Blessing of those who have been left behind
Mark 7:12~20 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) (18~19) Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #382 Be Not Dismayed Whate’er Betide (#432 in previous version) ‘Those who remain’ refers to those who have survived to save the age even after difficulties or much suffering. God will raise these people at the summit and have given to them the blessing of being an evangelism disciple who saves others. But even though we have been called as those who remain, we suffer because we fail to realize our blessings. We must receive the blessing of those who remain today.
1. God will never abandon us Because all men are sinners who have left God, no matter how kindly they are, they cannot escape God’s judgment. Not only that, all men cannot escape from the hands of Satan. However, God has opened the path to salvation and will never abandon us. God sent us Jesus Christ to save us. He promised to throw our sins deep into the ocean after we entered into salvation (Isaiah 7:19).
2. He showed us both the problem and its answer If we do not realize the covenant, we will suffer, no matter that we are the ones who have been left by God. That is why God has showed us both the cause and its solution. All problems began when mankind left God and are now in the palm and authority of Satan and the background of hell. When we are within this, no matter the success, it will never be true success. But God gave us the solution (Genesis 3:15) and Jesus Christ, who is the solution to all our problems came to earth (Matthew 5:2). All of our problems were solved through Jesus Christ.
3. God blesses the lives of those whom He has left behind God blesses the lives of those whom He has left behind. A blessed life refers to not having to rely on others but looking solely to the Lord. No matter how much we conflict, we cannot overcome Satan’s authority, and no matter how great a person, we cannot avoid the sins that are a result of leaving God. That is why we need to look solely to Jesus Christ for the remainder of our lives. If we focus even for a day on Jesus Christ who is the solution to all of our problems, we will enjoy the blessings of those whom God has left behind to stand as those who remain.
- Today is the opportunity. In the time you have remaining, enjoy the blessing of the one who remains while looking to Christ. Then you will stand upon the spiritual summit and accurately see both the problems and answers. Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 2nd Service / 2012. 5 27