Bible verse: Luke 9:1~6

Bible verse: Luke 9:1~6 Sept. 13 2020

Title: Luke Explication Lord’sday Morning Service

There was a single mother who lived day by day praying for her son after he was sent to the army. Her son joined the navy and was serving in the military. Then one day she received a letter about her son, and she was very fell into great despair. She then took the letter to the paster.

The mother cried, "Oh, Reverend, Reverend! What am I going to do now?!” “Our Kyung-duk was killed in action. Oh, that kind, religious boy, he was so religious.” “You know that well, don't you? " I've been counting on him all my life…How am I going to live now?”

She then stopped her tears and said, "But Reverend, I guess he did a good job in his religious life.” “At least he went to heaven,fortunately”

Then the pastor thought to himself, that would be so because he was already baptized and was faithful in his religious life. And he then asked with a sad heart. "I'm sorry to hear that. So how did he get killed? Did the Navy send you a notice of war?”

Then she answered, "I'm not sure about that. I’ve just got a letter today…" and handed the letter to the Reverend. Reverend, who received the letter, fell into a great shock as he continued to read down. This is what the letter said.

"My dear mother, how are you? I joined the Navy and am training hard today. Mother, I'm in Naples after crossing the Mediterranean Sea. This faraway place is a heaven. People are like angels and it's a great heaven. I don't want to go back. I want to live here forever, in this heaven.” That was what it was written.

Hallelujah!

One of the many questions during Jesus' symbiotic ministry or today where Christians are living at the end of the century, is about heaven. Even at the time of Jesus Christ, not a few people and disciples wondered where heaven was and the pathway towards heaven.

A monk was asked this question by a believer. "Dear monk! My son died in an accident. But did he go to heaven? Do you think he's in hell? Upon receiving this question, the monk answers the question back to the believer.

He asked, why are you questioning whether your son went to heaven or hell; the believer said, "Yes~ Monk~ I'm curious about that." Whether my son went to heaven or hell, I'm so curious.”

Then the monk asks another question. So do you want your son to go to heaven? Or do you want him to go to hell? Then the believer replies, “Of course, I wish he went to heaven!”

Then the monk said, “The Bible says, Blessed are the believers in the Bible.” “If you believe your son has gone to heaven, he is in heaven. And if you believe your son has gone to hell, he is in hell.”

People wonder about heaven. Nevertheless, they don't know much about the existence of heaven. But today's text clearly and definitely records about heaven. Today I would like to share how the Heaven exists with you today and prove this fact biblically, as well as how Christians who are convinced of heaven, should live.

I pray in the name of the Lord that this morning there will be a certain realization of heaven for our saints of the WordForest Church who have come before the Lord, and in the name of the Lord, that heaven will be delivered not only to me and you but also to those who still do not know heaven.

Let’s read verses 1 and 2 of today’s text together.

Jesus gathered his 12 disciples. And sent them to spread the kingdom of God. In the Bible, when it talks about 'heaven', another expression would be 'the kingdom of God.’

Heaven and the kingdom of God are the same. At first, however, Jesus' disciples lacked a clear understanding of the kingdom of God. When we say heaven, it is understood as a place where people go once they die. They believe it as a place unable to reach while you're alive.

But the Bible says that heaven is a land beyond a certain place you go once you die and that you can own and experience the kingdom of God even while you are still alive. Let's read Luke 17:20-21.

Hallelujah

The Pharisees asked Jesus a question. When does the kingdom of God come? Koreans believe that they can go to the kingdom of God once they die. But the Jews believed that the kingdom of God would come along when the Messiah comes. So they believed that the kingdom of God was visible in the middle of this land. In other words, they believed that heaven would come as visible to us.

That's why Saint John shouted in the wilderness, “Repent! Heaven is near." It is believed that God's kingdom is visible and that it would come in the midst of this land.

