Tag Archive for: sermon summaries
2017.12.31_What Words Do You Desire to Hear
in 2017 Lord's Day[John 6:60-71]
God
is everlasting life.
He
has revealed and made Himself known to mankind
by the Word (logos) (Jn 1:1).
The Word became flesh and shed His blood;
and the Word has come inside us as spirit.
Parables were first given before the Word came.
The Law and the prophets are parables (He 9:1-10).
A parable is a seer and a guide.
It is not the object of faith but acts as priming water.
The object of our faith is Jesus Christ (Mt 16:16-18).
The words of Jesus are spirit and life (Jn 6:63).
What is it that you are attentive to hear?
It is only the spirit that gives life –
only God’s word (logos) gives life.
Jesus is the Word that gives life.
The flesh and blood of Jesus are the words that give life (Jn 6:53-55).
We have to experience the Word (Jn 14:7).
The Holy Spirit enables us to experience it.
◌ What words did you come to the church to hear?
Only the word of God can save you.
Jesus is the Word that saves you.
◌ People are absorbed in parables, unable to break away from it.
However the Law will lead you to death rather than save you.
The truth alone is the spirit that gives you life.
◌ Jesus is the words of eternal life.
Unless one understands His words, he will depart from the Lord.
Let us abide in the words of eternal life.
※ The truth is the words of eternal life.
They are the words of the eternal God
who does not speak with a double tongue.
Coming Soon
All my life I have been persecuted, but never was I reviled as much as I am these days. Is it so amusing for them? Do they not realize how shameful their mouths have become the more they do this? It is a rule that two different kinds of water cannot come from the same well. Bitter water and sweet water do not come out together. Why don’t they realize that if they criticize all day long, it will become a deceiving spirit which will make them continue in their doing? If they start to lie, they will be caused to lie continuously. Why don’t they realize that if something little gets exaggerated into something huge, they will finally become a devil? It is so unfortunate that they do not understand the words, “You are condemned by the words of your own mouth”. The person who believes in Jesus plunges in the blood of Jesus and only seeks God’s kingdom and His righteousness. But contrarily, the Law and religious people condemn, sue, lie, murder and curse. What will become of their mouths? Will it be defiled or will be clean? How wonderful would it have been if, in that time, they had instead prayed more, sought humility, loved and comforted and given peace? The reason the tongue of a viper comes out of their mouths whenever they speak is because they themselves have become corrupted. When we drank the blood of Jesus, and whenever we commemorate the death of the Lord Jesus, we learned that we must proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. But how come they keep saying things that should not be spoken with the mouths and tongues which should be preaching the death of Jesus? Those who are drunk with these words, who only want to hear such words, are like men who have forsaken their souls. While every moment is precious that we should be busy saving every soul we can, they are instead chasing them away. How can we say that these are the people who have drunken the precious blood of the Lord and who are working for the ministry of His blood? It is very shameful that I am mentioned at the end of their every sentence, but what can I do? I am bearing this all day long. However, my soul triumphs all day long. This triumph is the victory of God’s righteousness. I am no longer alarmed. I have been dragged even to the courts of this world. Surely some judgement will come. The one who has not the assurance of himself calls for the crowd. This is not a spiritual confrontation but physical. How can they lie so much at one moment and then proclaim the truth behind the pulpit in another? It is clear that the truth will not come from them. The truth will not come from the one who teaches the Law, but the man of truth is the man of the Holy Spirit. All of us must mourn before God like the people of Nineveh. The biting wind that started in winter has passed through spring, summer, and autumn, and winter is here again. Must we waste time so aimlessly as we are doing now? The Lord is urging us. He says, “Redeem the time, because the days are evil”. Therefore, we must make the most of our time. Do not dream evil ambitions with a bright mind but have noble dreams. Even the rustling of the autumn leaves is sounding out loud… [gmedia id = 82]
Outline translated by Sarah Lee Chief Editor: Helen Nam
Letter translated by John Kim
Interpretations by Sarah Lee
Korean Summary by Ki-Taek Lee
2017.12.25_Immanuel (Christmas Service)
in 2017 Lord's Day[Matthew 1:18-25]
God
is love.
