Preacher: Pohang Central Baptist Church
Date: 2026-07-26
Since last Thursday until this morning, there has been a summer camp for the educational institution. The teachers have worked very hard to serve the next generation in the sweltering heat. Yes, thank you for your service and effort. Now, there is just over ten days left until the summer retreat for the entire church community to spiritually build up together. I believe you are all praying and preparing diligently. My heart is very earnest in preparing for this retreat. The reason is that there are more members who do not fully respond to God's word than before. There are those who have stopped growing and do not even budge from their stagnant position, those who have no desire to grow, those who lack reasons to grow, and those who have no intention of living according to God's word and want to practice their faith in their own way. I am deeply concerned about what to do. In a way, our community is at a crossroads of whether to be pushed back by the world or to push forward again. The increasing number of people who do not respond to the word shows that the spiritual state of our community is heading in a bad direction. If we are pushed back further, we will completely collapse.
Now, seeing this situation, a question arises within me. What is it? These people are all inside the church. They listen to the word. They attend worship. But they are not influenced by the word at all. There is indeed a problem. This is not normal. Everyone, first of all, there is no problem with God's word. The problem lies with the one delivering the word and with you who are receiving it. The problems that arise from the one delivering the word occur when they are not spiritually awake and not filled with the Holy Spirit, thus failing to be a channel of grace. I believe this can happen. I am well aware of this. So I always try to examine myself in prayer and in the word. Initially, the responsibility lies heavily on me. However, I can say without shame of conscience that I love you and am doing my best to save the community. And now, knowing that this state is a matter of life and death for the community, I will be more vigilant and strive to be a channel of grace filled with the Holy Spirit so that such things do not happen. I ask for your prayers so that I can fulfill the mission I have received from God. >> Amen.
Another issue arises from the people receiving the word. There are many problems that arise from those receiving the word, but the biggest one is this: they do not receive the word with earnestness and wholeheartedly. They listen but do not listen. This is the problem. Everyone, it is understandable that those who do not believe in Jesus at all have no interest and therefore do not receive the word with earnestness. But the real problem is that they do not receive God's word because they have set their own way of practicing their faith. This is the real issue. "I will do it this way. I will only do this much." They have set their own limits. No matter what the word says beyond that, they do not listen. Everyone, if I set my own way and level of practicing my faith, it is natural that I will not hear the word. And such people tend to complain more than receive grace when they hear God's word. They are also much more likely to be tempted. Everyone, if every time you hear the word, you feel complaints arise in your heart and get angry, and then you are tempted, there is no problem with the word. The problem lies within my heart. This kind of faith practice is exactly what comes from doing what seems right in one's own eyes, as seen in the book of Judges. Everyone, to practice faith according to what seems right in one's own eyes is already to have lost the way. That is not the way. Everyone, I will clearly explain what it means to be lost during the retreat. [snorts] Everyone, what is the most basic of faith practice? It is to believe in God and obey God's word. >> Amen.
Everyone, why does it become a problem to act according to what seems right in one's own eyes? What are the issues that arise when living according to one's own judgment? You can practice your faith according to your own judgment. That is, first of all, your choice. Hmm. However, while you can practice your faith according to what seems right in your own eyes, the time spent living that way is seen as erased time before God. It is time that disappears. When you go before the Lord for an account, that period will not exist. Therefore, for us who live with limited time, the Bible says to redeem the time. In other words, it means to buy opportunities. What is the way to buy the opportunities given to us? It is to receive the word with earnestness and to live according to that word. That is how we buy opportunities, and that life will not be erased in the kingdom of God. It will become a living period. >> Amen.
