Title: My Joy, My Hope
Contents
♡♥♡ My joy, my hope / Romans 5:1-11
*** Introduction
Let's sing only hymn 82:1.
The reason we can praise and worship the Lord with such joy is because of the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross is an expression of God's love for us humans. Eternal life was conceived from the cross, the mold of the world's terrible death. In other words, because Jesus died on the cross, life that was dead because of sin can enjoy the joy of resurrection. Verse 8 says, “God demonstrates his love for us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” That is why we praise and give thanks to the blood of Jesus on the cross.
So, is the cross all we are? It's not like that. If the cross were our all, there would be only sorrow and despair. If we living in this world had tribulation and suffering like the cross, we would not be able to endure it. But Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again. And sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. This is God's plan of salvation for the saints and the guarantee of glory for the saints. See 1 Corinthians 15:20. “But now Christ has risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of them that slept.” You said. The Lord's resurrection and ascension into heaven are our assurance. Therefore, now we are worshiping and enjoying the glory of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ.
If we believe because we need God's help only while we live on this earth, nothing can be more vain than this. God's love was given for eternal life rather than life in this world. Therefore, even if there is suffering in the world, we can endure life in this world because we hope for the eternal kingdom of God. And if our hope is in the eternal kingdom of God, we must change our thinking and life accordingly.
A pastor was very distressed because of the members who opposed him in every case. Then the pastor said, 'I can't. I have to pray to heal him or let him go.’ From that day on, I started praying.
“God, please change the ○○ saints. Or let me go on my own.”
After praying for several days like this, I received an answer from God. In prayer, God
“Son, do you think that one would be a human? That person will never be human. If you try to change that person, you will die. I can't change that person."
Saying this, he asked, “But will he be able to come to my kingdom?” The pastor said, “I can go to heaven. You believed in Jesus.” Then God
“Yes, you are right. I am not human, but I will wash my blood with my blood, throw it down with grace, and take it to heaven. I'm the one who's going to take you, can't you just leave it alone and take care of it?" he said. And then he continued, "Oh, I haven't changed you yet."
The pastor is said to have confessed, “Lord, forgive me.”
We, you and me, are all sinners and need God's grace. Therefore, instead of judging each other by the things of the world, we should strive toward the kingdom of God prepared for us. Then, what is our joy and hope, and how should we live to see the kingdom of God and move forward?
1. It is to enjoy peace with God.
Let's read verse 1 together. “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
How can I enjoy peace with God? The most necessary thing for peace with God is to maintain a friendly relationship with God. Just as people must agree with each other in order to maintain a friendly relationship, so in order to maintain a friendly relationship with God, we must align our hearts with the Word of God. Let's look at John 14:23. “Jesus answered and said to them, If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him.” For those who are with the Lord in this way, the peace of God springs up like a well of water. This is John 14:27. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. What I give to you is not as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” You will enjoy peace because the Lord of peace is with you. In other words, if you maintain a close relationship with God, peace will abound in your life. No matter what happens, peace of mind is not disturbed.
In order to enjoy peace with God like this, you must first be reconciled with God. Why do we need reconciliation? We humans have broken our promises to God, and as a result, we are separated from God and die. The death of the spirit that separates from God has taken away all peace in the world. Fighting, war, suffering and death torment people. Seeing human suffering, God first extended the hand of reconciliation. Ephesians 2:16,17. “And that the cross might reconcile them both to God in one body. He destroyed enmity with the cross, and came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.” The cross that Jesus carried, the atoning blood shed on the cross, was a bridge of reconciliation that made enemies friends.
How, then, can we be reconciled to God? It is to accept Jesus Christ, who is the bridge to God, as the Savior of life. Reception is accompanied by ‘repentance’. After Augustine repented, he exclaimed with emotion. “O God, there is no true peace until my soul returns to You.” Yes. We cannot find true peace until our souls return to God.
What is repentance? Repentance is to build a wall with all our sins and turn to God. Keeping the sins and habits of the world as they are, you can only say, ‘I made a mistake. Forgive me.' is not repentance. Just as the prodigal son gave up his prodigal life and returned to his father's house, we must cast off the world's vain habits and sins and return to God.
Peace with God, once reconciled, does not last forever. In other words, we need our efforts to continue to enjoy God's peace. It is to continue the spiritual warfare while praying that the world's unclean habits and sins do not take away our peace with God. Let's look at Philippians 4:6,7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Then the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Heaven is not something you can sit still and get. As the Lord said, the kingdom of heaven will be possessed by the violent (Matthew 11:12, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force”). Therefore, you can keep the peace of God through constant prayer and spiritual battle.
Peace with God comes only through the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Therefore, only in Jesus can true peace be found. Constant prayer is necessary because it keeps us in Jesus Christ. Therefore, prayer can never rest until we reach the eternal kingdom. Maintaining and enjoying peace with God in this way is our joy and hope, and it is our life looking forward to the kingdom of God.
2. It is to enjoy joy in God.
The text confesses, “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God”, “we rejoice in our tribulation”, “we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
One of the most prominent characteristics of a Christian is ‘joy’. Joy comes from peace of mind, and without peace there is no joy in life. So, out of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, the second is “joy,” or “joy,” and the third is “peace.” This peace and joy is what makes life enjoyable, and it all comes through Jesus Christ. This is John 14:27. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. What I give to you is not as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” In verse 11, he says, “I give this to you, that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be full.” Therefore, if I remain in the Lord and the Lord is in me, the joy of life of peace and joy abounds.
But this pleasure does not come because worldly things are satisfied. The joy and peace that the Lord gives is given regardless of the circumstances of the world. The joy of life for a Christian is based on a close relationship with God. So, it is during the time of ‘tribulation’ that a true Christian can be distinguished.
In normal times, when life is peaceful, everyone seems to have a good life of faith. Everyone seems to be a grain saint. However, when life encounters difficulties, hardships and diseases come, true faith and temporary faith are distinguished. Believers who have always maintained a friendly relationship with God can maintain peace and joy because they trust and rely on God, even when suffering and tribulation come. Because for them, this world is not everything, but they have life in the eternal kingdom of God. Verses 9-11 testify of this fact. That is why God permits tribulation for the deep growth of faith and sure hope of the saints.
In this way, if we enjoy the life of our spirits, our bodies will also enjoy strength. The cause of the most serious disease of modern people is called 'stress'. Even in the world medical community, 60-70% of modern diseases are psychological. The burden of the struggle for survival in a complex world comes as mental stress. In this way, the restless minds of modern people have created physical diseases. That's why Proverbs 17:22 says, "A happy heart is good medicine, but a troubled spirit dries up the bones."
In this way, peace of mind and joy will have a great impact on both the physical life and the religious life. Therefore, relying on Jesus Christ, who is our guarantee of life, and maintaining a close relationship with God is the way to achieve joy and strength in all our lives, both spiritual and physical.
What are you interested in running now? And what is your pleasure? If what you seek is of the world, you must know that it is by no means eternal. It is simple to know whether what I seek and enjoy is of the world or of God. Even when things don't go the way you want, if you have peace of mind and joy, it belongs to God. But if things don't go my way and you get upset, angry, complaining and resentful, it's worldly.
Our joy and hope are in God alone. Therefore, we must entrust everything to God and depend on it. And if I am convinced that everything given to me belongs to God, I must work faithfully and faithfully. Even if sometimes pain and dark shadows come, let's think about the love of God who gave life for us.
Daebok Church, which is now celebrating its 8th anniversary, builds a perfect relationship with God, and let's move toward the clear goal of setting the kingdom of God as a goal.