(Pastor Ock Soo Park's Sermon) David Waxed Stronger and Stronger, Saul Waxed Weaker and Weaker

Pastor Ock Soo Park | Good News Gangnam Church

“Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.” (2 Samuel 3:1)

Victory in War Is Not Up to Man

There are winners and losers in war. For a long time, there was a war between the house of David and the house of Saul, and David grew stronger and stronger and Saul grew weaker and weaker. How did this happen? It was not because Saul lacked strategy or power. Looking back at Israel’s history, no matter how many soldiers Israel had, if God was not with them they were defeated. On the other hand, if God was with them, even with a few soldiers they were certainly victorious. The victory is up to God; it is not up to man.

God Was in David, and David Believed in God

If you want to fight in Christ’s battles, you must forsake man’s methods and go forward following the Word of God. When David first began to fight his battles, he fought with the lion and the bear and later on with Goliath. Afterwards, he was pursued by Saul, and then he fought with the Philistines and Amalekites. Each time, David did not rely on effective tactics, weapons, or the bow, but he always relied on God. We see this when he first fought with the lion and the bear, and even more so when he fought against Goliath.

David was not in the same league as Goliath. Goliath was very tall and he was a commander of great strength while David was just a boy. David’s judgments and experiences could never stand up to Goliath. God was inside of David and David believed in God: “Seeing that Goliath who defiles the holy nation of God, God will surely deliver him into my hands!” This is why he dove into a fight he could not win, and he struck Goliath’s head with a smooth stone from the brook which made Goliath fall.

In Saul’s Fear He Avoids the Philistines

Saul was different from David. He did not only rely on God, but he relied on many humanistic methods. God chose Saul and anointed him, dwelt with him, and gave him the Holy Spirit in his heart. From that moment on, Saul was a man who was with God. But he did not trust in God. In 1 Samuel 13:5, there is a story of Saul waging war with the Philistines who have: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and a multitude of people as many as the sand on the seashore. Regardless of the many weapons and soldiers, if God fights, then you will be victorious. Although the Philistine army was enormous, if Saul goes forward and fights, God would help him be victorious. Later on, Jonathan and his armor bearer attack the camp of the Philistines and we clearly see they are victorious.

God Must Allow It, I Am Unable

God does not allow his people to fight battles that are possible by man’s strength, but he allows them to meet problems that are impossible by man’s strength. If David had fought against someone in the same league, he could have won without relying on God. Likewise, in order for us to rely on God, He allows all of God’s people to face problems that are bigger and greater than themselves. God continually permits problems that I could never resolve with my own ability. During those times, we may be afraid and tremble but we will be victorious if we rely on God. A person of God is one who relies only on God and goes forward.

Fellow brothers and sisters, if we are ignorant of the heart of God, we will avoid the burdens we face, fall into fear, live according to the situation, and fall deep into our thoughts. To such people, proceeding in faith towards God seems reckless and foolish. When David tried to fight Goliath, his brothers rebuked him and even Saul said that he would not be able to fight him. But David relied on God and was victorious. We rely upon God not according to our plans or methodology.

When Peter healed the lame man at the gate of the temple called Beautiful, he did not stop there, but he preached the gospel. The priests and the leader of the temple did not want to hear the gospel and arrested Peter. Then they threatened him saying, “From now on you may not speak or teach of His name.” At that time, if Peter was intimidated, he could not preach the gospel again. In the past, Peter was intimidated by the priest and the servant girl, but now he had faith in God and spoke loudly to the high priest, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” When Peter spoke to them boldly, the rulers were dumbfounded so they threatened him but eventually let him go. We can see the church becoming filled powerfully with the spirit and going forward.

What Happens When We Avoid the Work That Requires Faith?

Saved saints do not work on humanly possible tasks. God desires to make us into people of faith who can do the impossible. There is so much work being done in our mission that is actually impossible. Each time, we were disconsolate and afraid, but if we did not go forward then we would not be able to preach the gospel. Therefore we clashed with it and every time, God helped and worked for us.

It is important for us to know in detail how God works. If we do not know we become like Saul being afraid and avoiding the problem. Our lives fall into this repetitive cycle, however we should have faith to break free. Some consider going forward in faith burdensome and even criticize that it is not the way. They have fallen into their thoughts and they do not listen to anyone who thinks differently. We have heard many sermons about faith, but we only know it theoretically. When we realistically try to proceed by faith, it feels burdensome and we become trapped in the circumstances. Naturally, people become distant because they cannot join their hearts with people of faith, all the while they consider themselves to be right easily judging others. The Bible says not to criticize those without faith and not judge those who have faith. We must hear the Word of God and forsake our conclusions and proceed with faith.

