Our sermon today relates deeply with our cultural event. The purpose of this service is to help us understand how important it is to work together as one Church. As you know, many of us are from different backgrounds and cultures. However, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we become one in Christ. We are God’s family.
We will, as always, look to the bible for guidance. In the following passage, you will see, for example, how Hezekiah served God as a king of Judah. King Hezekiah was one of the great kings in Judah. He served God faithfully but did not worship idols in his kingdom. He was with God in his kingdom. And 2 Kings 18:5-6 says, “Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast (united) to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses.” So Hezekiah followed the Lord’s teachings in all that he did as King.
Hezekiah trusted in God. He also united his people in God. When exploring what he did, we can look at the Hebrew meaning of Unite, dabaq(דָּבַק), which means, “to join, attach with glue, bake dough in the oven, so that all the ingredients can be united into one.” It also means to use all the various ingredients (in this case all people) to make one community or country. This is what we are told Hezekiah did. This is what made him a great king. This is a model for us here at Greyfriars. As with Hezekiah’s people, we need to work together to help each other to know and follow Christ through our church. In these passages of 2 Kings 18 we can see why God valued King Hezekiah as his servant. Because Hezekiah obeyed God and united his people. In his reign, He focused on God. Mighty God helped him to teach his people how to live and work together for God.
Last Sunday we had a Pentecostal service. We learned that the Holy Spirit came upon his people who gathered and worshipped God. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. After this, they went out to help others to know and follow God. They united God’s people with their works. When they gathered together, they were able to know more about God. In our church we are also given this opportunity to learn to understand more about our God and his people. When we look at the apostles, and what they did after they were filled with the Holy Spirit we can learn from them.
In God’s koinonia, fellowship, ‘sharing’ means “to help someone with our spiritual gifts or/and wealth.” These early believers obeyed and united in God. After they started to do this, amazing things happened. Acts 2:46-47 says, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
The early believers of Christ worshipped God. They met together. They had meals. They shared their spiritual gifts and belongings. They united each other. They helped each other to serve God and his people. God blessed them. Thus, God sent more people to the church. This was a miracle. This was the grace of God. I believe the same miracle is happening to us in this Church. I pray that our God will continue to be with us, guide us, care for us, and bless us here in our church.
Rev Dr Je Cheol Cook
Hezekiah trusted in God. He also united his people in God. When exploring what he did, we can look at the Hebrew meaning of Unite, dabaq(דָּבַק), which means, “to join, attach with glue, bake dough in the oven, so that all the ingredients can be united into one.” It also means to use all the various ingredients (in this case all people) to make one community or country. This is what we are told Hezekiah did. This is what made him a great king. This is a model for us here at Greyfriars. As with Hezekiah’s people, we need to work together to help each other to know and follow Christ through our church. In these passages of 2 Kings 18 we can see why God valued King Hezekiah as his servant. Because Hezekiah obeyed God and united his people. In his reign, He focused on God. Mighty God helped him to teach his people how to live and work together for God.
Last Sunday we had a Pentecostal service. We learned that the Holy Spirit came upon his people who gathered and worshipped God. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. After this, they went out to help others to know and follow God. They united God’s people with their works. When they gathered together, they were able to know more about God. In our church we are also given this opportunity to learn to understand more about our God and his people. When we look at the apostles, and what they did after they were filled with the Holy Spirit we can learn from them.
In God’s koinonia, fellowship, ‘sharing’ means “to help someone with our spiritual gifts or/and wealth.” These early believers obeyed and united in God. After they started to do this, amazing things happened. Acts 2:46-47 says, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
The early believers of Christ worshipped God. They met together. They had meals. They shared their spiritual gifts and belongings. They united each other. They helped each other to serve God and his people. God blessed them. Thus, God sent more people to the church. This was a miracle. This was the grace of God. I believe the same miracle is happening to us in this Church. I pray that our God will continue to be with us, guide us, care for us, and bless us here in our church.
Rev Dr Je Cheol Cook