However, if I close my ears to the word and do not listen or obey, I will miss opportunities, and when I go before God, that period will be erased. It will become an erased period. Everyone, there are many people in the Bible who missed opportunities. The first king of Israel, Saul, stood before God's command to utterly destroy Amalek but missed the opportunity by disobeying. At that time, God said, "I have already rejected Saul." He could not wait for Samuel to offer sacrifices at Gilgal and offered sacrifices himself. At that time, God said, "My days will not be long." He missed the opportunity. "Utterly destroy Amalek." He missed that opportunity too. God said, "I have rejected you." The first generation in the wilderness stood before the promise of entering Canaan. However, they missed the opportunity by disobeying. They could not enter. The people of Judah, who fell into sin, stood before the prophet's message to repent. They rejected the word. They did not listen. They missed the opportunity. However, there are also many people in the Bible who bought opportunities. Abraham obeyed God's command to leave his homeland, relatives, and father's house. He bought an opportunity. Jacob returned when God told him to go back from Paddan Aram. He bought an opportunity. Moses also obeyed and crossed the Red Sea. He bought an opportunity. Joshua also obeyed and crossed the Jordan. Even though he did not understand God's word at all, he obeyed and marched around Jericho. He bought the church. Everyone, obeying God's word is redeeming the time. Obeying God's word is buying opportunities. >> Amen.
Everyone, we must receive God's word wholeheartedly and obey it. However, there are people who are becoming hardened in disobedience by not receiving God's word and practicing their faith according to their own thoughts. It is like a stubbornness inside. No matter how much you say the word, it does not matter. They just go their own way. This can become a crisis in their personal lives, but it should also be seen as a crisis for the community. Until last week, we examined the distorted and compromising faith of the church in Thyatira. It is in Revelation 2:14-15. Let’s read it. The church in Pergamum accepted the teachings of the Nicolaitans, just like the Israelites accepted Balaam's teachings. Look at verse 15. I was actually very shocked by this verse. Shall we read it? Verse 15, start. "In the same way, there are those among you who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans." >> There are those among you who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. What is the teaching of the Nicolaitans? It is the teaching that it is permissible to eat food sacrificed to idols and to commit spiritual and physical immorality. This is something the church cannot uphold, right? Yet, the church in Pergamum upheld the teachings of the Nicolaitans. This means that they did not make a mistake out of weakness; they believed that the teachings of the Nicolaitans were right and followed them. It is just like Israel following Baal. But think about it. How could the church in Pergamum, which followed the Lord with the resolve to be martyred, uphold such nonsensical teachings of the Nicolaitans? Indeed, Israel did not fall by the sword. They collapsed by going to the Moabite festival and engaging in idol worship and immorality over trivial matters. The church in Pergamum also fell in the same way. The church of this era can also fall in the same way. Our church is no exception. Are there those among us who uphold the teachings of the Nicolaitans? The teachings of the Nicolaitans. Of course, there may not be anyone who goes to the temple of idols to eat food sacrificed to idols and engages in idolatry with the temple priests. However, I believe that there are those in our church who uphold the teachings of the Nicolaitans. Just as it was shocking that the church in Pergamum upheld the teachings of the Nicolaitans, it can be shocking to think that there are people in our church who uphold the teachings of the Nicolaitans. Those who compromise with the world, serve many gods, pursue pleasure, and think it is okay to go their own way are those who uphold the teachings of the Nicolaitans. Therefore, we must always reflect and examine ourselves before God's word. >> Amen.
Today, I want to earnestly encourage the Pohang Central Baptist Church community with the words from Timothy. I hope that today’s message will be heard. >> Amen. It must be heard. Our basic attitude should not be to set aside the word and go according to our own thoughts, but to set aside our thoughts and go according to God's word. >> Amen. >> I hope you will recover this attitude of life. >> Amen.
