-
인도의 확신으로 사는 삶 <Life by the Assurance of Guidance>
Today’s verse
(Romans 8:14-16, NIV)
『[14] because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
[15] For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
[16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.』
While Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, we are adopted children legally by receiving Jesus Christ. While Jesus Christ whose nature is exactly same with God the Father is the Son of God, we were made in God’s image and adopted by the Spirit of the sonship. Adopted sons and daughters have the same responsibility and right with true children.
In adopted children, the Spirit of sonship who is the Holy Spirit dwells. He makes them call God as ‘Abba, Father.’ In concert with their spirit, he proves that they are children of God and assures them of God’s inheritors. And the ery one, the Holy Spirit guides thier life.
Do you believe the Holy Spirit dwells in you?
Do you call God as Abba, the Father?
Do you believe the Holy Spirit dwelling in you gives testimony that you are children of God?
Do you believe the Holy Spirit assures you of God’s inheritor?
Do you believe the Holy Spirit guides your life?
God leads our life as he led the Israelite with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire in the Old Testament era. Specifically, God leads us through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
Number 1. God’s Presence and Guidance
Number 2. How God leads Us
Number 3. God’s Guidance Involves Training
1. God’s Presence and Guidance
God was with the old covenant’s people and led their life in the Old Testament era.
God was with the old covenant’s people who were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses. When the Israelite came out of Egypt, God was with them. The church in Old Testament era symbolized God’s presence who led Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses by the word. He was with Moses and led him. In the wilderness, the Israelites was guided by a pillar of could and fire.
1. God’s Presence and Guidance
God was with Jacob and guided him.
(Gn 28:15, NIV)
『I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."』
(Gn 31:42, NIV)
『If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you."』
God was with Joseph and led him.
(Genesis 39:2-3, NIV)
『[2] The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
[3] When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did,』
(Genesis 45:5-8, NIV)
『[5] And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
[6] For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping.
[7] But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
[8] "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.』
God was with the Israelites in the wilderness and led them.
(Exodus 40:34-38, NIV)
『[34] Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
[35] Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
[36] In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;
[37] but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out--until the day it lifted.
[38] So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.』
(Dt 29:5, NIV)
『During the forty years that I led you through the desert, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.』
God is with the New Covenant’s people and leads their life.
Jesus came to the world to save his people from their sin so that they would be with God. During his public life, he preached and taught the kingdom of God and healed the sick. He was crucified and resurrected. And he sent the Holy Spirit to the church community on Whitsunday. Since the Holy Spirit came upon church, he has been dwelling in us individually. God made us the holy temple where he dwells.
The Holy Spirit has been with church community and leads them into the truth of God. He dwells in individuals and guides each life for a holy and blessed way to please God. God uses all things for the good. Therefore, we always should be filled with the Holy Spirit and ruled over by him fully.
Jesus came to save his people from their sin and made them be with God.
(Matthew 1:21-23, NIV)
『[21] She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
[22] All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet：
[23] "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."』
When the Holy Spirit comes, he is with us forever and dwells in us.
(John 14:16-17, NIV)
『[16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--
[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.』
Corinthian church community was a temple of God where the Holy Spirit lives.
(1Corinthians 3:16-17, NIV)
『[16] Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?
[17] If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.』
Our individual body is a temple of God where the Holy Spirit dwells.
(1Corinthians 6:19-20, NIV)
『[19] Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
[20] you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.』
The Holy Spirit who dwells in us guides us.
(John 16:13-14, NIV)
『[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.
[14] He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.』
(Rm 8:14, NIV)
『because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.』
Do you believe the Holy Spirit is with your church community?
Do you believe the Holy Spirit dwells in you?
Do you believe the Holy Spirit leads your church into the truth?
The master of church community is not a man but our Lord Jesus Christ. Pastors in charge or elders or someone who gave offerings a lot cannot be the mater of the chruch. The master of church community is Jesus Christ only. The Lord set at the right hand of God guides church community into the will and truth of God. So church community must be full of the Holy Spirit. Through the word, we have to discern what is the will pleasing to God. When we serve in the church we should not insist our insist and though. Being full of the Holy Spirit, we should volunteer and serve for God’s pleasure and his will.
Do you believe the Holy Spirit guides your individual life into a way of goodness, blessing and plesure of God?
God leads his people into his blessed way through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. This is why we always should seek for fullness of the Spirit.
2. How God Guides Us.
1) The Old Covenant’s People in the Old Testament era
When the Israelite lived in the wilderness, God led them by the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. When the pillars stopped, they stopped. When they moved and went, they followed and moved on. The pillar of cloud and fire represented God’s presence wherever they go. God guides man through the word. So did he to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and Joshua and David and to the Israelite. The writer of Psalm said,‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.’ So if whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night, he will prosper, said Psalm. To follow the word of God is a life to please God, which is led by God.
God’s word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
(Psalms 119:105, NIV）
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Abraham who listened to the word of God and obeyed was guided by God.
(Genesis 12:1-4, NIV)
『[1] The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
[2] "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
[3] I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
[4] So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.』
Blessed man delights in the law of God and meditates on it day and night.
(Psalms 1:1-3, NIV)
『[1] Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
[2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
[3] He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.』
If keeping the law of God and meditating on it, they will be blessed and prosper.
