December 1, 2024: Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 1st Service
Scripture Reading: Colossians 1:1-8
▣ Introduction
Thank you. Normally, the Immanuel Church sends out messages nationwide and worldwide. Today, we are worshiping together in a meaningful church here in LA for the World Community Service. I had a brief conversation with Pastor Workman and Mrs. Robin, and I felt true peace. So, I felt like I had truly met a real pastor. In Korea, there are many pastors who are not saved. You must receive grace today from this precious time and from the Word God has given us, together with believers across the nation and the world.
1. Paul, the one who had the greatest influence in history
Who is the person who had the greatest influence in all of history? It is Paul. He cannot be compared to Napoleon. Right? He cannot be compared to the Roman emperors. To give a simple example, Paul’s influence was so great that it changed the culture of the world. The freeing of the slaves in America was connected to this. President Lincoln did it, but it was based on the covenant found in Galatians 3:28. He held onto the confession Paul made. How could Paul have had such an immense influence?
※ May the God who worked in Paul work in me and in our church as well.
You must pray earnestly for this today, all over the nation and the world: “May the God who worked in Paul work in me and in our church.” On Sundays, you should not be distracted by other things. You must firmly hold onto God’s Word. On Sunday, you must grab hold of the Word and respond with “Amen.” If you shout “Amen” at your workplace, people might think you’re crazy. If you’re walking down the street, say “Amen” in your heart, but if you shout it out loud, people may think something’s wrong with you. But on Sundays, during worship, we must shout “Amen.”
Dr. Hwang Soo-Gwan once said this: women tend to live about 10 years longer than men on average. Sometimes 10 or 15 years longer. “Why is that?” he was asked. He said, “Because when women receive grace during worship, they respond with ‘Amen.’” Men don’t usually do that. Also, when there’s something funny, women laugh freely, but men don’t laugh easily. Even when something is funny, they clench their teeth and suppress it. But here, I see many of you laughing, and that’s good. On Sundays, you must truly hold onto the grace of “Amen” and receive answers through it.
2. The hope stored up in heaven – when you have hope, you can endure and wait; accurate hope will be fulfilled
How was Paul able to carry out world evangelization like that? Today’s passage explains it clearly. It says, “The hope stored up in heaven.” That’s incredible, isn’t it? When it says, “the hope stored up in heaven,” it means this: if you have hope, you will surely receive answers. Right? A person with hope can endure. Without hope, you cannot endure. A person with hope can wait. Without hope, you cannot wait.
I’ve shared this story before. Back when I was in Busan, my car had become very old, so the engine would often stall. I didn’t tell anyone, but one of our church members somehow found out and bought me a nice, brand-new car. I got a call: “Pastor, we’ve completed the registration and will deliver the car to your house by 10 a.m. tomorrow.” I was delighted when I heard that, of course. The next morning, after finishing early morning prayer, I went for exercise. I parked my old car at the entrance of Taejongdae. Then, a woman was backing up her car and accidentally hit mine. My car door was completely dented. She was so shocked and repeatedly apologized. I told her, “It’s okay.” She asked for my phone number, but I said, “It’s okay.” She said, “Are you sure it’s okay?” “Yes, it’s okay. Please go ahead.” She drove away but then rolled down her window and said, “Thank you so much. You have such a kind face.” I didn’t tell her that I was picking up a new car later that day. I wasn’t upset at all. The old car was going to be scrapped anyway, so what did it matter?
If you have hope, you can endure. If you have hope, you can wait. And accurate hope will surely be fulfilled. That’s why the Bible says we are given faith, hope, and love.
3. The Gospel of truth is the hope stored up in heaven
So then, what exactly is the hope referred to in today’s passage? This is important. The answer is given here: it says, “the Gospel of truth.” Isn’t that amazing? It says, “the Gospel of truth.” This is the hope we must hold onto.
Many people say, “Good health is a blessing.” That’s a wrong idea. The one who has received the blessing must also have health. Right? If someone without God’s blessing has great health, it can actually become a problem. Some people say, “Money is a blessing.” That’s also wrong. If someone who hasn’t received the blessing of God has a lot of money, it becomes a headache. People also say, “Living a long life is a blessing,” but if someone without God’s blessing lives a long life, it’s not good. Right?
This true Gospel message is the hope — where is it? It is stored up in heaven. Paul firmly held onto this hope.
▣ Main Message
So then, what happens when you firmly hold onto this hope?
1. My own curses and disasters will be driven away
First of all, this hope drives away my curses and disasters. Do you know why?
1) We were supposed to be cursed, but God gave us grace. Because of this, the disasters were removed. This is peace (verse 2).
In verse 2 it says, “Grace and peace to you.” Do you know what the opposite of grace is? It is the curse we were supposed to receive. We should have been cursed, but God gave us grace. When curses come, disasters follow. Right? There is no way to avoid disasters once curses come. But when grace comes, the disasters disappear. That’s why it says, “peace.” This is very important.