But we Koreans believe that the kingdom of God, heaven, is where one goes after death. So then what is the correct biblical standard?

First of all, if you look at the Gospel of Luke 17:21, it says that God's kingdom is not a visible country, but rather its within you. What does this mean? What does it mean when it says that God's kingdom is in you? Let’s read Matthew 12:28 together.

Hallelujah

When it says the kingdom of God is in you, it means the kingdom of God is presented by the works of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, "Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”

The kingdom of God was made in us through the Holy Spirit. What does this mean, ladies and gentlemen? Let’s read Ephesians 1:13 together.

Hallelujah

It’s not incorrect to say that kingdom of God is where you go after death. However, the kingdom of God is present to each individual to experience and enjoy the kingdom of God through those who believe in Jesus on this land, and to wish for it.

At the moment of listening to God's word and believing it, the Holy Spirit comes to us. We call this the Touch of the Holy Spirit or the Presence of the Holy Spirit.

In verse 2 of today's text, Jesus sent his disciples to spread the kingdom of God. The spread of the kingdom of God is spread through the people who receive the Holy Spirit. It spreads through the people who believe in Jesus as their Savior.

Therefore, my actions in preaching the gospel are the same confession that I believe in Jesus, and that the Holy Spirit has caressed me for the kingdom of God to take place within me.

We are currently listening to the gospel of Luke every week, and the word "the kingdom of God" has been recorded 57 times throughout the new and old Bible. Specifically, 27 times in the Gospel of Luke, which is nearly half of all.

This means that Luke had a high interest in the kingdom of God and judged the need for a sufficient understanding of the kingdom of God at that period of time, which lead him to record nearly 50 percent against the entire Bible.

Let's read the Gospel of Mark 1:15 and 4:26 together.

Hallelujah

The kingdom of God is achieved through evangelism. But the kingdom of God was said to be achieved through repentance. This eventually means that in order to enjoy and experience the kingdom of God, it must be achieved through “repentance.”

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the gospel began with repentance. On January 6, 1907, a spiritual revival was held at the Jangdaehyeon Church in Pyongyang. The gathering, which began on January 6, was a huge history of repentance as a big event took place on the 14th.

On the evening of the 14th, Gil Seon-ju, the elder of the Jangdaehyeon Church in Pyongyang, stood in front of everyone who attended the rally. And he repented publicly by confessing his own sins.

"Everyone, I'm a man like Achan." "About a year ago, one of my friends asked me a favor on the verge of his death." The request is that as he can no longer live, he wanted his friend to organize his property and take good care of his wife and children.

However, while he was cleaning up his property, he swindled the money worth of 100 U.S. dollars. And then he confessed, "Everyone! I'm an evil man who defrauded my friend's money. I'll give the money back to the widow tomorrow morning. Oh, God! Please take pity on me and forgive me as I repent for my wickedness. The repentance of the elder Gil Seon-ju suddenly broke down the heavy sin that weighed on him. He then felt the kingdom of God.

Furthermore, the unexpected confession of the elder Gil Seon-ju shocked those who attended the revival meeting. Them too, while praying out-loud and praying desperately for repentance, felt the presence of the powerful Holy Spirit and felt the presence of the kingdom of God, which became the source of a great revival.

Everyone! One surprising fact is that God has one reason for experiencing the presence of the kingdom of God through repentance. Let’s all read the Gospel of Luke 8:10 together.

Hallelujah

One reason for repentance is that in the Bible you are given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God. Hallelujah. With repentance, He made sure we do not fall and, on top of that, bless us as well.

What is that blessing, everyone? It's about preaching the gospel. For us to preach the gospel, He gave us the opportunity to experience the kingdom of God and enjoy it through repentance. Perhaps one of the things people who worship together feel the same way is that they can somehow overcome the environmental challenges in reality.

However, if the wall of sin blocks our relationship with God, it would be a very difficult situation to endure. But God so loves his people that he gives them a chance to repent.

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