October 1 - The Ambassador of Heaven 천국의 대사

October 1 - The Ambassador of Heaven

 

“He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.” – Hebrews 11:25

 

 Moses is described in this passage as a man who exhibited true, godly faith. This faith was earlier defined as reasoned, obedient, forward-looking trust in God (Hebrews 11:1–3). Examples of Old Testament figures who relied on God, even when they could not see the entire picture of how God was working. In many cases, these faithful ones were faced with drastic, immediate dilemmas, such as Abraham's obedience regarding Isaac (Hebrews 11:17–19) and Moses’s parent’s disobedience to Pharaoh's evil commands (Hebrews 11:23). Moses, himself, is described as rejecting his adoptive status in Pharaoh's own house (Hebrews 11:24), instead favoring his Israeli bloodline.According to this verse, this rejection by Moses was a deliberate decision by himself among the people of God, even as they were abused and persecuted (Exodus 1:8–14), rather than taking the easier road and living in the Egyptian palace. Contrary to pop culture and movies, Moses was always fully aware of his Jewish heritage (Exodus 2:1–10). His willingness to choose Israel over Egypt suggests he was also aware of Israel's history and God’s promises to that nation. Unfortunately, the first action the book of Exodus records by Moses in that regard is the killing of an abusive enslaved Egyptian (Exodus 2:11–12), an event that forced him to flee the country (Exodus 2:13–14).

 

Before we act according to the will of God, we have to get rid of our old sinful nature. The old sinful nature is simply deceiving God’s will and the guidance of the Spirit. The Apostle Peter said, “For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, and detestable idolatry” (1 Peter 4:3). Here we can find the six sins of pagans: debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry. It is difficult for Christians to overcome this world’s temptations and lures.

 

The reasons are these: first, all of us are very weak to the pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25). Sometimes, we know that doing something is bad, but we are tempted to do it anyway because of the pleasure that comes from it. In this weak moment, we can be disobedient easily. Second, sometimes it takes effort to judge what is right or wrong. In other words, there are ambiguous facts in our life. Third, Jesus prayed so that we might stay in the world. We cannot live separate from other non-believers, but we are responsible for spreading the Gospel to them. Fourth, we might yield temptation to get along with people of the world because we do not want to spoil the fun. 

 

The people who live according to their sinful nature think it is strange that we do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation. Therefore, they abuse us (1 Peter 4:4). However, the day will surely come when they have to give their account to them directly. “But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:5). Christians live in this world full of temptations and trials while people watch it. If our behavior is inappropriate, we cannot give a good impression of heaven either. 

Living according to God’s will as an ambassador of heaven is precious.

 

“To be an ambassador for Christ means to invite everyone to a personal encounter with Jesus,” said Pope Francis.

 

 

Today’s Prayer: Pray that God will help your family and friends do all their work and play God-glorifying excellently

Prayer Pointer: The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but prayer fetched the angel. - Thomas Watson

Bible Reading: Isaiah 22-23; Ephesians 3

 

 

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10월 1일 - 천국의 대사

 

“도리어 하나님의 백성과 함께 고난 받기를 잠시 죄악의 낙을 누리는 것 보다 더 좋아하고” - 히 11:25

 

 

이 구절에서 모세는 진실하고 경건한 믿음을 소유한 인물로 묘사하고 있습니다. 그의 믿음은 이성적이면서 하나님을 신뢰하고 순종하는 믿음으로 정의하고 있습니다(히 11:1-3). 구약의 인물들은 하나님이 역사하시는 전체 그림을 볼 수 없을 때에도 그들은 하나님을 의지한 것입니다. 이러한 충성스러운 인물들은 극적인 딜렘마를 직면했을 때, 이삭을 바치는 아브라함의 순종(히 11:17-19), 바로의 악한 명령에 불순종하는 모세의 부모(히 11:23)와 같은 예에서 찾아 볼 수 있습니다. 모세는 비로왕의 가문의 양자의 지위를 거절하고(히 11:24) 오히려 그의 이스라엘 혈통을 중요하게 선호한 것을 볼 수 있습니다. 

