I Will Be the God of All the Families – Jeremiah 31:1
I Will Be the God of All the Families
Jeremiah 31:1
In Jeremiah 31:1, the Lord says, “At that time, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.” Our life of faith must be honest. Ask yourselves: Has God become the head of your household? Has He become the God of your family? It’s tragic if He has not. Even if you live in a grand and spacious mansion, enjoy lavish feasts, have many maids, and possess so much wealth that you yourself can’t even keep track of it, you are still living in misery. If God is not the master of your household, then your home is a world without light.
God the Father, who created the heavens, the earth, and all things in the universe, sent His only Son, Jesus, to be crucified for the sins of all mankind. Jesus was torn and broken, pouring out every drop of water and blood from His body for our sins. Scripture tells us that the blood of that cross atones for our sins. If Jesus had not broken the power of death and had not risen again, then all His suffering would have been in vain. But He truly did rise again. The apostle Paul told the Corinthians that Jesus became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor 15:20), and that He who knew no sin took on all sin on our behalf (2 Cor 5:21).
Satan completely destroyed the family of Adam and Eve, the first ancestors of mankind, but Jesus broke the power of death and resurrected to restore that family.
We members of Pyungkang are one spiritual family, united in our shared faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. As the hymn says, “Brother, one blood, one body all are we” (hymn “In One Fraternal Bond of Love”). It’s not about you going your way and me going mine. We believe in one God, one Father, and one Jesus—and through Jesus, we have been given faith, so that faith is one. The Holy Spirit is one, and we are one family. That means we are God’s family. The ideal home of a believer is a home that mirrors the church. Outsiders—those who do not believe—cannot be part of this.
Ephesians 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
It is God who established the family
The one who established the family is God. No matter who arranged the meeting between a man and a woman, they become married couple when their hearts align. But just being married doesn’t mean they are truly a couple. They must be a couple recognized by God.
God’s teachings show us that a beautiful church begins with a beautiful family. Our congregation must take this to heart. A true church begins with families that are built on faith, love, and harmony. If family members are constantly clashing and fighting, simply coming to church won’t bring peace to the heart. That heart will feel like hell, like a dark, abandoned harbor. The home, the family, will also become dark, like how everything goes dark when the power goes out. That’s why the family must become a church where God resides.
God, who created the heavens, the earth, and all things, specially created humans in His own image and likeness (Gen 1:26), and gave them three blessings: “Rule over the creatures, have dominion over all things, and be fruitful and multiply to fill the earth.” Humans, created in God’s image, are without sin. They are clean, without blemish or defect. They are pure and holy.
However, our enemy, Satan, who holds onto the powers of darkness, approached the woman, who was weaker in will than the man, and subtly tested her. Satan did not know the details of the conversation between God and Adam and Eve. When he asked, “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” the woman, with wisdom, should have answered, “If you want to know, ask God directly. Why do you want to know what God said to us? Why are you trying to test us?” If she had said that, humanity would not have fallen. But instead, she said, “No, God said we can eat the fruit of every tree in the garden, but we must not eat or touch the fruit of the tree in the center of the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” And that’s when Satan found out, and tempted her. He said, “If you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you’ll be like God.” The woman replied, “But God said we will die if we eat it.” Satan replied, “No, you won’t die. Your eyes will be opened.” Believing his words and being tempted, when she saw the fruit of the tree, it seemed good to eat, desirable to the eyes, and pleasant to look at. She ate it and also gave some to her beloved husband Adam, and they both ate. Genesis 2:25 records, “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” But after they ate the forbidden fruit, they felt ashamed and embarrassed to be naked, even though they were husband and wife.
Later, when God was walking in the garden in the cool of the evening, He called out, “Adam, where are you?” Adam, ashamed of both himself and his wife being naked, covered themselves with fig leaves and hid behind a tree. God didn’t call because He couldn’t find Adam; He saw everything. Adam said, “I ate the fruit You told us not to eat, and now I am ashamed and hid myself.” God asked, “Who told you that you were naked?” Adam replied, “The woman You gave me made me do it.” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” They both passed the blame.
