, I went to serve in the army. Because I had listened to the word during those three months, I believed it. So, as a three-month-old believer, I was still a new believer, wasn’t I? If I saw anyone sick in the army, I boldly laid my hands on them. And they were healed. I thought it was a matter of course. Hence, while I was in the army, I laid my hands on many people and healed them. Prior to going to the army, I had never cast out demons. But I experienced that for the first time in the army.

In the beginning, I was humiliated a lot. It had not been long since I started my faith life, but because I was so zealous, I was appointed to preach a sermon during the worship service. However, being inexperienced, instead of preaching a sermon that would target a diverse group of people, I wanted to shock everyone and let them know that God does exist. So, I preached about demons. And then I said, “If you feel anxious or nervous as I am talking to you now, please come forward. I will drive  the demon out of you!” Then I waited. I waited about three minutes, but no one came forward. Why would they? It was also a short time. Finally, one person came forward. He was my senior. I commanded towards him, “Get out! Get out!” but the demon didn’t go out. I was just humiliated, and he said, “Hey stop now!” So I had to stop. It was really embarrassing.

Yet astonishingly, someone came to see me the next morning. He asked, “Please drive out the demon from me!” So I did, and the demon left. His throat had been so swollen that he couldn’t speak, but after casting out the demon, he was healed on the spot. I said, “Let’s give thanks in prayer!” and was going to pray, but he thought I was telling him to pray. He couldn’t even make a sound before because his voice didn’t come out, but he suddenly began praying by himself. That was my first experience of casting out a demon, and since then I gained the courage to continue doing it.

Later on, I went to China as a missionary. I had not been specially trained as a missionary; I was just a believer who had led my faith life at our church for about five years—two years in the army and then three years after. When I went to China, I met a paralytic there. Since the Bible says so and because I had experienced it before when I trusted and obeyed the Lord’s word, I was confident. In a rural village in China, a lady brought her husband on a handcart with boards laid on it. I think she always went around like that. People helped lift him, still on the boards, and placed him on the floor. So he laid down at the very front and listened to the sermon.

So I testified that God is living and I laid my hand on him, saying, “Gold and silver I do not have, but in the name of Jesus, in the name of God, get up!” and I pulled him up. I just tried. I thought I’d just try as it was done in the Bible. And this man exclaimed, “Ah! Ah!” and got up. I didn’t know who the man was, so I thought he was just getting up. But then all the people there from the village got up from their places. Many of them were elderly, but irrespective of age and gender, they were all jumping up and down, singing in Chinese, “Glory, glory hallelujah!” So from then, I didn’t even need to say, “Clap your hands!” or “Sing louder!” They were all so excited. So I commanded the old man to walk, and he walked. I told him, “Jump!” and he jumped. I didn’t tell him to stop, so he kept jumping. I thought I would leave him until the end and continued on preaching. He jumped up and down behind me for twenty minutes.

Such things happen to believers of Jesus. The words in the Bible are fulfilled as are written. That is why we read the Bible. With healing, we may be healed once, but our bodies can get ill again; even though we live healthily, our bodies will eventually die and return to dust.

Yet what God wants to give us is not only that. God wants to give us His life, everlasting life that never fades. And the one that can receive that life is not our flesh but our spirits. Therefore, our spirit receives God’s love. If according to our deeds, we would have to go to hell. Every human being is a sinner. You probably know this very well yourselves. Examine your own lives and ask, “If there is heaven and hell, where would I go?” I would have to go to hell. I didn’t love God, and even if I did say I loved God, I am ungrateful to Him and remember only what seems good to me.

When I said to someone, “We are sinners!” he responded he was a good person. He misunderstood what I was saying. I didn’t say we are not good but that we are sinners. A sinner means someone who is cut off from God and devoid of God’s life. A sinner is one who lives without God. But this person argued, saying, “I’ve been a good person all my life! I am a good person!” So, I asked him, “Tell me about the good you did.” This man, who was around 60 years old, thought deeply for a moment and started talking about his high school years. A man who was nearly 60 was mentioned how he used to help carry the school bag for a physically weak friend during high school. That was the good deed he told me. So, after some thought, the only good deed that he could remember doing was from decades ago.

Then think about the evil things you have done. Think about the times you caused harm to others! Don’t even your own husbands, even your own wives tell you off? We are truly shameful people before God! We are supposed to go to hell, but God bestowed grace upon us so that we can come before Him without any more fear.

