바울이 드러내는 좋은 소식(복음)

신앙의 위기는 ‘익숙함’입니다 The crisis of faith is 'familiarity

바울이 표현하는 복음의 모습들 Aspects of the Gospel expressed by Paul

고전15:3 롬1:2-4 행28:30-31

막1:15 엡4:24 롬1:5, 16:26 살후1:8, 2:12

Summary

The Gospel encompasses the entire Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. It is not just about receiving salvation through faith in Jesus, but also about anticipating His second coming to fulfill that salvation completely. The Gospel gives us hope for freedom from this fallen world and the return of Jesus. Although we have received salvation, we still face challenges in our mortal bodies. The Gospel empowers us in times of crisis, drawing us closer to the Lord. Familiarity can hinder our faith, leading to complacency and spiritual obesity. Hardships become opportunities for the Gospel to work in us, bringing transformation and restoration. Let's seek revival, with tender hearts before God, and experience the reign of God in our lives. The Gospel is about Jesus' story and ethical transformation, leading to a life of obedience and fruitfulness. May the Gospel work within us, guiding us through prayer, and bringing forth God's reign and transformation in our lives

Script

The Gospel did not originate from the New Testament but should be seen in its entirety from Genesis to Revelation. Therefore, the Gospel involves not only receiving salvation through faith in Jesus but also the anticipation of Jesus coming again to reign and fulfill that salvation completely. All of creation longs to be liberated from this fallen world and await the return of Jesus for that freedom. We, too, are no different. Although we have received salvation, we still live in these mortal bodies, facing diseases, relational pains, sorrows, and tears! The world is filled with the unjust reality of the poor and weak suffering while the wicked live in comfort. We witness wars, floods, and famines happening all around the world, and we cry out for the day when we will be completely set free from all of these. Therefore, the more severe the crisis, the stronger the desire for the Second Coming becomes, because only Jesus can reign with peace amid all these hardships.

Let's consider what the crisis of faith is. It is 'familiarity.' When we become familiar, we become complacent and comfortable, and 'change' ceases. Familiarity can make us either lazy and sluggish or busy and hurried in life. As we become accustomed, we may no longer notice the pains and hardships others endure, shutting ourselves in. Consequently, the hope of needing Jesus disappears. Indeed, 'familiarity' is the adversary of faith, creating spiritual obesity in us. Sometimes, when crises or hardships arise in our lives, we take a moment to reassess our lives. Some crises may come suddenly as sickness, while others may be unexpected accidents. All these crises could be another grace that keeps us alive.

Those without faith despair when hardships come, but for saints who believe in Jesus, hardships become a resurrection power that holds them closer to the Lord. They may feel ashamed and embarrassed when pain is revealed, but the Gospel is the beginning of restoration when sin hides and the Gospel exposes. Death may try to conceal, but resurrection seeks to embrace. The woman who suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years concealed her shame and lived with embarrassment. The world pointed fingers at her, and she pitied her own life, falling into despair. However, when she heard the news that Jesus had come to her village, she managed to slip through the crowd. The woman who should have hidden herself revealed her condition. The woman who should have been ashamed confessed her shame. In doing so, she found the courage to touch the Lord. Yes, the Gospel empowers us when we are revealed. The Gospel is not about shame but restoration; it saves me. To a healthy person, a doctor may be unnecessary, but to a sick person, the doctor is the Gospel. Those who are spiritually impoverished and in anguish are blessed, for they can receive God's comfort.

Lately, the word 'revival' often comes to my mind. Firstly, I pray for revival in myself, and I also pray for revival to happen for each of our congregation members. Revival does not always mean numerical growth; for me, revival is having a tender heart before God. I am convinced that this is the beginning of revival. When I read the Word, I accept it as it is given, wanting to know more and absorb it. When I pray, I ask God questions because I want to know His heart. When I worship, the lyrics of praise touch my heart, and I seek to know what God desires from me as I listen to His Word. It's not about having a closed or hardened heart but being changed into a heart that seeks more of God when the Holy Spirit comes. I believe that when the Holy Spirit dwells within us, He will bring about revival within us.

