[Click here to download Bible study materials based on this passage.]

In this passage, Jesus explains to his disciples why it was better for them for him to leave them. This passage is relevant to us because Jesus is not with us in physical form. May God help us to understand and accept this message.

Look at verse 5: “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’

It seems strange that Jesus said to his disciples that none of them asks him where he is going. In John 13:36, Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, where are you going?” At that time, Jesus answered Peter, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Jesus didn’t really answer Peter’s question. The fact is that Jesus’ disciples didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about. In John 14:2-4, Jesus told his disciples: “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Based on what Jesus said here, it seems that the disciples should have a pretty good idea of where Jesus was going. Jesus clearly said he was going to his Father’s house. Jesus also said, “You know the way to the place where I am going.”

And yet, the disciples seemed not to know. Thomas answered Jesus in John 14:5: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Why were the disciples having such a hard time understanding Jesus? Most likely it was not that they were incapable of understanding Jesus, but rather they were too overwhelmed with emotions to process what Jesus was saying.

Look at verse 6: “Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief.”

Not only was Jesus saying that he was going to leave them and that they could not follow him, but he had also told them that they would suffer persecutions; he had even said that one of them would betray him. And all of this happened in the same night. The disciples had come to dinner with Jesus expecting a joyful, relaxing time of fellowship, but the evening turned out to be far heavier than that.

It seems that by the time we reach today’s passage, John 16, the disciples had become quiet. They no longed asked Jesus, “Where are you going?” The reason they didn’t ask questions was not because they understood everything; it was because they were too upset to ask any questions.

Look at verse 7: But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

Jesus comforted his disciples by telling them that it is for their own good that he was going away. They didn’t feel like it was a good thing. But it was necessary for Jesus to go away so that the Counselor could come to them. If Jesus went back to the Father, he would send the Counselor to them. Who is the Counselor? It is the Holy Spirit.

This raises two questions: First, why was it better that the Counselor be with them than Jesus in person? Second, why does Jesus refer to the Holy Spirit as the Counselor?

Most likely, the answer to these two questions is closely related. Let’s think about the meaning of “Counselor.” A counselor is someone who gives counsel, or advice, in order to help those who are being counseled to make better choices. Up until this point, Jesus had been their counselor. He had guided them personally, showing them what to do and how to do it. How, then, could the Holy Spirit be a better counselor for them than Jesus in person? For one thing, while Jesus was limited in his physical body and could only give counsel to his disciples when they were physically present, the Holy Spirit would be with them wherever they went. Second, even when Jesus was with them, they often had a hard time understanding Jesus. The Holy Spirit, however, could help them to understand things that they couldn’t comprehend through ordinary speech.

What, specifically, does the Counselor do? Jesus explains in verse 8: When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

Jesus says that the Counselor comes, he will convict the world of guilt.

This doesn’t seem like a very comforting message. Indeed, what comfort should the disciples take in the knowledge that the Counselor would convict the world of guilt? The fact is that this message was probably not that meaningful to the disciples at that very moment. They were too overcome with grief to think about the world. But a time would come when they would remember these words and understand what Jesus was saying and why it was better for them that Jesus went away and sent the Counselor to them.

The work of the Counselor to convict the world of guilt is closely related to the mission of Jesus’ disciples to preach the gospel to all nations. The hardest part about preaching the gospel is probably breaking through people’s hardened hearts. Many people have little or no sense that they are sinners; they do not see a need for salvation. What good is the gospel message to people who have no sense of guilt? This is where the Holy Spirit comes into the picture. The fact is that it is not the powerful words of the disciples that convict people of sin–it is the Holy Spirit that does this work. Of course, the Holy Spirit will work with the disciples, guiding them in what to say and how to say it. But the real work is the work of the Spirit.

How does the Spirit convict people of guilt? Does the Spirit remind them of the time they said something unkind to their friend? No. That’s not the kind of guilt the Holy Spirit convicts the world of–the conviction of the Holy Spirit is much more than merely reminding people of the bad things they have done. Jesus says the Spirit will convict the world of sin in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.

Jesus explains what this means a little more in verses 9-11:
9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

First, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of guilt in regard to sin because men do not believe in Jesus. It isn’t a list of bad things, but it is the sin of unbelief. Normally, we would expect that people who don’t believe in Jesus will not have conviction of sin, but it seems that the opposite is true: it is people who do not believe that the Holy Spirit targets for conviction. When someone doesn’t believe even after hearing the gospel message, we might think that person will never be changed. But that person is actually in the perfect situation to be convicted of guilt by the Holy Spirit.

Second, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of guilt in regard to righteousness because Jesus went to the Father. Here, the focus is not on a person’s sin, but on Jesus’ righteousness. Jesus is the only one who lived a truly righteous life; he is the only one who is righteous enough to go to the Father. No one except Jesus can see the Father because only Jesus is truly righteous. The Holy Spirit convicts us of guilt by opening our eyes to Jesus’ righteousness. When we compare ourselves to others, we might feel better than some; but when we see Jesus’ righteousness, we must confess our guilt before God.

Third, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of guilt in regard to judgement because the prince of this world now stands condemned. This final component of the conviction of the Holy Spirit has to do with decision and consequence. If anyone loves this world more than God, they are in danger of judgement along with the prince of this world, Satan. Satan is already condemned; he is already declared guilty and sentenced to a terrible judgement. When the Holy Spirit convicts us of guilt in regard to judgement, we fear God and choose to stand on God’s side.

All of this was difficult for Jesus’ disciples to understand at this point. Look at verses 12-13:
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Another benefit of the Holy Spirit coming to them would be that they could understand a lot of things they couldn’t understand at that point. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of truth”. The Spirit of truth would guide them into all truth. The Spirit would provide a direct link between them and God so that they would be able to understand the spiritual world. It’s not that they would suddenly know everything, but the Spirit would “guide” them into all truth as they faithfully depended on God.

Ultimately, what is the work of the Holy Spirit? Look at verses 14-15:
14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring glory to Jesus by taking from what belongs to Jesus and making it known to them.

How can we apply this message? First, we can realize that the most difficult parts of a disciples’ life are actually handled by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit does the work of conviction; the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. As we learn to depend on the Holy Spirit, Jesus will be glorified through us. Second, even though we are weak and easily overcome by emotion, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to be with us, to counsel us, and to guide is into all truth. May God help us to follow the guidance and counsel of the Holy Spirit each and every day.

[click here for Bible study materials based on this passage.]

Last Sunday we learned that if we remain in Jesus we can bear much fruit, we can receive answer for our prayers and we can love one another. In today’s passage we can see there is one more thing that we will have if we remain in Jesus. That is hatred from the world.

Has there been a time in your life when somebody hated you? It is very uncomfortable situation. And you want to get out of that situation by any means. Probably you want to know the reason why the person hates you and you want to find a way to reconcile relationship with the person.

Now in today’s passage Jesus teaches his disciples why the world hates them. Most of all he taught them how they should respond toward the world who hates them. In doing so he prepared his disciples for the upcoming persecution after his death. So let us see why the world hates Jesus’ disciples and how Jesus’ disciples should respond to the world. Part I. If the world hates you (15:18-25). Part II. And you also must testify (15:26-16:4). Part I deals with the reason why the world hates Jesus’ disciples and part II deals with how Jesus’ disciples should respond to the world.

I. If the world hates you. (15:18-25)

In this part Jesus reveals the reason why the world hates his disciples. Jesus taught three reasons why the world hates his disciples.

First, the world hates Jesus’ disciples because Jesus’ disciples do not belong to the world. Look at verses 18-19. “If the world hates you keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world it would love you as its own. As it is you do not belong to the world but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” The world hates Jesus’ disciples because Jesus’ disciples do not belong to the world. To belong to the world means to live according to the pattern of the world. Yet, Jesus’ disciples do not follow the pattern of the world because they do not belong to the world whose prince is the devil. If they belonged to the world it would love them as its own! But they do not belong to the world because Jesus has chosen them out of the world. They are in the world but they do not belong to the world. That is why the world hates them.

So belonging is important. Belonging shows one’s identity. Spiritually how many places of belongings do we have? There are only two. Jesus and the world. We either belong to Jesus or the world. We cannot belong to both at the same time. Some people try to belong to Jesus and the world at the same time, but it never works.

What is “the world”? “The world” is everything that opposes God. It includes people and system and all other things that oppose God. What is in the world?

1 John 2:15-16 reads,
“15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world.”
Everything in the world is “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does”. If we belong to the world we are ruled by the cravings us, the lust of our eyes and the boasting of what we have and do.

When we think about the world we realize that everything in the world is inside of us. “The cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does” is inside of us. We may belong to a church by appearance. Yet our inside may belong to the world. Then our true belonging is the world, and we will follow the pattern of the world. We will love what the world loves and we will do what the world does. We will hate Jesus’ disciples who truly commit themselves to Jesus.

