Transcription
God has sent you and me into this world. What parent would ever want their child to live a life of disobeying their parents and having no trust among their friends and neighbors? What kind of parent would want that from their children? Never.
Parents, they always teach their children to be honest, accurate, sincere, and faithful in their given work so that they may feel fulfillment themselves and be trusted and respected by their parents, family, relatives, friends, in their workplace and further in our society. as people who are truly good, sincere and trustworthy. Parents and ch and teachers, we teach our children to be such people then has our life been truthful every day. In Hebrew, it will mean that our life must be amen every day, truthful. We must be diligent in order to be amen. God the father, God the son, and God the holy spirit live a consistent life of amen from eternity to eternity. Jesus himself is the amen. This is written in Revelation 3:14.
But although we believe in Jesus, our lives are like shadows. It's not the real thing. So the things we do become half-hearted and careless. There's a saying, a Korean saying, you get your foot cut by the axe you trust. Even someone you believed in with unshakable trust can one day betray you. If it's for their own benefit, even a blood related brother can betray you for the sake of their own gain. People they can take another person's life. They murder. That's what people do in the world. But those who truly fear God and those who have Jesus dwelling in their hearts would never do such things. And people say of them that person would live rightly even without the law. So when we read the Bible, our lives, our breathing, our seeing, everything must be truthful. If we're not truthful, we will perish. We won't live long. People say once we die, it's over. But God has already appointed for men to die once. Why? Because of the price of sin. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return. And in Matthew 16:27, there is one fearful truth. After that, you will be judged according to what you have believed and what you have done. And at that judgment, it's not only God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, but there will also be tens of thousands of angels. And since the creation of the world, countless people have come and gone, billions of them, right? Everything will be made public before all of them. Hebrews 4:12 and 13 says that everything will be open and laid bare before tens of thousands of angels and billions of souls who have come and gone until now. Even now 7 billion people are alive and they will all see. So even King David said right before his death at the age of 70, Lord, I am but a sojourer on this earth just like a shadow. I am not to remain here. But now I go the way of all the saints.
Look at this world. It's truly frightening, right? There's a saying, as I said, you get your foot cut by the axe you trust. Even someone you trusted completely can betray you for their own benefit. And they can even kill a friend or a brother. But in today's passage, verse 18 says, "God is faithful. He is trustworthy." Though all human beings are not trustworthy and unrighteous, God is trustworthy because he is faithful. He is truthful. The fact that he's faithful, this expression reflects the very nature of God who is true. who is reliable, without deceit, without falsehood. That's what Deuteronomy 7:9 says as well as Isaiah 49:7. With God, there is no variation or shifting shadow in James 1:17 and Malachi 3:6. God does not change. He doesn't say one thing today and another tomorrow. When he speaks once, he keeps it to the end. He does not change. The Lord is the same today, yesterday, tomorrow, even thousands of years from now. God remains the same. Does God treat you well only when you're rich? And then when your business fails and you're broke, does he neglect you? No. God is unchanging.
Then for those who believe in Jesus, God says, "I am consistent." So should you not also be consistent? Why do you waver one moment this way and another that way? Stealing from other people for your own gain. That'll lead you to ruins. So there's no amen in our lives. There's no such thing as amen in us because amen means to be truthful, to be honest, to be faithful. All of those together make up amen. But look at our lives. Our hearts are sly, deceitful. We deceive our parents, siblings, friends. We get jealous when others do well. We scheme. We slander. That's not right. Hebrews 13:8 also says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Even after thousands or ten thousands of years, he is the same. So when Jesus speaks something and says yes, even after hundreds of years, he doesn't say, "Did I really say that?" He's not like that. That's why for God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, it's always yes and amen. This entire world is a shadow. There is no true substance. Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 7:31 that the form of this world is passing away. So don't let your heart be captured by it.
When we go to heaven, what is the throne of God founded upon? Righteousness and justice, truthfulness, and faithfulness. That's what God's throne is. So if we don't have righteousness, if we don't have faithfulness, truthfulness, we cannot stand before his throne. Psalm 89:14 and Psalm 97:2, "My throne is founded on righteousness and justice." We must hold firmly to our hope. We cannot hold it half-heartedly. We must hold fast as we would protect our own wife, our children. Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hold fast. It's a godly hope." 2 Corinthians 1:7, Hebrews 6:19. This hope we have as an anchor of our soul, a hope both sure and steadfast. Hebrews 3:6, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. So that's why the hope we believe in is the hope of eternal life. Titus 1:2. Second, it's a blessed hope. Titus 2:13, this is our hope for each one of us. It's also written in 1 Timothy 1:1. And Colossians 1:27 says, "This is the hope of glory. When we enter heaven, only those who have the hope of glory will be there."