The unity of family has been completely shattered. There is no peace. They have forgotten God’s love. They cast aside God’s intervention. This is no longer a true family. What appears to be a family is just an outer shell, but inside, there is always fear. “When will I die? Why am I sick? Do I have a cold? Is there some illness inside me?” This fear is always present. Whether a child succeeds or fails, there is fear. “I need to succeed all the way to the end; if I get a job, I need to rise through the ranks and become more successful…”
Each and every Pyungkang family must accept God as their Master. We should not only turn to God in times of urgency, like when our children leave to study abroad, or when they take their college entrance exams, or whatever it may be. We must not believe in God like a disposable coffee cup, using Him once then throwing Him away.
The greatest gift that our God the Creator gave to mankind is one another. The world of creation was a world of abundance, but one thing was “not good” was being alone. In Genesis 2:18, when Adam was alone, it was not good for him to be by himself, so God created a helper suitable for him—a woman. They became a married couple and formed a family. As it says in Matthew 19:5, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” And God is to be the head of that family the master of the household, but then the family tosses aside Jeremiah 31:1 and either the man or woman will try to take on that role of the master. While it may seem fine for a time, as years go by, one will eventually find themselves in a miserable state. Are you truly living with the living God in your heart? If you say you believe in God, He must dwell in your heart. When you pray, while it is good to pray to the God who is seated on the high and exalted throne, you must also confess in faith, “That exalted God has come to reside in me.” Humans, created in God’s image, were perfect in every way. The Garden of Eden, meaning “joy” and “delight,” was a paradise. There were no shadows of darkness or worry, no lack or discomfort.
When we look at Genesis 2:15-17, the first command God gave to Adam was to “cultivate and keep” the Garden of Eden. When God told Adam to keep [protect] the garden, that means there was the possibility of something like a thief entering. It was because he failed to protect it that the serpent was able to enter. “Take care of it. I created it, but I have given everything to you.” This is the meaning behind God’s command.
The second command God gave was the “rule over it.” Proverbs 4:23 shows us how important and difficult it is to guard one’sheart, more so than guarding a city. A life of faith must begin with the heart. We must always guard our hearts and protect the grace, love, and blessings that we have received, ensuring that they aren’t spilled to the ground or taken away. But we often fail to rule and protect our hearts.
People, as parents, siblings, and children, are meant to live together in love across generations. But is this hierarchy being properly recognized today? When parents speak, children may outwardly say “yes,” but their hearts are elsewhere. Parents and children lie to each other. Strictly speaking, because the household lives separately from God, everything is dark, filled with lies, insincerity, dishonesty, and falsehood. Wives avoid speaking to their husbands instead of sharing grievances, and husbands lie to their wives so as not to be scolded. This is all because God is not present. As Genesis 3:18 says, there are thorns and thistles in the home. After Adam and Eve sinned, God declared, “Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you” (Gen 3:17-18). A family that doesn’t serve God is filled with thorns and thistles. After Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, suffering and hardships began. Illness and pain began, and they tasted death for the first time. Though Adam, the ancestor of mankind, lived for 930 years, he eventually died. The enemy, Satan, lied when he said, “You will not surely die! Your eyes will be opened and you will be like God.”
Satan’s first attack was on Adam’s family. He knew that if Adam’s family was destroyed, God’s family and God’s kingdom would also be destroyed. When God’s kingdom is established on earth, it will start with the family. If the family is destroyed, there is no hope for the nation or people. The most important thing that can be established on earth is the family. The devil envies and hates the peace and happiness of a well functioning family. That’s why he leads spouses into infidelity, makes children obsessed with games, encourages them to skip studying and spend all their time in PC rooms, and causes harm to daughters. To make matters worse, people who are trying to do business end up being swindled and losing all their wealth. This is the destruction of the family. Today, Satan continues to target the families of believers. For the devil to destroy the cradle of faith, the cradle of prayer, and the cradle of the Word, he works to keep the family from coming to church. He entices their pride with gambling, dancing, neglecting their children, and all kinds of other wrongdoings. These all play a part in destroying the family. Genesis 3:17-19 shows us that because of the sins of mankind, the ground was cursed and produced thorns and thistles for us. There are thorns and thistles in every household, poking and pricking us. No matter where we move, whether we go out or come in, there is no peace (Deut 28:1-14). All of this is the work of Satan. I pray in the name of the Lord that every member of Pyungkang will follow the words of Jeremiah 31:1 and make God the head of their families. Would you pass down this life of unhappiness, pain, and suffering—this life without God—to your children? Your children should live better and believe more better than the parents did. When one family falls apart, it hurts the church and brings great misfortune to the nation and its people. If you are saved, your whole family must be restored. It must be restored by God’s Word and grace, and by our fervent love for Him. The devil destroyed Job’s health, wealth, family, and all else Job had. But he could not destroy Job’s heart, which trusted in God alone and made God the master over his life. Job then was blessed and received even greater blessings.
