Sunday 2nd Service / Lay Missionary Dedication Service
Title / Scripture: Who Is Better? (Luke 16:19-31)
Speaker: Rev. Ryu Kwang-soo
Date / Location: August 28, 2022, Immanuel Church (Busan)
Summary
The 1st service message – if there is spiritual power, spiritual wisdom follows, and the spiritual future can be seen. When worshiping on the Lord’s Day, you must obtain the power to heal through deep prayer all day long. When you enter into a deep time, prayer deepens and breathing deepens. When you have quiet time, breathing naturally lengthens. On the Lord’s Day, prayer to obtain spiritual power with a comfortable heart must begin.
▣ Introduction_ Parable – Explaining what a true answer is
1. Who is better?
1) The rich man – hell – a person who lived as a rich man but did not know the gospel and went to hell
2) The beggar (Lazarus) – heaven – a person who lived as a beggar but knew the gospel and went to heaven
3) The rich man – heaven – it is best to live as a rich man and go to heaven
2. True blessing (true answer) – being used in evangelism and gospel movement
1) Matthew 24:14 This gospel shall be preached in all the world, and then shall the end come.
2) Acts 1:8 You shall be witnesses to the ends of the earth.
3) 1 Peter 1:9 The conclusion of faith is the salvation of souls.
3. The early church – entering into this blessing
1) Overcame the persecution of the Pharisees.
2) Overcame the persecution of Rome.
3) The world was evangelized.
▣ Main_ Reason – the reason why evangelism and missions, the true answer, become a blessing
1. The state of unbelievers – the gospel is what solves this, and the person used in this is blessed here
1) John 8:44 (owner) – a child of the devil. Can only do the devil’s errands. Satan is the owner.
2) Life (Exodus 20:1-5) – even though no one taught them, their life is in idol worship.
3) Mind (Matthew 11:28, Mark 5:1-10) – pressed down by labor and heavy burdens, the mind goes out of control.
4) Body (Acts 8:4-8) – they contract diseases that doctors cannot cure.
5) Background (Luke 16:19-31) – the background they must go to is hell.
6) Posterity (Matthew 27:25) – down to posterity.
▷ The person who can rescue these people is the person who will truly receive an answer.
2. Eternal background – hell – the person who received the blessing of being rescued from an eternal background
1) Past 2) Today 3) Future
For all of them, without exception, the background is hell.
3. Now
1) The gospel can only be preached and received while alive.
2) Reward – only the work of salvation done while on this earth counts as reward.
3) A soul can only be saved while it is alive.
▷ The Lord’s parable is a word telling us to become people used for this work.
▣ Conclusion
1. Status, authority, background – Since He has given us status, authority, and background, we must hold onto this and keep praying, and one day power will arise. Even if only on the Lord’s Day, hold onto the covenant all day long and go into prayer to properly obtain power.
2. What – what kind of church should we build, and what kind of evangelism and missions should we do?
(The World Evangelization Association) www.weea.kr <01> ▷ 237 Materials Mission_ National Bank 856701-04-232485 (The World Evangelization Association, Materials Mission Office)
2022 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC Response 24 (35) (The World Evangelization Association) www.weea.kr
Division: Sunday 2nd Service / Lay Missionary Dedication Service
Title / Scripture: Who Is Better? (Luke 16:19-31)
Speaker: Rev. Ryu Kwang-soo
Date / Location: August 28, 2022, Immanuel Church (Busan)
Full transcript
Our family all across the country and the world is worshiping together. In particular, we are holding our Lay Missionary Dedication Service. And many of you who must dedicate yourselves, and also our elders, many of our church leaders, must gain great strength. I said the first service was about spiritual power. Then spiritual wisdom follows. I spoke today about that spiritual future. When you worship on the Lord’s Day, you must obtain the power to heal through this kind of deep prayer all day long. Since there are doctors present, please refer to this medically, biblically, and scientifically. When you enter into deep time, prayer deepens and breathing deepens as well. Also, when we have quiet time, breathing naturally lengthens like this. Looking closely and looking far away are also different. On the Lord’s Day, with a comfortable heart, prayer to truly obtain spiritual power must begin. That is today’s first service message.
「Who Is Better?」
What Jesus’s parable is about today is the story of “who is better?”
