Title: New Creation/Genesis 1:1~4
Contents Old Testament Words: Genesis 1:1~4
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was void and empty, darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the waters. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. The light was good in God's sight. God divides the light from the darkness
From the Epistles: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore, we are not discouraged. Our outer man wears out, but our inner man is renewed day by day. The light, temporary suffering we are experiencing now achieves incomparably eternal and great glory for us. We don't look at the visible, we look at the invisible. For what is seen is temporary, but what is not seen is eternal.
Words of the Gospels: John 15:1-8
I am the true vine, and my father is a farmer. All the branches attached to me that do not bear fruit are cut down by the Father, and those that bear fruit are trimmed so that they can bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the words I spoke to you. always stay in me Then I will stay with you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, so you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man abides in me, and I remain in him, he bears much fruit. You can't do anything apart from me. If a man does not abide in me, he is thrown away and withers up like a useless branch. People collect it, throw it into the fire and burn it. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, whatever you ask will be done for you. By this my Father will be glorified, if you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
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We have had a united worship service with the brothers and sisters of the German church once a year. Today is that day. The meaning of united worship is to confirm that we are one in Christ, and give thanks for being one in this way, even though we are of different races, cultures, and languages. Today, we have to worship in both Korean and German languages, and there is also a communion service, so I am going to give a very short sermon.
All human beings are born into this world with the blessing of God, but they have no choice but to suffer and die. It is a natural principle of human life. When a person suffers and dies, it seems to be the end, but it is not. The image of God in man comes to life anew and begins a new work.
We saw this in Jesus Christ. Jesus who came in a human body, Jesus who came in a body like an old and broken vessel, died on the cross for us. But his death was not the end. The invisible God in the human body named Jesus came to life and became the Lord of resurrection and the Lord of life. To believe in Jesus means to accept the way of Jesus as our way.
Paul said that if we suffer with Jesus and die on the cross like Jesus, then we will rise again like Jesus, but it is not us who live then, but God in us. This cannot be confessed without faith in Jesus.
See the reality of today through the eyes of tomorrow. Then you will see that tomorrow is already in today little by little. To say that God came to this world in a human body means that God's future has entered into today's human reality. Even now, even at this moment in May, the bright future of tomorrow promised to us is slowly entering. This would be an incarnation.
The future God enters into human history. Because God loves humans. As the promised future approaches little by little, today's painful and mortal present can be lived to the fullest. This is because the joy of being able to taste the kingdom of God in today's suffering is great. Who makes this possible? God makes it possible. God does this because He loves humans.
There is salvation only when tomorrow comes within today. It ends today, not tomorrow. If tomorrow is present in today, we will be saved today. It is said that the kingdom of God will come in that way. So, we are told to live today as if it were an eternal future. The treasure of tomorrow is contained in the vessel called today. The name of that treasure is the love of God.
Jesus said another thing. Jesus Christ is the vine and we are the branches. Vineyards need not only the trunks of the vines, but also the branches. It is to bear fruit. However, the vine and the branch must be connected as one. When a branch falls off the stem, it withers and fails to bear fruit. Therefore, we must be connected to Christ. must be one. What is the power that unites and connects?
The Bible says It is God's love that connects the vine and the branches to become one. He connects the tree and the branches with a saving love. Because of His love, today and tomorrow are connected. The future and the present are connected, the vine and the branches are connected.
Love suffers. Love suffers. Because the future is conceived. The joy of creating the future is contained in a vessel of pain. When the vessel of pain is broken, the joy of life within it shines.
Today, I hope that you will once again taste the joy and the history of life growing among us. Otherwise, there is no reason to live today. The joy of today is because the treasure of life, God's tomorrow, is contained in today's vessel. I pray that that joy will come to you today.