Throw Away the Work That Matches Our Thinking and Circumstances

How can we be victorious in the war? We are not victorious because we chose the right path, but regardless of how it seems, it is the way of boldly going forward by receiving the Word of God. A person of faith forsakes his thoughts and proceeds boldly, knowing the precise will of God in the Word. God works through these people and fulfills His will.

In 2015, many ministers, brothers, and sisters are forsaking their ways to step over unto the way of faith. I want all of us to refuse the work that suits our thoughts and circumstances, to be free of our opinions and thoughts, and to follow after God.

The mentally ill do not listen to others, but only express their opinions. They do not like to communicate with others. If the brothers and sisters talk to one another, they can have faith. But if they block their ears to what others are saying, and only assert their opinions, they can only go down a crooked path. The mentally ill think they are right, but from an objective view they are not right. I may consider myself to be right, but if another person says that I am wrong, then I should open my heart and share fellowship with them. By reflecting myself upon the Word of God, I can forsake my thoughts.

David Desired the Work to Glorify God

God begins to work after we are saved. We don’t have to be good, righteous, holy, and honest for God to work. Man is filthy, dirty, evil, and terrible, but Jesus has completed perfect salvation so that we lack nothing for God to use us. Although we are weak, through Jesus, we lack nothing to be used by God. Therefore we should not think, “God is not going to work through me because I am weak and lacking.”

The saved saints are perfected through the blood of Jesus. Everything has been prepared so that nothing will be lacking for God to work. And now we declare, “God will work! I will boldly go forward like David with faith in God!” In doing so, we are victorious in the spiritual battle saving the dying people around us. I hope the precious works of God will arise to glorify God.

(Missionary's Testimony) God Changed Me And Gave Me The Dream To Be A Missionary

Pastor Joon Hyun Lee | Lomé, Togo

How could so many people not be saved?

People build rooms to live in. If a goat or chicken comes into the room, obviously, it will be removed from the room. People have a room called, the “heart.” In the room of the heart, the heart of God, who is the creator of man, must reside there. However, I often held unto dark things like: sorrow, pain, and agony in the room of my heart. I realized this after I was saved.

I liked playing, hanging out, drinking, and playing cards all night. Even in the army, I spent my nights like that. After I was saved, I started to hear the Word of God and knew that the Bible was factual and the truth which answers our questions precisely. I wanted to share this with other people.

I never went to church before, and I assumed they would believe the same way I believed. However, as I met people who attended church, I realized that was not true. They appeared to sincerely serve God with zeal and I appeared to be fake, however, it was the opposite when I got to know them.

“This is strange! How could so many people not be saved?”

I was shocked that most people who attended church were not saved.

An Amazing new heart forms in me

I thought Air Force pilots were the elite soldiers. I thought the best soldier was a pilot who flies in the sky. When I joined the air force and lived with the pilots, I realized that this was not true.

Pilots were stressed out due to large workloads and tight schedules, which often led to being roughed up, cursed at, and getting into bar fights. It was so disappointing. I realized people were different from their superficial images and true images.

I became saved while serving as a private for 18 months. After my superiors were discharged, entry level soldiers came in and I became a superior in my 25th month. From then, I often read the Bible in a boiler room next to my workplace while subordinate soldiers were on night duty. I read the Bible very much during the daytime as well. When I interacted with people, I occasionally wondered how they would react if I shared stories about the Bible.

Everyone was a pilot except for 4 privates. Most pilots believed in a religion because all aircraft accidents were lethal and resulted in death. This became an issue on the base because I suddenly shared Bible stories, but I did not attend church. The Lieutenant Colonel, who was a squadron commander, read the Bible whenever he had time. One day, He said to me.

“Hey, Sergeant Lee. Today, I want to eat with the soldiers in the cafeteria. Let’s go together.”

“Yes, sir,” I replied.

Although he was a Lieutenant Colonel and I was one of the ordinary soldiers, I wanted to ask him,

“Lieutenant Colonel, I didn’t go to church when I was young and I recently heard the gospel from someone. I noticed you were reading the Bible frequently. May I ask you a question? People who don’t go to church and don’t believe in Jesus are sinners. If a person goes to church and believes in Jesus, is he a sinner or righteous?”

The Lieutenant Colonel became very nervous.

“Ah, that person should be righteous.”

“Then, are you a sinner or righteous?”

“I could say I’m righteous since I believe in Jesus.”

