Jesus Christ, Who Became Our Goal

This passage sheds light on the essence of life through the way Solomon and King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon lost their power, wisdom, wealth and glory and came to realize how empty it all was. People come to see that even the swift runner or the strong warrior can be caught in an evil net at any time without God's protection. In particular, King Nebuchadnezzar, though he had seen God's warnings and miracles, could not let go of his pride and suffered the hardship of living like a beast, revealing the weakness of human beings, who cannot overcome sin by their own will.

The sermon points out that the cause of such failure was that they had left God and raced through the world driven by their own greed and selfishness. Believers must not be swallowed up by the world's goals, but must have a faith that has been taken hold of by Jesus Christ, who became our goal. Even when Satan and evil spirits attack, when the Holy Spirit protects us and walks with us, we can walk safely on the narrow way of truth. Even when hardship comes, if we are in Christ we are safe there, and we can enjoy peace even in the midst of outward difficulties.

In an uncertain world where we cannot know what tomorrow will bring, rather than boasting of our own wisdom or ability, we must walk steadily with the Holy Spirit. Letting go of the folly of forgetting God's grace and chasing only worldly success until it is lost, as Solomon and Nebuchadnezzar did, what kind of life must we live to become true victors?