God’s Plan, Method, and Purpose (Rom. 11:25-36)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” I bless you in the name of the Lord that God’s unprecedented and never-repeated answers will be upon you. Last week, we lived throughout the week with God’s Word of “Us and the Church that is within the Stream of the Gospel,” and the title of today’s worship is, “God’s Plan, Method, and Purpose.” God is the Creator, right? Even right now, He is moving all of creation and the universe. God calls us and moves all of creation for His purpose.
What is “sin”? It is us not knowing or believing this, and so, sin makes us live regardless of God. “Grace” is when we are aligned with God; from that point on, we receive the works of God’s answers. If right now I’m not receiving answers or my life is difficult or not taking place, it is because I am not aligned with God. If I have the grace of being aligned with God, the Creator, then I am receiving answers. Then, it means there are things that are not of God that are imprinted, rooted, and have the nature inside, and those things changing are answers. Once those things have changed, the eyes that you see the world with, will be aligned with God.
1. My Salvation
So, how did we, who were Gentiles, receive salvation? Because the Jewish people or Israelites rejected the gospel and then God gave the Gentiles the gospel, the Gentiles began to misunderstand. The Gentiles fell under the misconception that they understood the gospel because of their wisdom. And then, they started to look at the Israelites and said, “How is it they have so much scripture, but they still haven’t realized?”
1) From God
(1) Do not think of yourself as wise (Romans 11:25)
(2) I did not understand the Gospel on my own.
(3) Do not be arrogant (Romans 11:20)
So, Paul told the Gentiles to not have an arrogant heart, because that salvation did not come from me; it came from God. You have to know this. I do not choose to believe in God, but God gave me the grace to believe. Then, why did He save me?
2) Why?
(1) Until the full number of Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25)
In today’s scripture, Rom. 11:25, it says, “Until the full number of Gentiles has come in.” Because the Israelites discarded the gospel and turned their backs on Jesus Christ, this gospel went into the Gentiles. And “until the full number of Gentiles has come in”? That is now. Until that point happens, the Israelites will have a hardened heart, and we are saved in between those times.
(2) Israel has experienced a hardening (Romans 11:25)
(3) A spirit of stupor, not to see, not to hear (Romans 11:8)
It says Israel has experienced a hardening of their heart, and Rom. 11:8 it says He gave a spirit of stupor. A “spirit of stupor” means a spirit that is falling asleep, so that they can neither hear nor see. It’s not that God forced this upon the Israelites; the Israelites were just like this. God gave the gospel first to the Israelites, but then the Israelites turned their back on the gospel, saying, “I would rather gain salvation from my own righteous actions.” Even though Jesus came, they rejected the gospel. Why does the gospel not come into us? It is because there is something that is hardened inside of us, and that’s why we reject it. We must receive the grace of God.
3) The Salvation of Israel
Then, what will happen to the Israelites’ salvation? In today’s scripture, Rom. 11:26, it is prophesied that Israel will be saved. The prophecy says the deliverer will come from Zion and He will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
(1) Promises of Old Testament (Isaiah 59:20-21, Isaiah 27:9)
This is also in the book of Isaiah, it says the Savior will come from Zion, and Zion is where the Temple of David is. They are saying that the Messiah will come from there. So, the Messiah will come from there and He will turn godlessness away from Jacob, meaning He will get rid of all the unholiness away from Israel. Then Rom. 11:27, He will take away their sins. All of mankind’s problems come from sin. The problem you are facing right now comes from disobeying or disbelieving in God. The problems that are visible in our lives and the hidden problems that are invisible are both from sin and Satan, fundamentally. All around the world, there is a growth of problems like addictions, mental problems, and suicide. Why are these problems happening? These are problems that are happening because of the sin of not believing in or obeying God, and our spirit is seized by Satan. Then, there is no way to escape from that sin and Satan except for only Jesus Christ. That is why the scripture today says that the Messiah will take away the sins of Israel, this means He will give them the grace to believe in Jesus Christ.
