Sunday 1st Service
Title / Scripture: Heal the Root with the Power of Creation (John 5:1-18)
Speaker: Pastor Ryu Kwang-su
Date / Place: September 25, 2022, Immanuel Church (Busan)
Summary
▣ Introduction_ A person who knows the gospel comes to know prayer, and a person who knows prayer changes the world.
1. There must be the experience of praying continually and receiving answers
1) Jochebed, who decided to send Moses to the palace and prayed continually → Through Moses, the work of defeating Pharaoh and liberating the people of Israel took place.
2) Hannah, who sent her son to the temple and prayed continually → Through Samuel, the Mizpah Movement arose and the work of war ceasing in Israel took place.
3) Daniel, who had become a captive, made up his mind and prayed → The work of moving four kings took place.
4) The Galileans prayed → Something that changed the world happened (the early church).
5) While living one week, there must be the experience of prayer. It does not work because there is no faith.
2. The man who had been sick for 38 years (Text)
1) When it was a feast of the Jews (verse 1) – The feast is of no use to this sick man.
2) The Sabbath (verse 10) – The Sabbath is of no use to this sick man.
3) There is no one to help this sick man who cannot even stand.
3. Jesus who appeared to this sick man – Healing the root
1) When I faced great difficulty, alone, worship and prayer at set times three times a day
– At this time, while singing praises, I held on to the Word of Jeremiah 33:3 and continued praying, and God changed my life to do world evangelization. He went on changing it to raise Remnants to do world evangelization. From then on, I came to know what the gospel and prayer are.
2) Praying during worship is the most important – At this time, pray for what is most important to me
3) What happens when you pray
(1) The Triune God works through the Holy Spirit
(2) The work of darkness being broken
(3) Angels are mobilized
(4) The blessing of the throne works
▣ Main
1. Transcendent grace that came – Christ who came to the sick man
1) The time that completely broke the superstition that whoever enters the pool of Bethesda is healed (verse 4)
2) The time that broke powerlessness
3) The time that fundamentally broke impossibility
2. Transcendent answer that came – Five principles
1) Christ came and completely broke darkness
2) “Do you want to be healed?” (verse 6) – When Christ’s Word comes upon me, my spiritual state is overturned
3) “Pick up your mat and walk” (verse 8) – Christ’s command and authority appear, so even the environment is overturned
4) “He was healed, picked up his mat and walked” (verses 9, 11) – Believing the Word, healing took place
▷ Because I believe that Word of God, what happens to me? The work of my soul being overturned takes place.
5) My Father is working, and I too am working (verse 17) – At last the power of the throne appeared
※ During the week, hold on to what is important in the Word and pray, and experience these five things.
3. Transcendent faith that is needed
1) Jesus said, “I am equal with God.” (John 5:18, 1:1, 10:30) – “Who in the world is Jesus Christ?” It must be this transcendent faith
2) Before the name of Christ the forces of darkness tremble, and you must have this experience and answer
3) The Jews who did not know Christ, held on to nonsense, and suffered
(1) They mistakenly thought that if they memorized the whole Bible and kept the whole law, they were doing well in their life of faith
(2) As a result, the Jerusalem temple collapsed
(3) Their future generations suffered the miserable disaster of being massacred everywhere
▣ Conclusion_ The prayer of one person who has the gospel is the time that moves the throne and the universe
▷ The covenant and prayer you have held on to will not disappear.
1. Night – Pray intensively with the message
2. Day – Pray intensively as things come to mind, with problems
3. Morning – Pray intensively so that I gain strength
▷ There will be the work of heaven, earth, sea, and the nations shaking.
Transcript
▣ Introduction _ A person who knows the gospel comes to know prayer, and a person who knows prayer changes the world.
1. There must be the experience of praying continually and receiving answers
A person who knows the gospel comes to know prayer. A person who knows prayer changes the world.
