Title: Overconfidence, Frustration, Consecration / (Hebrews 11:23-26)
Contents May is Family Month. The first week is Children's Sunday, the second week is Parents' Sunday, and today, the third Sunday, is Youth Sunday. The month of May is called May in English, which means 靑春. So, since ancient times, May has been called the month of young people. Poet No Cheon-myeong sang of May, saying, "Young man, let's all look up at the night sky in May, there are unpolluted stars."
The 18th of May is Coming of Age Day. According to a traditional Korean rite, a coming-of-age ceremony was held for young people who turned 20 on this day. But today, these rituals have completely disappeared. If there is, there is a day called Coming-of-Age Day, but not many people know about it. Our church has a large number of young believers compared to other churches. Based on 100, those in their 20s and 30s account for a whopping 45%. So today, on Youth Sunday, I am going to give a sermon to young believers.
One of the characters in the Bible is a man named Moses. Today, we are going to give a biblical lesson, especially to young people, looking at the life of Moses. Moses was a unique person from birth. He was born under the rule of Egypt. They were born when they were all killed when they gave birth to a son. When his parents raised Moses, who was born in hiding, when he grew up and couldn't keep raising him in hiding, he was put in a box and Moses was thrown into the river. At the same time, Pharaoh's princess, who was bathing in the lower reaches of the river, rescued him, and Moses grew up in the palace. Moses' life, which started from this time, will live for 120 years in a tumultuous environment. These 120 years are often divided into three periods.
I
The first period is 40 years of court life. This time is called the time of self-confidence. After Moses enters the court, he is educated at the court. First, he receives academic training. At that time, the civilization of Egypt was the best in the world. I studied the world's best studies at the Royal Palace University. And I also received martial arts training. By honing and training yourself, you build up your skills as a samurai. Then, when there is a cry, he himself goes out and fights and wins. And Moses was educated as a prince. So Moses is growing up as a warrior with the best abilities at the time.
At this time, Moses lives in the elite consciousness. So this time is called the time of self-confidence. Look. Moses is young. Then there's the princess's son. The bones are majestic. When Stephen evaluated him, he said, "He was beautiful in the sight of God" (Acts 7:20). There, he also had literary and dance skills. I grew up to be a person who lacked anything. It is the object of admiration of many people. I grew up to be a person who can do anything I want to do. At this point, you can only fall into self-confidence. Nothing is impossible for him. Frustration, failure, abandonment, these things are not in his dictionary. It is full of youth, courage, dreams and spirit. Indeed, I live as a person who has nothing to go through under the sky.
This is the symbol of today's youth. Today's young people are living with this kind of thinking. Young people have dreams above all else. There is courage and nothing is impossible. It's not just Napoleon that's like that. Today's young people are all unwilling to think of the impossible. That is why young people are daring, absurd, and even arrogant. At this time, God is not very good. I have more confidence in my own skills. My father's words are not very good either. I know it's a big line by itself. The advice doesn't work either. I don't even try to listen. So this time, I'm a noob. We live in a world where there is nothing we can see.
Watch today's college students holding up and demonstrating artificial flags. There is no front and back. So young people. When a person gets older and matures, he doesn't have the courage to do it. This is a consciousness that only exists in the world of young people.
Moses lived like that for 40 years. He was full of self-confidence all the way to the end of his head. At least in this world nothing is impossible for him. So this time is called the time of self-confidence. After this period, we enter the second period.
II
The second period is 40 years of living in Midian. This period is called the Age of Despair. It is also called a period of frustration. The plane takes off and takes off. It cuts through the air of the sky and soars up. Then will this plane go up infinitely? When it reaches a certain orbit while going up, it stays level, and when the time runs out, it comes down to the ground. The eagle soars vertically and soars through the sky. But even that eagle does not climb endlessly. When they go up, they come back down to this land when they are hungry.
How much less would you go up without limit because of human ideals and dreams? As you climb, at a certain point, you hit the wall of reality. Then those dreams and ideals are shattered and crumbled. The walls of reality don't let those dreams, ideals, or courage fine. Break it, break it, tear it apart, and make it fix again.
One day Moses gives strength to his neck and inspects the construction site. The workers are fighting. You see, one is an Egyptian and the other is a Hebrew. Hebrew blood now runs through Moses' body. The moment you see it, the blood that had been quiet until now starts flowing backwards. So, he captured the Egyptian and struck him once, and he died. How strong must those fists have been since they received martial arts training. And he knew how to praise the Hebrews. So Moses displayed himself in a good way.
