Thank you very much. The title of this hour is “Honor your parents.”
Exo. 20:12.
Reader: Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long
upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
Speaker: This is the first commandment given to man. This commandment
is also a condition for entering heaven. This is also a condition of our
salvation, honor your parents. He said, “Love your neighbors” but as for our
parents what did He say? “Honor your parents.” Not merely love but honor your
parents. In other words honor your parents as if gods, then your days will be
long upon the land that I will give to you. In the new heaven, your days will
be long. In other words, if you honor your parents as if gods then you will
live in heaven. “If you honor your parents I will let you live in heaven
forever. If you don’t, I will not give you eternal life.” So, this is a
condition for eternal life. 1 Tim. 5:4.
Reader: But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first
learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and
acceptable before God.
Speaker: If anybody has children, let them learn to honor their parents
at home first, for this is acceptable to God. If you have children, does God
say to let them go out and do missionary work? No, let them honor their
parents, let them learn to honor their parents at home first for this is
acceptable to God. He did not tell us to let them go out and do missionary work
first. Why are we supposed to honor our parents like God?
Reader: Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect which is
due to no other person. God Himself, who has placed upon them a responsibility
for the soul committed to their charge has ordained that during the earlier
years of life, parents shall stand in the place of God to their children. And
he who rejects the rightful authority of his parents is rejecting the authority
of God.
Speaker: Yes, parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect,
which is due to no other person. In other words, parents have the right to
receive the greatest homage from their children than anybody else. However
people today honor and respect the servants of God and presidents. Parents must
receive the greatest homage from children not pastors or presidents. God
himself who had placed upon them the responsibility for the souls committed to
their child has ordained that during the earlier years of life, parents shall
stand in the place of God to their children. Parents shall stand where? Parents
shall stand in the place of God to their children. In other words, parents are
visible gods or God’s representatives. Who is our Real Father? God. But in our
Real Father’s place, who raised us? Our parents raised us. So when we were born
on this earth we met the first representatives of God, our parents. So God
placed our parents in His place. So those who reject, refuse to give a homage
to our parents are rejecting, or refusing to give homage to our Father. Those
children, no matter what they do in the world, they will end up being
destroyed. Proverbs 30:17.
Reader: The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his
mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will
eat it.
Speaker: Yes, those who refuse to obey and honor their parents, those
who reject and mock their parents, their eyes shall be picked out by ravens,
and young eagles will eat them up. If eagles and ravens in the valley will eat
up a person’s eyes, it means that the person must be dead. In other words,
those who dishonor their parents, those who scorn their parents will surely be
destroyed. That is why he said, “Honor your parents then, I will give you
eternal life. If you don’t, I will not give you eternal life.” Those who do not
honor their visible gods, how can they honor invisible God? We must honor our
visible gods first. We must be able to honor our parents. They are the first
representatives of our Father. Without them how could you have been born on
this earth. So we must honor them more than president or pastors. In oriental
and Russian countries, people who honor their parents in a true sense, with
their whole heart were all saved.
During the dynasty of Yo En Tsun in Chinese history, they received
greatest blessing from heaven. Because the king is honorable son to his parents
the whole country received blessing. When he was a child, his mother died so
his father married another woman. Eventually, his father’s love for him became
colder and colder. When his mother was alive his father loved him so much, but
when the new mother came in, his father’s love for him changed. Then his father
began to hate him like his step mother. Because the step mother wanted to give
the inheritance to her real child, she hated him so much and tried to kill him.
His father also did the same.
One day, his father told him to fix the roof of the barn but the straw
roof of the barn was alright. His father did not have to tell him to replace it
because it was still new. He already knew that his father was going to kill
him. So knowing that his father was going to kill him, he just went up the roof
of the barn and tried working up there. Suddenly, his mother and father came
out and started kindling fire on the roof in every side of the roof. So he
scarcely jumped down and he was not burned to death.
Many days passed by, his father told him to dig a well in front of
their house. Right next to their house was a very nice well but his father was
telling him to dig a well for nothing. Now, he knew and he was aware that his
father was going to bury him on the ground. Knowing his Father’s scheme he
obeyed and started digging the ground. When his father was not watching, he dug
the ground side ways and when he was watching he dug it downward. When it was
pretty deep, his father and mother suddenly came out and began to pour soil on
him and began to bury him. So he scarcely escaped into the side wall and crying
bitterly he remembered his dead mother. After an hour he came out of the well
wiping out all the fluid from his body. When his father saw him, he shouted,
“Oh, how come he is still alive?” Truly honorable children are protected by
God. So he was not destroyed and he became the king of China , the most
benevolent king in history. That is why the God of heaven poured so much
blessing on him when he was on the throne.
