Genesis-139 – Come Near

Genesis 44:30–45:5

 

“Since his life is tied up with the boy’s life, when I go back to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, he will die when he sees that the boy is gone. So your servants will bring the gray hairs of your servant our father down to the grave in sorrow. Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life.’ Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy go back with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the tragedy that would befall my father.” Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.” Amen.

 

The First Tear: Where Forgiveness Begins

In the story of Joseph, Genesis chapter 45 is perhaps the chapter where he is most prominently highlighted as a hero. Sold into slavery, all the way to Egypt. He who nearly died and was imprisoned now stands as the Prime Minister. Facing the very brothers who came to him, in a situation where we would naturally think, "How shall I exact my revenge and hatred?" he speaks remarkably noble words: “Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves.” This is precisely why we admire Joseph.

 

Joseph’s Tears on the Path to Forgiveness

Yet, for Joseph to speak these words, as we have tracked the narrative, it does not appear that his heart was instantly forgiving toward his brothers from the start. It was not such an easy process. Joseph wept three times upon meeting his brothers.

 

The first time he wept was when he tested his brothers. They were imprisoned, and Joseph spoke to them. Initially, he uttered truly frightening words: "Only one of you may go." But three days later, he changed his mind: "Then, one of you shall remain, and the rest of you may go to save your families." They heard these words.

 

Upon hearing this, the brothers spoke to one another, uttering the words that first made us wonder, "Why is the situation unfolding like this?"

 

“They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come upon us.’”

 

They were talking about Joseph in his presence, assuming he would not understand them.

 

Forgiveness Commences with Repentance

However, we understand why these words were spoken. Because if one person remained, they realized that person would be left alone. Thinking about that brought them distress, causing them to recall the Joseph of the past—the person they sold in the land of Egypt. “Perhaps we, too, are now destined to remain here as slaves or die in prison.” When they spoke this, Joseph, who heard their words, wept.

 

Why did he weep? The text does not say he wept out of joy or love for meeting his brothers. He shed tears upon hearing his brothers’ words of repentance, acknowledging their past deed as a sin that they still remembered. It was at that moment that repentance began, and forgiveness, too, commenced.

 

Moreover, he began to realize, little by little, that in God's plan, one person was necessary. This understanding—the theological realization of ‘Why did God orchestrate this?’—began at this time, leading to the statement in the final verse we read today: “Ah, God sent me ahead of you to save all of us—all of you—and to preserve life. I was the one person sent first.” The realization was: 'Ah, one person was needed.'

 

Therefore, I believe this moment marks the tears where forgiveness begins. At the same time, while being tears of goodness, they are also deeply sorrowful tears. This is because Joseph does not reveal who he is until the very end. This is different from a genuine desire for reconciliation.

 

Though he internally thought, "My brothers are repenting and seeing their actions as a sin. I must begin to forgive," and the long-held knot in his heart began to loosen slightly, he had not yet revealed himself or truly reconciled.

 

The Second Tear: Love for a Brother, and the Tears of Doubt

The second tear was connected to Benjamin. The brothers returned from Canaan, bringing Benjamin as promised. As soon as Joseph saw him, he showed Benjamin a very special affection, immediately saying, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” These were words he had spoken to no one else, demonstrating the extraordinary and deep love he held for Benjamin.

 

A Test Intertwined with Love and Doubt

He was unable to contain that affection; the Scripture literally states he could not control his love, and so he wept. This was a tear of love for his younger brother. However, it was simultaneously a tear of doubt. This is because even after inviting his brothers and bringing them into his house, he still did not sit with them.

 

And he deliberated on how he could secure Benjamin's safety. Why? Because of his own experience. “I may forgive my brothers for what they did to me. But how can I trust them? What might they do to my brother? What if they sell my brother as well?” He must have naturally entertained such thoughts.

 

So, Joseph tested his brothers, and the purpose of the test revolved around Benjamin. To prevent Benjamin from leaving, he secretly placed his silver cup in Benjamin's sack, intending to declare, “The one who has the cup shall be my slave.”

 

The Silver Cup Incident and the Brothers' Reaction

The brothers fell directly into this trap. They set off, thinking happily, "Everything has worked out well," on their way back to Canaan. But Joseph's steward chased after them, saying, "Stop! Why have you come this far? Our master's precious silver cup is gone. Did you perhaps take it?"

