Time to move on
Contents
*** Time to move forward / 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
** Introductory words
1 Corinthians 13:8-13, “8 Love never fails, but prophecy will pass away, and tongues will cease, and knowledge will pass away. 9 We know in part and prophesy in part. 10 When the perfect comes, the partial will be destroyed. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I understood like a child, I thought like a child. But when I became a man, I gave up childish things. 12 Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face; now I know in part, then I will know fully, as the Lord knows me. 13 Wherefore, faith, hope, and love these three will always exist, but the greatest of these is love.”
Sometimes I look through photo albums with family photos or old pictures of myself. In the photos, there are not only scenes from that time, but also stories that are secretly revived in each photo. It was good to get away from the complicated reality for a while while laughing alone and deep in thought.
But when you look at those photos, how unstylish and awkward it is... . Long hair and tight-fitting shirts and bugle pants, although they still have their own form, they are undisputedly country chickens. Looking at the military life on the front lines, I thought they were cool at the time, but now that I look at them, I think they are useless and childish.
How did you live 2009? Did you just look ahead? Or did you keep looking back and couldn't move forward properly? No matter how you live your life, you must now organize your steps and forget what you will forget, throw away what you want to throw away, supplement what you need to supplement, and run toward the goal of life that God has given you. He said that if we look back on the path we have gone through, we will not only be left behind in life, but we will not be fit for the kingdom of God. So now we have to go on a more mature path. Let's look at verse 11. “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I understood like a child, I thought like a child, but when I became a man, I gave up childish things.”
We all had childhood days, and there were times when we were foolish and childish. At that time, I was young to speak, young to understand, and young to think. I didn't understand the world well, so I made foolish things and made many mistakes. Still, people are young and understand that. However, as I grew up and became a mature adult, I became able to speak politely, deepened my understanding, and matured in my thoughts. When you grow up, of course, you put off the thoughts and actions of a child. So when you look at the old faces, you look stupid and childish. However, if the body becomes an adult but mentally remains in the world of a child, it is obviously abnormal growth. In psychology, this is called “Peter Pan Syndrome”. It is an abnormal behavioral pattern that tries to act like a later child.
A lot of this happens with faith. He has obviously grown up physically and mentally, but spiritually he is still a child. Even though it has been a long time since they accepted Jesus, their faith is like a child who never fails. This is what Hebrews 5:12-14 says about this phenomenon. “Because of the long time, you should be teachers, but again you will need someone to teach you what the basics of the word of God are, and you have become deprived of breast milk and solid food. For everyone who drinks milk is a child, and we have never experienced the Word. Solid food belongs to those who are mature, and because they use their senses, they are trained to discern good and evil.”
Ladies and gentlemen, another year has passed and a new year has begun. Now we have to move one step closer to a more mature position. The older I got, the more experience I had, the more my spirit grew. Then we must also grow spiritually. Can't we just live another year in the same way as the past year?
A kid who saw the athletes in the gym in front of the school practicing their running in cool sportswear, scolded his mother and bought a pair of sportswear similar to the athletes. As soon as he puts on his sportswear, he goes to the playground and runs, but he can't run even a single lap and is out of breath, saying, "Mom! Isn't it like saying, "You can't become a player even if you wear this!" He must have thought that if he wore good sportswear, he would be able to run as well as other athletes.
Let's look at Ephesians 2:19-22.
“Therefore, from now on you are no longer aliens or aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Christ Jesus Himself has become the corner stone. In him, every building is joined together to become a temple in the Lord, and you too are being built together in Jesus to become a dwelling place for God in the Holy Spirit.”
The Word says that the saints are being built together into a temple in Jesus Christ. Spiritual maturity does not happen overnight. Spiritual maturity requires a long time and constant communion with God. This is why the words “in him” and “in the Holy Spirit” keep coming in. Of particular importance is “to be built together”. Each of us is a small temple where God dwells. (This little temple is a temporary temple until we reach the kingdom of God. Because the kingdom of God is the temple of God Himself, there is no need for a separate temple./ Revelation 21:22, “I did not see a temple in the city; For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”) The church is made up of these little temples (the church here means all the churches on the earth). Therefore, all the saints living on this earth are completing the entrusted part of the temple as members of Jesus through their unity.
The Daebok Church established by God is also a member of Jesus. So, obviously, something needs to be done. Worshiping God, preaching the gospel and teaching the Word, sharing, serving, practicing love through service and devotion, etc. If we do not do this, God will do this through other churches, and those who do not fulfill their mission will be rejected. God builds up the church, the body of the Lord, through each and every member of the church. In other words, each member of the church has a task. Therefore, if you avoid or neglect your work while saying, ‘I’m the only one!’, all the members will suffer damage, and the maturity of the whole will be delayed by that much.
What, then, are my personal goals for maturation? It leads to our Master, Jesus. In Ephesians 4:13, it says, “And we will all come to oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, that we may reach the fulness of the stature of the stature of the stature of Christ.” Do what you do, and you will grow up to him in all things. He is the head, the Christ.” Our goal is to complete the image of Jesus Christ in our lives. In other words, this is called ‘sanctification’.
A college student asked the professor, "How can I start studying when I'm not in the mood?" The professor replied, “Even if you make a motion, you will get an emotion.”
Even if you don't know God's work well yet and you're not used to living as a Christian, you have to imitate it. True faith begins with imitation, that is, through imitation. When you first had faith, you probably didn't know anything. Then, as you watch what other people do, hear what they say, hear the word, and learn, you will establish your own faith. Now, let's work together to make 2010, a new opportunity God has given us, a rewarding and effective life before God. Daebok Church must be built together as a temple while faithfully carrying out the tasks God has entrusted to it with one heart. When we are faithful to who we are, God's power will be manifested in the homes, workplaces, and schools of the saints. If you do God's work while believing and obeying God's Word, God will guide you and make your work successful. Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in him, and he will do it.” Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your works to the Lord. Then your management will be accomplished.
Now is the time to move forward while looking at the reward of God's calling. In 2010, I pray in the name of the Lord that we will form a mature Daebok Church where God's eyes and hearts dwell, and that the families, all workplaces, workplaces, schools, and all encounters of the members will lead a blessed life led by God.
Blessing prayers for each family / Pray for the members who have given prayer topics and all family prayer topics.