{Exodus 3:1-12}
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned." When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" He said, "But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."
[Rev. Dwight Yoo]
1) When Moses meets God
Moses is on the west side of the wilderness. This is fairly far from where he was currently living. This is not usually where he would be, but this probably was a result of his shepherding duties. It is here that Moses sees this burning bush. This is usually considered the point of Moses' conversion. He probably knew about God. But he didn't know God. Much like celebrities of today, we know much about them. But we don't know them.
2) What Moses learns about God
God meets Moses when he was facing the fact that his life did not turn out the way he expected or wanted.
God meets Moses through this burning bush... What does this mean?
God was the God over all nature and creation. God was able to take a bush, set it aflame, and keep it continually burning. A fire that does not consume is not natural.
God is a holy God. Fire is symbolic of holiness. God meets Abraham as a firepot. God tells Moses to take off his sandals. This is a sign of respect. Not only that, but Moses hides his face in terror. God is so holy, it is terrifying.
God is a personal & loving God. He calls Moses, "Moses, Moses". The repetition of a name is a term of endearment. God draws Moses near. He desires us to be near. He talks of the affliction of Israel and His desire to deliver them. God has a love for His people.
But there is a tension here. A terrifyingly holy God who has a heart for sinners. The holiness of God would cause sinners to die. So what then?
3) The Result of meeting God
We are humbled into His service.
Instead of everything revolving around us, our world begins to revolve around Him. We make God into this genie. We ask God for things & miracles, but we are not here to serve Him.
It makes us bold for His service.
God is with us while we are serving. This is not just the "comforting" God. He is also the God who parted the Red Sea, who does miracles. That is also the God who is with us. We can do all things in Christ.
Christian Medical and Dental Association
Sep 5, 2010
The Gospel According To Moses: The Faithfulness Of God When He Seems Silent (Part II)
[Exodus 2:1-25]
Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews’ children." Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, "Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?" And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, "Go." So the girl went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, "Because," she said, "I drew him out of the water."
One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, "Why do you strike your companion?" He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known." When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, "How is it that you have come home so soon today?" They said, "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock." He said to his daughters, "Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread." And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land."
During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
{Rev. Dwight Yoo}
First of all, Pharaoh and the other Egyptians were afraid of the Israelites. They plotted to kill all the Israelite boys. They told the midwives to kill all the boys, but the midwives disobeyed. They disobeyed because they feared God. So this Levite couple has a baby boy. They kept him for 3 months, but probably realized they could not hide him anymore. So they built this basket and floated him down the river. His basket floated down the river and he was found by Pharaoh's daughter. He ends up being brought up by his mother until he is weaned. Then he enters the Pharaoh's daughter's household. He probably had the best education available in Egypt.
There are also other interesting details. Moses was the son of Levites. So he was born into a tribe that was responsible for spiritual leadership. His life bears lots of parallels with the people of Israel. He is drawn from the water. The Israelites were saved from the Red Sea. He lived as an alien in a foreign land, which also happens to the Israelites. Moses pre-lives Israel's history.
Moses grows up. 40 years later, Moses sees his people. This means Moses had identifies himself with Israel. He had a choice to identify himself with the Egyptians. He was heir apparent to the throne. But he rejects this. He kills an Egyptian and gets rejected by fellow Hebrews. He ends up a shepherd in a foreign land. He knew the suffering of his people and he wanted to free them, but he tried to do it his way. This didn't work.
Principles
1) Despite appearances, God perfectly orchestrates our lives for His purpose.
Our lives are completely under God's control. He takes both good and bad events to fulfill his purposes and also to our good. All of our past prepares us for where we are now and where we will be in the future. There are things we are not proud of, mistakes we've made, but God uses those as well. It doesn't always look like God's doing something, but He works it out. It might not happen the way we want or expect, but God uses all of these things for good.
2) Despite appearances, God perfect orchestrates our lives for His purpose in His time.
Perhaps, we have a timeline in our minds. However, the timeline God has in store might be completely different. We want to graduate at this time. Then get married, then have a kid... ,etc. We are tempted to compare our lives to other people and their success and accomplishments. But God is working and preparing us for the future. Moses was learning to be a shepherd. Herding sheep for 40 years in a foreign land.
3) God humbles those He loves and uses.
Moses is bold. He hates injustice and will stand up for people. These are admirable qualities. But Moses was serving in his own strength. God takes him into the wilderness and humbles Moses. He teaches Moses to rely on God instead of his own strength. It took 40 years for God to work on Moses. This probably speaks of how proud Moses was. God knew of the pain and suffering of his people. But He was readying His instrument. This does not need to be forced upon us. We can humble ourselves. We can look to the cross and see our need of a savior, see what Christ had to do on our behalf. Consider that after we have been humbled, what God can do through us.
Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took for him a basket made of bulrushes and daubed it with bitumen and pitch. She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it. When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews’ children." Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, "Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?" And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, "Go." So the girl went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, "Because," she said, "I drew him out of the water."
