A man came to the king and greeted him, and said , "Lord, there is such a people. Because he is very wealthy, his flocks and herds are limitless. But he has a visitor." He took one of the sheep from the poor man who had only one sheep next door and treated him to a guest. Hearing this, the king became angry. Who is it? He must die for such a thing to happen in my country .
Who is his name? And this man says, King, that man is you. Where have you heard that? This is the story of King David and the prophet Nathan in 2 Samuel 12. The prophet Nathan now proclaims the word of God. I have given you many wives and court ladies, but why did you take away the only wife of Uriah? King David falls down and repents. Guys, people say it. It is difficult to bear the words that criticize him. So it is very difficult to rebuke the king. He has to risk his life. So Nathan the prophet speaks like a story I had this, what should I do? Hearing this, King David makes a proper judgment. It is not his business, so he judges fairly. It is something that makes it unavoidable. The words of the text we read today have a nickname What is the song of the vineyard ? It is a song in the vineyard. Someone sang this song. Verse 1. I read it. I will sing for those I love, but I will sing for those I love. Those I love have vineyards, on a very fertile mountain. There is one whom I love. He loves vineyards very much.
He loved vineyards, so he planted them on the best land. Verse 2 He dug the ground, removed stones, and planted the finest vines. He built a tower among them, and dug a winepress in it. I hoped it would produce good grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. To make the roots take root , I removed all the stones and then planted the finest and finest vine seeds . I made it and waited with anticipation for when the fruit would open. But what is this? The wild grapes were opened by mistake. What should I do? Verse 3 Now, I beg you, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, to judge between me and my vineyard, you inhabitants of Jerusalem and the people of Judah , please give me an answer as to what should be done about this matter. Oh, sorry, but please shake your hands quickly and give up The vineyard of the house of Israel is the house of Israel, and the tree in which he is pleased is a man of Judah. He looked for justice in them, but violence, and hoped for justice in them, but rather a cry. is God, and the vine is yourselves; therefore God now declares to you, verse 4 , what more can I add besides what I have done for my vineyard? There is nothing more to be done for this vineyard, so I will do this.
5 Now I will tell you what I will do with my vineyard; I will knock down its fences to be eaten; 6 The vineyard will be trampled under foot, and I will make it desolate, and it will no longer be pruned or plucked, and briers and thorns will grow. And I will command the cloud that no rain should fall on it. This is the content of today's text. Everyone, why did God tell Isaiah to compose and sing a song like this? There are three reasons.
First, it is to teach the people of Israel's sin. Second, it explains why there are so many hardships in Israel, and why there are droughts, disasters, and wars . Third, nonetheless, God I am trying to understand how much He loves and waits for them. Why did God say these words? Because he read the thoughts in the hearts of the people of Judah right now. What are they thinking now? We are the chosen people and God's people. Why are there so many droughts and disasters? Why doesn’t God take care of us? Does God really love us? what? Is it because of me? Are you disappointed with me? I am the one who is really disappointed Were you freed from Egypt? Yes? And why did God allow the Exodus? In order to make a good country, he liberates them from Egypt to create a kingdom of priests that is a channel of blessing, not a powerful but oppressive empire like Egypt , and he trained them for 40 years in the wilderness to become clean seeds He planted them in that fertile land in the land of Canaan, and he removed the stones while annihilating the seven tribes with the unclean culture of Canaan.
It was said that wild grapes have grown . Everyone, what are wild grapes? Wild grapes refer to deteriorated grapes. They look like grapes, but they are sour and astringent. They are useless grapes that cannot be eaten. Those are wild grapes. That's what Israel is now . They also taught and offer sacrifices, but if you look at the contents, they are not doing what God wants them to do. Their hearts are full of idols, their actions are brutal and they have lost their fairness. They are not doing what God wants, they are doing the opposite. Why did the finest grapes become wild grapes? We have to analyze the reason. There are three possibilities. First is an external cause. Did someone come at night to pluck the planted tree and plant wild grape seeds? You may have that question, but it's impossible because you said that you planted and maintained the tower.
So now there is only an internal cause. Then there is another possibility . It can be deduced that it may have been planted by misunderstanding. But this is also impossible. The farmer himself is God, so there is no confusion. What is the last possibility? So, folks, here we have to think about what personality is. Personality is the relationship between me and the object that my mind first seeks . What is it? Doesn't that make sense? The relationship between me and the first object that my heart seeks is my personality, and all the objects that follow are subordinated to the first object .
Let's say that money is what he wants the most. Then that person thinks that all he needs is money. If he has money, he 's happy All other things are dependent on money for him. So his heart, his thoughts, his words, and his actions are all connected with money. Even if he gets married, because of money, if he makes friends, because of money, if he raises children. It's because of money, and even if you study, it's because of money. You become someone who has everything to do with money. Why? Because money is the heart of a person's personality, if a person has power, that is the first object that he seeks with his heart, he thinks, talks, sees and builds relationships in terms of power.
Why? Because that is the core of that person's personality . So, why did the finest grapes become wild grapes? In other words, what is the difference between the finest grapes and wild grapes? What is in the deepest part of that heart is what separates it This is the difference between the finest grapes and wild grapes. After all, wild grapes are the appearance of individuals and communities who have left God . But God, God wanted to fill the hearts of the people of Israel with only God. That's why you've been going through history. What it means to bring down Egypt means not to depend on a great power.
