Those with Faith to Save the World (Heb. 11:28-31)
Let us bless one another, Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. May this be the worship where the individuals and families that are worshiping will be liberated in the name of Christ. Among the leaders of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, we’ll be talking about three heroes of faith. We’ll be talking about three things. In the world, most people are living in suffering and disasters. There’s a reason why they have no other choice but to do that.
There are those who have been set free from that, and they also have a reason they’ve been set free. The characteristic of students who are good at studying is that they listen to the words of their teacher accurately and very carefully. The characteristic of students who are not good at studying is that they are listening but they don’t hear very accurately or carefully. If you listen to the words of the world carefully, then you will go into curses and it’s impossible to escape.
If you listen to the words of Egypt, in other words, the world, you will fall into disasters. If we want to summarize the words of the world simply, what is it saying? They are saying, “Do not believe in God; believe in yourself. You are the master of your life.” All the people you meet say so many words, but the very core, the central essence is, “I am the master of my life.” That’s why all our decisions, words, and actions are in the direction of benefitting me, and we follow the plans we have set up.
That’s how the ten disasters fell upon Egypt. The Egyptians didn’t do anything wrong, it’s not that they were living wickedly, but there was a result that follows if you listen to and follow the ways of the world. However, the people who believe in God, the children of God, also follow those words. Even though they go to church, they listen to the words, “You are the main figure of your life.” You live your walk of faith, but you’re the center of your life. God is your secretary; you are the main figure of your life.
Even the way you pray should be determining what you want, and then asking for help. They determine their own lives for themselves and they live their walk of faith for that. This is how the people of God were completely enslaved to Egypt. They have never heard the accurate Word of God. Yes, because they’re people of God, they did hear it, but when they went out to worship, they didn’t receive God’s Word accurately; they just kept it as reference, but the true thing for them was their inner self. That’s why they were living their lives, making decisions that bring them suffering.
This is the way the world lives, we have no choice but to be enslaved and face the 10 disasters, but then Moses received the accurate Word from God. He listened to the accurate way to be liberated from the curses, disasters, and suffering from the ways of this world.
1. Passover faith
1) Blood of the young lamb (Ex. 12:5)
(1) Put the blood on the sides and tops of the door frames (Ex. 12:7)
Apply the blood of the perfect lamb upon the sides and tops of the door frames, and God says, “I will place my judgment upon the gods the Egyptians believe in.”
(2) Strike down every firstborn, Bring judgment on the gods of Egypt (Ex. 12:12)
In the very last disaster, the firstborn were killed, whether they were humans or animals. It means everything is rushing towards death. The other nine plagues cursed the idols the Egyptians believed in, and the last disaster is your life, he will take you into eternal death.
(3) Disaster will pass over you (Ex. 12:13)
However, the angel of death passed over all the households who applied the blood of the lamb in faith. As you go to church, you need to hold onto the Word of God’s covenant accurately. If you haphazardly keep it as reference, you cannot escape. You cannot escape from the repetitive problems of your family line. That’s how the Israelites lived for 430 years. Was God not helping them while they lived in Egypt? They were not listening to God’s Word, and even if they did listen, they listened to the words of the world more. The result of that was the 10 disasters.
2) Application of blood ceremony (Heb. 11:28)
In Heb. 11:28, it says he kept the Passover.
(1) Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance (Ex. 12:24)
Keeping the passover means it’s not just a one-time thing, but He set this up as a lasting ordinance to remember, what does this mean? It means it must be repeated.
(2) Teach the future descendants (Ex. 12:26-27)
If the next generation does not know the life of suffering in slavery as they lived in Egypt, they will repeat this, so that’s why in Ex. 12:26-27, it says to teach this to the future generations.
