Justification of the Evidence of the Gospel (Acts 17:1-9)
Introduction
Foundation – Christ (Holy Spirit – Life) Result
Sand – Me (Money, Authority, Business, Ideology, People)
Rain, Wind, Darkness – House
Every Day – Holy Spirit – Power (Prayer)
Gospel
Guidance – Firm House (Saving)
1. Proclaim the Gospel – Rightfulness
You need to be able to explain why the other person needs something. You need to possess why proclaiming the gospel is rightful. If you don’t have this, then you wonder and question, “Why do I have to proclaim the gospel?” These people don’t know how precious this gospel is and are unable to proclaim it. But people think they need some sort of special training to proclaim the gospel.
But all people need to receive the gospel, why is that? It’s because no one can overcome the authority of sin, Satan, and hell. That is why this gospel must be proclaimed. Evangelists must have this rightfulness and evangelize. Remnants, you must be raised up within this rightfulness. People who go to church for a long time think that evangelists have some special skill or ability, but such people can’t do it for long. It is because they have no pride in the gospel. Because of this, they think only special people are able to proclaim the gospel.
1) 1 Peter 1:9 Salvation
It says faith is the salvation of souls, it’s ultimately about receiving salvation. Even for us, we must have correct faith to the extent that we can give salvation to other people. You do Bible study and other things, you relay the blessing of the gospel in prayer, but the goal of raising them up is to save other souls. But if you take this out and you continue to raise them up, they go the wrong way and fall into the ways of the world because the ultimate goal is to save other people. Of course, the person receives salvation, whether you do ministry or meet other people, you need to rightfully explain this direction of their life. Why is that?
2) 1 John 3:8 Devil – Work
It is because the only One Who appeared to destroy the devil’s work is Jesus Christ. The work Satan does is to take us away from this blessing and to not believe in the gospel. That’s why Christ must come in order to solve this problem.
3) John 3:16 – Salvation
For God so loved the world, that’s why He saved people. If you don’t have many years left to your life, God will work according to that. If you have no power, God knows that and works in that way. If you really have no time, God will urgently work upon you.
4) Acts 1:8 – Will Be Witness
He gave us the promise, “You will be my witnesses.” It’s not that you have to be, but you will be.
5) Matthew 24:14 – Evangelism – All Blessings
This gospel must be preached to the whole world, then the end will come. This means evangelism contains all blessings. Is evangelism everything? The world says there are many things you need to do besides evangelism. That’s why they also learned this in the church, and church members think evangelism is just one portion of their lives. How do they perceive it? They perceive evangelism as something only specialized people can do. That’s their version of salvation. They think, “Yes, you need to evangelize but also volunteer and do all sorts of things,” but that’s a version of their life.
If a minister or remnant understands evangelism in this way, they cannot enjoy the blessings of evangelism because that person already perceives evangelism as difficult, and that’s how they live. How must you understand evangelism? All things are for evangelism. If you don’t understand in this way, your walk of faith will be difficult. Your walk of faith won’t work out. I’ve experienced and seen this in many ministries, so you must understand evangelism correctly.
The longer a person goes to church, the more they misunderstand about evangelism. They misunderstand, “Wouldn’t the people listening be burdened by it?” They feel burdened by it because they feel they need to do it . It’s not something you do but God leads all things towards this. Even sitting here today, what I am doing is for evangelism. All your businesses and studies, even though you may be working for money, it is ultimately for evangelism. The reason why you rest and sleep is ultimately for evangelism. If you don’t understand in this way, your walk of faith will be difficult.
Gospel
If not, you will have to do something special in order to fulfill it. Isn’t the gospel everything? We say the gospel is everything, the gospel is God, and He is holding onto all creation with His word, and all things are contained within that. Then, we must relay this because all of creation exists for Him. This is a very important content. You need to help the new believer understand evangelism in a correct way.
If you proclaim the evangelism you know and understand, evangelism will take place. Just relay it according to the Word. To say it simply, the entire world is moving so that this gospel is proclaimed. If not, you will try to make evangelism for yourself and that is a failure.
6) Matt. 28:18 Baptism
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” God has prepared disciples of all nations, and I align my business and studies with that because that is how God works.