I could see he was confused by my questions. I thought I merely just heard the gospel, but a new heart formed in me. It was like a new computer program had been installed in my life. I was able to feel the new program working incredibly in my heart. It was marvelous, amazing, and gratifying.

Brother, are you saved?

One day, I received a phone call from an older colleague who was a Master Sergeant at the firefighting squadron at Suwon Air Force Base.

“Jun Hyun, a memorial ceremony is in a few days. Now that you are superior, take a vacation at that time. I hope to meet you at home and attend the ceremony together.”

“Okay.”

I was miraculously approved for a special vacation and went to Nonsan. My friend and his wife were preparing food.

My friend started to go to church with his wife after they got married. “Are they saved?”

This question filled my heart.

“I used to not go to church. You often go to church. Let me ask you a question. Are you saved?”

“Yes, I am saved.”

“Then, do you have sins in your heart?”

“Yes, I have sins.”

“If you have sins in your heart, what do you do about them?

“When I repent before God, Jesus washes the sins away.”

“After committing sins, if you just repent, the sins will be washed?”

“Not immediately. You need to repent with a true, sincere heart, and when the sincere heart touches God’s heart, the sins could be washed away.”

My friend’s wife said the same thing. Both of them lived a different spiritual life than the one I imagined.

“This does not mean that your sins will be washed away just because you have devotion and sincerity. You may not understand, but that is truly not being born again. Even though I have never been to church, I am surely born again in my heart. I was deeply moved after reading The Secret of Forgiveness of Sin and Being Born Again and Two Kinds of Spiritual Life. My friend and his wife should read them.”

Two days later, I returned to the base. The next day, the squadron commander called me.

“Hey, Sergeant Lee. You don’t take vacations?”

“As of yesterday, I was on special vacation for 2 nights and 3 days!

I am okay now.”

“What are you talking about? Submit the paperwork and prepare to take a vacation.”

It was very unexpected.

“I just went home yesterday. Where should I go for 15 days on my vacation?” I was worried and thought, “Yes. I should get on a troop transport plane!” I asked my subordinate who worked in the base audio department if there were any troop transport planes going to the Suwon base which is where my brother worked, and there was one. All the pieces were coming together. For the first time, I got on a plane and arrived in Suwon.

When I arrived, my friend and his wife wanted to treat me to pig’s feet downtown, since it had been a long time since I visited them.

They were frustrated because they could not answer the questions from the books that I gave to them a few days ago. Afterwards, I called the pastor of the Suwon church for the address, and I went downtown and enjoyed the pig’s feet. Then, I brought my friend and his wife to the church because I told them I really wanted to go there. That day, they became saved as they had fellowship with the pastor. It was December of 1989. I was thankful to God and it made me speechless. At that time, my friend was going to resign from his job and live comfortably with a retirement allowance.

However, God amazingly moved his heart, so he decided to go to missionary school after he was discharged from the army. He is currently ministering in Eumseong Grace Church, and his name is Dae Hyun Lee.

Wouldn’t it be great to live in a country without the gospel?

I thought for a long time that my life in the army was unlucky and miserable. Yet, that changed after I met the gospel. After being discharged, I went home to my mother, who was living alone, and she was very welcoming to me. I also prepared to go back to school for the next semester. I attended a newly established church in Iksan because it was close to Gunsan.

After I was done with classes in Daejeon, I had to walk 1 km at night from the Nonsan bus station. I often asked myself as I was doing that for 2 years, ”I am really not interested in God? How could a person like me meet the gospel among so many people?”

It was mysterious. I was the only one who was saved in my home.

The gospel settled deeply in my heart. When I walked in the dark forest, often it was so dark that I could not see anything. However, when I looked up, there were countless stars shimmering. As l looked at the stars I thought; “There is life in the gospel! The gospel is amazing! How will I live my life? Wouldn’t it be so great to live in a country without the gospel?”

Since I was young, I saw on TV how diplomats met foreigners and I admired them. I wanted to live like them. I gained a new dream after being saved. The hope to live in a country without the gospel often  trembled my heart. I tried to ignore this heart, thinking that this did not make any sense and it was just a dream. This heart continued arising in me. Though I was not a pastor or a missionary, I wanted to live preaching the gospel. When I arrived at home at night, my mother was waiting for me because she was against my church, and we fought before going to bed.

“You are crazy. If you are a student, you must study. Why did you change so much? I wish you would go back to being who you used to be. You are not my son! You are making me suffer!”

Other family members spoke to me as well. ”Jun Hyun, can’t you just listen to your Mom? She is alone! Does a person who goes to church go against their parents and be disobedient? Why are you doing this to your Mom and being a troublemaker!”

