Title My Country
Kim Yong, who was a researcher at Paektu Mountain in North Korea, recently surrendered and held a press conference. He said on the spot:
“Kim Il-sung built villas in more than 80 places, had 3,000 court ladies, made beds out of ryurimok from Baekdu, used for medicinal purposes, and made quilts from the feathers under the jaws of 700,000 sparrows…”
If you listen to his words, you can guess how luxurious Kim Il-sung is. On the other hand, North Korea is not a paradise on earth, but a paradise for beggars, a poor republic, and has achieved the leveling of the impoverished masses.
Feeling the limits of communism, the Soviet Union reformed. But what about America, the paradise of capitalism? There is one theft every 10 seconds, a woman is raped every 8 minutes, and an innocent person is killed every 27 minutes.
Then what about our country? One historian said, "The fall of a civilization is not due to the weakening of military power or the decline of economic power, but only to the paralysis of morality." This was the case with the kingdoms of David and Saul, the kingdom of Solomon was like this, all the dynasties in the past were like that, and the 4th and 5th republics were like that.
When Pilate asked the Lord in court, "Are you the King of the Jews?" the Lord said, "My kingdom is not of this world, and it is not here." The kingdom of the Lord who said, “My kingdom is not in this world”
First, it speaks of the kingdom of heaven in the afterlife, which is the hope of eternal life. In John 14:1 and below, it says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places." And in Luke 23:43, he said to the robbers, " Today you will be with me in paradise.” That is, the kingdom of eternal life.
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:1 and below, “If our tent house on earth is destroyed, we have an eternal house that God has made.” We have an eternal kingdom in that heaven. So Stephen, the martyr, looked up to heaven and looked at the country, and died a martyrdom.
Second, the kingdom refers to the heaven of the soul. In Luke 17:21, the Lord Himself said, "You cannot say that it is here or there, for the kingdom of God is within you." He said that the kingdom of God is within us.
No matter how good the environment, when we are not comfortable, we can never refer to that person as a happy person, but even if he lives in a hut or thatched house, when his heart is happy and peaceful, he is already living in heaven.
So, what is the biggest cause of anxiety in the soul? It can be summed up in one word because of sin. Those who have received the forgiveness of sins and have a heart that always overflows with praise and thanksgiving in the joy of forgiveness are the people of Heaven.
In John 15:11, it says, “I give these names to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full.” Also, in John 16:22, “You are sad now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one can take your joy away.” May it be done in your heart.
Third, the kingdom of the Lord is heaven on earth, that is, it refers to doctrine. The tangible and intangible church, the body of the Lord, purchased with the price of blood, is my kingdom, the heaven of God. It is also written in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." After Peter's confession of faith, the Lord said, "You will build my church." That is why we cannot ignore the visible type and invisible organization called the church.
Therefore, the ‘my kingdom’ that the Lord speaks of is the heaven of the afterlife, the heaven of the soul, and the heaven on earth, the church.
His kingdom means, first, the kingdom where the Lord directly rules. This is a concept of time rather than a concept of space.
It's not a territory, it's government; it's not politics but spirituality.
Second, the kingdom of the Lord consists of the people of the Lord. No matter how good a house is, if a thief lives in it, it is the thief's house. If thugs live, it's a thug's lair. If a shaman lives, it is a shaman house. Your kingdom is where your saints live.
Third, the kingdom of the Lord is not material, but spiritual.
Romans 14:17 says, "The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
Let's compare this to traveling by car. When we first start off, we start off in a good mood by singing hymn 434, “Jesus leads me along the way, so whatever I encounter, everything will be successful.” When driving, thank you for driving safely every day, singing Chapter 427, “Your arm does not see me,” and when driving on a dirt road, sang Chapter 455, “Even if the road ahead is long and rough, I will only follow you.” When I am lost and wandering, I sing chapter 421, “Lord, guide me, because I do not know the way”, and when drowsiness comes, I sing chapter 429, “My way is long and sleep is coming, but the Lord, who is the light, always guide me one step at a time” gives me strength.
However, the passengers sitting next to the driver are the most likely to have accidents. Especially when the wife is sitting there, there is a lot of nagging. If you drive a little bit violently, keep your eyes open and get nervous. I do that and take a look in the rearview mirror. I'm afraid I'll get scolded if I keep saying it, so I grab the handle after that. I mean I can't believe it. So sometimes couples fights happen.
When you are driving recklessly on the road you normally go, slow down while singing Chapter 545 “There is a bright road to the sky in front of me” at a slow tempo. When it goes over 100km/h, 290 chapters "My hometown, Heavenly Land, where my body will return to the painful path of life" is sung. Also, when the speed exceeds 120 km/h, you can realize it by singing "I will meet you across the Jordan River in a few days, in a few days, in heaven brighter than the light of the day."
Let's think seriously about driving. What's the use of catching a car when it's speeding? When a car is in an accident, the person holding it is also injured. The mind of the driver is what matters. The country of the world is like holding on to a car. What's the use of arresting the president? Take it with you and drive safely with peace of mind.
First, the kingdom of the Lord is made up of people who have been born again. In order to become a citizen of a country, just as one has to be born in that country and register for birth, one must be born again by the Holy Spirit before God and register the birth before God.
Of course, to great mother Nico who knew that they were the people of the kingdom of God, the Lord said, "Unless a man is born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. I tell you that I must be born again." Do not marvel at the horse." Paul, who was born again and became the Lord's people, said in Philippians 3:20, "Now our citizenship is in heaven."
The people of your kingdom are made up of those who have been forgiven of their sins and are born again. Because I was born again, I became a child of the Lord. Let's look at the lyrics of the following hymn.
"I've been wandering and wandering on the path of a hopeless traveler in this long and rough world. I've been living aimlessly.
I lost everything while I was following the temptations of the world in wanting to be comforted by this body with no other to rely on.
Carrying heavy burdens on my back and having nowhere to rest, my pathetic body collapsed and fell, but I had no one to comfort me.
I realized that I was a sinner when I met my father after having been abandoned by the world and debauched in precious years.
I repented with tears, took my father's arms, and crucified my body defiled with sin.
The joy of being saved is the greatest in the world, and I praise my Lord Jesus, who has given us the way to glory."
In this way, the nation where “forgiven sinners” are gathered is the kingdom of the Lord.
Second, your people obey the king's commands. People who live according to the will of the Lord. Exodus 19:5,6 says, “The world is mine, and if you will listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be mine among the nations, and you will become a kingdom of priests to me and a holy people.”
Third, the people of the Lord must preach their kingdom and their king. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “This is to proclaim the goodness of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
However, the ten spies were not allowed to enter the land of Canaan because they criticized the country.
Those who criticize will not enter the kingdom of heaven. He who criticizes has no right to be a citizen of that country. You have to believe in Jesus positively, and if you criticize and negatively say that you have to believe in Jesus, you do not have the right to become the people of that country. Although the numbers were small, only two spies, Joshua and Caleb, who believed and followed them, were able to enter the welfare of Canaan. If we want to enter the kingdom of God, if we want to become the people of that kingdom, please do not criticize and spread the word about Jesus.
Some are ashamed to believe in Jesus. Your kingdom is not made up of such people. Gideon defeated a much larger number of enemies with those 300 men, choosing only those who fell face down, humbly looked in all directions, spread their palms and licked the soil with their tongues.
Now that we have become the people of that country, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will live the rest of your life like the people of that country. Amen.
(1991.11.24)