Is Christ truly your Lord? Then nothing will be a problem. If you become your lord, then even things that are not a problem will become a problem, isn’t that right? Because you move based on your emotions, you move based on how you feel, and you move based on how you interpret the environment. So what is the true beginning of all of your problems? It is, not trusting in Christ as your Lord.
All of the problems in your family, your family line, and the world will no longer be a problem when Christ becomes your Lord. But, instead of looking at things through that gospel, when we look at them through the law, we judge people’s actions, then even after you live your walk of faith for a long time, you’ll judge other people based on whether their actions are good or bad. If you stay at that level, you will become legalistic. You need to go to the point where you say, “Yes, this person may have done a bad thing, but that’s why they need to turn back to the gospel, and I need to help them get there.” That is the only way to save them, because if your legalism is stronger than the gospel, then you have to judge and kill everybody. Even we ourselves have to live burdened by our own guilt trip and oppression; we need to come out of that legalism. The only way to escape is the forgiveness of Christ. If Christ is inside of me, inside of that other person, and inside of us, then the Lord will work.
(2) As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account (Romans 11:28)
(3) As far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs (Romans 11:28)
Why is it that the Israelites are called as a channel of the gospel, but they themselves blocked the gospel? “Blocking the gospel” doesn’t mean anything else—if somebody is going to church but they are blocking the gospel, it’s because they’re trapped in their own legalism. Then, what happens when you block the gospel? Then God will move their lampstand. Why is it that God moved the lampstand from the Early Church of Jerusalem to the Antioch church? Because they had legalism more than the gospel. They had to finish everything with the gospel alone, but they added the additional condition of, “You need the Law as well.” God gave Peter the dream to proclaim the gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile, and then there were four-legged animals coming down from heaven. In the Jewish law, they’re not allowed these four-legged animals because they were known to be unclean, especially if they had hooves that were split like pigs, they did not eat those animals. Peter was wondering, “Why is God showing me the dream of these dirty, impure animals?” That is the perspective with which the Israelites looked at Gentiles, but that was God’s dream to proclaim the gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile, so Peter forced himself to reluctantly go.
When he proclaims the gospel there, the Holy Spirit works there. Peter thought that only the Israelites had the gospel, but now the gospel is going to the Gentiles and they are now coming to God. He was so shocked about this that he went and told some of the senior members of the Israelite community and he said, “I proclaimed the gospel to the Gentiles and the Holy Spirit came upon them.” After that point, the Jerusalem Church could not be used by God, because even though they had the gospel, they were emphasizing the law of what you can or cannot do more, so it blocked the gospel. They said, “Don’t proclaim the gospel to someone like that. Do you have any idea how evil or wicked that person acts?” Those are the thoughts of legalistic people, but the thoughts of God are that all have sin, that’s why everybody needs Christ. That is why the members of the Early Church could no longer proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth, so God moved the lampstand to Antioch.
This is not only talking about the Israelites or the Jews. God is telling this to us who are going to church today. “Oh, that person can’t do it because they did this,” or “That person does that bad thing,” but what about you? It’s not that you don’t have the gospel but you prioritize something above the gospel, and as long as you have that, you’ll always stumble. Then, when you go into the world, everybody is a Gentile or nonbeliever, so it’s harder. The gospel has to go into those people but legalistic people will say, “How could somebody like that receive the gospel?” It’s no ordinary thing that the gospel will flow out. The gospel must go even into my worst enemy. The gospel must go into even the people who hurt me and have scarred me, for that person to change. For people who have this gospel ideology, God will work through them to the ends of the earth.
There are over 200 ethnicities gathered in America, but why is the gospel not flowing out into the field? Because it is being blocked by something, it is being blocked by “me,” or it is being blocked by legalism. Why is it that God is all-powerful, but the gospel is blocked? When we go into the gospel, God flows the gospel through us.