Now, let’s read the sermon title. Start. Amen. The book of 2 Timothy is a letter that the Apostle Paul sent to his spiritual son Timothy before his martyrdom in prison, and it is like his last will. It contains earnest and intense exhortations to overcome suffering, to keep the truth, and to fulfill his mission as a pastor. If we briefly look at Paul’s imprisonment and martyrdom, he was arrested after going up to Jerusalem around AD 57-58. He was imprisoned in a Roman prison between AD 60 and 62 to stand trial before the Roman emperor, and during this relatively free period, he spent two years preaching the gospel to those who came to visit him. The letters written during this time include Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. As a result of the trial, he was acquitted and released, and around AD 62-64, he embarked on his final missionary journey to Asia, Subana, and Spain. During this time, he wrote letters to Timothy, whom he left in Ephesus, and to Titus, whom he left in Crete, to encourage them in their ministry. Around AD 64, a great fire broke out in the city of Rome, and public sentiment turned extremely hostile. To avert the political crisis, Emperor Nero scapegoated Christians as arsonists and began a brutal persecution against them. Many Christians were martyred. Between AD 66 and 67, Paul was also arrested. He was imprisoned in a Roman prison, presumed to be the Mamertine prison, and received a final death sentence. Around AD 67, as a Roman citizen, he was not crucified but was beheaded, thus drinking the cup of glorious martyrdom. It was in this prison that he wrote the last letter, which is like a will, known as 2 Timothy. Therefore, 2 Timothy is a message filled with love and pain for the church from an aging apostle who senses that death is imminent, and each word must be read with weight.
Paul knows Timothy's temperament. He knows that he is timid and easily overwhelmed by fear. Through the first chapter, Paul encourages Timothy and tries to rekindle the fire of the gift that God has placed in Timothy's heart, which is gradually cooling down. Let’s look at verse 1. Start. "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus." >> Here, Paul introduces himself to Timothy. He says, "I became an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God." He senses that he will soon disappear into the gallows. In this letter to his son, he introduces himself this way: "I am one who became an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God." This means that even in the face of imminent death, his identity is not shaken. He is saying, "I am one who was sent by God and became an apostle." We too must not let our identity be shaken. Who am I? In the world, I may hold titles such as manager, director, or professional, and within the church, I may be a pastor or deacon. However, our identity should not be based on worldly status, position, or ability, but rather on the fact that I am a person called and sent by God, which is a different identity from that of the world. >> Amen. We must hold this identity so that we can remain unshaken even in the midst of suffering, hardship, and difficulties. This is also a message to Timothy. Just as I became an apostle by the will of God, you too have been called by God's will to be a minister of the gospel, and since God has called you, He will hold your life. Do not be afraid. Be courageous. He is saying this. You are also someone called by God. Do not be afraid. Be courageous. I hope you will engrave in your hearts once again that the one who called you is God. >> Amen.
Verse 2. Let’s read it. Start. "To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." >> Timothy is the one Paul has begotten through the gospel. He has nurtured him. Therefore, he is a son in faith. And he has been Paul's co-worker throughout his life. During the second missionary journey, Paul took Timothy along, who had grown into a faithful disciple praised by the saints in Lystra. In 1 Timothy 1:2, he refers to him as "my true son in the faith." However, in this letter, which is like a last will before his martyrdom, he refers to him as "my dear son." Paul sends Timothy whenever problems arise in the churches he has established. He sends Titus as well. However, there were not many people who could be sent with the same heart as Paul to build up the church. Among them, Timothy was the most trustworthy. He calls him "my dear son." Paul is aware of Timothy's stomach ailment. He knows that due to his personality, Timothy easily becomes timid and fearful. He is deeply concerned about this. Timothy has always prayed for Paul with tears, thinking of him as his spiritual father. Before he dies, Paul longs to see Timothy. He sends this message: "Come quickly before winter." He is saying he misses him. Hmm. Although he lived for the gospel, he has been separated for a long time. Everyone, the last letter Paul sent while he was alive was to Timothy. The last person he expressed his longing for was Timothy. From this, we can see what kind of person Timothy was in Paul's heart. This relationship is not a relationship given by heaven; it is a relationship that has been cultivated. We too must create relationships where we love, trust, care, and pray for one another. We should not sit here as if we are strangers to one another. We must enjoy the blessing of being connected and intertwined like the relationship between Paul and Timothy, becoming a threefold cord and a fivefold cord within the church. >> Amen.
