Life after Salvation (2): Being used for God's Kingdom (Col 1:25)

서론

- Last time, we dealt with how to live after salvation as a Christian. <PPT>

- What did I say? I said that sanctification should be the purpose of our lives. Sanctification means becoming more and more like Jesus in character throughout our lifetime. In our lives, our God is glorified through our sanctified life, not through successful life.

- Today, I am about to deal with life after salvation continuously.

- Today’s message is this: For our short life to be meaningful and valuable, we should be used for the kingdom of God. I am saying of being used by God.

Being used for the Kingdom of God

- If sanctification is about the one-to-one relationship with God, being used for the kingdom of God is a broader concept.

- The life of being used by God is to live a life from the perspective of God.

- EX: Let’s think about a relationship between a father and his child.

- When a child grows, being loved by his father, he or she focuses on the relationship with the father when he was young. He would be very dependent on the parent, and he would feel happy out of the sense of intimacy with the parent.

- But as he becomes maturer, he becomes concerned about what his father does, where the father’s concern is, as well as the relationship itself.

- The same is true of Christian life. As faith grows, mature Christians become more concerned about God’s matter, God’s concern.

- God’s concern lies in God’s kingdom .

- What is the kingdom of God? <PPT>

- The kingdom of God means “the spiritual realm (territory) God reigns over as the King.” Especially, the Kingdom of God consists of the King and His people. The king our God wants many people to be saved and to enter and experience the reign of God.

- God’s concern is in God’s kingdom, His people.

!! God wants to use us for this, for His Kingdom.

<< Col 1:25 / Paul became God’s servant.

- Servant is a man who is used for the master’s matter, according to the master’s will.

- Clearly, Paul was God’s lovely son. But he is confessing that he is also God’s servant.

- We all have a negative feeling about the word, servant. But what matters is whose servant he or she is. God’s servant is an honorable position because the master is the highest one in the world. And the master does not treat his servants harshly. The master treats His servants with love and generosity. And he shares his glory with his servants. So being God’s servant, being used by God is not a shameful thing but a glorious thing.

- Our lives are very short. And there is only one life for everyone. If we can live our lives, being used by God, it is the most valuable life, the most meaningful life.

- EX: Imagine the situation where the most handsome or most pretty, most attractive and awesome person around you is planning something important very hard. In that situation, he wants you to participate in that project and wants to give a role to you. How would you feel? You would be pleased! You would feel honored that the great guy needed your help.

- Being used by God for the kingdom is like this.

- Being used by the most glorious God for His project is a honorable thing.

>> God wants to use us all as well as Paul for His project.

>> He is calling you guys for the matter of His kingdom. He wants to use your life for that project.

하나님이 주신 사명 The Commission God gave us

1) 본문 설 명

<< Col 1:25

- Paul says he became the servant by the commission God gave him.

- What is a commission? 사명이 무엇인가? <PPT>

- Commission, this word, is also translated as “stewardship / mission.”

- This word means “a particular responsibility that a master gives to his servant for some important purpose.” It’s a kind of important mission from a master.

- God gave Paul a commission for God’s kingdom.

- The commission Paul received was to make known the truth of the gospel to this world, especially to Gentiles.

2) God gives commissions to us all. 하나님은 우리 모두에게 사명을 주신다. <PPT>

- God gives commissions to us as well as Paul. He gives commission to every believer. He does not give commissions to just pastors.

- That is why God gave the Holy Spirit to every believer. God gave every believer the Holy Spirit for them to bear their own missions.

- 그런데 그 사명은 사람마다 다 다르다. But the commissions differ from person to person.

- Someone’s commission is to preach the word of God. Another’s commission is to evangelize those who don’t know Jesus.

- Another’s commission is to help poor people so they can feel the love of Jesus through the good work.

3) 사명을 발견하고 감당하라

- We can be used for the kingdom of God by carrying out the commission God gave each of us.

>> Thus, we have to discover the commission God gave each of us! And we should bear the mission.

- What do you think is your special commission God gave you? Think about it.

- To discover your own mission, it may be helpful to think of your talents God gave you.

- Or, think when you feel happy among many jobs you have done in the church.

- EX: Some of you may be used for God’s kingdom by preaching the word of God like me.

- Some of you may be used for the kingdom as missionaries.

- Some of you may be used by God for your family’s salvation.

- by counseling others / through your art skills / by playing the musical instruments or through your praise

- Every mission is different from person to person. God has diverse commissions for each of you.

!! Whatever your commission is, it should be helpful to make you and others sanctified.

- In other words, your mission should have to do with leading others to Jesus and building others up holy before God. Because it is the matter of God’s kingdom.

Being used through the church 교회를 통해 쓰임받기

1) 본문 설명

<< Col 1:25

- Paul says he has become its servant. What is it here? “Church”

- Paul identifies himself as the servant of the church.

!! It means that church is the most general means we can be used for the kingdom of God.

- Of course, we can be used in our family or school or workplace.

!! But church is God’s appointed community where we can build others up and carry out our missions for the kingdom of God. In the church! Through the church!

2) Be used in the church! through the church!

- You guys can be used by God in the church now! You can carry out your commissions from God in HIBC now.

- EX: worship team / leading games for fellowship / 주보 만들기 / welcome others well / approach others first / prepare service / Listening to others’ thought and concerns / pray for them

- Anything is okay. You can be used according to your gifts. You can be used for the kingdom of God to come true in our community.

- In your future,

- EX: you can be used as small group leaders or mentors for others or other roles in the church.

- Anything is okay. God will be pleased if you are helping others spritually grow and become mature before God through your service.

3) Application

>> Discover your gift and carry out the commission God gave you for the kingdom of God

!! That is being used by God.

>> Desire to be used by God!

>> Especially, desire to be used in the church.

- Although church is not perfect, although church can be sometimes not holy, church is still the body of Christ.

>> Stay in the church continuously! Be used in the church! Be used to build up God’s church. God will be pleased with your service.

!! Our lives after salvation should be like this.

Conclusion

- We have talked about how we should live after being salvation, what kind of life is meaningful.

- Regarding one-to-one relationship with God, the Bible said we must be more and more like Jesus throughout our lifetime.

- And today I said, regarding the kingdom of God, we should live a life of being used for the kingdom of God, by bearing our missions God gave us.

- Last night, I saw my wife wearing new clothes. It looked pretty. So I said, “I like your dress. How much is it?”

- She said, “3 dollars.” I said, “I thought It was 300 dollar dress when you are wearing.”

!! It doesn’t matter how much the clothes are. What matters is who is wearing the clothes.

- In the same way, it is important whose hand we are being held by. I mean it is important by whom we are used.

- If your life is used by the real King of kings and our creator, if you are being held by his hand, your life is most meaningful and valuable.

!! On the last day, the Lord will ask us, “Did you carry out the commission I gave you faithfully?”

- If you are acknowledged as used by God faithfully, God will pay back with eternal reward and praise for you, saying like this! “Well done! good and faithful servant! Come and share your master’s happiness!”

- Remember! By being used for the kingdom of God, you can glorify God.

- And through being used by God, you participate in God’s glory.

찬양과 기도

1) 찬양: 주님 내가 여기 있사오니

2) 함께 기도

- (a) That we may realize how glorious being used by God is. Make us desire to be used for the kingdom of God.

- (b) That we may discover the commission God gave us and bear the mission from you in our lifetime. Let me glorify you through our service for your kingdom!