When I look back at my life, many times I hesitated between two options. When I was worried and did not know what to do, God always led me to be on His side. He gave me hope that my mother would be saved. Five years later, my mother came to the airport to say farewell to my family leaving for Africa.

“Where are you going?”

“Ghana.”

“Where is Ghana?”

“It’s in Africa.”

“You are that crazy? Why would you go to a poor place like Africa and not wealthy countries like USA, France, or England?”

I bowed to my mother who was cursing at me, and she left the airport. After I spent another 5 years in Africa, my mother finally became saved. I thought God gave me a great gift while doing the missionary work.

I seemed little because I was the only one who was saved. I was often perceived as an abnormal and foolish person. As time passed, my brother became a pastor after being saved, and my mother was saved. I was so thankful when I thought about this.

Starting from tomorrow, come to work

During my senior year, most students were busy applying for jobs, but I was witnessing. Before I was saved, I used to stay in the library, but then I did not, so my friends thought I was weird. I prayed to God worrying about what to do after graduation.

“Father God, I don’t know what to do after I graduate. If getting a job is your will, I would like to get a job.”

A trading department from one company sent a request to our professor to recommend some students. The professor selected 3 students and asked, ”If you want to take this position, you need to consult with buyers in English, write faxes in English, and do office work. Who wants to do it?”

All of them wanted to get the job and they majored in English, but they were not able to answer due to lack of confidence. When the professor was asked by an assistant to recruit more students for the second round, I was called at that time. I was much burdened, but I remembered to pray thinking God might give me a job through this path.

“Can you really do it?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Could you consult with buyers in meetings?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Could you write up a report and fax it?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Really? Then, go to the company for the interview tomorrow.”

I wore my suit and went on the interview. A manager took me to the president of the company. Whatever he asked me, I spoke with confidence and did not speak from any doubt. The president of the company told me to start working at his company from the next day. I was ridiculed because I preached the gospel, but I was the first person who got a job in the English department. When I told the professor, he was very pleased. My friends who despised me also congratulated me and were envious. God rewarded my life. I was despised and called crazy, but God exalted me before them.

I wanted to preach the gospel to the international people who attended the Expo

I met my wife in the church and got married in June, 1992. I worked in Daejeon, so I moved to the East Daejeon Church and continued spiritual life. One day, my wife told me, “Honey, I really like our lifestyle. Honey, don’t even think about going to missionary school. I don’t like it.”

I never talked about missionary school, but I was starting to get tired of company work. I often went up to the roof and looked at Hanbat Central Church, thinking about the missionary school. I asked God many questions: “What should I do in the future? Why was I saved?”

There was an Expo in Daejeon for three months, starting in November, 1993. It was a grand event where 106 countries participated. Pastor Jong Duk Kim was ministering at the East Daejeon church at that time, and he was interested in witnessing to international people because he had hope to do missionary work. I worked close to a place where the Expo was held, so I sneaked out from work and stayed there. I often followed the pastor because I also wanted to preach the gospel to the international people. Most foreigners I spoke with were not interested in the Bible, but there were people from Africa and the South Pacific who were welcoming, and listened to the Word. Some of the Africans became saved. Sisters from Kenya like Detso and Dorothy opened their hearts and visited the church. They were not used to the food, so they really liked it when we boiled sweet potatoes. One year after the Expo, they invited Pastor Ock Soo Park for a grand conference at a stadium in Kenya. For the first time, our missions reached out to Africa in 1994. I was very thankful.

Tomorrow, write a letter of resignation. Resign by tomorrow

One day, Pastor Jong Duk Kim called me and said, “Brother Lee, I want to go to Kenya for a witnessing trip. Take a vacation from work.”

“Yes, sure. For how long?”
“For a month.”

I was shocked. What kind of company would allow a month-long vacation? If it were 3 nights and 4 days, that would be a lot! When I asked for a month vacation, the company flipped upside down.

“Hey, do you want to work here or not? Can you be sensible? Let me at least hear your reason! I really can’t understand!”

“I don’t understand either. However, I want to go because God gave me a heart to go to Kenya for a witnessing trip.”

The HR person could not understand and was troubled. Three days later, he approved the vacation. I was really excited and gave a testimony to pastor about getting the vacation. After that, the pastor told me something shocking again: “Brother Lee, resign tomorrow.”

I could not understand what pastor told me because it was so hard to get the vacation. I was dumbfounded but I told him that I would do it. The next day, after I submitted the letter of resignation, the company argued saying that this makes no sense, but they let me resign.

