BLESSINGS FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE CHURCH(PSALM 84:1-6)
1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.
4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
Intro.)
1. Today’s scripture is one that tells us of the importance of loving the church. Verse 1 says, "1 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.” By looking at this one verse alone we get a feel for how much the author loves God and His dwelling place and how this love makes him the happiest man on Earth. In truth, it is the man who loves his church who is the happiest.
Why did this writer of today’s scripture come to love God’s dwelling place, the church, so much? It is because he loved God. Like him, if we love God, it is only natural to love the church.
2. There are those who believe in the Lord, but not the church. They say, “I like Jesus, but not church.” These people give many reasons for disliking church. Some are unhappy with the size of the church, how churches are crowing larger and larger, the corruption of churches and its pastors, and on and on. on the other hand, there are still those who love the church and their reasons are many. If one were to ask who does the most community service works, they would be told it is the church. The church has also been greatly involved in the development and improvement of education and women’s rights.
Whatever the case may be, the more accurate reasoning for distancing oneself with the church is not because of discontent with the church itself, but because one’s love toward God has weakened and faltered.
A. Live Loving the Church
The person who wrote today’s scripture in Psalm loved and prayed to God as if he were lovesick; so much so that his health weakened. Let us take a look at verse 2: “2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”
What a beautiful confession of love? A person’s like can change drastically depending on what he or she decides to love. These days, many fall in love with money and put their life in money. Of course no one verbally admits to this, but we can see this by how they live their lives.
Take a close look at the reasons behind arguments and fights. Underneath the given reasons and excuses lies the true cause: money. Money gets between and even splits up families, brothers, sisters, and friends. As members of God’s children we must overcome the problems of money, share it instead of trying to own it, and realize there are much more important things in life.
We much change the subject of our love. We must love with the same passion and energy, but for a different target like the author of today’s scripture. We must love the church until we grow weak, and when we do so, God’s blessings will surely be upon us.
One day, a teacher living Pyongyang, Chang Ho Ahn, taught at Baejae School in Kyungsung. At this, a missionary from Appenzell asked him, “How far is Kyungsung from Pyongyang?” At this the teacher replied, “About 200 miles.” Hearing this, the missionary was shocked. “You travel that distance just to teach?” The teacher replied, “Well, how far is the distance between here and where you’re from?” The missionary told Teacher Ahn that it was about 20 thousand miles. Teacher Ahn finally said, “If you traveled 20 thousand miles to teach, what’s a mere 200?”
Love overcomes distance. We must use this powerful love for the church.
Today’s scripture exemplifies the 3 attitudes we must have to love and serve the church as the author of today’s scripture did.
First, our attitude during worship is important. We must love God with all our hearts, at least during the time of worship. one’s love for the church is reflected in their love for worship. Being successful in worship builds success in life.
Second, our attitude towards the Word of God is important. Loving the church is reflected in the open heart one has and the humbleness of accepting God’s Word. If we look at the First Church, there were many people who witnessed and were part of miracles. But they did not spend a lot of their time and energy in testifying these experiences or proclaiming the Holy talents and gifts they received. Rather, they spent most of their time kneeling before the Apostles and receiving the Word of God.
Third, our prayer attitude is important. Someone who loves the church prays earnestly for the church and is always thinking about the church while praying. Praying while in church is also a reflection of one’s love. That is why the author of today’s scripture prayed to God earnestly with all his heart and physical strength. Like him, those who love church sincerely are those of true prayer.
B. The Church Must be the Basis of Our Life
As we read further into today’s scripture we see that the writer confesses just how great of a blessing it is love God. Verse 3 says, “3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.” Sparrows and swallows are birds, weak and unable to defend themselves. Yet, God protects even them. Not even an eagle can come against them under the protection of God. Even the most insignificant creature is blessed if it turns to God. If even these creatures can be blessed, imagine what kind of blessings we, as His children of, will be given!
Jesus said in Mark 10: “29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
The Lord regards even sparrows to be precious. Thus, do not regard yourselves and worthless and do not fear for your future if you are in the Lord.
The author saw the sparrow and swallow with their nests built under the cloth of God’s dwelling place and felt the greatest happiness and safety. Like this, the greatest happiness is waiting for us when we find a good church, build our nest, and make it our home. A house may be home for our physical selves, but a church is the home of our spiritual selves. Without this home a person cannot be truly happy. Unfortunately, the reality is that many have left and lost their spiritual homes.
There is nothing more pitiful and sad than someone who has no home. To lose your spiritual home is worse than to lose your physical home.
There is nothing better and nothing that will bring a person of faith more happiness than to live a God centered life.
Occasionally, there will be times when a person will see the actions of a church member and think, “How can a person who does THAT go to church?” and end up turning away from the church altogether. However, church exists for these very people, these people who are yet weak and vulnerable. Therefore, we must not take our disappointment in a person and become disappointed in the church and walk away from it.
The sparrows finding a home and swallows building a nest for its eggs illustrates God’s love and how He watches over even those who seem meek and useless. Like this, the church is not a place that is just for the strong and ready. No one on this Earth is flawless or perfect. It is only normal that people in church are flawed as well. Do not separate yourself from the church because people made mistakes. Do not separate yourself from God and His love.
