목양연가(牧羊戀歌)

Revelation 3:14-20  “A Life With Jesus Christ in the Heart”

A person named Henry van Dyke said something like this, “A man with 100 degrees from 100 universities but who doesn’t know the Bible is ignorant and can not be a scholar.”  Newton who discovered the theory of gravitation said, “I know the Bible, which is the word of God, as the most elegant philosophy.”  These are excellent and explicit statements.  Then, such great elegant knowledge as the living word of God, what does the Bible say?  Briefly in a few words from the Old and New Testaments: Men are fallen sinners, to save sinners, God, incarnate in the flesh came to this earth.  Then He was whipped for sinner like us and died on the cross with a beaten body.  Three days after His death He was resurrected and raised to heaven.  Then the Holy Spirit was sent and abides with us, helps, guides, and fills us in our need until the end.  If a person believes this fact they will be saved and if a person does not believe this they will perish.  This is what the Bible says.  In this aspect, can we ignore Jesus Christ, Who is the great redeemer?  I am not a great person, however I say something on my own, like this, “Whoever has Jesus possesses everything.  Whoever does not have Jesus has lost everything.”  Then let us think on a few things about what kind of life it would be to have Jesus Christ in our heart based on the Bible.  I pray God’s grace fill your heart and mind.

First, a person who has Jesus in their heart has the joy of first love and shaken heart jubilation.  For example, look, one day a bachelor suddenly meets a beautiful and lovely young lady who is like an angel.  At first sight they fall in love.  This young man thinks he could give his life for this beautiful woman, so they get married.  This newlywed couple has a wonderful marriage in the beginning, however their love cools down and there is a lot of complaining in every situation.  If it gets worse they may turn their backs on each other.  This may not happen in every case, but it is possible.  This is a sad story for the family who lost their first love.  Likewise, Jesus says in Revelation 2:4-5, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  ⁵Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-- unless you repent.”  What does it mean by “you have left your first love” and “remove your lampstand from its place?”  j”You have left your first love” means that you had strong love to serve other saints, God’s children in the redemptive love of Jesus Christ, however you have left that love.  It means that in the beginning you loved Jesus and loved each other and had respect, somehow, your heart cooled down and that love faded away.  Revelation 2:5A says, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works.”  Why is this?  What caused you to do this, search and exam yourself?  k”And remove your lampstand from its place-- unless you repent.”  To remove means a) a heart that has left God b) and lost value as a truthful saint.  It means a person may come to church but have nothing to do with God’s church.  Why is this?  It is because God is love.  In 1 John 4:20 it says, “If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”  We must examine our belief.  Once we may have had love for Jesus more than any others and a burning love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Somehow, has your love faded away and gotten cold?  Do you know that this kind of person comes to church once in awhile and is hooked by the power of sin because of worldly pleasure and enjoyment since it seems much better?  Revelation 3:15 and 16B says, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.”  ^16B “I will vomit you out of My mouth.”  To vomit means to push out of God, may not enter into God but be excluded.  We must have our first love for Jesus and love God and our brothers.

Secondly, only the life in Jesus can give true service and true dedication.  Psalm 84:10 says, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”  Nowadays so many people are self-centered and so many people want to be served.  However Jesus did not come to be served, but came to serve and gave His life for a ransom.  Those who have servant Jesus in their heart want to live like Him.  Furthermore, they serve others in truthful service and dedicate themselves with a truthful heart.  In these days so many saints ignore this fact because they misunderstand that their service and dedication are according to their power, they have no joy of living.  For example, there is a story of a certain young missionary nurse.  This lady missionary nurse left her home and parents and went to work for a leprosy center in a far away country.  One day a newspaper reporter was taking a picture of this missionary caring for one child with leprosy by wiping off the oozing sores.  This was such a strange looking sight for the reporter who said, “I would not do that even for a million dollars.”  At this the missionary nurse lifted her head and said, “I too would not do this for a million dollars.”  The reporter was so surprised and said, “Why do you do it then?”  The missionary replied, “Sir, I do this because of the love of Jesus.”  This is so true.  We too serve and work in the Lord because of the love of Jesus, then it is truthful service.  Beloved saints!  I believe we love our brothers because of Jesus, then our love is truth.  Without Jesus in our life, there is no truthful sacrifice and service.  Only the work in Jesus becomes an acceptable sacrifice to our Lord.  There is no need of bragging or announcing to show people, but only to please our Lord, who sees in secret as we desire to serve Him willingly.  Today’s churches don’t know this and promote activities by making announcements on TV and are proud of themselves which is far from what the Lord wants and it is in vain and not worth their time and energy.  (Matthew 6:1-18. Ref. Jesus’ teaching on doing charitable deeds and prayer and fasting . . .  being seen by people.)  Beloved saints!  I bless you in the name of our Lord that each one here today be a truthful worker.  We must work in joy and delight without complaint, in very difficult tasks, if we have servant Jesus in our hearts.  In conclusion, why don’t people who come to church and say that they believe in Jesus, have joy in their hearts?  This just shows they truthfully don’t have Jesus in their hearts. 

Beloved brothers and sisters!  You know an egg has a little air space inside. Likewise the human heart also has a little space inside.  People may have everything in the world, however there is a small corner left empty.  They try to fill this empty space with everything.  However, if Jesus is not enthroned in that space there is no true satisfaction.  I believe if our hearts are filled up with Jesus Christ our work becomes truthful and our love will be so true that it will bring us happiness in our spiritual walk with the Lord.  May God’s grace and blessings be with you.

By: Rev. Samuel Choi