Holy Refugees that God has Left Behind (Deut. 16:9-12) 7/7/2019
Actualization of the 1st 2nd 3rd RUTC:
Holy Refugees that God has Left Behind (Deut. 16:9-12) 7/7/2019
During our mission trip to Colombia this year, we received many answers, and many doors that will continue this evangelism movement to save the entire central and south Americas opened. On the second day, we went to the border between Venezuela and Colombia to treat and share the gospel with the people fleeing from Venezuela. It was a shelter run by a big church in Colombia to temporarily help the refugees that come by.
There are three types of refugees in the world. The Bible records how these refugees become the ones to save the world after receiving the gospel. They are not merely refugees; they are the holy remnants that God has left behind.
First, there are people that become refugees due to personal and family issues. Joseph, who was sold as a slave by his brothers, was also a refugee. When Joseph held onto God’s covenant during his hardships, God raised him up as the remnant that will save Egypt.
Second, there are people that become refugees due to political issues and national downfall. David fled from King Saul, but God raised him up as the king of that age. The Israelites lives as refugees fleeing from Babylon for 70 years, but they were used as the ones to save all nations, as spiritual leaders, and as evangelists in their respective fields (Isaiah 55:4).
Third, there are people that become refugees because of the gospel life the people from the Early Church. Nevertheless, God used them to share the gospel to the Jews, to all the Gentiles, and to the ends of the earth. Among them was Phillip, who went to Samaria (Acts 8:4-8), and the gospel that reached Antioch and the Greeks became the start of world missions (Acts 11:19-21).
- Do you know what is truly important? It is the fact that in this world, we are all spiritual refugees.
Today is the day of Feast of Harvest. The first fruits of harvest were wheat, and it was called the Feasts of Firstfruits or the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22). There is another important meaning. In verse 12, the Israelites were told to remember and keep the days of slavery(refugee) in Egypt. This was not only for the Israelites. In 1 Peter 1:1, the elect people of God were called exiles that were scattered throughout the provinces.
1) From the beginning, mankind was deceived by Satan, separated from their relationship with God, and were thus exiled from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23).
① All problems of mankind began from this. This is called the original curse (Romans 5:12).
② That curse flowed down to us from all our respective nations and ancestors. This is something that we did not choose and is so unfair. From the moment we are born, we do not know God. Curses that we do not even know came upon our lives. The Satan that deceived Adam is still the thief and the murderer of this world (John 10:10). Unbeknown to us, we live amidst the 12 curses.
2) Because we cannot solve this problem, God promised us his Son through the Bible. That Son is Christ.
① He promised to come and crush the head of Satan, who created all the problems of this world (Genesis 3:15).
② He promised to free us from all sin, curses, and destiny (Exodus 3:18). The moment they applied the blood of the lamb, their curses were finished.
③ Even if everything perishes and you stand alone, it does not matter. He promised to be with you (Isaiah 7:14). He gave us the feast of Pentecost for us to remember that Christ will be with us through the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is another name for the Feast of Harvest.
④ Is this Holy Spirit comes, the saved people of God will dream dreams of saving the world (Joel 2:28). This is World Evangelism.
- How did God say He will bless those who confess and enjoy this Christ?
It is the blessing that Jesus gave to Peter when he confessed that “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” in Matthew 16:16-20. “Blessed are you.”
1) “You are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church.”
Are you always lonely and anxious with nothing to show? Christ will become your rock and will hold fast onto you. Your life will become evidence, and you will be used to save people like you and the entire world. For this reason, the Holy Spirit came upon this day 50 days after Passover.
2) “The gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Because Christ works in our lives through the Holy Spirit, the forces of darkness are broken, and the kingdom of God comes upon wherever we go (Matthew 12:28). With the assurance of victory, do not be deceived but fight with the name of Christ (Luke 10:19).
3) “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”
God truly hears the prayers of those who know the authority of the name of Christ. Whatever we bind and loose, God will work accordingly. He will work beyond what we can even imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
- There are three things we must realistically experience in our lives as we enjoy this authority of Christ.
1) Hold onto God’s absolute plan. We ourselves are the first fruits of God. That is what the Feast of First Fruits mean.
In everything that happens in your life, look for the plan of God. That is why we pray (Jeremiah 33:3). Because there undoubtedly is a hidden plan of God, change everything into thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6-7, 1Tessalonians 5:16-18). What is His big plan? He is going to useus to save people like us and many other lives (Acts 1:8). Because of that absolute plan of God, God has to change all our studies, devotion, tears and pain into evidence.
2) Think of God’s absolute field. Wherever you are, experience the work of the Holy Spirit. That is the meaning of Pentecost.
Do not simply think about making a living. That is the level of non-believers’ lives. Wherever you are is a missions field. The Early Church members carried out evangelism and missions even at the place they were chased out to. Interpret everything with evangelism and missions. The Holy Spirit will absolutely work upon your studies, work, and business for you to be able to do world evangelism.
3) Think of God’s absolute disciples. They are the fruits that we must go along with forever. That is the Feast of Harvest.
In your field, there is a disciple that God has prepared before creation. There is a disciple that will continue this gospel movement until the end (Acts 13:48). These prepared people of God are called the “the ones who remain.” They will become the remaining ones, and the ones who will leave behind. During this mission trip, many of our team members were able to individually meet people that God had prepared. This kind of meeting is of utmost happiness. (Pastor of a great ministry that had been holding onto the covenant of remnant in Isaiah 49:6, a doctor that serves a small church as a pastor that wishes to live as an evangelist like Luke, and youth ministers that realized they need to overturn all their messages and begin anew after hearing the gospel, etc.)
Conclusion – Without Christ, everyone is a wandering spiritual refugee in this world. However, by knowing Christ and concentrating on the answer of God’s absolute plan, absolute field, and absolute disciples, we are the holy refugees that God has left behind as remnants; the first fruits. Through us, many more eternal fruits must continue to bear. For this purpose, the work of the Holy Spirit must continue to be upon us and our church. May the entirety of our lives be within this answer and blessing.