2025.09.14 Sunday 1st Service
Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:13-20
▣ Introduction
Because the conditions for destruction must be removed, do not speak but wait (verse 20).
We thought we had started only a few years ago, but thirty years have already flown by. Also, at the beginning of the year we checked our New Year’s message, and now it is already September. On my schedule it already says, “Please send next year’s theme.” So we must now examine our faith a bit and make a fresh start. When I meet with most church members, I hear descriptions that their walk of faith is somewhat difficult. There are not many who say, “I am receiving answers well,” but rather I sense that many say it is all a bit difficult. At times like that I even briefly wonder, “Am I not preaching well?” One of our church leaders said, “The sermons are too difficult.” I thought, “Are they too hard…?” When I meet newcomers, I often sense that they do not quite know what to do or how. And when I meet our members and their families are mentioned, there is always something—like, “We went to church before, but we had a stumbling block and are not attending now.” I can see and confirm such things.
Today’s passage—“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”—was my first message at the rallies. Pastors across the nation were shocked by this message. They said they were shocked by the evangelism message, and many brought their congregants. Because problems arose in the denomination, many people have almost all left.
Why is that? I pondered this for a week. There may be various reasons, but Christ gave an accurate Word. Christ, who knows our state well, gave the answer. That is verse 20. After granting tremendous blessings and giving the covenant, He spoke in verse 20. Though it should be proclaimed widely, He said, “Do not tell anyone.” Here I gained a tremendous answer. Exactly! God, who knows us too well, tells us to wait. Not to speak yet.
※ They say Jesus is like Jeremiah, Elijah, John the Baptist, or one of the prophets – conditions for destruction. Then many answers began to appear. They say He is like Jeremiah. They say He is like Elijah. They say He is like John the Baptist. They say He is like a prophet—about Jesus. Therefore, because Christ must remove all the conditions for destruction, He says not to speak yet but to wait. Because you are indeed those who must receive answers to prayer and carry out world evangelization, you must surely confirm this.
1. The 12 bartizans of Satan
1) Trap – self, Nephilim, Tower of Babel
Satan has confined you in a trap. You must come out. What trap is it? He makes you unable to escape what is called “self.” This is the part to beware of most. Pastors worldwide think that if ministry goes well according to their will, then it is going well. That is wrong. Church leaders worldwide think that if things go well according to the church leader’s will, then it is going well. That is wrong. Those two “Satans” have collapsed the church. We must see the work of God. Right? If God keeps blessing our church and your work, my plan is unnecessary. A pastor’s insistence is unnecessary. Why must things be done my way? They must be done according to God’s Word. Right? Our stubbornness is unnecessary. Knowing this, Satan said, “If you eat this, you will be like God.” We fell immediately. We thought it would be like that, but we became Nephilim. We thought we had gained power, but we were seized by Satan. We labored to the point of death, yet everything collapsed—Babel. This continues even now. We must come out from self.
Sometimes when I must make a critical decision, even though I already have the answers, I deliberately ask my assistants. Then surprising answers come. Some try not to speak if possible; some know even more than I do—so much that inwardly I am astonished. Even when I have the answers, I must not do as I please.
2) Frame – shamanism, divination, idols
Satan then began to destroy mankind directly with these—shamanism, divination, and idols. You must come out from there.
3) Snare – six destinies
You have been caught in the snare of six destinies. You must come out of that destiny and go to Christ—to the Triune God. Without doubt. Once you realize this, it is enough. Therefore, “Do not proclaim it yet; wait.”
2. We must come out from religion without the gospel.
If a church has no gospel, it is religion. We must come out of religion. I served seven churches and learned many things there. In my home church, we fought with incompetence. I resolved to come out of that incompetence. In many churches I saw humanism, fighting, and no evangelism. I resolved to come out of that grave. We must come out. Right? Absolutely.
3. We must come out from the antichrist. The true answer is that I am inside world evangelization.
Everything other than Christ is the antichrist. Certainly. You must come out from there. Therefore, do not proclaim it yet—wait. Come out from the place where you cannot evangelize, cannot do anything, and only eat until you die. If someone asks me, “What answer have you received?” I will answer boldly—and even ask in return. “Did you eat a lot and our organization grow?” That is not an answer. People are interested in such things, but that is not an answer. “I made a lot of money.” Is that any answer? Look at the Bible. If you do not know world evangelization, He sends you into slavery. He wipes out your posterity and sends them into captivity. Right? That is the Bible’s instruction. Only when I am inside world evangelization is it that I am receiving answers.
▣ Main: Do not tell anyone yet – the true answer to receive
Do not tell anyone yet—because there are three true answers to receive regarding this.