So, honorable children are protected by God. Although they do not know
God or Jesus, those who honor their parents are given eternal life because it
is the first commandment given to man. He said, “Honor your parents then I will
give you eternal life.” He did not say,
“Honor the servant of God, honor presidents, honor somebody else.” He said,
“Honor your parents, then I will give you eternal life.” So even though, they
did not know about God or Jesus, as they honored their parents with their whole
hearts they obtained salvation. In other words, those who obey the first
commandment given to man, they received eternal life.
In old times, there was a person called Song Seun. He was extremely
poor. He worked hard as a servant in the neighbors’ farm. As he earned money,
he bought food and gave it to his old mother. He had a little son, but the old
mother always took the food and gave it to his son. So he kept saying to his
mother,
“Mom, please don’t give the food to him.” She said,
“No, I love him so much. He is so good, I want to give the food to
him.”
She had no food at all. That was the only food she had but she kept
giving it to his son. So he said to his wife, “Once we lose our mother, we
won’t be able to have another mother, but if we lose our child, we can have
another child. Since our baby takes all the food from our mother, let us just
kill our baby.” Because his wife was so good and she honored his parents, she
agreed.
So one day he and his wife took the baby to the deep mountain to bury
him. As he started digging the ground, there was a very strange sound coming
underneath. As he continued to dig the ground, there came out a huge stony
bell, a big stony bell. The God of heaven was moved by their beautiful heart.
Song Seun said to his wife, “Ah, this bell was given to us by heaven. It is not
the will of heaven for us to bury our baby.”
In old times, our ancestors who lived so holy lives were easily touched
by the Holy Spirit. Spiritually enlightened, they were easily touched by the
spirit of God. So in old times our ancestors used to teach these four Chinese
characters. These four Chinese characters are the very ten commandments. Honor
God and love people. They used to teach all their children and all people these
four Chinese characters.
The ten commandments tell us to love God and love our neighbors. So our
ancestors were those who kept the ten commandments even though they did not
know God or Jesus. Those who obeyed these four characters, they obeyed God’s
commandments. They also obeyed the voice and the commandments through the
nature Bible. Our ancestors were so beautiful people.
He said to his wife, “This is not the will of heaven that we bury our
baby.” So they just carried the baby down back home with the stony bell. Then he
hung the bell under the roof and he started ringing it. The sound was so
beautiful and it even echoed to the palace. So the king asked people about the
beautiful sound and later he heard the story about this person and how he got
the stony bell. The king was so happy and pleased with him. He said, “Ah, how
come in my days, there is such a beautiful person like him in my country? Ah,
in old times there was a person who was going to bury his son also for his
mother and heaven gave him a golden bell. Now in my days there is living the
same kind of person.” The king was so happy that he granted him fifty sacks of
rice every year so that he may honor his mother without having to work as a
farm servant anymore. It was the grant it was the gift not merely from the king
but from heaven, our Father.
During the Shilo Dynasty, there was a person called Sang-dok. There was
a very severe famine and people had nothing to eat. His old mother was about to
die of hunger so he went to the back of his house and cut the midst of his
thigh and cooked it for his mother. Later, the king heard the story of this
person and he was greatly moved by this person’s beautiful heart for his
mother. So, the king built a huge house for him and gave him great gifts.
There was also a person called Tosi in a different time period. Because
he was also so extremely poor, he used to make charcoal in the mountain. He
used to sell it to make money in the market. If he only made money he would buy
food for his mother. One day after selling all his charcoal, making money, he
bought a fish from the market to cook it for his mother. On his way back home,
all of a sudden a big bird came down and took his fish away. So he cried out,
“Oh, my fish! My fish!” But the bird already took it away. If he had any
remaining money, he could buy again, but he had no more money. He became so
distressed, “Oh, I bought that fish for my mother, how come that pitiless bird
took it away?” He was crying all the way back home. Our Father who commanded a
raven to give food to Elijah also commanded this bird, “Hey, you my bird! Do
you know whose fish that is? It is the fish of my beloved child, don’t touch
it. Just drop it. Why don’t you drop it infront of his house. Our Father who
commanded the raven to carry food for Elijah also commanded the bird to drop it
infront of his house. As he came back home crying all the way, he found the
fish he lost infront of his house. The fish was not touched at all. This kind
of people who loved their parents so much, do you think our Father will not
take them to heaven?
Now clergymen in the world, many clergymen in the world cast out their
own parents. Of course they don’t say it directly but their parents just come
out saying, “Oh, I cannot live with my son.” Those children, no matter how great
works they do for God, they will never receive eternal life. We must serve and
honor our visual gods first, before we learn to serve our invisible God. These
are the steps to go to heaven.
