Sunday Morning IBC. 11/24/2013. Theology of Aging.

Theology of Aging. 
Ray Kwan.

Why teach on this subject?
1. Not much on aging is taught.
2. Ministering to the Convalescent Home.
3. Planning to go to Japan and Japan has a very elderly population.
4. How to Minister to our Parents.

Everyone has a desire to Live Healthier and Longer.

Outline for today:
1. Greek/Hebrew terms of Aging.
2. Survey a handful of verses on aging (Mountaintops).
3. Derive Biblical Perspectives.
4. Inward (as we grow older) and Outward (minister to others that are older).

HEBREW (OT)
Zaqen: meaning to grow older (Genesis 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.)
Balah: meaning to be used up and worn away; rags. (Genesis 18:12 Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”)
Sebah: meaning to be grey-headed (Genesis 15:15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. Proverbs 16:31 A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of righteousness.)

GREEK (NT)
Geron. ("Gerontology"): meaning elderly/old man. Pythagorean: Refers to a 60-80 year man. (John 3:4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”)
Palaios: to be in existence for a long time; now obsolete. (Ephesians 4:22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,)
Presbuterous ("Presbyterian"): relatively advanced in age (Hebrews 11:2 For by it the men of old gained approval. Titus 1:5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,)

SURVEY of VERSES
Genesis 1-3. Time. Beginning of Man. Introduction of Death into the World.
All Genesis. What is considered a full life span? [Noah 900. Shem 600. Aber 464. Pera 205. Abraham 175 ("a ripe old age"). Joseph 110. Decline of lifespan.] 
And what is considered old? A: Past childbearing. Loss of functionality (sight, loss of circulation, etc). 
Levites were to retire at 50 from lifting in the tabernacle.

Decay...
Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”; 2 before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding ones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through windows grow dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the daughters of song will sing softly. 5 Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street. 6 Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. 8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”

Resurrection...
Daniel 12:1-2 “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Partial Reversal of the Curse during Millennial Kingdom...

Isaiah 65:20 “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days,
Or an old man who does not live out his days;

For the youth will die at the age of one hundred
And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred
Will be thought accursed.

- Increased longevity. 

- Clearly not in our day and age.

- Neither in the eternal state.

- So this will occur in the time in between those two. Partial Reversal of the curse.

Redemption of our bodies...
Romans 8:19-23 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
- Only when our bodies are redeemed can adoption be complete. 

Character of Older Saints...
Titus 2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good

Final Renewal...
Revelations 21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

DERIVE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE
1. Aging is not the problem; Death and Decay is.
2. Man should seek to live Godly and full lives on Earth. Godly men like Job lived to a ripe old age and was satisfied with it. Life is not the problem, it's what we're doing with it. Even though life is hard, we should still live well and live it for God.
3. This life is not all there is. This life is way overrated. Endure suffering knowing that there is something better coming.

LOOK INWARD
- Avoid the pitfall of not being teachable. Wisdom doesn't come with age.
- Avoid the pitfall of making life more about ourselves.
Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
To be happy in this life, we need to be right with God. 
- Avoid the pitfall of not worshipping as much. Don't lose the desire to worship. In retirement, look forward to worshipping more.
- Avoid the pitfall of serving less. Don't stunt your spiritual growth. Don't cruise through life.

Psalm 92:12-15

12 The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree,

He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

13 Planted in the house of the Lord,

They will flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They will still yield fruit in old age;

They shall be full of sap and very green,

15 To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Psalm 90:12

So teach us to number our days,

That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

- Time is Precious.
- At the end, what will you be able to present to God?

Paul's Life. The greatest comeback in the 2nd half of his life.

