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Sunday 2nd Service Worship
Title / Scripture: The Returned Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
Speaker: Pastor Kwang-Soo Ryu
Date / Location: August 21, 2022, Immanuel Church (Seoul)

Summary

The returned prodigal son is a parable Jesus spoke when the Pharisees saw Him eating with sinners and sinners listening to His words, and criticized Him for it. Please personally check your prayer answers.

▣ Introduction_ Church – The prodigal son refers to one who attended church but became discouraged, and the one who criticized the younger brother refers to the Pharisees, the Jews.
1. Believers – If you know what the church is, you will know who you are.
1) Throne – The moment you are saved, your background becomes the throne. This does not change.
2) Kingdom – When you pray, God’s kingdom comes.
3) The kingdom’s work – The answer that comes is that the work of the kingdom is accomplished.
4) Army – When you evangelize or face a spiritual crisis, God sends the heavenly host.
5) Heaven’s feast – When one discouraged person returns, God is pleased enough to hold a feast in heaven.
▷ When you know this, you come to wait for God’s kingdom and His work while praying. No matter how much you are shaken, that is your own circumstance—God does not change.
2. The Discouraged – There are many.
1) Meeting God – The world is about meeting people, but in the church you meet God. If you truly worship and pray, the answer comes.
2) The Word of God – The world decides by listening to people’s words and public opinion, but the church is the place where you hear the word of God.
3) The need for help – the hand of God’s power – In the world many need helpers, but when you come to church, help is not needed. The hand of God’s power will help you.
▷ When this tremendous hidden secret becomes yours, when this thing that is utterly unbelievable becomes believable, that is called the life of faith.
3. TCK – Children of the third culture
1) WITH, Immanuel, Oneness – In any circumstance God is with us. Enjoying God’s presence through the church and through meeting is Immanuel. It looks as though you have been abandoned, but that is not so—everything works together for good.
2) 24, 25, 00 – If you keep praying 24, then the kingdom of God, 25, comes. Then a work for the age comes forth (eternity).
3) Only, uniqueness, and re-creation come.

▣ Main
1. The Nature of Man
1) The Twelve Strategies – Even though man has escaped from Satan’s twelve strategies, he keeps trying to go back there.
2) Leaving God – Man keeps trying to continue leaving God.
3) The Saved – Even a saved person, though he is a son, keeps trying to leave his father’s presence.
2. The Nature of God
1) The Waiting God (just as you are) – The waiting God. When you are discouraged or in hardship, take hold of the covenant. The waiting God. When you seek to receive an answer to prayer, come just as you are (Matthew 11:28, 4:19).
2) The Forgiving God (new clothes, ring, sandals) – He is the God who forgives when the broken one returns. He puts on new clothes (status). He puts on a ring (authority). He puts on sandals (as the owner). He is the God who restores what was originally there.
3) The Feasting God (the prodigal within the house) – He is the God who holds a feast because one dying person has returned. He is a God who rejoices exceedingly. The problem is the prodigal who is inside the house. This parable is what He said to the Pharisees, to us.
3. The Nature of the True Church
1) The 237 must be saved (TCK)
2) Those needing healing – save them.
3) Education of the next generation – Summit – Devote yourselves to educating the next generation. Call the children together, let them rest and let them see. It is sending them back into the world having gained the strength of prayer.

▣ Conclusion
1. Darkness – Light – Because darkness is being conveyed to the 237 and to the next generation, shine the light.
2. Nephilim – Throne – The Nephilim movement continues to arise among the next generation. We are preparing so that the throne movement of the heavenly feast will arise.
3. Disaster – Heaven’s feast – Disaster is coming. We must save them with the light of the heaven’s feast.

Transcript

Today’s text is one we know well. But we do not really know the exact content and the answers regarding it. I ask that you personally check your prayer answers once.

The Returned Prodigal Son

The returned prodigal son is a parable Jesus told. It is the parable He gave when the Pharisees criticized Him for eating together with sinners and for the fact that sinners were listening to His words.

▣ Introduction_ Church

There were two sons in the house. This explains the church. Simply put, the prodigal son is one who attended church but became discouraged. The one who criticizes his younger brother refers to the Pharisees, the Jews, of today. This is a very important point.

1. Believers

If you know what the church is now, you will know who you are.

1) Throne

In this church, the moment you are saved, your background becomes the throne. It does not change. It is your background.

2) [Kingdom]

Then, when you now pray, God’s kingdom comes. This is what Jesus said.

3) [The kingdom’s work]

And as for how the answer comes—the work of the kingdom is accomplished. This is what Jesus said. Jesus kept speaking about the kingdom throughout His ministry, and at the very end, He explained the work of the kingdom for forty days.

4) Army

Now, when you evangelize or are placed in spiritual crisis, God said, “I will send the heavenly host, the army.” When Elisha faced a crisis, God sent an army, didn’t He?

5) Heaven’s feast

When one discouraged person returns, how happy is God? It is not merely that He sent an army—He held a feast in heaven.

Now then, you can see what kind of blessing is contained here (Introduction, point 1). When you know this, you will pray and wait. What do you wait for? You wait for God’s kingdom and its work. Without fail. So try checking this (the kingdom, the work of the kingdom) once. When you do, and you check it through consistently, from that point precise answers will also begin to occur.

Because the Pharisees kept failing to receive grace and kept stirring up trouble, Jesus told this parable. Because the older brother kept testing him, the younger brother left home. That is the story. So he took all the property that would come to him and left. He wandered around, fell into corruption, and did every kind of shameful thing. And so he became completely destitute. He became a beggar and had nothing to eat. Just then a famine came, and the situation became such that he could not even eat what the pigs ate. Since he was about to starve to death, the younger son finally became honest, as people do when they are about to die. He thought, “I am starving to death here.” He thought, “Rather than starving to death, wouldn’t it be better to go to my father’s house? Even if I go there and become a servant, wouldn’t that be better than this?” Thinking this way, he made up his mind and went to his father’s house. He went as a complete beggar. When he left he wore new clothes, but now that he had become a beggar, one would not easily recognize him upon his return. Yet this father recognized his son from far away. It says “while he was still a great way off”—while they were still far apart, the father saw him from a distance and ran to him. How long had this father waited for his son—the moment he saw his son, he wept, embraced him, and kissed him. At that moment the son said, “I have sinned against heaven and before you. Make me one of your servants.” Then the father said, “What do you mean, a servant? Why would you be a servant? You are my son.” No matter how much you waver, that is your own circumstance—God does not abandon you. “You are my son.” Do not believe those who keep claiming to be end-times prophets, con artists. There are many strange groups like that, but God does not change. So this is truly a tremendous parable He told, in order to make it understandable.

He had him bathed and changed into new clothes. And he put a ring on him. And also, sandals were put on his feet. And it did not end there. He called the servants. “Hold a great feast today. My son who was dead has come back alive—how happy could I be? Hold a feast.” Simply put, this is a heaven’s feast. Would it not be so? When a son you thought had long since died comes back to you, would it not be so?

I still remember something strange—I had a close friend, one close friend, and one time he was just eating dinner when a friend came by. His friend came, called his name, and he went outside. His mother thought nothing of it since a friend had called him, and things like that happened before, so she thought it was ordinary. He went out wearing slippers, and from that day he never came back. To this day he has not come back. His mother was at her wit’s end. No matter how much she searched, he could not be found. I don’t know now, but he must be quite old by now. His mother has probably passed away. When I later asked his siblings, decades had passed, and yet the mother would not move away from that place. Even when her other children got a nice house and asked her to move in with them, she refused, because she was waiting for that son to come back. That is the difference in thinking between a sibling and a parent.

It was with that kind of heart that the father held the feast. This older brother, representing the Jews and the Pharisees, became angry. “Why on earth are you holding a feast now for that crazy fellow?” That is no lie, is it. He pours out all sorts of malicious words. “Are you holding a feast for that son who wasted all his money on prostitutes?” And then he said something even more absurd: “You never once held a feast for me, so how can you hold a feast for someone like that?” The father, at his wit’s end, said, “Are you not always with me? Why is a feast, or a chicken leg, so important to you? Are you not eating all the time? Was your brother not dead and has now come back to life?” This is the content Jesus explains to the orthodox church, the Jewish church, the Pharisees.

2. The Discouraged

There are many who become discouraged while living the life of faith.

1) Meeting God

Do not be discouraged. When you go to church, remember—in the world, it is all about meeting people. In the church, it is about meeting God. How must you meet Him? If you truly worship and pray, the answer comes out.

2) The word of God

In the world, people listen to the words of others, listen to public opinion, and decide accordingly. The church is the place where you listen to the word of God. Please remember this without fail.

3) The need for help – the hand of God’s power

Also, in the world, many helpers are needed. It is easy to think that way, and people do think that way. But if you truly live the life of faith, when you come to the church, help is not needed. The hand of God’s power will help you.

When this (Introduction, point 2) tremendous hidden secret becomes yours, that is called the life of faith. When this thing that is utterly unbelievable becomes believable, that is when you are living the life of faith. Occasionally, those who succeeded in the world but then collapsed end up living a good life of faith, and the reason is this: “No matter how many people I associated with, it was all useless. No matter how many human relationships and how much I had, it was all useless.” Rather, when such people meet the word of God and think in this way, they understand quickly. “That’s it!”

3. TCK

Today especially we held a TCK gathering. As you know, TCK refers to children of the third culture. Children who came to our Korea but are not Korean, yet live in Korea. Koreans who live in America but are neither American nor Korean. Those who came from abroad to Korea and, having lived here, are not Korean but live in Korea. That is called TCK. Children of the third culture.

There are many of them. We must pay attention to this. There are many in our country. Because of legal issues only in the capital region, there are fifteen thousand children in the capital region alone who came following their parents and cannot attend school here. So we thought they had simply come following their mothers, but it turned out later that this too was a lie. Not all of them, but there are lies. They were deceived into coming, and then run off elsewhere. Because they struggle so hard just to survive, this kind of thing happens—it happens a lot.