▣ Introduction_ Parable
Now, Jesus gave a parable again today. The reason a parable is given is to explain what a true answer is. Instead of the reality placed right in front of us, He brings a parable to explain the truth. We do the same. If we try to explain only realistic things, it’s too short, so we make up a story to bring along. Even when telling children something important, if we speak realistically it’s too short, so we make up a story to tell it, right. Jesus is telling that kind of story right now.
1. Who
He said, “Who is better?” right now.
1) The rich man – hell
A rich man who wore very fine clothes and feasted every day died one day and went to hell.
2) The beggar (Lazarus) – heaven
He lived completely as a beggar and died, but went to heaven, into Abraham’s bosom. Having gone to heaven, this rich man lifted up his eyes and looked over there — he himself was suffering in the fire, but that beggar Lazarus was in the bosom of God, Abraham. This is the story of the parable Jesus is telling right now. So this rich man, seeing this, being in such difficulty, pleads, “Father Abraham.” Why does he say this? “Give me just one drop of water by sending Lazarus.” Why does he say this? “Because Lazarus used to beg for food in front of our house, give me just one drop of water.” How thirsty must he have been — when someone is truly thirsty, what do they say? They don’t say, “Give me a bowl of water.” They say, “Just one drop of water.” We also say, “Give me a full table of food” — that’s what someone with a full stomach says, right? Try being truly hungry. You’d say, “Just one spoonful.” How agonizing it must have been to say, “Just one drop.” That was the word spoken at that time. “You cannot come and go from here to there. You must remain there forever, and Lazarus must remain here forever.” That’s what was said, to the rich man. “Then send that Lazarus — I have brothers there, please tell them that.” He asks that they not come here. But Jesus says, “He cannot go, and even if he goes it would be useless.” “There is only one way for your family not to come here. Don’t they have Moses and the prophets?” That’s what was said. What does that mean? “They can just listen to God’s word on earth. Lazarus cannot go, even if he goes it would be useless.” Which is better — that’s the point. That’s what Jesus’s story is about. In other words, it doesn’t mean, “then if you live as a rich man you go to hell, and if you live as a beggar you go to heaven.” That’s not it. The point is which is better, not that living as a beggar gets you to heaven — some interpret it that way, but that is not right. We went to heaven, even as beggars, because we knew the gospel, but the rich man went to hell because he did not know it — that is the meaning.
3) The rich man – heaven
If I were to choose, I would not choose this — I would rather live as a rich man and go to heaven. Right? That would be the best, but the question is which is better. It is not that the blessing you will receive is one of these two, but rather Jesus is asking, “which is better?”
2. True blessing (true answer)
There is a reason He speaks this way. Do you know what true blessing is? Do you know what a true answer is? That is what is being said now. Our country was a very difficult country. Our Remnants may not know this well. Right now our country ranks among the top ten in the whole world. It is a great nation. But fundamentally, there is an answer as to why. What is it? Korea is a nation destined to evangelize the world. People do not know this well.
1) Matthew 24:14
Jesus said, “This gospel shall be preached in all the world, and then shall the end come.”
2) Acts 1:8
“You shall be witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
3) 1 Peter 1:9
1 Peter chapter 1, verse 9: “The conclusion of faith is the salvation of souls.”
Right now Jesus is asking which is better in order to explain what a true answer is. After the war broke out in Korea, when we were only briefly in Busan, wasn’t it the hardest neighborhood in Busan, where the refugees also came? Our neighborhood was the hardest one. Because after the war there was also a fire. But in that neighborhood, God decided to establish a church and carry out an evangelistic movement. Do you understand what this means? A true answer for you is receiving a true answer when you are fit to be used in evangelism. You must do it. Ah, you can work hard and earn money — anyone can do that, right? Working hard and living well, working hard and hitting a limit, and then collapsing — isn’t that what everyone does? How can that be called an answer? Ah, you can work hard and get into Seoul National University without God. You can work hard and pass the bar exam, work hard and earn money, and one day hit a limit. It will surely come. One day you’ll suddenly be unable to speak and collapse. Your family collapses too, your children collapse too, everything collapses. What will you do then? That’s not what is being talked about here. That your household is a household to be used in the gospel movement — is there any greater blessing than that? That is what Jesus was talking about. You must remember this.
3. The early church
The reason Jesus came now is that the early church entered into this blessing. No one knew it.
1) The Pharisees
They overcame the Pharisees’ interference, didn’t they.
2) Rome
They overcame Rome’s interference, didn’t they.
3) The world
You see, the whole world was evangelized. Because of the early church.