(3) Egypt – Disasters of the world (Ex. 12:27)
Ex. 12:27 says to teach the accurate words of the covenant that liberated us from disasters. The Word of God must accurately go in. Moses received His Word accurately. If you have a problem, you need to receive the answer accurately; you shouldn’t be wondering, “Is this or that the answer?” This world lives so diligently, but the end result is disaster. It doesn’t matter how successful you become, it’s a disaster, because God will place His judgment upon whatever you hold onto other than God. Because you’re holding onto yourself, you yourself are judged, and the life in Egypt is the result of a life you cannot control.
3) Jesus Christ
(1) Authority of Sin, Satan, Hell – Liberated
In terms of the New Testament, God finished the work of liberating us from our curses of sin, Satan, and Hell by Jesus’ death on the cross, and His resurrection. When this Word goes in accurately and correctly, you will be liberated from spiritual problems. But if this Word doesn’t go in accurately, we’re bound to repeat the life of slavery in which the Israelites lived for 430 years.
(2) Child of God (Jn. 1:12)
By believing in Jesus Christ, I’m completely a child of God, and now my status has changed so that God is completely taking care of me.
(3) It is finished (Jn. 19:30)
That’s why in John 19:30, it is finished. The fundamental things that caused all problems in life have been finished, so where do the problems of my life come from? It comes from not believing in God, but it’s not that you think this by yourself. Satan is invisibly attacking and deceiving your brain with disbelief, and because we believe and hold onto our own thoughts, one day, we face disasters. “Oh, my family has been Christian for so long,” you shouldn’t hold onto that. “I’m the first believer,” you shouldn’t hold onto that. “I’m an elder,” you shouldn’t hold onto that, either. “I’m a pastor,” “I’m a senior deaconess,” None of that matters. “My family has incredible faith,” None of that matters. Only when the accurate covenant of Christ goes into you will you be liberated.
Look at the Israelites, for how many generations have they believed since Abraham? They might all say, “The incredible faith of our forefather Abraham,” but none of that matters. They may argue, “Our great ancestor is the great governor of Egypt, Joseph,” None of that matters. It’s because we’re holding onto useless things. Only when we hold onto the accurate covenant of Christ, the covenant of blood will we be liberated from the world, and only then will we see the works of Abraham.
2. Faith to cross the Red Sea
1) Israel in front of the Red Sea
(1) Pursued by the army of Egypt (Ex 14:9-10)
(2) Terrified in front of the Red Sea (Ex 14:10)
The second point for today is in Heb. 11:29, the Israelites who crossed the Red Sea in faith. After the Israelites had the Exodus from Egypt, they were met with the Red Sea in front of them, and behind them, they were being chased by the Egyptian army. Even after receiving salvation, we may run into circumstances like this. How can we escape from such circumstances? Our past seizes us. Even after receiving salvation, the Egyptian army chases after me to catch me: the old nature of living centered on myself, without Christ, in Egypt. Even after receiving salvation, we will be blocked by the Red Sea in front of us, the problems of our present reality and our future.
(3) Deliverance the LORD will bring (Ex 14:13)
With the problems of our past and our present reality, we cannot budge, and that’s what happens to the saved people of God, too. Then, what kind of faith must we have? At that time, Exodus 14:13, Moses says, “Stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.” The saved people of God need to have the faith that the LORD is leading us forward. It’s possible that the scars of your past may seize you, it’s possible that the past will hold onto the ankles of your present, and it’s possible that the problems of your present reality will make you face limitations. What kind of faith are we talking about? Seeing the deliverance the LORD will bring to you today.
(4) The LORD will fight for you (Ex. 14:14)
In Ex. 14:14, the LORD will fight for you, now we have a different life, and after this, God raised up the great winds to open up the way. We can never solve the problems in front of us on our own, God has to open the way. Even after receiving salvation, if I become the center of my life, we cannot open the Red Sea. You are bound to be seized by the scars and experiences of your past.
If you’ve received salvation, there is no more “you.” If I am alive, then I am afraid of the Red Sea. If I’m still the master of my life, then the scars and experiences of my past will seize me. However, we’re able to make a way through all the problems of my past, present, and future, holding onto the faith of what the LORD will do. Ultimately, the Egyptian army is destroyed; my past is irrelevant to me. The LORD promised to do this for the glory of the LORD.
