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 Sermon > Official Service |
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Title |
Measure of Faith - 26th Anniversary Sunday Morning |
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Speaker |
Rev. Jaerock Lee |
Bible |
Romans 12: 3 |
Date |
2008-10-12 |
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Passage
Romans 12: 3
"For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith."
Introduction
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today is the 26th anniversary Sunday of our church. Let us give all thanks and glory to God the Father who has been with us for last 26 years without fail.
And to celebrate this day, we have many honored guests from both within Korea and other countries. I give thanks to all the guests for coming and I welcome all of you in the name of the Lord.
Also, I give thanks to all the full time workers of the church and church members who have been serving the church until now being united as one.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, and honored guests, God the Father has given us the message titled, 'Measure of Faith'.
Many people say that they believe in the Creator God and that Jesus is the Savior. They also say they believe the Bible is the word of God.
But we can see that the measure and strength of each one's faith is different. James 2:22 says, "You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;" As said, faith is always accompanied by deeds. Therefore, each one can possess true faith to the extent that he/she practices the word of God.
And we can categorize these different measures of faith into five levels.
The first level is where you have just accepted Jesus Christ and received the Holy Spirit.
It is the level of faith in which you don't practice the word of God but you have just been saved by the grace of God.
But in the second level of faith, you try to practice the word of God. But the things that you practice is less than the things that you don't put into action.
The third level of faith is the faith to practice the word of God.
We can say that on the outside, you practice the word of God fully. But inside, you still commit sins with mind and thoughts.
The fourth level of faith is the level where you have cast off even sins of heart.
The fifth level of faith is not just to cast away all forms of evil from the heart but to fill the heart fully with goodness, love, and truth.
In this level, we will have a heart that resembles the Lord completely and become joy to God in whatever we do.
God the Father wants all of us to reach this fifth level of faith.
That is why He has given us this message titled 'Measure of Faith' on this 26th anniversary Sunday.
I pray in the name of the Lord that you will understand this heart of God the Father and that your faith will grow up from today.
Main
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, and honored guests, faith, hope, and love are interconnected, and they cannot be separated.
As our faith becomes more complete, we can have more of true hope and more of perfect love.
And if we reach the fifth level in our measure of faith, we will naturally possess true hope and perfect love.
Therefore, at this time, I will talk to you about the measure of faith that God requires of us, and about love and hope.
First, what is the measure of faith that God requires of us?
It is the fifth level of faith, which is the faith to please God.
The 1st and the 2nd levels of faith are weak faith. Comparing it with the growth of men, it's the level of infant or little children. They are born again by the Holy Spirit and have become the children of God, but they are still like children in spirit.
Next, the 3rd level of faith is the level of a young adult.
And if we pass 60% of the third level of faith, we say we stand on the rock of faith.
On the rock of faith they can fulfill their works as a grown up adult.
God the Father wants His children to reach at least this level of rock of faith.
But of course, He wants us to pass the fourth level and possess the fifth level of faith.
We can say we understand God's heart only after we get into at least the fourth level of faith.
If we reach the fifth level of faith, we can understand the deep things of God the Father. we can read the heart of the Father God and follow His will.
In this level we will also receive God's power from above and manifest works of faith so that we can show the evidences of the living God.
We can become powerful workers who can awaken many souls and lead them to salvation.
God the Father wants all His children to become these kinds of powerful workers.
That is why He has showed us many signs and wonders so we can reach the fifth level of faith.
It is just as John 4:48, which says, "So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe."
As the end draws near, sin prevails even more, and there are more theories and thoughts that stand themselves up against God, so it is more difficult for people to have faith. But God the Father has showed to us signs and wonders continuously so we can reach the level of faith that God wants us to have.
From the opening of this church until now, He has shown us countless works of His power and extraordinary things.
He has let us know clearly about spiritual realm, too.
Even when the growth of the faith of our members was slow, God did not stop but rather showed us more powerful works.
To increase the level of our faith, God the Father will continue to show us amazing works of His power.
You will be able to see and experience the works of different dimensions.
Therefore, you should never be disappointed about yourself. God the Father does not give up on you, and you should never give up on yourself first.
