Acts 2: 37-42

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

God is love. He sent us His law in order to reveal our sin. He wanted to help us prepare to receive His love. When people realised their sin and that the wages of their sin is eternal punishment, God showed them the way to be forgiven through the priest. The priest killed a lamb and sacrificed its blood to God as a guilt offering. God forgave the sin receiving the sacrifice that came from the understanding of sin. Because the result of sin is death, sinners cannot avoid eternal punishment in Hell. God sent Jesus to the world and sacrificed Him for the redemption of our sin which cannot be washed by an animal’s blood (Hebrews 10:1-8). Jesus Christ came to remove all our problems that came from sin and curses (Isaiah 53:5-6). By His body, Jesus Christ washed away all our problems both physically and spiritually. On the cross, He said “It is finished”. He shed His blood and completed His work of saving our souls. After three days, He was raised from death on the Cross. For 40 days, He met with His disciples many times and commanded them before going up to heaven. He commanded then “When the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will receive power. You will be witness of My blood shed on the cross. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, His power will be with you.” After that, the disciples were gathered in Mark’s upper room to pray earnestly. After ten days of prayer, the Holy Spirit came upon them as Jesus promised.

The Holy Spirit led them to preach Jesus in Jerusalem. They preached repentance of sin and to ask forgiveness from God because the man that the Jerusalem people crucified was Son of God. They preached that Jesus took all our sin and died on the cross. They boldly preached to repent of sin and receive the Holy Spirit. Thousands of people confessed their sin and asked for forgiveness from God. That was the complete work of the Holy Spirit that cannot be understood by humans.

A church was built in Jerusalem in which the gospel was preached. Jesus Christ used the Twelve by the Holy Spirit to build His churches. He reflected His ministry through them. The Jerusalem church did miracles by Holy Spirit. They raised the dead, drove out demons, cured incurable diseases, let the crippled walk and opened the mouths of mutes. They were used limitlessly. Churches were planted to save lost souls. The Church is to reduce those who misunderstand Christ so that they truly know Jesus and don’t go to hell. By miracles and power, the church carries our Jesus’ reason for shedding blood on the cross.

Our church was started 28 years ago. Our church has worked to practice passion for winning souls. The church should reduce those who go to hell and save people from devil’s control by preaching Jesus’ grace on cross, salvation by His Blood and healing by His wounds. That’s the mission of the Church. Since God planted our church, He has used us with the mind of Jesus Christ. I’m so grateful.

Dear congregation, let’s have the passion for winning souls like Jesus. Let’s reflect Jesus Christ’s life through our church. Let’s spread the real purpose of Jesus’ work. A church without Jesus Christ’s life is not the body Christ. Jesus ministered by the Holy Spirit. The early Church reflected Jesus’ life by the Holy Spirit. Our church shall do ministry as the witness of Jesus. Like the disciples of Jesus and people in the early churches, let’s show Jesus and give them His life. Our church shall show Jesus to lost souls like the witness of Jesus, the Twelve and people in early churches. Let’s let them experience and meet with Jesus to reduce people who go to hell. That’s mission of church and the reason God planted our church.

2014.3.9