Hopeful Perseverance

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you." Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. - Isaiah 35:1‭-‬10 ESV

Justin Kim

Hope for the weary

The promise is given from God that He shall redeem the land. In the previous chapters, the prophet Isaiah warns Israel against trusting in other nations rather than God. This chapter is juxtaposed against that and speaks of how life can be found in trusting in God. In God, there is life, healing, and salvation. We are called to place our how in God and He will heal, revive, and save. This isn't just for the first day we place our faith in God, but for everyday Christian living. This is the foundation of what it means to be a Christian. He will come and save, not just the first time, but day after day. Jesus isn't just our savior, but we must also acknowledge Him as Lord over our lives. It's isn't just about celebrating Jesus as savior, but also living day to day with Jesus as Lord. Jesus isn't just a ticket to heaven, he is also about saving us from ourselves, from our self reliance.

Hope fulfilled

God speaks about redemption and hope in Zion. The kingdom of God is here, but also not yet. The salvation of God is already here in Christ. We are saved and secure because of Jesus. Yet we are not in heaven, Jesus at his first coming is an inauguration of the kingdom of heaven. We should celebrate it, but we should also pray and wait eagerly for the full coming of heaven on earth. Thanksgiving has just passed. The best moment for me is isn't just the fully stacked plate of dinner, but rather that first "test" bite when the fresh turkey comes out and is getting cut into probs. The first bite reassures us that the coming full dinner will be great. So it is for the Christian, the taste we have of heaven will point to coming fullness of the kingdom. Do we remember this? Do we hunger for the coming fullness of heaven? Let us return to the promise of God and the fullness to come. Let us submit to the Lord everything and every area of our lives.

False hope and the real thing

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. - Colossians 2:8‭-‬15 ESV

Rev. Travis Drake

This is a letter written by Paul. It is written to a church in Collosi. This church is located in what is now modern day Turkey. It is to correct the church and bring them back to the real thing and away from the counterfeit/fake. In our world there are plenty of counterfeits. Many counterfeits to address our ills. How do we avoid spiritual fakes? How do we recognize them?

The Warning

Paul is trying to bring our awareness to something. It isn't a quiet word, but more like "Hey!" This is something that is coming and we need to be prepared. What is it? It is that we should beware of empty hopes and philosophies. These are lifestyles and philosophies that promise life, prosperity, and fulfillment. But they will not deliver on those promises. Paul is telling believers to watch out for these scams. The counterfeit hopes are coming to us. It isn't just a warning to the foolish or inattentive or unbeliever, but for us. We can stare at a spiritual forgery and invest into a scam that comes to nothing in the end.

The Counterfeit

Paul references aceticism and mysticism. The former is denying ourselves of pleasure and joys to make progress. Or the latter is looking for special hidden knowledge... Like looking for a prophecy from God for our lives. How does this happen? There are elements of the original of the truth. The counterfeit must speak to the fact that we are broken and we need something else. We need to do something more, work harder, and know more in order to be right. We desire fulfillment and there's nothing wrong with that, but we think we can fix it. We can fix ourselves.

The Remedy

Jesus is fulfillment. He is joy. He is the unfading, undying, glorious fullness. He is the healing we need. We need to stop trying. Instead of waiting for fulfillment, we need to consider that in Jesus, we have it; we have it all. Whatever dreams our hopes we have are still small, Jesus promises a fuller hope, a fuller dream. He wants more than just our small hopes for us. Jesus is circumcising our hearts. It isn't us doing this, it is Him. And it doesn't need our additional work, He's finished it.

Application

1. Come back to the Gospel (lean into the finished work of Jesus)

2. Find how we seek our false hopes (and lay them down)

Ain't nothing like the real thing - Marvin Gayle

https://youtu.be/Jz_D-greh8Q

Why should we prioritize reaching the unreached?

For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name." And again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him." And again Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope." May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand." This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. - Romans 15:8‭-‬24 ESV

Rev. S.Ewing

Why? God has a mission to reach all the people for his glory. So the church must prioritize the mission of God.

God has a mission to reach all people's for his glory and the church is called to the same mission

Paul was calling both Jews and gentiles to unity in the church. He tells them that they are both needed. First he speaks of how the word first came to the Jews. Then he calls for the fulfillment of the word in bringing the gentiles into God's family/kingdom. Paul speaks of the gentiles six times in six verses. He references the Old Testament which both gentiles and Jews use. Missions isn't a personal hobby. It comes from God. The bible is a missional book. So the church must be on mission as well. The verses speak of God subduing the nations and then calling them into worship. How? This is only possible by the sacrifice of Jesus. From rebels, to saved, to worshippers... This is the theme, this is our story. Not only just the gentiles, but also the Jews. It is the story of every Christian. God wants to win our hearts and receive our praise & worship. Missions isn't primarily about salvation, it is about God's glory. Salvation of people is important, but God's glory is ultimate.

We cannot go on missions on our own power. Going overseas is difficult. How then? We are first objects of God's mission before we are the means of God's mission. Worship and missions are married. They are not in conflict. Paul's worship is bringing more worshippers to God.

We must prioritize the unreached

The church must prioritize the unreached because God is on a mission for those who don't know him. Paul says that there are places where people don't know God and places with no foundation. What does that mean? It means places with no Christian witness. A foundation is coded language to mean a church. So places where there is no church. This is what we understand as unreached people. There is no one actively working for the resurrection of those people.

