바벨론 포로들을 위한 좋은 소식(복음)

바벨론 포로들을 위한 좋은 소식(복음) Good News (Gospel) for the Babylonian captives(사52:7-10)

복음을 이해하기 위해서 구약으로 돌아가야 하는 이유 The reason to turn to the Old Testament to understand the Gospel

1. 바울이 말한 복음은 ‘성경대로’ The Gospel preached by Paul is "according to the Scriptures" 고전15:1-4 갈3:8
2. 복음은 구약에 뿌리를 둠 The Gospel has its roots in the Old Testamen

이사야 52:7-10절에 나타난 복음의 3가지 The three aspects of the Gospel revealed in Isaiah 52:7-10

1. 하나님이 통치하신다(평화, 선함, 구원) God reigns (Peace, goodness, and salvation)

행10:36 엡2:17

1. 하나님이 돌아오신다 God is coming back
2. 하나님이 구속하신다(위로와 구속) God redeems (Comfort and salvation)시98:3

복음을 이루기 위해 오신 예수님 Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Gospe

마10:5-8

Summary

In this sermon, we explore the essence of the Gospel in three parts. The term "Gospel" comes from the Greek word "euangelion," meaning "good news" or "glad tidings." It is the central message of Christianity, emphasizing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

To understand the Gospel fully, we need to delve into the Old Testament Scriptures. The Gospel's concept originates from the "Old Testament Scriptures," and Paul emphasizes that the Gospel is "according to the Scriptures." The Old Testament, particularly Isaiah and Psalms, lays the foundation for the Gospel.

The first aspect of the Gospel is that "God Reigns." When God reigns, peace, goodness, and salvation replace violence, brokenness, and sin. It brings peace to our relationship with God, others, and ourselves, restoring the world to its original state as God intended.

The second aspect is "God is Returning." Just as God returned to His people after the exile in Babylon, Jesus will return to dwell eternally in the new heaven and earth.

The third aspect is "God Redeems." The Gospel promises comfort and redemption, setting us free from sin and bondage through God's mighty power. Its benefits extend to all nations, offering salvation to the whole world.

Ultimately, the Gospel centers around Jesus. When we receive Him as our King and Lord, we experience true freedom and joy. Through this Gospel, we can become a "festive community," comforting and rejoicing with one another. May we all be blessed by this wonderful news and share it with the world.

Script

From today, I would like to discuss the content of "What is the Gospel" about three times. Although we often use words like "Gospel," "grace," "salvation," "faith," and "eternal life" within the church, there are times when the rich meanings contained in these words are not well manifested. Among them, the most representative is the word "Gospel."

The term "Gospel" comes from the Greek word "euangelion," which means "good news" or "glad tidings." In the New Testament, the word "Gospel" is attached to the term "evangel-" using the Greek word "euangelion" as its root. Everyone uses the initial letters of the Greek word "euangelion" when referring to "evangelism" in English or "evangelize" when conveying good news. So when we say "missionary work" or "saving souls," we mean sharing the "good news" in a world filled with bad news. Now, let's explore what this "good news" actually is.

In the New Testament, the word "Gospel" appears around a hundred times, combining nouns and verbs. However, the concept of "Gospel" originated from the "Old Testament Scriptures." To understand the "Gospel," we need to go back to the "Old Testament Scriptures." There are two reasons for this:

Firstly, Paul is telling us that the "Gospel" is "according to the Scriptures." Please take a look at 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: "Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures..."

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the central message of the Gospel. However, Paul states that this "Gospel" from the "Old Testament Scriptures" is now being proclaimed.

Furthermore, when God promised Abraham that "all nations" would be blessed through him, Paul says that the Gospel was preached to Abraham beforehand. Galatians 3:8 states, "...the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.'"

In conclusion, to understand the richness of the Gospel, we need to start from Genesis, not just from the Gospel of Matthew.

Secondly, the New Testament term for "Gospel" and "evangelism" (evangel...) actually has its roots in the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Isaiah and Psalms. It traces back specifically to the "good news" delivered to the exiles in Babylon. Therefore, let's explore the meaning of the Gospel through the book of Isaiah, which contains the content of the "good news" for the exiles in Babylon.

