Title: People Born of God
Contents
♡♥♡ People born of God / John 1:12-14
*** Introduction
Today is the Sunday to celebrate the 9th anniversary of Daebok Church. On September 4, 1994, the church started in this Daebok Village, starting with the Sunday day worship service held in a small room. It took about a year for the church to settle down. It's been 9 years now, but a lot has happened during that time. Satan's forces interfered in many ways in various ways to prevent the church from standing up.
Looking back, it's like a dream come true. All of these things were impossible for humans to do. There were many times when I wanted to sit down, and there were many things that seemed impossible. However, God has stopped all people's anxieties up to this day, and has protected, guided, and worked. Although the church is still very weak, we believe that the God who established the church will guide and work in glory.
Now we have a lot of work to do. Above all, we must strive to make the church, the body of the Lord, stand strong by faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord has established Daebok Church to glorify God and to fulfill God's will in this generation. And we need to prepare the ground for the church to work until the Lord comes again.
These things are also possible only by the power and grace of God. However, these tasks of God have been entrusted to the children of God. Who are God's children? We are here in this place. As the text says, we are not ‘people who were born of the blood of the world, of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man’. Those of us who believed and accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior were already born of God, chosen by God and called today. God has entrusted us with the work of this generation.
There was a woman in her late 50s who was battling cancer. The cancer was so advanced that he underwent four rounds of chemotherapy. Her body was weakened by the strong chemotherapy, and her hair was gone. This pharmacist was thinking a lot about the times he had lived up to now. It is said that this man was so busy that he did not even have time to look back on his life until he was diagnosed with cancer. However, after getting sick, he said that he began to look back on his life. After all, it seems that a person attains enlightenment and matures only after experiencing a big event. this person is
“I regret that I have not been able to do meaningful and rewarding service until now, and have only lived for my children, my husband, and myself.”
Said. and then
“It is only when I get sick like this that I will realize that my life is useless. Now, I am thinking of doing something worthwhile to find the true meaning of life, but it seems hopeless when I think of the life that is left short of energy due to the difficult battle with the disease. The people I envy the most right now are those who serve hard and live truthfully.”
Said.
People are so stupid. It is only when you lose your health that you realize that your health is precious, and when you realize that your life is short, you will regret the life you've had. When you have strength, ability, wealth, and health, you can live as you please, and only after losing all these things can you find the meaning of life. I realized it too late, but I can't turn back time. That is why the Lord said, “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” only after those who leave regrets are driven out.
Compared to this, we are happy people. At least, you made me realize it while there was still an opportunity, so it is something to be thankful for. How have you been living up to now? Can you say, “I have no regrets even if I die now”? If not, please look back on your life through today's Word.
1. We are people born of God.
Are any of us here wanting to be born? No one in the world planned to be born. All people are sent into the world by God's plan. This means that God has a plan for everyone. Have you ever thought, “What is God's plan for me?”
The question “Who am I?” is the beginning of philosophy. The question of ‘Where did life come from and where is it going?’ was the question of philosophers. Many people in the world died without completing this homework. And more and more people do not even think about this homework at all and live only for the sake of the fleshly life like irrational beasts. Regarding them, 2 Peter 2:12 says: “These men are like irrational beasts, born to be captured and killed, blaspheming what they did not know, and perishing in their destruction.” “These wicked are like irrational beasts born to be caught and killed, they slander things they do not know. Then they will perish like the beasts.”
We should give thanks to God for letting us live according to the flesh like the beasts and not perish. Let's look at verses 12-13. “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” It is God's plan, not our will, that we received Jesus Christ as our Savior and became God's children.
What a cold winter day. A young saint who prided himself on living a just life in his own way was heading home. On a sleet evening, the streets were full of people crouching and rushing to their feet. The young man's eyes saw a little girl crouching in a corner of the street. The child was curled up like a ball in thin clothes.
He said he had no home and hadn't eaten anything all day. The young man jumped in anger. He turned to God and said, “Why are you just watching these things? You have to come up with some countermeasures.” That night the young man heard a scraping sound for a very brief moment.
