Title: The person whose cross becomes clearer
a person whose cross becomes clearer
January 2, 2010 (Sat) New Year's Retreat Morning Prayer Meeting, Tel Aviv Joppa Church
Philippians 3:4-9
In Korea, on New Year's Day, a special early morning prayer event is held for about a week. I wish our church would do the same, but it is not possible because of such circumstances. However, looking at this year's case, it seems that two days are held as New Year's morning prayer meetings. Yesterday, we had the Song Gu-Young God service, and although it was past midnight, it was the time we gave to God.
That's good. I am so happy and grateful to be able to greet the new year with prayer, praise and the Word like this, and to be able to spend it with my beloved family and alumni.
Yesterday, I said that the meaning and goal of our life is to become more like Jesus Christ. When we say that this is our goal in life, everything that happens to me, everything I can do, should be able to focus on this goal.
In other words, there may be good things and bad things. There are times when it is easy and times when it is difficult. There may be joy in success and there may be pain in failure. Many relationships can be rewarding and hurtful. There will be many things.
But the most important thing is to be able to learn and grow through all these things. Whether it be success or failure, joy or pain, peace or suffering, let them be like Jesus Christ through everything. In human relationships, the goal should be to become more like Jesus Christ. The goal of service and service is to become more like Jesus Christ.
There is a saying that all things work together for good. It means that God makes all things that happen to me work together to accomplish His good. I too must follow God's work. As I said earlier, that is what focuses everything that happens to me on becoming more like Jesus Christ.
Then the failures, difficulties, pains, and wounds that may occur to us can also become conditions of gratitude. Why? It is because we can see Jesus through those failures, difficulties, pains and wounds, and so we can become more like Jesus. Those who look at the cross learn more through suffering and failure, pain and wounds, and their faith personality grows.
When success, peace, and joy are given, don't let them lift you up or lead you to spiritual laziness or inertia, but think of Jesus. So give thanks and let it be to the glory of God, and use it as a tool to serve, consider, and help God, the church, and others.
All things become grace and thanks to those who look to the cross. Why? This is because we can see Jesus through it, and the cross can be clearly seen and thus we can become like Jesus.
There is a standard that can measure whether my faith, service, character, and life are going properly. that is the cross In other words, I am living a life of faith, and it is not different that my faith has grown. The cross becomes more and more clearly visible.
The same is true for serving and serving the church and other brothers and sisters. The cross must be seen in that service and service. If I see it, that is not true service. The cross should be visible.
The cross must also be seen in my ministry. No matter how successful and recognized outwardly, the work that only I can see is my work, not for God. It's just self-satisfaction.
The same goes for my personality and my life. More and more Jesus must be seen and the cross must be seen. I have to see it and others can see it too. That is the characteristic of a life that resembles Jesus Christ.
A person who cannot see Jesus and a church that does not see the cross are very dangerous. If the mouth speaks only of Jesus and the cross, but it is not seen in actual service, character, and life, it is hypocrisy and false.
When Jesus is not visible, when the cross is not visible, I am the only one who appears. So I want to claim myself, I want to be recognized, I want to be served, I want to be treated, I want to be my master, I want to be my will. When that happens, the community suffers, falls into difficulties, or suffers from spiritual diseases.
Everyone is at this risk. Therefore, our focus should always be on the cross. Our concern and priority should always be looking at the cross.
If I get down on my knees and look at the cross every day and do not put myself down in front of the cross, I say Jesus, but I live an action and life that has nothing to do with Jesus. it won't be possible
look at the cross Don't trust yourself too much. I am not a safe person. I am not a perfect person. Let go of the thought that I'm fine. Very dangerous. There is a great risk of falling into self-righteousness.
what is the cross her own wife The cross is self-denial. Don't think of it as a sacrifice. It is not sacrifice that God requires of us. her own wife We always have ourselves. I have myself there is an ego
This self is very strong. It is expressed in my thoughts, my opinions, my experiences, my opinions, and my words and actions. I am constantly trying to be the master. When I become the master, knowing God's will, I try to put it under my will. That's what self-actualization is. It's scary.
There is no cross without self-denial. Without self-denial, one cannot know what the cross is. Without self-denial, the cross is invisible. A life of following the cross without self-denial is impossible. To deny oneself, to take up one's cross, and to follow the Lord who has gone before is the life of faith and the life of discipleship.
Today we can meet a person whose cross becomes more and more clear by looking at the cross in the text. the apostle Paul He had a lot of potential to look at himself. As verse 4 says, he is ?쏿 person who can trust in the flesh. There are many things to be proud of and put forward, and there are many things that you can look at and trust in it.
He was circumcised on the eighth day. We don't know what that means. It means an Orthodox Jew who was circumcised on the eighth day after birth according to the law.
is the tribe of Israel