7) Mark 16:15 All Nations
It says, “Go into all the world,” and you can understand in that way, but God has prepared people in the entire world. You need to hold onto this as your covenant. What is more important than this action of evangelism is being within this covenant because this action of evangelism will tire you out, and if you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to. But this gospel proclamation will surely take place. No matter what happens, even if COVID comes and hits, the proclamation of the gospel will continue.
Evangelism is not centered on ourselves, whether we do it or not, it is not about whether that takes place; it is God’s doing. If I don’t evangelize, does that mean God isn’t evangelizing? It means God is powerless. But God will change your environment so that you have to, how? He will lead you into slavery. You can go yourself, but because you don’t, you go in as a slave. Or God makes it so that your business crumbles down and you have to do it. If I say this, some people misunderstand, “Is God threatening us?” It’s not that, God regards those lives as more important. Even as your business crumbles down, you still need to save lives, so God makes it so that you must do it.
If you don’t understand this while living in America, you continue to live as a slave. You will be seized by money and your entire thoughts and soul will be sucked into it. That’s why from a young age, you need to teach younger children. If you do it when they’re older, its’ too late; so that’s why you must give it to them at a young age. They must be imprinted in this to the extent that they believe the Word as-is. Or else, they will live a very hard and difficult life.
If you don’t want to suffer in that way? This was the history of the Israelites. They were captives in Babylon and that’s why they proclaimed the gospel; it goes according to God’s plan, why is that? Because they lost hold of the gospel. If you don’t hold onto this, people naturally hold onto Genesis 3, 6, and 11. Even though they have done Bible study all their lives, they fall into Genesis 3, 6, and 11. That’s the same for the Israelites. They memorized the Word, they did Bible studies and gave worship, but they were ultimately led into captivity.
2. Necessity
The necessity of proclaiming the gospel. This necessity means that they must receive this gospel.
1) Romans 3:23, Genesis 3:1-5, John 8:44 Deception
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and that’s why we must come out of this. Because we’re separated from the life of God, we must receive the gospel. No exception, all people who are not the offspring of the woman must be liberated from this. You are the fourth generation of believers? You need to believe it; you can’t just be part of that family. John 8:44, all these people belong to their father, the devil. Who is that? He is their father, people don’t teach you, but they naturally chase after their father.
Idolatry, Evil Spirits, Transcendental Meditation, Religion
Why do they serve idols? That is how they serve their father. Why do they look for demon-possessed people? It is how they serve their father. Why do they do transcendental meditation? They are looking for their father. Why do they go to religion? That is how they serve their father. Because this is our hidden nature. That is why, when you proclaim this gospel, Satan makes it so that there are things that block you. That’s why if the church doesn’t emphasize Christ, the churches have no choice but to close their doors and they have no choice but to suffer. The gospel isn’t something you proclaim once in awhile; it is something you do all the time.
2) 1 Corinthians 15:3-5
Christ died and resurrected according to the scriptures, so I must also die and rise with Christ. If I don’t rise up with Christ, I have no choice but to live a life of death with the devil.
3) Genesis 3:15 Necessary Incident
That’s why the incident of Gen. 3:15 is a necessary incident. The offspring of the woman must come. In the Old Testament, for me, a sinner, I must sacrifice an animal without blemish. But in the New Testament, Christ Who has no sin must die for all humankind.
3. Absoluteness
What does this mean? It means it doesn’t matter what kind of circumstance or incident arises; proclaim the gospel. “Absolute” means you are not influenced by any other condition. Joseph went in as a slave but he proclaimed the gospel, why? That’s what God was doing. All other things are blocked as we lack strength and power. If you went into slavery like Joseph without the covenant, you would be oppressed. That’s why the absolute covenant is the absolute plan. America evangelism is part of God’s absolute plan; nothing else. The more you hold onto other things, you will face your limitation and be blocked.
It applies to volunteering, giving donations, all of those things will be blocked. Even success has a limitation because all things have a limitation. Proclaiming this gospel can never be blocked. That’s why you must hold onto this one thing that can never be blocked. That’s why, even my weakness in proclaiming this gospel, it cannot be blocked. Even if you’re not able to speak the language, this cannot block the proclamation of the gospel.