One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, "Why do you strike your companion?" He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known." When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, "How is it that you have come home so soon today?" They said, "An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock." He said to his daughters, "Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread." And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, "I have been a sojourner in a foreign land."
During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
{Rev. Dwight Yoo}
First of all, Pharaoh and the other Egyptians were afraid of the Israelites. They plotted to kill all the Israelite boys. They told the midwives to kill all the boys, but the midwives disobeyed. They disobeyed because they feared God. So this Levite couple has a baby boy. They kept him for 3 months, but probably realized they could not hide him anymore. So they built this basket and floated him down the river. His basket floated down the river and he was found by Pharaoh's daughter. He ends up being brought up by his mother until he is weaned. Then he enters the Pharaoh's daughter's household. He probably had the best education available in Egypt.
There are also other interesting details. Moses was the son of Levites. So he was born into a tribe that was responsible for spiritual leadership. His life bears lots of parallels with the people of Israel. He is drawn from the water. The Israelites were saved from the Red Sea. He lived as an alien in a foreign land, which also happens to the Israelites. Moses pre-lives Israel's history.
Moses grows up. 40 years later, Moses sees his people. This means Moses had identifies himself with Israel. He had a choice to identify himself with the Egyptians. He was heir apparent to the throne. But he rejects this. He kills an Egyptian and gets rejected by fellow Hebrews. He ends up a shepherd in a foreign land. He knew the suffering of his people and he wanted to free them, but he tried to do it his way. This didn't work.
Principles
1) Despite appearances, God perfectly orchestrates our lives for His purpose.
Our lives are completely under God's control. He takes both good and bad events to fulfill his purposes and also to our good. All of our past prepares us for where we are now and where we will be in the future. There are things we are not proud of, mistakes we've made, but God uses those as well. It doesn't always look like God's doing something, but He works it out. It might not happen the way we want or expect, but God uses all of these things for good.
2) Despite appearances, God perfect orchestrates our lives for His purpose in His time.
Perhaps, we have a timeline in our minds. However, the timeline God has in store might be completely different. We want to graduate at this time. Then get married, then have a kid... ,etc. We are tempted to compare our lives to other people and their success and accomplishments. But God is working and preparing us for the future. Moses was learning to be a shepherd. Herding sheep for 40 years in a foreign land.
3) God humbles those He loves and uses.
Moses is bold. He hates injustice and will stand up for people. These are admirable qualities. But Moses was serving in his own strength. God takes him into the wilderness and humbles Moses. He teaches Moses to rely on God instead of his own strength. It took 40 years for God to work on Moses. This probably speaks of how proud Moses was. God knew of the pain and suffering of his people. But He was readying His instrument. This does not need to be forced upon us. We can humble ourselves. We can look to the cross and see our need of a savior, see what Christ had to do on our behalf. Consider that after we have been humbled, what God can do through us.
Aug 22, 2010
Running Together with Christ Our Treasure
{Hebrews 12:1-13}
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
"My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives."
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
[Rev. Dwight Yoo]
The christian life is like a race. This should be a familiar metaphor. But not only is it a race, it is a long race. It's a marathon. This is not a 100-meter dash. You will need endurance.
"the race that is set before us" God has tailor made this race. For each of us, the race course looks different.
This should be familiar, but I want us to look at this with a corporate lens. We are called to run this race as a corporate group. We are not cheering people on from the sidelines, but rather we are running with other people. It says in scripture that He gives us various gifts. These gifts are to be used to bless others. So we are to use these gifts to run together.
I think also that there is a sense that not only are the courses tailor made for individuals, but there is also a sense that churches have custom courses as well. As Revelations notes, God speaks about how each church is doing in it's context.
The book of Hebrews was written to those who were losing their will to run. There were probably two reasons. One was probably that they had stopped looking to Christ. The things of the world seem to be more precious than Him. The other is people who were tired. People who are having a hard time. Whether it is persecution or just tough times. They have been running for a long time and don't have the motivation to run any more.
So what's going to help us to keep running well?
We have to fight to be light. "lay aside every weight & sin..." For a runner, every ounce counts. When you consider how long a marathon will take, you need to carefully consider everything that we will carry and whether we should carry it at all. For the race of life, we need to carefully consider our lives. Look at the sins weighting on us. We need to unceasingly struggle to shed sins. There must be intense and ruthless fight against sin. Not only overt sin, but also subtle sins.
What does sin do?
It deadens our worship. We only pay lip service to God. Because we already have something to worship.
There is a loss of salt & light. The church will not have a good testimony to the world. We no longer reach out.
Lastly, we become complacent & stagnant. We no longer care.
How do we tell if a church is running well?
A spirit of repentance. The church turns from sin and turns to God. A church that breaks from seeing sin and instead of turning judgment, turns & pleads for God to work.
Our generation is one that seeks comfort & ease. But this race is not an easy one, it is an agonizing one. Consider the Snuggie & eReader. We don't want to move a blanket to change the remote, so a Snuggie. We don't want to carry books and turn pages... so a new gadget. But God is calling us to a painful & agonizing race.
