Matthew 16:16. Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
The Triune God’s Salvation and the Answer of 25
It is an answer we always receive, but it is one we must receive today. It is the salvation of the Triune God and the answer of 25 that the people of the world do not know. “You are the Christ.” (Matthew 16:16). Through this word—Christ—we come to see the blessing of the salvation of the Triune God. The word Christ is very important. That’s why the word Christmas means “the day of Christ.” It is the word Christ combined with (mas).
▣ Introduction – “It is finished”
Christ said on the cross, “It is finished.” But things don’t seem to go well for us. Though He said “It is finished,” many things still don’t work out for us. As a result, we end up grabbing hold of something else. If there is something in your life that doesn’t work, you must examine it carefully—that’s the starting point. For example, if you say “I’m sick,” you must start by asking “How am I sick?” You shouldn’t be sick and say, “I’m not sick.” Christ said, “It is finished,” yet my business isn’t working. You can’t just force what’s not working to work. You must begin accurately from the place that’s not working.
Joseph made this confession at the end of his life. When he became the governor of Egypt and met his brothers, he confessed: “It wasn’t you who sent me here, but God who sent me ahead.” When Joseph came as a slave, for most people, that would have been suffering. But Joseph said it was God who sent him. That’s where the critical beginning was made. And so, God blessed everything Joseph did. Then think about it: which is better—eating meals comfortably with your brothers at home and facing hardship, or being a slave in Potiphar’s house but receiving blessing and recognition?
What Is Invisible
Joseph saw what was unseen as Joseph’s brothers failed because they only saw what was visible.
[The Spiritual Realm (3 John 1:2)]
This is why we must remember: the spiritual realm is critically essential. That’s why in 3 John 1:2, it says, “I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
[Brain, Soul, and Nation]
What you think and say—all of it gets imprinted in your brain. That’s why thoughts are important. That’s also why we should watch our words. But they go beyond that—they get imprinted into your soul. That’s how important it is. So the kind of spiritual world you have, though unseen, is extremely important.
If you say, “Ah, I don’t need that kind of thing,” then you’ll just grow old and die. But should you just grow old and die? Shouldn’t you live beautifully and age purposefully, rather than just grow old and say, “Oh well, I guess this is how I die”? Is that God’s will? This doesn’t just end. It is connected to the throne and eternity.
[Vision (Acts 2:17–18)]
That’s why you need to have a clear vision. How clear? Clear enough to discover what’s wrong. For example, if you’re going somewhere and you used to bring a map, but now without one, you wouldn’t know if you were on the right path or not. So in Acts 2:17–18, after being filled with the Holy Spirit, three things are mentioned: “You will prophesy, see visions, and dream dreams.”
[24·25·Eternity]
How clear must it be? Clear enough that you can always pray. You must begin seeking today. It may seem like nothing, but it changes your future in a tremendous way.
[The Age]
When this is restored, regardless of your education or age, you begin to see the present age.
▣ Main Point – The Mystery
So God spoke of a few mysteries that the people of the world do not know. Even many Christians don’t understand. That’s why there’s no answer.
1. Christ Before the Ages (The Past)
What is the first mystery? What does “Christ before the ages” mean? This is a very important matter, but even Christians don’t understand it well. Not knowing Christ before the ages is connected to something huge. Simply put, there are disasters that come from my past. Right? There is nothing you can do about them. You may wonder, “Why is my family like this?” But there are disasters that have come from the past. Can the law talk give answers? No. How can the courts explain the disasters and problems that come from the past? They don’t know. But it’s important. Can schools teach this? They can’t. That’s why, if you don’t know this truth, as you grow older, you keep returning to the past. That’s a frightening truth. Some people hated the spiritual problems in their family, yet as they age, they end up doing the same things. This is a very important issue.
1) Genesis 1:26–27
Simply put, the phrase “Christ before the ages” is already revealed in Genesis 1:26–27, where it says during the creation of mankind, “Let us make man in our image.” It doesn’t say “God said” but “Let us.” This shows that already at the time of creation, the Triune God was at work. But because people don’t understand this (Genesis 1:27), they cannot understand why their current spiritual state and the things from their past are connected to this answer. Scripture says that even David was saved by believing in Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:41-46).
2) Genesis 1:2 (Darkness)
To explain more easily: from before the ages, Genesis 1:2 speaks of destruction—darkness, emptiness, and chaos. Darkness—this is a terrifying thing. These kinds of things follow us like fate. When you realize, “Ah, Christ solved this problem,” it may seem like nothing. When you believe it, the work begins. This is the invisible work (the spiritual world, 3 John 1:2).
If you say, “There’s no Satan,” then fine. But if he exists, then he follows you. When does he leave? When you believe this (the introduction). That’s when he breaks. For example, when does a con artist leave you alone? When he realizes, “Ah, this person knows I’m a con artist.” That’s when he gives up. If you don’t know, he keeps following and deceiving you.
A thief who keeps robbing a house—when does he stop going? When he realizes, “The owner noticed I’m a thief.” Then he stops coming. This is a very important teaching. So the Bible isn’t written with meaningless content. People casually say “Christ,” but it is an incredibly important word.
3) Genesis 1:3 (Light)
This means that the light of creation given before the ages is what we need. People may not understand this at first, but it’s actually the closest thing to mankind.
4) Ephesians 1:3–4
So from before the ages, the Bible speaks like this: “He chose us in Him before the creation of the world.” That’s what it says. So Genesis 3:15 and Exodus 3:18—those amazing promises—were already prepared before us.