1) Jochebed, who decided to send Moses to the palace and prayed continually
Israel was about to all die. Pharaoh ordered that all the Israelite boys be killed. At this time, a woman named Jochebed began to pray about sending her son Moses to the Egyptian palace. It’s amazing, isn’t it? Your prayer must have such a decision. She saw the precise will of God and decided to send her son that way. She would have prayed continually, right? If it were you, wouldn’t you do it? Christians must have the experience of praying continually and receiving answers. If you do it for just a few days, you will come to know. You don’t do it because you don’t believe. This Moses defeated Pharaoh and liberated the people of Israel.
2) Hannah, who sent her son to the temple and prayed continually
When the greatest crisis of the nation of Israel came again, a woman named Hannah sent her child, Samuel, to the temple. She would have kept praying, right? This Samuel started the Mizpah Movement, and it says that while Samuel was alive there was no war.
3) Daniel, who had become a captive, made up his mind and prayed
Also, when they became captives, Daniel made up his mind and began to pray before God. Something happened where great wisdom was given to the king. He moved four kings. It’s tremendous, isn’t it? People who know prayer are like that. Tremendously important things happen to you.
4) The Galileans prayed
Even though they were Galileans, as they prayed, they changed the world.
5) While living one week, there must be the experience of prayer. It does not work because there is no faith.
During one week, while you live, you must have this experience. The experience of praying. Isn’t that right? This is not difficult at all, it doesn’t cost money, and it doesn’t take time or anything. There is just no faith.
The church I attended when I was young is over in Sujeong-dong. This church always fights. But there was one ringleader who started the fights. As for who founded that church, as you know, the Australian missionaries came and built Ilsin Hospital. That hospital built our church. From Australia. So, taking the name of that hospital, it became Ilsin Church. Among the deaconesses, there was one who cleaned at Ilsin Hospital. So she would carry news of the hospital to the church and news of the church to the hospital, right? Thinking that was some kind of power, she made the whole church noisy, that woman. Just a cleaner, yet thinking that was power, she found fault with all the ministers and drove them all out. And she fought with those who opposed her. She received a strange spirit. One time when I was young, I was worshiping, and her husband threw a cushion at the evangelist who was preaching. If I had been just a little older, with my personality, I would have dragged him out, but I just watched. Faith didn’t come. I had no faith, so I fell into temptation because of that. Because the church was always like that. Because of this, I quit church and wandered around and suffered a huge loss.
2. The man who had been sick for 38 years (Text)
Today Jesus saw the man who had been sick for 38 years.
1) When it was a feast of the Jews (verse 1) – The feast is of no use to this sick man.
In verse 1, it says it was a feast. It was probably Passover or Pentecost. This was of no use, to this man. The Passover feast, the Pentecost feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of Ingathering, right? Those feasts had no meaning for this man. If we have no faith, this happens, if things go wrong.
2) The Sabbath (verse 10) – The Sabbath is of no use to this sick man.
In verse 16, it was the Sabbath that day. It was of no use. The Sabbath is the day when the Israelites do nothing and worship. But for this man sick for 38 years, it was of no use. As you know, he cannot move. So now, once in a while, an angel comes down and stirs the water of the pool of Bethesda, and whoever goes in first at that time lives. But he cannot go in.
3) There is no one to help this sick man who cannot even stand.
On the Sabbath there are laws to keep that run as long as 164 pages. It’s enormous, for the Israelites. That is of no use. Especially now the cripple, this man sick for 38 years who cannot stand, has no one to help him.
3. Jesus who appeared to this sick man – Healing the root
At this time, Jesus appeared. He healed the very root. As you listen to this Word today, I hope you will have an important schedule this week.
1) When I faced great difficulty, alone, worship and prayer at set times three times a day
Long ago, I went through a great difficulty due to an accident. Because it was so hard, I didn’t know what to do. At that time I continually, now I do 24 prayer, but at that time I formally worshiped three times a day, by myself. Worshiping alone, when I sang a hymn, that hymn I sang then was incomparable to any song in the world. It was so full of grace. Since it was so hard, there was no need to hold on to many verses, so I held on to Jeremiah 33:3. It’s easy to memorize, just 333. I kept praying alone. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” I kept praying three times a day. Honestly speaking, God completely changed my whole life. He met you and changed me to do world evangelization. Now He has changed me to raise Remnants and do world evangelization. It’s amazing, isn’t it? It didn’t end there; the work kept happening, and from then on I knew what prayer is. ‘Ah! So this is what the gospel is and what prayer is!’