But the TCKs in our church are not that kind of TCK—they are children who are very capable, having gained much from living abroad. There is a reason these people must be used. TCK. You must remember this without fail.

1) WITH

You TCKs—in any circumstance, God is with you.

Immanuel

Enjoying God’s presence through the church, through meeting, is Immanuel. This is exactly the same thing God is doing right now, as He watches over the returned prodigal son and continues this work.

Oneness

You TCKs may look like abandoned people, but you are not—everything is working together for good. You must experience this blessing of prayer.

2) 24, 25, 00

What finally happens to us TCKs? When you are enjoying this blessing, you are enjoying the blessing of the 24 throne. Just wait. Then the kingdom of God, which is 25, comes to you. Do not miss out, you TCKs, and do not miss out, you discouraged ones. Then a work for the age comes forth. That is called eternity.

Everything about prayer is now coming out for you. Try experiencing it just once. Do not think of it as frustrating—experience it.

I told this story before. There was someone who, for years and years, told lies about me and kept making things difficult for me—I know all about it, it happened. I did not react, and just kept praying. I truly kept praying. I prayed with the 24. I do not know when the answer will come. This matter of God’s kingdom is not within our authority. I just kept praying. Almost everyone in Busan knows that I prayed persistently for that person—because he tormented me so much. It’s remarkable how much he lied, lying as if it were true. To what extent? I was invited to a revival meeting at Chunghyun Church. He made five hundred phone calls to Chunghyun Church, causing the senior pastor of Chunghyun Church to nearly collapse in shock. That is remarkable. The reason was that I had left the organization he belonged to. It is remarkable. I just kept praying. There was no reason to respond, no reason to explain. I just kept praying. As Elder Kim Deok-gi mentioned, I once appeared on KBS’s “Morning Yard.” KBS was paralyzed for a day. Half the calls were people saying, “Let me meet that person.” Calls poured in all day long from Busan saying, “Do not put that person on air.” KBS got into trouble over it. “Understood,” they said. There are people that influential. But there is no need to worry—just keep praying. The answer will surely come. Everyone in Busan knows. Suddenly God took that person away. He clearly tormented me—clearly, visibly, so that all of Busan would know. I was so exasperated that I just quietly kept praying. It probably was not because of that, but in any case, God took him at that time. When I heard that news, I realized something about my own poor character—I laughed the moment I heard it. I should have been sad, shouldn’t I? Without fail, there is a work called eternity waiting for you.

3) Only, uniqueness, and re-creation

This is when it comes. For you TCKs and you who look like discouraged people, when you return to the Lord, there is a blessing called “only” and an answer called “uniqueness.” There is a blessing called re-creation. This explanation of the throne and the heaven’s feast is what Jesus gave to the Pharisees.

▣ Main

1. The Nature of Man

First. What is it? In explaining what kind of God God is, He began from here by first explaining the nature of man.

1) The Twelve Strategies

Even though man has escaped from Satan’s twelve strategies, he keeps trying to go back there. This is the nature of man.

2) Leaving God

Man keeps trying to continue leaving God, who is the most important thing.

3) The Saved

And then what happens? Even a saved person—who is a son—keeps trying to leave his father’s house. This kind of thing happens. Even a saved person, a person of God, the older son, keeps continually criticizing the younger son like this.

2. The Nature of God

Today three important things come out here. These are the attributes of God.

1) The Waiting God (just as you are)

God is the waiting God. If you are discouraged or in hardship, or in a situation like this, come today and take hold of the covenant. The waiting God. There is one important thing here. He is the waiting God, but when you return to God and want to receive an answer to prayer, come just as you are.

Religions tell you to come after becoming clean. If you do that, you cannot be saved. Religions that practice self-discipline tell you to come after having trained yourself. That is not so. God tells you to come just as you are. An alcoholic once said, “Pastor, I want to believe in Jesus, but because of my alcoholism, I will quit drinking and then come.” “If you wait until you quit drinking, you will never come. Come right away. Come, and as you believe, gain strength and quit.” “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” When Jesus first came to me, He said, “Just follow Me. Then I will make you a fisher of men.”

2) The Forgiving God (new clothes, ring, sandals)

How long had the father waited for his son—he recognized him from far away. What does this explain? That He is the forgiving God. The older son was greatly displeased, but God is the forgiving God. The son said, “Use me as a hired servant.” No—that could not be. He clothes him with new clothes. That speaks of status at that time. He puts a ring on him. That speaks of authority. He puts sandals on him. That means he is the master. A servant could not wear sandals at that time. He puts sandals on him. He is the God who restores what was originally there.

3) The Feasting God (the prodigal within the house)

Look at this today. He is the God who holds a feast because one dying person has returned. What does this mean? He is not only the God who forgives when a broken one returns, but the God who rejoices exceedingly. And so He held a feast. The problem, though, is the prodigal within the house right now. The prodigal who left home can simply return, but the prodigal within the house—that is the problem. Where do you think the key point of Jesus’ words lies? He told it as a parable, remember? He did not explain an event—He told a parable. Who do you suppose He was speaking to? Jesus, at that time—Jesus, explaining this during His brief three years of public ministry when He had to save the age—who do you think He was addressing with this explanation? It is not a message spoken to wrongdoers or the discouraged, but a message spoken to us. It was spoken to the Pharisees. Because they kept condemning tax collectors as great sinners, Jesus told the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. That is why three parables came out. The prodigal within the house—that is the issue. And yet the older brother complains, saying, why hold a feast for such a bad person.

3. The Nature of the True Church

Right now, Jesus is explaining to us the nature of the true church. One might think, why does it matter so much that Jesus told a parable—but the parable matters more than we think. Because He always has something specific He intends to explain, that is why He told the parable. He did not explain it in passing. What is the true nature of the church right now? With the power of God, we are to save the many who are dying—that, simply, is the answer.

1) The 237 must be saved (TCK)

Especially in the 237, the TCKs must be saved. This is the mission of the church. You TCKs are important. Do not be discouraged—take hold of the covenant and begin to pray.

2) Those needing healing

Those needing healing are full to overflowing. Save them.

3) Education of the next generation – Summit

Our church must create a system with capable people for this. In earnest, our church must devote itself fully to educating the next generation. Turn the next generation into a Summit. Call the children here and let them rest. Call the children and let them see. Right? Call the children and let them gain strength through prayer. Then send them back out into the world. Jesus is explaining a truly great meaning.

▣ Conclusion

Today, having firmly taken hold of this covenant, now comes the conclusion. What is happening right now?

1. [Darkness] – Light

Right now, without any visible sign, much darkness is being conveyed to many individuals among the 237. So we must quickly shine the light. The next generation does not know this right now. Even so, the church—where you now sit—you know your church, don’t you? What will happen in the next generation, we do not know. You all have had many experiences and have seen many hardships, and you know what faith is—you are the current generation. The next generation, though far smarter than you, may not know the church as well as you do. So they do not know this (darkness). It will come crashing in on them.

So God knew this, and that is why the Father explained His joy in this way.

2. [Nephilim] – Throne

This is happening right now among the next generation. It is frightening. The Nephilim movement keeps arising. There is too much to explain right now. So we are preparing here so that the throne movement of the heavenly feast will arise.

3. [Disaster] – Heaven’s Feast

Even now, as before, many disasters are coming as a result. It is beyond imagination. It is not merely dying from drinking—people are dying from drinking and taking drugs together, and this has become common.

Long ago, when I went to evangelize in a park, I would see students who had taken drugs, hiding in the woods. I wondered where these students got their drugs. When was that, I wonder. I was curious about that. Asking that question makes me foolish—it’s easy to find out, you know. Among the students wandering around outside, there are far too many broken children like that. We cannot simply blame the children, because there was one such child I evangelized to and connected with, and I went to visit that child’s home. In a word, seeing the parents, I understood why the children could not stay in that home. It’s pitiable. It is not something we started ourselves. Children who have left home—now they are all elites, but in the past, we set up a school for children who had left home. Once we set it up, some parents simply stopped paying the fees. So while not all were like that, when we contacted one such parent because tuition had not been paid, the parent replied, “Just send them out of school.” When we asked, “Where should we send them?” they said, “Send them home, send them wherever.” That is how difficult it is. If we are not careful, the next generation is bound to all collapse. Right now, we must without fail bring the light of the heaven’s feast and save them completely with it. I hope this coming week will be an important week for you, and rather than praying and waiting for an answer, keep moving forward. In a sense, for you and the Remnant who will move the world, an answer is not even necessary. Why? Because the precise kingdom of God will surely come. Our church is one that can actually make this preparation a reality. And the whole temple must also be prepared. Let us pray.

Prayer

We give thanks to God. Prepare us to become a church that truly saves the next generation. Though we have no strength of our own, by God’s grace let us convey the light of the gospel amid the darkness. Grant our members great new strength this week as well. Grant us new grace we have never had before. Give us new strength, and let a great work of healing take place everywhere. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

“So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.”
— Genesis 13:18 —

Praise
“Heart of Worship“

Confession of Faith
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy universal Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body
And life everlasting. Amen.

Message
“The Prodigal Son” (Luke 15:11-32)
transcript …video

Prayer
7 Bartizans · 7 Journeys · 7 Guideposts

Sunday 1st Service Worship
Title/Scripture: The Shepherd Who Seeks the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-10)
Speaker: Pastor Ryu Gwang-soo
Date/Location: August 21, 2022, Immanuel Church (Seoul)

Summary

▣ Introduction

The Lord did not write a single book, yet there are more writings about the Lord on this earth than about anyone else.

1. Peter and the disciples saw that the suffering Lord left behind eternal blessing when He departed. – We can turn the suffering we go through into eternal blessing.

2. We must ask several questions seriously.

1) Why did the Jewish people, who had the Nobel Prize, the kibbutz spirit, and outstanding knowledge, perish? – For almost 1900 years the Jewish people’s descendants could not find their nation and were massacred. Because the Jewish people still deny Christ, this will continue to be a problem in the future.

2) Why did powerful Rome, which conquered the world, perish and create that great problem?

