The People and Field God has Prepared (Acts 13:42-52)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” That was a unique praise band in all of the world. If one remnant goes in, it looks very unique. If you gather all of the adults in the world, it will always be about the same, but if one remnant goes in, it will always be unique. In the same way, you and I have been created uniquely. What does it mean that human beings are created differently from animals? Humans are created as spiritual beings. The spiritual things are invisible to the eye, but humans were created in the image of God, to be influenced by God. However, if we are not influenced by God, then we will be influenced by another spirit. That is called the spiritual world. If we live our walk of faith without knowing the spiritual world, then we will live a religious life for the physical things. There are many problems in America that are visible and invisible that people cannot understand, but they all come from the spiritual problem. Politicians will say that problems arise because of the wrong politics. In the school, people are saying the problems are because of a poor education. Religious people will say these problems are happening because people don’t believe in their religion.
1. Paul and Barnabas – Evangelism team
1) Field that has left God
(1) Death in sin, Satan’s authority, wrath (Eph. 2:1-3)
(2) Idolatry, religion, meditation
(3) Spirit, mind, body, future generations, afterlife seized
Only the Bible tells us why humans have a problem, and only the Bible, only the Word of God, is telling us the problem of mankind and the answer. Genesis 3 tells us that the problem of mankind is that we were separated from God’s Word. Satan tempts us from the sidelines and makes us leave God’s Word, and the way that Satan does that is by telling us that we can be like God as well. That thought makes us leave God. The thought that I can do my life all on my own without God is actually Satan working in the background, and the result of that are the mental problems and physical problems. If you just understand this as a story, then you cannot see the problems of the field correctly. But, if we are able to save ourselves and save the fields of the world exactly like the Word of the Bible, then we will receive the same Word as Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas were people who knew what the problem of mankind was, and how to save them. A good doctor is able to cure diseases well, however, they cannot diagnose nor fix the spiritual things. Teachers might be able to tell people how to live in this world, but they cannot know nor correct the spiritual things.
There is a problem that happens before the problems we can see and the problems that we have. All of those other problems begin from our spiritual problem. That spiritual problem began all the way from Adam and Eve and has been connected and relayed through the family lines up to you. That is why the Lord sent us the Christ on the cross. Why does this world have no hope without the Christ? Christ did not come to solve our physical problems. Christ did not come to control us morally or ethically. The reason the Lord God came to earth is to solve our spiritual problem. The Lord God Himself came to earth as a human, died on the cross, and resurrected, in order to solve our spiritual problem, and that spiritual problem has repeated and continued down your family line down to you. But if we’re not able to see this, then we keep on blaming people, thinking that people are the problem. They say, “Oh, it’s because that person is mentally ill,” but even before there’s any problem in our mind, there’s a problem in our spirit.
The spiritual state must be restored in order for our mind to be restored as well. If you look carefully at the family line and your background, there will be problems that we cannot understand that arise, these are problems that are coming from your spiritual background. No matter how much you try to nag, it cannot go away. That is why Christ came to earth, to solve the spiritual problem. Humans are spiritual beings, so if our spiritual state is normal and healthy, then everything else becomes normal and healthy. In America, there are so many problems of mental illness or addiction or suicide or homicide; these problems are not happening from out of nowhere. Those are just the results that we can see from a preexisting spiritual state. If someone commits a homicide, it’s because their spirit is already dead, and the result is their homicidal action. If someone is always angry or fighting or wrathful, it’s because their spiritual state was already like that.
As we are living our lives, we have incorrect systems that have been formed inside of us. We need to know about the spiritual system and solve it through Christ alone, but instead, we focus on the physical systems, thinking that I can solve the problems, and because the incorrect things are already inside of me, I keep on trying to solve problems with that. Even if that person believes in Jesus, Christ is not the answer for their lives, because they’re not able to see the real problem. Even if we’re able to see the real problem correctly, we already know the answer. If you’re able to realize this, then the continuous, repetitive problems that are happening through your family line will one day stop. If we don’t teach this to our children, then our children will also have the same, repetitive problems.