Eventually, even the Israelites will have their sin taken away, and the gospel will go into them, too. When you go to school or work, what thoughts do you have when you go? What you learned from the world is, “You need to go there to succeed and make money,” and that is how everybody becomes a slave to success and money. But we are servants of Christ, there is a reason why we go out into the field of the world. We are going there for the work of God’s Kingdom. When that fact is set firmly in your heart, then God will work in your field. Especially for younger students, this Word must be imprinted firmly inside of you when you’re young. If this does not get imprinted in you, then you receive grace inside the church, but when you go out into the world, it will be hard. This world is the kingdom moved by Satan; we are the people of God, so if you don’t know why you are going out into the world, then you will be seized by Satan. Through people, through your environment, through your work, Satan will attack you. Then, that’s why you say things like, “It’s so hard or difficult,” why? I’m not saying what you’re going through is easy, but God already knew that and sent you out, and God promised to be with you with more than enough power to overcome that. But, if you’re doing your own work, then of course, God cannot work there. If you’re just studying and working and making money, then what are you doing that for? That’s all the kingdom of the world, then ultimately, you’re just giving that to the devil.
But who are you? “I’m going out into the world as an ambassador of Christ to do the work of God’s Kingdom,” and inside of that confession is God’s plan of salvation. That must be your number one mission. But, if people go to church for a long time, but instead of that becoming their number one priority, their number one priority is to make money and succeed, then their life will still be hard and they will be a slave. When you go out into the world, Christ must be your Lord and Christ must reign through you for darkness to break down. For everybody who does that, without exception, they will save the field and overcome. That was Joseph, that was David, and that was Daniel. The field was not easy for them; it was hard, and 99% of people will give up because it’s so hard. However, for the people holding onto God’s mission and His Word, that difficulty actually became their opportunity, then there was nobody who could even compete with them because God was working, because my studies and my work are within God’s plan of salvation. Then, even if you don’t pray for God to solve your problems, you will receive the answer of things not being a problem for you. You must be fully prepared with the imprints, roots, and nature to have these thoughts when you go out into the world, then you will receive the same answers as in the Bible.
2. God’s Salvation
1) God’s Mercy
Through what method does God’s salvation take place? God’s salvation takes place through His mercy. The word, “mercy” means I am fully deserving of some kind of punishment for a crime I have committed, and God takes away that punishment, out of His mercy. On the other hand, what is “grace”? “Grace” means there is something I don’t deserve to get, but out of His grace, God gives me something I don’t deserve. Salvation cannot take place without God’s mercy, then salvation is something that is first accomplished by God’s work of giving me mercy. You didn’t receive salvation because you realized correctly. I have no choice but to perish in my Original Sin and my consequential sins, but God saved me through His mercy first. Then, after God’s mercy, God gives me His grace, and that is how I receive salvation through faith. Then, the salvation I received is not from me; it is from God. If you know this, then you will be thankful, right?
We have no choice but to be thankful. Thanksgiving and gratitude can even block cancer cells from spreading; gratitude can break down the devil. If we’re not thankful to Christ, then the forces of darkness enter into our thoughts. What happens if you have true thankfulness? Even your cancer cells will become less active. You must receive fundamental healing and fundamental strength.
(1) To both Gentiles and Israel (Romans 11:31)
(2) All men over to disobedience (Romans 11:32)
(3) So that He may have mercy on them all (Romans 11:32)
In Rom. 11:32, it says, God has bound all men over to disobedience,” why? So that He may have mercy on them all. God did not purposely put people in disobedience to punish them; they already didn’t believe to begin with. When the Bible says, “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart,” it does not mean He did that actively, but simply by not giving Pharaoh mercy and grace, Pharaoh’s heart was hard. God did this so that He may have mercy on them all.
2) What we cannot understand (Romans 11:33)
(1) The depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
This is something we cannot understand. If we’re trying to argue or fight against God, trying to understand Him with our limited IQ, then that makes no sense. That’s why Rom. 11:33 says, “Oh the depths of the wisdom and knowledge of God.” A child cannot even understand the heart of their parents; how could the creation understand the heart of their Creator? If a child wants to understand the heart of their parents, they can only begin to understand when they become parents themselves, but a son cannot understand his father’s heart. Only after that son gets married and becomes a father himself, will he be able to understand, “That’s why my father was like this.” Even humans are like this.; then, it’s impossible to know about God. That is why, 1 Cor. 1 says that the Holy Spirit of God reveals the deep things of God to us. So, the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us reveals the deep things of God’s heart to us. So, to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God is similar to being filled with the wisdom of God.
