Title: Let's Live Like Chickens/Mark 13:35
Content Let's live like chickens/Mark 13:35 Rev. Kiho Um
In 2005, a new morning has dawned in the year of Eulyu (乙酉年). The beginning of a new year makes things that we normally deal with feel new. The sounds of machinery from factories, the sounds of automobile engines, the sound of footsteps of citizens, and the sound of a boat beating in the sea, etc.
Most importantly, I can't tell you how grateful I am that the sounds of prayers, praises, and sermons that build an altar to God and worship are shaking up this river.
This year is the Year of the Rooster.
Korea has long considered the rooster's roar to signal the dawning in darkness as a prelude to symbolize the beginning of an era. In addition, the chicken symbolized success in life (入身出世), wealth and fame (富貴功名), and the number of descendants (子孫衆多). And, in general, chickens are loved because they have the five virtues.
Then, let's find out what these five virtues are, and think about how we should live this year.
There is a sentence.
The rooster's post (冠) symbolizes the gate (文). So, in the Joseon Dynasty, people who had a will to study and position were hung pictures of chickens in their study. People of the world hope to gain honor by following worldly learning, but in 2005, we must become saints who receive honor, status, authority, and blessings by relying only on the Word of God and not on other studies.
The word of God is the rod that destroys iniquity and injustice, the fire that melts the hardened heart, and the lamp that illuminates the way. It is also a sword that divides the soul and marrow, a mirror that reflects on ourselves, food for the soul, and water that washes away sins. Therefore, we must become saints who long for the Word of God, apply it in our lives, take root in the Word, and receive food for life.
A mountain that cannot be crossed is in front of you, a river that cannot be crossed is in the way, an impassable swamp lurks along the way, a long and long valley of tears, and a pitch-black tunnel. Let's become stepping saints.
There is a wu.
Chicken claws symbolize martial arts. Chickens fight with sharp claws when attacking their opponents.
As God's armies fighting spiritual warfare in this world, we too need weapons.
We must be fully armed to fight against Satan's attacks, which are looking for someone to devour like a roaring lion. You must be armed with the Holy Spirit. We must put on the full armor of God recorded in Ephesians 6:10 and below.
We must put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12), the armor of righteousness (2 Corinthians 6:7), and the armor of power (Ephesians 6:10). And to arm the waist, the belt of truth must be worn, the chest must be armed with the breastplate of righteousness, the feet must be armed with the shoes of the gospel of peace, and the left hand must be armed with the shield of faith.
You must also wear the helmet of salvation on your head, hold the sword of the Holy Spirit in your right hand, and be fully armed with your eyes, ears, and mouth as a prayer radio.
In this way, we must put on the full armor of God and fight against Satan and become victorious in the world.
There is a dragon.
The rooster's courage to fight the enemy without hesitation symbolizes courage. Chickens obviously know they're weak, they know how to lose, but they don't back down. They do not know how to escape, and they fight to the end until they bleed.
Likewise, we must not lose the courage to share the gospel. As a cross soldier, you must carry out the mission of the gospel watchman to the end.
However, there are also blind watchmen who do not identify the danger. There are ignorant watchmen who have no knowledge of their job, and there are dumb watchmen who remain silent to the world when they must warn with the right words and warn of danger. In addition, there are watchmen of conscience scorched with pride, evil conscience, and selfishness.
However, this year, we must become God's true watchmen, have courage and fearlessly overcome the forces that threaten us, hardships and adversity, and become awake soldiers at all times.
We must become soldiers who are filled with faith, who are filled with prayer and the Holy Spirit, and who possess a flawless conscience, a good conscience, and a clean conscience.
And let's become watchmen who courageously carry the gospel and move forward with God-centered, Jesus-centered, Holy Spirit-centered, and cross-centered.
There is 仁.
When it comes to food, chickens do not eat alone, but eat together by calling their colleagues and sharing it.
Jesus taught, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). In addition, the early church received the apostles' teachings, had fellowship, shared bread, shared all things with each other, and devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 2:42-47).
I hope this year will be a year of love and sharing. Like the early church, we must become one in heart, exalt only Jesus, love each other, praise God, use things in common, and strive to pray at all. Also, difficult burdens should be shared with each other and good thoughts gathered together to become a church that grows in God's grace.
With a willing heart (2 Corinthians 8:3), a joyful heart (2 Corinthians 9:7), and a thankful heart (Psalm 100:4) It should be a year when we do our best to become a church.
There is faith.
The chicken symbolizes trust as it is said to announce the dawn at the right time.
The chicken is the first messenger of light to announce the dawn of dawn. Just as a chicken heralds the dawn of the sun, saints are messengers of the light of God.
Therefore, this year, we must faithfully and sincerely sound the trumpet of the gospel of God and the trumpet of truth. The trumpet must be blown with a clear sound (1 Corinthians 14:7-8). We must blow the trumpet to deliver a warning message of the nation's sins and dangers (Zep 1:16).
In Romans 13:12, the apostle Paul says that the night is deep and the day is near.
The awake, the dead, do not know whether it is night or day, nor what has become of night. Likewise, one without faith cannot cry that the night is deep and the day is near.
Just as the fish that floats on the water is already dead fish, the saints who are flowing with the sins of the world are people whose faith has already died. The lion is the king of the jungle. But a dead lion cannot withstand a living ant.
In this way, a person whose faith is dead, a person whose life of faith is dead, or a person whose conscience is dead cannot discover the dawn of Jesus Christ and blow the trumpet of warning.
Therefore, we must do our best to be purified by the blood of Jesus Christ, become living saints through the filling of the Holy Spirit, and to announce the news of Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the light to the world.
We have received a new time as a gift from God. In order to manage this gift well, I hope that in 2005, we will remember the five virtues of chickens and become saints who walk with God.
This year, let's resolve to become saints who long for God's word, who are armed with the full armor of God, who go out boldly in any hardship, and who share love and practice and spread the good news of light to the world. And I pray that by putting this resolution into practice in your life, you will grow in faith, your life will get better, and you will become saints who live a life that achieves your hopes and goals.