Title: People who believe unconditionally
people who believe unconditionally
Psalm 4:1-8
1. Introduction
The top five greatest explorers of the last 1000 years are: Columbus (1492, discovering the Americas), Vasco da Gama (1498, discovering the Indian Ocean route), Magellan (1522, around the world), and Amundsen (1911, exploring Antarctica). - Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (1914, Expedition to Antarctica) and others. Although the first 4 men were successful in their expeditions, Sir Shackleton earned a reputation as a great explorer despite his unsuccessful expeditions to Antarctica.
In 1914, Shackleton set out on an expedition to Antarctica with 26 crew aboard the Endurance, where he was caught between two huge glaciers near Antarctica, forced to die, unable to move. Around the same time, the Canadian Antarctic expedition, the Caluk, was in the same position in another waters, where they all died fighting each other for limited food and fuel. However, the British expedition led by Shackleton survived the extreme cold of Antarctica for a whopping 634 days. The fact that everyone survived the extreme conditions was a greater expedition than the original purpose of the expedition itself.
It was Shackleton's strong faith that made the British expedition's return alive. When the ship got stuck between the glaciers, all crew members immediately foreshadowed death. At that time, Shackleton told the former crew, "From this time on, I give up on exploration. From now on, our goal is to get everyone back alive!” Said. There was no guarantee that he would return alive. However, Shackleton believed that he would come back alive, and through many hardships, he came back alive according to that belief. Shackleton's belief was not derived from a theoretical-logical-rational judgment of circumstances. It was an unconditional belief that came from super reason, super logic, super theory, and super experience. Belief that you will come back alive unconditionally! I mean.
These days, countries around the world come together and vibrate due to an economic crisis - a financial crisis that is said to have come for the first time in 100 years. Korea is no exception, and many people are shaking like a forest swaying in the wind with anxiety and fear. People called economists used jargon that ordinary people could not understand and said that it was extremely dangerous because of what, what, and certain factors, but no one came up with a sharp alternative. Why? Because they only understand the current situation.
<Reference: Shackleton's Power Leadership, Tin Idol>
2. Centurion (Matt 8:13) - Bleeding woman (Mt 9:22) - Two blind men (Mt 9:28) - Canaanite woman (Matt 15:28)
The above 5 people are all people who have faced a crisis in their life. These people first met Jesus. These people completely believed in Jesus when they first met. These people's beliefs do not come from rational-logical-empirical judgments. They believed in Jesus through super reason, super logic, super experience, and super theory. If you go to Jesus, you will be healed! Get saved! Get a new name! It was an unconditional belief. Therefore, the Bible calls this unconditional faith “the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).
3. What is unconditional trust?
first. It is unconditional belief that God already knows that I need food, clothing, and shelter. Jesus Himself said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? But not one of them will fall to the ground unless your Father permits it. Do not be afraid, for all the hairs of your head are numbered. (Matthew 10:29-30) *Believe in God, believe also in me. Faith is believing and living these words literally.
The last fear that remains in people's minds is the fear of survival that they and their families' food, clothing and shelter problems may be threatened. We often witness the tragedy of many people despairing and committing suicide when the problem of food, clothing and shelter is threatened by the collapse of their personal economy. What a sad thing! But we believers should never commit suicide, no matter how miserable they may be. We must believe unconditionally that there is a way to live that God has prepared for us. You must live!
second. It is unconditional belief that God will make not only my food, clothing, and shelter issues but also my whole life prosperous - healthy - beautiful - and take me to a beautiful death when the time is right. Crosby, who was blind, confessed this belief earnestly in hymn 434 as follows (singing it yourself makes sense!).
How can you doubt the mercy that is in my Lord, Jesus leads me on my way?
Those who live by faith will receive from heaven, and whatever they encounter, they will prosper.
Jesus guides me along the way. Even when I am in trouble
I am very weary and thirsty for soul, but you make springs of water from the rock before me.
Jesus guides me along the way I go. How great is his love. Words cannot express how great is his love.
Spirits inspired by the Holy Spirit When you go to heaven, you led me to my song of praise Jesus.
third. It is unconditional belief that God has entrusted me with a task that only I can do and I have to do while I live in this world, and not anyone else. The fact that many people do not know what “the work that God entrusted to me, the work that only I can do” means, “That’s the problem!” It is said. Moses-Exodus, Nehemiah-Israel wall rebuilding, Esther-Purim, Paul-World evangelism, etc. were clear things to do. So it's frustrating.
Why, don't you know? It's because of the reversed thinking. That is, if I find a task entrusted to me, I will risk my life for it! But I couldn't find it, so it's frustrating. That's not it. First of all, I discovered what I was supposed to do because I worked hard on this and that job. So I risked my life for it. And when I look back, it is the right order to discover “the work that God has entrusted to me.”