Do Not Be Angry (Murder) (Mt. 5:21-26)
Let us bless one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.” I believe that wherever the name of Jesus Christ is testified, hell and curses are cast away. The title of today’s message is, “Do Not Be Angry,” in other words, “Do not murder.” It means that anger is the same as murder, and this is revealing, thousands of years ago, that Jesus Christ already showed us what the problem of mankind is, and solved that problem. There are continuous wars, shootings and other murders happening all across America because of this problem, and no matter how much we try to stop it, it will not stop. The answer to the problem is given to us in the Bible. However, as long as you and I do not understand this issue and are not relaying this answer to the world, these shootings and deaths will continue to accelerate.
There are shootings every week that result because the anger inside of people is exploding out, in the form of shootings. We are able to see that through the reporters and the news that we see. However, there are many people who are dying in this world whom we do not see. I was able to hear that personally from an American who used to be in prison and who I met when we went up to Portland, Oregon. When he was a teenager, his mother got remarried, so he beat up his step-father and ran away from home. He himself was not a member of the gang, but he was playing and affiliated with the gang members. He said they would stand on the highway that connected Texas to Oregon, and they would rape and murder women there, and throw their bodies away, and none of that is broadcasted.
Even in LA, the gangs separate their territory and are constantly fighting against each other. They say that they mark their territory with a type of emblem, and I heard this from people who were in prison for 30-40 years, they do not go into another gang’s territory. There’s a Starbucks on Wilshire that has the graffiti of the Mexican gang’s symbol, and the African-American gangs cannot go into that territory. So, they create these symbols and make it so that people cannot come into their territory, and only the gang members can recognize it.
So, even though they live in America, it’s a prison. It’s the same in Long Beach, there’s a territory of African-American gangs, that the minute the wrong person steps in, they’ll die. A friend I had in Long Beach told me this. These are the things happening in American society today, but we’re not able to see that with our eyes, but this is the American society. Even right now, there are many people dying from shootings we’re not aware of. God is telling us through His Word today the reason why He gave us the Word to not murder, thousands of years ago.
1. Murder
1) The Jews
(1) Subject to judgment (Mt. 5:21)
(2) Judge people
(3) Only talks about the result of the action
In Mt. 5:21, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’” However, the people took the Word of God and interpreted it by themselves from the perspective of the elders, and they took out the words they could never keep on their own. For example, God says, “Love your enemies,” but that’s impossible for us, so they just omitted that part, and because of that, there’s just more and more of these splits. They had to keep annotating more and more, saying what they could do or what they couldn’t do, so there are now thousands of elaborations on the law.
2) Jesus
(1) One who is angry – Judgment (Mt. 5:22)
It says here, “You will be subject to judgment,” which means you will have to stand in court and receive your punishment. Jesus Christ said, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment,” and you will receive in the court of the Sanhedrin or family.
(2) Raca (Fool) – Answerable to the court (22)
Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ which is a form of an insult, “is answerable to the Sanhedrin,” which is equivalent to our Supreme Court, it is the highest court of law. “But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire from hell.”
(3) You fool – Fire of hell (22)
What does this mean? If you have anger inside of you, you’re bound to speak about it and if you say something severe, you will go to hell because of it.
3) Original goal of commandment
This was one aspect of the 10 Commandments that Jesus Christ gave to the Israelites thousands of years ago, and it was the original meaning. However, the Jewish people began to think, “Just because I have not murdered someone physically means I am righteous.” In Phil. 3, Apostle Paul confessed, “In regards to the law, I am blameless.” From their interpretation of the law, “I have not murdered anyone or committed adultery or hurt my enemies, so I am righteous and without sin.” But later on, when the light of the cross of Jesus Christ shone upon him, Paul realized, “I am a sinner.”