3) Why were Israel’s descendants taken as slaves and captives? – The bigger problem is that in the future, their descendants will scatter as refugees.

▷ The Lord explained this reason during His earthly ministry, and the disciples knew it.

3. The Lord called the tax collectors together, and they came to hear the Word.

The fact that tax collectors were treated as sinners is the responsibility of the nation of Israel, which had become subject to Rome; the responsibility of the church that caused people to miss the gospel; the responsibility of leaders who do not even know why the problem came; and the responsibility of the believers.

▣ Main_ Three ways the Lord showed how to turn suffering into eternal blessing

1. He showed what the fundamental problem and answer were.

1) The Lord had a different way of seeing the problem. – When the Pharisees, the orthodox church, saw the tax collectors, they called them sinners, but the Lord called them lost sheep.

2) The Lord had a different way of giving the answer. – The parable of the one lost sheep, the parable of the virgin who lost one drachma, the parable of the prodigal son who left home.

2. He showed what the fundamental mission was.

1) The Jewish people were victorious in what is visible. – Economic power, the Nobel Prize, success. But they are failing in what is invisible. – They have no need of the Word.

2) Satan, who is invisible, employed the twelve Nephilim strategies to take control of humanity. – There is no answer.

3) So the Lord spoke about the kingdom of God and the throne. – This is the answer.

3. Suffering is the restoration of a fundamental blessing.

1) The Lord’s suffering at Calvary was the beginning of resolving every spiritual problem.

2) The Lord showed and left behind the truth that for those in Christ, suffering is eternal blessing.

3) The Lord showed us that through His suffering on the cross, He restored eternal blessing to us.

▣ Conclusion

1. The one who received an even greater answer without having seen the Lord was Paul. – We too can receive the same answer now.

2. When the answer of the kingdom of God and Mt Olive is restored, the recreation history of the Upper Room at Mark’s house will occur. – Do not be discouraged, and wait for the kingdom of God.

3. Make three courtyards where the multi-ethnic peoples, the sick, and the Remnants can come and rest.

Transcript

▣ Introduction

Thank you. The Lord did not write a single book. Yet there are more writings about the Lord on this earth than about anyone. There are many books, but the books about Christ are the most numerous. So there is a reason we must know Him. He was crucified as the most important event on this earth, yet He only ministered for exactly three years. So then, we must find out everything about that period.

1. Peter and the disciples saw that the suffering Lord left behind eternal blessing when He departed.

The disciples saw this as they closely followed Him. That is the Key. In a word, the Lord was continually criticized, and even so, after three years He was crucified on the cross. In a word, the suffering Lord left behind eternal blessing when He departed. Peter saw that. The disciples saw it. The Lord’s goal was world evangelization, but He showed this to the disciples at that time. So then, we must see this important thing. The suffering you go through can be turned into eternal blessing. Peter directly witnessed this for three years. You know Peter’s influence. Peter was a fisherman, but after meeting Christ he left a greater mark than the Roman emperors. Whose influence was greater, Napoleon’s or Peter’s? Peter’s influence is greater. Because the Lord showed and left behind the secret of turning that suffering into eternal blessing, we must be able to find it too.

2. We must ask several questions seriously.

So then, we must first ask a few questions. You must do this seriously.

1) Why did the Jewish people, who had the Nobel Prize, the kibbutz spirit, and outstanding knowledge, perish?

Why did the Jewish people, who had the Nobel Prize, the kibbutz spirit, and the most outstanding knowledge, perish? To the point of misery, for almost 1900 years their descendants could not find their nation and were simply massacred. The Jewish people do not know the reason. Peter knew it. That is why you must properly grasp that covenant which turns suffering into eternal blessing.

Let me say it again — the Jewish people will continue to be a problem in the future. They still deny Christ.

2) Why did powerful Rome, which conquered the world, perish and create that great problem?

Now, why did powerful Rome, which conquered the world, perish and create that great problem? We must ask this question.

3) Why were Israel’s descendants taken as slaves and captives?

Why were Israel’s descendants taken as slaves and captives? And now they have become a subject nation.

The bigger problem is that our descendants will also scatter as refugees in the future. The Lord explained this reason, and the disciples knew it. The representative figure in this is Peter. You must look carefully at the Lord’s earthly ministry. Look at it, and we must find the answer. But we must see this in order to properly understand every event now.

2022 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC Response 24 (34) (The World Evangelization Full Gospel Bible Center) www.weea.kr

Category: Sunday 1st Service Worship | Title/Scripture: The Shepherd Who Seeks the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-10) | Speaker: Pastor Ryu Gwang-soo | Date/Location: August 21, 2022, Immanuel Church (Seoul)

3. The Lord called the tax collectors together, and they came to hear the Word.

The Lord called together the sinners and tax collectors, and they came to hear the Word. Seeing this, the Pharisees criticized Him again. The Pharisees, in other words, were the orthodox church of that time. In every age, the church is the problem. These people were the ones who criticized. Now, because Israel became a subject nation, the Romans took control of the whole world and extorted taxes. It must have been tremendous. Rome conquered the whole world and then collected taxes. The method of collecting was to recruit somewhat unscrupulous people among the Romans. So they said, “Collect that tax and bring it up.” “How much exactly?” “You figure that out yourself. Everyone’s circumstances differ, so collect according to their situation. Whatever extra there is, you can eat.” This was the policy they used. So how diligently they must have gone around collecting taxes. Tax collectors were the ones the Jewish people hated most.

Now, whose responsibility is this? This is not the responsibility of the tax collectors. It is the responsibility of the nation of Israel that became subject to Rome, the responsibility of the church that had been causing people to miss the gospel, the responsibility of leaders who do not even know why the problem came, and the responsibility of the believers. This is extremely important.

▣ Main_ The Three Ways the Lord Showed to Turn Suffering into Eternal Blessing

So if you understand these three important things, your suffering will certainly be transformed into eternal blessing. This is what the Lord is showing us now. It is not simply that the tax collectors gathered to hear the Word — there is much important content contained in this. What you must take home with you today are the three things the Lord gave for turning your suffering into eternal blessing — you must hold onto them firmly.

I know a little about the late Joseon dynasty period. Why, because we have somewhat experienced and lived through such things. Surprisingly, the situation at the end of the Joseon dynasty is exactly the same as the situation that continues even now. What is even more surprising is that the church situation is also exactly the same. I have seen this myself. I may have seen it wrongly. But as far as I have confirmed, I am certain. Japan built up its strength in order to conquer Korea, and further, to conquer China and the world. Korea, Joseon, was always fighting over positions of power. Of course it was going to lose. What did it miss? But this is exactly the same in the church too. I have watched churches from my home church all the way to now. They have exactly the same problems as unbelievers had during the Joseon dynasty period. The future is obvious.

Today, these tax collectors, whom the Jewish people call sinners — how did they behave? They came near to hear the Word. That’s what happened. The orthodox believers, the Pharisees, came near in order to criticize, while never coming close to knowing the great mystery, Jesus Christ Himself, always coming near only to revile Him. These tax collectors were people treated as sinners. “They came near to hear the Word” — that’s what it said. What exactly did the Lord show us? What must we grasp today? Why does Israel, though believing in God, suffer such hardship?

1. He showed what the fundamental problem and answer were.

First. We must know what the fundamental problem and answer are. The Lord gave us what the fundamental problem is and what the fundamental answer is.

1) The Lord had a different way of seeing the problem.

The orthodox church at that time called these people sinners, but what did the Lord say? He said they were lost sheep. This is a completely different way of seeing. Of course the Jewish people had to perish. Why — their perspective was different. They saw those tax collectors, who had no choice but to fall into hardship and die in that harsh difficulty, and called them sinners, criticizing, “How can you eat with such people?” Now, we must hold to the right gospel and become the right kind of believer.

2) The Lord had a different way of giving the answer.

The Lord explained differently. “You have a hundred sheep and you lose one. Would you just go home?” Because their spiritual eyes were so dark, the Pharisees thought themselves clever. He was explaining that very thing. “If it were you, would you keep tending a hundred sheep, lose one, and just go? Go home? Wouldn’t you search for it?” These people already knew what the real problem of life is and what the answer is. He was telling them that.

When a virgin was to be married, the man to whom she was betrothed would hang around her neck an ornament set with ten drachma coins. This was so they could recognize each other at the wedding. But this virgin, running around like a tomboy, lost one of the ten drachmas. Having held onto all ten, how would she feel when one went missing? “Wouldn’t you search for it? Wouldn’t that woman take a broom and sweep the whole house searching?” This is what the Lord said. Already, His way of seeing the problem was different, and His way of giving the answer was different. We must remember this. In order to receive a true answer, what must we grasp? We must know it. “A son, worn out because of his older brother, left home and became a prodigal and does not return — wouldn’t you wait for him, if it were you?” We will look at that in the second service.

The Lord is now showing us what the fundamental problem is and what the answer is. “That tax collector is not a sinner but a lost sheep. That son who left home is not a sinner but a lost son. It is because we did wrong, because the nation did wrong, that we became subject to Rome.” This is what He is telling us now. Only when the problem is correctly understood can the answer also be correct. “The church lost the gospel and went off doing something else, and that’s how it ended up like this.” The Jewish people never change. That is why the Lord must have felt so frustrated. Peter understood this. That is remarkable. It’s no wonder they conquered the world.

2. He showed what the fundamental mission was.

Second. Then what is the fundamental mission we must fulfill? He is telling us this now.

1) The Jewish people were victorious in what is visible.

The Jewish people were victorious in what is visible. They made money, received Nobel Prizes, had enormous economic power, and succeeded. But they are completely failing in what is invisible. Do you know what that invisible part is? They have no need of the Word. They think of it as, “the Jewish God.” They think of it as, “the Jewish spirit.” That is wrong. Look at Rome too. “We must dominate the world.” That is wrong. “We must conquer the world. We must drag young people from the whole world and make them slaves. To do that we must not shrink from any means.” Is this different from history today? Is it not the same? This is spiritual blindness. That is why the Lord is teaching us this now. And their spiritual eyes have become completely darkened.

