Building one’s life on the Rock!

¹⁰³ 주의 말씀의 맛이 내게 어찌 그리 단지요 내 입에 꿀보다 더하니이다. ¹⁰⁴ 주의 법도로 인하여 내가 명철케 되었으므로 모든 거짓 행위를 미워하나이다. ¹⁰⁵ 주의 말씀은 내 발에 등이요 내 길에 빛이니이다. ¹⁰⁶ 주의 의로운 규례를 지키기로 맹세하고 굳게 정하였나이다. ¹⁰³ How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! ¹⁰⁴ Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. ¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. ¹⁰⁶ I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules. (Ps. 119:103-106)

²⁴ 그러므로 누구든지 나의 이 말을 듣고 행하는 자는 그 집을 반석 위에 지은 지혜로운 사람 같으리니 ²⁵ 비가 내리고 창수가 나고 바람이 불어 그 집에 부딪히되 무너지지 아니하나니 이는 주초를 반석 위에 놓은 연고요 ²⁶ 나의 이 말을 듣고 행치 아니하는 자는 그 집을 모래 위에 지은 어리석은 사람 같으리니 ²⁷ 비가 내리고 창수가 나고 바람이 불어 그 집에 부딪히매 무너져 그 무너짐이 심하니라. ²⁴ "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (Mat 7:24-27)

FCF: We have a tendency of hearing Lord’s Word without doing it.

주제: 그리스도는 우리의 반석이 되시기에 그의 말씀을 듣고 행하므로 삶을 건축해야 합니다.

Theme: Because Christ is the Rock, we must build our lives by hearing and doing His Word.

Introduction: If you have ever visited a large city downtown, you might have seen a high rising building under construction. For a number of months, all the workers do is to dig a huge hole in the ground. The higher a building is, the greater its foundation is. To construct a gigantic building, it is first necessary to dig down until a strong foundation can be built. Making a birdhouse or a doghouse needs no foundation. But a skyscraper definitely must have a solid foundation. So, it is the same with our lives. A strong foundation is necessary for a solid life. Trees with deep roots can withstand hurricanes, whereas trees with shallow roots can’t withstand such storms. The same principle is applicable to the Christian life. We must heed this common sense because our Christian life is so precious. Indeed, life is a gift of God. God has sent us to this world so that we live a life for His purposes. So, how you live your life matters to you and God as well. However, many wander today in a labyrinth of philosophies and religions that preach on how to live a meaningful and happy life, suffering a sense of emptiness and nothingness in life.

As I said last Sunday, the Lord is the only One who has absolute authority to dictate us about how to live the Christian life. He has been giving us the answer in the Sermon on the Mount. As He finishes His sermon on what His people are and how they ought to live, the Lord gives us a strong charge for obeying His word at the end. Likening our attempts to build our lives to two kinds of builders, He cordially urges us to practice what we have heard. He characterizes citizens of God’s kingdom as those who hear and do His Word. His lesson is obvious: we must build our lives by hearing and doing the Lord’s Word by the power of His enabling grace, knowing Christ is the Rock foundation of our lives. Now, we must ask ourselves this question: On which foundation have we built our spiritual houses, either the rock or the sand? As we try to answer it, we must admit how often we have failed to hear and do the Word. We need the Lord’s mercy on us. Let’s continue listening to the second part of the message today. Last Lord’s Day, we covered the first point: hearing without doing is inadequate to build our lives. Even if we listen to the Word million times and yet fail to do it, we will suffer a great fall. If we are satisfied with hearing alone, then we are cheating ourselves. We shouldn’t substitute hearing for obeying God’s word. Today, we will discuss the remaining two points. Second,    

      I.         행함이 없는 들음은 우리의 삶을 건축하는데 충분치 않다.

Hearing without doing is inadequate to build our lives.

    II.         들음과 행함은 우리의 삶을 건축하는데 필수적이다.

Hearing and doing are essential to build our lives.