God isn't giving us pain for no reason. He wants the best for our future. He wants to redeem us and restore us. Just like a parent to their child, He wants the best of us.
"Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed."
There are lots of bad TV shows. (Jersey Shore) They are a waste of airtime. But there are also good TV shows. Man vs Wild. Not only is it entertaining, but it is also educational. If you were ever caught in the Sahara, you have some useful knowledge. Think about what it would be like if Bear twisted his ankle. He finds a level straight path, but it's hot & uncomfortable. He sees a cave system running alongside. It's dark and littered with rocks. Which path would be better?
I've met alot of people. I meet people with glaring character flaws. They come to church, meet new people, join a ministry, but when tough times come, they don't get along with people or something happens, they leave. They go to another church. And it happens again. Each time they go to another church, their heart gets a little harder. The best thing for them to do? They should have stayed. Stayed through the tough times, through the difficulties. God would have met them and healed them.
Keeping our eyes fixed on Christ and the promise of glory. The cloud of witnesses with God are trying to share a bit of God's glory. It should keep us running.
Let's keep running, Renewal.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
"My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives."
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
[Rev. Dwight Yoo]
The christian life is like a race. This should be a familiar metaphor. But not only is it a race, it is a long race. It's a marathon. This is not a 100-meter dash. You will need endurance.
"the race that is set before us" God has tailor made this race. For each of us, the race course looks different.
This should be familiar, but I want us to look at this with a corporate lens. We are called to run this race as a corporate group. We are not cheering people on from the sidelines, but rather we are running with other people. It says in scripture that He gives us various gifts. These gifts are to be used to bless others. So we are to use these gifts to run together.
I think also that there is a sense that not only are the courses tailor made for individuals, but there is also a sense that churches have custom courses as well. As Revelations notes, God speaks about how each church is doing in it's context.
The book of Hebrews was written to those who were losing their will to run. There were probably two reasons. One was probably that they had stopped looking to Christ. The things of the world seem to be more precious than Him. The other is people who were tired. People who are having a hard time. Whether it is persecution or just tough times. They have been running for a long time and don't have the motivation to run any more.
So what's going to help us to keep running well?
We have to fight to be light. "lay aside every weight & sin..." For a runner, every ounce counts. When you consider how long a marathon will take, you need to carefully consider everything that we will carry and whether we should carry it at all. For the race of life, we need to carefully consider our lives. Look at the sins weighting on us. We need to unceasingly struggle to shed sins. There must be intense and ruthless fight against sin. Not only overt sin, but also subtle sins.
What does sin do?
It deadens our worship. We only pay lip service to God. Because we already have something to worship.
There is a loss of salt & light. The church will not have a good testimony to the world. We no longer reach out.
Lastly, we become complacent & stagnant. We no longer care.
How do we tell if a church is running well?
A spirit of repentance. The church turns from sin and turns to God. A church that breaks from seeing sin and instead of turning judgment, turns & pleads for God to work.
Our generation is one that seeks comfort & ease. But this race is not an easy one, it is an agonizing one. Consider the Snuggie & eReader. We don't want to move a blanket to change the remote, so a Snuggie. We don't want to carry books and turn pages... so a new gadget. But God is calling us to a painful & agonizing race.
God isn't giving us pain for no reason. He wants the best for our future. He wants to redeem us and restore us. Just like a parent to their child, He wants the best of us.
"Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed."
There are lots of bad TV shows. (Jersey Shore) They are a waste of airtime. But there are also good TV shows. Man vs Wild. Not only is it entertaining, but it is also educational. If you were ever caught in the Sahara, you have some useful knowledge. Think about what it would be like if Bear twisted his ankle. He finds a level straight path, but it's hot & uncomfortable. He sees a cave system running alongside. It's dark and littered with rocks. Which path would be better?
I've met alot of people. I meet people with glaring character flaws. They come to church, meet new people, join a ministry, but when tough times come, they don't get along with people or something happens, they leave. They go to another church. And it happens again. Each time they go to another church, their heart gets a little harder. The best thing for them to do? They should have stayed. Stayed through the tough times, through the difficulties. God would have met them and healed them.
Keeping our eyes fixed on Christ and the promise of glory. The cloud of witnesses with God are trying to share a bit of God's glory. It should keep us running.
Let's keep running, Renewal.
Aug 15, 2010
The Continual Movement of the Church on Mission
[Various passages in Acts]
{Rev. Dwight Yoo}
I will be wrapping up this series today. We've basically covered chapters 1 through 9. We felt this was so we could see God's heart. That the gospel is not something for ourselves, but it is something we devote our lives to. It not only encounters us and blesses us, but it should go out and bless others.
I would like to share some concluding thoughts...
Movement
This book is about a movement of God. That God is moving though his people. He is moving to redeem & restore this world. He is making this world more like it way it should be. Justice. Love. I think of how a drop of water hits the water and then the waves spread across the water. How the waves spread outward from that one drop. This reminds me of how the church moved outward from one small group of people. Not to say it expanded smoothly, but it kept moving outward. There were obstacles, but it kept moving.