That is what is being said. Jesus is saying this right now.
Do you know what a true answer is? Even unbelievers can live well through hard work. That’s right. But true world evangelization is not something just anyone can do.
▣ Main_ Reason
Jesus is telling us this today. What is the reason why evangelism and missions, the true answer, become a blessing? Knowing this reason is why you are worshiping today. What is the reason?
1. The state of unbelievers
Today, all six states of unbelievers came out.
1) John 8:44 (owner)
No matter how excellent a person is, John chapter 8 verse 44 says they can only do the devil’s errands and are children of the devil. It has nothing to do with success. Because they don’t know this (John 8:44), the strongest nation, America, has the most mentally ill people. Japan, the most honest and upright nation, has the most mentally ill people too. Very many. They cannot deny it. Why is that? Science is developing so much, so why are there so many murderers and mentally ill people? They murder without even a reason. They turn and come out and kill several people. “Why did you kill them?” “I killed them because I was in a bad mood.” That’s how it is. Jesus says, “Your father the devil” — Jesus said this. Even if it feels bad, you must listen. Right? If you refuse to listen because it feels bad, you lose out. Solving this (John 8:44) is the gospel, and the person used in this is the most blessed — that is what is being said now.
In the end, this is the story that came out. Now, Satan is the owner, as it says. What will happen then?
2) Life (Exodus 20:1-5)
Not only that. Exodus chapter 20, verses 1 and 5 — our life is caught within this (John 8:44, Exodus 20:1-5). Without anyone teaching them, people go to fortune-tellers. Without anyone teaching them, people worship idols. Without anyone teaching them, people bow to dragons. All of that is Satan. Without anyone teaching them, people make snakes and put them up in their houses. Isn’t that strange? Without anyone teaching them, when trouble arises they go to shamanistic rituals. Because they are caught in this (John 8:44, Exodus 20:1-5). The church and you who have received the blessing of rescuing these people are the ones who have truly received a blessing — that is what is being said.
3) Mind (Matthew 11:28, Mark 5:1-10)
So the mind inevitably becomes abnormal. No matter how much one studies, it is useless for setting the mind right. Matthew 11:28 speaks of being weighed down with labor and heavy burdens. Mark chapter 5, verses 1 through 10, describes the mind going completely out of control. This one (Matthew 11:28) is invisible, but this one (Mark 5:1-10) is visible. A person goes mad and becomes like this. Going forward, when our Remnants walk the streets, you must be careful. There are many strange people. It will increase more and more.
4) Body (Acts 8:4-8)
So eventually the body too becomes afflicted with diseases doctors cannot cure. If you’re sick, you can go to the doctor. But there are diseases that even going to the doctor cannot cure. This is the kind of disease one falls into.
5) Background (Luke 16:19-31)
And today we found out what it is — the background one must go to is hell. Isn’t that right?
6) Posterity (Matthew 27:25)
So there is no choice but to suffer, down to future generations. Matthew chapter 27, verse 25, it goes on even to posterity like this: “Go and tell them directly.” “No. There, they have the prophets and Moses, so hearing them there is enough.”
2. Eternal background
Who is the person who has received a blessing? Who is the person who will truly receive an answer? The person who can rescue these people (people in the state of unbelief). The person who has received this blessing of being rescued from an eternal background.
1) Past
2) Today
3) Future
What kind of background do these people have — past, present, and future, without reason, the background is hell. Where else is there such a tragic thing? Even someone wealthy enough to feast day and night without end still has hell as his background. Jesus is explaining this right now. What is a true answer? What is a true blessing? He is explaining this.
3. Now
Today an even more important thing was mentioned. Now, why is lay missionary work a blessing? There is only one reason. Right now. What is it?
1) While alive
You can preach the gospel only while you are alive. Today that was explained. You must preach the gospel to your parents, friends, and family while they are alive — you cannot preach the gospel after they die. That’s what today was about. Only while this body is alive — that’s why being alive matters. Only then can one receive the gospel. Whether one goes to heaven or to hell, it cannot be received there. Someone doing something to send it there afterward — that’s all a lie.
2) Reward
So even what you do after going to heaven does not count as reward — that’s already too late. Only the work of salvation done while on this earth counts as reward.