As you may know, when Babylon invaded, unimaginable events unfolded for the people of Judah. The house of God, the temple, was destroyed, and people of all ages were brutally killed or taken as captives. Their entire worldview and identity were fundamentally shattered. "Has our God, the Creator of the universe, been defeated?" "Has the house of that God in Jerusalem been destroyed?" It was an unthinkable situation. However, in the midst of such circumstances, they heard the "good news." The content of this "good news" is recorded in Isaiah chapters 40-55. In these chapters, the word "Gospel" is used in verses 40:9, 41:27, 52:7, and 61:1. In Hebrew, the word used is "basar," and in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament), "basar" is translated as "euangelion" (Gospel).

"Basar" means "to proclaim or announce good news." For example, when announcing a victory in war, it is called "basar." The person who proclaims this good news is called a "messenger." In today's passage from chapter 52, the messenger who proclaims this joyful news appears in verse 7.

The content of Isaiah chapter 52 is a command to the people taken captive by Babylon. It tells them to wake up, as the days of captivity and desolation have passed. They are encouraged to believe in the promise and, while standing amidst the ruins of Jerusalem, to look toward the east, where Babylon is, and to imagine. At that moment, they start to see the feet of the messenger coming from the east, crossing the mountains towards Jerusalem. This messenger is not bringing bad news of defeat but the good news of victory. As the messenger rejoices, there are "three words" that he proclaims: "Peace has come," "Blessed tidings," and "Salvation." The messenger arrives in Jerusalem and proclaims to all the people inside the city, "Your God reigns.“

Yes, you have captured the essence of the threefold "good news" (Gospel) beautifully, which can be summarized as the 3R: Reign, Return, and Redeem.

1. God Reign This is the core message. It encompasses all three aspects of the good news proclaimed by the messenger. When God begins to reign, a remarkable transformation takes place. First, it means "Peace(샬롬)." Peace will come to replace violence, conflict, war, brokenness, and pain in all aspects of life, including our relationship with God, others, and ourselves. Wars will cease, and peace will be restored. Paul illustrates this image of the messenger proclaiming peace in the ministry of Jesus Christ. Acts 10:36 says, "You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all." Ephesians 2:17 also speaks of Jesus bringing peace to both those near and far. Second, God's reign means "Goodness (선 or 토브)." God looked at His creation and declared it "good." It signifies the restoration of the created world to its original state as God intended. Third, God's reign means "Salvation (예슈아 or Yeshua)." It represents freedom from bondage, delivering the people from all that enslaves them. All forms of addiction, oppression, and bondage will be broken. When God reigns, the chains of sin orchestrated by Satan, as well as the ultimate threats of sin, death, and judgment, will be completely removed. Interestingly, this profound word in the Old Testament is indeed a reference to the name "Jesus."

The content of the Gospel proclaimed by the messenger running towards Jerusalem is, "When God reigns, there will be 'peace, goodness, and salvation.' Life will be better, and you will be delivered from all evil." The messenger sent by God! Oh, how beautiful are the feet that bring this Gospel! This is the essence of the good news he proclaims.

In the 1880s, there was a man in Seoul's Pimatgol neighborhood. He was in his 30s and had no name, simply referred to as "Parkga." His occupation was that of a servant, one of the lowest social classes in Joseon Dynasty, and even excluded from the population census. Even if he were to get married, the neighborhood children would treat adults like him as if they were animals. Parkga had a son who also became a servant like him. However, when missionaries came and established a school, his son began to learn to read and write. During that time, the First Sino-Japanese War (1894) spread cholera in Joseon, resulting in a situation where many people were dying. Parkga was on the brink of death due to cholera. Therefore, his son asked Mr Moore, a missionary, to save his father. So, Mr Moore requested Dr. Allen, a medical missionary, to save him. At that time, Dr. Allen was the imperial physician. It was an unthinkable act for him to touch Parkga's hand, as he had been examining and touching the Emperor with those very hands. Eventually, Allen saved Parkga's life. Later, Parkga came to believe in Jesus and became the first servant to be baptized in the spring of 1895. He was given the name "Park Seongchun" (meaning "a new life has begun"). His son's name was "Park Seoyang" (meaning "become a new Western doctor"). Parkga desperately wanted his son to be raised as a doctor by Dr. Allen, so Park Seoyang became the first Korean Western doctor and served as a physician to King Gojong. It was an astonishing event that the Gospel came and eradicated the social hierarchy, changing people's worldview, even in such a scene where Jews and non-Jews could not be together. Furthermore, Park Seoyang later became an independence activist and contributed to the country's liberation.