Jesus continued his teaching. Verse 20-21a reads, “[20] Remember the words I spoke to you. No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching they will obey yours also. [21] They will treat you this way because of my name.” The world would persecute Jesus’ disciples because of Jesus’ name. Jesus’ name is what the world hates. So Jesus told them, “If the world hates you keep in mind that it hated me first.” The world hates Jesus’ disciples because they do not belong to the world.

Second, the world hates Jesus’ disciples because the world does not know the Father or Jesus. Verse 20b reads, “They will treat you this way because they do not know the One who sent me.”
John 16:2-3 reads, “2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.”

Chapter 15 may talk about persecution from Gentile world whereas chapter 16 may talk about persecution from the Jews. However, they have common reasons of persecution. One of them is that they are ignorant of the Father and Jesus. The Jews claimed that they are people of God. But surprisingly they put Christians out of their synagogues, and by doing so they revealed that they do not know the Father or Jesus.

One good example is Apostle Paul who was a Jew but persecuted Christians. His old name was Saul. Saul thought he was serving the Lord by persecuting Jesus’ disciples. But Jesus appeared to him and said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Then Saul said, “Who are you, Lord.” Jesus answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” Saul did not know Jesus is the Lord! Surely the ignorance of the Father and Jesus is the reason why the world hates Jesus’ disciples.

Third, the world hates Jesus’ disciples because the world is guilty of sin. Verses 22-24 reads, “[22] If I had not come and spoken to them they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. [23] He who hates me hates my Father as well. [24] If I had not done among them what no one else did they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles and yet they still hated both me and my Father.”

Jesus revealed the sin of the world when he preached the word of God. Jesus’ word reveals the world’s sin because it is sharper than double-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12 reads, “12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” When Jesus came and spoke the word of God it reveals everything inside of men including the attitudes of their hearts. All the hidden “cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does” was exposed under bright light of Jesus’ word. The world could have no excuse for their sin.

Yet, the world did not want to acknowledge Jesus as the Savior. But all of Jesus’ miracles revealed that Jesus came to save men from their sins. Jesus’ words and miracles put the world in the place where they are guilty of sin. They can make no excuse for their sin.

But the world wants to remove Jesus instead of repenting their sin. They hate Jesus and in the course of hating Jesus they hate the Father and Jesus’ disciples.
Jesus described the hatred of the world because of their sin in this way. John 15:25 reads, “But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

Now how should Jesus’ disciples respond to the world who hates them? Since the world hates Jesus’ disciples so much even to the point of killing them without reason Jesus’ disciples would be tempted to respond back with hatred and violence. If Jesus’ disciples respond to the world with love the world may take advantage of the love of Jesus’ disciples and persecute them all the more. So how should Jesus’ disciples respond to the world who hate them so much?

II. You also must testify (15:26-6:4)

In this part Jesus taught his disciples how they should respond to the world who hates them.

Verse 26 reads, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.”

When Jesus’ disciples could not do much against the world who hates them the Counselor comes. Jesus sends the Counselor to his disciples and the Counselor comes from the Father. All Trinity God work very closely when the Counselor comes. The Counselor is called as ‘the Spirit of truth’ because he reveals only truth. When the Counselor comes he will testify about Jesus who is the truth. He reveals who Jesus is and what he has done to save the world in a very gentle way.

The world persecutes Christians to remove Jesus’ name from the earth. Since the world is powerful Christians do not have much to protect them. They cannot do much to preserve the knowledge of Jesus. Yet, at the time of persecution the Counselor comes! The Son whom the world crucified sends the Counselor from the Father to his disciples and the Counselor testifies about Jesus. Now when the Spirit of truth testifies about Jesus who can oppose him? No one can put the Counselor into prison. No one can arrest him. No one can persecute him. No one can bind him. No one can hinder his working because he works in the heats of men.

Since the Counselor testifies about Jesus in the midst of persecution persecution never removes Jesus’ name from the earth. When there is persecution there is powerful work of the Counselor.

Human history shows persecution eventually spreads Jesus’ name all the more instead of removing Christianity. Indeed who can oppose God when God works through the Spirit of truth?

Gamaliel in Acts understood this. He knew that men cannot oppose God. When Sanhedrin tried to persecute Jesus’ disciples who preached the resurrection of Jesus this is how he helped Sanhedrin.
Acts 5:35-39 reads,
35 Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

Surely when the Counselor comes and testifies about Jesus no one can oppose him. Now to whom does the Counselor testify about Jesus first? The world or Jesus’ disciples? Jesus’ disciples because Jesus will send the Counselor to his disciples instead of the world. So the Spirit of truth will testify about Jesus to his disciples first before he testifies about Jesus to the world. When the Counselor comes Jesus’ disciples will know who Jesus is more clearly through the testimony of the Counselor. That is one of the reasons why Jesus’ disciples will end up testifying about Jesus to the world.

There is another reason why Jesus’ disciples need to testify about Jesus. Jesus said in John 15:27 “And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”
“From the beginning” means “from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.” It means Jesus’ disciples are those who know Jesus the most among all men. So they are best qualified to testify about Jesus. At the same time they are obligated to testify about Jesus to the world.

By testifying about Jesus Jesus’ disciples work together with the Spirit of truth who testifies about Jesus.
There is a man who testifies about Jesus before huge crowds. Recently we heard about football player “Tim Tebow”. He is Jesus’ loving player. In 2010 a new rule for the next NCAA football season banned messages on eye paint. This rule was dubbed “The Tebow Rule” by media because it would have affected him. During his college football career, Tebow frequently wore references to biblical verses on his eye black. In the 2009 BCS Championship Game, he wore John 3:16 on his eye black; the verse was the highest-ranked Google search term over the next 24 hours, generating over 90 million searches. Last year when he became Broncos quarterback a mysterious thing happened. As a quarterback his record is poor but his team is winning especially at fourth quarters as he prays on the play ground. When he testifies about Jesus in this way many people like him but a lot more people hate him as well.

There is a man who testified about Jesus under persecution. There was one Russian Jew in Russian forced labor camp known as gulag where people who criticized Stalin or Russian Communist government even a little bit were put. He was a medical doctor. His name is Boris Nikolayevich Kornfeld. Russians did not kill him because he was useful being a doctor. He became a Christian although he was a Jew. One day he realized that he could not cheat his conscience any more as a Christian. Yet, to stand up and follow the voice of his conscience means death. In the past he silenced the voice of his conscience even though he knew many prison inmates were dying because prison guards were taking away their food. Finally the time came for him to stand up against guards to protect his patients, poor prisoners, at the cost of his own life. He knew he would be persecuted and killed any time by the guards if he exposed their stealing. But he did. After that he was living under death threat all the time. One day he met one young man who went through a cancer surgery. The doctor thought that the young man would not survive because his condition was critical. So at the dark of the night in a hospital the doctor testified about Jesus. He told the young man how he became a Christian. Then the doctor went to bed, and the young man fell into sleep too. The next morning people found that the doctor was beaten with eight blows on his skull and he died on that day without regaining his conscience. So his testimony to the young man became his last testimony about Jesus. The young man could not brush aside the last testimony of the medical doctor who had compassion on him and later he also became a Christian. His name is Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008). He revealed the brutal and inhumane practice of Russian camps through his novel. Later he received Nobel prize. The testimony of the doctor bore the fruit before God. He saved one young man, and his faith still lived through the young man.

Indeed it is divine obligation of Jesus’ disciples to testify about Jesus. So Jesus said to his disciples, “And you also must testify for you have been with me from the beginning”.

Now look at 16:1-4. Verses 1-4 reads, “1 “All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.”

Jesus explains the reason why he told his disciples about upcoming persecution. It was to help them not to go astray. It is to help them to be warned so that they would not be caught by surprise and lose faith. Jesus did not need to tell them about persecution at first because he was with them and he protected them. But now he is leaving them and they should know the persecution from the world.

In conclusion, the world hates Jesus’ disciples because Jesus’ disciples do not belong to the world and the world is ignorant of the Father and Jesus and the world is guilty of sin. Yet, the time of persecution is the time of the coming of the Counselor who will testify about Jesus. Jesus’ disciples also must testify about Jesus because they had been with Jesus from the beginning.

One word: And you also must testify

Theme: Jesus Came to Call Sinners (Luke 5:32)
When: March 30 – April 1
Where: Pinecrest Christian Conference Center
For Driving Directions, click here.
For a copy of the Conference Agenda, click here.

Study questions for the Bible studies to be made available soon.

Registration Fees:
Members: $180
Student members: $120
First time attendants: $60

“Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ ” (Luke 5:31-32)

Please join us to learn about who Jesus is and what it means to you that he came to call sinners to repentance! This is called the gospel, or the good news. We will have special lectures, group bible studies, life symposia on Jesus’ calling in people’s lives today, and good outdoor activities.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

[Click here for Bible study materials based on this passage.]