If you murder somebody, it means the anger already began from your heart, but why does that anger come out? I’ll explain that in a little bit, but everybody has anger, but not everybody murders, but anger is the same as murder. When time passes, that person will face that kind of result. It’s just that they’re suppressing their anger with rationality. They are forcing themselves to endure and hold in their anger because of their fear of going to prison for a lifetime.
(1) Talks about inner sin (state)
However, Jesus Christ is saying, “Even before the action of killing someone else, the anger begins with the state of your heart and the desire to curse others.” Jesus Christ speaks about the inner state of our heart. Jesus Christ gave us the Ten Commandments so we’re able to see the state of our heart, even before we commit sin. Do you think this result of death and murder in our families and societies in America can go away? Do you think the murders will disappear if we had enough gun control laws? This is why the presidents and the politicians cannot solve this problem, because there’s no way for this problem to be solved unless the grace of Jesus Christ comes into us that resolves the fundamental problems inside of us.
If a person is overcome with anger, their heart begins to race, and their breathing becomes short, and that shortens our lifespan and is even connected with cancer. Look at the dogs, they’re always panting with a very short breath, and they die within 15 years. Their breathing is so short. If you get angry, then your breathing becomes very short and rapid. That is shortening your lifespan, and that results in cancer. The doctors of today cannot solve this problem, either.
(2) Works of the law – No one will be declared righteous (Rom. 3:20)
God did not only give the Ten Commandments to the Israelites but to all people of the world, and He gave this to be relayed to the rest of the world through the Jewish people. Inside of us, when we have the anger and the wrath and the desire to curse other people, you have to quickly realize something. God gave us the law, knowing that we could not keep the law. He gave us the law so that we must go before the grace of God. However, we think we can keep the law on our own, which makes us think we are righteous, and that’s why we judge and criticize other people. That is the problem that is taking place in our families. There is no Word of God there; they’re only arguing whether “I am right,” or “You are right.” It’s the same inside the church, they use the name of Jesus Christ to argue about who’s right and who’s wrong. Why is that? Because they don’t know the goal with which God gave us this Word.
If you’re right, then what is “right”? If there is anger that is boiling inside of you, what’s “right” about that? If you’re fighting and praying in the name of Jesus Christ, what’s “right” about that? But if you do not acknowledge God’s Word as God’s Word, you’re under the misconception that you are okay. That’s why if the grace of the words of Jesus Christ are not coming into us, then the family will continue to face problems of conflicts, fighting, and abuse, and it will be relayed to the children.
(3) One who believes in Jesus – Demonstrate his righteousness (Rom. 3:26)
That’s the reason Jesus Christ fulfilled the law on the cross. Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is regarded as righteous. It’s impossible for us to attain this by our actions, but by simply believing in Jesus Christ, we are regarded by God as righteous, without sin. That is why every single person needs Jesus Christ and we need Him always. That’s why God gave us the law. He has made us so that we cannot boast of our own righteousness through the law. The Lord has made us so that we cannot even judge unbelievers. However, the Jewish people held onto the law of God and thought the Gentiles could not be righteous, so they disassociated themselves from the Gentiles. It means they have misunderstood the reason why God gave them the Word.
There’s this new word in the DSM V, the “intermittent explosive disorder.” If you look at neurodivergent people, they have a lot of explosive anger, they may seem gentle and calm on the outside, but on the inside, there’s something explosive. They are trying to suppress all of that explosiveness inside of them in order to maintain their social position and reputation, but it will explode in their family, because if they explode in their family, it’s not going to affect their social position or honor, and that’s how all of these things are relayed to their future generations. This is coming into us as the scars of our hearts.
2. Result of Murder
1) From the inner state
(1) Failure in worship (Gen. 4:5)
The first murder mentioned in the Bible is by the son of Adam and Eve, Cain. After Adam and Eve, there is no way for us to be forgiven and go before God, other than the blood of the offspring of the woman or the blood of the lamb, in other words, the blood of Christ, but Cain failed in that worship. Instead of giving that blood sacrifice or blood worship, he gave the offering of grain according to his thoughts. The offering of grain or vegetables is about thanksgiving; it’s not about the forgiveness of sins, and that’s why God did not receive Cain’s worship.
