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by Pastor Youngkeun Oh
It is the first morning of new year of 1999. I wish you, our Hyesung families, the unlimitrd favours to repletion from the Father in heaven, the Trinity. The Hyesung Church, the body of Christ, is 18 years old now. And I have decided the motto and guide of this year as follows:
Motto: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! (Psalms 146:1)
Guide: Come together! Learn together! Be witnesses of Christ with our utmost!
The ultimate purpose of living of the human beings,created in the image of God
and after His likeness, is to offer the thanks and glory to the Father in heaven.
18 years old church has reached to the position to render the glory to God.
The askings of Jesus to his disciples when he came into the district of
Caesare'a Philippi is written in Mathew 16.
Jesus asked his desciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?"
And they said,"Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and
others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who
do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied,"You are the Christ,
the Son of the living God."
And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood
has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven." with delight.
The beliefs to say that "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" is
the mature ones that renders the glory to the Father who is
in heaven.
The words that "Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! " is to admonish the followers
to rely upon the Father who always bestows the true and faithful help.
In Ephesians chapter 4 is said what is the church. Christ is the head of church and His
body of church has four limbs. The limbs are apostoles, phophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
Also He says too what the church, the body of Christ, have to do. It is to be perfect for the
equipment of the saint, for the work of ministry and for building up the body of Christ.
Jesus says in the Beatitudes;
"You have heard that it is said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.', But I
say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your
Father who is in heaven." And He also says; "You, therefore, must be perfect as your heavenly Father
is perfect." The words 'be perfect' have the same meanings as when the surgical doctors do for
the broken bones to be perfect, when the fishermen do for their unperfect nets and when the spiritual
ones should restore a man, who is overtaken in any trespass, into a spirit of Gentleness.(Galatians 1:6)
We have to do our best to be perfect for the equipments of the saint, for the work of ministry and
for the building up the body of Christ.
1. Let's make efforts to come together in 1999.
In Hebrews(10:24 - 25) is said, "Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the
more as you see the Day drawing near."
Let's make every effort to encourage each other to come and meet together as we are told above.
Jesus did speak highly of Mary who sat at His feet and listened to his teaching by the words that
she had chosen the good portion even though the serving is needful, when Martha asked Him to
tell her sister to help her.
When 120 peaple of the followers in the first church had come together to pray with all their heart
and strength and the promised Holy Spirit had come upon them, they had received power and been
witnesses of Christ in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.
2. Let's make efforts to learn Christ.
It is written in Deuteronomy chapter 5 as follows; "Hear O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord,
and you shall love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and all your might. And
these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart, and shall teach them diligently
to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way,
and when you lie down, and you rise."
It means we are also now commanded to teach diligently.
Jesus came and said to the eleven disciples who went to Galilee, to the mountain as they were
directed, "All authority in heaven and on earth has given to me. Go therefore and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you;"
Let's learn for words that Jesus had commanded to be upon our hearts and to guide us, and live our
lives of victory.
3. Be witnesses of Christ with all our heart and soul.
The apostles had come together and asked Jesus just before He was taken up, "Lord, will you
at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know
times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you receive power when the
Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all in Judea and Samar'ia
and to the end of the earth."(Acts 1:6-8)
The followers in the first church came together, had been taught, received power and had delivered the
Gospels to the whole world at the cost of their whole hearts and efforts for mission work.
Let's come together, learn and be witnesses of Christ with our utmost. I wish from the deepest bottom of my heart that we shall be able to render the glory to the Father in his year, by being perfect for the equipment of saint, doing the work of ministry and delivering the gospels with oue soul and heart.