God desired for humans to form families and live happily, but they disobeyed and sinned. What is the best solution to save these humans who brought misfortune upon themselves? In Genesis 3:15, God promised that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. He also said that the serpent would strike the offspring’s heel.
Sin always comes at a cost. As stated in Romans 6:23 and 5:12, the wages of sin is death and the loss of hope. The death spoken here is not a temporary death, but eternal death. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John says that the smoke of torment rises forever and ever. In God’s world, once someone goes to hell, the torment, suffering, and anguish will continue forever, with the smoke of their suffering rising endlessly. God looked for a righteous person to save humanity, but found none. So, He sent His only Son, Jesus, the Word made flesh in the form of man. He obeyed His Father and took on the sins of humanity and died on the cross, thus saving us from our sins and declaring us innocent. How thankful we should be! The family was destroyed starting from Adam’s family, but through the family of Mary and Joseph, Jesus finally came. The Holy Spirit began to work in the upper room with John Mark, and the church was born through receiving the Holy Spirit. Since the family was broken, Jesus came to the family to bring salvation. The reception of the Holy Spirit also happened in the upper room of John Mark, a household, a family setting, and the church was birthed. The church begins in the family (Acts 1, 2:1-3). There are many examples of this in the Bible.
① The Philippian church began in the home of Lydia, a seller of purple fabrics (Acts 16:14).
② The Corinthian church began in the home of Aquila and Priscilla.
The apostle Paul said, “Aquila and Priscilla risked their lives for me. Greet them.” (1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19). In Romans 16:3-4, Paul mentions that they risked their lives for him, which was not a small matter. At that time, persecution, hardship, and suffering were severe, and there were many instances of informers in the government, but Aquila and Priscilla blocked all of this. This is how the church began in their home. Just as they built the church in their house, I encourage you to establish a church in your home as well.
Romans 16:3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
Romans 16:4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;
③ The Colossian church began in the home Philemon (Phlm 1:1-10).
Philemon 1:2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
④ The church in Laodicea began in the home of Nymphas (Col 4:15).
Colossians 4:15 Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.
Establish a church in your home. When building a church in one’s own home, do the husband and wife always share the same heart? Do the sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, and children all align? In AD 313, Emperor Constantine of the Roman Empire officially recognized Christianity, and it all started in the home. It began with just two or three, maybe seven or eight people. Our Pyungkang Cheil Church also started with six people in a home. There was no church for 13 years.
It is not only the physical church that starts from the home, but the spiritual church as well. The church began in the home of Adam, the first man, and the Messiah was born in the home of Joseph and Mary. The work of the Holy Spirit began in the upper room of Mark and, through the Holy Spirit, the church was born. Every time the church was born through the work of the Holy Spirit, the home was the starting point. The home is the cradle of the Word. The home is the channel through which the church can spread. Therefore, the home must be strong. A happy household is truly a blessed household. The family is the last stronghold of the church, where prayer, reading the Bible, and evangelism never cease. God did not create the home simply for physical needs like sleeping, eating, and bearing and raising children. God’s church is the family. God must be the master, the Lord over the home. The church is a home that is beautiful in God’s sight, a home that God looks upon and says, “It is good.” The family must be the cradle where God’s kingdom is birthed on this earth.
* What is required to become a church-like family?
1. The whole family must first accept God as their Father and Jesus Christ as their Savior, living in a home where joy, happiness, and salvation always dwells, becoming a gospel centered family.
