Title: Leviticus 11:45 Be holy
Contents
Be holy (Leviticus 11:45)
Let's practice the holy command
The essence of revival that is more important than growth, let's do it without forgetting it
Church growth in Korea is drawing a downward curve. Some people do not hesitate to express that the Korean church is “falling down.” Internally and externally, it refers to the “Korean Church Crisis”. From the world, the Church is receiving great condemnation and slander. Internally, the conflict deepens and it is difficult to find true fellowship of saints. As the crisis theory of the Korean church rises, many prescriptions are coming out.
What is needed for a church to be a true church is neither psychology nor marketing, as Seong-Ho Ok said. Moreover, it is not the entertainment the world seeks. We must return to the Word of God.
First, God wants to be our God.
God is the Creator. He is still in control of heaven and earth. Such a God says, “I want to be your God.” In other words, you want to have a relationship with me. Is there such a great grace? But God said so. The Lord, who wants to relate to us, has the following words to express our relationship:
“Abba Father” (Galatians 4:6), “I am your husband” (Jeremiah 3:14), “I have called you friends” (John 15:15), “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1). ).
This is entirely by grace. It is a blessing made in God's love. It is not something we can achieve through effort or practice. only grace. What have you done to thank God for this grace and strengthen your relationship with God? Isn't your relationship with God so estranged? Are you so engrossed in your work that you don't even think about your relationship with God?
Second, He saved us for our relationship.
He rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt, from their house of bondage. He saved us sinners from the power of sin and death. He did not leave them to perish forever as slaves or sinners, but saved them. What did you save me for? It is for a relationship with God. Hallelujah.
Unfortunately, many people do not think about their relationship with God. I pay more attention to what I will get from God or how to fulfill my desires. They value achieving their goals more than relationships.
The Bible says, “You are of God and in Christ Jesus, who has been made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). If our interest in receiving salvation is different from that of God the Savior, this is unfortunate. The most important concern for God, who saves us when we cry out, is our relationship.
Third, it commands us to be holy for the sake of relationships.
Samuel said, “There is no one holy like the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:2). What a holy God wants for our relationship with man is that we become holy people. Nothing is required of God for a relationship. Only to be holy. God, who saved us from sin and death to enter into a relationship, eternal relationship with us, has commanded us to be holy for our relationship with Him.
Holiness does not come from knowing the dictionary meaning. It is only in the way the Lord has taught us to become holy.
Conclusion: We become holy through the word of God and prayer.
The Lord, who commanded us to be holy, also told us how to become holy, “by being sanctified by the word of God and prayer” in 1 Timothy 4:5.
The Word of God is the food of eternal life. Prayer is the prayer of the saints in response to the Word of God. The Holy Spirit, who made the Bible to be written, comes to those who hold on to the Word and pray and are with them. But the word of God is constantly being bullied. Reference books are becoming more popular. The words of experts are becoming more authoritative than the words of God, and the well-interpreted reference books enjoy more authority than the written words.
Prayer is also gradually losing its power. The reality is that we are no longer able to spread our spirits through prayers such as mountain prayers and all-night prayers because of noise pollution. Obviously, the Lord said, “My house is the house of prayer for all people,” but those who believe in Jesus do not seem to take this seriously. That's why I'm drawn to the idea that there are more urgent and important things to do than praying at church. The revival church looks gorgeous and powerful, but the Lord's command to be holy doesn't seem to be being applied. Lord, say it again. “Be holy, because I am holy!” .
The way the church lives now, what must be accomplished is nothing other than to receive the Lord's command to be holy through Amen, and to become holy through the word of God and prayer.
Sermon notes
The Israelites never ceased to serve God. But they left God. Do we exist today as a church that walks with God and pleases God because we are under the name of the church? Could it be that the church has nothing to do with the Lord? I will write down the words the Lord has given me in a very simple way, considering the root of it.