Remaining Ones Who Hold onto the Blessing of Heavenly Mandate (Matt. 24:3-14)
Remaining Ones Who Hold onto the Blessing of Heavenly Mandate (Matt. 24:3-14)
There have been many signs of the end times, but it has never been as serious as it is now.
So many places are experiencing disasters, wars, and terrors. It is predicted that in the next 20-30 years, it will be difficult to live on earth (global warming, radioactive contamination, explosive growth of the population). The core of 4th industrial revolution is artificial intelligence and genetic cloning. It is going to be that humans will become unnecessary. However, there is an even more heartbreaking reality.
Churches are closing their doors and crumbling down. Churches of Europe, Korea, and the United States are facing a similar reality. The Lord prophesized that Satan will attack through persecution, conflicts, and false prophets and temptations. The problem is that the churches do not possess the spiritual power to retaliate against it. All the spiritual aspects are dominated by the New Age and other organizations alike.
Would God leave the churches to crumble this way? There are the ones that God has remained (Isaiah 6:13, Romans 11:5, Revelations 12:17). This is the reason why the Upper Room movement emphasizes the covenant of “remnants.”
There is an important evidence of the end times. That is verse 14. “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” This is where the Upper Room movement’s covenant of 10 million disciples, 237 nations, and our church’s covenant of 3 thousand disciples, 300 regional churches, and 30 nations come from. God is opening tremendous doors (China, India, Southern Pacifics, Africa, Russia, and Muslins).
- Now, we need only to be sure of two things.
1) The last week’s message. Hold fast onto the covenant and do not lose hold of the covenantal line and flow.
It is the covenant of three only’s. Only Christ, only God’s kingdom, and only the power of the Holy Spirit. We who hold onto this covenant of only, we are not merely getting by. In that line of the covenant, following the flow of the covenant, we are living the covenant journey. It may seem like you are being stripped of everything you have and are collapsing, but you will stand as the ones to restore and save all things.
2) What is the conclusion for our lives? It is God’s conclusion. He will heal and bless us to save the world.
For that reason, God will make everything – ourselves, families, businesses, future, tears and pain – into evidence (Acts 1:8).
- We must hold onto this life conclusion as our heavenly mandate, calling, and mission. That is the covenant we will hold onto this week.
1) What is heavenly mandate? It is not simply God’s commands. It is His desire, His plan. This is God’s mission.
① Our salvation was not of our own plan, choice, or diligence.
It was prepared before creation (Romans 16:25-27), and it was the fulfillment of God’s plan, God’s choice and God’s own zeal. 2 Corinthians 11:2 expresses God’s diligence as “jealousy.” In other words, it is his zeal and pity for us. With that zeal and heartbreaking pity, he is finding all the ones he has intended to save (Acts 13:48).
② God will use us for his work.
Despite our shortcomings and failures, God will use us as coworkers. This zeal and pity of God must become our own. Discover it in prayer and meditation on the word. Through all your problems and heartaches, see the people who are in even greater conflicts. This is realizing the heavenly mandate.
③ God has prepared everything for those who have realized this heavenly mandate.
As it says in Matthew 28:18-20, the one who has all authority on heaven and on earth will be with us until the ends of the earth. Even if it is small, if you do it in the name of Christ, it will become God’s masterpiece and evidence.
2) For this heavenly mandate, he has called us individually. That is called “calling.”
We must hold onto the God that desires to use us and has called us by name (Isaiah 40:26, 43:1).
(1) What is the standard? God calls those who he desires (Mark 3:13-15).
God knows our weaknesses, our shame, and failures, yet he is calling us into his love and grace. That is why those who have realized this calling cannot be arrogant. There is nothing to boast about, nothing to be discouraged about.
(2) God called us as royal priesthood that will praise and proclaim only of His glory (1 Peter 2:9).
When we pray in the name of Christ, darkness is broken down and the Holy Spirit works. This is the king’s authority. When we proclaim of only Christ, people are healed and saved. This is the priest’s authority. It is not through me or us. The authority and power of Christ is being revealed through us.
(3) Concentrate to listen to God’s calling and his word for us and follow him.
① Because we are so focused on the noises of the world and people, we are unable to hear God.
Listen to God’s voice today. Begin your day with word, prayer, and evangelism and listen to his sound (3 todays). Young Samuel hears God’s voice while sleeping next to the ark of the covenant (1 Samuel 3:3-4). In your toughest times, listen to God’s messages. When Elijah was near death, he heard the subtle voice of God (1 King 19:12). There, Elijah holds onto the covenant of the 7 thousand that God has remained and realizes his individual covenant.
② Thus, we must not be deprived of our personal time of concentration on God. That is the time of concentration (meaning of concentrated training).
Even when you worship together, tune into your own personal time. Train your alone time to be used as the time to concentrate on God.
3) There will be things that God gives only to you, in your field, that only you can do. That is called “mission.”
① Begin with something rightful. There are rightful and appropriate things that you should do in your position.
Whether it is within your families or workplaces, you are to take it as things that God has entrusted to you and do them in thanksgiving (vocation).
② It may seem like insignificant things. But it is not. Do them as you would for God (Matthew 25:40).
Even the smallest of tasks can become necessary and absolute if you do them for God. One day, it will become your specialty (profession).
That task you take on before God, those small seeds that you sow, will become your everlasting blessing (Galatians 6:7-8).
③ There are things that God entrusts to the servant of God and the church. That is the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.
“You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.” When God entrusts us with things, he knows our capacities and promised to allow us the power and wisdom to handle it. As you receive strength and wisdom within this prayer, administer your studies, work, and positions (Philippians 3:3). God will lead us to know things that nonbelievers do not, go to places they cannot, and do the things that they can’t to save the world (occupation).
Conclusion – We are in the end times. Do not lose hold of the covenantal flow, and be the ones to enjoy your heavenly mandate, calling, and mission. We are the witnesses of the end times.