There is complete discontinuity between hearing and doing among false professors. There is much continuity between hearing and doing among true believers. Though it is not a perfect match between hearing and doing, yet there is evidence of a match between the two. False believers may desire to listen to the Lord’s Word and praise it for its power and relevance. They may read, analyze, and memorize God’s Word. But one thing conspicuously lacking in their lives is obedience. However, doers of God’s word are wise builders of their own lives. They may look the same with false believers. But they will withstand fiery trials in life, which reveal their foundations are upon the rock. We find a parallel passage in Luke 6:46-49, which describes two builders as follows: 너희는 나를 불러 주여 주여 하면서도 어찌하여 나의 말하는 것을 행치 아니하느냐 ⁴⁷ 내게 나아와 내 말을 듣고 행하는 자마다 누구와 같은 것을 너희에게 보이리라 ⁴⁸ 집을 짓되 깊이 파고 주초를 반석 위에 놓은 사람과 같으니 큰 물이 나서 탁류가 그 집에 부딪히되 잘 지은 연고로 능히 요동케 못하였거니와 ⁴⁹ 듣고 행치 아니하는 자는 주초 없이 흙 위에 집 지은 사람과 같으니 탁류가 부딪히매 집이 곧 무너져 파괴됨이 심하니라 하시니라. ⁴⁶ "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? ⁴⁷ Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: ⁴⁸ he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." ⁴⁶ (Lk 6:46-49).

The one who hears and obeys the Lord’s Word is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. The most important part of a house construction is laying a good foundation. Laying a solid foundation is a hard work. We have to dig deep enough to reach the rock on which we begin to build our house. Digging is a back-breaking job. It is worthwhile because it determines the durability and security of a house. Bu if we build a house without a foundation, we will see the collapse of our house sooner or later. It is easier to build a house on the sand. We may want to build it with ease and comfort. We don’t want to go through all kinds of dirty and hard works. We simply want to move in as quickly as possible. We can build a nicely-looking house without much pain. But such a house cannot withstand a severe blow.

This parable tells us that it takes much effort and pain to build our lives on the rock. No matter how hard it is to build our spiritual house on the rock, we must set it on the rock and continue to build it on the rock. We may face persecutions, jeers, misunderstandings, or adversities. But we have to be willing to take the trouble of laying a strong foundation. Obeying His word is like digging down a hard ground. We must keep digging down, that is, keep practicing the Word. While doing it, we will sweat profusely and get exhausted. We may be tempted to give up. We may encounter a huge rock to dig out. We may simply feel like choosing to follow our own ideas and schedules rather than the Lord’s instructions. Surely, it is like entering the narrow gate and journeying through a tough path. But obeying the Lord’s Word leads us to a solid Christian life.

I vividly remember my dad was digging deep to lay a good foundation for our house. He hired men and dug for the foundation. They used shovels to dig. They were sweating a lot. It was hot. It took several days to finish the job. It was deeper than my height. Later, the house stood firm on that foundation. Later, it was sold to a Methodist pastor. The pastor built his church on the top of the house. The foundation was deep and strong enough to support another building upstairs. In contrast, commercial builders were building homes in my village during that time period. I saw their foundations were not even knee-deep. I told it to my dad. My dad told me that those houses wouldn’t last and that they would be shabby houses. When they completed the houses, they looked nice and beautiful. They were modern stylish homes. People began to move in. But little later, they complained about cracks and leaks. About ten years later, those shaky houses had to be demolished. Laying a solid foundation is tough and worthy. We should not seek ease in our Christian living. No matter how hard obedience is, we must follow the Lord’s instructions for our life-building project.  