If we’re victorious in worship, it means God must receive our worship, that’s why we say that we “give worship.” What are we giving? “I cannot do this, I am a sinner. I am a person who needs the blood of Christ.” That’s when God regards us as righteous He gives us His grace because God cannot be with a sinner. Immediately, we’re cursed, and that is why, from the very beginning from Genesis 3:15 God gave us the way to life: there’s no other way to live except by the blood of the offspring of the woman, the blood of the cross.
(2) Anger – Face was downcast (Gen. 4:5)
But because Cain failed in worship, he was filled with wrath and his face was downcast. The LORD said, “Cain, why are you angry and why is your face downcast?”
(3) Could not rule over sin (Satan) – Murder (Gen. 4:7-8, Eph. 4:26-27)
Then He said, “Sin is crouching at your door.” How could sin be crouching at Cain’s door? God is saying, “I have given you this covenant to solve this problem, but you have lost hold of this covenant, so sin is at your door.” He says, “Sin desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” How could you master it? You can only master sin if you hold onto the covenant.
Is “sin” moving around? Eph. 4:26-27 says, “Do not let the sun go down on your anger,” and, “In your anger, do not sin.” This means to quickly hold onto the covenant that you need the Christ. If you do not turn around and you keep persisting in your anger, Eph. 4:27 says the devil will take a foothold. Humans cannot kill other humans, honestly. When I was in the military, I couldn’t even kill an animal. How is it that a soldier who has to fight in a war, could not even kill an animal after making eye contact with it? Humans are incapable of killing another human. They might be able to kill someone out of the nature of self-protection when they’re facing death; otherwise, it’s impossible.
2) Result of Murder
(1) Oppose God’s word (Gen. 4:9)
It’s impossible to kill another human unless you’re seized by Satan. Sin is disobeying God’s Word. “Sin,” we talk about the actions of it, but at the central core of it, people are trying to be like God. In Gen. 3:4-5, Satan comes to man and says, “If you eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you will be like God, knowing good and evil,” that is the real sin. The very state of human beings being centered on themselves, deciding what is good or evil, means we are in Original Sin, and because someone has an idea about what is right or what is wrong, they are angry. That will never stop until we make our lives centered on God instead.
(2) Curse from land, restless wanderer (Gen. 4:12)
As a result of the murder, God gives His Word to Cain, but Cain begins to fight against God’s Word as it is given to him, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” When he goes out into the world, he’s very kind to people, but in front of God’s Word, he is always fighting and opposing. Then God says, “You will work the ground, but it will no longer yield crops for you, so the land is cursed because of you. You may work diligently but no crops will yield for you. No matter how diligently you work, the land is cursed because of you, so that you will not receive its fruits and you will always be poor. You are bound to be a restless wanderer with no strength, always wandering the earth.” Humans need to have rest, but they are restless. People go on vacations and travel every holiday, but they still have no rest.
(3) Feared that he will be killed (Gen. 4:14)
It says in Gen. 4:14 that Cain lived in fear that someone would kill him. However, this problem doesn’t just end with Cain, but it was inherited in a worse way through future generations.
3) Relayed to future generation
(1) Scar – Murder (Gen. 4:23)
Cain committed a murder, but even his descendants are murdering worse than him. In Gen. 4:23, Lamech says, “I have killed a man for wounding me. I have killed a young man for injuring me,” which means he has killed people for hurting his heart. If you look at the people who are killing other people by shooting them, they will say, “He was so quiet and he seemed like a good kid,” it’s because that person is scarred and they are oppressed. When someone is oppressed, other people will look at them and think, “They’re so quiet and kind,” even though this person may not have killed someone yet, they are already in the time schedule and it’s in progress now.