 

"No, what are you talking about? Why would we covet such a thing? If we coveted it, why would we bring back the money we found in our sacks when we came from Canaan? We are not people who steal." They spoke with great confidence, going so far as to declare, "If the person with the cup is found, that person will die, and the rest of us will all become slaves." They were that sure of themselves. Yet, the silver cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

 

Asserting Righteousness, Yet Sin Is Revealed

Now, who are the people who know best that these brothers did not steal the cup? Joseph, and Joseph's steward. Since he placed it there himself, these two know best. In short, who knows best that the brothers are innocent? Those two people.

 

But what does Judah say? Judah and the brothers know they absolutely did not take it. Yet, Judah speaks thus: “How can I explain this to you, or how can I prove our innocence to you?” But his next words were astonishing: “God has found out the guilt of your servants.” Underlying this was the confession they had harbored from the beginning: "We sinned. Selling Joseph was a sin."

 

The Mindset of Self-Righteousness

Completely forgetting that truth, they asserted, “We are honest people. Why would we take your possessions? Why would we commit such a sin?” But in reality, what kind of people were they? They were people who had lied for 22 years and hidden their sin for 22 years. They confessed, “God has found out our sin, so it is right for us all to become slaves.”

 

This is truly a frequent, indefensible pattern we all observe in ourselves. They vehemently declared their innocence, asserting their honesty, but they were forced to realize and confess that they were in fact deceitful and heartless men.

 

Because we often fail to recognize our own sin and consider ourselves innocent, the church frequently sees the rise of a legalistic tendency. "I am keeping the law, and someone else is not." Instead of encouraging change with grace and love when problems arise from this mindset, we often become thorns that wound one another.

 

So terrifying was this legalism that when Paul wrote letters to most churches, he always addressed this issue we easily fall into, urging them, "You must truly love one another in this way." It is one of the tendencies we exhibit when the church fails to be the church. It is the very tendency demonstrated by these brothers.

 

The Grace of Realizing Sin

We think we are innocent, or that we have done nothing wrong. Therefore, when God made them realize their true sin, they were shocked and, thankfully, examined themselves. That is what we call grace.

 

Friends, Jesus expressed this idea, too: “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” Why? Because they would have met the Doctor, their sin would have vanished, they could have received forgiveness. But because they were unaware of their sin, unaware of the true nature of their transgression, He said, “Your guilt remains” (John 9). A patient is clearly ill but denies the sickness, thus making the doctor unnecessary. The patient cannot be healed.

 

Joseph’s Forgiveness and Judah’s Sacrificial Change

Thus, we learn that examining ourselves is profoundly important, but today, Judah's case shows a remarkable difference. Judah says, “God has found out our sin. Therefore, it is right for us to become slaves.” Does this not imply the following? 'We are the people who sold our brother, whom we called family, into slavery. We were capable of such deceit.'

 

Joseph’s Firm Decision: Leave Benjamin

Now, hearing a statement like this, Joseph knows best what they are talking about. After all, he set the trap himself. He knows very well that they are not guilty of stealing the cup. So, what would be the Joseph-like response? What should the Joseph you admire do?

 

One would expect him to say, "No," or "Did you realize it only now?" and then reveal who he is. He might then say to his brothers, "Do you know how hurt I was then? But I am grateful that you have repented and returned. It seems God found your sin and enabled us to overcome it," or perhaps simply embrace them and weep together. But Joseph speaks with striking clarity and firmness:

 

“You do not need to do that. Just leave Benjamin to remain as my slave, and the rest of you go back to your father in peace.”

 

He speaks of Shalom (peace).

 

It is clear that Joseph has forgiven his brothers in his heart. He is not seeking to punish them for their sin, and he has inwardly forgiven what they did. However, the true nature of forgiveness that satisfies God has not yet emerged. He tells his brothers to leave, but then he says, “Leave Benjamin.”

 

The Coexistence of Love and Doubt

There are clear signs of his internal conflict. For one, he still ate separately from his brothers. He did not sit at the same table. His refusal to reveal his identity was also part of this. When serving food, he gave portions from his own share, but he gave Benjamin five times as much as the others. This clearly reveals his focus: his sole interest was in Benjamin.