A new believer in deep sorrow came to the one who led him to Christ and said, “I am going to stop my Christian life. Since I became a Christian, I have encountered so many difficult things.” So, the one who led him to Christ replied, “If an apple tree has so many tiny twigs that it can’t bear much fruit, what would you do? The new convert said, “I will remove needless branches and leaves.” “It is the same with your Christian life. God is pruning needless parts of your life, so that you can bear much fruit. It will be painful, but be patient. You will bear more fruits,” said his friend. In our Christian living, we feel it is so difficult for us to tackle daily responsibilities, bear the monotony of daily living, or and fight fiery trials and temptations in life, and yet keep God’s instructions on life. So, we may feel like giving up digging deep enough to lay a good foundation. Whatever we may feel about our daily routines devoid of fun and excitement, we must live a Christian life according to the Lord’s instructions, refusing to follow an easy, complacent path. We must pursue a hard path of holiness and righteousness. No matter how hard it is for us to walk on the way of the cross, we must follow Christ.

John Stott’s comment well summarizes the point of this parable as follows: 문제는 우리가 예수님께 혹은 예수님에 대하여 훌륭하고 정중하며 교리적으로 정통하고 열정적인 것들을 말하느냐 아니냐가 아니다. 그리고 우리가 그분의 말씀으로 우리의 마음을 꽉 채우기까지 그것을 듣고 경청하며 공부하고 묵상하며 암송하느냐 아니냐도 아니다. 문제는 우리가 말하는 것을 행하고 우리가 알고 있는 것을 행하느냐 아니냐, 곧 우리가 예수님이 우리의 주가 되신다는 고백이 우리 삶의 현실에서 증명되느냐 아니냐이다. The question is not whether we say nice, polite, orthodox, enthusiastic things to or about Jesus; nor whether we hear His words, listening, studying, pondering, and memorizing until our minds are stuffed with His teaching; but whether we do what we say and do what we know, in other words, whether the lordship of Jesus which we profess is one of our life’s major realities. We have to choose a life of doing what we say and hear about Christ.

When we obey the Lord’s Word, we build up our Christian character. When we obey Him, we experience the blessings of His approval and recognition. We stand strong against trials in life. We have to remember we can’t please the Lord without honoring His Word. Hearing without obeying changes nothing. But hearing and doing as well changes our character, our tendencies, our feelings, and our destinies. This doesn’t mean we are saved by works. This simply means obeying God brings us changes we desire in life. We often deplore over the situation we are without fruit, we are without any biblical change. It is because of lack of our obedience to the Lord’s instructions on life. The solid construction of our spiritual house can’t proceed without following His guidelines. As much as we honor and obey the Lord’s Word, we stand strong against debilitating attacks in life.

The same principle is applicable to building up marriage, individual life, communal life, or national life. If we study the first two kings of Israel, we will soon discover the importance of keeping God’s Word and its relation to building a personal life, family life, and even a national life. We can divide the life of King Saul into two parts in terms of his disobedience to God’s command to annihilate the Amalekites. Before he disobeyed the Lord, he was on the rise in his leadership over Israel. But after he disobeyed the Lord’s command, he was on the decline. In terms of his family life, he was insane to put David his son-in-law to death out of jealousy. He was wasting his time and energy to remove David his faithful servant. Spiritually, he was out of God’s favor. Before the final battle against the Philistines, he visited the witch in En-dor to seek dead Samuel’s guidance. He clearly departed from the Lord’s Word. Due to his disobedience to God’s command, Saul destroyed his personal life, disintegrated his family, and debilitated his country. This illustrates how destructive sin is.

We may divide the life of King David into two phases, before his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of her husband Uriah. He trusted the Lord while he was on the flight from the threat of Saul his father-in-law. He was faithful to Him, not killing Saul because he believed God didn’t want him to kill Saul His anointed one. He was faithfully following God’s guidance. He rose on the throne as God promised to him. He consolidated his reign and his national security while he was depending on God. However, he ignored His Word and took Uriah’s wife and put him to death. This was the watershed in his personal, familial, and national life. He broke up Uriah’s family. As a result, David’s family was broken up later. He lost his son he had through Bathsheba. Amnon, his first son, raped Tamar his daughter. Absalom, her brother, killed Amnon in revenge. He rebelled against David and usurped his throne. David’s wickedness shook the whole foundation of his life. He was restored by God’s grace when he repented. However, the negative consequences of his sin impacted the foundation of his relationships with God, others, and self. Obedience constructs our lives whereas disobedience destroys them.