2) Only Christ
(1) Jesus Christ – Become righteous (Acts 13:39)
(2) Many people came to follow (Acts 13:43)
Paul and Barnabas knew about the spiritual problem and relayed it to the field, and many people began to follow them. The Jewish people at the time believed they could receive salvation and righteousness by following the actions of the law; they had the incorrect belief. When Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the true answer to that problem, which is the Christ alone, the people in that region heard the answer for the first time. They realized that the spiritual problem of mankind could not be solved by anything else. God Himself must come to earth as a human, die on the cross, and resurrect to solve the spiritual problem of mankind.
They relayed that correctly. In your family, to your children, you must relay this gospel correctly. If we relay the gospel correctly, then people are bound to react to that. But instead of relaying the gospel accurately, we keep on talking about you, your actions, what you have to do. That’s why people do not have Christ and are attacked by Satan. You must be able to see this person’s spiritual state that is seized by Satan, but because we cannot see that, we keep on judging and criticizing them, “It’s because you are lacking, it’s because you messed up,” those words cannot save people. Even the person saying those words will have difficulty because they don’t have the mystery to save themselves.
(3) Urged them to continue in the grace of God (Acts 13:43)
So, the normal thing is for believers like Paul and Barnabas to arise, and when many people followed Paul and Barnabas, they told them to continue in God’s grace. So, for all of you, what you do is not what’s important, but it’s where you are that’s important, because if you are not with God, you keep on trying to do things on your own, and if we say that, then the response might be, “Oh, God is with me,” and yes, that person might know with knowledge in their brain that God is with them, but their spiritual state doesn’t really believe that, because a state of being with God means that I’m always concentrating on that. For example, if someone gets angry, they are fixated on their anger. If I have a mental illness, then I’ll always be focused on that mental illness. If you have a disease in your body, then you’ll always be focused on that disease. Instead, we must always be in a state that is focused on God being with us. It’s not about doing something, it just means that, spiritually, I remain in a state that remembers that God is with me. Inside of that state, you must work. Without remembering God is with us, we keep on trying to work physically, so we get obsessed with the physical things, then that individual will become internally empty. We should be spiritually overflowing and joyful, but instead, we try to be satisfied through physical means, then that person will always be obsessed with the physical things. Because they are spiritually devoid of God, but they’re trying to fill their void with physical things, of course it will not work out.
2) Role of grace and authority of calling
(1) With the Triune God
All we have to do is enjoy the grace of God, that through Jesus Christ, we have become children of God. “Oh, my Father is God, and He is with me right now.” Whether you acknowledge this or whether you don’t acknowledge this is the difference between heaven and earth. If you acknowledge that spiritually, then you will enjoy spiritual peace, then even your mind will become normalized, and the work you are doing will also become stable. So, 3 John 2 says, “As your spirit gets along well, may all things go well.” So you are within God’s grace, but your spiritual state must continue to remain in God’s grace. Even right in this moment, you should be in God’s grace. If you don’t remember that and you try to do something else, it’s not going to work. And, God gave us the authority to save the world. That is a special authority. The Lord is with us, and He entrusted to us the work that only Christ can do. So, if you confirm every day, “Who am I and what am I here to do?” then you will have a spiritual peace.
(2) Filled with the power of God
The field of the world is evil, so we must pray with faith that God gives us the spiritual strength to save them, because that’s not something I can do. That’s the reason Jesus Christ said, “I will be with you to the ends of the earth, and the Holy Spirit will give you power to be witnesses until the ends of the earth.” Why does my life keep facing limitations? It’s rightful; we face our limitations because we live our lives without God’s power, and when we reach our limitations, we struggle, we get angry, we throw tantrums, we do everything we can, and people will try every method they can, as they try to save themselves from dying. If someone has power, they’re not affected; if I have money, why would I struggle for money? God gave me the power to save the world, and if you enjoy that, then there is no reason for you to struggle.
(3) Proclaim Christ to all peoples
But if you only think about yourself, then that’s the limit God gives you. If I only care about my family, then that’s the limit of power God gives you, because without a doubt, Jesus says, “You will be my witnesses until the ends of the earth,” then we pray in faith for God to give us the power to be a witness of Christ in every aspect of my life. God’s power is unlimited and I go in faith into God’s unlimited power. Then, you will no longer say things like, “Oh, I’m lacking this,” or, “Oh, this is so hard.” Why are things so difficult? Because we are trying to live for the physical things by our own power, of course it’s going to be hard, because in the background, the devil is attacking us spiritually. That is why we must remain within our spiritual identity and authority inside of Christ.