 

Thus, all of this was orchestrated. He did this to keep Benjamin, perhaps fearing his brothers might do to Benjamin what they did to him, and because he wanted Benjamin close. In the end, the core of Joseph’s words to his brothers was “Go.” The decisive moment was: Leave Benjamin behind.

 

Judah's Moving Speech of Substitutionary Atonement

Then Judah appears. And the most moving speech, the longest in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, and one of the most astonishing among the countless speeches people marvel at, finally comes out of Judah's mouth. Friends, the fact that such a moving speech comes from Judah's mouth means that you and I should not just think, “Wow, Judah has finally shown up.”

 

Judah, Who Sold Joseph 22 Years Ago

Judah, of all people, is not supposed to be here. Who sold Joseph just now? Don't you remember? Who sold Joseph? Judah sold him among the brothers. Judah instigated it, and Judah gave a famous speech. Even then, that Judah sold Joseph, and now, with Joseph standing before them, Judah starts talking again. How ironic is that?

 

Moreover, the Bible intentionally recorded who Judah was in the middle of Joseph's story to let us know what kind of person he was. It intentionally shows us what kind of person he was, how he left his family to go to a foreigner and married her, and how miserable he looked in the midst of trouble. The story that we would most think, 'I wish it wasn't in the Bible,' is recorded through Judah. And through that Judah, God unfolds an astonishing history that points to David, and eventually, to Jesus Christ, the descendant of David. Therefore, from today's perspective, Judah is an unthinkable person.

 

But Judah stands up and begins to speak. He is the very person who sold Joseph into Egypt 22 years ago. Do you know what Judah said then? Some people defend Judah, saying, "Isn't it true that thanks to Judah, he wasn't killed? They wanted to kill him, but didn't Judah intervene and suggest selling him?" But look at the words Judah spoke. Judah spoke to his brothers:

 

"What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?"

 

Friends, look at this phrase first. "What profit is it" means, 'What's the gain in killing him?'

 

"If we kill Joseph, does money come out, or bread come out?" That's what it means. "What profit will there be? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him."

 

And the following words are truly piercing:

 

"For he is our brother, our own flesh."

 

Why did he add this? Is he saying, "He is my brother and my own flesh" while selling him off? Truly, in today's language, isn't this a psychopath? How can he sell his brother while saying such words? It's an unbelievable story.

 

But what really gave me goosebumps was the next thing. The Bible says:

 

"And his brothers agreed."

 

Ah, these sons of Jacob... How should we understand this, exactly? They agreed. "Yes, he is our brother and our own flesh. So, let's not kill him, but sell him for money. Where is the silver?" This is what they are saying.

 

Volunteering a Sacrifice for Benjamin

That very Judah, who said those words, stands before Benjamin 22 years later. Joseph heard all of this. It's not that he doesn't know. It's something he experienced. So, if Judah stands up to speak, how would you feel? "What is this man going to say now?" Wouldn't your heart drop to the floor? The same Judah, who stood up then and instigated his being sold, is now standing up again to speak.

 

Furthermore, what is the situation? They just have to give Benjamin up as a slave and leave. He himself had said so. But in this situation, at this moment when surrendering Benjamin would end everything, a completely unexpected story emerges. The very brother who sold Joseph, that same person, is speaking for Benjamin today. Unaware that he is Joseph, the second-in-command of Egypt, he begins his explanation.

 

He recounts what happened, what occurred in their family, the conversations he had with his father in Canaan, why his father is suffering, and even the fact that his father might die if this goes wrong... He explains in detail why it is absolutely impossible for them to leave Benjamin behind.

 

Friends, in a case like this, what would we normally say at the end? "Therefore, please show leniency. Please go easy on us." Just like in the usual scenes of dramas. But Judah does not say that.

 

What does he say? "Allow me to stay here as a slave in place of Benjamin, and let Benjamin return with his brothers."

 

If I read it exactly as it is:

 

"Now, therefore, please let your servant (Judah) remain instead of the boy as a slave to my lord, and let the boy go up with his brothers."

 

These were words that Joseph did not expect at all. 'I will stay as a slave in his place. Please let Benjamin go up with his brothers.'

 

It was a completely unexpected change.