For this reason, King David charged his son Solomon to keep God’s Word above all. Here is what he said to Solomon as he handed over his kingship to Solomon: 네 아들 솔로몬 그가 내 전을 건축하고 내 여러 뜰을 만들리니 이는 내가 저를 택하여 내 아들을 삼고 나는 그 아비가 될 것임이라 ⁷ 저가 만일 나의 계명과 규례를 힘써 준행하기를 오늘날과 같이 하면 내가 그 나라를 영원히 견고케 하리라 하셨느니라 ⁸ 이제 너희는 온 이스라엘 곧 여호와의 회중의 보는 데와 우리 하나님의 들으시는데서 너희 하나님 여호와의 모든 계명을 구하여 지키기로 하라 그리하면 너희가 이 아름다운 땅을 누리고 너희 후손에게 끼쳐 영원한 기업이 되게 하리라. 'It is Solomon your son who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. ⁷ I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues strong in keeping my commandments and my rules, as he is today.' ⁸ Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever (1Ch 28:6-8). The Lord laid the same principle for all kings of Israel to do all His commandments for building up the nation. The rise and fall of Israel depended on whether they would keep God’s commandments or not. Godly kings built up their nations while wicked kings drove their nation to destruction. This is what we see as we read the entire Bible.

What do we seek to achieve by obeying the Lord’s Word? We do not seek to save ourselves by obeying it, because we can’t perfectly keep it. We do not present our merits as the ground for our salvation. But it is the way we express our love, loyalty, and respect for God by practicing what He tells us to do. That’s why the Lord said to His disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” The whole law and prophets are summed up in the love command, love for God and neighbor. Thus, when we hear and do the Lord’s word, we do show our love for Him, others, and even our self. If we obey Him, we edify ourselves; but if we disobey Him, we tear down ourselves. Obedience is critical in building our spiritual house. Thus, we must continue to hear and do God’s Word. We must hear in order to obey it.

Then, the question is how we are able to hear and practice the Lord’s Word. Our problem is not how to find out God’s moral law, but how to make our hearing generate its practice consistently. We are constantly struggling to put it into practice. We all know how hard it is to obey the Lord’s Word. We want to know the biblical principle of how to practice our radical obedience in spite of all the distractions and difficulties. Let’s turn to that topic.

  III.         듣고 행하는 삶은 예수 그리스도 위에 세워져야 한다.

Hearing and doing must be founded on Jesus Christ.

Now, we agree we can’t build our spiritual lives with hearing alone and that it takes hearing and doing to build them. Though our obedience is necessary and critical to build our personal and communal lives, we can’t say our obedience is the rock on which we build them. We may say obedience serve an important role of building a Christian life, but it can’t be the foundation itself. Somone left a comment on my article titled “Man still sins even though he knows he will die for it.” He says: 우리 가톨릭의 동생종교 개신교 친구, 잘들어. 천국은 예수님 믿기만 한다고 가는 곳이 아니야. 천국은 진실로써 하나님을 섬기고 선행을 하는 이들이 가는 곳이고, 지옥은 아무리 예수님이고 하나님이고 믿어도 죄악을 저지르고 반성하지 않으면 가는 곳이다. You, protestant friend, a little brother religion of our Catholic church, listen carefully. You can’t go to heaven by faith alone. You must sincerely serve God and do good works. Then, you can go to heaven. You will go to hell, even if you believe in Jesus or God but if you sin and do not do penance. I didn’t respond to his comment. How would you respond to him? Well, he denies salvation by faith alone. He adds good works as our merits for salvation. He is wrong on those points. But he addresses the necessity of good works. Even here he is wrong because he sees good works as the ground, not evidence of our salvation. The Bible tells us clearly that our salvation is entirely dependent upon the person and work of Jesus Christ. 

