Title: Galilee, the land of alienation
Contents
Galilee, a land of alienation (Matthew 4:12-23)
There was a black woman in America. She studied only in the third grade of elementary school. However, he married a man who loved him terribly and lived happily for over ten years. Then, she divorced her husband because of an affair. From then on, the hard road begins. I took my two sons, aged ten and eight, and went to my brother's house and lived with them. Raising two sons on her own was usually not a difficult task. She had to see a psychiatrist because of the weight she couldn't bear, and she took 24 sleeping pills and tried to commit suicide. Fortunately, he was found by his sister and survived. While recovering from gastric lavage, a woman named Mary came to the hospital. Mary preached the gospel to this desperate woman.
“God loves you. Jesus died for you.”
But the woman said, "Don't tell me about God. It's all lies. I don't need anything.” refused.
But Mary continued to visit this woman and tell her about God with Bible verses. This woman slowly began to fall in love with the Bible and came to believe in Jesus. She prayed to God. “God, you have to help me. I don't even know how to pray properly. But I know I need your help.” But nothing has changed. But he had the confidence in his heart that God would be with him and help him.
One day she prayed like this. “God, if you made the world out of nothing, take a look at my situation and work for the children. I don't take good care of myself. But my children need help.” She prayed every day. I prayed that God would help me to say and do the right thing so that he would motivate his sons and not lose courage. Through the power of her prayers, her second son became the head of pediatric neurosurgery at the world-famous Johns Hopkins Hospital at the age of 33. This is Ben Carson. Ben Carson was recognized as a world-renowned medical scientist by performing the first successful surgery to separate Siamese twins in world history.
Everyone! God is looking for marginalized people who do not receive anyone's attention and love. God takes care of you. God opens his way. Jesus left the glorious throne of the kingdom of heaven and came to this lowly and lowly world. He came to save suffering mankind.
Today's scripture tells us that after John the Baptist was captured by King Herod, Jesus went to Galilee. The main stage of Jesus' activity is Galilee. Where is Galilee? Verse 15 “The land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, and Galilee of the Gentiles” The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali is the region of Galilee. This Galilee region was the northern part of Israel in the Old Testament times, but it was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BC, and many Gentiles migrated to live here. That is why it is called “Galilee of the Gentiles”.
No matter how miserable the lives of the people of Galilee have been since ancient times, in verse 16, they are expressed as “the people who sat in darkness, the land of death, and those who sat in the shadows.”
The people of Galilee today are the poor, the people of the village, and the people who are in a dark and hopeless situation with no future in sight.
A light has shone on these people who sit in darkness and those who are in a desperate situation. Jesus Christ, who is the light, has come. Say to them, “Repent. Heaven is at hand.” He cried out, “The kingdom of God, the kingdom of light, the kingdom of glory, the kingdom of eternal happiness, the kingdom of joy and peace, the kingdom of heaven is near, return to God.”
Everyone, like Ben Carson's mother, we believe that God, who came to seek a person in a dark and hopeless state, will visit us today. What is the dark corner of your heart? What are some things that you can't handle on your own? As the saying goes, there are sunny days even in a mouse hole, we want the light of God's glory to shine in the dark corners of our lives. God came to us with light! May you hold on to the Lord. I hope you will accept him in your heart.
Everyone, the Lord is calling us today. What emotions do you have in your heart? ‘The people who work in the kitchen on Sundays are having a hard time, can I help you?’ Do you get this feeling? Those who know and obey the voice of the Lord will be used in that position. Do you not want to work with God, the Creator of the universe and the King of the world? All you have to do is obey the Word.
Peter, Andrew, James, and John followed Jesus for three years, but their faith was very immature. Although he received many graces and saw miracles, he denied that he did not know Jesus. When he was in crisis, he abandoned Jesus and ran away. However, after Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven, they were filled with the Holy Spirit by focusing on prayer. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and from then on they were properly used by God. He boldly preached the gospel. He saved many people. The kingdom of God expanded through them. Even the most powerful people at the time were afraid of these disciples. The disciples had more power and knowledge than they did at the time, and they had more influence than those in power who actually led society. A great number of people changed their lives through the disciples. Through the church they established, world history has taken a new direction. It changed the flow of history.
Even today, those who change the course of history are those who pray before being politicians, businessmen, and artists. They are filled with the Holy Spirit. It could be just you. You who pray are the people who will change the course of history. I hope to be that person.
Ben Carson's mother, Sonya Carson, prayed like this to God for the next 10 years or so. “God, you must lead my life. I am an empty jar in front of an overflowing spring. You must fill me. And you must teach me.”
Everyone! God is the fountain of ever-flowing spring water. We are empty jars in front of that overflowing spring. ‘Please fill me. Please fill my empty jar.’
Those who pray receive the wisdom of God. Experience God's overflowing abundance. A humble person who could not solve their own problems can become a noble person who helps others. The land of alienation can become a paradise wherever he goes.
Jesus traveled through Galilee and performed three ministries. Teaching, preaching the gospel, and healing. This is our mission to follow Jesus today. It is to visit and teach the marginalized people who do not know the Gospel, to share the Gospel, and to heal people.
Faith is not believing alone. It is the life of faith when many people serve, support, support, help, and love each other together. Sharing life with each other is called community. The church is a community. There are weak members in the community. Being with them and helping them is a small group (area). You can find friends in small groups (zones) to share your pain, religious difficulties, and concerns.
It is said that the early church not only met in the temple, but also gathered together in each family. When they gathered together at home and broke bread, shared food with joy, praised each other, and shared their own things, they were praised by the world, and the number of believers increased day by day.
Our church wants to go back to the early church, the prototype of the church. Not only do we gather at church on Sundays, but we also want to gather together in small groups (districts) in each family on weekdays. You cannot be a healthy believer without belonging to a small group (district). You can practice the love of Jesus by taking care of the weak members and giving and receiving help in small groups (districts).
Not only within the church, but also outside the church. There are many people in the shadows, weak and powerless in our society. By helping and serving on their side, we can spread God's love to the world. Our Christian mission is to share the gospel with them, heal their weaknesses, and restore them.
It is not an easy task to belong to such a small group (area) and to find and help the vulnerable and marginalized. A certain amount of sacrifice is required, just as the disciples left their nets and left their boats and fathers and followed Jesus. You have to make time. material must be provided. You have to put your talents and skills to work. You can never follow Jesus without this sacrifice. When you take time to participate in small groups (districts), you are following Jesus. Caring for the weak in your small group (district) is the life of a disciple of Jesus. The path to following Jesus starts with an easy and small step. We should keep in mind that following Jesus is about taking time to join small groups (districts) to serve and love each other, to visit and care for the weak in our workplaces and neighborhoods, and to give them encouragement and courage.