How can we enjoy this relationship? Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:15, "For in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel." What does it mean to be born through the gospel? Everyone, you all have parents who gave birth to you. No one comes into this world without parents. Just as there are parents who gave birth to us in this world, there must be parents who have labored to give birth to us from above. Who are the parents who have labored for you to be spiritually born? When you labor in the pains of childbirth and care for someone to help them grow spiritually, a father-child relationship is formed. I hope you will cultivate this relationship. You must enter into this relationship for your faith to grow. Paul speaks of how he can endure all situations in verses 1 and 2: "Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." He blesses them. I bless you all that the grace, mercy, and peace that is in our Lord may also be with you. >> Amen.
Verse 3. Start. "I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers." Paul, even while waiting for death, says that he is interceding for Timothy day and night with love and concern, saying, "I thank God every time I think of you." I am remembering you and praying for you without ceasing, so Timothy, take heart. This is a beautiful relationship. The two of them share a father-son relationship. Everyone, what did Timothy do that made Paul think of him and thank God every time he remembered him? Paul had many people around him. Many had left him. Let’s look at Philippians 2:21-22. Start. "For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ." >> But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. >> Yes. Perhaps this is also a reflection of Paul's frustration. Most people seek their own interests. Even when the word of God is preached to them, they say they cannot do it because they are busy. "Oh, I can't do this because of this." "I can't do that because of that." But Timothy worked hard for the gospel as a son serves his father. Because of this Timothy, Paul is always praying and thanking God for Timothy's existence. I believe that when we live for the gospel, such beautiful relationships are formed. I hope that in our small groups, such beautiful relationships will arise where we pray without ceasing, thank God every time we think of each other, and work hard for the gospel as a son serves his father. >> Amen.
Let’s look at verse 4. Start. "Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy." >> In verse 4, Paul expresses his longing to see Timothy. Hmm. This is a heartfelt statement that carries more weight than a hundred words. He says, "I miss you. I remember your tears." The tears of Timothy mentioned here refer to the time when, after finishing his third missionary journey, Paul stopped in Miletus and called the elders of the church in Ephesus. He preached and said farewell, saying, "You will never see my face again." Hearing this, the elders of the church in Ephesus and Timothy, who was then the pastor of the church, embraced him and cried a lot. Paul is saying that he remembers the tears you shed at that time. Hmm. [clears throat] Timothy, being timid and very young, had to lead a church that was being shaken by false teachers and heretical thoughts. He had to bear the weight of this ministry. And the fact that he was seeing his spiritual father for the last time likely made him cry a lot. He must have felt very sad and regretful. Even while waiting for death in a cold prison, Paul remembers this. He says, "I miss you so much." This is a beautiful relationship formed in the gospel. I hope that all of you will have such beautiful relationships. >> Amen. It is not just about coming to church, worshiping, and going home alone. The church is fundamentally about connection. It is about being beautifully connected, longing for one another, shedding tears, praying, and caring for one another. This is the kind of relationship that should be woven together in the church. Everyone >> Amen >> remember this.