The foundation of the Christian life does not lie in human ingenuities, good works, credentials, school degrees, or church affiliations.   Such things may be helpful to some extent. But they are not the foundation of our Christian life. The foundation is the person and work of Christ. If we see today’s text in the context of the whole Bible, we find that the foundation refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Many years before Christ, Isaiah prophesied of Jesus the Messiah and compared Him to a sure foundation: 그러므로 주 여호와께서 가라사대 보라 내가 한 돌을 시온에 두어 기초를 삼았노니 곧 시험한 돌이요 귀하고 견고한 기초 돌이라 그것을 믿는 자는 급절하게 되지 아니하리로다. "Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: 'Whoever believes will not be in haste' (Isa. 28:26). Though the Jewish religious leaders rejected Jesus, God’s anointed “Cornerstone” or “foundation” for salvation, anyone who believed Him as the foundation for salvation were saved. The apostle Paul also compared Jesus to a foundation: 이 닦아 둔 것 외에 능히 다른 터를 닦아 둘 자가 없으니 이 터는 곧 예수 그리스도라. no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 3:11). In 1 Cor. 10:4, Paul called Christ as the Rock: 다 같은 신령한 음료를 마셨으니 이는 저희를 따르는 신령한 반석으로부터 마셨으매 그 반석은 곧 그리스도시라. and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

Therefore, Jesus Christ is our spiritual Rock foundation on which we build our lives. He is the unshakable, eternal Rock foundation we can rely on for salvation. If we take our obedience as the rock, then we will soon find the fragility and shakiness of our obedience. Our obedience cannot be our rock foundation for salvation. It is evidence of our salvation. It is the fruit we bear through the Holy Spirit. But it cannot be the ground for our redemption. Only the Lord Jesus Christ is the ground for our salvation. Our obedience is the inevitable expression of our standing on Jesus Christ. Unless we stand upon Him, we will be shaky and will not stand all the temptations and trials in life. We are able to obey the Lord’s Word when we set ourselves on the rock foundation, that is, Jesus Christ.

What does it mean that we set our spiritual houses on Jesus Christ our foundation? It means that we do not trust our willpower, confession, hearing, fervor, or activities. It means that we do not trust our obedience as the ground for salvation. It means that we trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Since we were dead in sins and transgressions, we couldn’t revive ourselves. We trust the Lord Jesus Christ for the new, eternal life with which we begin to relate to the new Lord in our lives. Not only are we born again by Christ’ sheer grace on the basis of His redemptive work on the cross, but also we are enabled to live a God-intended life. He gives us His great grace, so that we will walk according to the Holy Spirit. When He grants us His grace, it means we are filled with His Spirit. His Spirit enables us to fulfill what the law requires us. Paul says: ³ 율법이 육신으로 말미암아 연약하여 할 수 없는 그것을 하나님은 하시나니 곧 죄를 인하여 자기 아들을 죄 있는 육신의 모양으로 보내어 육신에 죄를 정하사 ⁴ 육신을 좇지 않고 그 영을 좇아 행하는 우리에게 율법의 요구를 이루어지게 하려 하심이니라. ³ For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Rom 8:3-4).

The foundation is organically connected with its building. This imagery suggests that we are organically united with Jesus Christ. Union with Christ is the key to practicing God’s Word. Christ is in us and we are in Him. He is the vine and we are His branches. He is the Husband and we are His bride. He is the cornerstone and we are the structure. He is the head and we are His body. The way God works within us is through His grace. Paul says: 하나님이 능히 모든 은혜를 너희에게 넘치게 하시나니 이는 너희로 모든 일에 항상 모든 것이 넉넉하여 모든 착한 일을 넘치게 하게 하려 하심이라. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work (2 Cor. 9:8). If we fulfill God’s law in His grace, we won’t boast; rather, we will boast about Christ and His sufficient, enabling, and transforming grace.

