Sermons

Today's passage deals with how the cherub, the foremost spirit that God made with the greatest care, fell through pride and became Satan. Although he had received the highest glory and wisdom from God, he was not thankful but coveted the throne and rebelled; as a result he was driven out from the mountain of God, and a third of the angels fell with him. To prevent his own judgment, this fallen being made a meticulous plan to overturn God's order of creation and steal human souls.

Satan has continually interfered throughout history with the aim of finding and killing the offspring of the woman. He tempted Adam and Eve and caused them to fall, and before the flood in Noah's day he tried to corrupt human genes to keep the offspring of the woman from coming. And when Jesus came to this earth, he tried to kill the baby through King Herod, tempted him in the wilderness, and used Judas and the priests to have him nailed to the cross. But Satan did not foresee Jesus' resurrection and ascension, and all his schemes ended in failure.

Now Satan is hindering worship, defiling the world, and persecuting believers in the name of human rights, peace, and the prevention of infectious disease. But unless God permits it, Satan cannot stop the faith of believers, and good angels are guarding them. All of Satan's plans have already failed, and the victory belongs to believers. How should we view this age, and how can we live by faith without being shaken?

Today's passage is about Ezekiel, living in exile, pointing out that Israel's leaders ruined the nation with a ‘gluttonous’ attitude that looked after their own interests instead of the people's, and proclaiming that God himself will become their shepherd, seek out his scattered sheep, and restore them by giving them a new spirit and a new heart.

The sermon points out that this lesson from Israel's history is no different from the reality of today. It points to the sad situation in which spiritual and political leaders exploit others only for themselves, while believers are shaken by Satan's temptations and defile God's name. It warns that even though God sent his only Son to atone for sin and win the victory of the resurrection, people are still caught up in greed and partisan fighting, going down a road on which the nation is collapsing.

It stresses that believers must go beyond simply attending church: they must receive the new spirit of the Holy Spirit, be changed into people of holy character, and live discerning God's ordinances. It says that if we do not pray for this crumbling nation and its people, we cannot escape God's judgment, and that the prayers and exemplary lives of believers are the only way to restore this nation.