3) Soul
A soul being saved also happens only while alive right now. That is remarkable. So being alive is also important. That is why we instinctively struggle so hard not to die — being alive matters that much. Some people wonder why being alive matters so much — wouldn’t it be more comfortable to go to heaven? That is right, but it is not so. It is an opportunity that exists only while alive. This is amazing. So I’m sorry to say, but if your parents and family do not believe, you must follow them there (to hell). Why? Because you must follow your father. Become a person used for this work — that is what is being said. That is Jesus’s word.
There are very many important things in Jesus’s parables. It completely transforms our lives.
▣ Conclusion
This is the conclusion.
1. Status, authority, background
What kind of blessing, what true answer, should we find? God has given you status, authority, and background. Hold onto this and keep praying, and especially do not miss the Lord’s Day — on the Lord’s Day, hold onto the covenant all day long and go into prayer. Then one day that power will arise in you. Otherwise, as you age, your body will weaken and sickness will come and it will become difficult — that’s how it goes. And it is mostly people who think deeply and are kind who suffer this more. Why? Because they think about such things too much. In general, ill-tempered people who curse when something goes wrong rarely get cancer. To put it simply, people who don’t get cancer are mostly bad people. Kind people who get upset and endure things are the ones who tend to get it. Now, how are you supposed to live in such an environment? So there is nothing else to it. At least on the Lord’s Day, properly gain strength.
2. What
And the second very important thing for you. What kind of church should we build, what kind of mission should we establish? What kind of evangelism should we do? I kept asking God this. God, why must we, must I, build a temple? Why must a blessed temple be built here? God clearly gave me the answer through Scripture.
1) 3 courtyards
“Isn’t it that the three courtyards are missing? Aren’t the first, second, and third temples missing because the three courtyards were removed?” That’s right. There is no courtyard of prayer. Everything was done there instead. There is no courtyard of the Gentiles. There is no courtyard of the children.
2) 237, healing, summit
As I kept praying, the answer came out. “Isn’t it that the courtyard of 237 healing summit is missing?” That’s right. It has been missing for a long time.
3) 24, 25, 00
As I kept praying, what answer came? “Build a temple where the three courtyards, the 237 healing summit, can be done 24 — then I will give you the answer of 25. The work of God’s kingdom,” He said. “I will make that power exist forever.” This became clear to me. This is what we hold onto and pray about. Please do not truly become discouraged, but pray, so that one day strength will arise. If you suddenly want to become healthy, you can just go to the doctor, but apart from that, you must continue to maintain it fundamentally and continuously. I am truly sharing this testimony to help you. In the morning, afternoon, and evening, I slightly change the form and continue to pray while maintaining a breathing practice for health, continuously. I really feel it. I truly feel, ‘Ah, how important the power of prayer is.’
I told you about this on Saturday. When I go alone to eat, I carry something like paper with me. Since I need to write memos, I write things down, and someone said, “Can you see the letters?” I said, “I can see them.” I asked this person, and it turned out they were ten years younger than me. They said they couldn’t see it. So I said, “I haven’t dyed my hair.” It turned out that dyeing their hair had damaged their eyesight. It shows. You must truly believe and begin to pray. God will give you this blessing as proof.
Only now, a few professionals, medical professionals — our church is building a system so that the 237 healing summit people can come and receive 24 healing and power. Before long, your work must also become globalized. That kind of era is coming soon. It has already come. But it will be fine up through your generation. It will not be fine for our Remnant generation. The era when patients would come on their own if you just stayed still at a hospital, as in the old days — this is somewhat impossible for these Remnants. It changes quickly. Even now, bank employees are beginning to be laid off. So they are no longer needed. More problems will come in the future. There will be even less need. We must prepare for this. That, too, is coming, and there is no reason for us to just endure it. We must find the answer through prayer. So those who are near come to worship at our church, but truly, patients from all over the world, truly Remnants, must be able to receive grace through our church — that is what I’m saying. We must prepare for that. It is not a question of whether it is possible. It is absolutely possible.
3. Work
So your conclusion. Your work, studies, and career must be used for this. Isn’t that right? No matter how good a work I might do, if it cannot be used for God’s most important purpose, what good would it be?
Today’s dedication service will be a blessing in which you receive many answers over the course of this week. May this week be one in which you gain new strength, in the name of the Lord. I will pray now.
Prayer
God, we thank You. Let this week be one in which we gain new strength. Let this week be one in which we gain spiritual power. Let this week be one in which we hold completely onto the covenant. Let my work be used for world evangelization, and let us enjoy God’s blessing. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.