Title: Resurrection and the Church
resurrection and the church
Luke 24:36-43,
09. 4. 12 (Easter Sunday)
The biggest human problem since human history is the problem of death. This is true of everyone, rich or poor, male or female. There is nothing so sad and unfortunate as the death of a person. So, when we say that a person dies, everyone feels a sense of emptiness and hopelessness in life. Death is the most feared and solemn fact for us humans. So it's something I want to avoid anyway.
It is said that when a prisoner on the way to the execution site stumbles and falls on the way, he is startled and unconsciously says, “Oh my gosh, I almost died.” Another death row inmate deliberately takes off his shoes when he is taken to the execution room, and then comes back after saying that he took off his shoes. Not to live any longer, but because of the fear of death. So, they deceived people by saying that the main story of the pseudo-teachers is that they do not die and those who believe in me never die. Until now, all human beings have fallen to their knees without a single word of protest in the face of death. The heroes who commanded the world and those who were respected under the world all died. Death is humanity's greatest enemy and a barrier to unhappiness that we humans cannot overcome.
However, Jesus broke this barrier of death and resurrected splendidly. This event shows the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, the life, the Almighty, and the Creator. For those who believe and receive the resurrected Jesus, death will not have dominion over him, and misfortune, curse, sorrow, and darkness will not be with him.
A Christian dispatched to the Middle East was talking to a local employee. A local Muslim said, "We pray five times a day every day, we live by strict rules, and that we must make a pilgrimage to Mecca for the rest of our lives, because in Mecca we boasted of the magnificent and beautifully decorated tomb of Mohammed.
The Christian who heard this said, "That is the difference between Christianity and Islam. Muhammad and the heads of other religions all died and were buried in tombs to rot, but Jesus Christ broke the tomb and rose from the dead three days later." I did.
Karl Barth said, 'The shorter the sermons on Easter and Christmas, the better. Because this is a historical fact that needs no explanation.” In the New Testament, where the testimonies of various witnesses are recorded, the resurrection of the Lord is mentioned 204 times.
Jesus spoke seven words on the cross. And after the resurrection, he appeared to people 11 times during 40 days on this earth, and the remaining four words are recorded in the Bible.
The Church is founded on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The first church in the New Testament era began with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost with the resurrection of Jesus.
On Easter in 1884, missionaries Etherwood and Appenseller arrived at Incheon Port, and the Korean Church began.
100 years later, on Easter 1984, our Sekwang Church was established. The church stood tall in the place where death was overcome.
Resurrection is the victory over death. Resurrection is an event beyond violence. Resurrection is the event that defeats lies. Resurrection is an event of relieving injustice. Resurrection is the event that brings tears from your eyes.
We can confirm the meaning of the Lord's resurrection through these four words.
First, it is the resurrection that overcomes doubt.
On the morning of the resurrection, several women, including Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, visited the tomb of the Lord. It was to anoint the body of the Lord who died on the cross and was buried. But when the women reached the tomb, the stone door of the tomb was moved. The women ran to the disciples and told them that someone had removed the body. The disciples could not believe what the women were saying, but Peter and John ran toward the tomb of the Lord. John, who was younger, arrived first, but he did not enter the tomb, but looked inside. When Peter, who arrived later, went into the tomb, John followed him in and saw that the body of the Lord was not really there and the shroud was opened.
However, there are meaningful words. That is, John 20:9, “They did not yet understand the scriptures that said that he must rise from the dead.” It's not that I don't believe it, but that I don't know. Because I had never heard or seen an example of the dead being brought back to life as foretold.
This is also true of Thomas, the disciple of the Lord. The risen Lord said to Thomas