Title: Fundamental Love/Mark 12:28-34
Content Fundamental Love/Mark 12:28-34 Lee Jin-Woo
A Gallup agency in the United States conducted such a survey. Are you satisfied with your appearance? 28% of men said they were satisfied.
How many women are there? 13% said they were satisfied with their appearance.
Then I asked a question. If you could change your appearance, would you change your appearance? Statistics show that 94% men and 99% women.
Are you satisfied with yourself and do you love yourself?
Today's text is Jesus' mention of his love. In verse 28, the scribes asked Jesus a question. Jesus, in the Word of God, what is the first commandment? Jesus answered. The first is to love God, and the second is to love your neighbor. However, if you look closely at the text, you will find something interesting. There is one premise attached to this saying to love your neighbor. Look at verse 31. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.
What does this mean?. It is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Jesus is making it very natural for us humans to love ourselves.
Among the hymns that have been sung in the church for a long time, there are lyrics such as 'Like this bug...' At the end of hymn 141, there are lyrics, 'For a worm-like day'.
It seems that we've gotten too used to these lyrics all this time. Of course, there are times when not only insects. However, it is only when you do not know God before you believe in God. It does not mean that you are like a worm or even worse than a worm until you know God and believe in God. This is not even biblically correct. Humans are often referred to as the masters of all things. Genesis 1 tells us that God created man in His image. We are beings created in the image of God.
We are all created in the image of God and therefore deserve to be loved.
To love yourself, you must respect yourself. To love yourself is to honor yourself.
Who respects you? If I don't respect myself, no one will respect you.
Everyone! Who is the most precious and precious person in the world? Are you your friend? Are you your parents? The most precious person in the world is yourself.
If I don't respect myself, no one will respect me. Respect yourself.
Even in the mystery of creation, we are so precious. You are the one and only precious person.
In Ephesians 2:10 we are told that he is his workmanship. In the joint translation we translated this word as his work. It is the fact that I am an amazing artistic masterpiece, determined through the many thoughts of God. Then take a look at the people next to you, and look at other works. I hope that you will be able to discover the image of God in the appearance of the person next to you. I also hope that you will be able to discover the image of God in your appearance. I heard that the retreat will start from the following Thursday. We hope that through this retreat, we can discover the image of God in each other. What an amazing piece of work. It is a very precious work in which the breath of God exists in me. So we have to respect me.
Also, to love yourself, you must protect yourself. If you truly love yourself, you protect yourself.
To protect is to keep yourself from falling into the temptations of sin and not fall into sin.
If you truly love yourself, you must protect yourself from the temptations of sin. If a certain line breaks down, humans will quickly walk the path of self-destruction. So we must always protect ourselves. The way to love yourself is to protect yourself from temptation.
You must protect yourself from sin. Sin is the most terrible thing that destroys us. If you love yourself, you must protect yourself from falling into sin. If I do not protect and love myself, no one will protect me.
I told you a while ago that you should see the image of God in the person next to you... but it's not that easy. Because we are constantly exposed to sin and live that way. Conversely, because of sin in us, the image of God in us is becoming obscured. But we live without knowing it at all.
But guys, was it easy for us to protect ourselves? Was it easy for me to protect myself when the temptations of sin came upon me? I can't keep myself. I cannot overcome the sin of greed, the greed of temptation that comes to me. Should we then throw ourselves into ruin? no. There is a way to resist temptation and protect yourself. That is the ?쁆ood News??gospel.
To love myself and to love my neighbor...It is to restore the image of God in me and in the person next to me. I hope this youth group retreat will be an opportunity for you to restore the image of God in yourself and see the image of God in the person next to you.
Dear young shepherds, you must be protected from sin. Don't leave you in sin. Do not leave you to sin. There is a God who will give you strength when you are not confident.
Through Jesus who overcame sin, we can overcome temptation and sin. By conquering temptation and conquering sin, we can protect ourselves. You can truly love yourself.
Dear pastoral youth, are you in love with yourself now? If you haven't loved yourself before, now is the time to love yourself.
You are not very good at it, but you are valuable because you are the only one on this earth. Respect yourself. You are a missionary on this earth. Take that responsibility. And protect yourself from temptation and sin. And love you
Because you are God's great masterpiece. Because you are a precious person. You are so valuable because you are a useful being. You are a noble person who cannot be compared with anyone. Take responsibility for yourself, protect yourself, and love yourself.
Do not despise yourself. Do not abuse yourself. Don't hate yourself. And love yourself. From now on, love yourself. Respect yourself. Take responsibility for yourself. Protect yourself. This is the secret to loving yourself.
Let's pray!
Thank you, God who loves us. We believe that we were created to be useful on this earth. Now give me the courage to live with confidence. Please don't hate yourself. Please do not abuse me. love me
I am now in charge of my life. Please give me the wisdom to take good responsibility. Now I love myself and protect me. Do not let me abandon me in my iniquities, and protect me with my most beautiful masterpieces.
Help me to cherish and respect me, take responsibility for my life, protect me, and love me dearly. So, help me to practice your love more fully. I pray in Jesus name. Amen