Jesus is knocking
preaching by Kim YongSun (GwangJu Speer Girl's High school Chaplain)
Let's come to the word of God. We are turning to the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. I'm reading to you from Chapter three verse twenty. Are you listening? Jesus is speaking here himself,
Rev.3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
Remember that Jesus himself is speaking here. This is a powerful verse and a powerful scripture. Jesus is saying, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock."
Now, let me give you a couple of questions for an observation before I continue. Tell me, when do you knock on the door? when you want to get in from outside or when you get out from inside? When do you knock on the door? Of course, I know it's a foolish question. Anybody that knocks on the door wanting to get out from inside must be crazy.
But I still ask that question for another reason. And this is the reason. When Jesus says, "I stand at the door and knock." Listen to this. It means that he is outside. and he is knocking wanting to come inside. This is a human tragedy that Jesus is outside desiring to come inside of your life, your house, your heart. It is the most miserable that Jesus is outside of his or her life.
One day a girl came to see me. She was weeping. I asked her, "What's wrong with you?" She said, "I am the most miserable girl in the world." I asked her? "Why do you think you are the most miserable girl in the world?" She said, "I was born in a very poor family. The day I was born, my father left home leaving my mother and the new born baby behind. That's why my mother had to suffer a very hard labor. But when I became a seventh grade student, my mother got very sick. Now she is sick from top to toe. So I am the most miserable student in the world." I answered, "The most miserable person is not the one like you but the one into whom Jesus can not come." Do you know why? The Bible says, "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God."(John 1:12) If you receive Jesus into your heart, you will become children of God. If you refuse Him to come into your heart, you are giving up the right to become children of God. So I say that the most miserable person in the world is not the one who was born in a poor family, or whose parents are very sick, or whose parent passed away, but the one into whom Jesus cannot come.
Now I have another big question in my mind. If Jesus is outside, why is he outside? I would like to add an answer to the question, "why Jesus is outside." How many of you want to have a clear answer to that question, "why jesus is outside?" I'm going to tell you.
But I have to tell you a little story so that you could understand the answer more clearly. Are you listening?
You know. I have heard the story. In 1950, we had a terrible war between north Korea and South Korea. It has become known as 'the Korean War'. Korea was a rubble land in ruin at that time. All devastated.
But I have heard a story of a young soldier that touched my heart. He just had married. He was very, very much in love with his wife, his beautiful, beautiful, beautiful wife. They spent some months together. And the young man was called up by the army and had go to fight in the war. He was sent to the northern front against the North Korean communist army. But the young man was captured by the communist soldiers of North Korea and became a prisoner of war. He was taken to coal mine which was a very, very cold and dark dungeon. I say, very, very hard work, and no food, and no clothes. Many, many prisoners of war died there. But for this young man the hardships of the coal mine dungeon were not the worst. Every morning he woke up and the first thought was, "how is my darling, my wife?" Her name was Eugene.
"Is Eugene still alive? Has she survived the war? Or would she be injured?" And when he got up in the morning, and when he started to work, go to his job, every foot he said, "Eugene", "Eugene", "Eugene"… When he was working with a pick hack over the coal rock or with a shovel, every time, "Eugene", "Eugene", "Eugene" … He was crazy in love with his wife. So he tried to find an opportunity to escape from the coal mine. Months passed. Years passed. But he didn't give up the chance to escape.
His wife hadn't heard that his husband was alive. And her husband didn't know if his wife was alive. one day he risked his life for running away from the concentration camp. At last he came to have a narrow escape from the coal mine. He ran and ran away to the south without stopping. Finally he crossed thru the 38th parallel. He had to suffer starving and lots of risks of being killed but he was happy. He was shouting to himself, "I'm going home. I'm going home. I'm going to see my wife."