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;

- Avoid the pitfall of fearing death.
1 John 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
- If we live faithfully, we will not be afraid to meet Him.
- Christians, remember that we will be judged as well...
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

LOOK OUTWARD
- Honor you parents. Don't speak harshly to them when they give you advice. Speak kindly of them and to them.
- Treat Older People outside the family respectfully as well.
1 Timothy 5:1 Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, 2 the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.
Leviticus 19-32 ‘You shall rise up before the gray headed and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the Lord.
- Don't sharply rebuke them, even if they are wrong.
- Don't get impatient if an elderly person is driving slower or taking longer at the store. Remember that that person is made in the image of God as well.

- Take care of those that cannot take care of themselves. God has a special place in Heart for the weak. Some of God's fav people are widows and orphans. 
Exodus 22:22 You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; 24 and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
- God is serious about protecting the orphans and widows, in this life or in eternity.
- God loves the weak, in general.
Luke 14:13-14 But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” 

Application: Convalescent Ministry.
Fear of someone with dementia. Yet, remember that God saved us when we were DEAD in our trespasses. We are still to minister to them. It is not our job to save them, but it is our job to preach the gospel to them.
"If it breaths, preach to it." ~Ray's professor.
There is value in the visit itself. The gift is your presence.
James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
- Job's friends were at their best when they were just there in silence for Job. Bad counselors but good friends.

Matthew 10:42 And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
-Every little act is noticed by God. And the reward will be much more than what little effort you had to put in.

Ray: "What do you do all week?"
Convalescent Resident: "I don't do anything, I'm just waiting to die."

That made me think. 
Who are you becoming?

Sunday Morning IBC. 11/17/2013. Luke 7:36-50.

Forgiven Much. Luke 7:36-50.
Pastor Nam Park. 

Simple Question: Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ?
A: You might think "of course." But the question of affection is not as simple as turning on/off.  Affections rise and fall; they grow and shrink at particular moments.  Here, Jesus suggests the key to affection is proportional to how much we were forgiven.
Forgiven much = love much.

Luke 7:36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Himat His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

Parable of Two Debtors

40 And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

When we think upon this unnamed woman, might it remind us that we are not so different. Help us to grow in that love and affection for You. Remind us of your majestic grace. Amen.

This woman was not identified by name. Most likely she is not Mary of Bethany (House of Simon the Leper and occurred during the passion week). The passage here in Luke is in the House of Simon the Pharisee (in Galilee, not Bethany) and occurred early in Jesus' ministry. "Sinful woman" is the only name we can attach to her.

The disciples were reclining at the table, allowing them to discuss interesting matters casually. At a setting like this, the doors were left open so that the uninvited had access to come in and listen to the message of the teacher (Jesus).

Luke 7:37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume

- Her title was "sinner" as an occupation. Tax Collectors and Tanners (worked with unclean/dead animal skins) were also known synonymous with being "sinners."  Most likely she was a well-known harlot/prostitute.
- When she LEARNED it was Jesus and that He was at the Pharisee's house, she acted. Thus, of all the places to honor Jesus, she was going to walk into "the Lion's den."
- The vial of perfume might have been the most treasured thing that she had (being a harlot).
- Her motive was Courageous Devotion for her Savior.

She breaks out in tears. The weight of everything, the guilt of her sin. The fact that even someone like her (perpetually unclean) can come to faith, causes her to weep. She began to tear, to cry out. She also uses her hair to wipe his feet (allowing herself to be scandalized) in order to bring honor to Jesus. She debases herself and is willing to kiss His feet. Deep humility. A kind and humble demonstration of affection for her Lord. She did everything out of a heart to appreciate who Jesus was. 

She gave what was most precious in her possession to honor Jesus. 

R.K.Hughes
Consider her tears. Guilty sinner, she had been given a virgin heart and felt pure and washed. 
Consider her hair. Her hair was her womanly glory and she had loosed that to wipe her Savior's feet.
Consider her kisses. An act of pure adoration. She is here because she loved the Lord.