2) The Jews did not know this grace, so they were cursed and left disasters to their posterity – the 7 ages, Islam, Communism.
The Jews did not know this grace. That’s why they went through the curses of the 7 ages, and their descendants faced disasters. This is something you must remember. What is the hope that is stored up in heaven? It is the Gospel of truth. Without the Gospel, you fall into eternal curses and disasters. Do you know who the ancestors of Islam were? They were the Jews. Do you know who the father of Communism, Karl Marx, was? He was also a Jew. Without the Gospel, you end up leaving behind eternal curses.
3) “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.” (verse 3)
But there are so many people who don’t know the Gospel. If you know the Gospel, it is incredible. That’s why in verse 2 it says, “Grace and peace to you.” And in verse 3: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.”
2. The Gospel blocks the curses and disasters that come upon the entire world
Secondly, how powerful is this Gospel? It is powerful enough to block the curses and disasters that come upon the whole world. The Gospel blocks the spiritual plague that spreads all over the world. That’s why we must do missions. This Gospel is the power that saves the entire world.
1) The Gospel that blocks curses and disasters in the whole world (verse 6) – promised to Abraham.
Verse 6 says, “This Gospel that has come to you is bearing fruit and growing all over the world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.” This is the power of the Gospel. It appears all over the world. Among the 5,000 people groups, the darkness and curses are broken down by the Gospel. That’s why God promised Abraham that through him, all nations would be blessed. But Israel did not understand this correctly.
2) The promise of Jesus – Matthew 28:18–20 “all nations,” Mark 16:15–20 “all creation,” Acts 1:8 “to the ends of the earth.”
This blessing was promised by Jesus after His resurrection. We must hold onto it exactly. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” “Go and make disciples of all nations.” This is Jesus’ promise. “All authority in heaven and on earth” means that all the curses and disasters in the whole world are broken down. To receive blessings, first comes blessing. To receive disasters, first comes curse. Right? To rescue America from curses and disasters, there is only the Gospel.
After His resurrection, Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.” He especially said, “In My name drive out demons. Place your hands on the sick, and they will get well.” And He said, “You will be My witnesses to the ends of the earth.”
3) What God gave to Paul and his team – Romans 16:25–27 “the mystery hidden for long ages past but now revealed… that leads to eternal glory.”
The ones who completely fulfilled this blessing were Paul and his team. What did God give them? It says, “the mystery kept hidden for long ages past, but now revealed… so that all nations might believe and obey Him.” I realized this and continuously received incredible answers. Some people ask, “Isn’t life hard?” There is no time for that. When problems come, I finish them in 5 minutes—with answers. Why? Because I’m too busy enjoying blessings. Right? There is so much power to gain in prayer. But many people waste their time talking about others. That is because they don’t pray enough. There is no time to waste like that. God promised something incredible: “What was hidden from long ages past is now revealed to you and will last forever.” It is tremendous.
3. The Gospel blocks the curses and disasters that will come upon future generations
In verse 5 it says, “the hope stored up for you in heaven.” This has an important meaning. Why does it say “stored up in heaven”?
1) Jesus said He explained the kingdom of God for 40 days and would give that to us.
Jesus said, “For 40 days He spoke about the kingdom of God.” That is what He promised to give. Why? Because the Gospel blocks the disasters that will come upon future generations. It’s not just for me. It’s not only for the world today. It is for blocking the curses and disasters that will come upon future generations. That’s why it says, “stored up in heaven.”
2) The bartizan, journey, and guidepost of the throne.
He has given us the bartizan of the throne. He is leading us to walk the journey of the throne. And He blesses us to stand at the guideposts of the throne. How amazing is that?
3) The kingdom of God that comes during worship and prayer, and the works of the kingdom of God that are established in the church, field, and home.
Even now, during this worship, during prayer, the kingdom of God is coming. Isn’t that right? That is the true answer. As you sit here now, the kingdom of God is being established in your church, in your field, and in your home. You must believe this. Doors to the 5,000 people groups will surely open. You must believe this.
▣ Conclusion – The Gospel of truth
Now let us conclude. The hope stored in heaven is called the Gospel of truth. What does this mean? Will history arise if pastors simply preach well? No. What matters is the Gospel of truth. You must never lose this. The Gospel of truth is the hope stored in heaven.
Suppose I wrote a letter to you. A letter always has a purpose. The beginning—“Dear so-and-so, are you well?”—that’s not the point. “I pray for your health”—that’s not the main thing. There is something specific I want to say. Right?
- The core of the Bible – the conclusion of faith is the salvation of souls (1 Peter 1:9).
The Bible also has something specific it wants to say. In 1 Peter 1:9 it says, “The end result of your faith is the salvation of your souls.”
1) Genesis 3:15 – the offspring of the woman.
In Genesis 3:15 it says, “The offspring of the woman will crush the serpent’s head.” Jesus Christ will break the power of Satan. That is what you must firmly hold onto in the Bible. Everything else is just events to explain the Gospel.