In today’s passage Jesus says, “I am the true vine.” In the book of John Jesus made 7 “I AM” statements: 1) I AM the bread of life. (Jn. 6:35); 2) I AM the light of the world. (Jn. 8:12); 3) I AM the gate for the sheep. (Jn. 10:7); 4) I AM the Good Shepherd. (Jn. 10:11); 5) I AM the Resurrection and the Life. (Jn. 14:6); 6) I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life. (Jn. 14:6); and finally today’s passage: 7) I AM the True Vine. (Jn. 15:5) The previous six I AM statements focused on Jesus as the life-giver and included an invitation to come to Him and to believe in Him (6:35; 8:12; 10:9; 11:25-26; 14:6). Now, however, Jesus is speaking to those who have already come to Him, and so His charge is that they remain in Him. The earlier theme of life is now developed in terms of intimate union with Jesus, a sharing in His own life. We learn that our very life is dependent upon our union with Him and also it is only in this union with Jesus that our lives can truly be fruitful as God called man to be, “Be fruitful and multiply.” May God open our hearts to accept Jesus’ Words and remain in Him.

Part I – Jesus, the True Vine (1-4)

Look at verse 1. “1 I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Gardener.” In the previous passage Jesus said, “Come now; let us leave.” It appears that today’s passage does not take place in the Upper Room, but rather on their way to Gethsemane, where Jesus would soon be arrested. Jesus starts out His conversation by saying, “I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Gardener.” In this verse Jesus reveals the role and relationship between Jesus and the Father. Jesus is the True Vine. A vine is the source of life for a branch and not only that, but also the source of nutrients by which the branch can bear fruit. God the Father is the Gardener. This reveals Jesus’ dependence on and subordination to the Father. It is the Gardener that receives the fruit that the vine produces. The vine’s responsibility is to produce fruit to present to the Gardener. On the other hand it is the Gardener who prepares the environment in which the Vine can produce fruit.
When Jesus said, “I am the True Vine,” He was using a metaphor that was very familiar with the Israelites. In the Old Testament Israel was called a vine. Isaiah 5:1-7 is the Song of the Vineyard. Verse 7a reads, “The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel…” Ps. 80:8 says that God had planted Israel in the Promised Land like a Vine planted in good soil. God did so because He expected Israel to bear good fruit; to be a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation. But Israel turned out to be like a fruitless and barren vine. Israel fell into idol worship. They failed to be a source of blessing to the world.

This was a very tragic thing. Isaiah 5:7b says, that God expected justice, but instead He found bloodshed; He sought justice, but He heard cries of distress. Isaiah was sorry that his nation had not lived up to God’s great calling upon them. But God gave him a vision of the Messiah. Isaiah 11:1 reads, “1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from His roots a Branch will bear fruit.” This shoot is Jesus Christ. He would be full of the Holy Spirit. He would bring about true justice and righteousness on the earth. When Jesus calls himself the “True Vine” He means that He came to fulfill God’s will and purpose, which Israel failed to do. Jesus opened the way for man to be restored back to God as His children. Jesus did what the nation of Israel could not do.

Look at verse 2. “2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” In verse 1 we are told that the Father is the Gardener. He is the One who prepares the environment that the Vine can bear abundant fruit. The way the Gardener does this is in two ways: cutting off and pruning. The Gardener cuts off every branch that does not bear fruit. We need to have cut off all of our unfruitful habits and ways. Everything in us that does not help us to bear fruit needs to be removed.

The other way the Gardener does this is by pruning branches that bear fruit, so that these branches in the future will bear even more fruit. In the past our UBF ministry was very fruitful, but God wants to make us even more fruitful. We cannot keep doing the things we did in the past; we must find new ways to continue to preach the Gospel and help young college students to meet Christ personally and learn obedience and to take up His calling on their lives to become a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

I remember when smart phones first came out. I was against them completely. I thought they were just a gimmick by a rich high tech guy named Steve Jobs in order to become even richer and to sell to the public things that really were not needed. For the longest time I stubbornly and proudly refused to get such a phone. I remember going to the phone store and telling them that I wanted a simple phone even without a camera. But then my Bible students started texting me all the time and I had to learn to text and texting with my simple phone was such a pain to do. And then someone showed me that I could text and I wouldn’t even have to type, I could speak and it would turn it into text. I loved it. So I got a smart phone and then I found out how helpful a smartphone is. I could use it to schedule my Bible studies and text and send attachments with Bible notes to my students without having to lug my laptop around. I could even have a Bible with me in my pocket at all times. Msn. Isaac started a blog. He is like a branch that has been pruned in order that he can even be more fruitful. May God help us not to resist His pruning so that we may be even more fruitful in the future.

The reason God does these things in our lives is because He is not just looking for us to be fruitful; but because He desires us to be exceedingly fruitful.

Look at verse 3, “3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” In Greek the word for ‘clean’ is the same word for ‘prune’ in the previous verse. This reveals that the ‘pruning’ that we experience by God comes from God’s Word, when we accept one Word of God in our hearts. When Abraham accepted God’s Word despite his circumstances, it was credited to him as righteousness. He could overcome his small petty desire to be a noble father and accept God’s calling to be a father of many nations and to be a source of blessing to all people on earth. Also, Jesus cleansed His disciples of their selfishness, pride, fear of death and many other things by giving them His Word and helping them to accept it. Sometimes they felt like they were treated too harshly and His Words stung too much, but it was because of His Words to them that they could be cleansed and receive eternal life and grow to become His powerful witnesses and holy servants.

Look at verse 4. “4 Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.” In this verse Jesus teaches them the obvious truth that a branch cannot bear fruit on its own, it must remain in the Vine. Many think they can do something on their own. But this is a fallacy. If nothing else our lives and experience should have taught us the obvious truth that on our own we cannot bear fruit. We must remain in the True Vine, Jesus. But we must ask what does it mean to ‘remain in Jesus’.

Part II – Remain in Jesus and bear much fruit (5-8)

Look at verse 5. “5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” Before we talk about what it means to ‘remain in Jesus’ we must first ask the question: ‘What is this fruit?’ Some say this fruit refers to the fruit of witnessing and evangelism; i.e. the number of sheep we serve and help to grow as disciples of Jesus. Others say this fruit represent the fruit of the Spirit as spelled out in Gal. 5:22-23a, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.” These are the virtues characteristic of a Christian life.

But as we look more closely at today’s passage we see that bearing fruit refers to our union with Christ. Jesus says when we bear much fruit we demonstrate that we are His disciples (15:8), and elsewhere He states that love for one another is the evidence that one is a disciple (13:35; 14:21, 23) and is in union with God and with one another. Therefore we can say being fruitful symbolizes that which is at the heart of both being Christian witnesses and displaying Christian virtues–union with Christ.

Look at verse 6. “6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” We learn that the consequence of remaining in Jesus is to bear much fruit. But the consequence of not remaining in Jesus is to be cast out, withered, gathered and burned. This verse speaks of the consequence of being separated from Christ. Sin causes separation from our Creator. Real death is separation from Him.

Look at verse 7. “7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” This verse speaks to having a wholehearted devotion to the Lord. When Christ and His Word remain in us, we wholeheartedly follow His leading. When the Israelites came out of Egypt and came to the Promised Land, only Joshua and Caleb could enter it, because of their wholehearted devotion to the Lord. They could take possession and lay claim to what was promised, because they held onto God’s Word promised to them despite the impossible and daunting circumstances before them. When we remain in Jesus and His Word remains in us, we can pray and pray confidently that God will SURELY answer our prayers. We are praying for each of us to bring 1 new student to our Spring Bible conference; for 100 new students to attend. This will be a good chance for each of us to see where each of us remain.
Look at verse 8. “8 This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” Bearing fruit brings glory to God. God created us to bear fruit. God created us in His image. He is fruitful and each of us has been created to be fruitful, abundantly fruitful. When we bear fruit we bring glory to God; both external as well as internal fruit.

Part III – Remain in Jesus’ love (9-17)

Look at verse 9, “9 As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love.” The Father loved Jesus by placing everything in his hands (3:35). The Father trusted Jesus to carry out his world salvation plan. Likewise, Jesus loved his disciples by calling them from meaningless lives to bear God’s mission. Therefore, to remain in Jesus’ love was to remain in God’s great purpose for world salvation.

To remain in Jesus’ love we must love one another. Verses 12-13 say: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus would lay down his life for us through his death on the cross. Jesus wants his disciples to accept his love and friendship and practice the same toward each other. To remain in Jesus’ love, we must love our family members, coworkers and friends with the same life-giving spirit.

Though Jesus taught his disciples how to remain in him, he knew that ultimately they could not do this by their own strength. But Jesus believed they would remain in him to the end. It was because he chose them. Look at verse 16. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” Jesus chose each of us to be his disciples. Therefore, he will carry us through to the end.

Today we learned that Jesus is the true vine. When we accept one word of Jesus we can have true life in our souls. Then we must remain in Jesus and bear much fruit. To remain in Jesus, we must overcome satan’s deceptions, hold on to Jesus’ Word, engage in prayer, and love one another with a life-giving spirit. Let’s remain in Jesus, the true vine.

One Word: Jesus, the True Vine.

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:15-17a)

[Click here for Bible study materials based on this passage.]

