Title Open! Our World/Joshua 1:1-9
Open the content! Our World/Joshua 1:1-9
Children, today is the first Sunday of 2002. Starting in 2002, you, children, have undergone many changes. There are several of those changes. I'm one year older. I was promoted one step from 3rd grade to 4th grade. Our minds and hearts have grown and matured. More new worlds will come to us in the future. The world we live in is wide open. With what kind of heart should we start in this open world?
In the Bible we saw today, God tells us three things. First, he gave us a new world, second, God acts together, and thirdly, we live according to the Word. I will have time to listen to God's voice focusing on these three things.
1. He gave me a new world (1-4)
Moses is the leader of Israel. Just like today's president. President Moses died while leading the nation of Israel for 40 years. The next president after Moses was Joshua. But President Joshua was trembling in fear, wondering if he could do like Moses.
In the midst of this, God spoke to Israel's President Joshua. “Joshua, cross the Jordan River and go to the Promised Land of Canaan.” “I will give you all the land on which you tread.” “I will give you everything from the wilderness and from the land of Lebanon to the Euphrates.” God promised to give Joshua a new world. That world is the land of Canaan, the land promised by God. This land of Canaan is a beautiful land flowing with milk and honey.
You have opened up a new land, a new world to us today, and you have given us two things. First, he gave us a new world in which we live. He gave me a home and family, Sanggye-dong, Korea, an elementary school, and Kkotdongsan Church. And they gave me new friends, new teachers, new clothes, new toys, new gifts. Second, He gave us a spiritual land where we can live forever. That land is heaven. Heaven is the final travel destination for friends who believe in Jesus. Hell is the final travel destination for non-Jesus friends. God has opened up a world of spiritual heaven where we will live forever.
Ok. God has opened a wide world for us to live in. So, children, have a dream. Have a dream. The world opened by God is occupied by dreamers. Joseph was a dreamer of dreams. Be a dreamer like Joseph. He gave us the land we are living in right now, and then He gave us the spiritual land, Heaven. The world we live in has been opened by God so that we can live wide. I wish you a wide and deep life. Hallelujah!
2. God works together (5-6)
God has given us a new world. And God made another promise to Joshua. “Because I will be with you as I was with Moses.” “I will never leave you or forsake you.” “Be strong, be courageous.” He promised to be with you as he was with Moses. Here, "I will do it together" means "I will act". God promised Joshua that he would act with him. When Joshua heard these words, his heart was reassured.
Children, do you know when we are most at peace and reassured? And do you know when we are most anxious and fearful? There are times when my parents hold my hand tight and when they don't.
I had a friend named Arum. This friend is also in 4th grade. Now I can ride the bus by myself, and I have reached the age where I can travel alone in the Sanggye-dong neighborhood. So, I decided to go to Gangnam, and went to Gangnam alone with a small bag. I had a lot of fun at Lotte World. But I got lost in Jamsil, Gangnam. As I walked from this alley to that alley, this place felt like Sanggye-dong and that place felt like Sanggye-dong too, so I was so confused that I wore it. A beautiful fear and dread came over me. So I called my parents. "Mom, this is Jamsil, Gangnam." "I'm lost. I'm scared. I'm scared." "Mom, come quickly." Mom and Dad ran to Jamsil and ran to the point where their eyes fluttered. And I held her hand. I wonder what a beautiful heart must have been at that time. It was peaceful. It was reassuring. It was so reassuring to do things with Mom and Dad.
In this way, when we go to the open world and heaven, Heavenly Father holds our hands tightly and acts together. So, our dear friends, don't be afraid or afraid, and start a new school year and new semester with a strong and bold dream. I hope you start with faith and anticipation. Then, as expected, we can start acting wonderfully with God. Hallelujah!
3. We must live according to the words of the Bible (7-9)
God has given us a new open world. And God said he would walk with us. However, God has a message that Joshua must have asked for. This is one of the essentials that must be observed. The necessity was told to Joshua. “Obey all the books of the law that you commanded (5)” “Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth, and meditate on it day and night, and do as it is written” (6) “Have I not commanded you?” This is Joshua This is a word that God fervently requested.
The book of the law here refers to this book of the Bible. Today, God is asking our friends through the Bible. “Be careful and do everything according to the contents of this Bible.” "Let the words of the Bible continue to be memorized from your lips." And "Look at the words of the Bible and think deeply." It is telling us that we should live and act as it is written in the Bible.
There is a child in Israel named David. David was a shepherd tending sheep. I was a young boy who went out alone in the open fields to tend the sheep day and night. David had a lot of time to think deeply about God's Word when he had time. And I lived according to the written word of God. There were days when I received a lot of grace while thinking deeply about God's Word. At that time, I played the harp instrument. And there are poems and songs he wrote, Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing." That's not all. David received the power of God because he lived according to the Word. So he became a cool kid who knocked down General Goliath with a single stone. Water mills and stones have no power. What David usually experienced and thought deeply about the Word became the power of God. He defeated General Goliath with that ability. That's not all. After that, he became a great president who led Israel by the power of God.
When God's Word is with us, God guide us into a wider open world. And let them experience the action and living with Jesus. From today, read a lot of God's written words, think deeply, and fill your heart with God's words. Then I believe that they will become people of power and become children who save the church and the nation.
Now I want to finish my speech. God has opened our world. The way to open this world beautifully is to trust God well. To do this, we must remember three things. God has opened the world wide, secondly, believing that God acts together, and thirdly, God's power comes upon us when we live according to the words of the Bible. Based on these words, start the new school year in 2002 wonderfully. Finally, I will shout Open! our world.