Is Not This the Worship that I Choose? (ISAIAH 58:6-14) Pause & Reflect 6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. 11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.
13 “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; 14 then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
The central truth of this word was – Worship that is acceptable and chosen by God is: (1) breakthrough power of holy reconciliation between brothers/sisters in Christ; (2) bone-building satisfaction that changes the darkest gloom to be as the brightest noonday; and (3) back-turning repentance from doing our own pleasures to taking delight in the LORD’s promised and blessed ways. Two worshipful actions (fasting and Sabbath-keeping) were not just calls to stop eating or to stop working, but rather to start feeding one another and to start resting in the delight of His presence. For then, the food from Jesus our living bread and the rest that remains for all who are yoked to Him, will satisfy us, nourish us, free us, and make us strong forever. – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Apply & Be Doers of the Word (1) Be reconciled to one another. Forgive those who hurt you and press on in the Lord. Ask to be forgiven to those you have hurt and press on in the Lord. First be reconciled, then worship. First seek to be restored to your brothers and sisters. Do not let the enemy drive a wedge between anyone but seek to help others breakthrough to one another by the breaking of bread – by the fellowship at the table of the Lord that He calls us all to sit together. Love one another and pray for those who hurt you. (2) Be content in all things with the Lord. Do not seek for what you don’t have. Do not seek for better than what you do have. Take delight in the Lord alone. Then, you will grow strong, even through the dark seasons. There are pleasures forevermore in the hands of Jesus. Look to Him over one another. Love one another through looking to Him. (3) Keep Resurrection Sunday holy. Take His covenant to rest in Him through His church seriously. We keep this day holy by setting it apart, kept entirely different, not going about our own business, or treating it like any other day. On this day, there is rest and delight in the LORD, in worshipping together with His covenant people, and in being His house of prayer for all nations. Even if we should so expend ourselves on this day feeding others, it is a pleasure we would never experience without. Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (HEBREWS 10:24-25) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Aiden Song - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - James Han - Winnie Kim - Philip Oh - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Jeff Park (California) - Doug Kang - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Alex Koh (Houston, postgraduate dentistry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jung’s (Jae, Mary) – Boston, MA - Hanbit Kang (Austin) - Gu Min Chung (Army, Korea) - Jeanie Yoo (Baylor)
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Prepare the Way for Revival (ISAIAH 57:14-21) Pause & Reflect 14 And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way.” 15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made. 17 Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. 18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, 19 creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
The central truth of this word was – God has already prepared the way for revival! We had no part in contributing to it. He built the highway to Himself! He removed every obstruction so that His heavenly presence could dwell with the lowly heart. He satisfied His own anger by the sacrifice of His own eternal Son. He gifted us with the power to walk according to His way with the peace that Christ Jesus purchased on our behalf. He warned us there is no other way to be at peace in a revived heart before Him. This must humble us, bring our spirit low to make our heart contrite. Let us come down from our high place of pride and restlessness to His repentance and peace! Be revived! – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Apply & Be Doers of the Word (1) Let go of your obstruction. It’s in the way of His revival. We can’t experience revival when we’re holding to our obstruction while the vacuum of His peace sweeps our lives. Be humbled by how far God came to you from His eternal habitation. In Christ, you are revived, so release it! Fear Him over everything! (2) Let us stop guilt-tripping ourselves and others of their sins. In Jesus, the anger of God is removed! We fall under His mercy – not anger. Godly guilt leads to repentance. Sinful guilt leads to condemnation. Although we see the sin in each other, let us be moved to heal one another through forgiveness, correction, training through the Word of God with the empowering help of His Spirit. (3) Do not play around with the path of the wicked. There is no peace there. Stay on His path to revival. Close all other doors, get off every other path, that you strive to attain shalom. It will always be lacking if you stay that course. It will be the ruin of you and others around you. Let’s not be tossed like sea waters, but let the One who can silence the winds and the waves and the seas draw us into Himself, into His ark, into His boat, where can breathe, be revived, and sail through this temporal life into His eternity. Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (HEBREWS 10:24-25) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Aiden Song - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - James Han - Winnie Kim - Philip Oh - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Jeff Park (California) - Doug Kang - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Alex Koh (Houston, postgraduate dentistry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jung’s (Jae, Mary) – Boston, MA - Hanbit Kang (Austin) - Gu Min Chung (Army, Korea) - Jeanie Yoo (Baylor) You Do Not Fear Me? (ISAIAH 57:1-13) Pause & Reflect 1 The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; 2 he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness.