As Paul said, we will make union with Christ the vital principle for living according to the Lord’s Word: ²⁰ 내가 그리스도와 함께 십자가에 못 박혔나니 그런즉 이제는 내가 산 것이 아니요 오직 내 안에 그리스도께서 사신 것이라 이제 내가 육체 가운데 사는 것은 나를 사랑하사 나를 위하여 자기 몸을 버리신 하나님의 아들을 믿는 믿음 안에서 사는 것이라. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal. 2:20). Union with Christ means that we talk and walk with Him moment by moment. It means that we walk in constant fellowship with Him. It means that we hear and do His biddings. It means that we experience sweet fellowship with Him. It means that we honor and respect Him only as our Friend and Companion but also as our Lord and Savior. The purpose of salvation is that we become one with Christ for eternity.

To be able to hear and do the Lord’s Word, we must be gripped by His love demonstrated on the cross. The apostle John says, 누구든지 그의 말씀을 지키는 자는 하나님의 사랑이 참으로 그 속에서 온전케 되었나니 이로써 우리가 저 안에 있는 줄을 아노라. but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him (Jn. 2:5). A Japanese devout Christian man, named Toyohiko Kagawa, was inspired by the love of Christ on the cross and became a friend of the underprivileged in society. After his conversion, he went out to visit the sick. He comforted the sorrowing; he fed the hungry; he lodged the homeless; he became an elder brother to the prostitutes, visiting them when they were ill and providing them with medicines. Parents turned to him for advice. Young people brought him their tangled life-problems. Criminals made him their father-confessors. The children swarmed around him.

What caused him to be a friend of sinner? It was the love of Christ that drove him out of his comfort zone to love the loveless in society. Immensely impressed by the teaching and example of Jesus Christ, Kagawa learned the Sermon on the Mount by heart and began to pray daily, 오 하나님, 저로 그리스도를 닮게 하소서. “O God, make me like Christ.” He practiced what the Lord taught him in His sermon. He emphasized the centrality of Christ’s cross as the revelation of God’s love in his preaching. After World War II, the prime minister appealed to him in these terms: 오직 예수 그리스도만이 그 원수를 사랑할 수 있습니다. 제가 예수 그리스도의 사랑을 우리 백성들의 마음에 심을 수 있도록 도와주세요. “Only Jesus Christ was able to love His enemies…Help me to plant the love of Jesus Christ into the hearts of our people.” Kagawa’s creed was that the cross is the center of Christianity. His favorite hymn was 예수님, 저로 십자가 곁에 머물게 하소서! “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross.” Unless we are united with Him through the transcending love of Christ’s cross, we can’t practice His teaching and follow His example.

Therefore, we must realize we are one with Christ and walk in that union before we try to keep God’s commandments. We must realize our sinfulness and frailty first before we depend on Christ’s sufficient grace. If we try to keep that union by keeping the Lord’s Word, then we can’t maintain it. But if we try to walk in that union first, which means we walk in the consciousness of His presence within our hearts and lives, then we will be able to put the Lord’s Word into practice consistently. Our salvation is of the Lord. Every aspect of our salvation, election, effectual calling, regeneration, conversion, justification, union with Christ, adoption, sanctification, and glorification, depends on God’s free grace. Thus, our obedience is impossible without God’s enabling grace. It is difficult to obey the Lord because we want to exercise our sovereignty over our lives. We have to realize we are crucified with Christ and the Lord lives in us. Due to our death with Christ and our resurrection with Christ, we are able to live with Christ, which leads us to obey Him. We must build our obedient lives on the grace and power of Christ our rock foundation.    

