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 Sermon > Theme Words of Life |
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Title |
Heaven(43) - New Jerusalem(1) |
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Speaker |
Rev. Jaerock Lee |
Bible |
Revelation21:2 |
Date |
2008-03-09 |
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Passage
Revelation 21: 2
"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband."
Introduction
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
This is the 43rd session of the 'Heaven' series. Today, we will finally be getting into New Jerusalem. The city of New Jerusalem is located at the center of the third kingdom of heaven. Namely, it is not located in a separate place from the 3rd kingdom of heaven, but it is in the third kingdom of heaven.
But it is completely surrounded by high walls to give it a very clear distinction.
Until you came into this New Jerusalem, you had to pass many gates.
First, you had to pass the gate of salvation to enter into paradise. Next, you opened the door to the First Kingdom of Heaven. Next, you came through the gate of the Second Kingdom of Heaven, and then to the Third Kingdom of Heaven.
Finally, you can come into the city of New Jerusalem where there is one more gate for you to pass. Only after passing these 5 gates can you enter into New Jerusalem.
Revelation 22:14 says about this, "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city." Now, what kind of place is New Jerusalem? How beautiful is New Jerusalem? How happy a place is it?
A saying goes 'seeing is believing'.
So first, let's take a panoramic view that tries to express the scenes from Paradise to New Jerusalem.
I am just so sorry that we cannot express the beauty of heaven with anything of this world.
Therefore, I hope you will be able to see the heavenly kingdom not with physical eyes, but with the eyes of heart by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
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새 예루살렘 전경, 목자님 집, 보좌 등]
Body
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, with heaven being such a beautiful place that it is beyond description, what would it be like in New Jerusalem?
God the Father wants all of you to come into New Jerusalem. He does not say, "Only those who are specially chosen can come in there."
Do you know how much our Father God and the Lord are longing to meet you in New Jerusalem?
God is your Father who has made you. He is not only our Father of spirit; He has been watching us since our conception, birth, and throughout our growth.
While we were destined to fall into hell, our Lord is the one who died on the cross for us to lead us into the heavenly kingdom.
Likewise, our Lord and God the Father have shown us greater devotion and sacrifice than anybody else to lead us into the precious heavenly kingdom.
Therefore, the ones who want to meet you in heaven the most are our God the Father and the Lord.
So, if you accomplish whole spirit and boldly enter into New Jerusalem, how pleased our Father God will be!
Our Lord will also be unable restrain His joy!
Even with physical parents, when their children are successful, they feel happier than when they themselves are successful.
Even for the teachers, if their students leave work that is excellent, they feel rewarded.
It's the same with the heart of the shepherd who raises the souls spiritually.
The apostle Paul always harbored the souls with the heart of the father whom he had begotten spiritually. He confessed in Galatians 4:19, "My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you."
Because he has given such devoted love to those souls, it was his great joy that those souls were prosperous.
That is why he said to his beloved souls in 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20. "For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy."
If you preached the gospel, served other souls and prayed for them for their salvation just once, you would be able to understand this heart of the apostle Paul.
When you evangelize a person and he/she comes to the church for the first time, the joy you can feel at that moment cannot be compared with anything in this world. Also, if that person's faith grows up and becomes a worker for God, the one who evangelized him will feel so rewarded.
We feel something like this by just saving one soul, so how do you think my heart feels like for all the past 26 years of this ministry?
I have received the duty of a world mission and this nation's evangelization, and I am preaching the gospel to the whole world. Countless people have seen and heard the powerful works of God and the gospel of holiness through broadcasting and publishing, and the number of the saved souls is being added to daily.
But there is one more important duty that God the Father has given to me.
It's not jus to save many souls, but to lead many of those souls into New Jerusalem.
For this, I have been preaching the gospel of holiness again and again, and like the apostle Paul, I took on the pain of childbearing. Just to raise one child, how much devotion is required from the parents? There were so many heartbreaking things that occurred while I was raising that many souls in spirit.