2) Faith of Moses
(1) The sea became dry land (Ex 14:21)
(2) The people crossed (Ex 14:21-22)
(3) Destruction of the Egyptians (Ex 14:27-28)
There are people who are still seized at the ankle by the scars and problems of their past. May you have the faith of Moses today. Even after receiving salvation, we are relentlessly the center of our lives, that’s why the problems of our past are not being solved. That’s why we cannot solve the problems of our present reality and our future by ourselves. However, today, when Christ Who is the Lord, moves, all our problems will disappear. All the Egyptian army drowned in the Red Sea. All the incidences and scars that you had that move you from the past will disappear once Christ moves you.
3) Crossed the Red Sea
(1) Baptism (1 Cor 10:1-2)
Why do you think God created the incident of the Red Sea? 1 Cor 10:2 says the Israelites were baptized into Moses by the cloud and the sea.
(2) Baptized into Jesus’ death (Rom 6:3)
What is baptism, exactly? Romans 6:3 says, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”, so what is baptism? The Lord’s death on the cross was my death.
(3) United in resurrection – New life (Rom 6:4-5)
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Now that “me” of my past is dead, the “me” that tried to live centered on myself, because of sin and Satan, is dead on the cross, and now Christ lives within me, and we go through the Red Sea with that faith. People say that problems are a problem. Do you know why that problem is a problem for that person? It’s because they’re alive. Do you know why the Red Sea is a problem? It’s because this person is alive. We need to have the faith where Christ is alive in order to pass through the Red Sea.
Some people talk about their past every time they drink alcohol, “In the past, we used to get along so well in Egypt, my house was so powerful,” or, “In the past, these were the scars I received in school from friends, the scars I received from my business,” it’s because they are alive. We have received salvation, but now we need to know and enjoy the accurate covenant of God.
(4) Faith that believes in life (Gal 2:20)
Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ. I am no longer the center of my life. The fact that we believe in the cross and the death of Jesus Christ means I’m participating in that death. If you believe in Jesus Christ without that faith, that’s not real faith .Then, the life I now live is Christ living in me. Living by faith in Christ is the meaning of crossing the Red Sea. For such people who enjoy this, a problem is not a problem; it is a problem, but they have the answer.
The Egyptian army is following them and they’re blocked by the Red Sea, but there is an answer. When is there an answer? When the LORD fights for us. If the LORD does it, then it’s not a problem. If I’m my own master of my life, then everything is a problem, so this person only talks about their problems. But people who know the meaning of the baptism and being united with God, a problem is not a problem for them.
To whom do you think more people will be attached? People don’t go to those who are always pointing out problems, but people gather towards someone who says, “It’s a problem, but it’s not a problem.” When running your business, God will attach people to the one to whom a problem is not a problem. If we’re running our business and we have problems, people will not be attached to us because God moves people. If you believe in the accurate covenant, then wherever you go, God will attach people to you because you have the answer.
But if you’re always thinking so deeply and worried about your problem, you’re going to have mental problems. First, this person is going to have a lot of dandruff because they’re thinking so deeply. There’s no need to think so deeply. I’m dead, what’s there to think so deeply about? We have to put the words of Christ in our hearts, then I will come to life and people will come to find me.
People will only go to you if you’re of help to them, but every time they come to you, you’re always so negative, and even if there’s no problems, you create problems. You bring up things from the past, then later on, no one will be around you. Even your family will not like you because you always say it’s a problem, and kids will hate you the most. But if you restore this blessing, then everything will be attached to you, meaning people and money will be brought to you.