“Brother Lee, after we come back from Kenya, you will receive training in the missionary school, and I will go to Kenya as a missionary,” He said. In 1994, I went to the witnessing trip in Africa with Pastor Jong Duk Kim. The word, “missionary,” seemed good, but when I went to Africa, it was desolate. A shabby place, which was so dirty and in a poor condition compared to Korea. “If I came to this place, would I like Africa?” Africa did not look good to me. I liked the word, “missionary,” yet when I thought about living in Africa, I did not like it.

As I was in Kenya, one Word entered my heart. “And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of”(Genesis 28:15).

As I was reading this verse, the part of the verse, “… and will bring thee again into this land…,” kept churning in my heart. I had a heart that God would lead me and bring me back to this land, Africa.

After I finished with the 1 month-long witnessing trip in Kenya, I came back to Korea and went to the missionary school. God bestowed much grace upon me.

(Pastor Ock Soo Park's Testimony) I Am Not One of the Chosen People

Testimony of Pastor Ock Soo Park

My mother attended church since she was young. After she got married, she could not dare tell her parents-in-law that she was attending church. When I was young, I often heard the hymns that my mother would sing while sewing. "When Christ Jesus returns to this world..." Then one day, my mother started to take us to church. I attended church since I was very young. At church, there were so many fun things such as Sunday School, Summer Bible Camp, and Christmas preparations. I received many awards and heard many compliments. It is not an exaggeration to say that I basically grew up in church. Therefore, it must be normal for me to be a good person. However, that was not the case. I started to commit more and more sins as I grew up. At first, I committed small sins as I hung out with my friends thinking, "It is fine as long as I do not commit too many sins." But strangely, while it was extremely boring, not committing any sins, it was so fun when we actually did commit sins. So I grew up drinking and feeding off of sin. As a result, it was so painful for me to go to church on Sundays.  Read More >>

(Salvation Testimony) When Jesus Takes Control

Katherine Johnson | Anchorage Good News Church

I had to resign from my job in May because I was having a lot of health issues. For a long time, I suffered from hypothyroidism, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, depression, and on top of all of that, a year and a half before I resigned, I fell off a ladder and fractured my foot. As I was healing from the fracture at home, I accidently fell down some stairs. The doctor told me that because of the extent of the injury, my foot would never heal properly unless I have surgery. I still had a lot of swelling and pain, but I would continue to go to work with my arthritis and fractured foot pain. Because of that, I was having a lot of depression issues and the doctors had to keep adjusting my hypothyroidism medication. I was having a lot of problems just trying to remember the small things in my every day activities and life. This was becoming a huge problem at work. I would Church be standing there, trying to remember how to work the POS (Point of Sale) system that I had worked on hundreds of times, over and over. I knew that something was wrong with not being able to remember things. This added stress and fatigue, and I knew I had to do something. I didn’t want the business to fail because of me, so I surrendered my 51% ownership of the gift shop at that time. It was very much an added relief for me after I quit. I was able to let my body somewhat heal. The stress and fatigue was being eliminated slowly, although I was still having a lot of the arthritis pain. It took several months for me to start feeling okay again.

During my recovery I got connected with the church through my neighbor Kay Landon. I've known Kay for about 10 years now. It started out when I would run into her while she was working at Walmart. We would always strike up a conversation when we saw each other, and this would happen periodically through the years and through neighborhood garage/yard sales. The neighborhood was having our annual garage sale, and Kay was participating in it, so I went over to say, hi. I told her a lot about what was going on in the last couple of years, and said that I quit my job. So for about 5 years now, she’s been trying to get me to come over for coffee, and I told her that I finally have free time to come over and speak to her. She told me we should get together for that cup of coffee. And so I started going over for coffee, and the pastor started coming over to talk to me about the Bible.

Then, we started talking about what Jesus had done for me and how he paid for my sins. I started accepting the Word, little by little. Now on every Tuesday, I get together with the pastor for our Bible studies and through that I started having more faith. The words that came to my heart strongly are the words in 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you: but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God.” This is the verse that came to my heart and spoke to me. The Bible says, if you ask, then you shall receive. Through the past many years, I have had a lot of health problems, such as hypothyroidism, arthritis, depression, high cholesterol, psoriasis, and was on so many different medications. However, one day, I decided that I shouldn't have to take any of these medications anymore. The Bible says that I am washed, I am sanctified, I am justified, and I believe these words. Now, I believe that He took all of my sins away and all my sicknesses away as well. Since the middle of October 2014 until today, I have not taken any medication. Through the pastor, and the Word that he preached to me, I gained the faith to quit all of my medication.