I really liked last week’s special message from Acts 1:8 because I learned many things and also repented of many things. How about you? Although we are returning to John’s gospel, I believe this is a very good follow up to last week’s special message. One of the main things I learned was that Jesus empowers us to be his witnesses by the Holy Spirit. A couple weeks ago, I was collecting all of the new years key verses from my fellowship members. But doing so made me very depressed. When I compared the list with last year, I saw all the same names. And it bothered me. Why haven’t we added any new names to this list? I felt responsible. When looked back, I didn’t even meet 1 new person for Bible study last year. This was the first time in my life as a Christian that I went more than a whole year’s time and didn’t meet a new person for Bible study. And this depressed me. How could I not even help 1 new person in Bible study over such a time. The message helped me to repent of my pride and despair and to seek the Holy Spirit’s help. Then I was filled with the power of thanks and joy as we went fishing with our fellowship. To be his witnesses, we need the help of the Holy Spirit. The direction to be his witnesses is not just a geographical one, but in other ways as well, such as in difficult places and to difficult people and attitudes, etc. And we need his help to be self-controlled and wise and courageous.

But didn’t you have any further questions from last week’s passage? For example, “How do we get the Holy Spirit?” and “Who is he?” Acts 1:8 does not answer it directly for us. And in Acts 1, we see Jesus refer to the Spirit as the gift from the Father. So how do we get this gift? How do we prepare ourselves for it? Because, as we know in giving gifts, we give at the right time and to those who will use the gift properly. I believe today’s passage helps us to understand how we can be prepared to receive the Holy Spirit and it also teaches us about who he, the Spirit, is so that we can better understand how he works with us, and within us, and so helps us.

First, Jesus promises the Spirit to those who love him (15-17a).

Let’s look at verses 15-17a again. “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—-the Spirit of truth.”

He begins with, “If you love me…” Receiving the Holy Spirit is based on a relationship between us and Jesus, and between Jesus and the Father. We love him, and the Father sends the Spirit. And the key aspect of this relationship is love.

How then do we show our love for Jesus? He says, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

Obedience and command may sound difficult to accept. Why is obedience the way to show our love?

We may have different expectations about how people can show their love for us. We may expect our friends to act in a certain way, our parents or siblings in another way, and even our bible teachers or bible students in yet another way. Knowing how to show our love properly is very important so that we don’t do the wrong thing, because many misuse the name of love just to serve their own selfish desires and end up using or abusing people. Remember what Abraham in the book of Genesis said to his wife, Sarah? “And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ” (Genesis 20:13). I don’t think any wife would interpret that as an act of love, but Sarah did a good thing in that she submitted to Abraham. That was the right way to show her love. Later, God helped him to tell the truth, to not be afraid of people, and to have faith in God. I told my wife that this is how you can show your love to me: submit to me, even if I’m wrong. And God will honor you for doing what is right because we submit to Jesus–although, Jesus is never wrong!

“If you love me, you will obey what I command” (15). What did he command? Chapters 13 and 14 are taking place at the same time, over a dinner table. Do you remember his command from chapter 13? He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (13:34).

The heart of the message is loving Jesus. Obedience to his command comes out of one’s love for him. Loving one another is not just at the level between two people, but 3–Jesus, us, and one another. We obey as our way to love Jesus. It’s not because other people are lovely. But it’s because we want to love Jesus. so, loving other is independent of any particular person, but dependent on Jesus. Why is the new command hard in many cases? It’s because we see the surface things of the people we are commanded to love. We see their mistakes and flaws and other ugly things. We see our own as well. But we look above to a higher level: which is Jesus and his love for us. So when we are loving one another according to his command, we are really loving Jesus–and each other.

The basis for us loving him is how he loved us. And that is also the basis for us to love others. So, loving just as he loved us. Jesus’ command and word is also different from others words and commands. He has the words of eternal life. Obeying his word has to be shown if we love him because he gives eternal life and we need to follow him. If we love the world, then we would obey the world. We obey because in love we trust that his command leads to eternal life. And as he said in the previous part of this chapter, he is the way to the Father.

Here we can see what the promise of the Spirit is all about: getting hooked up to the Father. In verse 16 he calls the Spirit, “Another Counselor to be with you forever–the Spirit of Truth.” Why did they need another counselor? It was because Jesus was leaving.

In the previous passage, the beginning of John 14, we saw how distressed the disciples were about Jesus leaving them. They didn’t know where he was going. They didn’t know the way to get to where he was going. They didn’t know that they knew about the Father (for the Father was in Jesus whom they knew and who reveals the Father). So Jesus taught them where he was going, how to get there, and that he had revealed the Father to them. But still he was leaving them and they were troubled. In today’s passage Jesus tells them that he would continue to be with them through the Holy Spirit. And by the Holy Spirit, they would have not just a revelation about the Father, but a meaningful relationship with him.

Let’s look at verses 17-21. “[17] the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. [18] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. [19] Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. [20] On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. [21] Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

Look at the reality of the relationship for those who love Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit.

* Verse 17, “He lives with you and will be in you” * Verse 20, “I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”
* Verse 21, “He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

We see here Jesus loving us and leading us to the Father. And from the Father sending the Spirit to those who love him so that we build a real and meaningful relationship with God. It comes through loving him and obeying his command. Jesus was leaving, but he would be with them, and in them, in a new and better way by the Spirit.

The way to build a relationship with God is to love Jesus and obey his commands. The fruit of this relationship is life, revelation, true security, and God himself. So, we have to come to the Bible which tells us of his love for us and what his commands are. We have to secure these words of life. Verse 21 says, “whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” So we have to get his commands and obey them.

Verse 22 tells us that the disciples misunderstood and thought that the “whoever” in verse 21 only applied to them. Look at Judas’s question.

“But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

What was Jesus’ reply? Look again at verses 23-24. “Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.’ ”

This promise of love and the Holy Spirit is for “anyone”. If anyone loves Jesus and obeys his teaching, the Father will love him and they will make their home with that person. And if one does not love Jesus he will not obey him and not receive the Spirit.

So we do not need to feel at a loss that Jesus is not physically with us. Look how intimately he is with us by the Spirit. The Father and him will make their home with the person that loves and obeys Jesus. Look that he says they will make their “home” with that person.

This is wonderful news for each of us because Jesus’ counseling and presence is not limited to his physical body in a physical location. He is with us and lives in us by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes Jesus wanted to spend time with and teach only three of his disciples, not together with the other nine. Well, those other nine got real jealous and fought with the three. We don’t have to worry about that kind of competition and limitation. The only thing we have to concern ourselves with is being prepared to receive the Holy Spirit. So, the word “home” sticks out here.

When I invite others to my home, I usually have such a good time that I forget all about my worries and agendas and stress. Because the time together is so sweet. But here it says that the Father will love and make his home with the one who loves and obeys Jesus. He will make his “home” with that person. This is not like a guest house or a vacation house or a time share property. But it tells us that loving Jesus and obeying his teaching is the way God lives with us and in us. He comes to be with us and makes us his family. This means that each person can be God’s home. it is not about a building, but the person. So that God can live with us and work in and through us. And he extends his fellowship to the world through us.

At the beginning of chapter 14 Jesus said that he was going to his Father’s house to prepare a room for the disciples (14:2). Now he says that he will make the home with us (and in us). So what is he preparing? Yes, us. The life together with the Father and Jesus begins now. They will come and make their home in anyone who has his commands and loves him and obeys him.

This making our home with him is very striking. God dwelling with his people is one of the fruit of redemption. With the Israelites, God made a dwelling among them through the tent of meeting in the desert, the tabernacle, and later the temple. But there was a problem with that dwelling. There was a divider that separated the most holy place. No one except the high priest could enter in there, and he could only do that once a year to make atonement and sprinkle the blood. Otherwise, he would die. And at the end of the Bible we see the picture of the new Jerusalem. It is heralded as, “Now the dwelling of God is with men and he will be their God and live with them.” It was what he was working towards in redeeming sinful man. To dwell with them and live with them.

This is the picture we are seeing here in this passage; God making his home in a person. And who? It is not random. It is the one who loves Jesus and obeys his teaching. This is a very personal command and one that applies to the believing community. I could see many people gathering at different times all asking how we can improve our ministry from this year, how we can be more effective in the campus work, how we can improve our organization in Downey. Of course, we need God’s presence and help. We need his power and truth and wisdom. So what can we do. We can love Jesus and obey his command to love one another. We have to love each as he loved us. Then we can expect a great work of the Holy Spirit among us. So we can’t just make battle strategies, we have to make love relationships–we need love strategies and love practicing. Of course, it starts with each person accepting Jesus’ love. And then it begins by extending the fellowship to others. Many times when we talk about loving others, we say it in the context of forgiving others, serving others, and being patient and bearing with one another. This is true. But we can go further. Love also does another important thing: it builds up. From now on we can seek to actively build each other up, more and more. I believe that Jesus will be pleased when we obey his command in this way. Personally, I repent of complaining about others and will seek to build others up instead, giving thanks to God for each person.