2. Field’s reaction
1) Next Sabbath
(1) Almost the whole city gathered to hear the Word of the Lord (Acts 13:44)
(2) Jews contradicted and reviled Paul because of jealousy (Acts 13:45)
So, Paul and Barnabas urged the people to continue in the grace of God, and the next Sabbath, they asked them to gather again, but there were people who saw these crowds and were filled with jealousy. When the Jews saw that all of these crowds were leaving Judaism and turning to Christianity, they felt their livelihood and their success being threatened, and Satan used that. The fact that they were “jealous” means that they were comparing, and these things happened a lot between parents and schools. It’s no joke, if they find out that one person’s kid is going into that kind of program, then that parent will get jealous and put their children in twice as many programs. If someone is doing two classes, they’ll make their child do three classes.
Why does this jealousy happen? In Genesis 4, Cain was jealous and killed his younger brother. 1 John 3:12 explains that Cain killed his younger brother Abel because Cain was possessed by evil spirits. In the same way, Satan is controlling the Jews with jealousy to block the gospel from being spread. So, the reason they began to contradict what Paul was saying and abused him is because they were being spiritually influenced by something else.
(3) Turned to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46)
So, at that time, Paul and Barnabas said, “We will no longer go to the Jews; we will go to the Gentiles.” If this is not God’s time schedule, there is no reason for us to keep forcing something; we can acknowledge, “This isn’t God’s plan right now,” and pivot to another direction.
2) God’s Word (Is. 49:6)
(1) I have made you a light for the Gentiles (Acts 13:47)
The reason Paul and Barnabas were able to do this was based on the words of Isaiah 49:6, where God says, “I will make you a light to the Gentiles.” In that sentence, “I” is God the Father, and He is saying, “I have made ‘You’,” Jesus Christ, so already in the Old Testament, God had prophesied the Word that He would send Jesus Christ to bring salvation to the ends of the earth and to the Gentiles. This means that when Jesus Christ died on the cross and resurrected, all to the ends of the earth, the people who were destined to receive salvation have already received it, and now God is carrying out that work through us. The Lord has already made that, and now, He lives within us and guides us in that direction. All of my job, my studies, my life have to go in the direction of shining the light of life to the Gentiles, then I will be aligned with God. In other words, my first priority in whatever job, or whatever I’m studying, must be to proclaim the gospel. That is the work the Lord does within me.
(2) You may bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47)
(3) Completed world evangelization of Jesus Christ
When the Bible says that David was a man after God’s own heart, it means that this is how David thought. Joseph and Daniel and people in the Old Testament were aligned with God in this way. Because their heart was aligned with God, God carried out God’s work of salvation through those people. What happens if we attain success without having that spiritual state? Then, the person will know. They will realize that something is not happening spiritually, why? It’s because they are not aligned with God. Humans are created in God’s image, humans are spiritual beings, so we must be aligned with God. No matter how much I shout and make a fuss, if we are not aligned with God, it’s not going to work. So, we must be in the same spiritual state as Paul and Barnabas who knew the spiritual problem, knew the spiritual answer, and the mystery to save themselves and the field. In order to do that, I must always constantly remain in it. Inside of that state, you must work and study. If that state is not taking place for us and we keep trying to work or study physically, then we will have mental problems. Those spiritual problems and the spiritual problems of our family line are combining to create these problems. And the core message of today’s sermon is how to have the same spiritual state as Paul and Barnabas.
3) God’s chosen people
(1) When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing (Acts 13:48)
(2) Glorifying the Word of the Lord (Acts 13:48)
(3) As many as were appointed to eternal life believed (Acts 13:48)
When the Gentiles heard about what Paul said, they were glad, and it says that all who were appointed for eternal life believed. Your life is carrying out God’s mission until the very last breath. Nowadays people have come to an age of powerlessness, so if we see an elderly person have nothing to do, it seems so pitiful. Now, our lifespan is so long that elderly people wish they would just pass away, but they can’t. They’ve already retired, but now, they are not passing away; they have to keep living a really long time, and if we don’t have a spiritual mission, there’s no worse hell than that. On the other hand, Moses lived until the age of 120 years ago, and he was healthy and active for the Lord’s mission until his last breath. So, for elderly people, do not stay sedentary but keep on moving your body for the work of the Lord. You keep on trying to preserve your motion and your body, but it will actually make things worse. There’s a characteristic of people who live a long and healthy life, they keep on moving their bodies, and even after 100 years old, they keep on working, and even if they’re nonbelievers, then that’s why their mind and body remain active. In society, humans move wanting to be a benefit and an influence to others around them, and even nonbelievers are moved by that. Then of course, the children of God will be even more like that.