Conclusion: As we come to the conclusion, we must remind ourselves of the importance of hearing and doing as well. Dr. Stott stresses the importance of being a doer of God’s Word as follows: 이 가르침을 적용할 때 성경은 읽기에 위험한 책이며 교회는 가입하기에 위험한 공동체인 것을 기억할 필요가 있다. 그 이유는 성경을 읽을 때 우리는 그리스도의 말씀을 듣는 것이며 교회에 가입할 때 우리는 그리스도를 믿는다고 고백하기 때문이다. 결과적으로 우리는 예수께서 말씀하시듯 그분의 가르침을 듣고 그분을 주님으로 부르는 무리에 속하게 되는 것이다. 그러므로 우리의 멤버쉽은 우리가 알고 말하는 것을 행함으로 전환해야 하는 막중한 책임을 부여한다. In applying this teaching to ourselves, we need to consider that the Bible is a dangerous book to read, and that the church is a dangerous society to join. For in reading the Bible we hear the words of Christ, and in joining the church we say we believe in Christ. As a result, we belong to the company described by Jesus as both hearing His teaching and calling Him Lord. Our membership therefore lays upon us the serious responsibility of ensuring that what we know and what we say is translated into what we do.

So far, the Lord has taught us to live out His sermon on the Mount. Since we are saved by God’s grace, we must be poor in spirit, mourning for sin, meek, merciful, hungry for righteousness, peace-making, be persecuted for Christ’s sake. We must be the light of the world and the salt on earth. Our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees. We must keep the letter and the spirit of God’s law. We must even love our enemies. We must be perfect as God is perfect. We must practice religious duties such as almsgiving, prayer, and fasting as if we are in the presence of God. We must abandon hypocrisy. We must serve God alone, not money. We must trust God for our daily existence. We must reject fault-finding, censorious attitudes. We must practice the Golden Rule. We must enter the narrow gate and walk on the hard path leading to eternal life. We must discern false prophets by their fruits. We must not trust our confession, zeal, hearing, and activities as the ground of the assurance of salvation. Our hearing must be translated into our doing. In sum, we must love God and neighbor in His grace. The Lord has given us how to live as the representatives of His kingdom. The Lord wants to reproduce people like Him through His sermon. “O God, make us like your Son Jesus Christ.” This is what we must pray for throughout our lives.

When He gives us His commands, He also gives us His grace, so that we can fulfill them. Let’s remember the Lord makes our lives, family, church, and community stronger and happier through our obedience to His Word. Let’s build our spiritual houses on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Let’s trust Him and His grace to grow in obedience to Him. Let’s fix our eyes upon Him. Let’s walk in union with Christ, so that we would be what God wants us to be. Relying on the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must build our selves, families, marriages, and communities. Let’s remember we lay our foundation on Jesus Christ, who enables us to hear Him seriously and practice His Word constructively. The author of Hebrews says his benediction as follows: ²⁰ 양의 큰 목자이신 우리 주 예수를 영원한 언약의 피로 죽은 자 가운데서 이끌어 내신 평강의 하나님이 ²¹ 모든 선한 일에 너희를 온전케 하사 자기 뜻을 행하게 하시고 그 앞에 즐거운 것을 예수 그리스도로 말미암아 우리 속에 이루시기를 원하노라 영광이 그에게 세세무궁토록 있을찌어다 아멘. ²⁰ Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, ²¹ equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Heb. 13:20-21).

Benediction: ²⁴ 여호와는 네게 복을 주시고 너를 지키시기를 원하며 ²⁵ 여호와는 그 얼굴로 네게 비취사 은혜 베푸시기를 원하며 ²⁶ 여호와는 그 얼굴을 네게로 향하여 드사 평강 주시기를 원하노라. ²⁴ The LORD bless you and keep you; ²⁵ the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; ²⁶ the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace (Num. 6:24-26)