This is Jesus’ promise of the Spirit to those who love him and obey his commands. The Father will love that person and make his home in him, and Jesus will too. Then, out of God’s love and presence by the Spirit, we will have power and all other necessary things to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. When we love each other, we do so out of loving Jesus. And he promises to be with us, and the Father will love us and live in us too, by the Holy Spirit. So, if we don’t love each other, we won’t get the Spirit and this fellowship, and we’ll be lonely. But if we love each, then he will love us and make his home with us.

Jesus’ promise is good and it gives us peace. Let’s look at verses 25-27.
[25] “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. [27] Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

We have peace because we have Jesus’ promise which is good. When we hold to his word, we can control the heart so that it is not troubled and we can have faith, rather than fear. Think about the recent daily bread in Luke, where the disciples meet a storm at sea and Jesus is sleeping. Jesus wasn’t troubled or afraid. He enjoyed a good nap. He probably was very tired. But the disciples were facing a storm and Luke says that their lives were in great danger! The attack of the wind and water was very real. They came to Jesus. But when Jesus got up, did he say, “Good job for coming to me! You passed the test!”? No, instead he said, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25). The wind and waters were real. But Jesus is lord above them. They listen to his command. Jesus was not producing cry baby disciples, but people of faith. So when the wind and water hit, they are not troubled and are not afraid.

So when the Holy Spirit comes to the disciples, he would teach them all things and remind them of everything Jesus said. We have the best teacher in him. Some people rely on other people so much, but we have to rely on God and listen to his word. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and counselor.

He also works to remind us of Jesus’ teaching. I have found that when I have set myself to love and obey Jesus, sincerely, my memory is very good, especially to remember what Jesus has taught me and Bible verses that are very necessary and appropriate in a given situation. For example, when I become quick tempered at home, I know that the Spirit helps me by reminding me that he taught me that God is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love”. And my wife also works with the Spirit to remind me.

Second, Jesus’ personal struggle and example of love and obedience (28-31).

Look at verses 28-31. [28] “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. [29] I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. [30] I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, [31] but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.”

These verses tell us that Jesus set the example first. He loved and obeyed his Father. He did exactly all that the Father had commanded him. What was his Father’s command? It was to suffer and die on a cross for the sins of the world.

So if we are wondering what it means to really love and obey Jesus, then we just have to look at Jesus and see his example, for he loved and obeyed his Father’s commands. For most of us, when we hear the call to obey commands, we feel bad. We don’t want to be bound like that. It doesn’t sound like love at first. But Jesus’ example shows otherwise. This part is very important for it shows us that Jesus had a real love relationship with his Father. Loving and obeying him is not a burdensome or one sided thing. He is not like a task master, as we see through is relationship with the Father that it is a real love relationship that is wonderful and powerful.

The prince of this world, aka, the Devil, didn’t punch Jesus. Jesus loved his Father and was obeying his command and laid down his life in obedience. The devil did not have any hold on Jesus. But love for the Father did. He set the example for us.

Now the disciples, who learn of Jesus’ love and obedience, even to the cross, should also have the same attitude that the world must know that we love Jesus and obey everything he commanded. Why? So that the world will believe in Jesus through them, showing themselves to be his disciples. When we love Jesus we obey his command. When we obey his command to love one another as he has loved then also teach the world about Jesus. Sometimes we just love our own, such as our kids and fellowship members. But we must love one another as he has loved us.

Today’s passage teaches us that if anyone loves and obeys Jesus, God will love him and send the Holy Spirit to be with him, to make his home with him, to be his Counselor and Teacher.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” -Acts 1:8

[Click here for Bible study materials based on this passage.]

The New Year’s message was “Our goal to please Jesus”. So we set the goal clear. The previous Sunday we studied, “Jesus the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Today is a follow up, that is, what we need to do practically to PLEASE Jesus, the Way.

So let us read the key verse. This is the key verse for the book of Acts. Four gospels are what we believe in. The Book of Acts calls for action. I have believed and therefore I have spoken! That is the life that lives as Jesus’ witness.

But witnessing does not come naturally. It requires empowerment. The Holy Spirit is the source of power. The four spiritualities then correspond to the four branches of the Spirit’s empowerment: hope, faith, love, and a spirit-filled life.

God’s word is God-breathed, so we understand God’s word is loaded up with “spiritual” meanings that are related not only to the physical world but also spiritual world. Once Jesus said, “Spirit gives life to man, but flesh counts for nothing.” So when we read the Scriptures we delve into the spiritual meanings in them.

Acts 1:8 then has not just physical dimensions but also spiritual dimensions. For example, when it talks about four locations, that is, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and ends of the earth, we understand that they refer to not just physical locations but also lands with spiritual imports. Viewed this way, we can understand that the four places correspond to the four different spiritualities according to which the Holy Spirit wishes his children to live as Jesus’ witnesses. Now here are the four spiritualities.

First, Jerusalem Spirituality

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem…” Here, Jerusalem refers to not just a physical Jerusalem but also a spiritual Jerusalem which is also known as the heavenly Jerusalem or the New Jerusalem.

In regard to this usage the Apostle Paul states in Ephesians 3:10, “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms…”

One of the meanings of the expression ‘my witnesses in Jerusalem’ is ‘my witnesses born in Jerusalem’. This means our origin as Christ’s witnesses is from above. We are born in heavenly Jerusalem. Speaking of this reality Paul says, “You have come to the heavenly Jerusalem” or “the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.” In regular term we express the same truth by saying, “Our citizenship is in heaven” or “you have a dual citizenship – the citizenship in the U.S. and the citizenship in God’s kingdom.”

On a practical level, this spirituality means that we put our eternal hope in the eternal kingdom of God namely the home in the heavenly Jerusalem, and while we are on earth we live as a man of God’s mission sent to do His will.

So the Jerusalem spirituality is the spirituality that puts hope in God’s kingdom. It is based on the transformed view of life, that is, your life and my life here on earth in a physical body is just like a man on a business trip. The other day Missionary Philip went to Brazil on a mission journey. His hometown is in Downey. But he is on a journey. So since he left his home, he always thinks about the time to come back to Downey. Likewise, while on earth we are on a spiritual mission journey. We live here for a while to do the work God has prepared for us to do. Then when our work is done, we go back home in the Heavenly Jerusalem. The Apostle Paul expressed the same truth saying essentially that a believer is the wife (or bride) of Jesus Christ. And God had already seated us believers with Christ in the heavenly Jerusalem, that in our generation he sent us the members of his bride (or church) to this world to do the work which he had already prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10).

Once you understand this reality, you no longer try to take a root in this world. You rather strive to do God’s work first, second, and third. When Jesus came he set the perfect example of this: he said “I am from the Father and I am going back to the Father” or “As long as it is day we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” John 9:4 On the New Year’s day missionary John Kwon expressed the same goal and attitude by prompting all to make it a goal to please Jesus Christ.

In short, the Jerusalem spirituality is the life that lives by putting hope in God’s kingdom, and in this hope we live a life that is mission centered.

Second, Judean Spirituality

“You will be witnesses … in all Judea…”

Now let us go to the land of Judea. The land of Judea is known as the Judean “wilderness”. The land of Israel consists of three blocks of land: from South to North, first there is Judea, then Samaria in the middle, then Galilee to the far north. These lands are different in precipitation. Galilee area has the most amount of rain, then Samaria has a moderate amount, and Judea has the least amount. Once you go down further south of Judea you have a spread of desert where no crops can grow. Judea then is the land where there is the minim necessary amount of rain for the crops can grow.

Naturally this Judean land and her inhabitants look to the Lord God for survival and prosperity. Why did God design the environment of this land this way? The answer is to let people look to God and live by faith in Him. As they live by faith in him, rather than by what they see here in a physical world, they learn to be happy and joyful through the fellowship with the Lord. Otherwise they end up indulging in what is the visible. They bury their nose on the things of the world. As they forget the Lord they go from bad to worse. They live like animals or insects.

It is interesting to note that unlike the southern Kingdom called Judah (which was located in Judea), it was the northern kingdom called Israel (which was located in the north) that became secular way ahead of the kingdom of South. They lost faith in God a lot faster than the people of South.

So the spirituality for the people in the land of Judea to live by is the life that lives by faith in God, not by sight in what is visible. Speaking of this truth, the Apostle Paul says, “We live by faith not by sight; we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Life that is by faith makes a whole lot of difference to our life as a witness of our Lord Jesus. The first difference is the life that praises the Lord. If we live by faith in the Lord, the Lord deeply satisfies the deepest needs of our soul. So although the environments may be as barren as the Judean wilderness, you always can sing joyful sons. Although the circumstances are bad, as you look to the Lord, your mouth is filled with the praises of God. This spiritual reality is even embedded in the name Judea which means Praise the Lord.

We can see this example even in the way God trained the Israelites. Where did God train the Israelites? After saving the Israelites out of Egypt, the Lord God led them through the desert land. He did it for 40 long years. Why did the Lord God train them this way? It was to help them to live by faith in God, not by what they in this barren world.

