Title: Leave Everything
Contents
Sermon Day-070204 Sunday Noon
Text - James 1:12
Title - Leave Everything
American steel king Carnegie said of the promise:
“Never neglect a small promise.
Therefore, you should not make promises that are too powerful in the first place.”
Carnegie, who placed great importance on promises and trust, did his best to keep even the smallest promises throughout his life.
These promises are so precious.
So, among the people, faithful and good people were careful about their promises, and they worked hard to keep their promises.
Humans are like this, too. What more can we say to our God who is omnipotent, omnipotent, and faithful.
Then, what is the promise that Almighty God has given to our saints?
Now, let's look at the contents of the promises God has given us, and put your hope in God's promises.
Yehwa - You are telling me to enter through the narrow door.
“Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and many go in by it, and the gate is narrow and stray that leads to life, and few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
It is the story of a deacon, the king of evangelism, who died after being called by God. When we arrived at the entrance to heaven, as we had heard, the entrance was a narrow gate. However, it is not that the entrance itself is narrow, but that gangsters have advanced there and are harassing the chosen people.
Gangster: (Looks like he has taken over the entrance to heaven) Where are you going?
Deacon: I have come because God has called me.
Gangster: (After confirming your identity) Well, when I was in the world, I did a lot of evangelism, so I piled up a lot of treasure in the sky.
Butler: Then can I pass?
Gangster: I have to promise you one thing! When you meet God, he will give you a great gift because you have done a lot of evangelism in the world. Cut the gift in half and write a memorandum saying that it will pass!
Butler: Half? (Sorry) Yeah, what do you do?
In this way, the butler was able to safely pass through the narrow gate. I am running frantically with the joy of meeting God. Oh, what kind of incident is this again?
Isn't there another narrow door standing there? And in front of that door is a gangster who looks even worse... .
Another gangster: (After the same customs clearance process) God will give you a great gift for doing a lot of evangelism. If you write a memorandum that you will give me half of that gift, it will pass!
Butler: Another half? (Too ridiculous, but with the joy of entering heaven) Yes, I'll do what I tell you!
In this way, the deacon finally went to God.
God: The deacon of the King of Evangelism has arrived! getting weird I will give you an evangelism award. If there's anything you want, tell me!
Butler: (Even if you receive a gift, if you give it half and half, there will be nothing left!) My God, please give me 1,000 konjangs as a gift.
After all, did the gangsters wake up after only being hit by 500 gangsters?
1. Longevity on Earth
The writer of Proverbs says that those who keep God's laws and fear God will live long on the earth.
Also, God Himself appeared to Solomon and promised that if we obey God's laws and commandments, life will be long.
In this way, those who obey God's commandments and laws will enjoy the blessing of long life.
This is a promise from God Himself.
Indeed, God himself, who is the source of life, who saves lives and takes away lives, has promised directly, so this promise is not false.
In fact, we can easily find people around us who live a good life of faith and die comfortably in our faith.
Therefore, while we live on this earth, let's live in obedience to God's laws.
This is the secret to a long life and a beautiful life on this earth.
Illustration - Lent Abstinence Period
Mr. John Smith was the only Protestant living in a village where the entire population was Catholic.
On the first Friday of Lent, John was grilling a large steak on the grill in the garden.
But his Catholic neighbors were eating cold tuna for dinner.
This is because meat is not eaten on every Friday during Lent.
On the last Friday of Lent, his neighbors gathered together to decide what to do with John.
Every Friday, John made them feel the urge to eat meat, because the temptation was so great.
They decided to convert John to Catholicism altogether.
When they met John and encouraged him to convert to Catholicism, John gladly promised to join the other neighbours.
They took John to church, and the priest sprinkled holy water on him and said,
“Born as a Protestant, raised as a Protestant, but now a Catholic.”
People were relieved that they were no longer succumbing to the temptations of Lent.
The next Lent season has arrived.
It's the first Friday of Lent, and the neighbors are sitting at the table to eat tuna for dinner.
The smell of steak tickled their noses.
Neighbors doubted their nose.
no what is this
They decided to contact each other and meet in John's yard to make sure he hadn't forgotten Lent Friday.
When they arrived at John's yard, they found John standing by the grill with a water jug.
John said, sprinkling water on the steak on the grill.
“You were born as a cow, you grew up as a cow, but now you are a tuna.”
2. Enjoy eternal life
God not only promised long life in this world, but also showed us the way to live forever in the next world.
Therefore, those who have received promises from God are incomparably blessed with those who have received promises from other people in the world.
Indeed, no matter how long and blessed a person may be on this earth, if they cannot enter eternal life after death, how is this different from non-believers?
However, God has provided the way for us to be resurrected after death and live forever.
It is believing in Jesus Christ and confessing as your Savior.
Since this promise has been given, believers must hold fast only to Jesus Christ.
You can never live forever in this world by any other means.
Although it may be possible to temporarily extend the life of the body for a moment.
The one who promised us eternal life, the Holy Spirit, and the kingdom of heaven is not limited and finite human beings, but Almighty God who has no powers.
Because this is what God has promised, this promise will surely come true.
Hold fast to this very promise, and put your hope in this promise.
Until the moment when this promise is fully fulfilled on the last day of the world.