When God reigns, even in a land like Joseon, where even those treated as subhuman servants like Parkga lived, peace unfolds, society is restored to the beautiful image God desires, and people are delivered from all oppression and sorrow. Just as this historical event happened, the Gospel continues to overflow with good news, not only in missionary fields but also in our lives and those of our neighbors.

The second good news proclaimed by the messenger is:

2. God is returning (8, Return).

In verse 8, the watchmen shout and sing songs of joy because they have seen the LORD God returning after the messenger. They exclaim, "The LORD is returning to His homeland!" "The ruling God is coming back!" "The LORD is returning to us!“

When Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC and took the people into captivity, God Himself departed. The glory of the temple disappeared. The prophet Ezekiel witnessed the desolation of the temple when God left. However, Isaiah now sees that the same God is coming back. Indeed, when the captives returned under King Cyrus of Persia in 538 BC, God returned. The temple was rebuilt, and worship was restored.

In the case of Jesus, during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, He rode on a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. Jesus, You are the God who comes. Jesus, after His resurrection and ascension, will return once more, this time not just for the redemption of all humanity, but to dwell eternally in the new Jerusalem, the new heaven, and new earth. We will all dwell together in God's temple, singing praises to our victorious Lord.

The third good news proclaimed by the messenger is:

3. God redeems (9-10, Redeem).

This joyful message has contagious power. The messenger proclaims it, and then the watchmen sing songs of joy. Following them, in verse 9, the desolate people of Jerusalem also join in the song, and in verse 10, the song spreads "to the ends of the earth." This song's content is the gospel—God's good news.

So, what will God do? In verse 9, it says, "comfort and redemption." God will comfort His people. From Isaiah 40 and onwards, God continuously consoles and comforts those who are in captivity, feeling hopeless and lost, suffering for a long time. However, comfort alone would be ineffective. God also redeems His people. Here, "redemption" is an economic term, meaning to pay a price to release someone from debt or captivity. God will not only comfort us but also pay the price to set us free. That is the good news.

How will this redemption be accomplished? In verse 10, it says, "His holy power." The term "His holy arm" in the Revised Version is translated as "His holy power" in the New International Version. "Arm" here symbolizes "power," indicating that God will achieve this great redemption through His own mighty power. He will not rely on anyone's help, just as He did during the exodus from Egypt, where He accomplished everything through the power of His own arm. We can expect that God's power will be manifested in "His servant," as we see the entire story about "the Servant" filling chapters 52:12 to chapter 53.

Lastly, who will benefit from this redemption? In verse 10, it says, "all the ends of the earth." That's right. While the gospel was initially good news of hope for the Babylonian captives, it now expands to become the promise of salvation for the whole world. Psalm 98:3 says, "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." The gospel is not just good news for Israel; it is good news for the whole world. Israel's gospel is the gospel for all nations. God chose the nation of Israel to proclaim this gospel to the world, not because they were greater or superior, but solely out of His love and grace. They were a smaller, insignificant nation, but God chose and loved them, allowing them to participate in His redemptive work.

Now, this gospel has reached Korea through Australian missionaries to the countryside of Gyeongsang Province, and even to my mother and me. Now it has come to Sydney, reaching out to other immigrants through me.

To summary,

What is the good news, the gospel, directed towards all nations? It speaks of the ruling God, the God who returns to His people, the God who redeems the entire world. It tells of a God who accomplishes all these things now through His "holy arm" and His "servant." And who is this servant? It is none other than "Jesus."

I will conclude by reading Matthew 10:5-8: "These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: 'Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.'"

In these verses, Jesus instructs His disciples to go and proclaim the good news. He sends them to the lost sheep of Israel, emphasizing the nearness of the kingdom of heaven. The gospel that they are to proclaim is about the arrival of peace, goodness, and salvation. Jesus, Himself, is the embodiment of this good news.

So, what is the gospel? It is all about 'Jesus.' It is about Jesus coming to us, ruling in our hearts and homes. When we receive Jesus as our King and Lord, we are set free from the bondage of sin, death, and worries, and we sing with joy. My hope is that through this wonderful news, we can become a 'festive community,' comforting and rejoicing with each other in our midst. May we all be blessed by this good news.