2. The Incarnate Christ
Now, this means Christ came in human flesh. Isn’t that also a difficult thing to understand? Why did He come in human flesh? Because He came to save people. If He were going to save animals, He would have come in the form of an animal, but He came to save humans. That’s why important words like receiving come from this.
(John 1:12, Galatians 2:20)
So in John 1:12, it says, “To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name,” and in Galatians 2:20, it says, “Christ lives in me. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”
1) Satan
Simply put, from this moment on, you are freed from the authority of darkness. This is an extremely important statement. Many of you may not fully understand it, but shamans understand it immediately. Why? Because they suffer so much, but the moment they receive Jesus, it all ends.
This answer and blessing are already in you—you just don’t realize it. So what happens when you do realize it? You begin to enjoy what prayer is, what worship is, what every moment is. Those who understand this will know that all answers are given during worship. That’s why Jesus said, “Believe that you have received it.” That’s what it means when He says, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” And, “Believe that you have received what you asked for in prayer.” But wait—how can I believe I received something when I haven’t received it yet?
If you don’t understand this invisible spiritual realm, then you won’t understand any of these statements. “How can I believe I received it when I haven’t?” He says, “When you pray and ask in faith, believe that you have received it.” This is not just encouragement. This is the precise truth. That’s why you must believe that all your past is finished in the covenant of Christ—because it will follow you to the end unless you do.
2) Hell
You are not just freed from Satan; you are freed from the background of hell. Isn’t that amazing?
3) Curse
You are freed from curses. The moment you receive Christ, you are freed.
3. The Resurrected Christ
Then Christ rose from the dead. “How does resurrection happen?” These questions come because people don’t understand the whole of human history. Everyone will be resurrected. But what must we now hold as our covenant?
1) Authority
Christ rose and even now is working with all authority in heaven and on earth. That’s why we must take the time to enjoy the blessings in the introduction. That’s why worship is important. You should gain tremendous strength during worship if your spiritual state is healthy. You are an important person for this age. You must gain strength. You don’t need this power if you’re not even saved or live like everybody. But since God called you for world evangelization, He will give you strength.
2) Healing
How sure is this evidence? He said, “In My name, demons will flee, the sick will rise, and healing will come.”
3) The Advocate
And to what extent? “The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, will completely protect you, bless you with grace, and teach you.” Once you know this, you cannot help but pray. Most people only pray when they decide to do so, meaning their spiritual state is such that prayer is unnatural. That’s a huge loss. Prayer is such a comfortable and wonderful thing—why wouldn’t you do it?
4. Christ the Coming Lord
Christ, who will come again as the returning Lord—this is a promise He has made. It is connected to your future.
1) Acts 1:11
He will return as the coming Lord. When will He come?
2) Matthew 24:14
Don’t listen to all sorts of irrelevant talk: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
3) John 14:1–3
Jesus clearly said, “I am going there to prepare a place for you… and I will come back and take you to be with me.” Thankfully, as science continues to develop, even spiritual truths are being confirmed scientifically. That’s why even some outstanding figures—though they do not believe in God—have begun to say, “Ah, the earth will eventually be destroyed.” They’ve begun to predict this. But the Bible had already prophesied this long ago. So when that end comes, every human being will be resurrected.
5. The Judge
He will also come as the Judge. He has given us a sure answer about this. That’s why it says, “You will be raised again.” In Romans 6:5, it says that in the end times, “all people will be raised.”
1) 1 Corinthians 15:20
Christ’s resurrection is just the firstfruits—a sign of what is to come.
2) Romans 6:5
“We will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.” This statement may seem meaningless to some. But if this covenant is realized within you, it becomes a tremendous statement.
3) Background
What is your background? What is the background of your work and your life? If that background is hell, it’s serious. What if your master is the devil? Then what will happen? The world knows nothing about these critical truths. They just try to make a living and think that if they make a lot of money, that must be good. But while they’re doing that, they fall into tremendous suffering and ruin. Even if someone makes a lot of money, if they have no true background, where will that money go? It may look like a lot, but even so, what then?
We see our politicians getting into all kinds of scandals. They’ve embezzled tens of millions, but even if you have all that, you can only eat three meals a day. Right? And they’re not happy. Because they’ve hidden the money, they can’t even use it freely. So even while they’re holding onto piles of cash, they can’t spend it, so they borrow—and so it goes. Some people are heavily invested in stocks, but have no actual money. Some own lots of land but have not a penny in cash. They live and die in that kind of suffering.
What is our background? You must uncover this from what was given in the introduction. Be clear about it. Why? Because no matter what anyone says, you will receive answers according to your beliefs. Right? No matter what anyone says, you will receive answers in proportion to how deep your spiritual world has become. So you must firmly hold to the covenant.
▣ Conclusion – The Future
What is invisible determines your future. Absolutely. Even if you have no strength now, if you truly hold to the covenant, that’s how the future will unfold. Even if you are strong now, if what you’re holding spiritually is hollow and incorrect, your future will go that way.
Don’t be deceived by what the world says. Your age doesn’t matter at all. Going forward, churches also need to prepare in many new ways. Every member of our church must first uncover the blessing of gaining strength. May today be the greatest day of your life. I bless you in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Prayer. Lord, I thank You. Let today become the Lord’s Day. Let every day of our week also become the Lord’s day. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.