But a lot of people try to do their business well on their own, even though they have a ton of problems inside. A person who doesn’t have any problems will be able to save through their business, this is very important. When the accurate Word of God goes into you and you begin to believe it, then you are liberated. If COVID is a problem, it may be a problem to this person, but it’s not a problem to me. It might be hard to understand because I’m not me, God allowed this and if I find the reason God allowed this, I will see the answer and the plan in the problem. For the saved people of God, only when they have the faith that “Christ is living within me,” will they be able to pass through problems because they’re not problems to them.
3. Faith of overcoming Jericho
1) Jericho
(1) Land of Canaan
The third thing is that they circled the fortress of Jericho and it fell. The people who cross the Red Sea through faith in Christ must go through the wilderness, but people who don’t have that faith cannot go through the wilderness because everything in the wilderness is a problem. Everything is a problem to these people: the food, the water, the weather. However, everything in the wilderness is a blessing for the people who have the faith to cross the Red Sea, because all of that became a stepping stone to be used later on. Even our mistakes will be used as a stepping stone to save others. The wilderness seems like suffering, but it’s not. But for people who are masters of their own lives, it is suffering, but the people who have the LORD within them, guiding them with pillars of smoke and fire, will say that the wilderness is a blessing.
God guides these people to the land of Canaan, you have to go through the wilderness to get to Canaan, and you can only go through the wilderness if Christ is the Master of your life. Once you’ve crossed through the wilderness, the goal is Canaan, the Kingdom of God. There is a Kingdom of God to which we will go after we die, and a Kingdom of God to establish on this earth.
(2) Gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites (Jos. 6:1)
In this land of Canaan, there is this tremendous fortress of Jericho. The thickness of the walls of the fortress of Jericho was enough for two horse-drawn carriages to pass through. This is how people of the world are living now; they fortify themselves so strongly with money, they try to build the walls around their life using success, and they say the gates of the fortress of Jericho were secretly barred, but they never open the doors to their hearts. They’re so anxious that they close their hearts so securely. They had no choice but to do that, but the hearts of the people inside Jericho had melted in fear. That’s the world now.
Why did God bring us out of the world and take us to the wilderness? So that we can now save the world. But if you leave the world behind and are only looking towards Heaven, then why are you living on this earth? The fortress of Jericho was impossible to conquer by man’s efforts. This fortress of Jericho was only conquerable by the power of God.
(3) Delivered Jericho into your hands (Jos. 6:2)
2) Faith of conquering
(1) Follow the word (Jos. 6:3-16)
When they conquered Jericho, God gave them His Word. We’re not conquering people; we’re conquering the “me-centeredness” that lives inside of each person. Inside the center of this person’s heart, they think that success and money is everything, and that’s what we’re conquering. They are using these things to build up their fortress of Jericho, but on the inside, their hearts have melted in fear, which means they are mentally down. So, they harden their hearts and never open them.
(2) Prayer (Jos. 6:3)
(3) With the ark of covenant (Jos. 6:6)
How can we do anything about that? That’s why God gives us His Word, “Follow the Ark of the Covenant and close your mouths.” Your mouth doesn’t help. Your mouth doesn’t help save anybody. Close your mouth firmly and circle the fortress for six days. It means to pray. And on the seventh day, when the trumpets sound, everyone yell at once. How can you save and conquer the world? Follow the Word, follow in prayer. The covenant is that God says He will do it through the ark of the covenant.
(4) Prepared Rahab (Heb. 11:31)
Before they conquered the fortress of Jericho, God had already prepared a prostitute Rahab, because they didn’t know Jericho. The Prostitute Rahab was the one who knew everything about Jericho, including the state of everyone inside. She was someone who runs an inn, so she sells alcohol and people come in and out, and she hears what everybody says.
Even if you’re starting a business, you have to do research. There was someone who called me, asking if they could rent out space in this building. I asked, “Why are you asking me?” In my heart, I felt this was wrong, it’s a person who knew me and wanted to introduce me to someone who wanted to rent out this building, but even before this person starts out their business, they’ve already failed. They’re just trying to come into this building because there’s an empty space. Is that how you run a business, just because there’s a vacant spot, do you go in and start your business? Even from my perspective, this person isn’t going to do well, but people do business like that.