But the reality was not that. The Hebrews did not sympathize with him, but they accused him. Pharaoh gets angry and orders Moses' arrest. Moses immediately escaped from Egypt and fled to the wilderness of Midian, where he lived in exile for 40 years. At this time, Moses was deprived of everything and was thoroughly humbled for 40 years. The splendid Moses in the palace degenerates into a humble life overnight. Life is like a beggar, living in a place where there is not enough food, clothing, and even a comfortable bed to drink.
What bothered him the most was that all his dreams were shattered. The ideal that had only been exalted was shattered overnight. All the plans for the future that had only been splendid were all in vain. That is why this period is called the period of frustration, the period of despair.
All young people go through this process and mature. I graduate with a lot of dreams, ideals, and courage and go to work. The first thing we do when we go to the mask is the Midianite wilderness. As far as I know, that's not it. No dreams, no ideals, no courage, no one knows. It is so far from reality and it is difficult. So most of the time, they get frustrated while facing the thick wall of reality. And then I worry, I worry, and I grumble.
When virgins turn 20 or 22, their dreams become wild. The above is also high. There is nothing in the world at this time. The whole world seems to be mine. So this is the time to live the dream. Then, after meeting a man and living with a child, he starts waking up from that dream. They go to the market to shave 100 won, wash and fill diapers, comb their hair, and live like that without knowing what their clothes are. That's the reality. That is the face of honest human life.
Moses did. As the son of a princess, he was once overconfident in himself. I lived my life knowing that nothing was impossible in the world. So he was very proud. But when I came out to the world, that wasn't the case. I was thrown in the middle of the Midianite wilderness and lost my dreams, my ideals were shattered, and I sat in a place where there was no hope, and I struggled in a dark place with a thick beard. anguish. Meanwhile, he is looking for the cause of his failure.
"Why am I like this, what's wrong with me?", crouching shabby, he is desperate. So this time is called the second period of Moses, the 40 years of Midian, and the time of despair. After this period, the third period begins.
III
The third period is the last 40 years, the period of self-consecration. Moses prostrated himself in the depths of the wilderness, pondering, and finally reached a great conclusion. That's two things. One was the realization that "I thought I was the best in the world, but when I found out, I wasn't." Another was self-reflection, "I thought I could do everything, but there are things that don't work". And he prays with deep reflection. “Lord, I am nothing, I can do nothing.” What a sincere prayer and a great confession.
But look. When he was living in the consciousness of "I can do everything, I am the best", God did not appear near him. God was so coldly silent to him. But when he finally got down on his knees, saying, “I am nothing, I can do nothing,” from his mouth, and then God came to Moses. And he says
“Moses, what is in your hand, put it on the ground?” Moses put his staff on the ground and it became a serpent. “Take it back,” so Moses took it back and became a staff again. What does it mean. Just like when you let go of the staff, it becomes a snake, and when you hold it again, it becomes a staff. “If you fall from my hand, you are a failure and a murderer, and you are nothing but a miserable life. What a strong and clear message.
Second, you say “Put your hand into my bosom.” So Moses put his hand in his bosom, and when he looked out, he had leprosy on his hand. That means. This is the allusion God gave Moses.
Then God gives Moses a task. “Now go to Egypt without hesitation, and go and rescue your people from their afflictions.” And God sends Moses to Egypt. Then Moses goes into Egypt without a word. Go, risk yourselves, and lead your people out. That is why this time is called “the time of self-consecration”. In the end, Moses becomes a mature human being and dedicates his old life to God, and to the nation and country with joy. This is Moses' life.
You too must have had times like this. When I was young and wanted to become something, there must have been a time when I was arrogant, arrogant, and lived unaware of the fear of the sky. At that time, God was not very good. If you ask him to go to church, he will say that he will go to the next old age. Then I leisurely wandered around the mountains, to the rivers, and to play golf. Then one day, he must have had the experience of Midian being completely crushed to the point that he thought it was not.
There must be some people who woke up lying on a hospital bed and thought that wasn't the case. After failing and sitting in a low seat, there must be some people who confessed, "It's not like that" only at that time.
Especially, young believers gathered here today, please keep these words in mind. Please try to draw closer to God when you are young, have opportunity, have strength, and have courage. Otherwise, you will inevitably and unwillingly go to Midian. Please try to live by being held by God's hand. And try to live in the arms of God. That is the only way to ensure your future. At that time, God will protect your life and future.
1992. 5. 17. Coming of Age Sunday morning