Title: Make the Church a Church
Contents
Let the church be the church"
Until now, the temple has been reduced to a place of unbelief and crime to satisfy the religious leaders' formal worship and their own greed. God was disgusted with the worship and sacrifices offered with this attitude. Let's look at Isaiah 1:11-15.
(Isa 1:11-15) “[11] “What good is it to me from your countless sacrifices, says the LORD? I have been satisfied with the burnt offering of rams and with the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls or lambs or goats. [12] You are coming to show me before me, and who has required it of you? You are only treading on my courts. [13] Bring no more vain sacrifices, since incense is an abomination to me; [14] My heart hates your new moons and your appointed feasts, for they are a heavy burden to me, and I am weary to bear them. [15] When you open your hands, I will close my eyes. and you pray a lot, but I will not listen, for your hands are full of blood.”
Now, in order to be restored as God's people and to restore true worship before God, God is presenting a new model of the temple. That is today's text.
The church that is pleasing to God and desired by God is the temple that God showed in the Onul text. Therefore, the church must now be restored as a church that is pleasing to God. Not a church whose name alone is a church, not a church with only a beautiful building, not a church where only the order of worship is carried out neatly, but rather a church that God wants and God is present.
It has now been two years since Maeil Church was established in Balsan-dong, Gangseo-gu. Maeil Church is a church established by God. This is the church where our Lord is the head. This is the church that the Holy Spirit who worked in the early church in Acts 2 has guided and worked until now.
Therefore, Maeil Church will now grow and revive as the church that God desires. We will continue to fulfill our role as a church that makes the church a church.
Then, what kind of church is the kind of church that God wants? What must happen for a church to be a church? Through today's text, we can find the answer.
The church needs water to flow.
In verse 1 of the text, it says that 'water flowed out of the threshold on the east side of the church'. This water didn't dry up after flowing, but it got wider and deeper as the water flowed down. It is first kicked at the ankle and then up to the knee. And it goes up to the waist. Just hand over the key.
What does water mean? Water means the Holy Spirit and the Word. John 7:38-39 says that water is the Holy Spirit.
[38] Whoever believes in me, as the scripture says, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water. He was not with us.”
Ephesians 5:26 says that the Word is the water that washes away impurities.
“It was immediately washed with water, and made clean with the word, to be sanctified.”
Therefore, the church must overflow with the living water of the Holy Spirit and the Word. Therefore, the work of being born again through the Holy Spirit and the Word must take place. The work of change through the Holy Spirit and the Word must take place. There must be a work of restoration and healing through the Holy Spirit and the Word. The work of sanctification through the Holy Spirit and the Word must take place. The work of receiving power through the Holy Spirit and the Word must take place. The work of being established as disciples of Jesus Christ and soldiers of the cross must take place through the Holy Spirit and the Word.
Now, through Maeil Church, to Balsan-dong, Gangseo, Seoul, this country and the world.
We believe that the living water of the Holy Spirit and the Word will overflow. I hope that the work of soaking this dry and desert-like land with the living water of the Holy Spirit and the Word will happen powerfully through Maeil Church.
The church must have a living history.
The church is like an oasis in the middle of the desert. Those who are thirsty, exhausted and exhausted while passing through the desert, even those who think they can't go any longer, will come to life when they meet an oasis. Restores vitality. receive revitalization. Because there is living water.
Let's look at verse 8.
[8] And he said to me, "This water will flow toward the east, and it will go down to the Arabah and come to the sea.
Water from the temple flows down the eastern part of Jerusalem, through the Jordan Valley, and finally into the Dead Sea, the Sea of Death. As you all know, the Dead Sea is called 'Salt Sea', isn't it? Usually the salt content of the sea is about 4-5%, but the salt sea is about 25%, which is six times that, so living things cannot survive. Therefore, as the name suggests, this sea is 'Sea of Death', or 'Dead Sea'.
But when the water that flows out of the temple enters the sea through this death, a marvelous thing happens. Seawater turns into living water. Wherever there is water from the temple, living creatures and fish come to life. When the fish come back to life, the fishermen who disappeared return. Let's look at verses 9-10.
[9] Wherever this river goes, all living creatures that multiply will live, and there will be very many fish; and the water will flow in, and the sea will be refreshed, and everything will live wherever it goes. [10] A fisherman will stand by the river, from En-gedi to Eneglyim, a place for netting; their fish, according to their kind, will be exceedingly numerous, like those of the great sea
God established Maeil Church as the ark of salvation in this desolate place. It was established as a hospital that saves souls.
As the dead sea is revived and dead creatures and fish come to life through Maeil Church, I hope that this area will come to life and that the dead souls, dying souls, and sick souls will come to life. I hope that the wounded souls and the souls in pain will come to be healed and restored. I hope that souls who are spiritually and spiritually bound by the power of darkness will be released and liberated through Maeil Church.
The church should have an abundance of fruit.
God wants fruit. He wanted to bear fruit through the people of Israel, and He wanted to bear fruit through the leaders of Israel. But how sad God was when it did not bear fruit. Let's look at Isaiah 5:2.
“They dug and removed stones, and they planted the finest vines, and they built towers in them, and they dug winepresses in them.
When farmers sweat and sow in the spring, they sow in anticipation of bringing sheaves. I look forward to harvesting in the fall. It is to expect results.
Now, just as He cursed the fruitless fig tree, so the fruitless tree is cut down and thrown into the fire. For the church of God to be a church, for the church to be truly a church, fruits must appear where the church is. Wherever the church goes, it must bear abundant fruit. A fruitful history must occur through the church. Let's look at verse 12.
[12] On the left and right sides of the river grow trees of every kind for food, and their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not wither; they will bear new fruit every month, and their water will come out of the sanctuary, and their fruit will be edible, and their leaves will be for medicine. 』
Not only does the dead sea come to life, but fruit trees grow around it but do not wither. Fruit continues to grow. The fruit is so plentiful that a new one comes out every month. Not only that, but even the leaves of the fruit tree have amazing fruits that are used as medicines.
Now, through the daily church, I hope that the amazing fruits that God is pleased with will be abundantly revealed. I hope that those who come to church every day will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit abundantly. We believe that not only spiritual fruits will be produced, but also abundant fruits will appear in the realm of life.