“I must have taken measures already. I made you.”
The young man was astonished. I was ashamed of myself for crying out for justice with my lips until now. He started a ministry for abandoned children. He realized that it was God's plan for him.
What is God's plan for you? How does the world look to you? It is God who gave you such eyes. The reason he gave them was not to criticize or lament, but to see and feel them to do them. What kind of God's work do you keep thinking about? It is the Holy Spirit moving your heart, and it is God's plan to accomplish through you. Don't try to forget or pretend you don't know with the thought of “why must it be me”. Not only will you be disciplined, but God will pretend you don't know.
2. God is with those who are born of God.
Let's look at verse 14. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father. He was full of grace and truth.” These words express Jesus Christ. Jesus, who is the glory of God the Father and is full of grace and truth, is God Emmanuel. That is, God is with us.
The word “dwelling” means “to pitch a tent” or “to decide where to stay.” In the Old Testament times, God commanded to build a 'tabernacle' or 'temple' as a dwelling place. In the Old Testament times, God did not send the Holy Spirit to people. So, God met the Israelites while living in a specially prepared “temple”. Therefore, the expression ‘residence’ means that God decides a place for God to stay among His children.
Why is God with us? The reason is simple. Because we are children of God. From the moment we received Jesus Christ, God has been with us. When we suffer from failures in life, the Lord also suffers with us. When we suffer, the Lord is with us. When we rejoice, the Lord rejoices. That is why God is our Father and calls us one family.
The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, distinguished two dimensions of faith. It is the faith of the servant and the faith of the son. The servant's faith is the belief that I can live in the master's house with peace of mind only if I do something to the master. It is a belief that cannot sit still without working. It is a belief that cannot rest in peace due to anxiety.
But the son's faith does not come from the Father's because of my works or my merits for the Father. Salvation is the belief that we do not receive what we do. It is the faith that we become children of God through the merits of Jesus Christ.
We are not slaves, but children of God who are always with God. Therefore, it is not necessary to have some merit to be saved. The moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are already saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 (Modern Language Bible). “It is purely by the grace of God that you have been saved through faith in Christ. Even your belief in Christ is not of your own volition, it is a gift from God. In this way, salvation is not a reward we receive for doing good works, so no one can boast about their good deeds.” That is why we always praise and thank God for this grace, and boast of God.
Whatever you do, don't forget that God is with you. Not only when we are doing God's work, but also when we are doing things we want to hide and shame. Therefore, as a person with God, we must live a life that is obedient to God's will.
3. Those who are born of God are called to glory.
In verse 14, Jesus said that Jesus who is with us is the glory of God and is full of grace and truth. These words mean that those born of God are called to this great glory. Because Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection and He Himself became our friend. What the firstfruits of the Resurrection mean is the fact that we become the fruits of the Resurrection after us. 1 Corinthians 15:20 (Modern English Bible). “But Christ died and rose again. You became the first person who died and came back to life.” Verse 23 says, “But there is an order in which Christ is raised first, and then when Christ comes, all his people will rise again.”
Our life is not the end of this world. This world is only a preparation period for eternal life. However, we are called to the glory of God, the owner of the kingdom of God. I cannot tell you all the glory God has prepared for us in this short time. This immeasurable glory will be bestowed upon those who remain attached to the Lord until the moment we die on this earth. Matthew 10:22 says, “And you will be hated by all because of my name, but he who endures to the end will be saved.” In 24:13, “But he who endures to the end will be saved.” ” he said.
In particular, all of you here are called to build the Church, the body of the Lord, on this barren land. I am sure this is a work of greater honor. He said that in order to participate in the glory of the Lord, we must also suffer the sufferings of the Lord. Romans 8:17 (Modern Language Bible). “Now that we are children of God, God will divide his property in us as he did to his Son Jesus. So, if we want to share in the glory of his Son, we should also share in his sufferings.”
All of you who are born of God, let us all strive to follow the will of the Lord with one heart so that we may share in the glory of the Lord, thinking that the mighty God is with us.