3. Spread of the Word
1) Lord’s Word
(1) Spreading throughout the whole region (Acts 13:49)
Acts 13:49 says, “The Word of the Lord spread all throughout the whole region. When one person receives the gospel, they keep on sharing it with their family, their friends. The fact that the Word of the Lord spread, it means that whether or not that person accepts is up to God, I will just keep on relaying it. Why do strange things keep on happening at school? Already in the schools, it’s gotten to the point where children are confused about gender, male and female, and strange and fascinating things keep on happening to the children at school. Do you know why that happens? It’s because the spiritual state of the parents goes directly into their children. Then, your children will be influenced spiritually by the spiritual state of all the children around them. That is why the accurate gospel must be relayed to all of the parents through their children. Then, it might seem like we proclaim the gospel to help other people, but the Bible tells us that it is for us and for our children, too.
But people do not know the spiritual world; they live their lives for the physical things, as if the physical things are everything, but the spiritual state of the parents goes into the children, and the children create weird things at school. Then, your children will go into that school and be influenced by those kids too. If we don’t know this, then our children will continue to be attacked in the field, that’s why parents and teachers must continuously relay the gospel. Because you are parents of students, there are parents around you, and you can see there are spiritually strange parents and their spiritually afflicted children, and they keep on causing strange things to happen. Then the teachers that are teaching will have a hard time, too, because these are spiritual problems but the teachers don’t know, so how could they teach? Then, those children who have spiritual problems will grow older, become adults, and cause spiritual problems in society as well.
And when God told Noah to build the Ark, He told Noah to build the Ark on the mountain. If you build a boat, then you should build it by the water, why did God tell Noah to build it on the mountain? And people must have been looking at Noah, “Are you crazy? Why are you building a boat on a mountain?” That’s when Noah said, “There will soon be a disaster and God told me to build the ark,” and people thought that was a joke. The Bible says that they are more focused on getting married, getting a house, and living their everyday life. One day, the disaster of the flood came upon them, and I’m sorry, no matter how much money you have, or how great you are or no matter how successful you are, you can’t block disaster. Satan uses spiritual problems and mental problems to bring disasters upon people; that’s why we must remain inside of Christ, we must listen to the words of Christ, and go into those words. The problem of mankind cannot be solved by anything. Without the Christ, we cannot solve the curses of our sin, Satan, and hell, and you must also build this ark, raise that banner high, in the region you live, so that people around you can see it and ask you what it is and gather to you. Make a highway and a flat road so that people can come to hear this. But if people only cared about themselves and they don’t care if others gather to hear this gospel or not, they keep on living their lives. It might seem like this is the way to save other people, but the Bible tells us that this is the way to save yourselves and your posterity.
(2) Paul’s team was driven out of the region (Acts 13:50)
Then, Acts 13:50 says, “Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas,” and expelled them from the region. Satan controls regions with their organizations of darkness. So, Satan will work through people to prevent you from proclaiming God’s Word in your region. So, the work of spiritual conquest must take place in the region where you live. Raise the banner of Christ high where you live and open the doors for many to hear about Christ.
(3) Reaction of the spiritual forces binding that region
There was a young adult in the Bible, who was possessed by a legion of evil spirits, and when Jesus cast them out, the demons begged Jesus, “Do not cast us out of this region.” Satan is controlling this world and he controls region by region with evil spirits in that region. There is nothing else that can solve this problem. Only the name of Christ, when we remain in Christ and when we proclaim the name of Christ will the evil spirits flee.
2) Paul’s team’s reaction
(1) Shook off the dust from their feet (Acts 13:51)
Acts 13:51, they shook off the dust from their feet as a warning to them and went onto Iconium. Even when Jesus sent out His disciples in pairs to evangelize, He told them to not take anything with them. This means that God has already prepared everything we need in the field, and therefore, just go. Then, what He told the disciples is to give them peace, that is the peace that nobody had, only Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, so only he can give peace. The people who accept the peace will receive that peace, but those who reject it, you will receive their peace instead. Then, Jesus said, “For those who do not receive that peace, shake off the dust from your feet and go to a different region.” That means that there are people who are prepared to receive the gospel in your area and region, until the Lord tells you to stop.
