Title Ephesians 03:1-12 Church and Workers
Contents
Church and Workers (Ephesians 3:1-12)
But today we see a prisoner with a completely different appearance. Paul, a prisoner writing the book of Ephesians we read in a Roman prison. Being a prisoner of the Roman government and being imprisoned, there is no sign of suffering or wretchedness. Whether in prison or outside, I cry out to the people outside the prison who are bound by the world as a brighter free person than anyone else. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything. Let the peace of Christ keep you." What made Paul go beyond human circumstances and lead a resolute and free life? In today's words, he says that he has become a prisoner for Christ's sake (verse 1). In this verse we can find the answer. Paul had the clear meaning of blaming Christ for his pain, trials, and sufferings.
Humans are mysterious beings that feed on meaning. If you know the meaning of it, you will be able to receive death happily. That is why many were willing to die in the name of love, in the name of their country, in the name of faith. Paul called this a sense of mission. He confessed that whether we eat or drink, whether we die or live, it is for Christ's sake, and that death is gain. He devoted his entire life to preaching the gospel of Christ, and he said that he was happy because the fact that he was imprisoned in prison is actually progressing in the gospel. What is your sense of duty? It can be said that it is a voluntary sense of responsibility for meaningful work, but narrowly, it can be said that it is a responsibility that God has entrusted to me for my life. The quality and depth of life cannot be the same as a person who lives with a sense of mission and someone who simply lives according to what is given.
Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) of England was in charge of building St. Paul's Cathedral. One day, I went around the construction site to see the progress of the work. I met a worker at a construction site and asked what he was doing. Then the worker replied, "Yes, I am cutting stones to build a wall." After walking for a while, I met another worker and asked what he was doing. He replied, "I'm working to make money. My throat is grape juice." After a while, I met another worker and asked the same question. He put his hands on his hands for a moment, stood up straight, and said, "I am building a church for God right now." Even if they do the same thing, their attitude, meaning, and reward are different. We may be simply cutting stones meaninglessly, or we may have a purpose to make money by clenching our teeth, but above all, when there is a greater meaning and purpose of building a temple, our life becomes proud and rewarding.
Paul knew that preaching the gospel for the Gentiles was his mission. Paul clearly knew that he was participating in God's great plan to establish the kingdom of God where God is unknown. A life without a sense of mission is just to prolong, and there cannot be any real joy and worthiness in it.
So, what kind of attitude should a person with such a sense of duty have?
First, a heart of gratitude.
Paul said, "I became a worker for this gospel according to the gift of God to me as his power works." He confessed that it was a gift from God and came to this mission with gratitude and joy. Gratitude is a heart that heaven has given only to humans. With this grateful heart, we are knocking on heaven's door. At that time, the doors of heaven will be opened and blessings will come. When we lose our gratitude, our lives become cold and our relationship with God becomes blocked. If you think about it, everything is just something to be thankful for. Nothing has been received. “What do you have that you have not received?” said Paul. When I think about it, I was worried about how I would build a baseless and bleak immigrant life when I immigrated empty-handed, but I am just thankful that I have come this far because I have been working healthy, raising children, meeting good people around me, and being neighbors.
How rich has your immigrant life, which started empty-handed? Most of all, how grateful are you for knowing God and living a life of faith? Being unthankful is because selfishness is the first symptom of unbelief. Israel, who complained about whether they ate and enjoyed it or had it, was always dissatisfied because they could not have more. It was an insult to God's grace. They all murmured and died in the wilderness. However, those who were thankful were able to enter the Canaan that God had prepared.
Dear brothers and sisters, what do you have? Thank you for that. And use it for God's sake. God will fill it with greater things. When a young boy gave five bottles of ear to thanks, 5,000 people ate and there were 12 Gwangjuli left. When those who received 2 or 5 talents gave thanks for what they received and gave their best, they were able to reap more than double the amount of fruit.
Second, the attitude of the missionary is humility.
Apostle Paul, I am less than the least of all the saints! is confessing to himself.
The Apostle Paul was a man with many human qualities. He was second to none in his academic and social background. He was a man who lived with his head shaking and wielding power, knowledge, and his temper.
However, after he met someone greater than him, he realized how shameful he was. And he humbly confessed to Timothy, saying that it was because he did not know (1 Timothy 1:13). Those who have true faith are those who know God, and those who kneel before God's great love and power and become humble. It is to realize how insignificant in the sight of God to have, to know, and to have achieved. Deepening your faith means getting to know God more and becoming humble because of His great love, grace, and power. However, those who know God only through knowledge and do not have real enlightenment, no matter how much they go to church, cannot escape themselves and become proud. Why? Because they still see only the narrow self
The Apostle Paul deepened his humility as his life deepened in God's grace. At the beginning of his ministry, he called himself the unborn child (1 Corinthians 15:8) and the least of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9). In the latter half of his life, he called himself the chief among sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). A very humble person has a sweet scent.
I bow my head with gratitude when I see people who are not lacking by anyone in our church in terms of social age and life age, humbly kill themselves and serve.
“What is the first virtue of a believer?” A disciple asked Saint Augustine. Then St. Augustine answered, "Humility." And the second and third was humility. This is because faith that reveals itself without humility does not reveal the glory of God. Jesus left the heavenly throne and came to earth to serve the lowly and lowly. There are two symbols in our Christian faith. One is a cross and the other is a towel. If the cross signifies salvation because the Lord put a towel around his waist and washed the disciples' feet, the towel signifies the humble service of the saved.
Through the service of true humility, God's grace is revealed and Christ is glorified. Some people do not become virtuous despite much hard work and sacrifice. Because they want to be glorified and ruled by their hard work and sacrifice. It is to satisfy one's greed under the guise of God's work. Only humble service reveals the glory of God and becomes a blessing.
Only through humble faith, humility devotion, and humility of service can we "deliver to those who do not believe in the riches of Christ" as today's word, and "can reveal the mystery of salvation that has been hidden since ancient times." .
This is the ultimate purpose of the Church, and we are called to this mission. In the new year, thank all the workers God has raised for this mission, and I hope that you will become faithful people of faith by giving your body, time, material, and devotion to humbly reveal the Lord's gospel.