|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Bible
Search |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| Total 23articles, Now page is 1 / 2pages |
|
THE GOSPEL MUST FIRST BE PREACHED TO ALL NATIONS
Mark 13:1-23
Key Verse 13:10
??And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.??
In this passage, one of Jesus?? disciples was amazed at the temple. ??Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!?? Probably the scale and beauty of the temple captured his mind. But how did Jesus reply. ??Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.??
Jesus prophesied the destruction of the temple. The temple was built as the house of God. Jesus called it a house of prayer for all nations. Temple is the place where people come in prayer and worship God. Temple is the place where the Spirit of God dwells. But the religious leaders made it a den of robbers. They made the temple as the center of their business. When the temple loses its purpose, it was nothing but a building. Temple is not about the size or beauty of the buildings. Temple must be the place where God??s spirit dwells. In the same way, our body is the temple of God. When we accept Jesus by faith, the Spirit of God comes and dwells in us. The Spirit of God leads us and makes us holy. The spirit of God changes us and uses us for his glory. When God??s spirit dwells among us, we become the temple of God no matter how we look. I heard that when we moved to our current center building, it was a beautiful church building with many stained glasses. But Dr. Samuel Lee broke all the stained glasses so that people might concentrate on the word of God. Sometimes we want to make our ministry more attractive and appealing to young people. But most importantly we must build our ministry to be God??s dwelling place where God??s spirit works mightily and his name be praised. May God bless our Friday meeting and raise many young people to struggle with the word of God each week through testimony writing. I also must offer my body as God??s dwelling place through Bible study and prayer.
Shocked by Jesus?? reply, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Jesus privately, ??Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled???
Jesus said to them: ??Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ??I am he,?? and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.??
In this passage, we learn the Biblical view of history. Jesus says that there is the end. Some people think that history goes nowhere. Others think that history circles around again and again. Most people even don??t care about history. But Jesus said that the end is coming. This reminds me of Noah??s time. When People were engaged only with eating, drinking, and getting married, God was grieved. Then God told Noah that he would wipe out the world with flood in 120 years. During that time, by faith Noah built an ark. However, people didn??t believe God??s judgment and indulged in their physical desires. In any reason they were deceived by their physical desires. The consequence was God??s punishment. In this passage Jesus warns us not to be deceived. Instead we must live by faith as Noah did. As Noah obeyed the word of God in that godless time, we also must obey the word of God by faith in our time. We should not be deceived by our physical desire as people in Noah??s time did. Instead we must prepare the end. Like Noah who built and entered the ark of salvation by faith, we must build and enter our ark of salvation, which is Jesus Christ. No one can save us from our sins and God??s righteous judgment. But Jesus said, ??I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.??
Secondly Jesus saw the troubles of the world as the beginning of birth pains. When we put our hope in the world, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines really trouble our hearts. Rising gas price, subprime mortgage crisis, signs of recession, global warming, Iraq war as well as our personal issues with family, friends, job, exams and financial situation really trouble our hearts. We don??t want trouble, right? However Jesus said that these troubles are the beginning of birth pains. Birth pains are painful. But after the pains, there is hope and joy with new life. Therefore, we should not be alarmed or afraid of troubles and sufferings of the world. Romans 5:3-5 say, ??Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.?? Also 1Peter 1:6, 7 say, ??In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.?? May God help us to rejoice in our sufferings with hope and to give glory, praise and honor to God when Jesus Christ is revealed through our faith.
I repent that I have avoided sufferings of fishing, deep Bible study and early morning prayer this quarter. Last quarter when I went out fishing faithfully each week, God helped me to experience the power of prayer by sending several new Bible students. However, this quarter I became lazy and complacent. May God help me to suffer by faith with hope and joy until Jesus Christ is revealed.
Thirdly, we must be witnesses of the gospel to all nations. Since we know the truth of God??s judgment and salvation through his Son Jesus Christ, what shall we do? Verse 10 read. ??And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.?? The gospel is good news to everyone, everywhere. Some say, ??Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.?? They need the gospel with the resurrection hope. Some despair and worry due to the sufferings of the world. They need the gospel with hope in Jesus. People need the gospel and we need to be witnesses of the gospel. According to Jesus, when we live as witnesses of the gospel we will be persecuted and hated even by our family members. But we don??t need to worry because we are not alone, but God is with us through his Holy Spirit.
May God help us to prepare the end through Jesus Christ. May God help us to have the hope of God in the midst of sufferings and troubles. May God help us to live as witnesses of the gospel to those who live without hope and joy.
- Message by Hosea Lee at the Friday Meeting (2/9/2008) |
|
| |
