[주일영어설교] A brave challenge

A brave challenge (2Timothy 4:1-8, Joshua 1:5-9)//A brave shouting

Challenge

Whoever you are here moved into Australia with a new challenge for life’s success. What kind of challenge do you have now?

Long times ago I was sitting in Qantas Airline to go Sydney. I was attracted by a magazine which is located in the pocket of the back of the front seat. I had pick it up and found a challenging page in its book.

“Marin Minamiya” She was always challenging to climb up the mountains.

The magazine is described with these words of Climbing-challenging-vision, Mighty Marin

'Marin Minamiya' is a climber. She has been climbed on many Mt including Everest Mt, Europe, Africa, Australia, more than 5 of highest Mt. She said that "Getting to the top of the Mt is just another part of the trek" "Everyone is climbing Mt whether you can see it or not." "The Mt is a physical symbol for me" Every peak that I conquer means a lot". It means more than just getting to the top.” "Getting to the top is just the beginning.” "Live as an individual"

“Everyone has the Mt of life to climb all the time. Continuous challenging. Getting to the top of Mt gives meaning of challenging to another part of life. Do not slumber. Wake up. Continually moving. People start other thing again and again. Do not give up. Challenge and challenge again.” Challenge is so approval in our life.

Challenge to save those who are in despair or suffering

However there is a risk, suffering or a difficult to do a challenge. Sometimes there is also a threat of life following in a process of doing challenge. But the challenger is not going to worry or fear to these kind of difficulties and goes ahead for challenge.

This year is known on who is going to be rewarded for Nobel peace’s prize. It turns out to be rewarded to Iraq’s young lady who said “I was a sex-slave of IS (Islamic State) but have got a run away, please save people who are living as a slave under control of IS.” The Iraqi lady showed the brave to tell the difficulties and tortures of ladies who are living as slaves by IS. To shout on his past life may it be very shameful, insult or danger to herself however she bravely shouted to save the difficulties who are living as the sex-slave of IS under IS’ threatening. What can we gain from her brave?

To us need to proclaim bravely to the world. We are the people of the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ who is our saviour and the Lord who crucified for our salvation. We are freed. So we need to be strong to proclaim the Gospel to save the lost still, needn’t we? Lots of people without knowing the freedom what is given in Jesus Christ live as slaves of sins. We need to let people know that bravely without fear or worrisome.

Christians’ life to challenge with the Gospel.

1Timothy4:1 says that I do strongly say that before God and before Jesus Christ who is going to judge the alive and the dead (1).

“You, preach the word of God. In season or out of season always try. Encourage by reproach and warning with a longsuffering and teaching. Because this time is the era of when people do usually not want to hear the instruction of right or the era of when people search to find the vain things by gone far away from the truth. The Bible says like that “preach the Gospel.” This word is given now for us. The Bible also says “be sincere to all, be patient in longsuffering and make it be done the responsibility of as the evangelist.”

Respectful congregations! I would like to ask you, have a brave faith to do challenge to say on Jesus Christ and lead them into Church to let them hear and know Him as their personal saviour and the Lord by shouting toward them. It can be said that it is the holy challenge. It is a holy life. It is a holy shouting for their eternal life in Him. Because the Lord, Jesus Christ wants it. Thus I would like to ask you please do it as an evangelist for your duty be done for His Glory in Him (Acts1:8, 2 Timothy 4:2).

Chance of challenge is given

We are now moved to Wavell Height Presbyterian Church. I am very sure that it is done by the grace of God. It also given us a chance to do follow the word of God. Why is that? Because many of Korean young family are also already moved and are moving still to the North areas. We have to do to all people who live in Australia and need to embrace them in the Gospel. We must follow the word of God for Korean to be evangelised by your challenge. This is the brave and holy challenge. Because by the evangelism they are able to find the eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Even if there would be a following of fear, threat, difficult or longsuffering to do it we are not able to stop to do lead people into Church and to let them know Jesus Christ as the Lord and saviour, because there is the eternal life to them in Him. On last week at some area in Korea a fire burned a house. A son (54years old) while burning his house went into the fire to save his father (84 years old) who was not well to move. However unfortunately both are found dead. To save a dying person is not easy or threat and wound would able to be followed but whoever wants to save a dying person would never give up. He does not stop to do challenge. As well as those people want to do challenge to save people who do not know Jesus Christ as the Lord and saviour would never fear or give up. So we should also not give up the holy challenge. What will He (God) do with whom do a holy challenge?

God is together with them

In Joshua1:5 is written like that “No one will fight against you during your life because I will be with you like as I was with Moses. I will not depart from you. I will not discard you, so be brave and be courageous! If you do not sway to the right or left by holding the word of God which was given to Moses you will be given the promised lands and all will be successful. I will be with you! This word of God is given us now. Whoever today or tomorrow follow the word of God, He will be with him as His promise (Matthew28:20). So need us to be brave and courageous to do challenge to lead people into the Church to let people know Jesus Christ.

In John4 explains that a Samaritan lady who has been very lonely, avoided people’s eyes or difficult life met Jesus Christ at the well and rushed into throng of her village to tell them the appeared Messiah before her eyes. Once she was avoid people but after met Jesus Christ changed all to do shout bravely and courageously. She did the brave and holy challenge.

For to do it

Tell the Gospel in season and out of season to people who walk around you in anywhere. It is the brave challenge and holy challenge. Because it is to save the people from their eternal death or their eternal difficulties spiritually. So need us to do same work in Jesus Christ by shouting on Jesus Christ as if Iraqi lady did it to save women from the sex slave of IS. We must do it for the glory of God to save people from their cursed life. It is the will of God in Jesus Christ. God will be with who does challenge to do preach the Gospel. And the eternal life will be given to hearers of the Gospel. Do you wish to please God or man? Apostle Paul said that should I do please God or man? Should I gain pleasure from man? If I did save the pleasure of man I am not a servant of Christ Jesus (Galatians1:10).

By hearing of the word of God we have to make please God but not man. Then God will make him have success in his life and will be given the crown of righteousness (2 Timothy4:8). It is His promise. Amen,

Prayer

Please the Lord our God

Use us as a tool for peace at where there is fear.

Use us as a tool for joy, consolation and healing at where there is sorrow, bruise or pain.

Use us as a tool for peace at where there is an anger or discomfort.

Use us as a tool for reconciliation at where there is battle, struggle or fighting.

Use us as a tool for love at where there is hatred.

Use us as a tool for hope, joy and life at where there is no hope but despair, pain or death.

Pray in Jesus name. Amen.