Title: Freedom (John 14:1-14)
Contents
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places, otherwise I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. come again and receive you to me, that where I am, there you may be also; and where I am going, you will know the way (John 14:1-4).
* obsession with life
“If God calls you at this time, do you really believe that you will go to heaven?” “Do you believe that you have eternal life through Jesus Christ?”
Not only the young but the elderly, regardless of who they are, have fears and pains of death and an obsession with life.
* Totally Free - Jesus
In today's text, Jesus is showing us a completely different side of us. Many people spread their clothes and spread them on the road, cheering, "Hosanna, Son of David," to welcome Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. However, Jesus did not yield to such glory and praise, and entrusted everything to the Father, saying, "Not as I will, but as you will." Then, as he prepares for his own death, he is telling his disciples in the upper room, "Do not let your hearts be troubled." In a word, Jesus is showing the perfect 'attitude of freedom' against the power of death. Contrary to the image of us humans who are enslaved for fear of death, the image of Jesus who is proudly free, saying, 'Where is your sting, O death? that is.
How are our children these days? In the past, it was natural to obey your parents. These days, such an appearance is being called a 'mama boy' among peers, and it is rather being teased, and it is said that protesting and rebelling are considered 'cool'. Not long ago, a famous singer appeared on TV and had a conversation, and I remember the title was 'Eternal freedom 000'. He has been divorced twice, and he still has some popular talents and scandals, and in the midst of that, he couldn't help but laugh bitterly as the host praised him as 'This man is an eternally free man'. It is 'death' that binds us in the greatest category of our lives, and Jesus was completely free from this death. I pray that you will have this beautiful freedom of death of Jesus.
However, there is one thing to keep in mind. There is another way to be released from the bondage of death, and that is 'suicide', which is spreading like a social fad these days. There is a husband who loses his job and takes drugs because he is pessimistic, resents his wife who has run away, strangles his child and kills himself. Pessimistic about the environment, four young middle school girls jump out of their apartment together. By choosing to commit suicide, it seems that he is freed from debt and difficult circumstances. But it is momentary, and you will go to hell and be caught in a deeper bondage. True freedom from death is the 'way of the cross'. Suicide is a painful thing that brings only shame and disgrace to the living family because of it, but the way of the cross is the path to complete freedom that gives true eternal life to all mankind.
As Jesus shared the last supper with his disciples, Jesus said, “Take this and eat; this is my blood, which is shed for many, even the blood of the covenant.” It was not in vain that he was caught and bled by the untruthful Roman soldiers who did not know God, but it was a true sacrificial death that saved others. Also, Jesus repeatedly called himself 'Son of man',
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
You said.
Our Jesus died in the place of many people, and so many people were given new life through the death of Jesus. Not only that, he promised his disciples the future that he would lead them to the eternal house of God, saying, 'I will receive you to myself, that where I am, you may be also.' We are obsessed with life. So whether someone else dies or not, 'I have to live' is instinctively built into our consciousness. I hope you believe that if you believe in the cross, you will go to eternal heaven. However, I pray that you will go one step further and have the existential faith to believe and practice that you can save others through your death.
* The true freedom of the cross
“According to my earnest expectations and hopes, I will not be ashamed of anything, but I am still fully confident as before, so that whether I live or die, I may have Christ honored in my body, for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If these are the fruits of my work, I do not know what they will cover. I am caught between the two, and it is better to have the desire to depart and be with Christ; but it will be more profitable for you that I remain in the flesh” (Philippians 1). :20 or less)
Since he met Jesus Christ, caught between life and death, he had a beautiful hope of resurrection, so he was more eager to leave the body. I became a free man freed from the obsession with life. However, if it is the will of the Lord to live a longer life on this earth, it is said that I will live that way. It is better to leave the body and go to the Lord, but whether I am eighty or forty, the period of my life is solely in God's hands, so if it is God's will, I am showing the true freedom of wanting to live longer. .
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
In simple terms, we often say, "I must die." It is definitely a higher level of belief. However, one thing that should not be overlooked is that there is still a restraint in the words, and the intention to reveal one's own righteousness is imbued with it. Our lives are led by the Lord. Let's raise our hands high and welcome the Lord so that Christ may live fully in us. Because of this, we will be able to enjoy true peace, and we will be able to live, our family, and our people. Today, we need to think about where we are responsible in the midst of such difficulties in our country. But when you think about every step of our life, think of it as a detailed work of God toward me. A desire to condemn someone, a desire to be praised by someone, a desire to take revenge… You will be set free from all that.
A saint was seriously injured in a car accident and had to go to the operating room.
“Pastor, if I don’t come out alive, please tell the people who have hurt me. I will sincerely forgive them. For those who are hurt because of me, please forgive me.”
Let's not make these wills in the face of death. Let's advance that time. Let go of everything you were trying to have, forgive me for what I have done wrong, and forgive all those who have hurt me. The kingdom of God does not consist in eating and drinking. Only love and peace in the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of heaven we go to when we die is our eternal hope, but it truly comes to those who think of death and are free from it. saints. It is very difficult to live today. However, as our Lord saved many people through His death, if we try to live with this attitude of life, God will truly bless us and give us the way to true freedom, and the amazing way we can live as His people on this earth. He will do you a favor. I pray that this precious faith will be with you.
"Merciful God. For the past four weeks, we have been meditating on the cross to see what power and authority the cross has over us. The world is running very busy, but we have the wisdom to wait patiently in the cross of Jesus. And grant me the peace that hated and forgave my enemies on the cross, that I may be weak, but believe in the true power that has become a symbol of salvation for all mankind, and grant me true freedom from the yoke of death. Please help me realize how much slavery is because of it, and grant me grace so that I can become truly free before you. In your holy name, Jesus, I pray. Amen."