1. Because much persecution remains, prepare and wait.
First: Because much persecution remains, prepare and wait. Right?
1) The crucifixion of Jesus – Do not be afraid; prepare the true thing.
Afterwards, Jesus was crucified. Chaos erupted. All were deceived. When He was crucified, all fled. Even those who had nearly died and lived fled. Those who saw the miracle of the five loaves and two fish and said to Jesus, “You are a King higher than any king,” all fled. Therefore, do not be afraid; prepare the true thing. It is not the time to speak now.
2) The persecution by the Jews
Persecution began from the Jews and even the Gentile nations.
3) The persecution by Rome
Rome’s persecution began in earnest. If you do not know this, you will be flustered. Not for a year or two, nor even for three days; Rome attacked for hundreds—two hundred fifty—years. Those who held this covenant began to enjoy answers. This is important.
※ We must see God’s answer in every matter and event. That is prayer and the fulfillment of the Word.
Therefore, you must be able to see God’s answer in every matter and event. That is prayer; that is the fulfillment of the Word. Because much persecution remains, this is not the time to go out, nor the time to speak—prepare.
2. The true answer remains.
Second: The true answer remains—so do not go out now; wait. What is the true answer? You will come to realize it.
1) Enjoy Christ, the true priest, true prophet, and true king.
(1) True priest – disasters x
“Christ” means the true priest who removed disasters.
(2) True prophet – the way to meet God
We cannot meet God. “Christ” means the true prophet who becomes the way for us to meet God.
(3) True king – He conquered Satan
We cannot overcome disaster or Satan. He is the true king who conquered Satan. This must be restored and enjoyed going forward. You must enjoy this.
2) The Christ prophesized
(1) Genesis 3:15 – The offspring of the woman will crush the authority of Satan.
“The offspring of the woman will bruise the serpent’s head.” Satan is not a being that “dies”; Christ will break Satan’s authority. These blessings remain. New believers, do not be shaken—hold the covenant firmly.
(2) Exodus 3:18 – On the day the blood of the lamb is applied, there will be freedom.
On the day the blood of the lamb is applied, there will be freedom. This is no ordinary statement. The movement of life is possible only by life. Satan does not fear people. He does not fear your skill. He fears the covenant of Christ—Christ Himself. Because the covenant of the blood of Christ utterly breaks the darkness, its fulfillment still remains—now, experience it.
(3) Isaiah 7:14 – Immanuel
Because of many religionists, they again went into captivity. Right? Because the church lost hold of this important truth, they went into captivity. I see that it is being lost now as well. That is why I resolved in my heart that we must evangelize. It is being lost. At that time, again God said, “A virgin will conceive and bear a son, and you shall call His name Immanuel.” That was the Word given then.
(4) Matthew 16:16 – Christ
And right before destruction, Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am? Who do people say that I am?” They all answered wrongly. Then Peter confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
3) The perfection of Christ
And there is more remaining: the perfection of Christ. Many have not yet realized this.
(1) Christ before eternity
What happens when you call on that name? He is Christ before eternity. If you do not understand this, nothing is solved. The Jews did not understand. When He said, “I was with God before eternity,” they said, “Huh? What are you saying?” They were not spiritual leaders but like kindergarteners. “Your most revered ancestor Abraham believed in Me and was saved.” What did they say? “How old are You?” This conversation does not connect. This name was prophesied before the ages—before eternity. Right?
(2) The incarnated Christ
As promised, He came in a human body. Why? Because He had to save mankind. That is the incarnated Christ. It was prophesied.
(3) The resurrected Christ – when you pray in that name, works arise
There must be proof. He must die on the cross and rise again. Therefore Paul said, “He died according to the Scriptures and rose according to the Scriptures.” There is nothing more to say. Even now, when you pray in that name, works arise. Satan is bound.
(4) Christ, who will stand as the coming Lord – our future
It does not end there. Christ will stand as the coming Lord—our future.
(5) Christ, who will stand as the Judge – eternity (hell, heaven)
Christ will stand as the Judge—our eternity. Those who go to hell live with hell as their background even while living; “Believe in Jesus and go to heaven” is not wrong, but such words alone cannot save people. Before going to heaven—before dying—we now enjoy the background of the throne. Right? And before going to hell, they are already enjoying the background of hell; of course they go to hell, since they did not believe in God. We often try to understand these things wrongly. “Christ who will stand as the Judge” means Christ who gives the eternal answer.
People also speak strangely about the coming Lord. They say He will suddenly appear after no news at all. Not so. He is always with us from the throne; and then He will stand as the coming Lord. Such tremendous blessings still remain. You do not need to speak yet. You do not need to be discouraged. Because your promise will be fulfilled by God, you must hold to it without being swayed by human words.