Consider our vision statement - "To ignite a gospel-spreading movement through multiple local congregations in the greater Philadelphia area and the world, so that individuals, communities, and cultures are renewed in Christ."
How can we as a church and as individuals avoid becoming stagnant, but rather stay aligned with the movement of God?
1) Gospel-driven: We need to make the Gospel the engine. It should be what motivates us and moves us.
2) Spirit-empowered: How did the church move? A group of uneducated men. The Holy Spirit came and then they started moving with God.
Don't waste your life - John Piper
{Luke Woo - STM Taiwan}
Just came back from a missions trip to Taiwan. The land of Boba tea & scooters. Dal Shung is where I was. 95% of the people have a proclaimed religion. While you are in church service, you can hear the temple services and rituals going on outside. There is much spiritual battle there. I served as a tentmaker there. I taught the kids. Overseas, I learned about mobilization. There is no pastor Dan or pastor Dwight to tell you to do stuff. You have to stop sitting around and get out there. Get people excited and get christians together. I learned alot about what church is about.
http://www.omf.org/taiwan
Dead Women Walking - Jennifer Su
{Jen Kim - STM China}
Psalm 100:5
I've been in the city of Harbin. I've been basically at Siberia. The coldest was -45 degrees Fahrenheit, not adjusting for wind chill. Harbin is the location of the snow & ice festival. There is also a tiger park where you get on a bus and drive through a park with tigers. I've been teaching at North East Forestry University. I was a "foreign expert." I have not been able to evangelize, that is not allowed. But I have been able to share hope, teach them about Christmas & Easter. We cannot share but when we invite students into our homes and they ask us questions about living for God, we can answer their questions.
Matthew 28:18-20
Luke 4:18-19
(Personal Thoughts)
What does it mean for praise time to be Gospel-centered?
Are our songs too focused on our emotions and personal reactions and not God-centered enough?
How does the praise team engage those who are not musically gifted?
{Rev. Dwight Yoo}
I will be wrapping up this series today. We've basically covered chapters 1 through 9. We felt this was so we could see God's heart. That the gospel is not something for ourselves, but it is something we devote our lives to. It not only encounters us and blesses us, but it should go out and bless others.
I would like to share some concluding thoughts...
Movement
This book is about a movement of God. That God is moving though his people. He is moving to redeem & restore this world. He is making this world more like it way it should be. Justice. Love. I think of how a drop of water hits the water and then the waves spread across the water. How the waves spread outward from that one drop. This reminds me of how the church moved outward from one small group of people. Not to say it expanded smoothly, but it kept moving outward. There were obstacles, but it kept moving.
Consider our vision statement - "To ignite a gospel-spreading movement through multiple local congregations in the greater Philadelphia area and the world, so that individuals, communities, and cultures are renewed in Christ."
How can we as a church and as individuals avoid becoming stagnant, but rather stay aligned with the movement of God?
1) Gospel-driven: We need to make the Gospel the engine. It should be what motivates us and moves us.
2) Spirit-empowered: How did the church move? A group of uneducated men. The Holy Spirit came and then they started moving with God.
Don't waste your life - John Piper
{Luke Woo - STM Taiwan}
Just came back from a missions trip to Taiwan. The land of Boba tea & scooters. Dal Shung is where I was. 95% of the people have a proclaimed religion. While you are in church service, you can hear the temple services and rituals going on outside. There is much spiritual battle there. I served as a tentmaker there. I taught the kids. Overseas, I learned about mobilization. There is no pastor Dan or pastor Dwight to tell you to do stuff. You have to stop sitting around and get out there. Get people excited and get christians together. I learned alot about what church is about.
http://www.omf.org/taiwan
Dead Women Walking - Jennifer Su
{Jen Kim - STM China}
Psalm 100:5
I've been in the city of Harbin. I've been basically at Siberia. The coldest was -45 degrees Fahrenheit, not adjusting for wind chill. Harbin is the location of the snow & ice festival. There is also a tiger park where you get on a bus and drive through a park with tigers. I've been teaching at North East Forestry University. I was a "foreign expert." I have not been able to evangelize, that is not allowed. But I have been able to share hope, teach them about Christmas & Easter. We cannot share but when we invite students into our homes and they ask us questions about living for God, we can answer their questions.
Matthew 28:18-20
Luke 4:18-19
(Personal Thoughts)
What does it mean for praise time to be Gospel-centered?
Are our songs too focused on our emotions and personal reactions and not God-centered enough?
How does the praise team engage those who are not musically gifted?
Aug 8, 2010
The Church on a Mission: Suffering for the Sake of His Name
[Acts 9:15-16]
But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."
{Rev. Dan Whang}
So we've been going through Acts to try and get a picture of a church on mission. I have some notes from my sixth trip to Guatemala. I'd like to share some of my thoughts. This message is about suffering and going through difficulties for Christ.