(2) Disaster worse than Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgement (Mt. 10:14-15)
(3) Went to the region God prepared (Acts 13:51)
That region has been prepared, that’s the reason why I live where I live. If there is one person, one family like that, then that region will be blessed. America is physically strong, but spiritually, it is like a beggar. So, the spiritual level of America is at a beggar’s level, but because we have physical power, people keep on trying to rely on physical strength, then the spiritual problems are bound to get deeper and deeper.
Yesterday was Halloween, and it’s not only in America, but in Mexico, Korea. Even today, the demonic power is spreading all around the world. If people who do not know the spiritual world think about this, they will say, “What’s the big deal? It’s just a holiday.” On that day, we’re not in Christ, we’re not sharing Christ. Then, do you know why instead people are putting on these costumes and putting up spooky decorations? That culture existed even before America, in Europe, and that culture was not only in Europe; that culture was in Asia as well. All around, these cultures were creating these frightful looking declarations to ward off evil spirits. If you go to Korea, there are these temples that have these very tall statues that have intimidating facial expressions, and it’s to ward off evil spirits from entering. And then also, in Korea, they give ancestral worship, where they’re asking their ancestors’ spirits to come and bless them. But there’s a commonality across. Satan breaks down people; God blesses people. People do not bless people; God blesses people. First of all, we must have spiritual blessings. The person who has the spiritual blessing must succeed, only then can that success be a true blessing. On the other hand, if someone is spiritually afflicted when they succeed, then they will use their success to torment very many people. Let’s say a child grows up and becomes a parent, but that person is afflicted, then, even as a parent, they will torment their children. What this means is, it’s not important what you will become, what’s important is where your spiritual state is.
3) Disciples
(1) Filled with joy (Acts 13:52)
(2) Filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52)
(3) Disciples to continue the Word movement
In the final verse, Acts 13:52, it says the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Where did we get this joy and the filling of the Holy Spirit from? Because the Lord is with me and I know the mission for which I live my life, the Lord fills me with joy and His spirit. If we receive the filling of the Holy Spirit, then we are bound to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth. Then, the Lord will raise up the disciples and send you to a different region. The disciples continue to do the Word movement.
Conclusion
1. Bartizan that saves me – Morning
So in conclusion, we just first be able to save ourselves spiritually. In order to do that, it’s not about me doing something; I must remain inside of the Christ. We must pray in faith for God to give us the power to spread this gospel to people around us. For world evangelization.
2. Journey that saves the field – Day
Then during the day, the people whom God has prepared will be attached to you. For the people whom God has prepared, even if you don’t do something on your own, because God prepared them, they will all receive the gospel.
3. Milestone that raises continuing disciples – Night
In the evening, receive the answer to many things that happened throughout the day, within God’s Word. If you leave that problem alone, then it will carry onto the next day. So, you need to make your nighttime a time to receive an answer to all of the problems that happened that day, through God’s Word, to save your future, the next day. “Oh, I’ll just sleep on it,” no, that’s not the answer. You have to come to the answer to the problem in God’s Word; otherwise, the problem will continue. So, throughout the week, we must have the spiritual strength to save ourselves spiritually and I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that we may also save the field and the world. Let us pray at this time, holding onto the correct prayer topic, the Word that God has given to us. In order to save myself spiritually, I must remain inside of Christ, and in order to carry out the mission God has given to me to save my region and the world, I must pray in faith for God to give me His power.
Message Prayer
Let us pray together holding onto the Word God has given to us.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We have returned Your materials as offering. Everywhere it is used, may lives be saved, and we believe You have blessed the hands that have given the offering with the economy of light so they may do the work of saving the world. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
God, we thank You. We pray, Lord, that You will bless Leonard, so that exactly as the Word You have given him, that he will be able to save himself and save many people around him. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Closing Prayer and Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, working, guidance, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be upon the heads of all of the people of God who desire to save themselves spiritually and save the world and the people around them through Christ, be with them from now and forevermore always, amen.
Let us become people who save!