When you send someone on an errand, you might say, “Take this document to someone. And buy some bread on the way.” The bread is not essential. The document is. If that person throws the document anywhere and only remembers “bread, bread, bread,” then you can never trust him again. Right?
2) Exodus 3:18 – the blood of the lamb.
The Bible emphasizes this: “On the day you put the blood of the lamb on your doorposts, you will come out.”
3) Isaiah 7:14 – Immanuel.
Again, when Israel became captives, the prophecy was given: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.” There is no greater answer than this: God is with us. There is no greater blessing than this: God is with me in my work.
4) Matthew 16:16 – Christ.
Later, when Israel had become a Roman colony, Jesus asked in Caesarea Philippi, a city named after Caesar and Philip. It was meaningful. “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” All the answers were wrong. Then Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus was astonished and blessed him: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”
2. Jesus told them not to tell anyone until He gave the important message on Mt Olive
You must listen carefully. After Peter’s confession, Jesus said, “Do not tell anyone.” What does this mean? Shouldn’t He have said, “Spread this everywhere”? But He said, “Tell no one.” That’s why you must hold firmly to the Gospel of truth.
After His resurrection, He said the opposite. Right? “Go into all the world. Make disciples of all nations. Go to the ends of the earth. I will be with you. I will give you power.” Then on Mt Olive, He gave them the important message. Before that, He told them, “Do not go out. Do not tell anyone.”
1) During the 3 years of His public ministry – what to change.
During His 3 years of ministry, Jesus spoke about what must be changed. But the church today does the opposite. For example, Jesus said forgive seventy times seven, but churches refuse to forgive. Jesus told us not to do certain things, but that’s exactly what the churches are doing. That’s why on Mt Olive, He gave the truly important message.
2) Calvary – “It is finished.” All blessings must start here. Find them all.
On Calvary, He said, “It is finished.” Everything must start from here. “If it is finished, then why is life still so hard?” The answer lies here. “If it is finished, then why am I still poor?” That’s why I had no choice but to go into the field. There, I discovered all the blessings. You must pray in this way.
3) Mt Olive – the bartizan, journey, and guidepost of the throne.
Then He called them to Mt Olive. “From now on, you will walk the journey of the throne. To do this, you are watchmen. You are pilgrims.” He explained the bartizan of the throne and the guidepost of the throne. You must hold firmly to the Gospel of truth. The disciples lost everything Jesus had given them, so what happened? But when I realized this, I prayed only this prayer. As I continued praying, the 7 bartizans became visible. As I kept praying, the 7 journeys became visible. And everywhere I went, the 7 guideposts became visible. You must do this. This incredible mystery is stored as hope in heaven. It will surely be fulfilled.
(1) Build the bartizan of God within you – the 7 bartizans – 100% preparation.
Looking at Jesus’ words, they mean: “Build the bartizan of God inside you.” This was 100% preparation.
(2) The Lord will be with you on the path you walk – the 7 journeys – 100% in the field.
He promised: “I will be with you on the path you walk.” That is the 7 journeys. That is 100% in the field.
(3) From Calvary to Rome – the 7 guideposts – 100% system preparation.
From Calvary to Rome, He gave the 7 guideposts. This was 100% preparation of the system. You must hold this. That is the Gospel of truth. That is our hope. Why? Because it will surely be fulfilled.
3. The three courtyards, the three-day weekend age, and the holy meditation age – 24, 25, eternity
What must you hold onto in this church? Jesus once overturned the tables in the temple in anger. Where was it? It was in the Courtyard of the Gentiles. That was also the Courtyard of the children. That was also the Courtyard of healing prayer. But they had turned it into a marketplace. Jesus overturned it. In this church, you must establish the three courtyards. You must remember this. Tomorrow I will explain more.
Why did Jesus intensively teach for 40 days? To open the three-day weekend age. Right? Without concentration, it won’t work. Why did He pour out grace at the Mark’s Upper Room? To open the holy meditation age. Right? Without God’s power, it won’t work.
Revival will come without fail. Hold 1st, 2nd, and 3rd services. The church will be filled with those who are to be saved. But if they are not healed, they won’t come. If they are left sick, they will not come. Right? That’s why we must do healing. And the remnants must come and gain strength. That is the children’s courtyard. It must be done. Many people with spiritual problems must come and receive healing. Do this 24. Then the 25 of God’s kingdom will come. Then the works of God’s kingdom called eternity will be fulfilled. You must hold onto this covenant for Korea, for the world, and for every region.
The hope stored in heaven. The hope stored in the throne. God’s Word that will come with unstoppable power. On this Sunday, pray all day long and experience His power. In the name of Jesus Christ, I bless you. Let us pray.
Prayer. We thank You, God. May today be the day of healing. May we become spiritual summits. May healing occur even in the diseases we do not know about. May true hope be with us. May the hope stored up in heaven become ours. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.