We must know what the fundamental mission is. If you know what your fundamental mission is, you will receive answers even without working. If the fundamental mission is wrong, the harder you work, the more problems arise.

2) Satan, who is invisible, employed the twelve Nephilim strategies to take control of humanity.

At this time, Satan, who is invisible, employed the twelve Nephilim strategies and completely took control of humanity. So there is no answer. Now things are more advanced than in the past. There is more hardship. There is no answer. Now the level is much higher than in the past. There are more mentally ill people. Now you cannot even trust what people say, because there are too many mentally ill people. Even if someone picks a fight beside you, you must not fight back now. There are so many mentally ill people. Now, you must be careful. If someone honks their horn at you, say you’re sorry. Otherwise they might come and shoot you. There is no answer.

3) So the Lord spoke about the kingdom of God and the throne.

So the Lord continued speaking about the kingdom of God and the throne, which the orthodox believers, the Pharisees, could not even understand. Because that is the answer. So He told them what the fundamental problem is and what the fundamental mission is.

3. Suffering is the restoration of a fundamental blessing.

And now there is the final mission being given to Peter. “Restore the fundamental blessing.” Suffering is the restoration of a fundamental blessing.

1) The Lord’s suffering at Calvary was the beginning of resolving every spiritual problem.

The Lord’s suffering at Calvary was the beginning of resolving every spiritual problem. You must grasp

2022 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC Response 24 (34) (The World Evangelization Full Gospel Bible Center) www.weea.kr

this firmly. There is no mistake. Do not try to achieve it — just grasp it, I’m telling you. You have no ability to do it. Why must you grasp it? Because we do not know our future. Grasp it.

Today I found out, just before the worship service, that Elder Jo Seong-mu’s wife had come by briefly and left. When I asked why she had come, she said there was nothing in particular, she just came because she was thankful. She said the elder seems about to pass away soon. She said she doesn’t know when she herself will go either. She realizes she is about to go before God, and she said this out of gratitude, being very thankful to the pastor.

We must know how thankful we should be that we can worship in this moment right now. In the past, before I understood the gospel, I always only talked about problems and complained. Problems kept coming endlessly. Then one day, after realizing the gospel, I began to speak of the answer. From that point on, God’s answer began to come without end.

Make your resolution today. You are not a condemned sinner tax collector. Seeing your shortcomings, other believers may say such things, but the Lord does not say that. “You are My lost sheep. I must find you.” Others may say you are worthless, but what does the Lord say? “You are lost treasure. I must find you.” Others may call you a prodigal, but the Lord says, “You are My lost son. I must find you.” We will see this in the second service today.

Do you know how important it is that you have grasped the covenant? Today in our district Bible study, Elisha said, “I need no house, I need no Gilgal. Give me a double portion of the Holy Spirit’s inspiration.” And this is what set off the Dothan revival movement. The Word will continue to come. We must properly grasp the covenant — only then does worship truly have meaning. “My suffering is the way to eternal blessing.” That’s right, isn’t it?

2) The Lord showed and left behind the truth that for those in Christ, suffering is eternal blessing.

The Lord showed and left behind the truth that for those in Christ, suffering is the way to eternal blessing. People may discourage you in every way, but the Lord calls those who are abandoned lost sheep, calls them lost sons, calls them lost treasure. If you firmly grasp that covenant, you will see what comes next — you will begin to see the fulfillment of the Word. That is the life of faith. That is when the answer comes. You must grasp the true answer.

Unable to speak, deaf, blind, and having seizures on top of it — the parents said this child couldn’t be helped. What could they say? “I gave birth to this child and raised her, I know her — she cannot be helped, this one. Don’t bother with her.” Not giving up on that was Anne Sullivan. Right? That doesn’t just mean she persisted to the end. It means she recognized that God’s plan and blessing were contained within that child. Look at what happened in the end. What history unfolded?

Before that, there was Fanny Crosby, whose eyes were blinded due to an accident. But isn’t that, in a way, forced comfort? Her grandmother and mother told her that her blindness was a path to receive God’s great grace — how could that be believed? But Crosby believed it. A true history took place. That is why all her hymns are connected with the theme of a path or way. “All the way my Savior leads me” — meaning He leads me the whole way. “The love of God, how rich and pure” — no words can describe it, it said. And so she wrote so many songs about the journey.

3) The Lord showed us that through His suffering on the cross, He restored eternal blessing to us.

Christ came and showed us just one thing. He suffered on the cross and restored eternal blessing to us — that is it.

▣ Conclusion

Let me conclude.

1. The one who received an even greater answer without having seen the Lord was Paul.

Now, someone who never even saw the Lord came to understand this blessing even more deeply, didn’t he? Why am I saying this? Because it means you too can receive the same answer today. The one who received the same answer, even greater, without having seen the Lord, was Paul. Paul was an intellectual with the highest academic background. He came from a family worth boasting about. Paul had the highest possible profession in Israel at the time. Yet he confessed, “Now that I know Christ, I count all these things as rubbish.” What an astonishing answer he must have received to say such a thing. “What I accomplished, what I did, amounts to nothing.” This is the statement of one who is running to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of him. This is already the statement of one who knows the answer. Earthly things had already become rubbish to Paul. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call.” He did not say our citizenship is in Rome, but rather, “It is in heaven, in the kingdom of heaven.” What a tremendous answer this man left behind. He knew these things.

2. When the answer of the kingdom of God and Mt Olive is restored, the recreation history of the Upper Room at Mark’s house will occur.

Today you are people who know what the fundamental problem is. Isn’t that right? It’s different. Then you truly know what the mission is. It does not end with what we must restore. Now what comes next? Wherever you go, the answer comes — that is the standard. It is the kingdom of God, the answer of Mt Olive. Right? Do not be discouraged, wait. The kingdom of God. Later, the history of recreation will occur. The Upper Room at Mark’s house. Without fail.

Now that I know this grace, even now, when I see our workers filming again, these people have to come from before dawn. How thankful I am. That’s it — the elders come from before dawn, and hold church meetings and pray — how thankful I am for that. Right? I am truly, deeply thankful. How thankful Paul must have been. In Christ. How strange it is. Isn’t this the difference between those who enjoy the blessing of salvation and those who do not? I am so thankful. No matter what anyone says, in this hour of grasping the covenant and worshiping, I am certain that this is the appointed time for the kingdom of God to come and the blessing of the throne to come upon us.

3. Make three courtyards where the multi-ethnic peoples, the sick, and the Remnants can come and rest.

We are making three courtyards here. We are making a place where many multi-ethnic peoples can come and rest. This is not just another task. Make a courtyard where many sick people can come and rest. This is not just another program. Make a place where our Remnants can come and rest. And receive the strength God gives, and go out and take on the challenge.

How could a tax collector, unable to act on his own will, survive before people who call him a sinner? The Lord said they were lost sheep. It’s a completely different perspective — the opposite, entirely the opposite. “How can you eat with such sinners?” But the Lord immediately recognized, “They are lost sheep.” “It is because you did wrong that they became lost sheep. The church, having lost the gospel and running errands for Satan, was destroyed and became a subject nation. That is why such people came to exist. We are the ones who must find that lost sheep.” So if you see the problem wrongly, no matter how clever you are, there is no answer.

Today, grasp this covenant firmly. Christ’s suffering saved all of humanity forever. The suffering I go through will be part of a history that turns it into God’s eternal blessing. Something else will happen. Let us pray.

Prayer

Thank You, God. Grant us the right gospel and the right eyes. Do not let us perish like the Pharisees despite having all our abilities. Do not let us cast our descendants into ruin — help us to grasp the exact covenant. Save Rome, which ruined the world with its great power, with even greater power. Let this prayer begin this week. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

“So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.”
— Genesis 13:18 —

Praise
“The Love of God“

Confession of Faith
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy universal Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body
And life everlasting. Amen.

Message
“The Shepherd Who Seeks the Lost Sheep” (Luke 15:1-10)
transcript …video

Prayer
7 Bartizans · 7 Journeys · 7 Guideposts

Sunday 2nd Service, Temple Building Dedication Service
Title/Scripture: The Reason for Appointing the Seventy (Luke 10:17-20)
Speaker: Pastor Ryu Kwang-soo
Date/Location: August 14, 2022, Immanuel Church (Busan)

Luke 10:17-20

17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us through thy name.
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Summary

Church leaders throughout the nation and the world must know what blessing they have received and what blessing they are to receive. The reason the Lord first appointed the 12 apostles and then the 70 was to spiritually watch over and guard every region.

12 / 70 / 70 people / Gospel (prayer)
Church district / influence / land, martyrdom, Antioch, field / throne (fixed time), nation (no fixed time), nation’s work (focused prayer) / bartizan

12 church districts, 70 influences
The Lord’s servants were given the blessing of overseeing a great church district, and church leaders were given this influence over work, region, and everything.

The 70 – land, martyrdom, Antioch, field
Among the 70 church leaders were the one who gave up his land (Acts chapter 4), Stephen who was the first to be martyred, those who established the church in Antioch during persecution, and those who were important field leaders in significant locations.

Gospel (prayer) – throne (fixed time), nation (no fixed time), nation’s work (focused prayer)
They came to know what the gospel and prayer truly are. It is the same power, but it means enjoying the blessing of the throne. It is causing the kingdom of God to come. It is enjoying the work of God’s kingdom.

Bartizan
With this they built the bartizan to save the world.
▷ The early church that conquered the world possessed this power. Keep doing only this prayer.

