Title: Improving Life / Acts 20:1-6
Content-Enhancing Life / Acts 20:1-6
Lifeless things always stay there. However, living beings do not stand still; they are always developing, advancing, and improving. Likewise, the gospel does not remain in place, but is preached from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. And a person of faith does not settle for self-satisfaction, but through the grace and love of God that he has received, his faith grows, he serves, and he shows the progress of faith by spreading the word of life. Living fish go up to the source of living water, but dead fish go down to the Dead Sea with the waves. A lifeless thing, no matter how large a rock, is eroded by rain and wind, and eventually disappears. Likewise, a belief, whether formal, intellectual, or emotional, that is, dead faith, is like a withering flower, and like a desolate wilderness, it gradually degenerates and disappears.
The Christians who had gathered at the church in Jerusalem crossed the border of Jerusalem and spread to Samaria to Greece, and since the apostle Paul, who started anew from Damascus, continued to advance from Antioch, the gospel of Christ was preached to the world, and today we too have received the grace of salvation. is.
If you look at today's text, you will see Paul advancing and advancing from Macedonia to Greece, from Greece to Asia, or through land or waterways.
There must have been many difficulties in moving forward like this in an era when transportation was not developed as it is today, and education was not as prosperous as it is today. Nevertheless, Paul never stopped his steps to move forward. We keep moving forward, developing and improving. Why?
1. Because there was persecution.
The reason that the Christians of the Jerusalem church left Jerusalem and were scattered in all directions was because of the persecution that resulted in the martyrdom of Deacon Stephen, and the reason that Apostle Paul frequently moved tracts was because of the persecution in the area where he was already preaching. In other words, if the persecution had not occurred in the Jerusalem church, the members of the Jerusalem church would hardly have left Jerusalem, and if the persecution had not occurred in Paul's tract, they would not have left so quickly in search of a new tract.
In that sense, persecution can be said to be a blessing for the spread of the gospel and the expansion of the kingdom of heaven. Of course, persecution is part of Satan's history. But God took advantage of this. So, in the end, persecution allowed the gospel to be spread more widely and the church to expand more quickly. Hallelujah!
Have any of you ever been persecuted at home because of your faith? Of course, we do not need to deliberately beckon persecution. But there is nothing to refuse persecution by waving your hand. Persecution is like a fan for the fire of the Holy Spirit, and the blood of martyrdom is like fertilizer for the growing church, so it does more good than harm to the believer. We need to know that the growth of the Korean church today is also a result of persecution. Therefore, we should not retreat because of persecution, but use it as an opportunity to move forward more vigorously.
Satan's work of obstruction comes when the saints obey God's word and try to lead their religious life right. However, Satan does not interfere with the saints when they compromise with the world and lead a humanistic religious life, that is, a comfortable life of faith. The reason is that it will perish even if left as it is. Saints who go on the narrow path of life may have tribulation, difficulties, and persecution. However, there will be no tests for religious people who go on the broad road to lead a life of faith.
Today, we do not know how many migratory members of the church move from place to place in order to lead a comfortable life of faith that is free from interference and burden. It can be truly unfortunate. Satan drives the believers into persecution and can't stop them even if they interfere, so now they are inducing them to lead a religious life without burden. So it loses its strength and makes it fall.
In fact, yes. No matter how good the land is, if it receives only sunlight, it becomes a useless desert. On the other hand, if there is always a lot of obesity, it becomes a swamp. So we need a warm dry season and a gloomy rainy season. When a saint is too comfortable with the world, he is prone to being lazy and indolent. That is why, when God awakens, He gives night and day, a cold winter, and a warm spring to the saints whom we love. So, thank you for everything. We can't rest because of a big wave like a hymn, but I hope that the history goes faster because of this wind.
2. Because he was faithful to his mission.
Paul was not a cunning housekeeper looking for a comfortable place to escape from difficulties, but a faithful worker in his mission. Our Lord entrusts new work to the faithful. And he sets him up in a position where he can do great things.
