Translator: Taehoon Kim
Jan. 10th Acts 15:5-11 [The Discussion of the Holy Spirit]
Acts 15:5-11
As a real criminal of Hwasung serial murder incidents was lightened, Yoon Sungyeo, who was imprisoned for more than 20 years on a false charge, could be found not guilty. In spite of much discussion, as being intended at first, Jesus was driven to the death penalty and was crucified. There are still a lot of discussions in the world even now. However we must have a discussion of the Holy Spirit so that the absurd thing will be a salvation event, more precious than the world.
First it should be a discussion for saving people.
As we saw last week, Paul and Barnabas made a mission report at the Jerusalem Church. The churches of Phoenicia and Samaria, who were discriminated against, were very pleased with their visit. However some Pharisees appeared and disturbed the Pauls missionary report, insisting that the Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses. These Jews are also Pharisees who have converted from Judaism to Christianity. The amazing ministry reported by the missionaries and 돗 plausible claims of Pharisees are conflicting. There are two types of discussions, one is the discussion for killing people and the other is the discussion for saving lives.
Like the high priest and the Pharisees, we can gather and discuss to kill Jesus, or we can discuss to save the saints like the apostles and elders. the discussion of saving the church, family, and people is the discussion of the Holy Spirit. In this world, we should always discuss in the community of salvation. They asked this question of the apostles and elders, their representative spiritual leaders. They admitted that they couldnt decide by themselves. So they gathered and argued a lot. Debate means to consult with the opponent earnestly and fiercely to find a real answer, and that doesnt mean to try to win. A fight for the purpose of winning cant save lives of people but the discussion of the Holy Spirit can save lives of people at last because its purpose is for the truth., Though, it takes time, so we have to be patient. Because we had a mind to listen to the Word, we can be lead to the truth through much discussion.
Second, we need to have a brotherhood.
After a lot of arguments, Peter gets up and speak out his opinion. The first word he said with the help of Holy Spirit was 'Brothers. And the Peters next word was you know that, and it means that God sent him to the Gentiles and let him preach the gospel to them. Sending Peter to the house of the centurion Cornelius became a big event in the Church of Jerusalem. And then, Peter explained smoothly all the events that had happened and made them understand by the persuasion of the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees and some Jews showed a strong rejection for just only one case of Cornelius becoming a christian. It is understandable how violently they would have insisted on law and circumcision because they heard that Cornelius and his family had become a saint and that many strangers believed in Jesus and went to church, But Peter does not condemn them and reminds them of the salvation of strangers who had already accepted them in the past Cornelius incident. We dont know how capable it is to have been suffered once. When we discuss, if we think that only our opinions are right, no matter how much we discuss with that mind, we cant find a saving answer. But when you give your testimony, if you tell them that you are on the same pages as them, and if you and they both have a sense of brotherhood, and therefore it can be a discussion of the Holy Spirit and can lead us to salvation. You can be a brother in the Lord Jesus, and any criminal can be a brother. We are all brothers who the Lord paid for our blood and saved us. This week, the whole country was grieved by the Jung-ins child abuse incident. When I think of Jung-ins mother, shes mentally ill too much.
There are many sick parents and children in Wooridle church too. Even if there are many problems to us, there is one thing that makes me happier than that, thanks to it, Im able to share them. There is no special life to us. This is a saving discussion because it is discussed in the salvation community discussion. I think it is the attitude of the Korean church to repent and pray for just these things, not others stories, but always my story, my daughters story and my mothers story.
Third, God is the answer.
Peter also presents a witness here, which is God. God gave the Holy Spirit to testify. The same thing happened to the Gentiles as the Pentecostal Spirit. Whether its the party of circumcision, Pharisee, or a jurist, God testified as the surest evidence of the Holy Spirit that can never be refuted. Peter says he is God who knows the heart. God knows how his heart feels, even though they look at the outward appearance. Looking at a persons innermost thoughts, pretending to be trustworthy doesnt work.
The Pharisees are full of self-assurance that 'I can do it myself'. But Paul and Peter know that humans cannot save themselves. Seeing that the answer cannot be in them, they rely on God and confess that only God is the answer. The circumcision is to be done in mind not body. No matter how much you are circumcised on the outside, you cannot avoid Gods judgment unless you are circumcised by your heart. People mistake by zeal and all of it as faith. QT and salvation are good, but it should be a discussion to save others, not to kill them. You have to persevere by constantly looking at the Word. You should not be fooled by a false religion that try to burden with yoke. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy. Paul was stoned while he was walking through a narrow path, but there is one better thing than that for him, so he could go that way. Everyone believes that if they believe in the Lord Jesus, they will be saved by grace. But you can never believe it unless you see your absolute incompetence and completely corrupt self. Through the hardship of life, you must return to desperate repentance and you can acknowledge that God is the only answer. It is the best environment in this world to let you know that God is the only answer through all the environments. The Lord knows your pain, poverty and disease. One more joy there.
You should confess your faith that you believe that you will be saved if you only believe in Jesus, not the cure of disease, so you should have a discussion of the Holy Spirit in the faith community throughout this year. You cant do it alone.
The butler, the doctor who set fire to the consent to the abortion amendment, asked her junior doctor, who she cared about, to agree to the amendment, but from her junior doctor she got an email like, 'I agree that the anti abortion law should be abolished.' 'No thanks'. But she replied again with a sense of brotherhood and a thought that God was the only answer. She confessed her divorce, abortion and now his child has A.D.H.D, and after hearing from our church about the opposition movement of the revision of the abortion law in Korea, she became a witness of the Holy Spirit and sent a testimony to all lawmakers of Korea. This is what happens when one person meets the Lord. I think this is just the discussion of the Holy Spirit. Since God is the only answer to the discussion of the Holy Spirit that saves lives, we believe that the Spirit of truth will lead us to the truth that saves people. Amen!