▣ Introduction_ Evidence concerning the bartizan
1. Judges 9:47 (war) – a bartizan for protecting the people in war
2. 2 Kings 9:17 (people) – a bartizan for protecting the people
3. 2 Chronicles 4:17 (city) – a bartizan for guarding the city
4. 2 Chronicles 20:10 (livestock, farming) – a bartizan for raising livestock and farming
5. Nehemiah 3:25 (palace) – a bartizan for guarding the palace
6. Song of Songs 4:4 (thousand bartizans) – David’s thousand bartizans
7. Isaiah 21:8 (cry out) – build a bartizan and let the watchman cry out all night
8. Ezekiel 26:9 (enemy) – a bartizan for defeating the enemy
9. Proverbs 18:10 (name of the Lord) – a bartizan that makes the name of the Lord strong

▣ Main
1. Church leaders, the church – bartizan
1) He called you to be watchmen.
2) Cry out all day and all night. I will answer all day and all night.
3) The one who makes the way (the highway)
2. The 70 – the bartizan that saves the field
1) In person – in his place (verse 1) – Jesus sent them in his place to the places he himself needed to go.
2) Name – proclamation (verse 18) – “I saw Satan fall to the ground when the demons were cast out in the name of the Lord.”
3) Recorded (verse 20) – “Rejoice that your name is recorded in the kingdom of heaven.”
3. The 237-5000 bartizan – the people who will build the bartizan to save 237 nations and 5,000 peoples
1) The power of the throne (platform) – when the power of the throne, the spiritual power, comes, people come.
2) Nation (watchtower) – wait for the kingdom of God to come upon every field. It becomes a watchtower.
3) The nation’s work (antenna) – it means concentrating on the work of the nation. Nothing is impossible when connected with God. This is called an antenna.
▷ This is building the bartizan that shines upon the 237 nations and 5,000 peoples. Because it is impossible, this blessing was given.

▣ Conclusion_ 1 thousand bartizans → 10 million bartizans
For the gospel to be witnessed to the whole world, 10 million bartizans must arise. That is why there are 10 million disciples.
▷ Do not miss this (chart) prayer. Keep concentrating so that the kingdom of God and the blessing of the throne may come.

Transcript

Today especially you, the church leaders throughout our nation and the world, must know what kind of blessed people you are and what kind of blessed people you are to become.

The Reason the 70 Were Appointed (Luke 10:17-20)

Jesus appointed the 70. This is the reason. Today this is clearly recorded in Luke chapter 10, verses 17 through 20.

As you have probably seen in the news, North Korea keeps launching missiles and making nuclear weapons, so we don’t know when an accident might happen. So to watch for that and stop it, the United States placed THAAD there. Now China keeps opposing that. Why does China oppose it? The fact is, if THAAD is built, it doesn’t only watch North Korea, it sees all of China too. So China is upset about that. And now that has continued to be a fight and a controversy.

[ 12, 70 ]
You appointed the 70, but why did God begin with the 12 apostles from the very start and then appoint the 70?

He also appointed the 12 tribes and 70 elders. Jesus also appointed 12 disciples and then appointed 70 disciples. What does this mean? It means watching over and guarding every region spiritually. So the Lord’s servants must know the blessing they are to receive.

[ 12 – church district ]
The 12 apostles – this means the response the Lord’s servants must receive is the blessing God gave them to oversee a very large church district. If you look at this closely, you receive every answer. To put it simply, when I first came to Yeongdo, I did two things. Isn’t that natural? I closely examined what exactly was in Yeongdo. Looking at that, the exact answer of “ah, this is how we should evangelize” came out. And even in downtown Busan, we had some things we were good at and did well, but even in downtown Busan before, there were a few urgent golden fishing grounds. I saw that clearly. Seeing that, I said, “let’s start our evangelism movement.” That’s how it happened. And at that time our church leaders stood at the forefront and scattered out to begin this evangelism movement, but the Busan Presbytery blocked us, blocked our evangelism. I do understand that somewhat, but that’s not what I’m trying to say – the Lord’s servants must be able to see this (church district). Then every answer comes. This is what was seen. So the one who saw this best was Paul.

[ 70 – influence ]
Now what do church leaders have? It is the influence God gives you over your work, your region, and everything. Never let this go. Pray only for this.

[ The 70 – land, martyrdom, Antioch, field ]
Because when Jesus appointed the 70, what did these 70 do? They went to the fields the disciples and apostles had to go to, but first of all, in Acts chapter 4, there is the man who gave up his land. Those people were among the 70. They must have later built an important temple, right? The first person to be martyred was also one of the 70 – Stephen. As you can see, when persecution broke out and Stephen was killed, it seemed like everything was completely ruined. The one who established the Antioch church at that time was also one of the 70. And who was in every important position in Samaria and the mission fields? It was the 70 church leaders.

How is it that these people, who were trained the same way as the apostles, knew what they knew?

[ Gospel (prayer) – throne, nation, nation’s work ]
They came to know what the gospel is and what prayer is. Let me put it simply. What is the gospel and what is prayer? It is the same power, but it means enjoying the blessing of the throne. That is what the gospel and prayer are. It means causing the kingdom of God to come. Now, it is not merely enjoying the blessing of the throne. “Thy kingdom come” – Jesus said this from the very beginning. He told us to pray, “Thy kingdom come.” What is the next stage?

It is the work of God’s kingdom. This is important. Because this is the blessing you have, if you enjoy this [Gospel (prayer) – throne, nation, nation’s work], no one can touch you.

This is the reason the 70 were appointed. Please do not worry, and church leaders, because you really need to receive an answer, do not worry about useless things – just hold on tightly to this [12 church districts, 70 influences, the 70 – land, martyrdom, Antioch, field, Gospel (prayer) – throne, nation, nation’s work]. Especially for Remnants, in the future, unless you get an answer to this (70-influence), it will be very difficult for you to do world missions.

Well, I don’t know about the next 10 years, but when these Remnants grow up and enter society, it will be completely different. The banks have already noticed this and are worried. During the hours when these young people are active in society, they won’t go to banks. Banks will disappear. So what must be done? The answer comes immediately. This is not imagination, it’s coming soon. About 40 or 50 years ago, someone came and kept talking about computerization. I thought, “what is this person talking about?” Now without that, nothing works. Before computers came out in full, that kind of talk came up beforehand. “Doing something with computerization” – people said that, and I said, “what’s the use of computerization?” Now, without that system, 100 percent nothing works. Things change. You need to get an answer like this (12-church district, 70-influence).

So because you know this [Gospel (prayer) – throne, nation, nation’s work] answer, you get this amazing thing [the 70 – land, martyrdom, Antioch, field] – this (throne) is a set-time prayer, (nation) is a no-fixed-time prayer, and (nation’s work) is a focused prayer. Right? From now on, church leaders can simply and comfortably enjoy this [Gospel (prayer) – throne, nation, nation’s work] prayer.

To put it simply, we all face urgent matters immediately. If you try doing things within this [Gospel (prayer) – throne, nation, nation’s work] prayer even a little, things change. You will also hear bad things. Right? If you just hold onto that, you lose. You enjoy it with the secret of this prayer. We also get hurt. We are also attacked. If you take that as it is, it’s a disaster. Right? If you enjoy it as the secret of prayer, it changes into amazing things. That is this (nation), the no-fixed-time prayer, and 24, 25, eternity.

This early church was the only one that conquered the world, and they simply possessed this power (the entire introduction).

Bartizan
So to put it simply, these people built the bartizan to save the world. Now this is the answer our church and you must specifically receive through prayer.

▣ Introduction_ Evidence

1. Judges 9:47 (war)
Now let’s look at some evidence concerning the bartizan. Judges chapter 9, verse 47 says, “to wage war and to prevent war, build a bartizan.” It said, “build a bartizan here so the people can take refuge.” It said, “build a bartizan so the people can be protected.” Because you never know when war will break out. The Bible is talking about bartizans right now.

2. 2 Kings 9:17 (people)
And 2 Kings chapter 9, verse 17 records, “many people, many persons must be protected.” That’s it. “The people must be protected, so build a bartizan.” That’s what it said.

3. 2 Chronicles 14:7 (city)
2 Chronicles chapter 14, verse 7 records, “no matter how well this city is built, to guard the city a bartizan must be there.” Right. How important is this? Even today, but especially in ancient times, enemies would suddenly invade from the side without any warning. So for the sake of the people, a city was built, and on top of it a bartizan was built to keep watch, like this.

4. 2 Chronicles 20:10 (livestock, farming)
2 Chronicles chapter 20, verse 10 records, “build a bartizan in the wild land and raise livestock and farm there.” This “wild land” refers to a vast land where a bartizan was built, and while guarding it, livestock was raised and farming was done.

5. Nehemiah 3:25 (palace)
Nehemiah chapter 3, verse 25 says to build a bartizan even at the palace. Only then can the palace be guarded.

6. Song of Songs 4:4 (thousand bartizans)
Song of Songs chapter 4, verse 4 has an important record. It came out in Solomon’s words – David built a thousand bartizans. That was when David’s kingdom held the most territory, and it was when Israel was most at peace during David’s reign.

7. Isaiah 21:8 (cry out)
Isaiah chapter 21, verse 8 says, “build a bartizan and let the watchman cry out all night like a roaring lion.” Like this, a sign was given.

8. Ezekiel 26:9 (enemy)
Ezekiel chapter 26, verse 9 says, “to defeat the enemy, even though it may seem like a strange thing to do, build a bartizan to defeat the enemy.” That’s what it said.

9. Proverbs 18:10 (name of the Lord)
Proverbs chapter 18, verse 10 records this: “build a bartizan that makes the name of the Lord strong.” That is how it was expressed.

What do church leaders do? They are the ones who build bartizans.

▣ Main

1. Church leaders, the church – bartizan
So with this clear evidence, the important covenant church leaders must hold onto is that church leaders and the church are the bartizan. This speaks of actually building a bartizan, but spiritually speaking, it means that you, the church leaders, are the bartizan, and the church is the bartizan.

2. The 70, the bartizan that saves the field
Then why were the 70 appointed? The 70 are the bartizan that saves the field, that’s what it means.

3. The 237 – 5000 bartizan
And there is something even more important remaining. What is the blessing you are to receive? You are the people who will build the bartizan to save 237 nations and 5,000 peoples.

For those who do not know the gospel and do not know prayer, this sounds like a dream. To put it simply, though it is God’s word, to them it becomes nonsense. But to those who know this (the entire introduction), holding onto just this covenant becomes the complete answer.