It is impossible for us to know with our IQ. From our perspective, all of our failures, our scars, our spiritual problems in the past seem like a negative thing, but it’s actually not a negative thing. We thought it was a negative thing from our perspective, and our lives are being dragged by those things, but that’s not true; those things revealed the gospel. Now that I know the gospel, my past and scars are used to help other people to understand the gospel and be saved. But if you don’t know God, then no matter what you do, you will be filled with regret. You will be resentful of your parents and your past. But if you know the gospel and you know the heart of God, then you will be thankful for the past, you will be thankful for the present, why? Because the Lord is my Master. If the Lord is not my Master, then instead of being thankful, I will be filled with resentment or regret or oppression. But because the Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing; that means there is nothing that I need other than the gospel because everything is hidden inside of the gospel. So, we must hold onto only one thing. If you try to hold onto a second or a third thing, then your life becomes useless because of those secondary or tertiary things. There is only one way that David overcame his tumultuous path: “The LORD is my Shepherd, He is my fortress, He is my refuge, He is my shield, He is my healer.” David is someone who solved every single problem with one thing only.
That is why, “Only Christ.” For the one who is only satisfied with only Christ alone, they are filled with thanksgiving and life will flow into their field through them, and we must receive that grace from God. That is the gospel God gave us, but we ourselves think we need two or three more things and hold onto something else, but our lives fail because of those other things. Those other things are creations, and all of creation follows the Creator, but you’re holding onto the creation instead.
Apostle Paul held onto rubbish in the past, he held onto everything other than the gospel which has everything contained. So, Paul thought he was great, but the only thing he really did was kill people. He was so filled with this venom that he was one of the people at the forefront that killed Christians. Your father the devil was a murderer and a liar from the beginning. Saul was seized by that spirit and did those works. If you accomplish success but you don’t know the gospel, then your success will be used to kill people. Look at all the powerful nations in history, because they have power but they don’t have the gospel, they only exploit weaker nations to get what they want. That’s the history of the entire world, and the same thing for us personally, individually. Everything is contained within one thing. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ alone; this is a mystery. A mystery.
(2) Unsearchable God’s judgments
(3) God’s paths beyond tracing out!
What is a mystery? Even if somebody wants to tell me, I cannot understand it. A secret is something you don’t want to tell anybody else. For example, your password, you don’t want anyone else to know, that’s a secret. But a mystery, you want to tell people but even if you tell them, they still don’t understand. All of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ. The fact that it is hidden means that God must reveal it to us, and may that grace be upon you today, to realize, “There is nothing more that I need than Christ.” It feels like you’re going to fail, doesn’t it? But Christ is the Creator, that’s why we believe it. Then, even if you are hard pressed on all sides, you will never be crushed. Even if you are turned upside down, you will never be perplexed. That is the testimony of the Bible. It might feel like I’m going to fail because of my mental problems or because of my addictions, but if Christ comes inside of me, then I come to life. Your mental problems cannot overcome Christ. The difficulties we face cannot overcome Christ. For me, I will not hold onto myself, I will hold onto Christ; then Christ will work upon that person with all authority in heaven and on earth. That’s what the Bible says. You need to know the gospel surely. It’s not about knowing it, but may you have the grace and the wisdom to realize.