That is why our remnants must possess this rightfulness, necessity, and absoluteness of proclaiming the gospel, or else you will be blocked by other people’s words. You will be blocked by pastors who don’t have this, but they have a lot of theological knowledge. The more you listen to all sorts of things on YouTube, these things will go away. Because you’re only listening to what you want to hear, you’re not listening to God’s voice.
1) Matthew 16:16 Unique
Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. This is the one unique thing everyone needs. All people need the Lord, all people need Christ. He is living as God, and besides this, there is nothing we need.
2) Matthew 16:17 Blessing
This will be a blessing. People say that food is a physical blessing, but because they don’t have the spiritual blessing, they have no choice but to fall into spiritual disasters. Christ is the blessing.
3) Matthew 16:17 One with Absolute Sovereignty – God
It is not by our knowledge, understanding, or power that we’re able to understand this. It is by God’s power, the One Who has ultimate authority is God. People don’t realize this because you have given the message well, but if you give the message according to God’s Word, God will make it so they’re able to realize. You need to wait until God works upon them, then you go to someone else. You can’t hold onto this person and try to make them change because they won’t change without God’s power. But instead, you attach yourself to this person, holding onto them to change them, but it won’t work. Or there may be a plan to have people around that person realize. According to God’s time schedule, they will realize this.
You need to discover God’s plan, don’t do it according to your thoughts, but look for God’s plan. You are placed in your workplace. Discover God’s plan, how? If you pray, God will answer. Don’t just ask for God’s plan but seek His absolute plan. Then, you will discover how you must do this evangelism movement. That is how you will build your platform.
What is a platform? It is for people to come to you, and that’s why you need to designate a time and a location, that’s how people will come to you. If it’s in your workplace, designate a time and location for people to come to you. In the Early Church, God designated Mark’s Upper Room as the location. God had planned each and every house as a regional church. Even in your workplace, God has designated a time and a location. When you pray, that will be the designated time and location for people to come to you.
What do you do there? You enjoy this blessing and the power of the throne through prayer. Through prayer, you shine this light and that’s how you do your ministry. If you take all of this out, you will be seized by Satan and it won’t work out. That’s why when a problem or circumstance arises, you give them the answer.
In order to do this, you must go to the lowest place, the place no one goes. You need to save others in the most humble manner. That’s how you respect people above you, or else, this evangelism movement will be blocked if the people above you oppress it. For this evangelism movement, you can also donate your money. Or you can yield to others to evangelize and share the gospel with them. This is how God raises the evangelism movement.
Because of this gospel and evangelism movement, God raises and moves all things. That is why God has given you your talent. That’s why God has prepared your specialty. That’s why God has prepared your field in order for you to save that field. You need to hold onto this and go towards that, and then you’ll be someone like Joseph. Joseph held onto this and went into his field. Of course, he went in not the best method through his brothers, but God uses all sorts of methods. Even for Daniel, his three friends, and Esther, they didn’t go so God caused this war so they had no choice but to go and proclaim the gospel.
But you go into the field and you don’t understand what’s going on, so you’re afflicted and beaten up because even though you have received this Word, you don’t understand it. Then what happens? God makes it so that you’re at a loss, so you pay attention. But why don’t you realize this ahead of time? You don’t think it’s a loss or benefit to you, either way. But God knows you so well and that’s why He puts you at a loss, whether it’s your finances or health.
That’s just my style. Because I didn’t understand, God had this shocking incident in my life. I would ask God, “What is God trying to do through this?” That’s when I realized. That’s similar to receiving a shock of being taken captive to Babylon, so you realize this later on and then you do it.
4) Matthew 16:18 Authority
The Only Being Who can block the gates of hades is Jesus Christ. If Satan worked once in awhile, it would be okay, but Satan is like a roaring lion, prowling around, looking for someone to devour. Satan could just work once a day, but that’s not how he works. He looks around, prowling. But because you haven’t met people like this, you don’t think Satan works in this way. But if you experience a stalker for 24 hours, you would realize Satan is even worse than that. Satan, transcending time and space, is constantly following us around. That’s why if it is not Christ, you cannot block it.