2) Praying during worship is the most important – At this time, pray for what is most important to me
Everyone, worship is very important. During worship time, don’t you sing praises? I sing praises together with you. During the elder’s prayer time, I pray together. These times are very important times.
3) What happens when you pray
You can pray to God about what is most important to me.
(1) The Triune God works through the Holy Spirit
When you pray, the Triune God is bound to work, right? Isn’t that so? That means when you pray, the Holy Spirit is bound to work.
(2) The work of darkness being broken
When you pray, darkness is bound to be broken.
(3) Angels are mobilized
When you pray, angels are bound to be mobilized.
(4) The blessing of the throne works
When you pray, the blessing of the throne is bound to come. Right? It’s something enormous. That is what you pray for. God is bound to work.
▣ Main
1. Transcendent grace that came – Christ who came to the sick man
This is the first. Today Christ came to this man sick for 38 years. He met him, like this. What is it? It is transcendent grace. Christ came to that patient. Looking at this man’s earnestness, Jesus asked, “Do you want to be healed?” He asked that first. “Do you want to be healed?” When he said yes, He said, “Pick up your bed and go home.” He could have just said “Go,” but He said, “Pick up your bed and go home.” There, believing Jesus’ word, when he picked up his bed and got up, he was able to get up. That man was healed.
1) The time that completely broke the superstition that whoever enters the pool of Bethesda is healed (verse 4)
Jesus completely broke the idea that ‘if you go into that water, you’ll live,’ He completely broke that superstition. That is all superstition.
2) The time that broke powerlessness
And, there was no one with the ability to help. It was the time that broke powerlessness.
3) The time that fundamentally broke impossibility
For this man it was impossible. It is the time that Christ fundamentally broke impossibility. Have you ever thought about how the early church worshiped? The early church. They didn’t do it like us now; have you ever thought about the early church worshiping, I’m asking. Whenever they gathered, there was something they always did. What did they do? There was something they did every time they gathered. It was communion. Every time they gathered, the body of Christ, the blood of Christ. Every time they gathered. This means the early church was in a state where their spiritual state had been completely changed by Christ. Put simply, it is a state in which darkness had been completely broken by Christ. The work happened. Now there’s no need to do communion or anything. You need to pray this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. Transcendent answer that came – Five principles
What is this second? The transcendent answer came. Transcendent grace came. People can’t do it. Transcendent grace came, and from then on transcendent answers came. There are five principles there.
1) Christ came and completely broke darkness
What is the first? Christ came upon me and completely broke darkness.
2) “Do you want to be healed?” (verse 6) – When Christ’s Word comes upon me, my spiritual state is overturned
This is what Jesus said second. “Do you want to be healed? Pick up your bed, pick up your mat, and go back home.” What principle is this? When the Word of God came upon me, my spiritual state was completely overturned. What we must take note of is that we are not Christ. Right? Christ can heal at once, since He is the Creator. But we are not the Creator. That is why we pray in the name of Christ.
When you pray in the name of Christ, you must take note of five things.
So that Christ is completely experienced. What is the second? As the Word comes upon me, my spiritual state is overturned. In verse 6, it says, “When Jesus learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?'” Jesus already knew it had been a long time and said, “Do you want to get well?”
3) “Pick up your mat and walk” (verse 8) – Christ’s command and authority appear, so even the environment is overturned
What is the third? This command of Christ appeared. “Pick up your bed and go.” He said this. That is the third principle. As the Word of God came, and the work of Christ, the authority of the name appeared, the environment was overturned.
4) “He was healed, picked up his mat and walked” (verses 9, 11) – Believing the Word, healing took place
In verse 11, he confessed, “The one who healed me told me to pick it up and go, so I picked it up and came,” later on. As I believe that Word of God, what happens to me is that the work of my soul being overturned takes place. The Word came into the soul. What is first? ‘It came upon me.’ That Word of Christ came upon me, and then what? That Word came into my spiritual state, and later it came into my soul.