Amen is an important term in Christian worship. It also serves as an ellipsus that represents the ultimate life of a Christian. Originally, this word comes from the Hebrew Aman. Amen comes from Aman which means to trust to rely solely on God as an adverb. It conveys the sense of truth. That is why 1 Corinthians 5:8 emphasizes it with the leaven of unleaven bread of sincerity and truth. Also in 2 Corinthians 1:12 in holiness and godly sincerity. 2 Corinthians 8:8 as proving through the earnestness as of others the sincerity of your love. 2 Corinthians 11:3, the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. Ephesians 5:9, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth. So in every aspect of life if truth is missing it's all fake. God himself is amen. Therefore all of God's creation is honest and truth. So as we see in Romans 1:19 and 20 no one can say that God does not exist. They can know by seeing all the creation that the truthful God made. Those who deny God despite seeing his creation will incur a fearful judgment. Read Romans 1:19 and 20. And lastly in Revelation 17:14, these will wage war against the lamb and the lamb will overcome them because he is lord of lords and king of kings. And those who are with him are the called and chosen and faithful. So all those who lie perish. The Bible says that even if thousands or 10 thousands fall, the truthful person will survive. God's word is not a lie. Revelation 22:20, he who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Amen means truth. In the Chinese character, it means true and faithful. It refers to a heart that is upright and sincere. A genuine heart that is not in vain. A heart without falsehood. Pure and true whether in words or deeds or even work. It means to be certain, genuine and accurate without falsehood. This is testified by our third person. It refers to the very character of God himself and of Jesus Christ. So Isaiah 65:16 says, "Be blessed by the God of truth. Seek blessings from the God of truth." Those who swear on the earth should swear by the God of truth, the God of truth. In the original Hebrew, this means the God of amen.
Even what God created is amen. After his work of creation, he said seven times it was good. In Genesis 1:31, for the seventh one, he said it was very good. This means that there was not even the slightest trace of faucet in it. After taking a shower in the morning until you go to bed at night, you must reflect on yourself. Was I truthful today? If you acted deceitfully, hypocritically, or pretended, that is pride. According to Hebrews 4:6, God resists the proud. But he draws near to the humble. The proud die suddenly. They come upon a sudden death. Their necks are broken. That's in Proverbs 16:18. So we must not be proud. We have to be humble.
When you speak truthful words, even an unbeliever would inwardly confess, Lord, that person's words are amen. First Kings 1:36, Jeremiah 28:6, Revelation 7:12, 22:20. In the Gospel of John from chapter 1 to 21. If we look there, Jesus repeatedly says, "Truly, truly, I say to you," that means Jesus himself first says, "Amen." We may not hear it with our ears, but Jesus always says, "Amen." And then speaks, "Truly, truly, I say to you, all men are false, but God has no falsehood." According to Hebrews 6:18, no matter how much power, ability, and skill God has, he doesn't know how to lie. He cannot lie. He is one without falsehood.
When we say amen, we are agreeing. When someone prays for us, prays for worship, we respond with amen. Meaning I desire for that to be done for me as well. And that's the kind of life we must live. John the Baptist, his mother was barren. She was already very old. But at that age, it's impossible to conceive by human thoughts or human skills. But in her old age, the mother of John the Baptist, Elizabeth, conceived John in her womb. She was six months pregnant when the angel Gabriel was sent to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Elizabeth was six months pregnant when that happened. Gabriel visited Elizabeth. Gabriel visited Mary. And Gabriel suddenly after appearing to this young woman Mary, he said, "Greetings, favored one." And this angel Gabriel appeared in radiant light, the archangel himself. He said to Mary, the mother of Jesus, "Greetings, favored one." Then he told her that she would bear a savior for all humanity, Jesus. And he even gave her the name Jesus. Which means he will save his people from their sins. And Mary replied, "How can this be since I'm a virgin? I've never known a man." But the angel said, "Is anything impossible with God? All things are possible." Then Mary, the physical mother of Jesus, said, "Behold the bonds slave of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." And the Holy Spirit covered Mary. That's when she conceived Jesus. It's not easy. If this had happened to a Korean, she might have said, "What? Are you crazy? I've never dated a man. I've never even touched a man. How could I have a son? What madness is this?" But Mary said, "Behold the bondslave of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your will." And that's how the savior of humanity was born. That's recorded in Luke 1:26-38. This is absolute obedience. Numbers 5:22, Deuteronomy 27:15-26, Nehemiah 5:13. For as many as are the promises of God, they are yes. When God speaks, we say, "Amen."