You have to depend on God, not on a great power . You showed it clearly by destroying Egypt. Don't hang on to why? God is filling it all, and he showed that. Also, while destroying the seven tribes of Canaan , do not follow the vain and dirty culture of the Gentiles . He clearly showed that it is a sinful culture and subject to judgment. You made it that way . Why did you forsake God in your hearts and follow the world? These are God's words to Judah. Now, then, what should I do for you? What should I do to make the finest grapes? Everyone, what should I do? You have to change your personality and existence, but there is only one way to change your personality and existence yes or no? yes or no? You ca n't change it, you can hide it, you can hide it, but you can't change the bad fruit. So what do you need to change to make it bear good fruit? You change the tree itself. So you have to change the being. So how do you change the tree called personality? All the hints have gone out, but you have to change the content you want the most in your heart, your deepest heart, that person's core values have to change, right? But in order to take it out and change it, you have to feel deeply that the value you have been seeking first is futile and worthless .
And because we can again hold on to God, who is the true value It seems like it is all my strength to live comfortably, but this is the word of the ten million people. Everyone , it is safe only when God protects and encamps with a fence of grace. There is a student asking a question Professor, if you look at the history of Israel, why does the country fall at the very end of crime? It can't be that bad, can it? And one more thing, I'm really curious as to why you have to come back after such a failure. This was a question like this. However, I felt what this student wanted to know, so I answered. The country, the country, is the last protective layer of individuals and communities. So if the country is lost, individuals and communities are bound to suffer the most. In pain, people come to realize who I am and why we are like this, and come back. Now, through them, God begins a new work. To put it simply, there is a big beautiful tree here, and this tree is almost all dead.
I love trees, I want to save them. So what can I do, everyone? Tell me, it's a pity, but we have to cut off the things that are already dead boldly. So we only have to save this amount of the last root. Then, over time, new shoots will sprout from there. That's the last way to save a tree. After prophesying that it will fail, explain in detail why it failed The sad prescription to come back to is that the country will be destroyed. Personally, I accept that destruction is God's will not to lose the eternal kingdom even if we lose the country. Even if I lose everything, I will never lose the eternal kingdom and eternal life. God's prescription for not to take is ruined. He gave me this answer.
Everyone, today's text was addressed to the Jews at that time, to the history of mankind, and to me personally. What does it mean if you put it in history and interpret it? This means, folks, look at the world, how noisy, how painful, and incomprehensible so many things happen that make us afflicted and saddened. Now, diagnose the cause. Why is this? Is it because there is no God? Is it because there is no God? Or is it because God doesn't love us? No, because people forsake God from the center of their hearts, pursue things that are not God, and do whatever evil they want in order to obtain them.
And they seek satisfaction and happiness through it. It cuts off value . It takes pain. So, it's not because God doesn't exist or because God doesn't love it. It 's God's call of love to cut down what's wrong and come back. This is the subject of this text. I hope this applies to you personally. I'm going to ask you a question, so give yourself a good answer. How much do you think God has invested in you? How much do you think God has invested in you? And did God benefit or lose on that investment? Please ask me. God has to do this for me and do more of that. The reality is that God doesn't love me right now ? Or is it that God has done enough for me, but I am holding on to something other than God, so I can't bear fruit, so God is groaning at me? Which of the two do you think it is? Ask yourself questions and answer them. For hints, see verse 4. What more can I do? This is the word of God. What is the answer? God has given me so many things, not nothing, but too many.
But I drove God away from the center and pursued vain things. So I became a wild grape. I made a mistake . No, I believe it is God's love that calls me back. Amen? This is the answer we need to answer. Guys, God has been waiting for you for a long time, right? Did you pour as much as your age? Who is in the middle of your heart as much as you have? Depending on that, you become either a wild grape or a premium grape. When people encounter a problem, why did this problem arise? We get together to have a countermeasure meeting, find out the cause, and then, if that doesn't work, we blame others and blame God .
Such a process is also necessary. But that's not what God is saying. It's telling you to return to God. It's not God in your heart. Throw away your heart that holds on to it and come back to God. That's the real solution. Everyone, we often say this in our religious life. Glory to God, Glory to God, but glory is what? I think like this: We humans are so vulgar that we don't have much of a concept of the holy word glory. That's my opinion and a lot of people agree . Is it easy to change? If you change it to praise, you will understand. What does glory to God mean? To praise God for doing a good job is to give glory to God . God did nothing wrong God is generous with me and God has done well I will not complain I have been patient with you for so long and gave me so much I did it wrong Forgive me God I will come closer to you I am waiting for this answer I hope I hope that those who seek the vain things of the world in your heart will crumble.
I pray that they will be cut down and become the finest grapes filled only with God. I pray in the name of the Lord . I hoped to become grapes, but now they have become wild grapes I hope, Lord, let us become the finest grapes again. Let God fill the center of our hearts with only God. I will pray. Everyone, I will pray out loud so that your own ears can be heard. Second This is a prayer topic. Next Sunday, a market for direct sales of agricultural and marine products will be held. Through this event, we will pray together so that the livelihoods of all the clergy who are struggling in the countryside and that the church will have a beautiful history of contributing to the financial independence of the church . Please comfort the bereaved of the Itaewon incident that took place in , and help the truth of the incident to come to light. Let's pray together. Heavenly Father who loves us The vineyard is ruined, but I still love this vineyard . Let us hear the voice of God. Stop complaining and murmuring, and now let us return to you.
Turn us, the corrupted wild grapes, into the finest grapes again. In your precious name, Jesus, I pray. Amen..