C. When You Love the Church, You Receive Blessings
The Lord promises blessings for all those who love the church and live their lives around the church. Verse 4 of today’s scripture says, “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.” This is saying that God will bless those who love Him and His church so much that praises and gratitude will never end. People of the world try to bless themselves by building human relationships and monetary relationships. But the most blesses people are those who build their relationships in the church. If you want to be blesses, do not ever forget this fact.
Pastor Sam Hwan Kim is a man who was selected by elders of all denominations as the most respected pastor. He was also voted as the pastor churches would like as their senior pastor if they could. Pastor Kim is the example of a man who was blessed because he loved the church.
Pastor Kim was born as the youngest son after his 9 siblings, all of whom were daughters. His father was always busy and never took much care of the household, so his mother always took him and his nine sisters to early morning prayer services. He would often witness his mother crying while praying. It was this prayer of this mother that he received later on.
Pastor Kim rang the early morning prayer at the age of 16 and continued to ring it every morning after becoming a preacher and even a pastor. If someone else would try, he would insist that he would ring the bell; he loved the church that much.
He was a man who had a dark and difficult childhood, one that could have driven him down a crooked path. But attending the early morning prayer services made him a brighter and approachable person.
When he was serving in the Korean Army, he would attend early morning prayer every day, and if the army church was not open he would go to the army dining hall and pray there. The military base he was stationed at did not have a church on base, so he would attend the civilian church nearby. one day he had received punishment for something, and ended up in the hospital. Later that night he snuck out, attended the evening service, and limped his way back. When he arrived he saw that alerts had been sent and he had caused the base to go into a state of emergency because he had disappeared. When it was discovered that he had snuck out to go to church, he was severely punished; so much so he could not complete daily tasks, like going to the bathroom, without pain and difficulty.
In 1969, he completed his education at a theology school and started a small church in AhnDong. But his ministry was immensely difficult. He just could not live off the 35 kilograms of rice he received monthly and the weekly offerings of $2.00. He had a young child and his wife, whom he had not been married to very long, had to travel from town to town selling stainless steel bowl and plate. Sometimes she would exchange them for garlic or hot peppers, and the pastor would sell them. This was how they got by.
But Pastor Kim’s daughter, who had just turned a year old, became sick for about a year. She would constantly get colds and fall ill, but the pastor did not have enough money to bring her to a hospital, so she received acupuncture instead. By the time they had taken her to a hospital, it was too late. She had pneumonia and meningitis. She died 3 days later. The hospital bill was $3.70, but they had no money. The hospital asked for payment and told him to take his daughter’s body. When he told them that he would not be able to pay it even after a month, they told him he could just leave. However, he did not have any money for a cab, so they let him ride in the ambulance and Pastor Kim buried his daughter himself in the mountains. Not long after, he had another daughter. When she was barely 3 weeks old, Pastor Kim and his family moved to Seoul. This time, it was Pastor Kim who was sick; he had been throwing up blood. It was found that he had lung disease. Three years later it was his wife that was throwing up blood. Pastor Kim thought that his entire family was going to die.
In 1973 Pastor Kim and a group of older pastors hiked up a mountain. But Pastor Kim could barely make it 100 meters before he had to stay behind in the motel. Even pastors who were 80 and retired climbed the whole mountain, but Pastor Kim, a man just into his 30s, could not. He believed that his time was rapidly approaching its end. Whenever he stood before his congregation, he would have to use all his strength just to remain standing. The room would constantly be spinning.
Then one day, he opened the hymnal and came across the hymn “Dying with Jesus by Death Reckoned Mine”. He sang that hymnal for hours, and out of nowhere joy filled him. He had prayed all the time, but had never asked God to heal him. He had thought that the path to following Jesus was supposed to be like this, and merely accepted his ill health and never bothered to be healed. Thus, he and his wife had slowly been dying. But when he sang the hymnal, strength returned to him. “Never a sickness that He cannot heal; Moment by moment, in woe or in weal, Jesus my Savior abides with me still. Moment by moment I’m kept in his love; Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine; Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.” He sang and he sand until he was up and dancing. As he sang and danced a miracle took place: His lung disease had gone away. It was from that moment he began to slowly recover.
In the end, he established MyungSung Church, and today the church is one of the most famous and largest churches, with over 20 thousand members. Pastor Kim and his church became a beacon for Christianity in Korea.
Conclusion)
Yes, it is true. God fulfills the dreams of those who love the church and serve His church wholeheartedly. God blesses those who love the church, even through the obstacles and hardships. If we come before God with tears, we will leave with happiness and blessings. My friends, there is no “perfect church” on this Earth. Every church has its shortcomings, its faults, and its mistakes. But despite these, we must live a life loving the church and God, serving both. When we do this, God’s love will be upon us and His grace will never leave us. Let us all love the church and work harder for the church starting today and receive the grace and blessings he has planned for us.
참고: 이한규/김삼환 목사 간증/편집:안익선 032314
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