But I harbor each of the souls in my heart to lead them into New Jerusalem.
I only think about how pleased our Father God will be, and how happy our Lord will be if just one more soul enters into New Jerusalem!
So, when I see a newcomer, I am overjoyed.
Also, when I see some souls who are close to entering into spirit, I so earnestly desire that they will be strengthened a little more and finally come into spirit.
When I see those souls who have come into spirit and whole spirit, I am greatly encouraged and comforted.
Thinking how joyful our Father God will be, I can even forget how hard this way really is that I am taking. When I enter into New Jerusalem, I will confess as follows to the Father God. "My Father, I give you the souls who shine like the stars and the sun.
The days I spent with petitions and mourning before the Father to guide many souls to this place have become the fruit of the Father's cultivation.
This son hasn't done anything, but everything that could have been achieved was done only by the grace and the perfect love of the Father.
Now, the tears of this son have become pearls and the fruit has been gained. I have come before the Father whom I missed so much with tears. Now I am embraced in the warm bosom of the Father.
I missed You so much. I missed the Father and my Lord so much. Wipe away these tears of yearning with Your soft hands, my Father and my Lord!"
The reason why I mention the souls who shine like the stars is because even at that moment I remember those souls who will have not come into New Jerusalem.
I hope all of you will shine like the sun and be able to come into New Jerusalem. I hope you will be joy to the heart of the Father who is waiting for you to come so much.
When we go through trials, we may think we look very small and we may even lose confidence.
So, we may even get discouraged and give up thinking, "How can a person like me go to New Jerusalem?"
But why don't you think differently and think about how our Father God and the Lord have given such a perfect love for a person like you. Even the unbelievers say they can sacrifice their lives for one who truly acknowledges them.
Our Father God loves you to the extent that He let His Son die in place of you.
How many more evidences of His love does He have to show you? God the Father wants you to believe in this love of the Father and take hold of New Jerusalem by force.
Even if the way may be a little difficult, He wants you to overcome again and again, by trusting the love of the Father.
But some people look up to the glory of New Jerusalem with their own desires. Because they know the glory is so great, they long to go into New Jerusalem so much.
Even if they long for it with tears thinking that they really want to go close to the Father, spiritual glory is given according to precise justice. Namely, to the extent that you cast off flesh from heart and fill it with spirit, spiritual light will cover you.
But if your longing is coming from your selfish desires, you may trip and fall asking only for glory.
You want to receive your desire so much, but you are not qualified. So, when you cannot get it, you are disheartened and discouraged so much. Some people become sulky because of this.
That's why I told you something like this a couple of weeks ago.
If you have faith to go into the First Kingdom of heaven now, you should pray first to go into 2nd kingdom of heaven. Also, if you have the faith necessary to enter into the 2nd kingdom of heaven, then you have to prepare yourself to go into the 3rd kingdom of heaven.
Of course, the ultimate goal is New Jerusalem, but if your goal is too big, you may fall. It is much wiser to go step by step, level by level.
You should not try to get the glory of heaven, the glory of New Jerusalem with your own desires. You should understand the heart of the Father who has prepared the heavenly kingdom. You should take hold of it by force with spiritual longing.
"I will give great joy to the Father. I will let the Father feel rewarded for He has endured for such a long time during the human cultivation."
I hope you will think in this way with goodness and love and take hold of New Jerusalem by force.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, then, what kind of people can go into New Jerusalem?
The qualifications to go into New Jerusalem are contained in the spiritual meaning of the crown that is given in New Jerusalem.
In the Olympic Games, the gold medal represents the highest honor. And also, it means the athlete who gets it is the best in the world.
Likewise, the crown that is given in New Jerusalem is also the greatest honor for the one who is wearing it.
At the same time, it proves that person has the qualifications to enter into New Jerusalem.
Then, what kinds of crowns are given to those who enter into New Jerusalem?
For the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd kingdoms of heaven, only one basic crown was given. But in New Jerusalem, there are two basic crowns that are given.
