Title: Hear, O Israel (Deuteronomy 06:4-9)
Content Today, we are facing a crisis in education. It is a time when we are concerned about the absence of education and the disappearance of education due to our heterogeneity. Parents at home are facing the limits of their children's education and are saddened by the disappearance of teachers and pupils at school. Even more in the church, church education is struggling with a feeling of despair as if it is falling into a deep pit from which it cannot escape.
In a time like this, on the occasion of Christian Education Promotion Sunday, I think it is really necessary to receive grace through the text and to recognize the necessity and meaning of Christian education and the mission of Christian education.
1. Hear Israel
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 in the text is a famous passage known as 'Shema'. The people of Israel held these words very precious, and, as in Deuteronomy 6:6-9, ① engraved them on their hearts ② taught them diligently ③ preached whenever they had the opportunity ④ even wore a cloth with the Shema written on them on their wrists. ⑤ When wearing a hat, fold the cloth with the Shema written on it on the part that touches the head so that it touches the forehead. I used to write it on the outside.
Then, let's take a closer look at the contents of the Shema, which Israel treasured.
2. Listen
Listening here is a command from God, not saying to listen if you want to hear it and stop if you don't want to, you must listen! You must listen! is the right and commandment. It is not a word of exhortation or request, but a word of exhortation, which contains a strong warning that if you do not listen, you will die or you will be cursed.
3. The One and Only Jehovah
Then, what is the word to listen to? If you look at the contents of 'Shema', the words, "Listen, Israel," are followed by the words, "There is only one Jehovah our God. What we need to know here is that the God we believe in is the 'one and only' Jehovah. There are several types of theology. I believe in polytheism, pantheism, monotheism, and monotheism.
Christianity has never accepted any theology other than monotheism. And God has revealed who He is through the Bible. In other words, the God we believe in is the only God revealed through the Bible.
4. New Age Movement
But these days, many people are discussing the symbiosis of many religions on the grounds of a pluralistic society, trying to mix religions, and there is an odd movement to believe in any god as it is reasonably convenient. One of them is movements like the New Age Movement. They attack Christianity's belief in God as subtly self-righteous and exclusive, and tempt them to see if it's possible to create one religion by taking the good points of each religion.
However, we believers should be aware that any other god other than the God revealed in the Bible is an 'idol' or a 'false god', and we must be on the alert.
5. Love the LORD your God
The only God revealed through the Bible is the God of love (1 John 4:8). That is why God wants to receive love while giving the love that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross to save people. As the master of absolute love, God is satisfied by giving and receiving love. Originally, we did not deserve to be loved, but since the Lord first loved us and saved us, we should also love the Lord. (1 John 4:10-11) Then, if we love God, how should we love Him? In a conversation with the Pharisees, he told them to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37). These are the words that teach us to love wholeheartedly and with all our heart.6. teach your children
And teach your children this kind of God and love for God diligently (Deuteronomy 6:7). And preach these words when you sit at home, when you walk on the road, or when you lie down (Deuteronomy 6:7). In other words, whenever and wherever there is an opportunity, we must teach how to believe, serve, and love God. All the crises and problems in education today start from a wrong idea of God.
We believers should know that proper religious education is the way to restore true education in this world. I hope that the saints will stand firm on the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, find the education that is missing today, and be the saints who love God by standing on the right faith in God to rescue the education that is in crisis.
yes hwa
1. Results of experiments with the model of the ark
yes hwa
2. Poems by A. Pepe
There is this poem in the English poet A. Pepe's poem Alps on Alps.
Learning and not learning is dangerous.
If you drink from the fountain of poetry, you can reach the realization of existence. If you want to learn, you have to learn really deeply to achieve great realization, and hasty education can ruin people.
Prayer
Lord, we do not have the strength and wisdom to understand the truth and it is difficult to teach. Help me, Lord, so that I can become more wiser than I am now with wisdom and power. But, never let anyone who deviates from your will, and use it as a person who accomplishes your will. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.