Now listen. He arrived by train in his hometown. And his home city was all bombed. "Is my house still standing? Is my love, Eugene still alive?" He came into his own old street. All the houses were bombed or burnt down, except his own. He was running with the last strength he had. There he stood at his own door, and knocked. "knock, knock, knock…" Suddenly he heard footsteps inside. "tug, tug, tug…" You must please excuse me I cannot imitate the footsteps of the lady. But he knew the footsteps. He dreamt about her footsteps so often. And in a moment, the dream came true. The door opened. And there stood his beautiful wife Eugene. More beautiful than ever! He opened his arms. He shouted, "Eugene, I am back! The same moment Eugene slammed the door and shut it from the inside. He was outside and was knocking like a crazy man. "Eugene, open the door. I am your husband." But Eugene no more opened it. Do you want to know why? Because there was another man inside.
Now I want to tell you why Jesus is outside. I want to explain why Jesus is outside knocking. Jesus is outside because a wrong man is inside. And according to the Bible, the wrong bad man is Satan. It is Satan who brings torments and who brings fear. It is Satan who tempts husbands and wives to divorce. It is Satan that breaks the families in our land. It is Satan who brings adultery, fornication, alcoholism, and drug abuse. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they have life, and have it to the full."(John 10:10) The Bible calls the devil a murderer. And He is a murderer. But in all these, something wonderful is happening this morning. Jesus is knocking. Jesus is knocking. When you hear an old new face pastor preaching, Jesus is knocking. If you do the right thing now, your life will totally change. Jesus the Savior is knocking. Here I am, He says, I stand at the door and knock. Hallelujah!
Now is the time for you to become the children of God. Don't give up this very precious opportunity. If you open the door of your life by faith thru prayer, He will surely will come into your heart. Now Jesus is coming from the outside to the inside. Now I want to help any of you that want to have Jesus inside. Any of you, copy my prayer, then Jesus will come into your heart.
Now, let's pray; Repeat after me:
O, Jesus. Thank you for this great chance to be your child. Thank you for dying on the cross to forgive my sin. Now I want to receive you as my Savior. I want Jesus from outside to inside now. I open my heart. Come into my life. I surrender all to you now. I surrender my whole life to you now. Thank you for being my Lord forever. Thank you for having me as your child. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen!
Questions
1. Why didn't Eugene have his husband inside?
2. What is the thief who steals and kills and destroys in us?
3. What right is given to him or her who receives Jesus as his or her Savior?
사회자 멘트(2-2 박성화)
1. silent prayer(묵상기도): Let's begin our worship service with a silent prayer.
Second Grade 2 and 3 class will lead the worship service.
2.Apostles' creed(신앙고백): Let's confirm our faith by reading The Apostles' creed.
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ His only son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell;
the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Universal Church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting. Amen.
3.hymn(찬송): Let's sing a new hymn number 563 and an old hymn number 411, together.
4.prayer(기도): Let's pray sister Kim Ji-sung will lead us into prayer.
5.(bible)성경말씀: We will now hear the word of God.
New testament on page 403
The bible is from Revelation cheapter 3 verse 20
If you find it Let's read together.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Amen
6.(anthem)찬양: It's time for praise by second grade 2and 3 class.
7. sermon(설교): It's time for message of God, Gwangjoo Speer girl's high school chaplin Kim young-sun will tell the message, Jesus is knocking.
I hope you have a lot of grace, when chaplin preaching.
8. benediction(축도)
2-3반 김지성의 기도문
Let's Pray
Almighty God, thank you for this wonderful day.
Thank you for your love.
We have sins.
The Bible says 'Love each other.' But we didn't obey your words. Please forgive our sins.
Please always be with Jeong-Myoung students as they follow you.
Lovely God, Supernatural God
Please use us for your world and this country.
Help us to live your purpose.
Bless our teachers and give power to our paster who preaches about your world.
We want to choose new lives when we listen to the Bible.
We only praise you Lord. Please receive our service.
We know you love us so much.
We believe you Lord. We love you Lord with all of our heart.
Although we say we love you a millions time everyday,
it is too little to show our love.
We love you more than anything.
We pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen