Title Among this generation/ (Luke 7:31-35)
Contents in this generation
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Humans have emotions that animals do not. I laugh when I'm happy, I cry when I'm sad, and I feel lonely when I'm alone. The more sensitive you are to this basic human emotion, the more pure you are. These days, it is difficult to find such a person.
Yun Dong-ju, who is called Unirana's best lyric poet, sang in the poem, "Even with the wind on the leaves, I was tormented." People today are emotionally mortgaged and live a mechanical life. Jesus lamented what he would compare this generation to, and called it a generation that blows the flute but does not dance, and mourns but does not weep. How tough is a man who doesn't laugh and dance when he's happy and cry when he's sad
How desolate is the person who goes to the wedding hall and does not have fun together, and who does not cry after going to the portrait house? But today, it is not just one or two individuals, it is the generation. They are hardened hearts as they become hardened.
Just as Lot's wife looked back when she knew the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were going to be destroyed, she kept being bound even though she knew that this world was not eternal. Jesus said that this generation is also an evil and adulterous generation. “Do you know how to discern heaven and earth, but do not know how to discern the ages?” He rebuked.
We are not people who live after this generation, but people who go against it and live according to the will of the Lord. How should we live with faith in this generation?
1. We must live with a clear confession of faith.
One day Jesus asked his disciples: "Who do people say I am?" The disciples said, "Some say Elijah, some say Jeremiah, and some say John the Baptist or one of the prophets." This statement is clearly wrong, but nonetheless these were positive reviews. In verse 34 of the text, there were people who scornfully said, “Behold, a glutton and a drinker of wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” This was the confession of Jesus Christ that the world had. This time Jesus asked his disciples. "Who do you say I am?" “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” answered Peter. Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, Jesus commended him. We came here with the same confession as Peter. But we need a confession from the heart, not the confession of the lips.
In the wilderness of Bethseda, Jesus fed 5,000 men with five barley loaves and two fish, but there were still twelve baskets left. The Israelites, who had always lived in hunger, wanted to make Jesus the king who satisfies their hunger. Jesus left them and went secretly to another place. When they learned that Jesus was gone, people began to ask questions again and followed him to the place where Jesus was. He said, “Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures forever.” He said of the suffering of the cross, and they all left. "Are you going to cover it too?" “Here is the word of eternal life; to whom shall we go?” The disciples did not leave. "What did you go out into the wilderness for? Did you go out to see the reeds or to see those who would wear soft robes? They are in the royal palace. What then? Did you go out to see the prophet? Someone greater than the prophet is here." You must have the right confession of faith in Jesus and follow it rightly. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Because only him has salvation, we must follow the Lord daily with that confession.
2. We must acknowledge the Lord every day and live.
“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of himself and of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26).
3. We must live with the preciousness of the soul in mind.
In Luke 12, it says that those who lay up wealth on the earth and are not rich toward God are fools. We must not lose our faith because of material wealth or greed. Job's faith is excellent because his faith is not shaken by the abundance or lack of possessions. After seeing Solomon's glory and seeing how he fell because of it, Agur prayed to God as follows.
“Two things I have asked of you before I die; give it to me before I die. Take away from me falsehood and lies, and give me neither poverty nor riches, but feed me with the bread I need. Perhaps I am full and do not know God. Who is the Lord?” lest I be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God (Proverbs 30:7-9)." The soul is more precious than matter. Heaven is clearly more precious and eternal than reality. The Lord rebuked the foolish Laodicea church for causing a spiritual illusion.
“You say, ‘I am rich and prosperous, and need nothing, but do not know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, or naked. Make them invisible, buy eye drops, and put them on your eyes so you can see” (Revelation 3:17-18).
It refers to the contrast between the body and the soul. I need to look at my soul as the Lord sees it. You must know how to love me. Faith, wherever it goes, is self-responsibility. I'm interested and I have to look around. Live longing for eternal life for the soul.
It is so difficult to live against a generation that is evil and lewd, that blows the flute but does not dance, and mourns but does not weep. Both the shepherd and the sheep faced difficult times. However, there must be a reason why we must live that way. For it is the broad way and the way of death. We should strive to walk the narrow path and carry out the mission the Lord has given us.