Christianity and spirit of March first

Christianity and spirit of March first

(Independence movement day for Korea) (John 8:31~36)

 

 ³¹ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 
³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
³³ They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.  not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 
³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

 

Intro)

 

Lately, on the News people in New York, and New Jersey picked March 1^st as Day of Yoo Gwansoon. How and why people in America get to pick it? Not like they are Korean, but they wanted to promote Yoo Gwansoon’s spirit for her work in Korea’s independence movement. Her noble and Christian spirits are what they think it is very admirable for mankind now. About 100 years ago there was movement for independence in Korea March 1^st. actual Independence Day was August 15^th, but people value more of actual movement start date, because the spirit on March 1^st and the movement had a great impact to Korean’s heart. 

 

Although Korea didn’t get independence due to movement work, but the spirit of Korean people bleed honorable blood, fight with bare hands to armed force. Truly admirable spirit/mindset in Korean’s history

(However, not many knows that this movement is related to Christianity. Let’s see what this mean.)
 

 

(Body)

 

A) Spirit of Exodus (Free from Egypt)

 1. Christian call this kind of spirit as exodus (Free from Egypt) meaning being free from slavery, chains, and to achieve own freedom.

 

In other saying that is not in bible people say give new drinks to new platoon, old time passes and new will come, and when the new Jerusalem is built the end of world will arrive etc. there are all kinds of sprit to escape for freedom.

 Like so, Korean people back in the days had Christian spirit for independence movement. There were 33 leaders for the movement and one of them was sunjo Gil pastor, when this happened he had no fear to sign up on movement to become the one of leader. Which is risky and can lose life easily, but he did not fear. Like him there are so many people sacrificed for greater good. This independence movement on March 1^st is like Exodus’s splendid achievement and honor to people forever.

 
2. To be more specific, people who were involved in independence movement with YMCA there is a deeper relation between Christians and independence movement.

In year of 1919 Jan 26^th people already gathered and form a group and spread the word to overseas through missionary, but Buddhism people wanted to join the movement so it was delayed until March 1st.
 

B) Spirit of who stayed

 

Commitment of independence declaration there was saying “until last one stand; declare people’s intent until the last moment.” In the bible people who are in the minority group that is spiritually minded called as remnant. So, people in independence movement had remnant spirit. Remnant is when people of Israel captured and their people would get killed, but won’t let go of the hopes and comes back to Israel and reconstruct and say Messiah will be born heal the Israel and people called him Remnant. 

 

In any country there is creative minority, but if they don’t country wil fall.

Dictatorship, and militarism takes over the government will shutdown, make college professor mute, and control the school to blind them. If they even close the church it’s like losing last stronghold. Like Hitler could not stop Christian. Japanese could not stop Christian.
 

3. Spirit of revive
 

At the end of Commitment of independence declaration there is a spirit of revive it says like, “conscience is with us, with truth we come forth, no difference in man, woman, adult, and child we all come out gloomy old house and achieve happy revive with whole earth.”

 

Japan in 1910 took our land and controlled our country and watched us like Roman blocked Jesus’ tomb and set up watch. Japan try to stop Korea’s Christianity that was only 30 years old after it spread in Korea. But they couldn’t blind us from the truth.

 

When the sunrise darkness of the dawn disappears and when spring comes the flowers will bloom. Injustice and illegal act was started to fall apart on March 1^st. Korean ancestor bleed and shouted for independence day of Korea and that is why the spirit of revive is so high.
 

They could only sacrifice themselves, because at the other side of death they saw the revival of Korea’s independence from Japan. This kind of mindset is like death in our spirit. There are death in many ways such as death in mindset can occur when patriotism is un-waken, ignoring potential you have, no faith in Christian’s revive, not being able to grow and stay in same status, and even not having freedom, because of something controlling us can be death in spirit.

 

When Yoo gwansoon was captured by Japanese she was tortured. They pulled her nails, burn her skin, drown her, and sexual assault was occurred. Japanese wanted to break her, but she wouldn’t budge. Later on she died from the illness in the cell.
 

There is a town called Jeamlee in Suwon Korea. Back in the days there was a independence movement and after a month Japanese came and locked up Christians and Puritans 28people in, and fired guns and set on the fire. Whoever jumps out was stabbed to death with knife, even children was killed the same way.

 

Near town called Chee-am-lee, Japanese burnt houses and killed 39 people. So Missionary Scofield was mad and reported this brutal scene to US and whole world.

 Con)

Loving everyone, we are here, because we have people like this. We have country, so we can have self respect/pride. We need to have homeland for others to hear our voice. What do we keep our country safe? Weapon? No God’s  word, and hopes towards Jesus Christ. We have to keep this spirit that look up to better life. Until the last one standing, and last moment we need to have spirit that carries responsibility as Christian and move forward.

 

 

IK SUN AHN 030319