3) What we do not know
(1) Who has known the mind of the Lord? (Romans 11:34)
(2) Who has been his counselor? (Romans 11:34)
(3) Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? (Romans 11:35)
In order for you to realize this one gospel, God allowed you to experience many things. In order to reveal this one thing, the gospel, God is still with us and working upon us now. Legalistic people say, “You need the Gospel and you need the Law,” but you cannot do that; it must be one. Inside of the gospel, success must follow. Success cannot be first; Christ must be first, then that success will be used with value. If people succeed without knowing the gospel, then they will be spiritually afflicted, and because America has become so powerful without the gospel; that’s why there’s an age of mental illness. It’s not because we lack churches, there are plenty of churches, but I’ve never seen an American person who confessed, “Only the gospel, nothing else.” I’m not talking about nonbelievers, I’m talking about Christians. I said, “Is Jesus the One True Path?” They say, “I don’t think so,” they say, “I recognize all the religions, I just chose Christ, but someone else might have chosen another way.” That is what every American or Caucasian Christian I’ve met has said. So yes, it might be great that they acknowledge many people’s perspectives, but their life will be hard because they are ultimately saying they will respect other religions, but they are saying salvation is also found in other religions. From a human perspective, it sounds great, but from God’s perspective, it is extremely offensive because there is only one way God has given us. He crucified His one and only Son on the cross and resurrected Him.
There is no other way He gave us. But then if somebody is going to church and says, “Oh, this is the path that I chose but there are other methods out there,” they cannot escape their spiritual problems, they will never be set free from their past, they will never be set free from their scars. It is only through Christ that this is possible, and the entire Bible is written to explain one thing, the Christ. That’s why when Christ enters you, you are set free from your past. When Christ becomes your Lord, your present problems are solved, even if they don’t go away, it’s fine, because when Christ becomes your Lord, your future is finished. When you confess that Jesus is this Christ, then you will be set free from the authority of Satan and darkness. That is the person and the church that God is looking for, because that is how the correct Lord will be proclaimed in the world as the Christ. That’s why, “Sola Christus, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura,” Only the Bible. So it’s really “only one.”
What is the “only” I have to do today? “Oh, I have to work, I have to study.” Yes, you have to do those things, but with those things, you cannot win. For me, even if nothing else, I will hold onto one thing. I will study inside the word of “only Christ,” I will run my business inside the word of “only Christ,” then, when you go out into the world, you will be unique, different from other people, because when you hold onto something that is “only” and you go out into the field in prayer, then uniqueness will be revealed; then the works of re-creation will take place. Because of only the gospel, people around you come to life. What will I give my message on today? Today, I will give my “only” within this message. There are many messages I could give, but what I choose is “only.” Christ. I hold onto that and give this message. When you hold onto this and go into the field, you become unique, then people around you come to life. That’s why we hold onto “only.” People’s lives fail because they try to hold onto many things, but this gospel will return to the Jews.
3. Glory to God
1) God
(1) All things come from Him (Romans 11:36)
It says in Rom. 11:36, “from Him all things,” yes, because He is the Creator. I am from the Christ; even all of our studies, all of our science, we are just discovering things the Lord has made, and that means the answer to our problems is from the Lord. If your car is broken, then you have to take it to the manufacturer to fix it. If I’m broken and I want to get therapy from that? The therapist cannot solve me. If I’m broken and I go to the hospital, they can fix me physically but not fundamentally or spiritually. Where must I go? I must go to my Creator God, and acknowledging that is the beginning of wisdom, then that’s how we need to study as well. It’s only difficult because you’re trying to sell yourself, but if you only go and discover things God has already made and prepared for you, it’s not hard. But when you’re studying, you’re not acknowledging the Creator God. Even when you go to work, you’re going into work in a world that God has created and God is coming, then you begin to receive answers from God.
(2) All things are through Him (Romans 11:36)
(3) All things are for Him (Romans 11:36)
(4) To Him be glory forever (Romans 11:36)
Everything is from God, so from God, and through Him, and for Him, to Him be the glory forever and ever. “From Him, through Him, for Him, all glory for Him.”