In the verses we read today, Moses, Elijah and Jesus appear together. Three of the disciples followed Jesus up a mountain. Suddenly, they see Jesus talking with Elijah and Moses on the mountain. In those days, the disciples were wondering, “Why does our teacher always get persecuted and despised by people? Why do people try to kill Him and why does He suffer these things?” There were two people who were important figures for the faith of the Jews. For the Jews, Moses and Elijah were prominent figures in their faith. The Old Testament can be represented by those two—Moses and Elijah. Moses gave them the Law, and Elijah represented all the prophets. And since those two men stood side by side with Jesus, the disciples thought, “Wow! That’s incredible! Jesus with them!” They misunderstood. It’s not Jesus they should be surprised at but Moses and Elijah instead. But they misunderstood.

For example, if you saw me one day standing next to the president, talking casually and even patting each other on the shoulder, would you say, “Wow! The President is amazing!” No, you would likely think, “Oh it’s amazing that Pastor Lee knows the president!” Because the president is such a prominent figure in this country, you would think, “Oh, how does Pastor Lee know the president? That’s impressive. I didn’t know he was close to the president!” Likewise, if Jesus was standing next to Moses and Elijah and talking with them, who would the disciples be surprised at? They should be surprised at Moses and Elijah, shouldn’t they? Because they are talking to Jesus who is the Son of God

Yet the disciples didn’t know that. They were rather overjoyed because they thought, “Wow! Jesus is really amazing! He is finally being accepted and acknowledged! I knew He would be!” So, they wanted to stay with the three of them always and said, “We will put up three shelters here: one for Elijah, one for Moses and one for You!” In other words, they wanted to stay together with all three of them. But suddenly a cloud enveloped them, and a voice came saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples looked up, only Jesus remained; Moses and Elijah had disappeared.

We need to know God properly, but at the same time we can have a misunderstanding. The reason is that the Bible contains the words of Moses and Elijah. There is so much written that was given through Moses and Elijah. In terms of volume, there is far more of what Moses and Elijah said. As a result, people get confused as to whose words they should listen to. Though many read the Bible, they still hold onto the words of Moses and Elijah.

As you listen to Moses, the God you would encounter is a fearsome God. “Do not do this! Do not do that! If you do, you will die!” Such is what the Law says. They were the commandments given through Moses. Perhaps those without sin may feel blameless before the Law. However, we are all sinners, and therefore, we would be full of shame when we stand before Moses. We would face destruction. Thus, no one can be unashamed before Moses, but all confess, “I am a sinner!” And what the prophets preached was, “You need a Savior!” But God finally testifies Himself that we should no longer hear from Moses or Elijah, but whom? Jesus—hear the words of the Son of God.

Jesus came to the earth in the most lowliest manner. He even died on the cross. He was cursed and then died. And it is from Him that God says we should listen. Why? Because He is the One sent by God. God didn’t send just His servant; He sent His Son, who is equal to God, to work according to His will. Hence, our faith life is about listening to Jesus. That is our faith life.

Thus, if anyone says, “I will learn about God, I know God, I obey God!” yet ignores Jesus, he has nothing to do with faith. God doesn’t accept that. We have no right to go before God without Jesus. Therefore, the one we know, trust, believe and follow is Jesus.

We believe in Jesus, the Son of God, the Christ, the One sent by God. When we are united with Him, we receive the love that God has for His Son. But it doesn’t stop with receiving that love. Jesus came as Christ, as God’s servant. Therefore, we also take after Christ, saying, “Since I have been guaranteed  such glory, I want to be used by God in fulfilling His will while I live on the earth!” In this way, the one in whom we believe is Jesus Christ.

Everyone, please listen to the words of Jesus Christ now, and then follow Him. Moses revealed the God that must be feared, but Jesus Christ revealed to us the God of love. There is no reason to be shaken in any situation. You may go and sin again, but that itself is not the problem. The problem is that when many people sin, they tend to think that God will no longer like them because of their sin. Sin we may commit. But then who do need to come to? We have to come to Jesus and kneel down before God. Then God will not rebuke us but give us another chance. Even though a father may say to a disobedient son, “Get out of my house!” no father actually wants his son to leave. He would accept his son again if his son comes to him saying, “Father, I have done wrong!” This is what our God is like.

God wants to give you everything good that He has. He wants to give you life and power. As I said before, He already gave us the power to heal sicknesses. All you need to do is use it. He also wants to set us free from anxiety. Even though our flesh dies, He wants to resurrect us so that we live forever in the kingdom of heaven. What God wants to give us is endless. In Jesus’ name, I bless you that you will get to know more about this, take possession of more of these things, and experience more of this while you are on earth. I’ll pray.

Father God, thank You for sending us Your Son Jesus Christ. Through Him, we came to know for sure that God is not to be feared but that You are the One who truly love us and gave Your everything for us. Help everyone hear to feel at ease to go before God and receive an abundance of God’s love. Not only them but may their families also be blessed through them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.