Dr. Mark Tatlock.
You can take all the benefits of Salvation: Forgiveness of Sins. Our Righteous standing before a Holy God. Sanctified and Glorified one day... But if you remove the Fatherhood of God and the doctrine of Adoption, it's not Personal, it's just Kind. 
- That's a HUGE difference. Because of adoption, we can call on Him as OUR FATHER. Affection, that is the kind of God He is.
- The affection that comes by way of the divine nature/benevolence towards us. If rightly understood, encourages us towards sanctification. Paul in Romans says that it's a "A kindness that leads us to repentance."
- At some point, our love for Him is of such a nature that we want to stop sinning. Not because we have to. But because I want to. At some point, you don't want to sin against love. 

And for the redeemed of all time, we should be able to look back on these verses and nod, "I totally get that." If we don't get like that, that should speak volumes of shame upon us. Have we gotten so "sanctified" that we don't have this sense of adorability of Him? There is no one as sinful as ourselves.

Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”
- Did he say this under his breath? More likely, he said it to his own soul.
- Suggests that Jesus couldn't be a prophet, because Jesus didn't know who this woman was.

Luke 7:40 And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 
- Answered as if in directly response to what Simon has thought in his heart.
- "Say it, Teacher."  Not impolite but a bit distracted.

50 denarii = approximately 50 days of wages (1.5 months)
500 denarii = approximately 500 days of wages (1.5 years; 10 times the first man.)
They both owed. They both were INSOLVENT: unable to pay.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 7:42 When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 
- Simon says "I suppose..." with reluctance.

Luke 7:47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 
- This is not about objective but about subjective debt. 
- It depends upon their estimate of how much has been remitted to them instead of the actual amount.

St. Augustine. (One of the Greatest Theologians but knew that days of youth, sinned much.)
John Newton. (Wrote Amazing Grace after many sins in slave trading.)
Apostle Paul. (Sinners, of who I am the foremost.)
- If your affection for the Lord is waning  remind yourself of an appropriate estimate of your own sinfulness. The impossibility of your salvation. Everyone in this room should be cast immediately into hell. But God has chosen to redeem us, to bring us into the household of God. Affection for hostility. Forgiveness for sin. And Love.

Let us grow in love, as we grow in the appreciation of the depth of the grace of God for us.

Sunday Morning IBC. 11/10/2013. Luke 7:31-35.

Childish Generation. Luke 7:31-35.
Pastor Nam Park. 

Luke 7:31 “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

There is a difference between "childlike" and "childish." 
This generation is demanding others to fit into their description of religion.
It's a spiritual brattiness of the religious leaders: Neither John the Baptist nor Jesus fit their mold. They had expectations so unbendable to the mold they created.

Luke 7:33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 
- John didn't eat bread because bread was baked in cities; he lived in the rough wilderness.
- John didn't drink wine because of his Nazarite vow. Sampson was also a Nazarite. However, the power that Sampson had was not in his hair, rather his power remained in the Nazarite vow that he kept before the Lord.
- John lived by personal conviction.
- Pharisees originally thought much of John the Baptist but then called him crazy when he didn't bend to them aka "didn't dance when they played the flute."

Luke 7:34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 
- "Son of Man" was Jesus' favorite term for Himself. He was the go-between of God and man.
- There is a parallel here with "eating" and "drinking" to suggest that whatever John did, Jesus did the opposite. John was known for being in the wilderness apart from all. Jesus was known for hanging out with people at weddings. People loved to be with Jesus. Yet although John the Baptist was too "serious" and Jesus was too "fun," they both preached the same message. THUS, if you believed John's message, you would take Jesus as Messiah. And likewise, if you believed Jesus, you took John as the forerunner. 
- The Pharisees decided to reject both John and Jesus. There was no satisfying these religious brats.

Luke 7:35 Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
- Ultimately, the proof is in the pudding.
- It's not about fitting into a mold.
- It's about transformed lives. This is the gospel.

The spiritual leaders didn't have a problem of lack of understanding. They were so self-centered in their idea of religion.