2. The whole family must be filled with the Holy Spirit, grace, and the Word, understanding the Word and fulfilling the duties of being the salt and light according to their faith.
3. Additionally, God’s love and forgiveness must be abundant in their hearts. They must not harbor grudges, fight, or speak ill of each other. God carries only love and forgiveness. Jesus said, “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart” (Matt 18:35).
4. Above all, the love of the parents in the home is the cradle of a new work. Look at Moses’ parents, Amram and Jochebed. When they saw how beautiful their son Moses was and wanted to hide him at home for three months, could they have done it without discussing it with each other? The father and mother were united as one. Breaking the king’s command meant certain death, but they feared God more than the king. After three months, they could no longer keep him, so they made a waterproof basket of reeds, placed Moses in it, and set it afloat on the river. That was a basket of faith—they sent him off, and prayed again. God is living and active. Look at God’s providence and work. Is it a coincidence for a princess to find the basket while she’s bathing? And when she sought a wet nurse, wasn’t it Moses’ sister Miriam who cleverly suggested their own mother? For over two years, Jochebed raised her own son Moses in the palace, and she raised him in faith. Through his parents’ prayers, Moses became a shining light for the future of the nation. He became a remarkable leader for the salvation of his people, and was known as the father of the wilderness and the father of the law. I bless all parents in the name of the Lord, that we all become cradles of faith. And may every child give unending respect and gratitude for the love their parents give them.
Your salvation is a precious salvation. Which parent wouldn’t pray for their child’s future? Wouldn’t they pray with tears? Parents are always anxious for their children, and there is never a day they can feel at ease. Just like the church, a family needs worship, education, and evangelism. Parents must teach this from a young age, telling their children to invite their friends to church. What will happen when you have the house for church and your children ask where you’re going, and you respond with, “You stay home and study.”? It might seem fine for a moment, but as they grow up, they stop participating in church life. Children become the source of their parents’ worries and bring them to tears. But if children live a faithful life, the home becomes filled with faith and the Word, and there is prayer before God. “Mom, I have a test today… Please pray for me.” How wonderful is this! And the parents respond, “You have a test, right? I prayed for you, that wherever you go, you have Immanuel, God with you. Keep God in your heart.” Whether you go hiking, traveling, or going abroad, He is the God of the family. Worship, education, evangelism, service, and fellowship happen in both the family and the church. We share God’s love with the poor and those in need. It is not “me” that is helping; I am merely conveying God’s love. Even if the receiver is confused, after a day or two, they will come to understand.
Your sons and daughters are the talents needed by the nation and people. We must serve God in our families until the day He returns. So raise your children according to the Word of God. As it says in 2 Timothy 3:15–17, the Word of God is powerful and useful for training His people to live rightly, so that we don’t stand before God as incomplete or halfheartedly, but forming our character in a perfect way and making us complete. Believe that it is possible to be complete before God, not half-heartedly. From today, may your homes become holy and blessed homes that welcome God, and may you be faithful saints who honor God in your families. I bless this upon you in the name of the Lord.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Let us pray.
God, please bless our Pyungkang Cheil Church families, so that each one may become a person this nation needs. Until the day You return, may Your covenant and Your promises remain in our homes, and through Your Word, help us to truly believe, understand, and find deep meaning and fulfillment. Even if we live 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90 years on this earth, if we do not truly welcome and serve You with a burning faith in our hearts, it is all in vain. Lord, let every member of Pyungkang Cheil Church love You passionately and serve You fervently in our hearts. May every family in Pyungkang become a household that welcomes and serves You. We thank You, Lord, for loving our church. Please love our Pyungkang families to the very end. May we always be filled with Your Word, filled with grace, filled with truth, and filled with faith. Let us be people who live victoriously by the Word in every area of life on this earth. Wherever we go—north, south, east, or west—make us believers full of faith. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Make us all believers who have faith, who live in a way that pleases You. Until the very end, until the last hour of this worship, may You be with us, and may You receive our worship as a pleasing offering to You. As we pray and lift up these words, we give thanks and pray in the holy name of Jesus. Amen.
May 6, 2007
Sunday Service
Rev. Abraham Park
- 25년 5월호