In saying "two basic crowns are given" it means that these two crowns are given to everyone who comes into New Jerusalem.
It also means that they don't wear them only on special occasions but always in their everyday life.
The names of the crowns basically given in New Jerusalem are the Golden Crown and Crown of Righteousness.
The spiritual meanings contained in these two crowns are same as the qualifications to enter into New Jerusalem. Let us first talk about the Golden Crown. Revelation 4:4 says, "Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads."
It says the 24 elders around the throne of God are wearing the Golden Crowns.
24 elders are those who have excellence in an aspect of faith among those who have come into New Jerusalem. For example, in each aspect, such as faith, hope, love, faithfulness, goodness, truthfulness, and loyalty, they have hearts like precious stones.
Seeing that these 24 elders are wearing the Golden Crowns, we can see that the Golden Crowns are given in New Jerusalem. But the Golden Crowns are not given only to the 24 elders. They are given to everyone who enters into New Jerusalem.
The crown itself is made of pure gold, and is decorated with other precious stones.
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There are people who have seen these Golden Crowns with spiritual eyes, and we have expressed what they described as a 3-D image.
The one on the screen is for males. It is a little sharp. The ones for females are softer curve.
That is the basic form of the crown, and according to each one, the size and decorations are different. For example, the base of the crown made of pure gold may be the same, but the decorations on it can be different.
Then, why does God give the Golden Crown to those souls who come into New Jerusalem? The Golden Crown is made of pure gold without any impurities. It stands for unchanging, true faith.
Therefore, golden crowns are the reward given for the fact that those who go into New Jerusalem have reached the level of faith that pleases God.
In other words, this means that in order for you to enter into New Jerusalem, you have to reach the fifth level of faith, the level that pleases God.
Next let us look into the Crown of Righteousness.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 says, "(I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."
As said, a crown of righteousness is given to those who have loved the Lord's appearing.
Then, what kind of lives will those who truly love the Lord's appearing live?
First, like the apostle Paul, they accomplish pure hearts that are without blemish and work faithfully for the kingdom of God.
Whether they eat or drink or whatever they do, they do it all for the kingdom of God.
They also fulfill their duties with all their life and bear proper fruit.
They don't submit to any hardship or difficulties but live a life giving glory to God. Only those who fulfill their duties in the Lord this way can really love the Lord's appearing.
But even if we really want to see the Lord, if we lack something and have no confidence in ourselves, we cannot boldly receive the Lord.
Even the Holy Spirit in us will move our heart to prepare.
When the time came for the apostle Paul to become a martyr, he knew and took the way of a martyr.
He had no fear of death at all. But rather he was only happy with the thoughts of meeting the Lord.
If you really love the Lord's appearing, the Holy Spirit will move your heart so that you can finish the preparation as the bride of the Lord.
And those who are perfectly prepared as the brides of the perfect Lord, they will love the Lord's appearing with a great longing.
Likewise, God gives as the reward of the Crown of Righteousness to all those who love the Lord's appearing.
Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in this session, I told you how yearningly our God is waiting for each of you to enter into New Jerusalem.
Also, I explained the spiritual meanings of the two crowns given in New Jerusalem.
In addition to these two crowns, there are so many more things that God the Father has prepared to give to you.
The latter part of today's reading passage says, "...made ready as a bride adorned for her husband."
Ladies adorn themselves most beautifully on their wedding day.
Likewise, God has made New Jerusalem more beautiful than any other dwelling place in heaven. He has made it the most comfortable and happiest place.
There are many houses made with gold and jewels, and also many resort facilities.
It is full of beautiful and wonderful things that we can never find on this earth.
God the Father has prepared them with all His love to give to those children who have true hearts and perfect faith.
But among so many people, if only a few enter into this place, how sad the heart of the Father will be!
God the Father wants as many souls as possible to enter into New Jerusalem.
That is why He lets us know about New Jerusalem in such detail.
Therefore, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will understand the heart of the Father and vigorously take hold of New Jerusalem.
Amen |
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