I felt a burden to push the team this year. To push myself and to push the team. This year, even though we were only there 12 days, we had the best of times and the worse of times. I felt the Lord was really using us. A lot of us had gone to their physical and mental limits. One moment, we were ok and the next, so tired and spent. The idea is that serving God comes with difficulty. A life marked by mission is a life marked by suffering for the sake of Christ.
If you've been keeping up with recent news. A IAM team was murdered in Afganistan. Ten people were killed because the Taliban suspected them of spying for the US and of trying to proselytize to Muslims. When we look at our missions trip, do we think about possibly dying? Do we ask them to buy life insurance and set their life in order before going?
In the passage, God tells Ananias to go to Saul. Ananias is afraid. But God reassures Ananias and sends him again. God tells that Saul will suffer much for the sake of Christ. If you read further, you will find much suffering. Consider what that means for us. If God is going to use us, it will cost us. We will suffer.
Here's a summary of my thoughts...
1) When it comes to suffering, your biggest enemy will always be your own flesh and sin nature.
As a saved christian,we have dual natures. One side that wants nothing to do with God. But when we were saved, God reformatted us. That part of us wants to serve God and do anything for Him. But that old sinful nature does not go away. It still tries to discourage us and keep us from serving God. It tells us how pointless it is. It will be a battle in us between these two natures. Even Jesus struggled with it in the garden of Gethsemane.
There is a way out of this. When this truly sinks in, "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it."
2) God will never stop refining you through suffering to make you better.
God's heart for us to become so much more than we are now. In ministry and personally. God does take us as we are. But He is not satisfied to leave us there. He wants more for us. This isn't unusual. Whether it is a coach of a sport, your career... there is a desire for progress. To grow and become better. God wants the same for us. He wants us to become better at ministry.
My dad has been a pastor for 22 years. Some elders who were supporters of him went behind his back and tried to get him ousted. This has been going on for 3 years. Now my dad is out west with a different church. He doesn't say this much, but he said the experience has made him better. Even when my dad is 60-some years old, God is still not done with him. God is still refining him. He has become more humble as a result of this.
"For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed" - Hebrews 12:10-13
I want to encourage you in ministry and service. To press on through difficulties. Relational difficulties. God is working through it.
3) The invitation to suffer for the sake of Christ is an invitation to a deep relationship with Him.
"For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured." - Hebrews 13:11-13
This is a picture of sacrificial animals. The sins of the people were put onto these animals. Then they were led outside, away from the people. When Jesus took on our sin, he became our scapegoat. When He went to Calvary outside of Jerusalem, he suffered and agonized. The writer wants us to go outside with Christ to be close to Him. To go through the suffering and anguish with Jesus, so we will experience this closeness with Him.
"that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." - Philippians 3:10-11
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." - Romans 8:18
{Member Judy Hong}
Sharing about the Uganda missions trip.
All I wanted to do this summer was... nothing. I had a rough school year, so I wanted to just relax. Susan asked me, if I wanted to go. I didn't even think; I told her no. But she told me to prayerfully consider it. I'm not much of a public speaker. I'm just a second year teacher. But as I prayed, God reassured me. I was just being lazy because I didn't want to do all the preparations for the trip. These were all poor excuses. God has given me all sorts of gifts and resources, but often I make all sorts of excuses. The same applies to you. Just be available and watch God work.
But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."
{Rev. Dan Whang}
So we've been going through Acts to try and get a picture of a church on mission. I have some notes from my sixth trip to Guatemala. I'd like to share some of my thoughts. This message is about suffering and going through difficulties for Christ.
I felt a burden to push the team this year. To push myself and to push the team. This year, even though we were only there 12 days, we had the best of times and the worse of times. I felt the Lord was really using us. A lot of us had gone to their physical and mental limits. One moment, we were ok and the next, so tired and spent. The idea is that serving God comes with difficulty. A life marked by mission is a life marked by suffering for the sake of Christ.
If you've been keeping up with recent news. A IAM team was murdered in Afganistan. Ten people were killed because the Taliban suspected them of spying for the US and of trying to proselytize to Muslims. When we look at our missions trip, do we think about possibly dying? Do we ask them to buy life insurance and set their life in order before going?
In the passage, God tells Ananias to go to Saul. Ananias is afraid. But God reassures Ananias and sends him again. God tells that Saul will suffer much for the sake of Christ. If you read further, you will find much suffering. Consider what that means for us. If God is going to use us, it will cost us. We will suffer.
Here's a summary of my thoughts...
1) When it comes to suffering, your biggest enemy will always be your own flesh and sin nature.
As a saved christian,we have dual natures. One side that wants nothing to do with God. But when we were saved, God reformatted us. That part of us wants to serve God and do anything for Him. But that old sinful nature does not go away. It still tries to discourage us and keep us from serving God. It tells us how pointless it is. It will be a battle in us between these two natures. Even Jesus struggled with it in the garden of Gethsemane.
There is a way out of this. When this truly sinks in, "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it."
2) God will never stop refining you through suffering to make you better.
