Title: For a life of many benefits
Contents
This text Acts 18:27-28
Preacher Se-won Oh
Sermon Date 2008-01-06
27 As Apollos was about to go over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote letters to the disciples to welcome him.
28 This was because the Scriptures testified that Jesus was the Christ, and he powerfully prevailed over the words of the Jews in public.
Bible: Acts 18:27-28 New Year's Sunday 08.1.6
Title: For a life of many benefits
In fact, every human being wants to live a fruitful life. It takes many ways to make a life worthwhile, whether it be for yourself or for others. They receive education, set their own goals in life, and achieve them. However, there are some things that are beneficial and some that are not. Some people are good for me and some people are bad for me. Even if we study, some studies are beneficial and some studies are not. Some exercises are beneficial and some are not. There are entertainments that are beneficial, and there are entertainments that are not. There are some religions that are beneficial, and there are many religions that are not. Some foods are beneficial and some are not. Not all drugs are good. Koreans love medicine. However, there are drugs that are beneficial and there are drugs that are not. There are things that are good for me and things that aren't good for others.
Then we must live a useful life, a useful life for ourselves. So what should we do to live a fruitful life? What must we do to live a life of many benefits? Looking at the text we read today, Apollos, who was born in Alexandria, was a Jew. He arrived in Ephesus, where Paul had been. The good thing about Apollos was that he had good speech and knew a lot of the Bible. Apollos learned the Word early and worked hard to teach and testify about Jesus. He taught diligently in the synagogue. At this time, Priscilla and Aquila heard what Apollos had to say, and they took Apollos with them, and they wanted to know more precisely about the way of God, so they were taught. At this time, when Apollos was about to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him to write a letter to the disciples. The content was a request to welcome Apollos well because if he did something, Apollos would go. But when Abulus went to Achaia, it was said that he brought many benefits to the believers.
In today's verse, it is said that when Apollos went to Achaia, he brought many benefits to those who believed through grace. In order for Jesus to be of greater benefit to me, we must have faith. Without faith there can be no benefit. The more faith you have, the more benefits your life will have through grace.
Then God always benefits us when we believe in Jesus as the Christ and Savior. makes it useful. It benefits not only in little, but in much. Everyone, you must have faith in order to live a life of many benefits. Without faith, many useful lives cannot be lived. Then, what is the benefit to me through faith in Christ?
First, there is great benefit to salvation.
Romans 3:27-28 says, “There is no room for boasting, then, by what law, not by works, but by the law of faith. We admit”
There is no greater benefit than salvation. But this salvation comes through faith. Not through the works of the law, but through God's love, he opened the way to believe in God, and it is given only to those who have faith in that path. Today we partake of the sacrament. To participate in the Lord's Supper is to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and to believe that He died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. And it is a sacrament in which those who have faith who believe that He rose from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, and is at the right hand of God, will come again for judgment in God's time. This is salvation.
Second, there is the benefit of experiencing the power of God.
The power of God works through our faith. In Matthew 8:5 and below, when Jesus was entering Capernaum, a centurion came up to him and asked him, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and in great pain.” Then Jesus said, “I will go and heal you.” At this time, the centurion turned to Jesus and said:
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my house, but speak the word, and my servant will be healed. I, too, am a man under the control of others, and there are soldiers under me. I say to one person, “Go,” and to another, “Come,” and he comes. I tell you, I have not found such faith in any of Israel.” “Go, let it be as you have believed.” So the servant was healed immediately.
In Matthew 9, on one occasion two blind men followed Jesus and cried out, “Son of David, have mercy on us.” Jesus entered a house and followed him there. Then Jesus said to them, “Do you believe I am able to do this?” He answered, “Yes, Lord.” Jesus touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith, it will be done.” But their eyes were opened.
When Jesus did not have faith, he rebuked him, but he allowed those who had faith to experience the power through that faith. Those who have faith have the great benefit of being able to experience the power of God all the time.
Third, those who have faith have the benefit of gaining courage when living in the world.
As we live in the world, we encounter a lot of things that really hit our limits. So there are cases where it collapses. They say they have faith, but sometimes their faith is weak. In the case of the prophet Elijah, after he had spiritually defeated the 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah, he heard the news that Jezebel was chasing after him. But faith can overcome any difficulties, fears, and nervousness. Most of the people of faith have many examples of overcoming these things by having faith. Even though Joseph was sold to Egypt as a blood and single person, he did not fear at all, but depended only on God, looking forward to the day when his dreams would come true, and eventually became the prime minister of Egypt. When David was a shepherd, he experienced God being with him and believed in God absolutely, so he went forward without fear of the Philistine Captain Goliath, who was trembling with fear from King Saul. In 1 Samuel 17:45, he exclaimed:
“You come to me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have insulted.
Going forward with this boldness, the allies struck down Goliath, who felt so great, with one blow. Daniel did not fear entering the lions' den by faith, but God saved Daniel from the lion's mouth. Even though Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to go into a furnace that was seven times hotter than usual, they went in without fear and came to life with the help of God.
When Peter and John had no faith, they fell even the little girl's servant and denied Jesus. I cannot but speak of what I have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).
If we live with faith, we have no fear even if the world will fall. Even if people leave me, I do not lose heart because Jesus, who is my eternal friend, is by my side. I am not lonely.
“Do not be afraid of me, do not be afraid, the Lord Jesus is always awake.
If we pass through this wretched sea, we will arrive at that land of hope.”
According to verse 28 of today's text, what was revealed by giving many benefits to those who believed through Apollos was to testify that Jesus was the Christ, and to overcome the Jews powerfully in public. In the meantime, they had faith because they were not good at pleading, but they could not overcome it, but they were able to overcome those who did not believe in Christ through the grace God gave through Apollos. Now you have courage. No adversaries were afraid.
Dear brothers and sisters, in John 20:27-28, Jesus said to Thomas, who did not believe and doubted the resurrected Jesus from the beginning, “Do not become unbelievers, but become believers.” Believers benefit from God's grace. So, in the new year of 2008, I hope that you have more faith and that your life will be fruitful.