When the people of these 237 nations and 5,000 peoples hear this message, you will think, “ah, this is impossible for us.” Before the gospel came to our country, Korea, we were even worse off than your countries. Do you know what we said after we went through the Korean War? We said, “let’s live well like the Philippines.” Right? Can the Philippines even be compared to us now? There’s no comparison. But we looked at that and said, “let’s live well like the Philippines.” People today don’t know this because they don’t know history. As great gospel movements and church movements broke out in Korea, our nation underwent a huge transformation. Remarkably, of all things, our country sent out the second most missionaries in the world. And it turns out our GDP rose at the same rate as the number of missionaries we sent. It’s amazing, remarkable. With those who say “there is no God, I don’t believe in God,” there’s no reason to even converse, but for those who truly believe in God, you must firmly hold onto how great a blessing each one of you church leaders is to receive.

So today, hold onto this firmly and just do this prayer (the entire introduction). Try it. Don’t worry about anything else, don’t believe lies, and if you church leaders keep doing this prayer (the entire introduction), you will reach even this (237-5000 bartizan) that saves the world. Isn’t that right?

If we show our Remnants old photographs of Korea now, they will be shocked. That was not so long ago for our country. Among the elders sitting here, some have seen that scene and some have not. Those who saw it will say it’s true. We were in terrible shape. We were a completely ruined nation.

So as our country revived along with the gospel movement, it was mostly missionaries who helped our country at that time. The terrible things our country suffered during the Japanese occupation – missionaries made all of that into material and sent it out to the whole world.

Look at history. Even after our Korean War in 1950, our country had many enormous problems. Who helped with all of this? Missionaries came in and helped with everything. At that time our country had no hospitals either. Even now there are many countries with no hospitals. Countries in difficult circumstances. We had no hospitals either. Even now, just look at how many doctors are in our church. Back then we had no doctors in our country. At that time, one missionary doctor came in, and that person’s name was Allen. That person was a missionary. He came to Korea and received almost no pay – did people like that come to earn money? He served with devotion and did mission work.

As it turned out, since he was a doctor, he became the personal physician of the last emperor of our country, Emperor Gojong. That man was our nation’s last king. When he was ill, he had to contact Missionary Allen. So Missionary Allen made this – it was the first bell ever made in our country. He set it up so that when the bell was pressed, it would ring to Missionary Allen. When our country was utterly ruined, mission teams came in from every nation. So now we too must do the same. Isn’t that right?

We received help from others and survived, and we came to live so well, but we only keep talking about the bad things about our country – there are so many good things too. Strangely there are many people who keep cursing their own country and act strange, but our country’s economic and military power now ranks within the top 7 in the world. Our military strength is also within the top 7. Now no other country can touch us. God has made our missionary nation into a tremendous nation.

1. Church leaders, the church – bartizan
Why are you church leaders the bartizan?

1) Watchman
He called you to be watchmen. Never let this go. Today’s message, hold onto it firmly, receive one answer, and then ride the next flow. Otherwise, if you’re not careful, since you are all tired and busy, if you miss the message, you lose your strength and just become like that. That must not happen.

2) All day and all night
What does it mean when he calls you watchmen? “Cry out all day and all night” – this means “I will answer all day and all night.”

3) The way (highway)
And this is Isaiah chapter 62. What did he say then? You are the ones who pave the way, who make the way. You build the highway. This is why you are the bartizan.

2. The 70, the bartizan that saves the field
It doesn’t end there. It’s not just about staying still and guarding. You are the bartizan of the field, that’s what it means. Here a few important words appear.

1) In person – in his place (verse 1)
Luke chapter 10 says, “Jesus sent the 70 in person to the places he himself needed to go.” That’s what it says. It’s recorded that way in verse 1. He said he sent you, the 70 church leaders, in his place to the places Jesus himself had to go in person.

2) Name – proclamation
And it’s not that they simply went in his place – he sent them so that they would proclaim the name of the Lord. At that time the demons were cast out, and at that time Jesus said this: “when you go and cast out demons by the name of the Lord, by my name, I saw Satan who was in heaven fall to the ground.” That’s what he said.

3) Recorded
He said there was something even more important than that. “Rejoice that at this time your name is recorded in the kingdom of heaven.” How important this is. You may casually think, “I am God’s person, so I serve as a church leader,” but when you work, because you are doing the work that Jesus himself must go and do, he said, “when that name is proclaimed, when the demon is cast out, I saw Satan fall to the ground.”

3. The 237 – 5000 bartizan

1) [Throne] – power
It doesn’t end there. If you keep enjoying this blessing, what power comes to you? The power of the throne comes, doesn’t it.

(Platform)
Because this power comes, it must come to you naturally. That is called a platform. You must have this power. If you have this power, even while doing the same work, people come alive and come to you, like this. Even though it’s the same business, you already have spiritual power so people come to you – that’s the platform. Even among doctors, there is a difference between those with spiritual power and those without.

Long ago, before we came to Yeongdo, my mother got sick and went to a hospital, and the doctor said something quite harsh to her: “how did you let your body get to be like a bear like this?” He said something like that. We went together, and I was anxious, and my mother was also anxious, hearing him talk like that. That hospital was Cheongsipja Hospital, and at that hospital, once a week, Dr. Jang Gi-ryeo would come. It happened that at that exact time we went, and we met and had an examination with Dr. Jang Gi-ryeo. Ah, it was the same kind of doctor, but the words were different. Seeing her, he thought she was a deaconess and said to my mother, “Deaconess, when you get older your blood pressure rises a bit. If you’re careful, it will be fine. Take this medicine, pray, keep your strength up, and stay active.” Then my mother said, “it feels like the illness is already cured.” Right. The same kind of doctor, but one takes away strength and one gives strength. If you have this power of the throne, it is an invisible power. It will certainly come.

2) [Nation]
Now, in every field, don’t say anything else, just pray for the kingdom of God to come. This does not mean waiting unconditionally in the sense of just waiting around. It means waiting for the kingdom of God to come. This doesn’t mean not doing anything else is unnecessary, but it means not doing other things so that this may come quickly.

(Watchtower)
Then what happens? This becomes what is called a guarding watchtower. Platform and watchtower are terms I made up simply for convenience, but this (throne, kingdom of God) is what is in the Bible.

3) [The nation’s work]
That is the nation’s work I mentioned. It means concentrating on this.

(Antenna)
So when you are connected with God, nothing is impossible – this is called an antenna. This is building the bartizan that shines this upon the 237 nations, 5,000 peoples.

Because this is impossible, God gave us this blessing (Main point 3). Because we have the mission to save the field, he said he sent you in the place of Jesus who had to go to that place himself. So what is the beginning of the blessing you are to receive? It is that he called you, as the bartizan, to be the watchman, the one who makes the way to receive answers all day and all night. This is certain.

So just do this prayer. If you look at history, there is nothing but confusion of every kind. Refer to it, but don’t listen to it. You must always study three kinds of history – world history, philosophy, and church history. When you have time, you must study them. You must study them, don’t just listen to them – that’s all useless talk. But if you don’t know them, you cannot find the way. All sorts of things happened in world history. But there is no answer. Church history also went back and forth constantly – there is no answer. From natural philosophy to today’s spiritual philosophy, there is no answer. But if you don’t know, you cannot find the way. Someone must show the way, but since you don’t know that confusing situation in the field, that’s why you study – there’s nothing to worry about.

▣ Conclusion

[1,000 bartizans]
This is the conclusion. We are now building 10 million bartizans.

[10 million bartizans]
For the gospel to enter the whole world, 10 million bartizans must arise. That’s why there are 10 million disciples. Ah, this (10 million bartizans) is not a word I made up. This is something the late evangelist Dr. Kim Jung-gon told me when he met me not long before he passed away. “Ah, that’s right,” he said. He was not someone who did things in a merely human way – he understood our heart well. He came and preached when our church was founded here. He also officiated when we moved and held the dedication service. Before that, he called me to come to the CCC building, and I went.

At that time he asked me all sorts of questions. What he asked most was, since he had listened to many of my sermon tapes, what was my source, my material? That question meant, where did this material come from? Well, I simply said that it was nothing special – just something I realized from the Word while continuing to evangelize in the field.

At that time, he told me that 10 million disciples must arise for the whole world to hear the gospel once. That’s right. So while we are building 1,000 bartizans right now, 10 million must arise.

This is possible through the power of the throne. Because it is the power of God. If you properly enjoy just this one blessing, darkness will certainly be broken in your life. So do not miss this prayer (the entire introduction). Sometimes in the evening, set aside people and concentrate so that this kingdom of God and its work and the blessing of the throne may come. Keep doing it. Once the answer comes, from then on the way will be visible.

On the other hand, what would happen if you spent time every day just worrying about this? Church leaders, deaconesses, ordained deacons, elders – do not be stressed. What happens if you keep being stressed? Someday something terrible will happen. What happens if you keep worrying? What happens if you keep listening to what people say? Then there is no end to it. If you concentrate on this power of God, it will certainly become the evidence found in Scripture.

From today, church leaders throughout the nation and the world, take courage and hold onto this covenant. I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ. Let us pray.

Prayer

We thank you, God. We thank you for the precious people of God and for establishing church leaders. Let them see the power of God by which they can build 10 million bartizans. We believe you will give new strength every day. We believe that as the days go by, God will give new grace. Raise us up as the main force who can evangelize the world. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

“So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.”
— Genesis 13:18 —

Praise
“Jesus Is the Christ“

Confession of Faith
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy universal Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body
And life everlasting. Amen.

Message
“The Reason for Raising the Seventy Workers” (Luke 10:17-20)
transcript …video

Prayer
7 Bartizans · 7 Journeys · 7 Guideposts

Sunday 1st Service Worship
Title/Scripture: Christ Who Broke the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-11)
Speaker: Pastor Ryu Kwangsu
Date/Location: August 14, 2022, Immanuel Church (Busan)

Summary

▣ Introduction

1. The gospel that cannot be blocked – the Jews, Pharisees, scribes, and chief priests tried to block the gospel but the early church completely won; Rome tried to block the gospel but Paul evangelized five important nations that Rome was controlling.