2) In Christ
(1) Plan of salvation
Why does he say this all of a sudden after talking about the salvation of the Israelites and the Gentiles? Why is it that, instead of talking about salvation, he is now talking about “all things”? What Paul is saying here is that, the plan of salvation is from God, and that salvation is through God, and that salvation is for God to glorify God. Do you think He is saying “All things” here for no reason? What ultimately Paul is saying is, all things exist for salvation, and the content of salvation is the Christ. Everything that existed in my past existed for the Christ. Everything that is existing in my present life is so that Christ may become my Lord. Everything that is moving in my life is moving in order to testify of Christ and to reveal Christ in the field. Therefore, glory to Christ forever and ever.
(2) Method of salvation
This is what it means to become gospelized or what it means to enjoy the gospel. The gospel in your past, present, and future. It goes even just beyond salvation or accepting Christ; it is your whole life, then that person’s eyes will become opened wide. They know why they have to study, why they have to work, why they have to save the church. Their eyes will open, then that person will receive their strength from Christ and boast of Christ. Then, all of the forces of darkness, Satan, and evil spirits in the world are broken down. The word, “Salvation” is the same as evangelism, because when I got the gospel, I was saved. When the gospel goes to someone else, that is evangelism.
(3) Purpose of salvation
So, how can you understand salvation? It is not just accepting Jesus, the whole process of salvation says that, yes, I receive the gospel, and then Christ becomes my Master, and in that process, I go back and proclaim that gospel to others. What is evangelism? You proclaim the gospel to somebody else and they accept, then you help them come to church so they receive the Word so the things inside of them will change and so that Christ becomes their Lord. Then the process of this person going back into the field and testifying of Christ again. That whole process is missions and evangelism.
Then, why are we worshipping inside the church? This is a process to work and imprint the Word of Christ into use right now, and as much as I am internally changed, salvation works through me. That is the biblical evangelism movement. When you receive an answer from God today, then you will relay that to the world.
3) Holy Spirit
(1) I, Immanuel, with everything
(2) Power – Witness
(3) Jerusalem (Church), Judea (Religion), Samaria (Demons), Ends of the earth (Rome)
God is moving us right now through the system of His plan, and the Holy Spirit is inside of me and He helps me apply this. The Holy Spirit gives us power, to do what? “All of Jerusalem”: there is a temple in Jerusalem, it means save the church. “All of Judea”: all of the religious leaders, it means to save the religions. “To Samaria”: Samaria is where all the demon-possessed whom you need to heal are. “To the ends of the earth”: save Rome, you need to save the superpower nations of the world. This is the journey of salvation God is guiding us through, through the Holy Spirit and His Word, that’s why Christ becomes our Lord, but everybody is the lord of their own life.
Conclusion
1. Christ (Salvation) as the center – Worldview
In conclusion, our worldview must look at everything through the gospel and evangelism. Whether you’re reading a book or consuming media, in order for that content to save you, you must look at it through the gospel and evangelism. But if you don’t look at everything through the lens of the gospel and evangelism, then the knowledge of the world will take over you. Let’s say, for example, I read something about a hero or a very popular figure, or, when you watch a movie and there is this very cool or inspiring hero or protagonist. All of those things go into you. You need to change all of that and reinterpret that with the perspective of the gospel and evangelism. You must be able to reinterpret that to realize, “Yes, that person might be a renowned individual or hero, but without the Christ, even that person will crumble,” and you need to reinterpret everything within the gospel again. Otherwise, the knowledge of the world, for example, the music you listen to, will overtake your conscience.
If you go out into the world and listen to the words people tell you without the Christ, you will be influenced by those words. What does it mean to look at that person through the lens of the gospel and evangelism? “Oh, that person has no choice but to be like this because they don’t have the gospel.” Let’s say they are saying so many mean and terrible things to me. Of course they’re like that, they don’t have the gospel, that’s why the gospel must be given to that person. I’m talking about how your worldview and your perspective must change, and the students must go out into the world with a different perspective. But if all of their point of view is thinking, “Why is this person being mean to me? Why aren’t they just giving me what I want?” Then, they’ll just die. They’ll say, “I need to study so I can succeed, I need to make money so I can succeed,” so everybody becomes a slave to money, success, and studying. Instead, have a worldview where you look through the lens of the gospel and evangelism.