From a practical standpoint, this way, that is, the life that goes by the Judean spirituality, is the key to living as a good and faithful witness. In a mission field, if you try to build your own life security here on earth, you cannot be a good witness of our Lord Jesus.

For this very reason when our Lord Jesus left the world, he did not give his disciples even one studio apartment. Since Jesus did not give them any money, they had no choice but to gather at the Lord’s temple, and pray there all the time. They must have frequented to the small apartment unit owned by the mother of the Apostle Mark. That was all they had.

We see tons of examples of witnesses going by the Judean spirituality. For example it was in the Judean desert that John the Baptist began his ministry. It was in the Judean desert that Jesus first went out, won victories over the devil’s temptations, and began his ministry.

In this year then let us all pray to live by faith in God, not by sight. Then the Lord God will enable us to live as a good witness of our Lord Jesus.

Third, Samarian Spirituality

Now let us go to Samaria. When we go to Samaria with what kind of spirituality are we to operate? How are we to witness our Lord Jesus? We can find the answer to this question in the way our Lord Jesus did. While he was in the land of Israel the Jews did not go there. They avoided the area. Why? They avoided the people living in the Samaritan area because they regarded the Samaritans as worse than dogs. They classified Samaritans as their enemies.

In our own generation as well, many church-going people maintain many Samaritans. The Bible says, “Make disciples of all nations. But in their minds they classify a certain people as no good. They do not approach them much less talk to or have fellowship with them.

We can see this being the case when we think about how many we categorize as enemies. In the church fellowship as well, you have many enemies. You know everyone is different and each person has his or her own opinion. And the fact that he or she has a different opinion on one subject or another does not mean that he or she is your enemy. Yet how often do we find them and treat them as our enemies?

Yet Jesus commanded saying “love your enemies” (Luke 6:35)

So the Judean spirituality is the spirit of love. It is with this spirit of love alone that we can be good witnesses to the modern day Samaritans.

Fourth, ends of the earth spirituality

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Here ‘ends of the earth’ has not just a physical dimension but also a ‘spiritual’ dimension. So ‘ends of the earth’ means not just remote places like Fiji Island or the Amazon Jungle, but the end times of the earth. The similar expression in the Bible is the life in the ‘last days’. Technically it is the time when the time of our Lord Jesus’ second coming drawing near.

What is the life of the end times of the earth like? In regard to the end times our Lord Jesus said something interesting: ‘When the Son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?’” Or think about what Jesus said in Matthew 24:12, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” What about the opinions of the Apostles like the Apostle Paul or the Apostle Peter? Let us stand and read 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God–Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” Or in 2 Peter 3:3 it is written: “First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.”

Then with what kind of spirituality are we to live by? In the parable of the ten virgins our Lord Jesus speaks of the spiritual condition of people living the end times. The wise virgins did one thing in common: that is, to greet the bridegroom the wise took oil in jars along with their lamps, but the foolish did not take oil; they took only lamps. Since they ran short of the oil, they could not see the bridegroom coming. After the wise went into the wedding banquet, the door was shut. The foolish were left outside gnashing their teeth. This is too sad.

This parable in Matthew gospel 25 indicates that it is the high time for us to prepare the oil in jars, so the lamp would keep burning. The oil here refers to the Spirit of God. Jars represent our body. In our generation there are many factors that drain or quench the spiritual fire of the Holy Spirit in us. To prevent this from happening, daily we need to get ourselves be filled with God’s Spirit by daily repenting and turning to the Lord. For this, we need to read the Bible closely. We need to do the daily bread and mediate on the word deeply. We then can overcome the world. We are ready to serve the Lord. We can be good witnesses of our Lord Jesus even during the end times. This is the ends of the earth spirituality for us to go by.

One word: Hope, Faith, Love, and a Jarful of Oil

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

[Click here for Bible study materials based on this message.]

Today’s key verse shows one of Jesus’ divine declarations. There are seemingly many ways in this world according to many opinions. Still many people feel that there is no absolute way. So they habitually say, “No way.” But there is a good news that we have the way. Today Jesus will clarify the reason why he is the way.

Part I. Trust also in me(1-4)

In the previous passage Jesus gave them a new command to love each other. We learned that it was a very advanced level of love based on what Jesus had done. But their spiritual condition was that they were still surprised and their hearts were greatly troubled with Jesus’ sayings such as one’s betrayal and Peter’s denial up to three times. What’s worse, Jesus said “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: where I am going, you cannot come.” This led to separation anxiety among them. They did not know what kind of future was holding for them. Their political ambition was to establish an earthly kingdom to occupy Herod’s palace where Jesus would be a king and they would become his Cabinet members. But such their human dreams were now crushed. Soon they’d be unemployed and literally homeless.

Jesus, being the Good Shepherd, saw their troubled hearts. He said in verse1. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” Here Jesus helps them to overcome anxiety. It is by trusting in God and trusting also in Jesus. On the surface the disciples’ problem is their immediate future security such as, “How could they find a place to sleep?” or “How could they find a job?” As Jesus took care of them so far, Jesus could have provided these things for them immediately. But Jesus saw their much deeper problem. That was, they did not trust in God! Instead of helping them humanly, Jesus wanted to help them out to trust in God.

Here for a moment let’s think about the word “trust.” In a real world trusting relationship is not a easy or an overnight thing. It is to be earned. It develops and achieves gradually over time. In “the Chronicles of Narnia,” Lucy and Aslan are a good example to build up relationship. At first She feared the lion. Gradually though, she made friends and dared reach to touch his mane. Over time their friendship grew and she even hugged his neck. Likewise we can see certain progression in this verse. Trust in God first and trust in Jesus second. As God’s chosen people they first learned how to fear God. They are afraid of calling or writing God’s name just as they are standing in front of a lion. They didn’t “feel” God that much at first. My question here. What then made them trust in God? It’s because of the credentials of God in the Old testament namely “history books of the Israelites.” They saw clearly how God is reliable to trust. For instance God rescued the Israelites from Egypt according to his promise given to Abraham 650 years before. God released his chosen people from Babylon captivity according to his promise given to Jeremiah 70 years before. More fundamentally according to God’s promise in Genesis 3:15, God sent his one and only Son Jesus who is now with them. So God is trustworthy and keeps his word of promise. In this way over time he proved himself to be faithful. So fear or anxiety comes from a lack of faith. God is almighty. He is sovereign. He loves us. He has a good master plan. He is like a good and powerful Lion in Narnia. He wants us to trust him. It is easy to trust our bank accounts because according to statistics we Americans are afraid the most of how to pay the bill on time every month. But we must have faith in him no matter what and overcome inner fear and anxiety because he is living, faithful, and trustworthy. It reminds me of a Hymn song, “Under his wings.” It goes like this. “Under His wings, I am safely abiding. Tho’ the night deepens and tempests are wild, Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me. He has redeemed me and I am his child. Under His wings, under His wings, Who from His love can sever? Under His wings my soul shall abide, Safely abide forever.”

Then Jesus said, “Trust also in me?” What does it mean? How did they build up trust in Jesus too? There are also certain step or progression to know him better and build up trust relationship among them. One day they first knew Him as a mere Galilean Country rabbi. But gradually they opened their eyes to see who he is. Through faith and personal obedience their trust germinated and grew in them. Then, He became their personal shepherd. That continually changed to their true Savior and the promised Messiah and then the Lord and Master, even King to be worthy of their devotion. Although their attitude and behavior didn’t still consistently match their confession of faith like Peter, over time they became Jesus’ Friends. When they get to know him through personal relationship after three year common life, Jesus become all things to them. What is going on now? Except Judas Iscariot time spent together and clinging to Him through this darkest times cemented the tight bond that developed trust further and to build up the complete trust in Jesus. At this point of time it might not be easy to trust in Jesus because Jesus looked weak and distressed due to imminent suffering and death. In fact they thought that Jesus needed help. But Jesus overcame it through trusting his Father in prayer and showed absolute faith to help them out. Jesus knows what he is doing. Regardless of the situation, he denied himself and took up his cross of suffering and obeyed God’s will to the end. It means, he determined to die on the cross. With such sacrificial love, Jesus took care of them as the good shepherd. His disciples had trusted him until now. He even showed the full extent of his love despite Judas’ betrayal. Also he wrapped up his message with a new command to love one another. Therefore they must continue to trust him. We must look away from ourselves, away from our problems and anxieties and look up to Jesus. We must entrust our lives and our futures to Him. Faith is not a feeling but a matter of decision through reasoning the credentials of Jesus and His fresh full extent of divine love. So we must make a personal decision to trust in Him. Here I like to introduce one formula of equation summarizing two “Trust in God and trust also in Jesus”, so called “trust squared.” It equals a peaceful heart. It’s more important than any equation such as Einstein field equations.

Here practically we can also follow Jesus’ example when teaching the Bible to our Bible students. Surely they have many problems here and there. If you try and take care of all their little problems, you will only exhaust yourself. Rather than trying to fix each individual problem, be like Jesus. Solve their deeper problem by giving them the word of faith. Nothing is more important than teaching them to trust in God and Jesus instead of mere human comfort or quick other ways of relief.