4. Reason It Doesn’t Work out
We must partake within this rightfulness, necessity, and absolute, but there’s a reason we can’t. Why doesn’t it take place?
1) Matt. 5:1 Crowd
They are not disciples; they’re part of the crowd, so they don’t follow Jesus Christ for Who He is, but for what He can do, and that’s why they’re not able to go into the rightfulness, necessity, and absoluteness. Who is a disciple? They follow after Jesus, they follow after the Word, they follow the stream of prayer and evangelism, so that’s why in the church, are there a large number of disciples or crowds? Don’t nitpick or judge; if they listen to the Word, they are disciples. Because, for the crowd, they might listen for a little bit, but once they experience a loss from the Word, they just depart. There are too many people like that in Los Angeles. It’s because they have listened to those words only, and they misunderstand thinking it’s their walk of faith.
A disciple stakes their life. That is a disciple. They may be afraid at first but they stake their lives. Why is that? They have received this grace that proclaiming the gospel is far more important than their life. They know that their business is there to save other people. You need to meet these kinds of people. Even when a man and woman meet, if they both belong to the crowd, they will crumble. As time passes, some couples realize, but they crumble together.
2) Matt. 28:16 Doubt
Even though some people saw Jesus and worshiped Him, some doubted. These people aren’t able to go in the three things; instead, they doubt. If they doubt this, what are they sure in? The person has the assurance of Genesis 3, 6, and 11. That’s why it seems they’re following after Jesus but they follow after physical things. If this gospel is everything, then go into the rightfulness, necessity, and absoluteness.
5. Disciple
There are some things disciples do.
1) Luke 10:1-20 Region – Gospel
These people evangelize in the field. In the region you live, you work, and study, this gospel must be proclaimed. That’s how you go into the rightfulness, necessity, and absoluteness. As you do this, all things will follow.
2) Acts 2:1-18
Once they receive the filling of the Holy Spirit, that’s when the doors of evangelism open.
3) Acts 6:7 7 Deacons
That is when the seven deacons were raised.
4) Acts 7:1
Even though they were just layleaders, people like Stephen evangelized. When Stephen proclaimed the gospel, he didn’t have to die. But he knew the words that would cause the Jewish people to riot. He said, “The Jesus Whom you crucified is the Messiah,” so they revolted and stoned Stephen.
5) Acts 8:4-8
Philip went to Samaria where no one else went to. This is the layperson evangelist Philip. Because he was within this rightfulness, necessity, and absoluteness, he was guided this way.
5) Acts 8:26-40
This is when he meets the Ethiopian eunuch.
6) Romans 16
All these people were laypeople. How were these people able to evangelize Rome? Through the Roman Church. It wasn’t just the gospel. Proclaiming the gospel is rightful, they possessed this, and they know all people needed this gospel, that’s the necessity. No one can block this gospel, the absoluteness. We’re talking about the disciples who went into these three things.
Conclusion – Word, Realistic, Field
This Word must be realistic in your life; you must realistically believe it. This Word and your present reality must not be separated. This Word must become your realistic Truth and you will be able to believe. This Word must be aligned to your field. The reason why you live in America must be aligned with these three words. If it’s not aligned to these things, it’s just another Bible scripture. Then, that means you’re living your life with your own things. You need to build your house on this; otherwise it’s sand.
Answers that Work Out
As time passes, the answers will be fulfilled. The standard is not something you do; it is something God does. Even if COVID comes, it must all be fulfilled. But the life you try to live will be blocked by COVID. But this proclamation of the gospel cannot be blocked by anything. Egypt, Babylon, even the Roman empire cannot block this gospel. People who have this will not say it’s not working out. People who don’t have this say it’s not working out because they have faced their own limitation.
It’s rightful, it’s something all people need, it’s absolute, and no one can block it. Even if several things happen, it doesn’t matter; it will work out. Two or three people must rise up. Other people who try to imitate this, it doesn’t work out for them because if a bad incident arises, they just run away. If their pride is hurt just a little, that must take place, but Satan knows this and works upon that.
Prayer
God, we thank You. Help us to go into the rightfulness, necessity, and absoluteness of the gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.