July 4^th 2010 Sunday Message Summary

Scripture: Matthew 10:37-39

In Matthew 10:37, Jesus said, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Upon hearing this, some may say, “It doesn’t seem right,” or “I can’t understand it.”

Let’s explain why Jesus said this so that you will completely understand what it means.

First, let’s look at it from a human standpoint.

- There was a sick person in the family. So their parents and siblings took them to a hospital. The result of the examination and tests showed that the person’s life could be saved only by immediately performing surgery. When the doctor said, “Let’s go through with the surgery,” the patient said, “I’ll do it after asking my parents, siblings, and my lover first.” When the person asked them, they advised the person against having the surgery. They said, “If you eat and feel better, you will be able to recover so why would you undergo surgery?” The patient followed their suggestion instead of following the doctor’s advice.

Less than three months later, the doctor was informed that the patient had died. The parents, siblings, and lover of the patient were filled with regret realizing that the patient died from following their suggestion over the doctor’s.

This is what Jesus meant by the scriptures. If a person centers on what their parents, siblings, or lover say more than on what Jesus, the Savior, says or if the person loves their parents, siblings, or lover more than Jesus, the Savior; then they are not worthy of ‘salvation’ nor are they worthy of ‘the true love of the Lord.” Therefore, the Lord cannot save them.

The Lord said, “Love God, the Holy Spirit, and me, Jesus, more than anything in the world. Next, love your visible parents, siblings, and loved ones likewise within my Will. Learn true love by loving God, the Holy Spirit, and me first. Next, treat your parents, siblings, and lovers with that true love that you have learned.”

In Matthew 10:38, Jesus says, “Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” You may wonder, ‘Jesus, the Messiah, bore the cross and it should end there. Why does each person have to bear the cross?’ Before we hear about ‘What is the cross that Jesus spoke of?’ let me tell you about the cross of Jesus.

The cross of Jesus was:

First, it was the cross of salvation. Jesus bore the cross to redeem the sins of all mankind so that they would not die. From their viewpoint, the cross was a curse, but from Jesus’ viewpoint, it was the cross of salvation. Second, it was the cross of sacrifice and death. Third, it was the cross of love. Jesus bore the cross for the sake of everyone’s sins because he loved them. Fourth, it was the cross of suffering and struggles. Jesus received horrific suffering until he took his last breath, a suffering that would be even to watch, unbearable for any human. Fifth, it was the cross of glory. It became the cross of glory because he saved sinners who would otherwise be doomed to Hell and made them glorious. Sixth, it was the cross of resurrection. The Lord fulfilled the history of bringing sinners from death to life, and ultimately he also resurrected in the body. Seventh, it was the cross of victory. With righteousness, he fought against Satan, demons, and the wicked, and won. Eighth, it was the cross with which he, as the Messiah, completed all the responsibilities of salvation for mankind.

The Lord’s words, “Take your own cross and follow me” means, ‘Follow me even if there are sufferings and tribulations, hunger and hardships, even if you face injustice and misfortune, take up the cross of suffering without avoiding these.’

Because people don’t sacrifice for each other, don’t endure and are not patient, and don’t take the cross of love, things in the church are not going well; they are anxious; they are not at peace with each other; and they complain, fight, and cry. If you take up the cross you are supposed to take, there will be peace immediately.

< Jesus’ Words> Learn from me about what is unworthy of me. If you love yourself, parents, siblings, beloved one, or anything else more than me, you are unworthy of me. Know this fact and take action. If you know this and take action, you will do things voluntarily, but if you take action while in ignorance, you will be dragged into doing things and will do it only out of a sense of duty. I save people through love, but if they don’t have love for me, how can I save them?

Heaven is a place you can go to only if you love me the most. My Kingdom, Heaven, is the world of love; therefore, if you do not love me the most, you cannot enter into it no matter who you are. I am the core of love, the essence of love. Always love me more than anything or anyone in the world. Learn about true love from me, and then love your parents, siblings, your beloved one and yourself with my unbiased love.

When the world was created, it was created for the purpose of people loving God, me, and the Holy Spirit first and foremost. But the reason why people don’t live for me according to the purpose of creation is because they fell. Anyone who doesn’t live according to my Father’s Will is fallen. Those who live listening to my words and loving the Creator and the savior most are people who are fulfilling the purpose of creation. They have been freed from the fall. Become a person who is worthy of me, then you will not be judged.

Your own cross is your own responsibility. On top of that, you should take the cross for me, Jesus, for your brothers and for Providence. Your teacher is taking the heavy cross and limping along so you should share in taking his cross and continue onward.

Take up more of the cross for your brothers, your church and Providence. This will become part of your good deeds and ultimately the glory will return to you. Praying for them and repenting on their behalf is taking the cross for them. With this you will be able to save them and help them achieve salvation.

I am the Lord Jesus who loves you. I am the Lord of victory that took the cross, defeated Satan and destroyed the wicked. Good bye.