I want to experience such a work of God within our community. I hope that during worship, the pains, hatred, unforgiving hearts, depression, insomnia, and bodily illnesses that torment me can be healed unknowingly. Isn't this the Gospel? The place where God comes to reign and restore everything that is twisted and deviated from God's intention will be the place of the Gospel, the place of life. I believe that this Gospel work will happen to all of you who worship and receive Jesus as your Lord. As you earnestly pray in the pasture, desiring Jesus, I bless you in the name of the Lord, that the work of life may happen.

The Gospel, as expressed by Paul through the New Testament, is so diverse and dynamic that it cannot be confined to a single expression. Therefore, today, I want to divide it into 'just two' aspects.

The first is that the Gospel is about Jesus' story as portrayed in the Scriptures.

Jesus is the one whom God used as the channel to achieve salvation. The story of His historical event of dying and rising again is already recorded in the 'Old Testament,' showing that it was fulfilled through 'Jesus.' This is what we call the 'Gospel.' Hence, Paul says that he has 'received' this Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 15:3, it says, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures..." Also, in Romans 1:2-4, it says, "This gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord." The Old Testament already promised who 'Jesus' is, and how He would accomplish things on this earth is clearly expressed.

Let's take a look at one more passage. At the end of the Book of Acts, while Paul was in Rome, let's see the central content of the Gospel that he preached. Acts 28:30-31 says, "For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!" Paul was preaching that the kingdom of God, promised in the Old Testament, was accomplished 'through Jesus,' and as he taught about Jesus' death and resurrection, he proclaimed that God's reign had begun for us.

Beloved saints! In every place where we sing the name of Jesus and proclaim Him, and even in this worship, I believe that the reign of God will come. When Jesus died, we died together, so sin no longer reigns over us; instead, Jesus rules, and we are set free from sin. When Jesus was resurrected, we were raised with Him, so our righteousness and efforts no longer dominate us; instead, Jesus' life governs us, and when we are connected to that life every day, I believe that the fruits and power of the Holy Spirit will happen.

However, if sin still rules over me and the fruits of life, such as love, joy, thankfulness, and hope, are absent, and instead, repeated sins and discouragement continue to pull me down, then I must seriously reflect on whether the risen Lord is truly in me or whether I am distant from His reign. If Jesus lives within me, the ability to overcome sin and the power of resurrection to bring forth life will happen. But if Jesus is present, and yet unwanted sins and wickedness continue to occur, then above all, I hope that my life will be restored through the Word and prayer so that the reign of the Lord can take place.

Last week, I mentioned through the Pastor's Corner that our church is seeking for God's reign to be experienced through 'prayer.' It is the 'Wednesday Prayer Meeting.' God desires not just a few saints praying, but the community coming together to pray, breaking through the blockages and establishing the community into a new season. I hope that all of you become torchbearers in this revival fire. Running to the prayer meeting on time after working diligently all day, singing praises, and praying with such eager hearts—how delighted God must be as He looks upon their souls. It truly moves me. Without sacrifice, there is no grace. Without departing from familiarity, there is no change and life. Finally, the prayer voyage of the community has begun. I hope that you won't miss this place of grace. I bless you to be saints who experience and rejoice in God's reign in the field of prayer.

Secondly, the Gospel is about ethical transformation.

In Mark 1:15, Jesus says, 'Repent and believe in the gospel.' The content of the 'Gospel' includes not only 'faith' but also 'fundamental changes in life.' Paul also confesses that the Gospel means 'putting off the filthy garments of the old self and putting on the new garments of holiness and righteousness, resembling Christ.' Yes, the Gospel is not about 'faith' separately and 'ethics' separately. When we read Paul's letters, the first part usually deals with the doctrine of faith, while the latter part focuses on matters of life. However, by explaining it this way, it might lead to the misconception that the Gospel is separate from faith and life. Faith and life, both are the 'essence of the Gospel.‘

Look at Ephesians 4:24, which says, 'Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.' The 'new self' mentioned here refers to the 'result' of the Gospel. If he truly received the Gospel of grace through 'faith,' then the essence of faith leads to 'ethical transformation' through obedience.