Try living a life of amen. When listening to a sermon, say amen. And you'll already see a change in your household. Beloved saints, when it comes to prayer, benediction or the doxology, don't run away. The sermon of all sermons is the benediction. If you listen to the sermon but leave without receiving the benediction, it's all for nothing. Nothing remains. You must receive the benediction. That's when you receive the blessing of God the father, God the son, and God the holy spirit. So in the worship order in large gatherings, who gives the benediction? Someone faithful, someone trustworthy, even if they're elderly. That's the kind of person we entrust the benediction to. The Apostle Paul said to the Corinthian church, "How will one say the amen at your giving of thanks if he does not know what you're saying?" You cannot give thanks if you do not understand the content. So when we pray, when we preach, the content must be clear.
Then what is the reality of amen? God's promises are amen. If you live like this, that will happen. That's amen. According to today's passage, 2 Corinthians 1:20, for as many as are the promises of God, in him they are yes. Therefore also through him is our amen to the glory of God through us. That's in 2 Corinthians 1:20. For as many as are the promises of God in him they are yes. Will it happen? Will it not? No. Don't think that way. It will happen. He is the one who makes the non-existent exist. He can make what exists vanish. The poor he can make rich. When you read 1 Corinthians 1:27 and the following, it's so comforting. Your heart is stirred because he can make even the one who has nothing have everything. Even in Deuteronomy 8:18, God gives blessings of wealth to the one who has nothing. I will make you prosperous and wealthy. You have to believe that. But you say, "I have no money, so how can I live?" Remember, God will provide. Even if you have something, Hagi chapter one says, "If God blows them away, they're gone. If God blows away your foot or an arm, you'd be paralyzed." But humans don't realize that life is just a moment. No matter how good your life is, how much power, honor, or money you have, it's just for a moment. They're like a mist or a shadow. Here one moment and gone the next. But if you take Jesus into your heart, no matter how wicked the world is or how fleeting it is like a shadow, Jesus remains. Those who are in the Lord are always thankful. And when you're in the Lord, you're truly blessed. When you're in the Lord, you pray before God and trust everything to him. Even if you earn hundreds or millions or billions and deposit them in the bank, God can blow them away in an instant. That's in Hagi chapter one.
So God is the God of amen. Whatever God speaks to us is honest. It's faithful, trustworthy. That's why we say amen. Our lives, every single day, every step we take, every thought in our hearts must be guided by Jesus. That is a life of amen. Can you step on a shadow? If you move, your shadow moves too. Try stepping on a shadow. But if you step on a woman's skirt, she cannot move forward because you're holding her down. But with shadows, even if you step on them a hundred times, it's useless. So don't live that kind of life. Live a positive life, a practical life, a life recognized by others, a life that brings joy to your own heart. That's the life of amen. It's a blessed life. It gives off fragrance. No matter how hard you work, if the result has no fragrance, it'll smell like dung. Even your own dung smells. But when there's fragrance, everyone wants to smell it. Whether the rich or poor, educated, uneducated, young or old, our lives should show such an example. In these last days, as he promised to us, he sent Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1 and 2, that is amen. He came for our sins to remove our sins. And God tells us do not worry and cast all anxieties on him. First Peter 5:7 also says, "Cast all your anxieties on him." But do we really do that? Things may not go well. Children may frustrate you. Debts might accumulate. But when you just remain idle with no heart to seek God to no desire to pray, time passes and you become 60, 70 years old, death is near. Have you passed on faith? Have you passed on wealth? You have to think carefully. When Abraham offered Isaac, it was a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. What did God say? That through Abraham all nations of the earth will be blessed. When Abraham offered Isaac, God was speaking with Jesus in mind. Genesis 22:18. You may think, I don't even have a house right now. I don't have anything. How can I receive a blessing of wealth? Don't tell me things that can only come true in my dreams. Don't think that way. Accept it. If you pray now for your children, your grandchildren, for your son-in-law, for your daughter's sons, those prayers will never vanish. When you pray with all your heart honestly, truthfully, earnestly, God keeps those prayers. And there will surely come a time when your children will succeed.