 

하나님의 백성들이 학대와 박해를 받고 있을 때((출 1:8-14) 모세는 쉬운 길을 택하고 애굽 궁전에서 사는 것을 자기 스스로 의도인 거절의 결정을 내린 것 입니다. 그는 애굽의 대중 문화와 세상의 영화를 누리기 보다는 언제나 자신의 유대인의 정체성과 유산을 잘 알고 있었습니다(출 2:1-10). 그가 애굽을 택하는 대신 이스라엘을 택했다는 것에는 모세가 이스라엘의 역사와 하나님의 약속을 이미 알고 있었다는 사실을 시사하는 것입니다. 불행하게도, 자신의 정체성과 관련하여 출애굽기에 기록된 첫 번째 그의 행동은 학대하는 애굽인을(출 2:11-12)를 죽임으로 그는 애굽을 떠나 광야로 피신해야 했습니다(출 2:13-14).

 

하나님의 뜻에 따라 행동하기 전에, 우리는 반드시 습관화되어 있는 죄성을 버려야 합니다. 우리의 죄성은 하나님의 뜻을 거스리고 성령의 인도를 방해합니다. 베드로는 "너희가 음란과 정욕과 방탕과 향락과 무범한 우상 숭배를 하여 이방인의 뜻을 따라 행한 것은 지나간 때가 족하도다”(벧전 4:3) 라고 말합니다. 이 말씀에서 이방사람들의 여섯 가지 죄악들, 즉 음란, 정욕, 방탕, 술취함, 향락, 가증한 우상숭배를 볼수 있습니다. 그리스도인들이 세상을 살아가면서 세상의 시험을 이기고 유혹을 극복하며 살아가는 것은 쉬운 일이 아닙니다. 

 

여기에는 몇가지 이유가 있습니다. 첫째, 우리 인간은 죄가 주는 쾌락에 매우 약한 존재입니다(히 11:25). 우리가 행하는 것이 좋지 않다는 것을 잘 알면서도 거기에서 오는 즐거움 때문에 그것을 중단하지 못하고 행하고 싶은 유혹을 받게 되어 있습니다. 이러한 약한 생각을 가지는 순간에  쉽게 불순종하기 쉬운 것입니다. 둘째, 옳고 그름을 판단하기가 어려운 때가 있습니다. 우리가 살아가면서 옳고 그름을 결정하기 어려운 모호한 때가 있습니다. 셋째, 세상에서 시험을 이기도록 예수님은 기도하셨습니다. 우리는 불신자들과 떨어져 살 수 없으고 그들에게 복음을 전해야 할 책임이 있습니다 넷째, 우리는 세상 사람들과 어울려 재미있는 삶을 원하는 유혹을 받습니다. 

 

죄를 지으며 살아가는 세상 사람들은  우리가 그들과 같이 방탕한 삶을 살지 않는 것을 이상하게 생각하고 때로는 우리를 학대하기도 합니다(벧전4:4). 그러나 죄의 본성에 따라 살아간 자들이  자신의 삶에 대해 직접 고하는 날이 반드시 오게 되어 있습니다. "그들이 산 자와 죽은 자를 심판하기로 예비하신 이에게 사실대로 고하리라"(벧전 4:5). 그리스도인들은 유혹과 시험으로 가득 찬 세상에서 주목을 받으며 살아갑니다. 우리의 행동이 적절하지 않다면 천국의 좋은 인상을 줄 수 없기 때문에 천국의 대사로서 하나님의 뜻에 따라 사는 것은 매우 중요합니다. 

 

"그리스도의 대사가 된다는 것은 모든 사람을 예수와의 개인적인 만남에 초대하는 것을 의미합니다." - 프란치스코 교황

 

 

오늘의 기도: 하나님께서 당신의 가정과 친구들을 도우셔서 모든 일을 잘하고 하나님께 영광을 돌리는 탁월하게 일할 수 있도록 기도하십시오. 

기도 지침: 천사가 베드로를 감옥에서 데리고 나왔다. 그러나 그것은 천사를 불러온 기도였다,” – 토마스 왓슨

성경 읽기: 이사야 22-23장; 에베소서 3장