There was also a person (my mother said, that he is our grand, grand
grandfather. Five generations ago.) who was so honorable son to his mother. My
grandmother told me that his mother probably had a leprosy. Even though he
bought all kinds of drugs and good remedies for her, all the remedies had no
effect at all. She was not cured at all. Then somebody informed him saying,
“Your mother can be cured only when she eats human flesh. Only when you give a
baby’s flesh to her, she will be cured.” So he quickly came to his wife and
said, “That person said that if we cook a baby and give to our mother, she will
be cured.” It was when his baby was just 6 or 7 years old. He was attending a
home school in the village. Then he said to his wife,
“Once we lose our mother, we will never be able to have a mother again,
but once we lose our baby we can have a baby again.”
She said, “Let us do that, we can have another baby after him.” If she
had been like people today, she might have screamed at her husband saying,
“What are you talking about? Are you crazy? She is old, when she dies, that’s
it, but how can we kill our baby.” But he and his wife were so beautiful
people.
So when his son was about to come back from school, he went out. As he
went out, his son was coming back from school with a book under his arms
walking toward him saying, “Hi Dad, how come you came out today here?”
“Oh, I just came out to see you. Why don’t you come up on my back?”
Now he was taking his baby back home on his back. It was his last
moment of talking with his baby. Think about the father’s heart. This is the
last moment of being with his child. He asked again, “How come you came out
today, Dad?”
“Oh, I just came out to see you.” When he was coming back home, his
wife was boiling water in a big kettle. Then he came to the kitchen and gave
motion to his wife to open the kettle. Then he threw his baby into the kettle
and they just continue making fire without saying anything. After losing their
baby, they could not say anything. Although they honor their parent so much
with their whole heart, they had nothing to say.
A while later, when they had to open the kettle to take the body out,
suddenly his son was coming in. Scared and amazed, they asked, “Who are you?”
His son came in and said, “Oh, I was a little bit late today.” So they quickly
opened the kettle, and inside the kettle was floating a big ginseng. Do you
know who gave the ginseng to them? The God of heaven was moved by their
beautiful heart toward their parent. How could our Father allow them to kill
their son? Because of honoring their parents with their whole heart, the God of
heaven loved them so much. Our Father prepared a sheep for Abraham when he was
about to kill his son in obedience to God’s word. Our Father was so much
pleased with him, so he prepared a sheep for him. Likewise our Father prepared
ginseng in the big kettle. Do you think our Father would not take to heaven
those kinds of people? He will surely take them to heaven even though they do
not know Jesus. If you go to heaven, you will meet those kinds of people. He
even commanded the bird not to touch the fish but drop it at its owner’s house.
Our Father loves them so much and how can He not take them to heaven.
Once there was a person called Toshi. His mother was very sick and she
was on the verge of death. She could not eat anything, but one day she said,
“Ah! I would like to eat persimmon. I want to eat persimmon.” Winter was
approaching that time. When she could not drink and eat anything and on the
verge of death, she was saying, “O, I want to eat persimmon.” It was her last
wish so he said, “Alright Mom, don’t worry.”
These days, people can store persimmon for a long time because they
know how to store them. They can store persimmon, even lots of them but in old
times, people didn’t know how to store persimmon because they didn’t have any
machine to store those ripe persimmon.
To satisfy his mother’s last wish, he began to search persimmon on
every persimmon tree to find out even a single persimmon, but there was
nothing. Even if there were persimmons, how could they have remained there. All
the squirrels and animals would have taken it away. There could be no persimmon
remaining there. So he became so distressed. “Ah! Probably I cannot give
persimmon to my Mom.” When the sun was about to go down, he saw a tiger coming
down from the mountain.
Just as Elijah and ravens became friends with each other, and just as
Daniel became friends with the lions, those who obey God’s word are not scared
of animals. God said, that He can even make animals our friends.
Since he saw the tiger he must run away but the tiger seemed a lovely
dog coming to him very gently. Then the tiger motioned him to ride on his back.
So, he just rode on his back, and the tiger started running. It was when the
sun already went down. The tiger brought him many miles and had let him off
infront of a huge, big house. As he knocked the gate, the owner came out. If he
would explain to him that he had come there by a tiger, he would be scared so,
he did not say anything. So he said,
“May I stay one night in your house?”
He said, “Ah, yes, please come in.”
Since that place was a country, people had so beautiful heart. People
in the cities would never accept those kinds of stranger. Because it was a
country, people’s heart is so beautiful and so kind. So the person said, “Ah!