We must use God's resources

Paul wants to go to Spain. Not Spain like today, there are no Christians there. Paul asks for help on his journey. What does that mean? In that day and age, it means to pave the way to send someone with them. It means to provide resources, maybe even send people to go with them, to be refreshed & encouraged for their journey. So let's summarize, it means material, financial, & spiritual support. We don't just send them and say bye. It means sending short term teams. It means sending long term missions team members. It means praying for them as the missionaries go thru hardship.

Pursued and Pursuing

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Philippians 3:12-4:1 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

A correction

Paul expounds on what he is teaching. That the gospel is that Jesus has done the good work and we cannot add to it. There are a group called the judaizers. They taught that people needed to not only follow Jesus but also follow the Jewish ceremonial law. That to be perfect one needed to be circumcized among other things. This was a different gospel. It was one of perfectionism. This was not the gospel of Jesus. Paul says that he was not complete in growing. Following the Jewish laws will not make one perfect. Paul is saying that he is humbled by knowing that he has so much more to go from what he has learned of Jesus and what he has learned about himself. He had grown downwards. Seeing how far down we are from the perfection that is Jesus makes us humble, patient, and gentle. This is the nature of true spiritual growth. 

A call

Justification is the idea that Jesus has paid the price for us and permanently altered the legal status of his followers. We are forgiven by God because of Jesus. But this should not lead to spiritual complacency. It should make us focus on moving forward and forgetting what is behind us. What does that mean? We are not to look at past failures. They have been confessed to God and He has forgiven us. Looking at these things can demotivate and drain us with an inordinate amount of guilty feelings. But past success can also have a similar effect. Looking at past growth can make us feel like we have arrived. Why run so hard? 

A word of comfort

A call to run harder from Paul during a time of COVID. What? We're tired. There's so many things. More things to do? Seriously pastor?! But maybe we aren't being called to add more... to do more... Maybe it is more of a perspective change. Maybe we should pursue Jesus in what we are already doing. How so? As an example, when getting out of bed is a gargantuan effort, let's pray, Lord won't you give me the strength to get up? So that in going thru this difficult season, we can give glory to God for getting us thru it. Whatever you are struggling with, take it to Jesus. There is a way to go thru difficult times being tired, being stressed, but there is also a way of going thru the same difficulties with resurrection power. 

Resiliency joy and hope

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Philippians 2:19‭-‬30 ESV

Rev. Travis Drake

How to deal when God doesn't give us what we want..

The excellence of Timothy

Paul tells of how he hopes to send Timothy because he has no one like Timothy. Paul gives the highest compliment to Timothy. Timothy is like a son in the gospel. Timothy pursued the good of others. He's the goat. But Timothy isn't being sent to them. Such disappointment. 

The faithful ordinariness of Epaphroditus

So Paul follows up and says he will send back Epaphroditus. This was one of their own. Paul was sending him back. Huh. The church knew him, they had sent him to help Paul. Paul elevates Epaphroditus as a minister. A worker in the gospel who they thought they knew. Paul commends the man they sent to him.

The necessity of sending Epaphroditus (not Timothy)

Epaphroditus is sent to them, not Timothy. The church doesn't need Timothy. They didn't need the greatness of Timothy. The church may have wanted the extraordinary, impressive Timothy. But really what they needed was the very ordinary, very familiar Epaphroditus. God often gives us not what we want, but what we need. We do not see what God sees. God doesn't give us the five star thing we want. He gives us the ordinary, mundane to minister to us.

Paul commends those very mundane things. We should look at those very ordinary servants in the gospel. He does not commend sin and failings, but he does say that earnest, familiar coworkers in the gospel deserve honor. The ordinary community group leader. The struggling worker in the gospel. Paul was a murderer, a gang leader, a persecutor of the church, he was a train wreck from the perspective of the church. So far from God. But Paul's life had been turned around. He was reformed by the Holy Spirit. 

What Epaphroditus reveals

God doesn't just use the extraordinary things. He uses the mundane. Yes, mundane people like you and I. What is special then? The Holy Spirit in the believer. It is not the skills, the personality, the looks, the talent. What makes us special is not gifted people but people who have been gifted by God with the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus did not come as Timothy. He came clothed as an Epaphroditus, so very ordinary. Jesus came as an ordinary looking guy. He did not have good looks. Jesus came here as a rural kid from nowhere that nobody knew about rather than a prince in a palace. Jesus came as a carpenter when the Jews were looking for a warrior or technocrat. He came with no powerful connections in the nation. 

Closing encouragements

Embrace the ordinary around us - if God does this with Jesus, then wouldn't it make sense that God does the same with other people in our lives. Don't get hung up waiting for the next great thing.

Humility

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:1‭-‬11 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Meaning of humility 

Humility is not selfish ambition. There were opponents to Paul who were preaching for selfish gain. We are called to look to the interest of others. This is not telling us to self care is unnecessary, but it is not just solely about self. 

Model of humility 

Motivation of humility 

Manner of Life Worthy of the Gospel

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Philippians 1:27‭-‬30 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

Citizens of heaven

We are to act as citizens of heaven. People should be able to look at our lives and see that we belong to God. Just like when people from other countries come here clearly stand out, so our lifestyle should reflect where we belong.

Expectation of opposition

We should live expecting opposition for our faith in God and lifting up the Bible as truth. Christians should not expect a life of utmost comfort but rather harsh criticism and even physical persecution. But this is an honor, it is an honor to share in Christ' sufferings. Because Jesus suffered not just harsh criticism, but even persecuted to death. Jesus has walked this path first. He has started the redemption of all things and calls us to follow him in the restoration of all things.