In today's passage, verse 19, Jesus himself is amen. All we need to do is believe and hold firmly to his word when he speaks. 2 Corinthians 1:19, for the son of God, Christ Jesus, was not yes and no, but is yes in him. When Jesus took upon himself the sins of humanity and said you bear the sin, he answered yes. When God said deal with all those sins on the cross, Jesus said yes. So when we read Hebrews 5:7-10, we see that he offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears because of our sins. God heard him and it was fulfilled. That's recorded in Hebrews chapter 5:7-10. Jesus obeyed in order to fulfill God's will. John 6:38 and 39. For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me. I came to do my father's will. And he said my father not as I will but as you will. When the father said you bear the sins of humanity on the cross. Jesus answered yes. Before the father's will, Jesus always said yes. Yes.
When the father said, "Give up the glory of the heavenly throne and become a man, become a servant, take upon yourself all their sins." He said, "Yes, even one person's sin is dreadful." But Jesus took upon himself the sins of all humanity from Adam until the end of the world. And he nailed those sins to the cross and completely dealt with them. Those who did not believe died for the price of their own sin. But on the third day, Jesus broke the power of death and rose again. And he declared, "I have overcome death." So after removing all sin and rising again, he promised if you believe in me, you too will not die but live in a spiritual body just like me. There's no need to drink water, eat bread. Even a nice house needs repainting and cleaning after a few years. But the heavenly home is eternal. So isn't that wonderful? If we don't brush our teeth, our breath smells worse than a corpse. So, we must take showers and bathe. Men have nine holes in their bodies and women have 10. And every hole smells like a corpse. But in heaven, there is none of that. And when you travel, an airplane doesn't lift off by itself. It needs fuel and engines to work. But in heaven, the cherubim, the angels, they fly in an instant. It takes less than a second. That's the spiritual realm. And we just haven't seen it with our own eyes yet. And because of our disbelief in heaven, it's written in Isaiah 65. A hundred-year-old man or woman, they look unattractive. They're wrinkly. There's no beauty. But in heaven, a hundred-year-old person will look like a child, plump, soft, and tender. That's the kind of place it is. The Lord having died and risen is the first fruit. Lazarus was dead, but also came back to life. Right? Gyrus's daughter was raised from the dead. Elijah was taken up alive and so was Enoch.
Our lives must always be amen. Amen. Honest and faithful. You must give glory to God. Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it in his name and give glory to God. That's in 1 Corinthians chapter 10:31-33. And in 2 Corinthians 1:20, for as many as are the promises of God, in him they are yes. Therefore also through him is our amen to the glory of God through us.
So now God is saying to us, live a life of amen. He says, "I will take full responsibility. So don't worry." Before you die, you entrust your young children to an uncle or somebody. But still, your heart is not at ease. But when you entrust them to God who cares for them even more than your uncle, your sibling, your own family, and when you let him guide them, those children will turn out well. God the Father governs creation and providence. God the Father rules over all he has created. Romans 11:36 says, "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. God is the one who takes responsibility for creation. Even the creatures who live within this creation, if they believe in him, can trust that God shares responsibility with his creation and will care for us to the very end. The Bible says that those who believe in God will never perish. Therefore, to Jesus be blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might forever and ever. As Revelation 7:12 declares, last night as I was preparing for this message, I was so joyful that I could have danced. People say those believers in Jesus, they believe in Jesus day and night. They don't go sightseeing. They don't eat a lot. They don't indulge in luxuries. Those fools and they insult us along with Jesus. But when we are insulted for our faith in Jesus, God immediately places a crown of glory over our household. This is not my own words. It's incredible, right? First Peter 4:14, if you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If someone says to you, "Hey, you fool, you ate cooked rice, but why are you speaking uncooked nonsense? Did I ever ask you for money for food? Why are you always praying on me whenever you see me?" When that happens, just say, "Thank you, Lord. Another rank has been added to my household." Just as a second lieutenant becomes a first lieutenant and a first lieutenant becomes a captain and then a major. When you're insulted in the name of Jesus, whether for your business or your children, the spirit of glory rests upon your head. So even the angels envy that. When people insult you, don't curse them back. Just say instead, "God, they don't know what they're saying. I'm afraid they would be judged for their words, so please forgive them." That's what it means to love your enemies and to pray for your enemies. So live that way. Mark chapter 9:41. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward. Even if you give someone a single cup of cold water in Jesus's name, you do not lose your reward. So, how blessed is that?