(Joshua 1:7-8, NIV)
『[7] Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
[8] Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.』
2) The New Covenant’s people in the New Testament times
God guided New Covenant’s people through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of sonship dwells in the New Covenant’s people who are children of God. He allows them call God ‘Abba, the Father’ and leads them by the word into a prosperous and blessed way of God.
God leads his people as he did in the Old Testament era. Instead of the pillar of cloud and fire symbolizing God’s guidance, the Holy Spirit directly leads God’s people. He uses the word as an instrument and guides us. Jesus said, his own sheep follow him as they hear his voice. And he also said, when the Holy Spirit comes, he will let them know by the Lord’s and lead into the truth.
The Holy Spirit leads God’s children.
(Rm 8:14, NIV)
『because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.』
Sheep of Christ hears his voice and follow.
(John 10:3-9, NIV)
『[3] The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
[4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
[5] But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.“
[9] I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.』
The Holy Spirit tells Jesus Christ’s and guides us into all the truth.
(John 16:13-14, NIV)
『[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.
[14] He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.』
Do you believe the Holy Spirit guides you?
Do you believe the Holy Spirit uses the word for guiding you?
3. God’s Guidance Involves Training.
God uses the word for leading his people. When they do not obey God’s will, he disciplines them for correcting them to obey. When we obey the word of God, we will be blessed and prosper. Training is hard and tough. Hebrews says tough disciplines must be done if you are true sons and daughters.
Numbers is called as a book of guidance. It is written how God guided the Israelites from the wilderness in Sinai to the plain of Moab in the Jordan for forty years. When they obeyed God, they prospered. God led them into the fasttest and best way with the cloud pillar and fire pillar. He fed them with manna and quail. Also he changed the bitter water into sweet one, beating the rock for living water. He protected them from snakes and scorpions in the wilderness and made them defeat the enemies although they were in poor surroundings.
On the other hand, when they disobeyed, God disciplined them with strict training. A representative example is here; 12 secret detectives were sent to Canaan before they entered the land. After the Israelites heard the report of the detectives, they complained to God and asked to return to Egypt. They went against God and tried to oppose him with their words and deeds. Although they said they believe God, what they did was not based on the faith. They did not trust the word of God's promise nor obeyed actually. Since they didn't follow the will of God, God trained them in the wilderness for forty years harshly by calculating one day as one year. The first generation of the Israelites died all in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb. Even Moses only saw the land of Canaan but died, not setting foot on that land. The second generation was tranied for revering and obeying God in the wildereness. Finally, the land of Canaan was conquered by a successor of Moses, Joshua. God led the second generation of the Israelites including Joshua and Caelb into Canaan. God for sure uses all things for those who were called according to his will for the good. God did so to Joseph as well.
For forty years, God harshly trained the second generation in the desert.
(Numbers 14:33-34, NIV)
『[33] Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert.
[34] For forty years--one year for each of the forty days you explored the land--you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.'』
God works for those who love God by using all things for the good.
(Rm 8:28, NIV)
『And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.』
God changed even the evil behavior of Joseph's older brothers into the good.
(Genesis 50:19-21, NIV)
『[19] But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
[20] You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
[21] So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.』
Let us summarize what we learned so far.
God guides his children through the Holy Spirit who dwells in them by the word. This is the truth. When we obey the word of God and follow the desire of the Holy Spirit, he guides us in a prosperous way. He makes what we are doing go well. In contrast, when we do not follow his word but do what the sinful nature wants, God disciplines us harshly so that we would follow the Spirit again. Life does not go well with us and we wander for a long time just as the Israelites turned round and round by wasting their time, forty years in the desert. We might be like them if we do so. What we are trying to do might not go well. However, God ultimately accomplishes what he planned by using all things. Just if we do not obey, it takes longer time reaching that goal. It depends on us how long we will go through disciplines.
Today's verses, Romans 8 verse from 14 to 16 say, cut the desire of the flesh off and then you can easily follow the desire of the Holy Spirit. Proverbs, the book of wisom says to us, do not depend on your wisdom but trust the LORD and acknowledge him in every way then he will guide you.
When we draw up our will and are powered by the Holy Spirit, we can kill the deeds of the flesh and can be led by Holy Spirit's guidance.
(Romans 8:12-14, NIV)
『[12] Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.
[13] For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
[14] because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.』
Not leaning on my understanding but trusting the Lord makes us be led by him.
(Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)
『[5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
[6] in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.』
(Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)
『[5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
[6] in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.』
Here's final questions before closing the sermon.
Do you believe the Holy Spirit uses the word for guidng your life?
Did you learn that when you follow the desire of the Holy Spirit, you can be guided into blessed and prosperous way?
In contrast, when you disobey the word of God, your life will be wasted and it may not go well with everything. Did you learn about it?
Do you believe God guides you into his goodness by using all the things? Although we disobey him or are being trained harshly, God for sure guides us, using even all these disobedience.
Will you do these five things for being guided by God?
1. Will you acknowledge God in all things?
2. Will you trust the LORD with all your heart not leaning on your understanding?
3. Will you seek for the Holy Spirit's guidance?
4. Will you obey the word?
5. Will you cut the sinful nature off?