God's heart for us to become so much more than we are now. In ministry and personally. God does take us as we are. But He is not satisfied to leave us there. He wants more for us. This isn't unusual. Whether it is a coach of a sport, your career... there is a desire for progress. To grow and become better. God wants the same for us. He wants us to become better at ministry.
My dad has been a pastor for 22 years. Some elders who were supporters of him went behind his back and tried to get him ousted. This has been going on for 3 years. Now my dad is out west with a different church. He doesn't say this much, but he said the experience has made him better. Even when my dad is 60-some years old, God is still not done with him. God is still refining him. He has become more humble as a result of this.
"For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed" - Hebrews 12:10-13
I want to encourage you in ministry and service. To press on through difficulties. Relational difficulties. God is working through it.
3) The invitation to suffer for the sake of Christ is an invitation to a deep relationship with Him.
"For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured." - Hebrews 13:11-13
This is a picture of sacrificial animals. The sins of the people were put onto these animals. Then they were led outside, away from the people. When Jesus took on our sin, he became our scapegoat. When He went to Calvary outside of Jerusalem, he suffered and agonized. The writer wants us to go outside with Christ to be close to Him. To go through the suffering and anguish with Jesus, so we will experience this closeness with Him.
"that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." - Philippians 3:10-11
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." - Romans 8:18
{Member Judy Hong}
Sharing about the Uganda missions trip.
All I wanted to do this summer was... nothing. I had a rough school year, so I wanted to just relax. Susan asked me, if I wanted to go. I didn't even think; I told her no. But she told me to prayerfully consider it. I'm not much of a public speaker. I'm just a second year teacher. But as I prayed, God reassured me. I was just being lazy because I didn't want to do all the preparations for the trip. These were all poor excuses. God has given me all sorts of gifts and resources, but often I make all sorts of excuses. The same applies to you. Just be available and watch God work.
Aug 1, 2010
The Church on Mission: Seizing Gospel Opportunity
[Acts 8:26-40 (ESV)]
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
"Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth."
And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
{Rev. Charles Han}
Something happened down in Florida recently. A very unlikely divine appointment.
This passage also describes a very unlikely divine appointment. Philip and this Ethiopian eunuch. Philip had no business sharing with this eunuch w/o the intervention of the Holy Spirit.
God sovereignly and graciously breaks us out to accomplish His mission.
Looking at our church and where we were, you can see how God has been redirecting this church. I've asked God whether He will change our church to be less inward focused and actually reach out to people who don't know Christ. This passage gives me hope. God can change the direction and movement of the church. The church was told in Acts 1 to witness to the ends of the earth. But they stayed in Jerusalem... until persecution broke out and the church was scattered. This tells me that God will direct us even when it is not in our plan.
Philip was led by the Spirit to go down to Gaza. Ok. Then Philip is led to run beside the chariot of this Ethiopian official. And then see this, the EASIEST evangelism opportunity ever! This guy is reading from the word and he is confused. God had arranged it all perfectly.
The Gospel breaks through all barriers to redeem all peoples.
Philip, a middle-class Jew. This Ethiopian high ranking official, wealthy, Gentile eunuch. They were so dissimilar. Not only that, but eunuchs are considered unclean under Jewish Law. According to traditional wisdom at the time, Philip had no business even talking with this man.
When we look for the movement of the kingdom in the 21st century, we see the greatest growth in Latin America & Africa. So how did this happen? Most missionaries came with a colonial mindset. Missionaries tried to westernize the Africans to convert them. There was no movement. However, when local leaders understood how the Gospel met them in their culture, it exploded with growth. Africans did not need to become like European or American to become Christians. God met them where they were.
The Gospel challenges us to reach those we would normally have no business associating with.
We are not called to just reach people who look and dress like us. The gospel should also challenge us to meet those outside of our circle of friends. Not to completely ignore people like us, but to welcome those who are unlike us. To embrace not only those who are like us, but people who need the Gospel regardless of how dissimilar they are compared to us.
The Ethiopian eunuch was wealthy. He had a chariot, even though most people walked or rode horses. He had power and influence as a high ranking finance official. He was able to make this long trip. But even though he had all this, something was missing. How do we know? Because he made this long, treacherous trip to Israel. Somehow he heard of this God of Israel. But he would have been turned away from the Temple. Why? Because he was a eunuch, ritually unclean. He would only have been able to go around the courts. And he even bought scrolls of the Jewish Law, very expensive in those times. But he did not understand it. He did not find what he was looking for.... This is when Philip comes and meets him.
Many commentators have speculated that the eunuch would have read on further and ran into Isaiah 56:3-5...
"Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,
"The LORD will surely separate me from his people";
and let not the eunuch say,
"Behold, I am a dry tree."
For thus says the LORD:"To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
I will give in my house and within my walls
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off."
Surely, this would have impacted the heart of this Ethiopian eunuch unlike anything else. To know that he had a place, even having forsaking family & marriage. That he had a legacy in Jesus...
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
"Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth."