Before being saved, Jesus wasn’t working actively in my life; in fact, He could not because I was not saved. Now, I’m learning to let Jesus take control of everything. I can’t succeed Testimony in anything without my Lord and Savior. For most of my upbringing, I was raised Baptist. I was always taught that I had to repent for my sins and ask for forgiveness. Now, I know the true meaning of God’s Word, that when Jesus died on the cross, He paid for all of my sins.

I hope to see everybody in my life to know, trust, and have faith in God’s Words. I have a question for everyone- If someone is knocking at your door with loads of gifts of all kinds of treasures and blessings, are you going to keep that person waiting, or will you answer the door? I pray that you answer your door. I also pray that everybody that you know will answer their doors as well. God is waiting. I hope to continue speaking to the pastor and to continue to grow in faith. I also hope to glorify God through the church.

From Good News Magazine

Pastor Ock Soo Park's Sermon in 2015 Seoul Bible Seminar

Pastor Ock Soo Park

Date: May 31st ~ Jun 6th, 2015

Lord, If You Are Willing,I Will Be Made Whole

Pastor Ock Soo Park | Good News Gangnam Church

"In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. His leprosy was made whole at once." (Mark 8:1-3)

Drawing external power

Jesus came to this earth through the Word of God. I have heard that scientists say that there is no energy within the Earth, but there is energy coming from an external source which powers the earth. This is true. In Genesis chapter 1, the earth was without form, void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. The earth was not able to cast away the formlessness, void, and darkness. We see that the Word of God has the power to cast away the emptiness. The ground transforms into a beautiful image bearing fruits and blossoming flowers. We can’t defeat the sinful nature within us. Sin enters our hearts and reigns darkness within us, and we don’t have the power to cast that out. God said, “Let there be light.” The light came and casted the darkness away from the earth. It is the same within our hearts.

The lepers who were healed all shared the same heart

After Jesus speaks to the people in Matthew chapters 5 through 7, in chapter 8 a great multitude follows Him as He comes down the mountain. A certain leper comes to Jesus and bows, saying, “Lord if you are willing you can make me clean.” Jesus says, “I am willing,” and his disease was healed. One day, as I was reading this Word I thought to myself: “There must be a ton of lepers in Israel, but why didn’t they think of this? Furthermore, how did this leper have the heart that Jesus would heal his leprosy if he came before him?” If all the lepers had the heart that they would be healed if they went before Jesus, they, too, would have found Jesus and their leprosy would have been healed.

The leper who came before Jesus was not handsome, intelligent, or wealthy. He was a leper like every other leper. The only difference was that Jesus entered his heart one day.

The leper must have lived such a joyful life after returning to his family after being healed from his leprosy. Why did not all the lepers go to Jesus? They were despised and separated from their loving families, and why would they live in a dark cave so pitifully? The difference was not due to being handsome, intelligent, wealthy, powerful, or doing many good things. The healed leper had a heart different from the other lepers.

When he heard about Jesus, he realized how much power He had and the ability to heal his disease. He said to himself, “If that is the case, if Jesus is willing, he could make me whole!” The leper had the heart that only Jesus could heal his leprosy! The leper did not create this heart, but God formed it inside him.
Other lepers thought it’s so painful to have leprosy. “I miss my family. I was a good business person and now I have to live in this dark cave. How can I live in hunger every day like this?” They were bitter about being lepers, but they did not seek the path to be healed.

He did not hesitate to meet Jesus

The leper who came before Jesus was neither handsome, intelligent, nor did he have a lot of money. He was just like every other leper. The only difference was that the heart of Jesus entered his heart. One day, he heard someone say that Jesus could heal diseases, and he was the Son of God showing miracles and powers. When he heard that news, he came to have the heart that if Jesus is the son of God, then any disease could be healed by Jesus, and even his disease would be healed!

He did not hesitate to meet Jesus. He was not able to enter the town Jesus was in because lepers were forbidden. He heard that Jesus was preaching at the mountain top, and waited for Jesus at the base of the mountain. When he saw Jesus coming down from the mountain, he says, “Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean.”

I am like the leper

I was just like this leper when I was saved in 1962. Before I met Jesus, I would blame my destiny and wished that I had made lots of money. I had no way to free myself from poverty, and no way to defeat my concerns and worries. I was a sinful, filthy, and evil person.

One day, I was suffering and prayed asking for forgiveness of sins. I always prayed like that, and afterwards my sins were still there, but that day was different. God created a new heart in me. Saying, “Of course my sin was washed away at the cross.”