Jesus has taken all our sins upon himself. Whether you're walking down the street doing business or selling something, if in your heart you say, "Thank you, Jesus." And you bless that person in your heart and pray, "Lord, may that person also come to believe in you." That blessing is transmitted exactly as you prayed. That is why many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders and every created thing says to the lamb that was slain Jesus be power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. This is written in revelation 5:11-14. The number of angels was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders. And the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. and every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea and all things in them I heard saying to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." And the four living creatures kept saying amen. And the elders fell down and worshiped. Even the angels in heaven rejoice and sing praises because of you who believe in Jesus. Revelation 1:4 also says, "From him who he is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth, to him who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood. And he has made us to be a kingdom priest to his God and father. To him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Galatians chapter 1 verses 4 and 5. Who gave himself for our sins so that he might rescue us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and father. To whom be the glory forever more. Amen.
Now if you trust yourself excessively that's idolatry. You love money more than God. You love honor your children your spouse more than God. That is idolatry. Scripture says that anyone who loves their parents or children more than God is not worthy for him. So we should entrust everything to God. Believe that God will guide you on the good path. And just say, "Amen." Not just when you come to church, but every day in your life. When eating, when you pray for good digestion, for good health, pray, "Lord, bless me with strength so that I may serve you with joy and obedience. If I become weak, my husband, my children are affected. So please help me, God, and say, "Amen." Our lives should be amen every day. So how grateful we are that we can pray before God. When I pray in the name of the Lord at this moment that is amen. Amen is not just saying it at the end of a prayer. It's when you report your difficulties to God when you entrust them to him. And that is amen. God looks at the heart and he says, "Okay, even if you haven't prayed yet, I know what's in your heart. I will take responsibility and set it right." And when God touches you with his right hand, then it's done. Our souls must prosper. When the soul prospers, everything else prospers and even our body becomes stronger. So how wonderful is that? As third John chapter 2 says, be thankful when your husband returns from work. Be thankful your children return from school. Be thankful. So thank God and say amen to God. When you see your children, amen when you see your husband. Amen. When you see your grandchildren, amen. Wherever you go, wherever you come back, amen. Our entire life should be a life of amen because God himself is amen. When you live a life of amen, you will not go astray. You will be blessed whether you come in or go out. Please believe that there is no loss in all of your life. No matter who you meet, say amen. If you pray in front of someone, they'll say that person after becoming a Christian is now crazy. I met up with him and he bowed his head and was murmuring. Then Jesus will be criticized. So just say, "Hey, long time no see." And just pray in your heart, Lord. Amen. Amen.
May our Pong church until the day we enter heaven, starting from today and onward, never lose amen in our lives. Never have it stolen. Never forget it, but keep it with faith. So that no matter who you may and whether what you're doing, where you're going, may you live a life of amen. This I bless you in the name of the Lord.
Let us pray. Among all the mysteries of Christianity, the greatest sign of promise is amen. It is God's expression of his truth revealed to humanity. God, we recognize that our personal response to your creation, to your redemption, to your calling and blessing is to say amen. As you yourself are the amen, may there be a living work where our daily lives begin with amen and end with amen. Bless the lives of the members of Pyongang church so that no one is stolen of their amen. No one forgets it or has it taken away, but may it always remain in their hearts with faith so that every time they see or hear or speak, may they live in amen. Please bless them and even if Pyong Church forgets everything else, may the amen be preserved until the day we enter your kingdom. Please drive out all sicknesses, all pain, all suffering. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth in Jesus name as we receive the laying on of your unfailing right hand, we believe that all illnesses will be completely healed. Bless every family with health and let the work of amen be fully present in every household. We pray all of this in the holy name of Jesus Christ with thanksgiving. Amen.