 

The Third Tear: The Shadow of the Cross

Joseph's third tear, the final one mentioned in the current passage, bursts forth here. He will weep more later, but his third tear happens now. We can generally guess: "Ah, because Judah spoke those words, Joseph’s tears finally burst forth." The flow of the story suggests this. Did Joseph weep because he was moved by Judah’s offer to remain as a slave so that his youngest brother could return home? Certainly, there seems to be sufficient basis for us to think so.

 

The Power of Atonement by Substitution

However, reflecting on Joseph’s third tear leads us to consider more deeply the change he underwent and the reason for this transformation. He did not weep because of the plan (setup) he had created. He did not weep because his brothers reacted exactly as planned, finally repenting. Nor did he weep simply because he was inherently generous.

 

How was Joseph's heart hardened? His intention seemed much stronger to send the brothers away, save Benjamin, and sever all ties with the rest. But what astonished him—the words and the will that caused a change—was this:

 

‘I will remain as a slave in place of the boy.’

 

Change occurred because of that statement.

 

Friends, this phrase appearing in this incident does not often appear in the Bible, but it is one of the themes that profoundly penetrates and reveals the essence of all Scripture.

 

‘I will remain as a slave in place of...’

 

The Prototype of Substitutionary Atonement: Moses’ Prayer

We cannot examine all instances, but let us look at Moses. When Moses was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments, the people below were in chaos, making a golden calf. You know that story, don’t you? (You should pretend you do, or we cannot proceed.) They made a golden calf and worshipped it, calling it "the LORD who brought us out of Egypt."

 

When Moses came down, chaos erupted. God’s judgment fell, and many died. Moses then went back up the mountain. On the summit, he prayed for Israel. Moses pleaded with the LORD:

 

“Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then please blot me out of the book you have written.”

 

In place of the people of Israel, he asked to be blotted out of the book the Lord was keeping—which we generally believe to be the Book of Life.

 

Friends, seeing this event, we consider what Moses was doing. Is that all? Actually, these incidents involving Judah and Moses—most things that happened later are the original, and these stories came out as copies—Judah’s story came first, so it is the original, and then Moses imitated it, then David imitated it, and the prophets imitated it, and so on, until a final imitator appears.

 

But here, it is the reverse.

 

The reason this story exists is that the true Original appears on the last day. It appears in Jesus Christ.

 

True Atonement (Substitution) and the Gospel

Why? Because these great figures of faith—Judah, Joseph, and others we know, such as Moses, David, the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah—all clearly say, “Take me as a slave instead, blot out my name, I will go into death.” They all say this, but none of them actually did it.

 

Jesus Christ, the True Substitute

There is only one person in Scripture who truly came as a Servant in their place, who truly experienced the agony of hell in our place, who truly received the curse we deserved for us, and the one who truly died is Jesus Christ alone. He truly endured this for our freedom.

 

The Lord is said not to be ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters. Not only is He not ashamed, but He says, "These are my brothers, my own flesh and blood, and I am willing to give all that I have, even my life, for them." So, what does He say?

 

“Father, forgive them their sin. Forsake me, and let them live.”

 

This is the Gospel. “Forsake me, and let them live.” The shadow of this Original is now manifested between Joseph and his brothers.

 

The Event of the Cross Erected

The story between Joseph and his brothers is not merely a touching tale of family reconciliation. Because the cross was erected between them, even though Joseph and his brothers may not have fully understood, accepted, or known it all, for them to truly reconcile and for this process to move forward, it was not enough for the brothers to merely repent and acknowledge their wrong. The loving heart Joseph had for his brothers, even his affection for Benjamin, and Joseph's own generous and loving spirit alone could not accomplish this. Indeed, the Bible states that it was possible not just because Judah said, "I will stay in Benjamin's place," but because the true life hidden within appeared, and the event of the cross was established within it.

 

Because of this, Joseph wept again. He did not weep because he understood and accepted, saying, "Now I get it. You have realized it. Judah, you have truly changed." Rather, he wept loudly, unable to control his emotions. He shouted for everyone to leave, then wept aloud. There was an eruption of emotion in his heart.

 

He finally, quietly yet explosively, revealed the profound depth of their hearts and the emotion he could no longer contain.

 

“I am Joseph!”

 

Ah, how dramatic. “I am Joseph!” He ended up saying the words, even though he had no intention of doing so until the very end.