Even from my point of view, this building is not good for sales. It’s possible that the tailor down below may do well because they have a reputation, but all the restaurants that opened up downstairs have all failed. I’m not a salesman, I’m a pastor, and even I can recognize this. How can they do this? They can know this if they just do some research. Is this a place where people come to eat? It’s not that kind of location, so if their business comes in, they cannot do well.
Even if you want to run a basic business, you have to see who is walking across this street the most, how old they are, how much money they have, and research the demographics, but the most dangerous person is the one who goes in rashly because a spot is empty. I said, “No matter what you try, you’re not going to do well, and the owner isn’t taking any more people to come in because they don’t want them to fail. This is a place that needs a church. The tailor downstairs has a reputation, so people find them, but this isn’t the place people pass by to come eat.”
Even when you’re doing your business, you have to do your market research. Even when Samsung is trying to launch a new phone, they have to research their American market. Even when you save the world, you must be able to research people and God has prepared people for that. Even when you’re running your business, there are people whom God has prepared to fulfill His Word. They’re key members, they have to be there, so it’s not something I can do on my own.
Even God Himself doesn’t work alone; God works through God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is three people in one. Even God is like that, then how can I do something on my own? Without a doubt, there are people whom God has prepared as disciples in your field. For students, it’s in your schools; for businesspeople, they’re in your job. To whom does God attach them? Conquering Jericho means God will attach you to the ones who will save the world.
So you should not look at the standards of their job. For example, Rahab was a prostitute. God does not look at or debate the external aspects. Later on, the Prostitute Rahab is among the lineage of Jesus Christ, she became David’s great grandmother, even though she’s the Prostitute Rahab. She’s the one who had all the information from Jericho, and when the world looks at her centered on “me,” physical things, and success, they think, “She can’t do anything,” but God doesn’t see her that way.
3) Conquer field
For us, we need to save the world, in other words, to conquer the world, but how do we do that? First and foremost, I myself must escape from Egypt, and in order to do that, the accurate Word of Christ has to come into me, the Christ Who has finished all problems. If He has finished all problems, then Christ must become my master; that is the baptism. Now that He is my Master, as evidence of that, the Word of God is my master, so we go through the wilderness following God’s Word. For the people who hold onto God’s Word and pray, they will have strength.
For what reason do we run our business and study? Why do we live on this earth just to die? To conquer Canaan, to conquer Jericho, to save the people in the world who have not heard the gospel. To liberate the people who are seized and deceived by Satan, so controlled. How do we set them free?
(1) Disciple of all nations (Mt. 28:18-20)
Matthew 28, Jesus Christ says to go and make disciples of all nations. A long time ago, I heard these words and was so oppressed by them. “Go to all nations?” I like going, but then “make disciples?” I was not confident. Why was I not confident? Because the thing of which I’m most afraid is sales, and I respect salesmen the most. How are you able to persuade this person so well to sell this product? So, I understood going to all nations, but I was so oppressed by the burden of making them into disciples. It means God’s Word had not come into me correctly. God says He has prepared the disciples, and God will bring about the meeting, so that’s actually the easiest thing to do because the Lord inside of me is doing that work.
God is dragging my job towards making disciples of all nations. All nations, the 237 nations, my business will be used as missions for all nations, it’s the business to save all nations. “I will be with you with all authority in heaven and on earth, forever,” God will be with the one who does this work, because this is someone who will make disciples of all nations and save people.
(2) Healing all people (Mk. 16:15-20)
Mk. 16:15-20 says, “Go proclaim the gospel to all peoples and heal them,” this is something Jesus said 2000 years ago and these words are applicable today. People look fine on the outside but their insides are so diseased. People look fine on the outside, but their mind is so seized by demons that they have mental problems. That’s not solvable by doctors, the doctors may be able to diagnose and treat it, but that’s it. The doctors cannot solve their own problems. If the doctors could solve their own problems, then they would be able to live a long life, but why would they die? A doctor should be able to treat their own cancer, and they know the best medications, but why do doctors die? It’s because God is the One Who saves and God is the One Who heals.