And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
{Rev. Charles Han}
Something happened down in Florida recently. A very unlikely divine appointment.
This passage also describes a very unlikely divine appointment. Philip and this Ethiopian eunuch. Philip had no business sharing with this eunuch w/o the intervention of the Holy Spirit.
God sovereignly and graciously breaks us out to accomplish His mission.
Looking at our church and where we were, you can see how God has been redirecting this church. I've asked God whether He will change our church to be less inward focused and actually reach out to people who don't know Christ. This passage gives me hope. God can change the direction and movement of the church. The church was told in Acts 1 to witness to the ends of the earth. But they stayed in Jerusalem... until persecution broke out and the church was scattered. This tells me that God will direct us even when it is not in our plan.
Philip was led by the Spirit to go down to Gaza. Ok. Then Philip is led to run beside the chariot of this Ethiopian official. And then see this, the EASIEST evangelism opportunity ever! This guy is reading from the word and he is confused. God had arranged it all perfectly.
The Gospel breaks through all barriers to redeem all peoples.
Philip, a middle-class Jew. This Ethiopian high ranking official, wealthy, Gentile eunuch. They were so dissimilar. Not only that, but eunuchs are considered unclean under Jewish Law. According to traditional wisdom at the time, Philip had no business even talking with this man.
When we look for the movement of the kingdom in the 21st century, we see the greatest growth in Latin America & Africa. So how did this happen? Most missionaries came with a colonial mindset. Missionaries tried to westernize the Africans to convert them. There was no movement. However, when local leaders understood how the Gospel met them in their culture, it exploded with growth. Africans did not need to become like European or American to become Christians. God met them where they were.
The Gospel challenges us to reach those we would normally have no business associating with.
We are not called to just reach people who look and dress like us. The gospel should also challenge us to meet those outside of our circle of friends. Not to completely ignore people like us, but to welcome those who are unlike us. To embrace not only those who are like us, but people who need the Gospel regardless of how dissimilar they are compared to us.
The Ethiopian eunuch was wealthy. He had a chariot, even though most people walked or rode horses. He had power and influence as a high ranking finance official. He was able to make this long trip. But even though he had all this, something was missing. How do we know? Because he made this long, treacherous trip to Israel. Somehow he heard of this God of Israel. But he would have been turned away from the Temple. Why? Because he was a eunuch, ritually unclean. He would only have been able to go around the courts. And he even bought scrolls of the Jewish Law, very expensive in those times. But he did not understand it. He did not find what he was looking for.... This is when Philip comes and meets him.
Many commentators have speculated that the eunuch would have read on further and ran into Isaiah 56:3-5...
"Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,
"The LORD will surely separate me from his people";
and let not the eunuch say,
"Behold, I am a dry tree."
For thus says the LORD:"To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
I will give in my house and within my walls
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off."
Surely, this would have impacted the heart of this Ethiopian eunuch unlike anything else. To know that he had a place, even having forsaking family & marriage. That he had a legacy in Jesus...
Jul 25, 2010
God's Sovereign Use of Hardship for Mission
[Acts 8:1-8 (ESV)]
And Saul approved of his execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.
{Rev. Dwight Yoo}
Perspective Check
So, we've been talking about mission for awhile. But you're thinking... life has been hard. It's been difficult. So, because of these things, we put missions on hold. until things get better. until our lives are in order.
But the gospel doesn't tell us to take hardship lightly. God wants us to be honest to Him about our sufferings. In the psalms, David comes to God honestly about his suffering. In the gospel, we are told of a God who came through hardship personally. God is not some being far away, but rather one who has intimately experienced the human experience, including suffering.
On the other side, the gospel also gives us power during the times of hardship & suffering. Outreach, relationships, and ministry does not need to be put on hold during difficulty. While there are times for us to mourn and rest, in wisdom, putting these callings "on hold" should not be our default action. In the scriptures, we find that sufferings are used for the advancement of the kingdom. Paul's ministry was not a cakewalk. It was tough, but much fruit came of that suffering through ministry.
"Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good." - 1 Peter 4:19 (ESV)
So how does this work?
For context of our passage.
"Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep." - Acts 7:54-60 (ESV)
The church loses one of it's leaders. The persecution of the church was escalating. People were suffering. But what happens... the people of the church are scattered and where they go, they preach the gospel.
Scattering
The "scattering" here is not a haphazard scattering. But rather scattering like a farmer scattering seeds. In other words, purposeful planting. Notice, that not everyone was scattered. The apostles stayed behind in Judea. Up until this point, the apostles were doing all the ministry. Suddenly, in light of all this persecution, the everyday christian goes preaching and into ministering to people. Phillip goes to Samaria. He preaches the gospel and does work in the name of Christ. (Word & Deed)
Consider how WE would have done it.
Certainly, we would not have chosen suffering. We would make a banner. We would send people out. Letting people die? Killing one of the church leaders? God is throwing a curve ball here. This is not what we think it is. God uses suffering to mobilize the church.
The main story line of the Gospel is God ins His Sovereignty using hardship to bring about good... not through ease, comfort, and strength... but hardship.