Verse 5. Start. "I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also." One of the reasons Paul longs to see Timothy is because he has sincere faith within him. He continues to say, "This faith first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am convinced that it now lives in you." Everyone, during Paul's first missionary journey, he visited Lystra and healed a man who could not walk. Seeing this miraculous event, the people in that city wanted to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas, calling them gods. However, Paul stopped them. At that time, people from Antioch and Iconium slandered Paul and incited the people of Lystra to stone him. They thought he was dead and took him outside the city. During the first journey, Timothy's grandmother Lois and mother Eunice, who were Jews, were observing the law. It is believed that they converted after listening to Paul's preaching. When Paul visited Lystra again during his second journey, Lois and Eunice dedicated Timothy to the gospel ministry, asking Paul to take him along to preach the gospel. But think about it. Did Lois and Eunice see Paul being stoned during the first journey? Yes, they saw it all. They saw him being stoned to death while preaching the gospel. Do you understand what it means to entrust their son and grandson to Paul, knowing that he could die like that? They could fully understand that their son and grandson could also die like that. Yet, they dedicated him to the gospel ministry. Paul, seeing the faith of his grandmother and mother, says, "You have received genuine faith from your grandmother and mother." And he expresses his conviction that this faith is also in you. He is saying that when there are believing parents like Lois and Eunice, a believing person like Timothy can emerge. Today, there are many parents who struggle to dedicate their children to the gospel. They say they cannot send them. They absolutely refuse to let them become missionaries. This is what it means. I am currently struggling and fearful, but I am convinced that you have a spark of genuine faith within you. Timothy, you have faith within you. He is encouraging him like this. Hmm. I believe that you also have that faith within you. >> Amen. When faith comes alive, that is enough. I am convinced that you have genuine faith within you. What a great encouragement this is! I hope you will believe that the faith you have toward God already exists within you. >> Amen.
Verse 6. Start. "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands." >> "I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God that is in you through my laying on of hands." Previously, Paul laid hands on Timothy to set him apart for ministry. At that time, he saw that there was a gift of God within him, but now he sees that the fire of that gift has gone out. He wants to rekindle it. The Greek word for "fan into flame" means to rekindle, to set the fire again. Is there a chance that the gift God has given you is weakening, your passion is cooling down, and the fire of faith is going out? The gift does not automatically burn forever just because you received it once. If we become spiritually lazy, compromise with the world, or tremble in fear, the fire of the gift goes out. It goes out. If you leave it alone in the community, it will go out. If it goes out, what will happen? It must not go out. I believe there are people among us whose fire of gifts has gone out or is going out. Why does the fire go out? It goes out because we compromise with the world and extinguish the inspiration of the Holy Spirit within us. It goes out because we insist on our own paths without regard for God's word and take the word lightly. When the fire goes out, spiritual stagnation occurs. What happens then? We ignore the word. We do not obey. The changes that come from the word disappear. Instead, what arises are complaints, grievances, and a self that does not die. The church becomes a battlefield. Relationships break down. Authority is disregarded. Order collapses. A church with extinguished fire has no means to cope. It self-destructs. When the fire goes out, the church self-destructs. The fundamental reason the fire of the Holy Spirit cools down lies within our hearts. There is no problem with the Holy Spirit. The problem lies with us. We are under the illusion that we are like Samson, thinking that the Holy Spirit is still with us and that we will shake off our fear. But we have no strength. When the fire goes out, ministry becomes burdensome. People become fearful. And conflicts arise in relationships within the church and family. I hope that we all will examine ourselves well before God. >> Amen.
There is something more dangerous than having the fire go out. Do you know what that is? It is adapting to the state of being extinguished. It is adapting to the state of being cooled down. When the fire of the Holy Spirit goes out and the state of being cooled down continues, at some point, we adapt to it. We begin to feel that the state without fire is normal. At first, it is unsettling. But if we continue like that, we come to accept that this is how faith life is supposed to be. What was once abnormal feels normal. Then, it becomes strange to receive grace and obey God's word. It becomes strange to dedicate oneself to the gospel and endure suffering while following the Lord. During worship, when someone says "Amen," they may look at them with a frown. Do you know why? When what is abnormal is accepted as normal, those who are walking the normal path appear strange. When what is normal feels abnormal and what is abnormal feels normal, it is a truly terrifying state. It is normal to pray. It is normal not to read the Bible. It is normal to skip worship. Is this normal? Do you not feel that a lack of dedication, sacrifice, and obedience for the souls is becoming normal? Do you not feel that a lack of change, the absence of God's power, and the absence of love and acceptance are becoming normal? Do you not feel that not being able to reflect the character of God's people and not seeing any work beyond your own efforts is becoming normal? >> Amen. Our ministry must bear fruit that cannot be compared to our efforts. >> Amen. Our song must be that we need God wholeheartedly.