(2) Wounded heart – Murder (Gen. 4:23)
So, in your school and in your fields, just because someone is kind and quiet does not mean they are actually kind and quiet. You must heal their inner problems with the Word of God. Your kids will hold onto it until they’re in high school because they have no strength. But once they go to college, they will have the strength to be independent and will leave their parents. They wanted to leave before that, but they didn’t have the strength to be independent, so they had to stay and endure.
Why is this? I’m sure every family is different, but there was no peace. If you believe in Jesus Christ then you should be satisfied with only God, and you can only overcome and quell your anger with that peace. If you believe in Jesus Christ, then you make the same confession as David that, “The LORD is my Shepherd; I lack nothing.” Even if you do lack something, that’s irrelevant to you. Even if you face a problem, that’s irrelevant to me. That’s what it means to believe in Jesus Christ. How is that possible? It’s a mystery.
The people who have truly tasted this know it’s even stronger than the taste of drugs. There is nothing that can heal you from the addiction to drugs other than tasting the true gospel. American society is already covered with people who are addicted to drugs and it will only get worse. They try to overcome it with their own sense of morality, but one day when they need it the most, they will use the strength of drugs. That is why the only way to heal America is if the correct gospel flows from you and me out into the world.
The parents already have scars, so they’re bound to give scars to their family. But the parents only think about what they’ve done right, they say, “I’ve done everything for you,” but the kids don’t think about that; they only think about the scars they have received, so even if they don’t talk about it, it’s inside of them, and then when they get married and have children, just like the Word we received today, it will only be worse for their children. Even though they try not to be like their parents and try not to do the same thing, they’re actually doing things that are more severe than their parents. That was the confession of Cain’s offspring, and it’s the same thing happening today.
(3) Punishment for the price of murder is increased (Gen. 4:24)
Because of the result of these curses, it will continue to multiply, seven times and seventy times seven times. If you look at the Chinese movies, there’s revenge and murder of the enemy, and we watch that in the movies because it’s fun, and there’s a desire for vengeance inside of us. What is it in America? There is the victory of justice, but what is “justice”? There’s a difference between the justice America talks about and the justice God talks about.
American movies talk about justice and the victory against evil, and in Chinese movies, the main theme is vengeance or revenge. America is a nation that is spreading individualism, and protecting the individual is good, but it’s actually blocking us from going to God. However, the more we go into this individualism, the more America will increase in anger and murder. Yes, it is true that we should acknowledge that protecting the individual is a good thing, but when you go beyond that, and say “Individualism is good and this is what’s right,” and fight for it, Satan will make it so that we are centered on humans and people.
American education tells us, “Whatever you think is right,” and if you just repeat what the teacher says, you’re not going to get good grades. When Korean students come to America and study the same way that Koreans educated them, they will not get good grades. The American teachers say, “This is what I have taught you, but what is your take and your opinion on it?” You have to give your opinion, that’s how you get good grades. So even starting from the education system, they teach individualism, and the issue is when we end with this.
When we become centered on the individual, we no longer need God’s Word. Even when we receive God’s Word, the thing that comes out of us is, “This is what I think about it,” because this is how we’re educated. Because the adult generation hasn’t received the correct and accurate Word of God, they think individualism is good, so they’re following it, too. Later on, the result will be a very fascinating masterpiece. They don’t listen to anybody; they say, “This is what I think.” The kids will say, “This is what my parents think, but this is what I think,” and in academics, this is good because you develop more, but before the Word of God, there is no such thing as your thoughts, because the Word of God is Truth and it is eternally fulfilled. Because we have so many relative and subjective things, America has become like this. You guys need to receive God’s Word today, knowing what the culture and standards of America are.
3. Reconciliation – Brother or sister
1) Reconciliation
(1) Before worship – Reconcile with brother or sister (Mt. 5:23-24)
The next line says, “First, go and be reconciled with your brother and sister; then come and offer your gift.” God thinks that human relationships are very important. The ideologies of people who are separated from God is that they’ve learned to step on other people to elevate themselves. They even use the institution of marriage to step on the other person and accomplish their own goal, and the suffering has already begun. Because, even though they don’t express it outwardly, their goal is not to love, respect, and save people like God’s Word says, but it is to step on other people to accomplish their own motive.