Jesus will be willing to forgive you, but you must come to Him on His terms. 
Pray that we will be Christ-like and not childish.

Sunday Morning IBC. 11/3/2013. Luke 7.

A Magnificent Commendation of John the Baptist. John 7:24-30.
Pastor Nam Park. 

Last Week's Sermon: John's expectations were grounded in scripture.
1. He is the lamb of God.
2. He is the judge.
John was wondering, why all he was seeing was the blessing. Will the judgement be seen? And Jesus had given him an appropriate response. [Are not the scriptures being fulfilled in Me? Remember the purpose of the Messiah in Scriptures.]

Luke 7:24 When the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in softclothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written,

‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’

28 I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.

The call of the scriptures is not to emulate someone else, but to love Christ all the more. To redeem the things we are to do in daily living for God's glory. And to devote ourselves wholly to the Lord. We thank you for Jesus' commendation of John the Baptist. We also thank you for everything accomplished in your wisdom and timing.

John's life was burned out like magnesium (bright and fast). He died in his early thirties.
Jesus is now speaking to the crowds about John. So that they would appreciate him.
Luke 7:24 When the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
- Emphasizing that they traveled long distances to see John the Baptist. Some traveled entire days.
- "What in the world did you travel all that way to see?"

Luke 3:7 So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
- John the Baptist wasn't poetic. He did not suffer from fear of man to any degree. He called the religious leaders vipers. He called out Herod's sin. Then he declares Jesus as the lamb of God. 
- Consecration of life is a life set aside, this is the life of John the baptist.

Luke 3:12 And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”

- John doesn't tell them to live exactly like he does. Instead, he tells them basically to "do what you are to do, but do it righteously."

- We should each have convictions unto the Lord that we shouldn't put on anyone else.

Mark 1:6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.
- He didn't dress like this to feel good. It was practical. He lived in the back woods. 

John was of such a caliber that some thought he was the Messiah.
Is John, Elijah? A:Yes. Just not literally.

Luke 7:28 I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 
Hebrews 11:39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

Not: You need to live like I live.
It's: You need to love the Lord like I love the Lord.

The Pharisees were consecrating themselves for self-glory.
John consecrated himself for the Lord.
- John was more interested in how we saw/loved Jesus.

Sunday Morning IBC. 10/27/2013. Luke 7.

John Seeks a Report on Jesus: The Identity of Jesus. Luke 7:18-23.
Pastor Nam Park.

Luke 7:18 The disciples of John reported to him about all these things. 19 Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?” 20 When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’” 21 At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

Expectation is a powerful tool. John is a rock of faith, so why was he in need to question Christ?
- He was perplexed.
- He was doubting. A momentary uncertainty. Struggle of wondering if his expectations of Christ were right.

Luke doesn't mention that John is currently in prison when he asks Christ this question.

Similar to the item of church discipline (step 2), two people would be brought to confront the person in the wrong. John saw the verification of Jesus as a serious matter.
Luke 7:19 Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?” 
- Luke doesn't even mention that John is in jail at the moment.
- These two disciples would repeat John's question verbatim.

Luke 7:21 At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 
- These infirmities demonstrate the brokenness of this world, and our need for a savior.
- It is to God's glory that we see the healing. It is also to God's glory that we see the brokenness (the need to be healed).

Luke 7:22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 
- Good news comes even to the poor.
- The poetic form was somberly sent from Jesus for the purpose of encouraging John the Baptist. 

Luke 7:23 Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.
- It is the "trip-wire", the stumbling block that causes you to trip. The religious leaders were tripped and fell over... because Christ didn't "fit" into the religious leaders' mold. (The righteous were still suffering, etc.)
- When people decide to stop coming to church. They don't usually go out like rebels, they just tend to fade away, since they didn't get the expectations that they were hoping for.
- We must take Jesus for who He is.
- I wouldn't want to live in this world forever. All the horribleness of a fallen world. We want the Savior to come. 
- Right after John receives this word from Christ, he gets beheaded. Thus, v.23 was written as a comfort to John. This scripture saturated man could then lay down his life gladly. He wasn't waiting for the 2nd part of the promises to occur, but was satisfied that the Messianic age was here.