 

Joseph, who had retreated from everything due to his personal wounds and pain, and who was locked within himself. Joseph, who did not want to and could not speak of it to anyone. But upon seeing the spirit manifested through Judah, and hearing his offer to substitute for Benjamin, he opened his heart, seeing the internal history unfold.

 

Why? Because the heart of Jesus Christ was in Judah's heart. Friends, I told you. Is it Jacob who made Judah, who was so unlike himself, change and lead this event? Were the words that changed Judah and made Joseph weep truly Judah's own power?

 

No. If it were not for the work of the Holy Spirit, the grace of God, and the love of the cross—if that had not been displayed within that moment—could anyone have brought about true reconciliation? “Forsake me and let them live.” Christ, through the cross, brought them together again, and the cross was established between Joseph and his brothers.

 

“Come Close to Me” – Reconciliation Perfected

Therefore, among the many words in this story, one stands out as my favorite, perhaps the sweetest and most beautiful: the amazing words Joseph speaks: “Come close to me.” The Joseph who previously sat them separately at the table, who hid his identity, kept them far away, making them bow like servants while he commanded from his seat—this Joseph says, “Come close to me.” He meets his brothers at last. He meets the brothers he had kept separate. He shouts the opposite command to the brothers he intended to send far away to Canaan.

 

“Come close to me.” Forgiveness is achieved, and reconciliation is perfected.

 

God Wept First and Approached First

Friends, when you look at this story, who wept first? Joseph wept. Who asks them to come closer? Joseph asks.

 

Think about it. Who wept for our sin? Did we weep? Do you think the tears you shed when you repented were the first tears? No. The Lord wept first. He wept with sorrow over Jerusalem. He wept as He watched sinners like us constantly wounding one another, oblivious to our own flaws. He wept as He saw us, living by our own desires, rushing like a locomotive toward an inevitable end—an end that was so apparent. He wept as He watched us riding that "Streetcar Named Desire" (I never expected to use Tennessee Williams' work in a sermon) and hurtling toward death. God was the one who wept.

 

The Image of Christ in Joseph

Friends, who is revealed in the story of Joseph? Jesus Christ. Just as we see the image of Christ in Judah's life, we simultaneously see Christ in Joseph.

 

The Christ was rejected by His own people. Joseph was rejected even by his brothers. The brothers did not recognize him, even when they met him again. When the Lord came back to them, when the Lord came to His own people, they did not recognize Him at all. But Joseph recognized them from the start, and the Lord knew them from the beginning.

 

Joseph knew their distress. Joseph knew their lament. Joseph knew they were all hungry. And even more terrifying: Joseph knew their sin. What about Jesus? Jesus knew our shortcomings.

 

Jesus knew why we were miserable. The Lord knew why we lacked joy and happiness. And He knew for sure. He knew what sin we were committing, and He sought out that sin to make us realize it.

 

They rejected Joseph, but from that very moment, when a family was utterly collapsing in misery due to that sin, God began His salvation. In the very moment they thought Joseph was rejected and dead, God, on the contrary, preserved Joseph's life.

 

The Rejected Stone Becomes the Cornerstone

Friends, an unbridgeable chasm opened up between Joseph and his brothers. Yet, they sold him into Egypt for their own gain. What became of the stone they rejected? Now, in the language of Scripture, he became the Cornerstone. He became the stone that would save them. Without Joseph, they could not even survive now. The stone they rejected became the Cornerstone.

 

Jesus Christ, the Living Stone

Friends, remember this astonishing word from the Apostle Peter: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him.” Who is Jesus? The precious Living Stone. But what kind of precious Living Stone? The Living Stone rejected by humans.

 

Why, why was He rejected? Why was He rejected like that, why was He dragged to Egypt, why did those things happen to Joseph? Joseph says it himself: “Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves. God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.” Just as Joseph tells us why this happened to him, why did the Lord bear sin? Why did He who knew no sin die with the name of a sinner? Why did He have to endure all that pain and suffering? Why did He have to give His life and everything for us, even to the point of death? Why? To what end? What does this verse say? Why is it said that He was rejected by humans?

 

I will read it to you, so engrave it once again on your hearts. Why is this so? Why was I rejected by humans and made a Living Stone by God?