3 But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. 4 Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit, 5 you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? 6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things? 7 On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice. 8 Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness. 9 You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol. 10 You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say, “It is hopeless”; you found new life for your strength, and so you were not faint.
11 Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart? Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me? 12 I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you. 13 When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain.
The central truth of this word was – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (PROVERBS 1:7). “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death” (PROVERBS 14:27). Put your fears in the right place, in the right person! Fearing anything of the world is wrong because its fruit is immorality, intimidation, and infatuation. Fearing God is right because its fruit is holiness, instruction, and wisdom. Do not fear to approach God, for Jesus has made a way for us in His Spirit. But do fear to depart from God, for apart from Him, we can do nothing. Like a child who fears to leave his father’s arms, let us fear departing from Jesus. Stay close to His righteous remnant. Stay faithful to His covenant because He remains faithful. Take refuge in His house, and not your home. – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Apply & Be Doers of the Word (1) Fearing God means to stay near the people of God – His church. Don’t make God take away the righteous from among you. Don’t make God lose heart for those He sends to you, and remove them from you. We are the body of Christ. Understand why we are together, why God birthed this church at this time, at this location, in this season. Are you in covenant with that? Where are all the godly men and women who fear Him? Every name on AGAPE’s prayer list that is missing among us is precious to the LORD. Let us pray the fear of God in Jesus Christ befalls us all to stay near one another, near to His covenant, and near to His Word. (2) What you fear more than God always appears in private. Examine your heart at that time. As was the case for God’s people then, these are your smooth stones, your uncovered beds, your wearied journey away from fearing God, your burning lust for something or someone that you feel safe to have without anyone’s notice. Well, God notices! He loves you enough to point it out and remove it with fear before Him. Be faithful, because He is faithful! His eyes are on you, so be pleasing in His sight! (3) Take refuge by taking possession. Own what He has entrusted to steward it for His purpose. Those who take refuge in the Lord will possess the land and inherit His holy mountain, says the Lord. They will possess. They will inherit. There is a possession and inheritance for you – that is ultimately the Lord Jesus Christ. We are entrusted with His message of forgiveness and eternal life in His name. Take possession of that. Own that. Take responsibility in building that with all His time, resources, and strength He has provided for you. Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (HEBREWS 10:24-25) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Aiden Song - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - James Han - Winnie Kim - Philip Oh - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Jeff Park (California) - Doug Kang - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Alex Koh (Houston, postgraduate dentistry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jung’s (Jae, Mary) – Boston, MA - Hanbit Kang (Austin) - Gu Min Chung (Army, Korea) - Jeanie Yoo (Baylor) His Watchmen are Blind (ISAIAH 56:9-12) Pause & Reflect 9 All you beasts of the field, come to devour-- all you beasts in the forest.
10 His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.
12 “Come,” they say, “let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure.”
The central truth of this word was – We are not the blind leading the blind! Jesus has opened the blinded eyes, deaf ears, mute mouth of His flock. He has called us to the post of His watchmen to sound the alarm of His Word – both to warn His people of danger approaching and to bless His people of victory already-achieved in Christ Jesus’ finished work of the cross and through the resurrection. Take this responsibility seriously! Do not forsake His flock, neglect His flock, nor starve His flock! Instead, grow in covenant with His flock. Nourish them, and as Jesus instructed, “Feed my sheep” (JOHN 21:15-17). – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Apply & Be Doers of the Word (1) The JOY that only Jesus can bring: (J)esus first. (O)thers second. (Y)ourself last. Take this joy seriously. Take this responsibility as watchmen over His flock seriously. Live with His joy. (2) Sound the alarm! Do not stay silent about what Scripture warns against. The most loving thing we can do is to keep warning one another – not as enemies but as comrades in Christ – of His commands with all gentleness, compassion, and conviction. (3) Feed His sheep! By feeding them, Jesus is feeding you. Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (HEBREWS 10:24-25) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Aiden Song - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - James Han - Winnie Kim - Philip Oh - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Jeff Park (California) - Doug Kang - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Alex Koh (Houston, postgraduate dentistry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jung’s (Jae, Mary) – Boston, MA - Hanbit Kang (Austin) - Gu Min Chung (Army, Korea) - Jeanie Yoo (Baylor) |
6:30pm,
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