3. The true blessing remains.
He spoke certainly of the remaining true blessing as the third point.
1) The blessing spoken after Peter’s confession
What is it?
(1) Rock
“You are rock.” That is, not sand—rock. A house must be built on rock. Our parsonage at Deokpyeong is filling with water; it was built on sand, so it keeps sinking, and one side is slanting. I said, “Call the builder.” They said he has died. I see. If you build on sand, it all collapses. You must build on rock. And, “On this rock I will build My church.” Do you know what the church is? “On this rock I will build My church.”
(2) Authority
He gave an even more important word: authority. “The powers of darkness will never overcome you.” That settles it, right? You must know this: the powers of darkness will never overcome you.
(3) Keys of heaven
And, “I give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Of course, this includes disciplinary authority. But it is the key that opens the gate of heaven. I will give this. Christ promised it. So whether things seem to be going well or not is not the issue right now. The word is this: “The remaining blessing is tremendous, so do not speak yet.” It does not mean never speak—because the true answer still remains.
2) A tremendous mission remains.
(1) Peter’s mistakes – the Mount of Transfiguration; when Jesus was arrested
Peter made two mistakes. Even after hearing this confession and receiving this blessing, when he went up the Mount of Transfiguration and saw Elijah, Moses, and Christ, he said he would build three shelters. Right? That much is fine. But he made another mistake. One day, a sudden incident occurred—terrifying. They brutally bound and arrested Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of kings. Then Peter made another mistake. He became afraid; he panicked; he could not follow close to Jesus but followed from afar. They asked, “This man was with that Jesus as His disciple, wasn’t he?” He said, “No.” A servant girl said, “It’s him,” and he said, “I am not.” That is what Peter did.
(2) Salvation does not change. By God’s grace, he was saved to save many.
Those who are saved do not lose it. Jesus came to find such a Peter. Do not be deceived. Salvation is not given and taken away by calculation. You were not saved because you are so great. By God’s grace you were saved—to save many. Right? Because the world of darkness must be saved. Even though Peter made enormous mistakes, his salvation did not change.
(3) “Do you love Me? Feed My lambs.”
Jesus came to Peter. He did not ask anything else. He asked, “Do you love Me?” It was the same question. Peter answered the same way—he said he loved Him. When He asked the third time, Peter replied, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Then again Jesus said, “Feed My lambs.” A tremendous mission still remains.
3) The bartizan, journey, and guidepost of the throne – watchman
After that, Christ Himself promised. From now on, the timetable to proclaim the gospel in earnest has come. “You will establish the bartizan of the throne.” This was the final word. “You will go the journey of the throne. Here and there, you will set up the guideposts of the throne.” Is this not certain? It was fulfilled exactly so. The difficulties you have now are not a big problem.
He has given us an even greater mission. Why speak of bartizan, journey, and guidepost? “You are a watchman. You are the watchman to guard your family line and your nation. I have called you to transmit this light.” Right?
▣ Conclusion: Do not be deceived
We keep being deceived—again and again.
1. Do not be deceived by yourself.
We are deceived by ourselves. “I am a great figure”—that is deception. “Do you know who I am?”—that is deception. “I cannot do it”—also deception. Right? We are deceived by ourselves. When you quietly look at your situation, it seems impossible—so you are deceived. Or it looks as if I have done something great—again deception.
2. Do not be deceived in the face of reality.
And what else? We keep being deceived before reality. The time of worship now is the highest time—yet we are deceived again. I have confessed many times, but I especially plead with you who must receive answers—remnants: I passed through six churches; the seventh church I came to is our church. Thankfully, I met you who evangelize. In previous churches, they closed their ears, because they must not hear it—they spent 24 hours speaking only things that can never accomplish God’s work. So I was said to “not talk much” and to be “proud,” but I am a person who talks a lot. I am not proud. I am a kind and gentle person. People are mistaken. They say I am diligent. I am not. I like to relax; I like to go around—it gives me grace. But we must do what is necessary. I do not tell you to work hard; I tell you to do what is necessary. Right? Church leaders and all middle-serving officers, in the remaining years you must concentrate. They are not long. What remains is shorter than what you have lived; time passes quickly. Now you must concentrate. Therefore, do not be deceived.
3. Do not be deceived by Satan.
In the end, do not be deceived by Satan.
I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that, through you, many nations trapped in darkness will rise. Let us pray.
Prayer. We thank You, God. We thank You for calling us as God’s children. We thank You for leading us to enjoy the gospel accurately. Let the evangelism movement that saves people arise in the remaining years of our lives. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.