Lord, help us to trust you, even in our moments of doubt.

Sunday Morning IBC. 10/20/2013. Luke 7.

Lord over Death and Sorrow. Luke 7:11-17.
Pastor Nam Park.

Jesus can bring people back from the dead. He is also willing to do so because his compassion cares for those with sorrow.

We err if we believed in His goodness and care but believed He wasn't able to do anything. We also err if we believed that He's all powerful but believed He didn't care.

He is Lord over Death. He is also Lord over our Sorrows.

Luke 7:11 Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. 12 Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!” 17 This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district.

v.11 Nain is still in the Galilean region. A fairly small town ~200 people.

v.12 "behold" stresses that these two groups are an unlikely meeting: Jesus and the disciples and this funeral party.

Luke 7:13 When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” 
- The Lord responded specifically to the mother. 
- Funeral processions are usually held on the day of the death. No chance to reflect on the death of her son. The grief is fresh and raw. 
- It was a double sorrow. The deceased was the ONLY son of his mother. She was also a widow. She was all alone.
- The people in this town understood and joined her and weeped for her loss.

- Nam remembers when his mom died. He now understood what it meant for one to mourn and become experienced in grief. There is still a rawness of this sorrow when thinking upon it. 
- Jesus' Reaction: Remarkable Compassion. It says that He saw HER. He saw a woman in her desperate brokenness. He didn't see a young man that had lost his life in his youth, He saw a woman.  It's about Jesus seeing one person suffering intensely on the most difficult day of her Earthly life. And, He felt compassion for her.

Could Jesus have just let this funeral procession pass? A: Yes.
BUT, he wanted to help. A visceral effect: A feeling from the gut. 
He takes the initiative to do something to help her sorrow.
It's not required of him to help her. Eternity would not be changed if He didn't heal.

Theologically the bringing back of people from the dead are not resurrections, but they are rather resuscitations. 

Story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. Jesus was moved to the point that He didn't have any words left. No words left. All He could do was "sigh."  Similarly in that same section of scriptures, we see the following verse:
John 11:35 Jesus wept.

Now, why would Jesus weep? In His sovereignty, He knew Lazarus died and He knew He would soon raise Lazarus from the dead. This short verse shows the compassion that Jesus has over this momentary death.

If you feel like no one "gets it," you're right! Except for one person, Jesus Christ.
He can also sympathize to a degree that no one else can.

Lamentations 3:22 
The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

Luke 7:14 And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” 
- Touching the coffin would make that person ceremonially unclean. So the people are shocked and come to a halt.
- The dead sat up and spoke, he's not a zombie. In curiosity, what did he say?
- But the next verse comes back to HER.  This is about Jesus' compassion for her.
Luke 7:15 The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 
- The lesson is that God/Jesus are intentional. Not just that He could but that He is willing and wants to.

At that point, fear gripped them all. 
The "fear" here is one of astonishment.
The praise went to God the Father. (They didn't know who Jesus was.)
The mourning group thought two things:
1. A "Great Prophet" is here. (Vast OT prophets just spoke revelations but didn't do miracles.)  Yet there were two Great Prophets: Moses (plagues and plagues) and Elijah (calling down fire from heaven, raising of people from the dead).
2. God has visited His people.

It's not just about Jesus healing. It was more about the gentle compassion that Jesus used and the gentle manner in which He wielded His power.

He has the ability to do great things and He chooses to do great things, even for those in momentary affliction.
You may think you're going through something TOO SMALL for God to care. You'd be wrong.
You may think you're going through something TOO BIG for God to do anything about. You'd be wrong.