Nowadays, when I look at YouTube, I see it a little differently; in the past, I used to get sucked into it. But now when I watch YouTube videos with the lens of the gospel and evangelism, all of that becomes information that helps me. Let’s say, for example, I saw some kind of news video talking about President Trump going to the President of Venezuela, and I look at it through the lens of the gospel and evangelism. “Oh, this person claims they are Christian, but because they don’t have the gospel, this is what they’re doing with the nation, and this is what’s happening in the country. How can I proclaim the gospel to this person?” Then, the news stories that I read don’t influence me. On the other hand, by watching those things, I become imprinted and rooted in the gospel and evangelism. I want to relay this skill to the next generation because even a few decades ago, I would not understand what I’m saying, but because this is now taking place for me, I’m happier. This worldview.
2. Guidance, work, and fruit of the Holy Spirit as the center – Way of life
The method is the guidance and the working of the Holy Spirit. It’s not by my works; it must be the guidance, the works, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. That’s why the only method is prayer and the goal is to glorify God, not my success. If the name of Christ is testified, then I’m okay dying.
3. Glory to God alone – Purpose of life
If that grace comes upon you, you will live for God’s glory. Glorifying God doesn’t mean you’ll get first place and say, “Glory to God,” but it means your whole business and life itself is glorifying God. Do you think that, if you get a gold medal and you say, “Glory to God,” everyone will be moved by that? Nobody cares. There is an LA soccer player who prays every time they get a goal, and there are pastors who say, “Oh, that’s such a great work of God,” but nobody cares. I know because I used to be a nonbeliever, nobody cares about that. That’s only inspirational to other Christians who see that. Nonbelievers don’t care. Let’s say, for example, the soccer player is Catholic, and they do the cross. Nonbelievers don’t care. If they are Buddhist or if they have another religion they’ll do something else. All they think is, “Oh, that’s their religion.” We’re the only ones who care about that.
When are people moved? When somebody sees you in the field and says, “Wow, God is with that person.” Joseph, he was a slave, and he could never say anything to glorify God to Pharaoh. They would only say, “Shut up and work,” but in that same situation, Pharaoh confessed, “Who can I find who is filled with the Spirit of God like this man?” Because he wasn’t there just to make money, he wasn’t there to study well, and because he had a different goal, he had a different influence. So, just because you say words that glorify God doesn’t really mean you’re glorying God. I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that you can truly enjoy these blessings and grace throughout the week.
Just hold onto one sentence from today’s Word, don’t try to hold onto many confusing points. With just one bullet point, pray all day today, and prayer is just holding onto the Word you received through the message and just thinking about it, praying about it, then starting from Monday through Saturday, you pray, rooting down in that Word, and when you receive grace from this Word, to whom will you relay this? That is the summary of today’s message.
Message Prayer
Let us pray.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We were dead in our sins and transgressions, but You have given us the mercy and grace to make us children of God. Allow us to look at the world through the lens of “only Christ,” and allow us to stand as witnesses that everything is hidden in Christ. May we testify of Christ to all of those in our lives throughout the week.
We are returning Your materials as offering. We pray that You will bless the hands that have given this offering so that it may be used as the economy of light to break down the darkness in the world. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Announcements
1. Remnant Bible 30-Verse Memorization Contest – During winter break, prizes awarded – Adults can also participate.
2. Leading the Chicago Winter Retreat from December 22-24.
3. Christmas Eve Worship on December 24, Christmas Day Worship on December 25
4. Leader Training, December 27 (Saturday) 3:30-7:00 pm, ICSC
5. LA Winter Retreat (December 29-31)
6. New Year’s Eve Worship, December 31 (Wed), January 1 (Thu)
7. Venmo account address for church offering: @Antiochmissionchurch
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, working, guidance, fellowship, and filling of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all the people of God, the people of all nations, and the heads of the remnant posterity who desire to live for God’s plan, method, and purpose, be with them now until forever always, amen.
You live for God’s glory!