We can understand it well through the parable of ?쁬ina?? Once, the master called ten servants, gave them a mina each, and told them to trade and keep them. After some time the first came out and said to the master, "Lord, you have left ten minas with your one mina." The master said, "Well done, good servant, since you have been faithful over the smallest of things, seek authority to open and open."
Second, with one ?쁬ina?? five ?쁬ina??were left. They received the same praise, but the owner chose five towns. However, some servants left a mina wrapped in a towel as it is. How did it go? He told them to take the one mina and give it to the one who had ten, and bring him to death.
Those who are unfaithful in whatever they do will be deprived of what they have and will fall into the dark abyss, not by improvement, but by regression and regression.
A person in charge of an organization's president resigned before taking office because of many difficulties and difficulties. This is irresponsible behavior. Before completing a mission, you should not leave because it is difficult, and when the mission is over, you should not hesitate to hold on to it. You don't always have to stay in place. We must step forward for something new and greater. Only then can we develop and grow. Those who truly move forward and improve are always those who have done their duty. Jeonjin knows that it is wandering around looking for new jobs while ignoring the tasks already assigned. I want you to be a forward and improve person who completes the tasks already assigned to the end and moves forward in search of another new job.
3. Because you are seeing a vision.
The reason Paul crossed over to Macedonia early was because he had a vision of a Macedonian begging Paul to come to Macedonia quickly. It was not because he liked work, nor because he liked adventure, nor because he liked to travel, nor because he had a lot of money. He always saw and heard people beckoning to him. So, like Abraham, who moved forward with the vision of a new welfare, Paul moved forward. That's right. Only those who can see visions can move forward and improve.
When an Indian chief became ill from old age, he decided that a replacement should be appointed. I called the three candidates and asked them to go to the mountain in front of me and bring one of the best ones and show them. Soon the first of the three who returned from the mountain brought a handful of rock clothing. The second gave a flower to the chief and praised nature. But the third was empty-handed. But he was saying to the chief: ?쁀s the chief said, when I went up to the mountaintop, beyond the mountain, I could see a vast plain and fertile pastures. Come on, get up and lead our people there.??Who would have been chosen as the successor? It was the third person. The reason was that he was a man of visions.
As long as they focus only on what's in front of them, or are proud of the reality, no one can advance or improve further. Like Abraham, like Paul, and like many heroes of faith, we must have the vision and dream of seeing the other world beyond in order to advance and improve.
4. Because the Holy Spirit drags and pushes.
When people start doing something, they often make decisions based on the following things.
The first is the recommendation of others. With the earnest encouragement of a loved one, a close friend, or a respected senior, you can do something.
Of course, there are some things to keep in mind. However, the recommendations of people are not perfect, nor are they all useful. Therefore, you shouldn't make decisions based on what others recommend.
The second is face. There are times when you are forced to start something because of your face. However, what started in this way often ends in failure. Face is of no benefit. You can see a lot of people who have ruined their lives because of their face.
Third, it is your decision. One's own determination may be stronger than someone else's recommendation, but like the old saying that it is difficult to live with a made-up heart, it is difficult to push through the task with only one determination. Therefore, this is not even recommended.
Fourth, interest. You may intervene in something because of the interests that accompany it. However, these motives are thwarted when the work runs into difficulties. So you have to be careful with this too.
Paul's ministry and progress toward that ministry were never done because of someone's invitation, because of his face, or because of his own decision, or because of any interest. If so, it would have been discontinued a long time ago. Because it's too arduous, and it's a very difficult road.
Because inside Paul, the Holy Spirit was pulling him from the front and pushing him from the back to keep him on the mission. This was Paul's motive for preaching the gospel and the driving force that kept him going. That's right. It's not about getting started, it's about continuing what you started and ending it with success.
The Holy Spirit is not only the best motivator, but also the strongest driving force. As long as he pulls, pushes, and strengthens me within me, there is no command that cannot be crossed, and there is no river that cannot be crossed. What you are doing now has been initiated and driven by the Holy Spirit, and I hope so. Only then will progress and improvement be possible.
Dear saints,