When we read Romans, we see that the beginning and end of Romans emphasize that 'faith and life are one.' Romans 1:5 says, 'Through him, we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.' And Romans 16:26 says, 'But now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith.' Although it seems to be represented by two separate verbs in Korean ('believing' and 'obeying'), in reality, these words are combined into one word called 'obedience of faith.' It is not about believing separately and obeying separately. For example, think about the term 'breath of life.' Without life, there is no breath, and without breath, there is no life. Similarly, without obedience, there is no faith.

Therefore, 'the Gospel' is not just about 'believing' but continuously emphasizes 'obedience to the Gospel.' On the other hand, Paul underscores that 'God's wrath' does not come upon those who merely 'do not believe intellectually' but upon those who 'do not obey.' 2 Thessalonians 1:8 says, 'He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.' 2 Thessalonians 2:12 says, 'All will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.‘

In the end, what is salvation? Salvation is God's grace received through faith in Jesus. However, the grace at work among us results in bearing the fruit of a transformed life. There is light dwelling within me, so the darkness of sin vanishes when it tries to enter, and a life constantly walking in goodness and changing is the appearance of those who possess the Gospel. Where there is the Gospel, there is life, and there is transformation

I want to introduce a sister and share a powerful testimony of the life-changing impact of the Gospel on one saint. Her name is Cheon Jeong-eun. In 2012, she received a terminal cancer diagnosis and has undergone 118 rounds of chemotherapy since then. She is not only an oncology patient but also a sister who spreads the Gospel to other cancer patients. Having grown up in an affluent household and excelled in piano, she encountered the risen Lord after her cancer diagnosis. Confessing that 'cancer is a gift, and death is hope,' she helps terminal cancer patients as an act of obedience to her calling, spreading the Gospel. One night, while in her room, she meditated on the Lord in severe pain to the point of thinking, 'I might not return to this room if I go to the hospital today.' This is what she confessed during her heartfelt communion with the Lord.

"Lord, if I go to the hospital today, I might never come back to this room. What should I do now? What is my final mission? Please reveal the deep resonance of 'resurrection' in my heart... As soon as I confessed the risen Lord, all the water in my body seemed to drain away, and my body temperature dropped back to 36.9."

Why did such a miracle happen to me? I cannot forget the shock I felt when I first encountered Jesus. I had lived making all decisions and judgments according to my own thoughts, believing that my body and mind were naturally mine. However, I came to realize that they were not mine; there is a separate owner, and that owner is Jesus... Since the healing miracle occurred, I have transformed myself into a faithful servant who loves Jesus...

Our relationship with God begins with 'faith.' What solidifies that faith is the resurrection of Jesus. Once faith is established through the resurrection, we no longer waste time in doubt. We run toward our mission without anyone telling us or pushing us from behind. Even without struggling to read the Bible, the Holy Spirit reveals and leads us according to the Word. When we read the Bible later and discover what we have already experienced, the Word feels as sweet as honey, and the joy of reading the Bible doubles. As I come to know the Lord more, I am convinced of how important the process of repentance and believing Jesus as our Lord is until we come to receive Him.

Beloved saints! What is the Gospel? Even though I carry death as a burden in my body, I run as one who leads others to life, and resurrection becomes a reality for me. In the face of death, I delight even more in the Lord, and hope becomes the power of the Gospel! The Gospel is power. My prayer is that the secrets of this Gospel will be realized and experienced, and that we, as saints, will follow and accompany the Lord wherever He leads us. I bless you all in the name of the Lord.