5) My Father is working, and I too am working (verse 17) – At last the power of the throne appeared
In verse 17, “My Father is working, and I too am working.” Jesus said that, right? At last the power of the throne appeared. Experience it for a week. Don’t just do it; you must firmly hold on to the Word.
What was last week’s 1st service message? He gave an important answer to Nicodemus, didn’t He? “You must be born again to know the kingdom of God and receive its blessing. You will soon perish, so you haven’t succeeded.” Right? ‘Your future generations will all be taken captive.’ He didn’t say that, but Jesus knew it and said it. “You must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. You haven’t succeeded.” That is what He meant. Nicodemus didn’t understand at all. “The Holy Spirit must come like the wind for it to be true power.” Jesus said this. “Right now you and the whole nation of Israel and your future generations are in darkness. Light must shine there.” It’s amazing. I hold on to that and pray. The blessing of the throne, the blessing of the Triune God comes, but I pray so that the blessing of that Word comes upon me. Try praying for a week. And it gets conveyed. What is it? The Samaritan woman. There were wounds of the age, personal wounds, all of them. Religious wounds. He overturned them. How perfect is God’s Word? You forget the sermon from last week.
I hold on to what is important in the Word and pray. Try it. Others will probably be surprised looking at you. ‘Wow, that person is someone who believes in God!’ they will know. That has to happen for evangelism to happen. I mean others look at you, unbelievers look and say, ‘Wow, God is with that person, I must believe too.’ That is evangelism. People running difficult businesses, while doing business, look at your business and say, “Wow, you really believe in God. God is with your business.” That’s what Potiphar said. That is evangelism. Is there true success apart from this? “The Spirit of the Lord is truly full in you. How about taking on the role of prime minister?” He pleaded, the king did. Isn’t this true success? It wasn’t something he tried to do himself. The king asked him to do it, so what could he do? It actually happened. You must experience this prayer.
3. Transcendent faith that is needed
What is the last? Transcendent faith. First, meeting Christ is transcendent grace, and the answer Christ gives, this change, is transcendent answer, but we need transcendent faith.
1) Jesus said, “I am equal with God.” (John 5:18, 1:1, 10:30) – “Who in the world is Jesus Christ?” It must be this transcendent faith
Do you know what it said in verse 18 today? “I am equal with God.” John 1:1, “The Word was God, and Christ is God.” That’s why the work happens. Right. That’s why darkness is broken. John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” He spoke that Word today. Why did He say this? It’s really ridiculous; when Christians go wrong, it becomes like this. A man who couldn’t use his body carried his bed, and that day was the Sabbath. “Why did you carry a load?” that’s what they said. The Jews, on the Sabbath, didn’t even let women wear a heavy brooch, saying it was labor. If you wore a necklace or something, you’d all have to be kicked out, according to the Jewish way. That’s how it was. So since he carried that bed, when they picked a quarrel, Jesus said, “Because God is working even now.” Shouldn’t the work of saving be done? “I too am working.” Last time, “I am Lord of the Sabbath.” Today, “equal with God.” The Jews were shocked, “What on earth is this talk?” They failed to recognize Christ. So Israel, for 2,000 years, as their future generations suffered miserable deaths shedding blood, the world was evangelized. You must remember this.
2) Before the name of Christ the forces of darkness tremble, and you must have this experience and answer
Ordinary people do not know. You must truly believe in Jesus. Transcendent grace. Your body, illness, and work must truly receive God’s answer. Transcendent answer. Who in the world is Jesus Christ? It must be transcendent faith. It’s different. So when you speak of the name of Jesus Christ, the forces of darkness tremble. You must experience this. Right? You must receive this answer. Then it will be completely different.
3) The Jews who did not know Christ, held on to nonsense, and suffered
The Jews are completely holding on to nonsense, wasting time and suffering, now.