You have to make positive confessions with faith saying, "I will surely stand on the rock of faith, I will pass the fourth level and reach the fifth level of faith. I will become a fruit that is pleasing in God's eyes."
I will tell you one way to quickly reach the fifth level of faith.
Fifth level of faith is the faith to please God.
Therefore, I hope you will make it a habit to choose what is more pleasing to God in situations where you have to make decisions.
I hope you will always have the standard thinking about which choice will please God more and give God more happiness.
I pray in the name of the Lord that you will choose what is more pleasing to God so that you can quickly reach the complete measure of faith.
The second aspect I am going to talk about is love. God the Father wants us to have perfect love with which we fear nothing in any situation.
1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."
But some people soon have worries and pessimistic thoughts if they have a little bit of difficult things. They think like, "Does the Father God love me? Why am I only this much? Why am I always in trials without receiving blessings? Why am I in this kind of situation all the time?"
Thinking this way with their fleshly thoughts, they distance themselves from God's love.
But those who truly understand God's love will realize the love of God in any situation.
They will try to find out where God's will is even in difficult situations.
Because they believe that God is guiding them to the best way with His love for them, they won't have any fear.
We can see that the apostle Paul had this kind of perfect love.
He was beaten up many times and he was imprisoned while preaching the gospel, but he didn't have fear.
But rather he praised God in those situations.
Even when he had a shipwreck and he was relying on a piece of wood in the sea, his heart was filled with peace. Also, even when he was sacrificing his life, he felt the love of God the Father and he gave thanks and praises to God.
From Romans 8:38-39, we can see what kind of perfect love the apostle Paul possessed.
It says, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
God the Father wants His children to dwell completely in the love of God in any situation.
And were you always convinced of God's love for you in all things? You always confess that you love God, but when in difficulties, how much evidence of your love for God did you show?
Or in difficulties, didn't you soon doubt the love of God thinking, 'Oh, God doesn't love me'?
I hope you will have perfect love that has no fear.
Jesus said in John 14:21, "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
Therefore, I hope you will live by the word of God more completely.
Then, you will have the confidence and also the perfect love towards God.
I pray in the name of the Lord that the evidence of God's loving you will show abundantly in your lives.
The third aspect I am going to talk about is hope. The hope here is the hope for heavenly kingdom.
The more faith and love you have in your heart the more and clearer hope you will have in your heart.
But in heaven, there are many dwelling places, and the most beautiful and happiest place is New Jerusalem. God the Father wants all of us to have this hope of New Jerusalem.
And He has written in the Bible how to get to this city of New Jerusalem.
Especially, in this church, God has shown us much grace to let us know about heavenly kingdom and New Jerusalem very clearly.
And I see that those who believe God completely and love Him follow the way that God has opened for us to go towards New Jerusalem.
But there are also some who say they long for New Jerusalem but go a way that is away from New Jerusalem.
Now, I urge you to have more of perfect hope for New Jerusalem.
Whether you close your eyes or open them, you have to think about New Jerusalem, and whatever you eat or drink or wear, you always have to have New Jerusalem in your heart.
I really would like you to hope for New Jerusalem to that extent.
I hope all the things that you do with your hands and feet will be done with the hope of New Jerusalem.
I hope all the things you see with your eyes and all the words you speak with your lips will be done with hope for New Jerusalem.
Then, naturally, all your words and deeds will follow the will of God that God wants.
If you love somebody, you will follow that person's heart and resemble that person.
Those who want to meet God the Father and the Lord in person and dwell with them forever must fulfill this hope for New Jerusalem.
I hope you will have more of perfect hope for New Jerusalem so that you will reach the measure of faith that God requires of us.
Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, and honored guests, God the Father has given us much grace until now and also showed to us countless works of His power.
This was to lead us to have the complete measure of faith.
This was also for Him to gain children who understand the deep things of God and follow His will completely.
Secondly, I talked about perfect love which God requires of us, and which has no fear in it.
If we have this love, we can realize the love of God in any situation and give thanks always.
Third, I talked about God wanting us to have perfect hope of New Jerusalem.
Now, I hope all of you will have more perfect faith, love, and hope.
I pray in the name of the Lord that you will become true children with whom God is pleased and you will dwell in New Jerusalem forever.
[Amen] |
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