Our God knows all things. Is able to do all things. And His compassion is like nothing that we might ever attest to.  His mercy has not only rescued us but continues to give us hope in the darkest hours of our lives.

Sunday Morning IBC. 10/13/2013. John 13:34-35.

Love One Another. John 13:34-35.
Timothy Jin.

What external denotes Christians? A: Probably the Cross. Maybe a fish. 
Asking the World: What does a Christian look like? A: Someone who goes to church. Someone who doesn't drink. Someone against abortion (has certain political views). No, these things don't make a Christian. The real identifier... look in John 13.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus tells us the identifying mark of a disciple: That you have love for one another (brother and sisters in Christ).  

The Setting: the upper room where Jesus is with His disciples [11 disciples, since Judas has already left]. Tomorrow, Jesus knows that He is going to the cross. He will leave them behind on earth to fulfill their jobs as disciples. Here He is leaving instructions for the disciples on how to live.

John 13:33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This is one of the simplest commands to understand, yet one of the hardest commandments to obey.

They are the 11 most faithful to Jesus Christ. The legacy He wants them to leave is a legacy of loving one another.

John 13:27 After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus *said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 29 For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.

Agape love. A love NOT contingent on the object of what the love is bestowed upon. 

This is also a NEW commandment. This command was given to the Jewish people. 

Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.

Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

[The Israelites were to also love those in their midst.]

Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

- Thus, the Israelites are used to hearing about love.

- Yet as Jesus goes to the cross, He is establishing a NEW community in the church that will be formed, bound tightly in a Christ. A new community, a new church.

Short Term Missions to Japan. There's a tearful bond because we've sung the same worship songs to the same God. This is the connection that the Lord is creating that crosses language and cultural barriers.

Acts 2 in the beginning of the church, those of the early church are sharing all of their possessions with one another. 

Even in the most doctrinally sound churches, we lose sight of this type of love.

1 John 3:7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

- It's obvious, children of God or children of the Devil.

Jesus has been the example as they have lived with Him for the past 3 years.

This is a humble Lord. Jesus also washes the feet of Judas, and this proves the love of the master.

John 13:5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

- Imagine that Obama comes and desires to vacuum the floors and wipe down tables. We would not allow him to, since he is way too far above us. So then how much more so absurd is it that the Lord of ALL the UNIVERSE would stoop to wash the disciples' feet. This is humility.

John 13:8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

- This type of love would lead Jesus to the cross.

"Son of Sam" killer.

Friend Rick kept reminding him that no matter what he's done, Christ loves him.

Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

And saved him out of all his troubles.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

- An act of love, so humiliating, yet so loving.

- It's amazing that in light of what Christ has shown to us, such petty things can get in the way of us loving others.
- If someone annoys me, I might not talk to that person.
"I may not like that brother or sister, but I sure do love him." ~ strange thought.
- to love like Christ is to be willing to suffer great humiliation, at personal cost. Christ gave His life. He is the PERFECT model for how we ought to love one another.

The distinctive mark of a disciple:
John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
- If it feels foreign to love, it is then to our shame.

"When we reflect on the history of the church, are we not bound to confess that she has failed to follow the example of her founder? All too often, she has worn the robes of a ruler and not apron of a servant. Even in our own day (contemporary day), it can hardly be said that the brand image of the church is of a society, united in love for Jesus and devoted to selfless service of others."
~ Prof Michael Green, Regent College.

Is our love for one another so apparent that it separates us from the outside world. Has something supernatural landed in our midst?
This love needs to be witnessed and SEEN by others. A love that is unique and different, unlike a love that is seen anywhere else.

"If all Christians lived like Christ, there would be no more Islam today." - Muslim, turned Christian.

Be an effective witness for Christ. Bear His love. This is the kind of love that should exist in our church. This is how we will be known as Christians.

May we be all be attentive to the words/command that He has given to His disciples.