If Jesus was crucified on the cross, then my sins are washed! My sins are reconciled on the cross! After I discovered my sins were washed, Jesus entered my heart. I started to change. It was just like an abandoned field which was full of weeds compared to a good field, which a farmer ploughed.

The farmer will till the ground to rid the weeds and make a clean field, and afterwards, plant sweet potatoes, potatoes, and cabbage. Everything the farmer plants sprouts into delicious vegetables. My heart transformed in that way. Before, I was filled with worries, hatred, ambition, shame of sin, and despair. Just like the weeds in the field that mess everything up, those things were tangled in my heart. After Jesus entered my heart, every time I read the Bible I could see the Word build my heart, piece by piece. The Lord would be pleased if I preach the gospel. So I should preach the gospel! I should live for Jesus! I should share this Word with that person! I could feel Jesus filling my heart with joy and hope.

In John chapter 15, Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches, and your father is the farmer.” God is not the farmer who plants cabbage, potatoes, or sweet potatoes. God plants faith in our hearts. After being saved, the more I read the Bible, the deeper I was able to accept the Word. I could see faith was planted in my heart and the Word living and working which led me to bear many fruits.

My sins were so great that it seemed it never would be white as snow

Matthew chapter 8 speaks about a leper who was separated from his family for a long time and lived in the dark caves of the leper town. If his family did not send him food he would starve. He was too weak to do anything for himself.

How could this leper end his life? One day he overheard some people talking. There is a person named Jesus, and He can heal diseases. When he heard that, he thought to himself,

“Could this be the Messiah? He could be the Messiah. When the Messiah comes, He will deliver us from our suffering, and He could deliver me from my leprosy.” Until then he never thought there would be someone who could deliver him from leprosy.

I am still the same. I attended church from a young age but I thought it would be impossible for my sins to be washed as white as snow. I lied, hated, and was arrogant.., I sinned daily. The sins I committed outwardly were many, and the sins I committed inwardly were so great that it seemed that my sins would never become white as snow.

When I look back I could see my days were filled with failures, and I discovered that I was a failure. I was deeply wrapped in sin. I am too evil. If I had another chance at life I do not want to live like this. If I were 15 years old again, I would live a better life. One day God made me think about the crucifixion of Jesus. When I thought about how Jesus died in my place. He washed my sins!

My heart was no longer like the abandoned field, full of weeds. God began to create a new field in my heart, piece by piece. A heart that I did not have before came upon me as I read the Bible. God will work through me! I must preach the gospel! I must tell people that their sins are washed! God stirred so many new thoughts in me that I could not number them.

Hope led his footsteps to come before Jesus

2 Kings 5 talks about General Naaman who listens to his maid servant and visits Prophet Elisha in Samaria. He thinks, “I will meet the man of God and I will be healed of my leprosy according to what my maid servant said. There is puss and stench excreted from my body, but now I will be cleaned and free from this suffering! I can live a brighter future! I will be free from leprosy!” He took his soldiers and rode from Damascus to Samaria.

The leper who went before Jesus started his footsteps to meet Jesus because he felt that Jesus could heal his disease. Once the faith and hope in Jesus arose, this heart lead his footsteps to go before Jesus. Before, ambition, blamefulness, hatred, and arrogance had dragged his heart. God stirred hope towards Jesus and that hope now leads him. As long as he was going out to Jesus, he was walking, step by step, in hope.

When Jesus met the leper, He said, “I am willing and be cleansed.” Immediately, his leprosy was healed. According to the Law of Moses, he went before the priest to be pronounced clean before he returned back to his family.

“Kids, daddy is home!!”

“Daddy, you can come into the town now?”

“Yes, my leprosy is completely healed! We can all live together now! I know it was tough until now right? Daddy is going to get a job, and buy you nice clothes and delicious meals.”

“Daddy, this is so great that we can live together!”

We can imagine this type of wonderful dialogue once the leper is cleansed and returns back to his family.

God’s heart will lead us into the New Year

He was a leper like all the other lepers, but when God stirred a heart towards Jesus, he began to live a new life. Just like how people plant seeds to reap the fruits, even now, God is planting the seeds of the Word to reap fruit. We do not realize the true joy behind relying on and hoping for God.
God will establish His heart within us for this New Year. This heart will lead us through the year. People will be saved through us, and I believe we will bear the fruits that please God.

(Gospel Class) Who is My Neighbor?

