Remaining Ones that Shine the Light in Darkness (Isaiah 60:1-7) 9/1/2019

Actualization of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC:

Remaining Ones that Shine the Light in Darkness (Isaiah 60:1-7)                      9/1/2019

 

Last week, we went out for evangelism camp to a region called “Barry Farm” in Southeast Washington, D.C. I was vaguely aware that is was a region full of crimes, poverty, and substance addicts, and the fact that it is a region now under renovation and development.

Historically, it turned out to be a very important region. During Abraham Lincoln’s time, the Freedmen’s Bureau (officially the U.S. Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands) bought this farm from David and Julia Barry and transformed it into a post-Civil War community of formerly enslaved and free-born African Americans. One of the heroes of the Civil War, General Oliver Howard, was also in support of this acquisition. With his name, Howard University was established. The faith of Abraham Lincoln, who stated that “all men are created equal” and proposed to end slavery as his presidential campaign and platform was very special. However, the faith of General Howard has its own legacy. One day, when his friends and family wanted to invite him to a dinner party on Wednesday, he could not attend because he had an important meeting set up beforehand. After moving it to Thursday, they later found out that the important meeting was a meeting with God at Wednesday service. Such spiritual atmosphere carried over later to the churches of Korea and continued the Sunday night worship and Wednesday night worships. I thought about how this precious and important city became such a dangerous and evil place to be.

As we went around the region, we were shocked at how the churches there made it to be that way. Thankfully, our pastor Dexter continuously shared the gospel in this area and churches nearby, and one of the individuals that he met desires to embrace the city as an important field for world evangelism and follow God’s plan.

Issues of poverty, crimes, and drug use are not only problems of this region. The entire nation of America is suffering from terrorist attacks and substance use. Many medications that are used in hospitals contain traces of drugs, and we are legalizing marijuana. But what are churches doing? We are the ones that God has remained. There is an important answer within the passage.

 

  1. We must enjoy the light of Christ that is within us (1-2). How must we enjoy this?

1) First, we must be aware that there will come a time in which darkness covers the earth (verse 2).

What does that darkness signify? All suffering, curses, and calamities that come upon the peoples. The Bible speaks of the spiritual entity that creates those sufferings, curses, and calamities and drags us humans to fall deeply into them (Job).

What does the Bible call them? It is he who corrupted the first lives and destroyed the relationship between God and man (Genesis 3:1-5).

The ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him (Revelations 12:9). They were angels that had become corrupted (Ezekiel 28:14-15). Jesus said he is the prince of this world (John 14:30), and the rulers, authorities and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12) that will lead the world into suffering.

2) We must meet the Christ who came to destroy this darkness and liberate us from sin, curses, and Satan.

Christ did not just solve our problems of sin and curses. He crushed he head of Satan (Genesis 3:15). This was the first gospel that God gave as soon as mankind fell. To the people suffering from mental illnesses, drugs addictions, and incomprehensible problems, we must share this gospel of Christ (1 John 3:8). This is not simply a matter of sin. We are unaware that we are oppressed by the authority of darkness (Acts 10:38). Becoming free from this is salvation (Colossians 1:13-14).

Christ had come as the Light to crush this authority of darkness (John 1:4).

When we accept Christ as the savior of our lives, that light comes upon us (verse 1). The Bible names us children of light (Ephesians 5:8), and we have been given the right to become children of God (John 1:12). In the passage it says, “the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” From there, 7 authorities (filling, guidance, and working of the Holy Spirit, help of angels, victory over Satan, heavenly background, and world conquest).

3) No longer be deceived by your environment, reality, or yourself, and stand up boldly.

Restore your spiritual self-confidence (restoration of self). Hold onto the word and look upon God 24 hours (prayer). Then go forth to share this Christ of only. People will come alive, and lives will change (evangelism and missions).

 

  1. There are blessings that follow those who enjoy this Light. There are three blessings that people who enjoy Christ will receive.

1) Blessing of an evangelist (verse 3-4). God confirmed this in Acts 1:8.

Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

God will use us as the ones to save all peoples and their kings. That is multi-ethnic ministry.

“Kings will come to you.” It means that God will raise up remnants to the place of summit (blessings that the 7 remnants enjoyed).

“All assemble and come to you.” This is why we must be centered on saving lives.

Do not think lightly of people around you. Lead them to hear the gospel and always remember that it might be someone that God had prepared.

“Sons will come from afar.” They are the multi-ethnic children, TCKs, CCKs, and NCKs. Our children’s ministry and young adults must receive strength to help these individuals to be used for world evangelism. Even if it is just one person, have one heart, whole heart, and continuation and try 1 day, 3 masterpieces. Even if you pray for them 3 times a day, it becomes 3 masterpieces.

2) Financial blessings for evangelism and mission (verse 5). “The wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.”

God had given us the financial blessings to be able to conquer and rule over the world from the beginning (Genesis 1:28).

We lost all of this to Satan. Now, the New Age, Freemasons, and other religious organization and authorities under darkness rule over the idolatry economy, and the economy of corruption rules over the world.

Through us, God will save the world (social enterprise), the posterity (welfare enterprise), and all nation (missions enterprise). We must prepare our vessels.

Do not be oppressed by money. Try not to accumulate debt (Romans 13:8). Shape up the scale of your life.

3) Blessings to save the churches (verse 6-7).

We must go through realistic training to save the church (worship training, prayer training, offering training, volunteering training, evangelism training).

All nations will come bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

There are so many dependent churches. We must be blessed enough and we must devote enough to save those churches. Saving the remnants and people of all nations is the way to save the churches. Even when out church went through financial difficulties at times, the offerings of remnants and multi-ethnic members saved the church.

 

Conclusion – We are living in a world full of darkness. There are people suffering under this darkness in your workplaces and fields. We have the answer to save them, and we are the “remaining ones” that will be fully blessed to save all nations.

 

9.1.19 English

 

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