Look at verses 2-4. “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Jesus tried to help them further. “My Father’s house” is a Biblical terminology for the kingdom of God. He gave them the glorious promise of God that was “hope in the kingdom of God.” Although they heard about God’s kingdom many times, but they could not buy it due to their fixed idea or ambition for earthly kingdom. But Jesus knew that now is high time to plant the same message. We can overcome our troubles and fears when we truly trust in the coming Kingdom of God. In other versions, many rooms are called mansions. The kingdom of God may be somewhat abstract for his young disciples, so Jesus describes the kingdom as his Father’s house which has many rooms or many mansions. Jesus is going to prepare a place for us. He will also come back to bring us there so that we can be with him. Here Jesus is referring to his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. He paves the way for us to enter into his heavenly home. In other words, Jesus told his disciples that his going away had a clear purpose and meaning. Even his going away was for their benefits. He gave them a promise for the eternal heavenly kingdom.

Revelations 21 describes this very well. There will be streets of pure gold as pure as glass, pearly gates, with city walls decorated with every type of precious stone. Most importantly, this is the dwelling place of God himself. We will be dwelling with him in His house, dining at the table with our King. In heaven, there will be no need for light because the glory of God gives it light. Nothing is impure. There will be no tears, because there will be no death and no sorrow. There will be no exams, no job problems, and no anxiety. Jesus went ahead of us to prepare such place for us. The disciples were only searching for physical rest for the tired bodies and minds, but Jesus tried to give them rest for their souls. He gave them the real and everlasting hope of God in the kingdom to come. Later Simon Peter with earthbound desires sitting at this last supper table realized the temporary nature of this world and finally graduated from his inner fear and human ambition. He fearlessly preached the Word and suffered greatly by following Jesus because of his new hope in the kingdom of God that will never spoil, perish or fade(1Pe 1:3,4).

Part II. Jesus, the Way (5-14)

The disciples, however, were still largely confused by Jesus’ sayings. They wondered where this place would be and why they could not go. Especially Thomas known as the doubter, spoke up and asked Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus helped him gently in verse 6. “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Here Jesus declared himself as the way and the truth and the life. Let’s think about this statement one by one. Especially “I am the way.”

They say that life is a journey, not a destination. People are aware that they are traveling through time but they don’t have a clear sense of direction. They don’t know where they are heading for. That’s why there are ongoing anxiety like the disciples. But Jesus knows exactly where to go and can tell us where we should go. Life in Jesus is not a random walk. Life in Jesus is a pilgrimage back to the kingdom of God. We need to get back to the paradise that was lost through the sin of Adam and Eve. God placed cherubim with a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way back to the tree of life (Ge 3:24), by celestial homeland security guards angels. But according to God’s unfailing and unconditional love, he sent his One and Only Son, Jesus and bridged such gap between God and man. It became the new and living way to heaven(Heb 10:20). His death and resurrection opens the door for us into the heavenly kingdom. John 3:13 says, “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven – the Son of Man.” Jesus is the only one from heaven and the only one who knows the way. So Jesus himself is the way.

“I am the way” also means that Jesus is not a belief system or any organization. He is the real person. Following the way is to have a personal relationship with the very person, Jesus. Personal relationship with Jesus does not mean that each person has to make his own way. Rather it means that we discover Jesus who is the real person as well as our role model by studying the Bible with meditation and personal application.

To young people facing difficult life choices in this colorfully changing generation, the responsibility to make their own way is too overwhelming. They are told, “Everyone should use their own best judgment. Be true to yourself.” Everyone is expected to invent his own value system or religion and has to find his own way. But it is too much and heavy to bear. It is also unrealistic for human beings are weak and sinful. Even if they know what they are supposed to do, they cannot do it on their own. Apostle Paul had been there and done that(Romans 7:24), saying “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death.” We need someone stronger and smarter than us who can teach us values, showing us exactly how to live and then help us to make it. It is Jesus who can show us ‘the way’ and actually take our hands to the very place where to go. Jesus is now doing the same thing among us too. He went to heaven to prepare a eternal dwelling place for us and he will come back and take us to be with him forever just as he has promised to his disciples. Indeed Jesus is the WAY! Jesus didn’t say, “I will show you the way.” Rather, “I am the way.”

Here in brief let’s think about the trend of our nation, America shaping our thoughts. No doubt the most distinctive and prolonged contribution to Americans was pragmatism that rejected all forms of absolutism. It is based on the principle that human beings could be wrong about their beliefs, expectations, or their understanding of the world. We also live in a postmodern generation that rejects all the ways of the past. It also claims that there is no absolute truth and that the way they perceive the world is nothing but subjective and relative. Each person is expected to make his own way. At this atmosphere, there is a common phenomenon so called “fad”. It is any form of behavior that develops among a large population and is collectively followed with enthusiasm for some period because of its freshness. The number of people adopting it increase rapidly. But the problem is that it fades quickly once the freshness is gone. The hippie movement was one typical example. Can you remember the movie titled “Rebel without a cause” played by James Dean in 1955? Also in mid 1970, Elvis Presley sang a song “My Way” more passionately than Frank Sinatra, so many young people loved his song and still missed him very much. It became one of favorite songs for funeral. Because of time shortage I will sing a little bit. And now, the end is near; And so I face the final curtain. My friend, I’ll say it clear, I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain. I’ve lived a life that’s full. I’ve traveled each and ev’ry highway;
And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

In a broad sense as a part of hippie movement, so called “Jesus movement” was a quite noticeable movement in Christianity which focused on signs, miracles, wonders or healing. It began on here in West Coast in 1970s and spreading nationwide and worldwide. What I am trying to say here is that always there are so many fads and trends that are powerfully appealing to contemporary people, in particular young people who are inevitably looking for fresh or new things. But these are merely different ways seemingly idealistic. But eventually all will fade away by themselves because simply speaking it is not the authentic way of Jesus, being centered or focused on Jesus the true person. Knowing Jesus in person requires much deeper root and personal relationship with him to put trust in Him. Always undesirable or negative outcomes awaits at the time of deviation from Jesus and His way. Jesus says, “I am the Way.” I also found the fact that many movements started from CA. So I realized that I am in the very important land of mission in our own generation. So God gave me a vision. That is to go back to the Bible and teach young people personally through one to one, making disciples to help them take deep root in Jesus who is the way. In the book of Genesis God chose one person, Abram and blessed him to grow as a father of all nations. In John’s gospel here Jesus chose Peter to change him to be a man of rock. We can follow such examples, teaching young people to trust in God and also trust in Jesus with their hearts and souls. They will surely grow in their well balanced faith God is pleased with.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.’” The way, the truth and the life are not separate things but they are different characteristics of the same person, Jesus. These three things go hand in hand. Because Jesus knew clearly where he came from and where he’s going, he not only knows the way but also speaks the truth. What is truth? It is unchanging, constant, not false, universal, and absolute. So where in this world can we find such truth? Everything is changing, everything is relative. People change their minds every other second according to colorful conditions or situations. But Jesus himself is faithful and consistent for he is the truth.

In addition to being the way and the truth, Jesus himself is also the life. John 1:4 reads, “In him was life, and that life was the light of the men.” He is the life because he gives us a new life after death. Jesus says in chapter 11:25, 26, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Also Jesus says in 5:24, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” According to these verses, when we hear Jesus’ words and believe in God, we have eternal life. Jesus gives us the way to escape eternal death and condemnation. We see many Americans hitting the gym, lifting weights, trying to diet correctly, taking all kinds of medicine. We are focused on extending our lives in this world. But what real value is there if you do not have eternal life? Jesus, the author of life, can only give us such eternal life. In the past I used to be a medical doctor who can only prolong patients’ physical life. Through studying the John’s gospel, I realized the fact that “if I really want to help the people, I must introduce them Jesus who can give them eternal life.” Since then whenever I share Jesus’ words of the way and the truth with students, I experienced His resurrection life.

Look at v.8. When Jesus said this, another difficult young man opened his mouth. His name was Philip. He said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough.” Philip was a brilliant mathematician and insisted on a hard copy or evidence of the Father. According to 1 Timothy 6:16, God is immortal and unapproachable light and no one has seen or can see. But (John 1:14 and 18) thankfully Jesus became flesh and made his dwelling among his disciples. They had privilege that they have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who was at the Father’s side and came from the Father. He has made himself known to us. Also Hebrew 1:3 says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” So Philip could have pictured the Father in and through Jesus.

So Jesus said in v. 9-11, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.” Again Jesus is the very image of the invisible God(Col 1:15a). Have you been taken x-rays? X-rays are images for your body. Likewise God shows himself through His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.

Look at verses 12-14. Let’s read them all together. “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Jesus encouraged him and other disciples that they could do more than Jesus had done while on earth if they have faith. Jesus entrusted his disciples for the great work of God. If they pray by faith in Jesus’ name, they can be made powerful and do a great work of God. Jesus had a great vision to see through what would happen through his disciples when they have faith.

