Title: Seeking God
Contents Jesus came to this world, prepared for 30 years, and preached the gospel of the kingdom for 3 years. These three years are what we call ‘public life’.
1. Jesus' Discipleship
First, the Lord calls the twelve disciples. He speaks many lessons, but as the Gospels testify, most of them are spoken in front of the disciples. After all, he taught the disciples, and the church was founded by the twelve.
2. Regret of the Cross
However, the history of salvation through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross has two unfortunate events that cannot be understood about His disciples. One is the fact that it must have been his disciple Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus and sold him. Another is that when Jesus was carrying the cross and going to Golgotha, there was a person who carried the cross in his stead, and he was neither Peter nor John nor James. Oddly enough, it means Simon from Cyrene. After all, they forsook Jesus, denied Jesus, and went away. Jesus, who took the place of the sins of the world, was sold to his disciple and betrayed.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to this earth to save mankind, died on the cross like this. However, as promised, He resurrected on the third day. And he meets his disciples again. After eight days (!*8 days circumcision - confirmation of life), the risen Lord awakens the doubtful Thomas before them. “Put your finger here and put it in my side. And don't be a believer, be a believer. Thomas answered and said, My Lord and my God. Jesus said, “Do you believe because I have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and believe” (John 20:27-29).
3. Peter's Frustration
Even after meeting the resurrected Lord, Peter goes to catch fish (John 21:3).
This is the problem. Why? First is the remorse for betraying the Lord. It is so shameful to deny Jesus. Another is the lack of understanding of the economy of Christ Jesus. They did not know ‘why do we have to carry the cross and what is the meaning of resurrection’. Next, realizing that he was not qualified as a disciple, he returned to his old self. And the political wish for the restoration of Israel still remained, and there was a complete setback. Frustration with the expectation of liberation from Roman bondage. I wanted to see Jesus become the Messiah of Israel, the king of Judea, and the restoration of the kingdom.
4. The Second Call (Seeking God)
But Jesus comes to them. You catch fish that you haven't caught. He turns a life of failure into a life of success. He transforms a weary spirit into a happy spirit. He does not regard him as a traitor, but transforms him into a person of love. He changes the mind of the flesh to the mind of the spirit. He becomes a seeking God, not a waiting God. The Lord who called sinners, who died on the cross and accomplished salvation with the glory of resurrection, seeks the disciples. And he says, ‘Go ye also and make disciples’ (Matthew 28:18-20). He also says, “You shall be my witnesses to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). From ‘Calling’ to ‘His Witnesses’. Dear saints, who are they? Isn't it me and you?