He loved His Son
that He appointed His Son heir (Heb 1:2),
and for Him created heaven
in order to place a throne in heaven
at the right hand of God (Mk 16:19).
Thus the Son did not take equality with God (Php 2:6-7)
but desired to be a servant in obedience to the Father.
Hence, He became the Son of Man to taste death (Heb 2:9).
At that time, the throne in heaven was kept unoccupied
and God had an angel speak as a representative
in the name Jehovah (Ex 3:15).
Out of jealousy, an angel named, Lucifer,
rebelled against Jehovah and became Satan that fell (Isa 14:12-15).
Satan took the chance and rebelled
while the Son of Man, who is God, vacated the throne.
He was bound in darkness
until the Son of Man would come to judge him (2 Pet 2:4).
When the time came, the Son of Man was born from the virgin.
He is Immanuel.
It is mankind that receives the Son of Man who is Immanuel (Mal 2:15).
Hence, although man is a little lower than the angels,
he will be glorified with the Son of Man by the Holy Spirit
when the Son of Man ascends to heaven (Rm 8:16-17).
◌ This is our faith: Immanuel.
He was born from the body of a human according to prophecy.
He is God.
◌ His name is Jesus,
for He is God who will save His people from their sins.
◌ He was born from the stem of King David and the roots of Jesse.
He is God.
※ We must believe that the One
who came from Bethlehem as thus is God
in order to be saved and have eternal life.
Coming Soon
Lord, even today I was scorned all day long. They have said all kinds of filthy things against me and trampled me by saying I am evil. I have come home pierced, beaten up, and shattered, and almost bathed in blood, as if the world is a field of thorns. But it could not be compared to the persecution, disdain, injury and false testimony that You, our Lord bore, as they put the crown of thorns on Your head! Just as You endured it all, solely waiting for God the Father in heaven to vindicate You, I lay before Your feet, seeking atonement, and also give thanks to You for embracing and loving a human like me, so pitiful and unworthy like an insect. I am simply happy and thankful that I was taken up in Your hand to do Your work for half a century already. I have asked You Lord to just take me away now but since You have commanded me to stay in this world longer and walk through this field of thorns, Golgotha, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I do not know whether they are pleased for cursing me all day long with the lies they made up. But this narrow-minded heart of mine feels as though it is going to burst that I desire not to stay any longer in this wicked world, but You say that I have more work to do and that I must stay longer. So this is what I will do. God has given each person their duty. To one person, He has given this duty, to another person a different duty. But You have given me the duty to receive persecution and suffering. Rather, I thank You for giving me this portion. What kind of work could I bear if not this work? In this world, I am the lowliest person, a person of lowest circumstance, an insect-like being, an animal. If You had not given me this duty, I would be an utterly ignorant and incapable person. Therefore, I will take upon this duty You have given me with gratefulness, and since it is my portion that I be faithful to this work forever, I will not grumble or be sorrowful about what You have given. It is just that this work is so wearisome, and my living flesh resists it. My soul trusts in you, my God, and even though I desire to return to Your bosom, You have commanded me to stay in this world and encourage Sungrak Church and the Return to the Word movement. So this is what I will do. Lord! I thank you for entrusting me with the work that others hate to bear. Help me to take up my cross to the end with thankfulness. Help me not to be cowardly, help me not to be afraid, help me to be faithful to work you have given until death. I have prayed that you would grant, in the narrow opinion of this small servant of Yours, a short moment of peace. But You, Lord in heaven, have been silent on this matter, that I am ashamed of my prayer. May Your will in heaven, Lord, be done on this earth. I am not righteous, but by Your grace my soul has been justified. In thankfulness I wipe away my tears. Coming Soon
Outline translated by Sarah Lee Chief Editor: Helen Nam
Letter translated by Sung-In Hong
Interpretations by Sarah Lee
Korean Summary by Ki-Taek Lee