(1) They mistakenly thought that if they memorized the whole Bible and kept the whole law, they were doing well in their life of faith
They think they’re doing well in their life of faith. We’ve memorized the whole Bible, kept everything the Pharisees keep, and we think we’re doing well in our life of faith. We keep all the law. This is the Jews.
(2) As a result, the Jerusalem temple collapsed
Not long after doing this, Israel is destroyed. Jesus knows, doesn’t He? He speaks with a heart of sorrow. Led by a general named Titus, they tear down the Jerusalem temple.
(3) Their future generations suffered the miserable disaster of being massacred everywhere
From then on, everyone, read Israel’s history. Their future generations are massacred everywhere, scattered. Even, some German, while practicing shooting, would shoot a Jew if one passed by. While practicing. It was to that extent. Jews were not even considered people. It went this far. Dying in gas chambers, drowning, those were basic; it completely became like that.
Today you must truly hold firmly to this covenant. ‘God has given me transcendent grace that the people of the world do not know.’ What is the reason? He gave transcendent answers because I must be saved and the world must be saved. What on earth is the background spoken of in the Gospel of John? It is that Christ is the Triune God, is God. Have this transcendent faith.
▣ Conclusion_ The prayer of one person who has the gospel is the time that moves the throne and the universe
Our environment was difficult back then, but our home was a little more difficult. But I didn’t know prayer, I didn’t know it, when I was young. Those who know will all know. Without missing a single day, my mother, work, home, church. Without missing a day. Work, home, church. Even when we moved, she moved to a place near the church. Right next to it. And she would say, “I don’t have time to worry. That’s something people with a lot of time do. I don’t have time.” She said she had no time to worry. Why? “I have to feed you all, I don’t have time to worry.” That’s what she said. After finishing work, she’d come, cook for us, and go to church. And she’d pray all night. Then she’d come back after dawn prayer. She’d come and pray for us. Then cook for us again and go to work. Without missing even a single day. The power of prayer, for me, everything that happened when I was young turned into a stepping stone of blessing. You must know the prayer of one person who has the gospel. There’s nothing hard about it, prayer. Does it take time? It takes nothing. Worshiping on the Lord’s Day is a tremendous time. Right? Isn’t it the time that moves the throne and moves the universe?
Because they miss all of this, they become nonsense churchgoers, and at church they just fight, speak ill of others, and live like this. Aren’t they nonsense? I saw fighting when I was young, I’m telling you. I didn’t understand why they fought, but now I understand. They have no choice. Because they don’t believe in God, they know nothing spiritual, so what else can they do but fight? No graduation, people you see every day. So they have no choice but to fight.
Through that one person’s prayer, God made me learn a lot of evangelism when I was a young adult. Right? Now, together with you, I’m doing an unimaginable Remnant future generation movement all over the world. I don’t worry about Remnants who have collapsed. They will rise up. It’s full of Remnants who receive more answers than adults. To a surprising degree. There are many children holding on to the message precisely. Adults fall into temptation and say strange things, but children who aren’t like that, there are many children holding firmly to just the Word. How amazing is that? It’s shocking. I don’t judge or get discouraged at all about Remnants who temporarily collapse or face difficulty. No one knows what God will do. Right? The covenant and prayer you have held on to will not disappear.
1. Night – Pray intensively with the message
Experience it this week. Try praying continually with one thing. What prayer will you pray? You can decide that yourself. At night I mostly pray with the message, continually.
2. Day – Pray intensively as things come to mind, with problems
During the day, you can pray intensively as things come to mind, as problems come up. You can’t help it. That’s comfortable, it’s good.
3. Morning – Pray intensively so that I gain strength
What do you do in the morning? Because I need to have strength. Isn’t that so? You pray intensively for that. What answer will come? You don’t even need to know. God just has to give it. And also at any time, while going about, you build it up and pray intensively. There will be the work of heaven, earth, sea, and the nations shaking. Be sure to experience it. Let us pray.
Prayer
Thank you, God. This week, let us experience the blessing of being God’s children. Let us experience the power of God’s children. Let us save the world with the blessing of the throne. Let my job, studies, and work bring world evangelization. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.