Before this person had this disease, they were already spiritually diseased. They were already diseased by the spiritual problem of believing in themselves and people, rather than God. Because they make all their decisions and judgments based on themselves, they have no choice but to have mental problems. Think carefully about your scars. Did that other person really give you a scar, or were you in a state where you had no choice but to be scarred? It may be true that the other person gave you a scar, but just because someone gives you something doesn’t mean you have to receive it; the issue was your spiritual state. Because you were so relentlessly focused on thinking of everything based on yourself, everything is a scar. That’s the result of living a life centered on yourself, and that’s what we must change into Christ; that’s the fundamental healing.
We need to do the healing where the fundamental life comes into us and heals our thoughts and heart. The physical diseases are just physically manifested in the very end. It’s not finished just because you have a disease. If your mind is so seized and controlled by Satan that you have no choice but to get scarred, you’re bound to get another disease later. If someone is addicted just from the outside, it means they keep doing the same things repeatedly, and no matter what anybody says, they don’t stop. Do you know why they don’t listen, even though they hear these words? It’s because their thoughts and heart are already seized by something else, and they cannot escape from it.
That’s why the physical actions we see with our eyes have no choice but to repeatedly go towards addiction, but if you look at the fundamental issue, Christ is not their Master. For every single person who is worshiping today, the day Christ becomes the True Master of your life, all problems are already finished. Already, your mental problem is finished; already, your disease is finished. If your spiritual state is simply corrected, then other things will be corrected over time. This is what you go out and heal.
This is something that only someone who has life can do, so may we be a church that heals; may we have a business that heals. People go to church but they don’t have the answer to heal others.
(3) Future generation (Jn. 21:15-18)
Next, Jesus Christ in Jn. 21 says to feed His lambs, which means to feed the next generation and the new believers. It doesn’t matter how much faith we have, it must be connected to the future generations. Even right now, God is moving the church today, looking into the future. A church that isn’t interested in the future generations is not a correct church because God is guiding today, looking towards the future.
If the church doesn’t have future generations, then they are outside of God’s interest. God told you to create the Passover ceremony and to keep it as a lasting ordinance, to teach the next generation. Otherwise, they will go back to their lifestyle in Egypt. The future generations will immigrate to Egypt, thinking it’s so great and grand but they’ll live a life of suffering and slavery, so give them the covenant of the Passover as a lasting ordinance. That’s the reason I serve the church, that’s the reason I run my business.
(4) Business, academics – Tool of world evangelization
What else would we do this for? The Lord takes care of everything. So, why does God have to work upon our business and academics with blessings? Because He is going to use them to save the world. God is going to work upon you to the extent that you will save the world through temple construction, worship, and prayer. Without a doubt, God is bound to work upon the one who has this covenant. Throughout this week, may you be the ones of faith who can save yourselves, the world, and the future generations.
Conclusion
1. Covenant of the Gospel, world evangelization
2. Power of the Holy Spirit – Strength of prayer
3. Answer to save the field
Prayer
Let us pray together holding onto the Word we have received.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Prayer
God, we thank You. We thank You for liberating us completely from the world, Satan, and disasters, through the covenant of Christ. Now, allow us to have the true faith of baptism where it is no longer us living but Christ living within us. Allow us to have the faith that traverses through the wilderness, holding onto this covenant to save and conquer this world. Allow us to find the disciples like Prostitute Rahab who will help in this covenant.
We pray that the offering we give will be the offering of faith that saves the world. We pray that you will work with answers upon all of our businesses and academics with the answers of the economy of light and the answers of faith. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, the indwelling, working, guidance, and communion of the Holy Spirit, be upon all the people of God, the multi-ethnic peoples, and the future generations who desire to enjoy to save the world, be upon their businesses, studies, and families,