2. What happens when you do not know the gospel?
On the Sabbath, Jesus’ disciples picked wheat and rubbed it to eat, and Jesus healed a man with a withered hand, and the Pharisees who followed Him around to find evidence to accuse Jesus criticized this.
1) Because they do not know the gospel, even their zeal becomes a problem.
2) Later generations were scattered as slaves, captives, subjugated peoples, and wanderers.
3) The churches of the world are closing their doors. You must not be zealous about the wrong things.

3. The gospel
1) Enjoying the fact that the Triune God is with me invisibly
2) Gaining the qualification for the blessing of the throne to come whenever I pray
3) The content that completely changes one’s past, present, and future destiny
Because we could not obtain this, God promised Christ in advance.

▣ Main_ What covenant did the powerless early church grasp that changed the world?

1. What seemed to not match reality at all but was within the fulfillment of God’s absolute covenant – Christ is the one who completes the Sabbath, who can give true rest (verse 5).
While going the wilderness road, they were told to build the tabernacle; as soon as they returned from Babylon, they were told to build the temple; they were made to stand before the Red Sea and told to cross. It seems to not match reality, so people are deceived.
1) Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus who came to fulfill the law completely; His word is fulfilled without missing anything
2) John 2:19-22 With the courtyard of the Gentiles, the courtyard of the Remnant, and the courtyard of prayer being used for other purposes, He took a whip and said this temple could be destroyed and built in three days (resurrection).
3) John 19:30 It is finished.

2. The one whose master has changed
1) The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath (verse 5) – the Triune God is the master of my life, my work, and my church
The fact that I am the master is religion, an idol temple. It is the gospel when God becomes the master, and when God becomes the master it becomes the temple.
2) The moment the master changes, sickness is healed and destiny is reversed (Matthew 8:17, Luke 6:10).
3) The life movement can completely overcome the legalistic movement – the Pharisees were caught up in the system and had no idea of the content at all, having completely missed the essence.

3. It is Christ who gave true rest, more important than the Sabbath.
1) John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. The peace I give is not as the world gives.
2) Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
3) He does not tell the prodigal son to come after being restored, but to come just as he is, as a beggar.
4) Jesus healed those with incurable diseases and those possessed by demons. He completely changed their destiny.
5) Romans 8:31-39 Nothing can take away those who are in Christ.

▣ Conclusion

1. The resurrected Christ who changed the Sabbath into the Lord’s Day (John 20:1) – the Christ who is with us invisibly, seated on the throne

2. Every day is the Lord’s Day, the day of the Lord. Today is the Lord’s Day when we gather together.

3. Depression – enter a quiet and deep time and change your master. Entrust it to your master.

Transcript

Already 20 years ago, that’s 2002, right? It was when the World Cup was held in our country. Our country came in 4th place. So the whole world was shocked, wasn’t it. How enthusiastic everyone was at that time – didn’t they say our Republic of Korea people were the most united ever? Well, of course, women don’t really understand what it’s about. Women watch dramas even during the World Cup. So it was total chaos. The Hiddink statue was erected and things happened that will remain in history. If our Korea had gone to the World Cup and beaten Germany, the favorite to win, 3 to 0, what would that be like? And if Korea had made it to the finals doing that, what would that be like? If they made it to the finals and faced Brazil and won 5 to 0, that would be like a dream story.

▣ Introduction

1. The gospel that cannot be blocked
Now, something like this happened in the early church. The Jews, Pharisees, scribes, and chief priests, these people, tried to completely block the gospel. But Israel was completely defeated. The early church won. It was truly a 3 to 0 victory. How long did Rome struggle to block the gospel? But in the early church, a figure named Paul appeared and evangelized five very important nations that Rome was controlling. That’s why I say “they won 5 to 0.”

2. What happens when you do not know the gospel?
How could such a thing happen? Uh, when you do not know the gospel, what happens first? Like the Pharisees back then, when they did not know the gospel, they followed Jesus around and criticized what He did. Looking at verse 2, Jesus’ disciples were hungry, so they picked the wheat and rubbed it like this – the wheat? They probably blew off the husk and ate it. So the Pharisees followed along, hiding and watching, and said, how can you do such a thing on the Sabbath day? Since they picked and rubbed it on the Sabbath day, they did work. How can that be allowed? If you don’t understand the gospel, this is inevitable, isn’t it? Who wants to talk like that? But it comes out anyway. Jesus said this. “Have you not read what David, your revered ancestor, did when he and those with him were hungry – he ate the consecrated bread that only the priests are allowed to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” Also, looking at verse 7, they were following Him in hiding to find evidence to accuse Jesus. So on that Sabbath day, He healed a man with a withered hand. In the text? Why do this on the Sabbath? They were trying to accuse Jesus now. Jesus said this. “Which is right on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it, to do good or to do evil?” When He said this, the Pharisees, as we see in verse 11 today, “were filled with rage.” This is what happens – a traditional Jewish church, a church that God allowed, but when these Pharisees do not know the gospel, this is what happens to them. It’s terrifying. They just keep looking for something to fight about.

Are you perhaps like this in the churches of the world? I was shocked when I visited other churches that are in conflict. When I was living the life of faith with you all and saw people like that, I thought, “Wow, are these people even saved?” to that extent, to the point of not understanding. They just look for something to fight over. They don’t even pray at dawn prayer. They write down things to fight about, today’s prayer topic, subjects to fight over.

1) Because they do not know the gospel, even their zeal becomes a problem.
Now, because they cannot understand the gospel, they keep this tremendous day of the Sabbath incorrectly, rather observing it in a problematic way. Do not do anything at all – that’s how it is. That’s the way they keep it. Then do you leave a person to die? Do you leave someone who is drowning in water alone? Do not walk more than five ri. Because of this, wouldn’t walking more than five ri be considered labor? So do not walk more than five ri. Then what do people who live more than ten ri away do? Then can’t they come to worship at church? What those who live ten ri away do is walk five ri at night, the day before. Then they walked five ri, right? They plant a stake and go home. Then they’ve already walked ten ri, right? Then the next day I come again up to here. Then I’ve walked fifteen ri, right? “I planted a stake here yesterday, so I’ve only walked five ri.” They came like this. That’s twenty ri, right? In the end, they go home? They walked thirty ri. This is the kind of thing the Jews did. So you don’t know how terrifying it is to not understand the gospel now. Because they don’t know the gospel, even their zeal becomes a problem, right?

2) Later generations were scattered as slaves, captives, subjugated peoples, and wanderers.
What good is it to be zealous without knowing the gratitude and gratefulness for the salvation God gave me, the content of the gospel? This is why the Israelite people’s later generations were scattered as slaves, as captives, as a subjugated nation, and later as wanderers.

3) The churches of the world are closing their doors. You must not be zealous about the wrong things.
I’m sorry to say that the churches of the world are now hastily closing their doors. You must not do other things. Isn’t that right. What else would you be zealous about? If your life of faith is sufficient with just attending worship, that is proper faith, right? Because you don’t know the gospel, this doesn’t happen. It’s called the gospel in words, but you don’t actually know it.

3. The gospel
1) Enjoying the fact that the Triune God is with me invisibly
This is tremendous. Isn’t the gospel a tremendous thing, enjoying the fact that the Triune God is with us invisibly? Right?

2) Gaining the qualification for the blessing of the throne to come whenever I pray
Gaining this qualification for the blessing of the throne to come upon you whenever you pray is the gospel. Because we could not obtain this, God promised that Jesus would send Christ. He promised it in advance. That is what the Old Testament is.

3) The content that completely changes one’s past, present, and future destiny
This content that completely changes your past, present, and future, that changes your destiny, is the gospel. Because there is none of this power, this is what happens.

▣ Main_ What covenant did the powerless early church grasp that changed the world?

What covenant did the early church of only 120 people grasp that you should hold onto today, that changed the world?

I received strength from thinking a lot this past week. Pastor Lee Seonghun submitted a report, and looking at it, it started a month ago when I said “Let’s build our temple.” I told you a month ago. But how much have you, our elders, our building committee members, prayed? It’s only been a month, and 75 billion won came in. I expected it, but I was surprised at the speed. “Wow, this…” We are aiming for 100 billion won now, but I could feel that “God is truly accomplishing this with a definite plan.” Actually, such a case is rare. Even after a year of advertising, less than half participate. That’s usually how churches are, right? Some churches, when they try to build, go through trials and fights, don’t they? Even building one small church, they go through all kinds of trials. I was amazed looking at you all. I was amazed at you all from long ago too. When I came, I thought, “Can this become a church?” seeing just a few grandmothers and a few people sitting there, but that was my mistake.

How did this powerless early church of 120 people defeat the Jews and defeat Rome, that is the question.

1. What seemed to not match reality at all but was within the fulfillment of God’s absolute covenant – Christ is the one who completes the Sabbath, who can give true rest (verse 5).
First. It seemed to not match reality at all, but it was within the fulfillment of God’s absolute covenant. That would be fine, right? It was within the fulfillment of God’s absolute covenant, but if you think about it a bit, it doesn’t match reality well. This is where people are deceived. It’s hard enough going the wilderness road, and God says “build the tabernacle” like this, right? Not having recovered their senses after returning from Babylon, “rebuild the temple.” Bringing the Israelite people in front of the sea and saying “cross over.” So people without faith absolutely cannot understand this. But what do people with saving faith say? They know what the fulfillment of God’s absolute covenant is. Looking at this, what do we say? Christ did not break the Sabbath, He is the one who completes the Sabbath. That is exactly what is contained in it. He is the completer of the Sabbath who can give true rest.

1) Matthew 5:17-18
Matthew chapter 5, verses 17-18 say this. “I did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. Not one jot or tittle of God’s word will fail to be accomplished.” That’s what He said.