 

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

 

Glory Found in Christ

We have all become like living stones. And who is the Living Stone? Jesus. God made Him the rejected stone and the Cornerstone so that all of us might be in Christ, be like Christ, and share in the joy the Lord experiences, share in the freedom the Lord enjoys, and share in all the astonishing glory the Lord possesses.

 

Where are we now? Friends, where are we experiencing the Lord’s glory and joy? How much do we know about it, and are we even interested in what it is? Are you interested in the fervent love the Lord possesses?

 

Do you simply think, "Jesus was a great person who came to this earth and died for us," and "He is a good person, so we should follow Him and live diligently?" Or do you consider that He came to give that glory as yours, that love as yours, and that joy for you to experience?

 

Consider the reason the Lord was rejected. The Lord who enabled us to see the cross through Judah now bestows grace upon Joseph, enabling the brothers to build a spiritual house. Through Jesus Christ, we are building a spiritual house.

 

The Spiritual Sacrifice We Offer Today

Friends, a child was born. People never imagined that this child would die in our place. People truly never imagined that this child would bear our sorrows in His heart. None of us ever thought that this child would restore our torn past or make our lives completely new.

 

Instead, we made Him a sinner and killed Him. But to those who were making Him a sinner and killing Him—to us, to me—He says:

 

“This is the work of God, who sent me to give you life. Now, come close to me. I will make you a holy priest of God. I will reconcile you with God. I, whom you rejected, have now become the atoning sacrifice for you. I will make you stand righteous before God. I, whom you rejected, have become the sin offering and the scapegoat for you. I have become the sacrificial offering. I will establish you before God as a bride white as snow, a pure white bride. I will make you a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.”

 

Worship Offered Through Christ

Friends, spiritual sacrifice—not a sacrifice of slaying and burning animals, but a sacrifice offered through Christ, a sacrifice offered in spirit and in truth—the very worship we are offering together right now, is today. The day we worship in spirit and in truth is today.

 

You are sitting here as a holy priesthood; you are established here as a spiritual house of God; you are alive here as living stones in Jesus Christ. Engraved on your forehead and in your heart is the name of Jesus Christ, the name of God the Father, written by Christ.

 

What on earth should we fear? What on earth should cause us worry, what should cause us disappointment, and what should drain our strength? What could possibly steal our joy, what could prevent our hearts from being enraptured, and what could steal our hearts away? My beloved, the Lord has given His name, His everything, to you.

 

The Lord was rejected for your today; the Lord shed all His tears for your worship today. The Lord laid down His life so that you might read a Bible verse together today. Could the Lord have done such a thing for a simple, ordinary act—just coming to worship, reading the Bible, singing hymns, listening to a sermon when the time comes, and going home?

 

Break the Limits We Have Drawn

For your life, for your existence, for the things you might dismiss as insignificant, for the simple act of calling the Lord's name—to enable you to pray just once, “Lord, what should I do? My heart is so heavy and difficult”—to enable you to utter the confession, even in your pain, “I have the Lord”—for this, the Lord was rejected and gave everything.

 

You, the holy priests of God, do not just sit there now. Radiate your holy light; let the Christ within you flow out. Break the limits you have imposed on yourselves. Smash the boundaries you have created for yourselves. Break the limit you have drawn, saying, “This is who I am.”

 

Whether you draw the line saying, “I am only this much of a person,” or “I cannot do more than this,” or “This is just my nature”—whether someone draws the line as "I am a failure," or "I am a success," or "I am an acceptable Christian," or "I am a Christian who knows the Bible well," or "I am a Christian who prays this much"—please, break the limits you have drawn. Because what you possess is not within your limits, but the Eternal God.

 

My beloved, you truly are people who will rejoice in the Eternal God forever, with eternal life, in the eternal kingdom. Nothing—nothing in this world, or anything you have never seen in this world—can stop this work of God.

 

Let us pray.

 

The Lord endured the cross for this very moment today. He was rejected by people, flogged, and subjected to scorn and contempt. The Lord became the rejected stone so that we might pray, sing, and call on the Father's name today. Therefore, my beloved, your today is extremely precious.

 

O Lord, as we come before You now, allow us to see ourselves. Help us to realize Your love, the love of the Lord who endured the cross—who endured it so that I might open the Bible once, so that I might utter a groan of pain to You once, so that I might call Your name once.

 

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.