It’s the same thing with our jobs, we want to step on our customers and take their money to accomplish our own goals, and that’s not aligned with God’s Word. God created the entire universe with His Word. In Heb. 1:3, God moves all of creation with His Word. That’s why we follow God’s Word. God is holding onto and moving all of creation with His Word even now. He is going to hold onto your business and move it in the direction of fulfilling the law, which is to love God and to love people. Even for students who are studying, He is bound to move your studies in the direction of loving God, and loving people.
Every time you worship, you must come and receive that grace because not only are we not able to live without God’s Word, we are not able to live without God’s grace. If people are fighting in the home and come in to worship, you will not be able to worship. There was one pastor a long time ago who read this verse, “Do not let the sun go down on your anger,” so he said to his wife, “Let’s make up every night.” Yes, following the law like that is important, but what’s more important is understanding why the other person feels that way.
Do you know when my wife gets upset? When I compare. I’m not trying to compare anyone, but I’m only explaining both sides in order to explain my point-of-view, but she gets angry, thinking I’m comparing. It’s been 20 years since I’ve been married and I’ve only recently discovered this, so it’s impossible for us to know something unless God reveals it to us. When I see her about to get angry, I will change my explanation, and say, “Here is what I am trying to say,” I think she has a scar from her sister. I think she was always compared in her family.
Her older sister is a very smart elite, so her family always said, “First child, first child,” and the kids always get scarred from that. The parents treat both children the same; however, their heart leans towards the one who is smarter, because they think, “This one is smart, so they’ll get a good job and support me, so I can rely on this child.” Of course, in their heart it’s the same, but when it’s revealed, it’s different. Raise your hand if you think you express love to both children, that person thinks they’re God. There is unevenness, and she received a scar from that because they can feel they’re being looked down on, and that’s why she has this reaction to me now.
They are holding onto a false sense of success, racing towards that. Our goal becomes to step on others, “I will succeed and I will trample others. Just wait and see what kind of person I am.” It’s because of their scars. What happens when they cannot succeed? They will fall, saying things like, “I knew my father was right, I can never be a good human being,” and from that point on, no one acknowledges them so they live recklessly, saying whatever they want. This is what humans are like. This is why we must come to worship and receive God’s grace.
(2) Before court – Settle with adversary (Mt. 5:25, 1 Cor. 6:7)
It says here, “If you have an adversary with whom you have a lawsuit, you must quickly resolve that issue before it becomes a societal or legal issue.” 1 Cor. 6:7 says, “The fact that you have lawsuits among you means that you have been completely defeated already.” That means you’ve already sinned. Why would you not rather be wronged, why would you not rather be cheated? But we say, “I would rather not be wronged or cheated,” and I would take it to the courts. They are saying, “This might be fine for unbelievers, but we’re Christians. How can we receive judgment from unbeliever courts?” That is blocking the glory of God from being revealed because unbelievers say, “These people believe in God, but why are they like this?”
Why? Because both parties think they’re right. What is “right”? The person who says, “You’re right, and I’m at a loss,” is right, but everyone tries to not incur a loss. They don’t want to be unfairly accused of being wrong. There’s a movie where a child will murder their parents for money. I think, while they were using a knife, they lost one of their fingernails, and as the mother was dying, she swallowed the fingernail, because she wanted to protect her son from being found out later, so she eats his fingernail. Later on, they find the son’s fingernail during the autopsy in the mother’s throat, and through that fingernail, they find the son’s DNA and find him.