In conclusion, Jesus is the way because he himself is the truth and the life. Jesus becomes the only way to God. By trusting Him only in 2012, we can do the great work for God’s glory. One word: Jesus, the way!

by Isaac Kim, shared at the UPLB Philippines ministry on January 8, 2012.

Happy New Year!

I am glad to meet all of you. It is always exciting to meet new friends because of all the creations, each human beings are the crown of God’s creation. And each person is different. No two persons are the same. Not even twins are born the same. Each person is God’s master piece.

Today we would like to think about why we ought to study the Bible.

I came from Los Angeles. I attended a conference in S. Africa. Then before I came to Manila, Dr. Paul Koh asked me to talk about why we need to study the Bible. I think this is an excellent question, for studying the Bible is the key to knowing who we are and what we are.

In this world there are many books. But unlike all other books in this world, the Bible is different than all of them in that its author is God himself. God is the Creator of all men. So since God is the Creator, and he gave us the Bible, when we study the Bible, we can know who we are and what we are.

Figuratively speaking, the Bible is the owner’s manual of life – the manual that helps us understand what our life is all about.

I am not sure how many people in this room own a cell phone. If you buy a cellular phone, the manufacturer provides you with an owner’s manual. Before you use it, you read the owner’s manual. Then you can enjoy the cellular phone better.

The Bible is just like the owner’s manual for life. Unlike a cell phone, man’s life is a lot more sophisticated than any other machine. In fact, you and I are more sophisticated than all the computers combined.

Although man’s life is more sophisticated and delicate than any other creature, the Bible has a wonderful way for us to understand really well what our life is all about. Today we would like to think about this wonder of God by reading one Bible passage, John 5:39.

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.”

Notice here that Jesus is talking to his Bible students. This passage says that the Lord God designed the Bible in such a way that we can easily understand not just what our life is all about but also the way to have life that is ‘eternal’. And the Lord God did this by presenting to us the Son of God called Jesus.

In John 5:39 Jesus shared two points: point no. 1 — by studying the Scriptures (the Bible) you possess eternal life. That is right. The Bible shows us how to have the eternal life.

Point no. 2 — the Lord God gives you eternal life through His Son Jesus. That is what Jesus means by saying, “these scriptures testify about me.” So the Bible is all about Jesus Christ through whom we receive eternal life as a gift.

There is one supreme example to understand how it works. Let us go to the book of Numbers 25 and read it responsively.

Now let us focus on Numbers 25:13 which reads,

“He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”

In this passage we see something very interesting: The Israelites committed the sin of sexual immorality, right? Due to sins committed, God caused the plague to spread, so people started to die. And the number increased like 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, and the plague did not stop, so the casualties increased to even 24,000.

Imagine 24,000 people dying in a matter of few days!

Then, all of sudden the plague stopped. Why? We know the answer. Phinehas killed the Israelite and the Midianite woman in holy anger. Here a question arises: why did this act of holy anger stop the plague? What is so special of his holy action? We find the answer to this question in “a covenant of a lasting priesthood”. As Jesus mentioned the covenant of a lasting priesthood testify about Jesus the Son of God. Phinehas the son of Aaron the priest is the pre-figure of Jesus the true Priest. A priest stands between God and sinners. Standing between the two, the priest makes peace so that God and sinners can reconcile the differences. Then as the two restore a peaceful relationship with each other, God, who is the source of eternal life, gives the forgiven sinners eternal life.

So just as Phinehas in holy anger intervened and the plague stopped, so also about 2,000 plus years ago, our Lord Jesus came to Israel, and in his holy zeal to honor God’s name, he offered himself and died for our sins on a tree. He was sinless. You know sin grieves God so much that he cannot bear even a hint of sin. So he cannot help but punish sinners, not because he hates man, but because he hates sin. Jesus understood God’s holy character, so instead of leaving God to murder all sinners and send them to the eternal hell fire, he offered himself as an atoning sacrifice for all the sins of all the sinners. So for all who sincerely repent of their sins, believe in Jesus, and turn to God by faith in God’s sin-forgiving love, God not only forgives them of their sins but also cleanses them of their sins, so they would no longer sin, but leave the life of sin, and have eternal life in Jesus.

In John 3:16, the Lord God explained the way of eternal life more fully, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Today then we learned two things: first in order to possess eternal life we need to study the Bible; second, we can find the eternal life in and through Jesus.

Now here is the homework for you because the Bible is all about Jesus whom God sent to give you the eternal life: you must diligently study the Bible, knowing that all the Scriptures testify about Jesus who came to give you eternal life.

In conclusion, the Scriptures testify about Jesus. God sent Jesus to give us eternal life. So let us study the Bible diligently to know more about Jesus who came to give us eternal life.

(From Isaac Kim who is presently in the Philippines to attend the Asian Directors Conference.)

There are several important reasons why we all ought to pray for the Philippine ministries and the World Campus Mission. Here are some of them, for which I would ask all of your prayer.

1. This nation has a great potential for in the first place like early days of the U.S. or S. Korea in the early 1960′s, this nation is still very poor;

2. Her people are humble and very friendly. They have a great potential to be great servants of the gospel, if they are properly trained.

3. People are numerous. Population keeps increasing. The streets are filled with people. They are eager to go out and serve.

4. The nation (her system, way of thinking, room to accept different ways of life etc.) and her people are open minded.

5. Dr. Paul Koh prays to master local language, that is, Tagalog. In fact he got published one book on Tagalog for both English and Korean speaking people. It is a pocket size. I saw him talking to native people like taxi drivers and Bible students in Tagalog. This is greatly encouraging, for not many missionaries have been able to do this.

6. Dr. Paul sets an example of the life of our Lord Jesus’ incarnation. He still lives in a poor environment. Look at the pictures. He understands and loves native students even better than their parents. Each time his student’s birthday comes, he buys a birthday cake and visits the family even to a very difficult place to visit.

7. Pray that he would establish local students as leaders and do everything well from ground zero up. The Lord God commanded Joshua to explore the Promised Land first. The Lord did this to let missionaries to know the land better. Dr. Paul can achieve this by learning to do God’s work and all others (such as doing businesses) through the native people who know the land very well.

8. Pray that he would be faithful to what is small. What is small includes those who are isolated, written off, alienated, disadvantaged, not attractive looking, [looking] insignificant, etc. The Lord worked on poor sinful ugly Koreans. Likewise the Lord served and used the problematic Galileans (who were regarded as a second class if not third class) citizens. If he values them and serves them with the gospel message with God’s great hope, these people will do what is truly great.

9. Pray that Dr. Paul realize what he is NOT capable of. He is talented on one area, but could be untalented in so many areas. A leader/director needs to attend hundreds of areas specialties. Yet, he cannot cover all of them. So if he understands what he is lacking, then he can look to the Lord and learn to “work” with people, for the Lord God whose name is Jehovah Jireh will certainly provide him with all he needs, by sending coworkers who are capable of what he is not capable of doing. I say this for it is so easy for a director to expect one or two sheep or shepherd to be capable of doing so many things. How often are we so greedy that we develop so many unreasonable expectations on sheep/shepherd that we end up making them exacerbated?

10. Pray for him to understand the paradoxical truth of “the more the better” in terms of the number, still retaining the line, “Less is more” in terms of disciple making. Jesus did not drive out those whom God sent to him. Thus far the Lord sent him sheep in droves, but some people who are very close to him sharply scolded him saying, “Look, so many sheep are coming to your place, making the center so crowded: THIS IS NOT UBF Way. Send them away. Work on one person at a time.” So he was swayed, and set rules saying, “Unless you do this or that you cannot come to the worship.” He even kept a guard at the gate checking students’ testimonies, so unless they bring their Bible testimony they were asked to leave. Testimony writing has its own place but it ought not be in violation of the guidance of the Spirit.

11. Pray that he would understand God’s mobility (Ezekiel 1).

12. Pray that he would understand who/what builds the momentum for the ministry (Eze 47)

13. Pray that he would gain the wisdom on how to handle those who are in opposition of him, for a leader is NOT to be angry with those who share a different opionion. Pray that he is the man whom God called, so ultimately he is responsible to the Lord, NOT to people who file objection to him. People come around make comments some jeering, some with sincerity, some carelessly, and after uttering discouraging remarks, they forget. But a leader should not be swayed by whatever people want to say. Ultimately he needs to listen to the voice of Jesus.

14. Pray that he would understand that God uses those who failed. If you never failed as a shepherd, you cannot be a truly good shepherd. So far, I think the Lord can use him for he has hit rock bottom.

He moved the new bible center to UP (University of Philippines) at Los Banos. UPLS is at a county called Laguna which is 2 and half hours away from Manila. This is a very good high class college with over 30k students. He moved here only one month ago. Yet, he fished many Bible students. Reeve, Rommel, and MJ are a few of them.

From Caloocan to UPBS it is about two and half hours by bus. Yet, since there are still many Caloocan students he goes down to Caloocan (in Manila city) two or three times a week to give them a group Bible study.