2) John 2:19-22
What appears in John chapter 2, verses 19-22? The temple that God should abolish is like Herod’s temple. Jesus took a whip and struck it, it says. Why? Where did Jesus take the whip and strike? It wasn’t people He struck. What did He strike? In the courtyard where the Gentiles should come, they were exchanging money there. They didn’t know about missions. In the Remnant’s courtyard, where children should come, they were inspecting animals for sacrifice. In the courtyard of prayer, where many people should come to be healed without their fire being put out, they were conducting all sorts of events. Jesus struck those stalls with a whip. So the Pharisees picked a fight again. “Why are you being so violent?” Jesus said this. “This temple can be destroyed and rebuilt in three days.” So they said, “He’s crazy. Rebuild in three days what took forty-six years to build?” “I will die and rise again in three days. That is the temple.” He said. Jesus is the completer who gives true rest, that’s what I’m saying. Right?

3) John 19:30
In John chapter 19, verse 30, among the seven sayings Jesus spoke on the cross, what is the most important word? He said, “It is finished.” The early church was within that. If you are within the covenant being fulfilled by Christ, the true completer of the Sabbath, of course you win, right? Our elders who have been here since the early days are present, right? That is the first thing I said when I gathered the elders. At that time, when Elder Kang Chilse and a few others were there, I said this. “If I am truly one who evangelizes, won’t God bless our church?” I said that, right? “If we truly evangelize, no matter who persecutes and speaks against us, if we preach the gospel, God will bless us.” I said that. Finally, the time has come to build a proper temple here, that’s it. I was truly amazed looking at you all. So our 1,000 bartizans –

is it building 750 of them now, and you all have brought in 75 billion won like this, now. I’m not surprised because of the money, I’m surprised because of your speed, now. How earnestly you all were waiting, that’s how this is happening. And how much you all are holding onto the word and praying, that’s it.

Who can defeat one who is within the fulfillment of God’s absolute covenant? Does Rome win or do the Jews win?

2. The one whose master has changed
Second. The one whose master has changed.
1) The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath (verse 5) – the Triune God is the master of my life, my work, and my church
Jesus said this. In verse 5, I am Lord of the Sabbath. You all, the master of my life is God. Right? You need to be within that. The master of my life is God. The master of my work is the Triune God. The master of our church is the Triune God, that’s what I’m saying. Who can stop this? Right? Who can stop it? If I become the master, that is called religion. It is the gospel when God becomes the master. When I become the master, that is called idol worship. When God becomes the master, it becomes the temple. Right? Now, “become a Buddha” – that’s religion. I’m not saying which is right or wrong. That is religion. It’s extremely dangerous. That “you become like God” that greatly harms you, that is what Satan said. In the Garden of Eden. “Hey, you don’t need God. Become like God.” This is the New Age movement now. It has captured America. America doesn’t know it. Even American churches read the books these people wrote. “Find the hero within yourself” – that is all New Age messaging.

So, the question is who is our master. Is your master you? If I am my own master, what would be the characteristic? I should be able to do as I please. That is what being the master means. And I mean, can I do as I please? Then, after building the whole temple, living for about 200 years, going around having fun, and when it becomes bothersome, saying “I’m leaving” and leaving – can I do that as I please?

2) The moment the master changes, sickness is healed and destiny is reversed (Matthew 8:17, Luke 6:10).
Matthew chapter 8, verse 17 says Jesus healed all the sick, but what does this simply mean? The moment that person’s master changed, the sickness was also healed. Destiny was reversed. Today Jesus called the man with the withered hand to stand up and healed him with just one word. Who can just do that? Who the master is matters. It is a matter of who is the master of my life and who is the master of the church.

3) The life movement can completely overcome the legalistic movement.
So the life movement can completely defeat the legalistic movement. This person was trapped in the system and had no idea about the content at all. These people completely missed the essence. So they picked a fight over the fact that he rubbed the wheat, the grain. If someone is sick on the Sabbath, shouldn’t they be healed just because it’s the Sabbath? That’s nonsensical talk.

You only need to think about this briefly today. “From now on I will remain within the covenant that God will surely fulfill.” I also have many problems, and we may also face problems. Sickness can also occur. “I am changing my master, and my master is the Triune God.” Jesus said, “I am Lord of the Sabbath.”

3. It is Christ who gave true rest, more important than the Sabbath.
The last, third point. It is Christ who gave true rest, more important than the Sabbath.

1) John 14:27
It is not the Sabbath that matters, but rest that matters. Right? “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.” Jesus said this.

2) Matthew 11:28
How can the world give such peace? “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Who dares to say such a thing? Religion says to solve your problems and come. But He says to come exactly as you are, laboring and heavy laden. Religion is different. “Hey, fix all your deeds (behavior) first, discipline yourself, and then come.” God says to just come as you are.

3) He does not tell the prodigal son to come after being restored, but to come just as he is, as a beggar.
It’s not that the prodigal son comes after being restored. He is told to come exactly as he is, in the state of a beggar.

4) Jesus healed those with incurable diseases and those possessed by demons. He completely changed their destiny.
He healed incurable diseases. Jesus did nothing that overstepped the work that should be done by doctors. He healed incurable patients. He healed those possessed by demons. In simple terms, He changed their destiny. This is true rest.

5) Romans 8:31-39
So if you all firmly hold onto this covenant, evidence will surely come. No one can knock you down before the evidence comes. Why? Romans chapter 8, verses 31 and 39 say, “No power, however strong, can separate those who are in Christ.”

Twenty years ago I hurt this hand, and even now it still sticks out a bit like this. After finishing dawn prayer, I went to exercise. At the Choryang Judo hall, I was doing judo, and that day, some judo athletes came from some technical high school or something. Many students came, like this. The head of the hall said, “Hey, Pastor, since these athletes came to exercise today, why don’t you join in with them.” Wow, I was so shocked. They were really fast athletes, I was completely surprised. In judo, the most important thing is “gripping.” The moment I properly gripped and tried to throw, this hand went out (twisted). Wow, they were so strong! Even a strong person, when these kids grip you, I thought, “This is how different an athlete is.” I couldn’t move at all. We say we’re black belts, but we can’t even compare to these kids. “Ah, this is the difference.” Can a weak person win when a strong person is holding on? Christ is holding you with His strong, mighty hand – who can take you away or attack you, that’s what I’m saying.

▣ Conclusion

1. The resurrected Christ who changed the Sabbath into the Lord’s Day (John 20:1) – the Christ who is with us invisibly, seated on the throne

What matters more is the conclusion. What is the conclusion? The Sabbath, simply put, is Saturday. God changed it to the Lord’s Day. John chapter 20, verse 1 says “the first day after the Sabbath.” What day is the first day after the Sabbath? It’s Sunday, right? That is when Jesus resurrected. So we continue to keep that day.

So it’s a bit different. The completely resurrected Christ – this refers to the Christ who is with me even now. The Christ who is with us now, invisibly seated on the throne. What matters more is that today is the Lord’s Day when we gather together. Right?

2. Every day is the Lord’s Day, the day of the Lord. Today is the Lord’s Day when we gather together.

What matters more? We consider every day the Lord’s Day. So the idea that “only Sunday is the Lord’s Day” is something we need to think about a bit more. Right? Monday is the Lord’s day, Tuesday is the Lord’s Day, Wednesday is the Lord’s Day, Saturday is the Lord’s Day, Sunday is the Lord’s Day too. However, Sunday is when we agree to gather together, that’s what I’m saying. Because the Lord resurrected on that day. So we keep it. So this is the worship of the church that started when the disciples gathered by the command of the resurrected Christ. How important is that?

In Japan, Tokyo University is tremendous. A graduate of Tokyo University came to me in the early days and said this. Simply put, it meant many people in your churches are ignorant. Do this, do that. Otherwise, this tremendous movement will close down within 3 years. I said, understood, thank you. But did I really think that inside? He himself closed down within 3 years.

I went up to Seoul in the Gangseo area, and a big church in Gangseo invited me for a revival meeting. But looking at the church, it was a big church. During the gathering, our team –

was so peculiar. I understand that person. No, while his church was holding its own revival meeting, you all came an hour early and took up all the seats. So the members couldn’t even come in and were left outside. This pastor was so upset, saying how can this happen. Even so, at our church’s worship revival meeting, we invited the pastor as the speaker, but other people came and sat everywhere so our own church members couldn’t come in and were all left outside, that’s what he said. The church members couldn’t even come in, he said. I understand that much. Because the place was so packed, people trying to get front seats climbed through the windows. You all were that eager back then. But how can this happen, he said. “Pastor, your sermon is such a waste, I feel. How can you bring such church members around?” It’s not that I brought them around – it’s that they came saying that from various places. “This organization won’t last. It will collapse within 10 years.” He must have been so angry to say that. Remarkably, within 10 years, that church went bankrupt while building a building and closed down. Truly astonishing – that church was completely destroyed, and while digging the ground for construction, they gave up.

3. Depression – enter a quiet and deep time and change your master. Entrust it to your master.

As you all hold onto this covenant and move forward, there are also many cases of depression, even in America, and I too have such struggles. Don’t worry and don’t listen to what people say. Truly enter a quiet and deep time and change your master. On the day the master changes, a work happens. How? Don’t even ask that. Ask your master. What will happen to me? Don’t ask that either. Entrust it to your master.

What is written at that bathhouse somewhere? We are not responsible for items not entrusted to the owner. You all – God is the master, and you must entrust it to Him for Him to take responsibility, that’s what I’m saying. May the prayer for the work of the covenant that saves the world begin, I bless you in the name of Jesus. Let us pray.

Prayer

Thank You, God. We thank You for giving us the gospel. We also thank You for allowing us to preach the gospel. We thank You, God, for allowing us to build the temple needed for world evangelization now that the time has come. We thank You for giving our members a calling and the grace to be able to do it. Please let our lives leave the footprints of Christ in history. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

“So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.”
— Genesis 13:18 —

Praise
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God“

Confession of Faith
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy universal Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body
And life everlasting. Amen.

Message
“Christ who Broke the Sabbath” (Luke 6:1-11)
transcript …video

Prayer
7 Bartizans · 7 Journeys · 7 Guideposts