That’s the mother’s heart. Even though their son is trying to kill them, the parent tries to protect their child. Do you think that even among Christians, the children of God, fighting and trying to win is what God wants? If someone is pretending to be smart in the church, the way to win is to say, “Yes, you are smart,” and the fact that you’re trying to expose how much smarter you are than the other person means you’re already at fault. Because you’re not satisfied with Christ, you keep trying to exalt yourself. If our future generations get married in this kind of state, these things will continue to repeat.
You have to say, “Yes, you’re right.” Being right doesn’t mean you’re right, you just let them be. You must have that strength. It’s not about forcing yourself to do that, but because you’re satisfied with the Christ. Just because you let that person be does not mean their words will be fulfilled because God will work according to the Word. If someone is coming to church, trying to boast of themselves, just acknowledge them and wait for them. If the President were to come to church, they wouldn’t try to exalt themselves because they’re already the President. A person with money won’t try to flaunt their money because they already know. If a person is successful, they don’t flaunt their success because they’re already successful. Even if they just stand still, everyone knows. But you have to realize that this person has a lot of scars.
But if you argue with them saying, “Why are you trying to get acknowledgement? Why are you being so boastful?” Then this church will fall because two people are fighting, one with inferiority, and one with arrogance, and they’ll say, “What about your family line? It’s so bad.” Just say, “Fine, yes, you’re great, but I will hold onto the Christ,” then Christ will control that other person on His own. There’s no such thing as a good family line. You boast about your family line because it’s so great, but you curse your mom and dad. That’s what humans are like.
(3) Completely pay back the debt (Mt. 5:26)
Later on, in the last verse, it talks about paying the debt, paying everything you owe until the very last penny. What happens if you don’t? The other person will get angry and you’re going to make the other person sin. If you borrowed money, pay it back. What if you say, “I don’t have to pay it back”? And they say, “Oh, I’m Christian”? Don’t be like that. The Bible also says this, “When you lend money, do not expect it back,” and if the other person says they don’t want the money back, that’s one thing, but if they do want it back, you have to give it back. God fulfills His Word, you don’t have the ability to pay it back, right? That’s why you have to pray, “God, give me the power to pay it back.” That’s why God says, if you don’t have the ability to do that, that’s why you need God’s ability, grace, and power. That’s why God gave us His Word, to realize that no human being can make it on their own, we are all sinners, we must stand before God’s Word to receive God’s grace and His power.
2) Spiritual state
A lot of young women I’ve seen receive scars from men, and they become very religious. That scar will turn into fear. Then they say, “What if I get into a family and we end up breaking up?” With that fear, they fall deeper into religious zealousness. They’re not all like this, but a lot of Catholic nuns and female monks are like that. They say, “Because I received a lot of scars in the world, I’m going to go into zealousness for religion.” You need to heal your scars. If you break up, then simply break up, but that’s your unbelief in God. You break up because you weren’t right for each other, but if you’re not able to get married because you’re afraid of breaking up again, that doesn’t make sense. You have to heal that fear.
What happens if they don’t heal their scars? Then there’s more people like this. What happens if someone like this becomes the leader of a society? They’re going to take their society into becoming diseased. You must heal that with the gospel.
(1) It is finished (Jn. 19:30)
It is finished, God is with you, you must absolutely escape from your scars. You have no choice but to be like this, but God is not like this. You must overcome this with the words of Christ. Everything is finished on the cross, in other words, because your actions cannot do anything, you must fulfill it with the actions of Christ. You must be satisfied with the Words of Christ alone. Jesus Christ said, “It is all finished,” but if you still lack something, it means you don’t know the cross. The situation with which Christ finished everything is eternal. He has finished the eternal problems of human beings’ curses, disasters, sin, Satan, and hell. There are still some pastors who say, “Jesus Christ died on the cross to solve our Original Sin, but you still commit consequential sins, so if you don’t repent from your sins every worship, you’re going to go to hell.” Those may be great words to hold onto and control the members of your church, but that’s not what God’s Word says.