Pastor Sung Gyun Oh | Good News Ulsan Church, Korea

"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, what is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, and who is my neighbor?"
(Luke 10:25-29)

  The parable of The Good Samaritan in Luke chapter 10, is well known to people. Although it reveals the great and amazing salvation of Jesus Christ and its secret, many people have an incorrect understanding of the parable.
This Word is not a simple moral lesson for people to be good. It presents a wonderful fact and way of salvation. Jesus’ parable begins after verse 30 in response to the question: “Who is my neighbor?” In verse 25, there is a conversation between Jesus and a certain lawyer. The lawyer asks Jesus, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” This lawyer comes to Jesus who is the only one who could give an answer to the most desperate and great man’s question on the problem of eternal life. Jesus came to the world to give eternal life. Jesus does not answer the lawyer’s question but rather asks him a question instead. Why did he do that? From Jesus’ perspective, the way of inheriting eternal life is not by the lawyer having to do something but something being done for him.
  Even today, there are many people thinking in the same way as the lawyer. People think that they have to do something to inherit eternal life. If they do not come out from this mindset and approach, they can never inherit eternal life. The reason is salvation is not by man’s work but by God’s grace and His method. This is why Jesus asks the lawyer, “What is written in the law? How readest thou?” The lawyer mentions the main subject of the Bible. He replies, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” After hearing his reply, Jesus says, “This do, and thou shalt live.” This is the perfect and spotless Word of God and His law, yet is there anyone who could keep it perfectly? The Bible declares that there is no one who could do keep the law perfectly. In Galatians 3:10, it says, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” According to this verse, there is a condition for a person to inherit eternal life. This condition is keeping all 613 laws including the 10 Commandments continuously without ceasing. There is no one among Adam’s descendants who could inherit eternal life by keeping the law according to the way that the lawyer thought.
  Now Jesus has to make the lawyer realize that eternal life is not by the deeds of man but it could only be fulfilled by the grace of God in his heart. The good news is that receiving the forgiveness of sin (Gospel), is not through what man has discovered or created, but it is something that God has prepared, sent, and shown. This is the sound of heaven and not earth. The lawyer asks another question, “Who is my neighbor?” after Jesus had said, “This do, and thou shalt live.” Think about this lawyer. He knew God’s commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. Though he was ignorant not knowing who was his neighbor, he tried to justify himself. Even today, I meet many people who think in the same manner as the lawyer. In Mark 7, there are many lawyers of present time who are satisfied with their own ways, efforts, and good deeds. They do not realize that they are in a position of destruction and judgment but rather try to present their righteousness unaware of their true image and situation. Prophets, people who cast out demons, and miracle workers thought they did works of God and believed Him well. However, Jesus says that He does not know them. Why? They believed God according to their thoughts and will, but they did not know the will of God and therefore did not follow His will. Maybe, they thought being a prophet, casting out demons, healing diseases, speaking in tongues, and performing miracles were the will of God? There are so many people who are like this! People who misunderstand the will of God do not realize they cannot please God with their works and deeds. In Isaiah 1:10, God says to people who think in the same manner, “Hear the Word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.” In other Words, the people in their own ways, tried to please God and follow His will regardless of the Word of God and His law (Holy Spirit). The Words in Isaiah shows that this angers God and makes Him tired. This is a spiritual life of a common hypocritical church-goer. God is saying do not come to Him in that manner and all those are offerings in vain. God does not say this because they are not trying hard, lack of diligence, or lack of heart, but because they do not know the true heart of God. Even in Isaiah 55:1, God calls upon the people who are ignorant of the will of God but try and work hard. God sincerely speaks to them to let them know His heart; “Hearken diligently unto me.”
  The will of God is for people to listen to His Word, stated in Isaiah 1:18. The Bible is the Word of God. In this Word, God reveals His heart and will. God says, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” This verse means God washes the sin away for us. Yes. God does things that people could never do. No matter how much deception and sins people may have, there is nothing that God cannot resolve. Faith is knowing the fact that I am unable but God is able and relying on Him.
  In Luke 18, the lawyer tried to gain eternal life through himself, which is why he could not satisfy what Jesus asked for. Jesus said that it is harder for a rich man to enter heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Then who would receive salvation and go to heaven? Jesus’ answer is simple. It is impossible for men but is possible for God. The one who could cleanse one’s sin as white as snow is God. Look at the attitude of the lawyer and the Word of Jesus. Who is my neighbor? The answer of eternal life is meeting and knowing the neighbor. The parable of The Good Samaritan is the answer to eternal life. Who is your neighbor? Have you met your neighbor? And, do you love and serve your neighbor?