Let's join in the suffering that saves lives
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◎ Text: John 10:7-15
◎ Title: Let's participate in life-saving suffering
The recent Daegu subway disaster killed so many precious lives that the wounds left in the hearts of the victims' families and the families of the missing are difficult to heal easily. A father crying with his dead son's kindergarten diploma, a mother crying with her daughter's spirit at the funeral of her daughter who passed Seoul National University, a husband struggling after losing his wife, etc. Each story touches our hearts. I did. Such talent will never disappear again.
Amidst such a great tragedy, there is another touching story that cannot be overlooked, and it is the story of those who spared no effort to throw themselves away in order to save those in danger even in such a great danger. Among them were students, firefighters and police officers. Some people jumped in to save the lives of others, but some lost their own lives, while others were seriously injured.
It cannot but be a noble and noble spirit to take on one's own hardships and risk death for the sake of others' lives. Some people do not hesitate to inflict damage on others for their own lives, and even sacrifice others for their own lives. In a harsh life, choosing suffering and death for the sake of others is very precious. And it is impossible not to be a person who has lived a valuable life.
See the life of Jesus Christ. The purpose of being born on this earth itself was to save lives on this earth by sacrificing your life, and his life had nothing to do with life for himself, only to save lives.
In the end, without sin, He suffered all kinds of hardship, contempt, and disdain, and ultimately ended His life by being crucified and dying. As a result, all people in the world have received eternal life from God.
Jesus says: "I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." I lay down my life for the sheep" (11)
Through the great suffering, pain, and sacrifice of Christ, we have gained abundant life.
For Christians, Lent is a time to feel the grace of Jesus by participating in that suffering while reminding us once again of the suffering of Jesus, who suffered and sacrificed for us.
If you look at the churches in the West during this period, they make a cross and carry it on their shoulders, and they pierce it with a needle like a needle because they can't see the nails in their hands. Also, while fasting, we participate in suffering and deeply repent of our sins. In doing so, we reflect on the meaning of Christ's precious suffering and use it as an opportunity for devotion. Of course it's good. It is also a good way to spend Lent meaningfully, but the true Lenten experience is to save lives through suffering just as Jesus saves lives through suffering, right?
Just as Jesus saved lives through suffering, we must also work to save lives through the suffering we experience in Lent.
How can we save lives by experiencing hardship? Would that be realistically possible? So let's take a realistic and pragmatic approach to suffering.
What is the real great pain in our time? When are you struggling and struggling? When did you get sick? Have you been injured in an accident?
After all, the biggest hardship in reality is when you don't have money. If you have money when you are ill, you can even get treatment. If you get sick and don't have money for treatment, it's even more painful. But even if you don't get sick, it's hard if you don't have money. What is failure? All the money was gone. The pain of this age is lack of money.
If not having money is pain and suffering, then if I gave up the money I had, it would be self-inflicted suffering. If you give that money to the Lord, you will suffer for the Lord. When you give money for the Lord, the work of life takes place there.
What is our church doing now? It is a temple building. The goal of building the temple is to build the ark of salvation in order to harvest souls, that is, to save lives.
During this Lenten season, when you give money to build the temple, you experience the pain yourself, and the money is used to build the temple to save the lives of others.
In any way, it is our right as Christians to share in the sufferings of the Lord during this Lent season. Therefore, if we do something to save lives by participating in the suffering of the Lord through material donations for the construction of the temple during this period, wouldn't the meaning of Lent be more valuable?
On this Sunday, the beginning of Lent, I would like to offer the following suggestions in the name of the Lord to you to participate in the sufferings of the Lord. Please do one, two, or all of them according to the measure that moves your heart and the measure of your faith, and please understand that this is not the only way to have a meaningful Lent.
1. To donate part or all of a property for construction. I think the pain will be great. Of course, nothing compared to the sufferings of the Lord! However, if you can do it, there is no doubt that countless lives will be saved.
2. This is the tidal wave. Of course, those who do not tithe should tithe first. However, if you are tithing, please join us in suffering by paying two tithes even during this Lent. It would be better if you did it for the rest of your life, but if you do it even during Lent, there is no doubt that it will be a valuable hardship.
3. Save all your expenses and donate money for construction. Don't be ashamed to say that the amount is small, fasting one meal and making a donation for the building. "I'll reduce one side dish and give you a building donation." "I give up eating out and donate a building donation." “I give up the plan to buy clothes and donate to the building.” Let's reduce consumption as much as possible, such as "Eat vegetables instead of meat, and donate to the building" for the construction of the temple to be built to save lives.
During Lent, let's be thrifty wherever possible. Actually, this is also a hardship in our life. If you think of the sufferings of Christ, endure these sufferings and participate in the construction of the temple, it will be a truly valuable Lent.
Saints, the season of Lent has begun. Just as Christ suffered through Himself to give us eternal life, so let us save our lives by suffering even the smallest of things ourselves. There is no doubt that our Lord will be pleased more than anyone else. Let's do it according to the measure of our faith, thinking about the unbelievers who are heading for destruction, regardless of whether it is a great or small hardship.
I believe that the Lord will work even greater when we endure such hardships on our own.