The christian path is one of hardship. It is not the easy road. Consider the apostles. Consider Paul. Consider Jesus.
Consider the case of China.
When the communists came to power, they kicked out all the foreign missionaries in 1949. The missionaries were heartbroken. They believed it was the end of the road for the church. But now there are 30-40 more Christians than in 1949. What happened? The Chinese pastors and lay people stepped up. The foreign missionaries went to various unreached Asian nations. The kingdom advanced.
Consider where Renewal came from.
We were originally part of Emmanuel. A suburbanite church. We went to church and we went home to the suburbs. No one wanted to live in the city. We saw it as a dangerous place. Then one of the deacons was murdered. A carjacking by local kids. There were people in the church who wanted to leave. It's dangerous in the city. But others said, God is doing something. Now the church has turned outwards toward the city. Now, the west philly campus' purpose and vision is to reach the city.
Application - How God can use your suffering to accomplish His mission...
1. As you come alongside fellow suffers...
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." - 2 Cor 1:3-4
When we have suffered, we can comfort others in their suffering. We have been there.
2. As the world watches the way you suffer...
C.S. Lewis was once asked the question that eventually appears on every believer’s radar screen, "Why do the righteous suffer?" His reply was, "Why not? They’re the only ones who can take it."
Believers can go through suffering and still rejoice. People who have faith in Christ are not crushed during tough times. Because we know of Jesus who went through suffering, yet it ended in glory and kingdom advancement.
Consider the family of Ed Thomas...
And Saul approved of his execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.
{Rev. Dwight Yoo}
Perspective Check
So, we've been talking about mission for awhile. But you're thinking... life has been hard. It's been difficult. So, because of these things, we put missions on hold. until things get better. until our lives are in order.
But the gospel doesn't tell us to take hardship lightly. God wants us to be honest to Him about our sufferings. In the psalms, David comes to God honestly about his suffering. In the gospel, we are told of a God who came through hardship personally. God is not some being far away, but rather one who has intimately experienced the human experience, including suffering.
On the other side, the gospel also gives us power during the times of hardship & suffering. Outreach, relationships, and ministry does not need to be put on hold during difficulty. While there are times for us to mourn and rest, in wisdom, putting these callings "on hold" should not be our default action. In the scriptures, we find that sufferings are used for the advancement of the kingdom. Paul's ministry was not a cakewalk. It was tough, but much fruit came of that suffering through ministry.
"Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good." - 1 Peter 4:19 (ESV)
So how does this work?
For context of our passage.
"Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep." - Acts 7:54-60 (ESV)
The church loses one of it's leaders. The persecution of the church was escalating. People were suffering. But what happens... the people of the church are scattered and where they go, they preach the gospel.
Scattering
The "scattering" here is not a haphazard scattering. But rather scattering like a farmer scattering seeds. In other words, purposeful planting. Notice, that not everyone was scattered. The apostles stayed behind in Judea. Up until this point, the apostles were doing all the ministry. Suddenly, in light of all this persecution, the everyday christian goes preaching and into ministering to people. Phillip goes to Samaria. He preaches the gospel and does work in the name of Christ. (Word & Deed)
Consider how WE would have done it.
Certainly, we would not have chosen suffering. We would make a banner. We would send people out. Letting people die? Killing one of the church leaders? God is throwing a curve ball here. This is not what we think it is. God uses suffering to mobilize the church.
The main story line of the Gospel is God ins His Sovereignty using hardship to bring about good... not through ease, comfort, and strength... but hardship.
The christian path is one of hardship. It is not the easy road. Consider the apostles. Consider Paul. Consider Jesus.
Consider the case of China.
When the communists came to power, they kicked out all the foreign missionaries in 1949. The missionaries were heartbroken. They believed it was the end of the road for the church. But now there are 30-40 more Christians than in 1949. What happened? The Chinese pastors and lay people stepped up. The foreign missionaries went to various unreached Asian nations. The kingdom advanced.
Consider where Renewal came from.
We were originally part of Emmanuel. A suburbanite church. We went to church and we went home to the suburbs. No one wanted to live in the city. We saw it as a dangerous place. Then one of the deacons was murdered. A carjacking by local kids. There were people in the church who wanted to leave. It's dangerous in the city. But others said, God is doing something. Now the church has turned outwards toward the city. Now, the west philly campus' purpose and vision is to reach the city.
Application - How God can use your suffering to accomplish His mission...
1. As you come alongside fellow suffers...
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." - 2 Cor 1:3-4
When we have suffered, we can comfort others in their suffering. We have been there.
2. As the world watches the way you suffer...
C.S. Lewis was once asked the question that eventually appears on every believer’s radar screen, "Why do the righteous suffer?" His reply was, "Why not? They’re the only ones who can take it."
Believers can go through suffering and still rejoice. People who have faith in Christ are not crushed during tough times. Because we know of Jesus who went through suffering, yet it ended in glory and kingdom advancement.
Consider the family of Ed Thomas...
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