We don’t even remember our subconscious anger, then how will you repent about those things? It’s impossible. If you sin in your dreams, you don’t even remember that. However, whatever we’re conscious of, we say, “I am weak and vulnerable, so I need to hold onto the Christ,” that’s what is right. If the pastor says those words I mentioned earlier, it will kill every member of the church. These people are not ascetic monks, they live out in society, they’re not living in a temple, holding onto the repentance for their sins. All you have to know is that you’re a sinner and come back to Christ. Every time you have something like this well up in your heart, you say, “This is why I need the Christ.”
It’s important for you to concentrate on the words of Christ. Don’t misunderstand what I said about repentance. If someone is doing something wrong, the Holy Spirit inside of them will reveal to them that they’re wrong. Jesus Christ is already praying for us, inside the throne of heaven. Whatever you’re aware of that you’re doing wrong, you need to change that. Not only your actions, but the things inside of you, if you know that you’re weak, you need to go back to holding onto Christ.
(2) Christ lives in me (Gal. 2:20)
Gal. 2:20 says that I have been crucified with Christ on the cross. I no longer live, but I live eternally with Christ inside of me.
(3) According to the Spirit, the requirements of the law are fully met (Rom. 8:4, Gal. 5:18)
Romans 8:4 says, “In order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us,” we live according to the Spirit, that’s why, it’s always Christ, the guidance of Christ, and that’s why we pray for the kingdom of Christ to be upon us.
3) Spiritual concentration
(1) Word of Christ (Ac. 1:1)
(2) Kingdom of God (Ac. 1:3)
You’ll never be able to overcome this if you control yourself and your own kingdom.
(3) Filling of the Holy Spirit (Ac. 1:8)
The way to overcome is only by the filling of the Holy Spirit inside of you. You can only save people by the working of the Holy Spirit. While you worship at this time, God is beginning to work upon the fields of your business and the enemies you think you have.
(4) Working of the Holy Spirit – Love that saves people (Ac. 2:1-47)
The reason you’re holding onto your grudge against your enemies for decades is because of your pride. That in itself is sin. As evidence that Christ is not your master and you are your own master, you have pride. When we talk about sin, we think about what we’ve done to someone else, but your pride in itself is sin. Quickly change that inner self to be centered on the Christ. You pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit every day because you must be filled with Christ.
Conclusion
1. Cross – Fulfilled the law
We will conclude the Word. Jesus Christ fulfilled the law on the cross. It’s impossible for us.
2. One who needs Christ
That’s why we need Christ every day, that’s why it’s only Christ. Only Christ coming upon me is the way to go into the path of fulfilling the law.
3. Save myself and people through the guidance, working of the Holy Spirit
Only by the guidance and the working of the Holy Spirit of Christ is the way for me to love others and to save others. May you and I have a life that fulfills this Word throughout the week.
Message Prayer
Let us pray holding onto the Word God has given us. If there are people around you whom you cannot forgive, “God, give me the grace and strength to forgive them, and to change them into the life of Christ.”
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Prayer
God, we thank You. We thank You for giving us the gospel and fulfilling the Word through us. Allow us to escape from our centeredness on the law and to go into the cross of Christ. Allow us to go into the Kingdom of God where Christ is our Master. Allow us to be the ones to save the world and to save ourselves through the guidance, power, and working of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ.
We have returned our material blessings as offering. God, we pray that everywhere this offering is used, it will be used to heal those who are diseased and to reconcile those who are in anger. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.
God, we thank You. Jimmy Choi, our young adult, is on the path to become a dentist, and I pray You will receive glory through his life. I pray You will bless our new church member, Sun Ahn Song, to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and give glory to God, and to spread the gospel through his whole life. We pray You will use their entire lives, their skills, and business, to change this world of anger and fighting to reconciliation. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, working, guidance, and communion of the Holy Spirit, be upon all the people of God, the people of all nations, and the remnants who desire to heal and rule over the world with the power of Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God, and the Holy Spirit, be with them from now until forevermore always, amen.