Alright please come in and stay one night here.” In the country, there was a
custom that on their parents’ funeral day, they spread a table and everybody in
the house eats altogether. When he was sleeping, the owner woke him up and
said, “Ah! Today is my dead parents’ funeral day. Why Don’t you come out and
eat together with me?” As he went out to the table, O, there were persimmons.
So he shouted,
“Oh, persimmons! These are persimmons!”
“How come you’re so surprised?”
Then, he told him the story how he came there. He told him that he came
there by riding on a tiger. The owner also said,
“Now, I see!”
“What do you mean?”
“Ah! Every year I try to store persimmon for my parents’ funeral day.
However, every year even though I stored lots of them, there remained only six
or seven of them. But this year, even over fifty of them stayed alright without
rotting. I could not understand the reason, but now I see that the God of
heaven gave this for you not for me. You can take these all with you and give to
your mother.”
Do you think our Father will not take to heaven those kinds of people
whom He loves so much? Our Father who commanded the lion to take care of
Daniel, sent also the tiger for him. Even if one does not know Jesus, if he
honors his parents, with all his heart, he will go to heaven. In old times they
did not know Jesus, but those who obeyed God’s word like that were saved.
However, even clergymen today who believe in Jesus so faithfully, they
do not and many people today do not honor their parents. So no matter what they
do, they will never go to heaven.
So, as he saw the persimmon, he could not stay in that house any
longer. He quickly went out because he is thinking of his mother. As he came
out from the house, the tiger came to him again. It was waiting for him and
motioned to him again to ride on him. As he rode on his back, he again brought
him to his home and he just went up to the mountain saying good-bye.
If we honor our visible gods with all our heart like that, we can
receive so great blessings from our Father. So our Father who commanded the
ravens or lions like that, will also protect his children.
In old times, I once read the newspaper. A ship wrecked in the Pacific Ocean , so all the passengers were drowned to
death except for one who remained alive. All of a sudden a big turtle came and
carried him to the land. Later, it was found that he was a person who honored
his parents with all his heart.
Our Father is the same today, yesterday and forever. Those who dishonor
their parents cannot be saved. No matter how ignorant your parents maybe, no
matter how uneducated your parents maybe, even if they cannot read or write
anything, they are visible gods. God declared that they are gods.
There was a very dishonorable son. He was living with his widowed
mother since childhood. Because he was her only son, she loves him so much.
Whatever good things she had she always gave to him. “Ah, you must eat this,
you must have this.” This is the fallacy of the children’s education. You
should not do like that to your children.
In my case, if any neighbor brings food or things like that to my
house, any cake or something like that, then I taught my children to give the
best thing to their parents, to me and to my wife and let them eat only the
remains. If they are given the best things from their childhood, they regard
the parents as nothing. So, we must teach them like that.
But this widowed mother brought up her child like that. Anything good,
all the food, the best fruits she always gave him and she always ate rotten
foods. So when he grew big, he always despised his mother and regarded her as
nothing. She was so distressed and was so hurt, “I love you so much how come
you regard me like this?”
She was working so hard in the neighbor’s farm earning money little by
little and bought a small land, but the son without talking to her mother, sold
the land and just left home to make money in Seoul . He just left his mother at home
without caring whether his mother would starve to death. No matter what would
happen to her he did not care. Even though his mother begged him not to go, he
did not care. He just left home, leaving her at home. He did not care whether
she would starve to death. And she begged him not to go saying, “It’s alright.
It’s alright that you sold the land but please do not go away.” But he just
kicked her away and he just went on his way. So she came back into her room,
the room was so cold. She just fell to the floor and she burst into crying by
herself.
Now, the son went to Seoul
to start a business. But no matter he tried in different businesses, he always
failed. He tried and tried again but he failed. He eventually spent all the
money. He used all his money and only a few pennies are in his pocket. He said
to himself, “Ah, what a terrible luck! Oh, what an unlucky person I am.
Probably I have no where to go but to a fortune teller. I will go to a fortune
teller and ask him what is going to be my future.” So he went to a fortune teller. The fortune
teller said,
“Ah, you failed in all your businesses. There is only one way for you
to succeed. You must locate a Buddha wearing shoes backward and serve him with
all your heart. Then you will succeed whatever you do.”
“Alright, from now on, I am going to search for Buddha wearing shoes backward.”
So he went to all Buddhist temples on this mountain to that mountain.
How can there be any Buddha wearing shoes backwards? Even the Buddhists always
laughed at him. So, he was always rejected by all those Buddhists. From this
mountain to that mountain, he traveled so much. Now, his feet became all
blistered, and he was so distressed. He could not find the Buddha wearing shoes
backwards. He said to himself, “Ah, If I could only find the Buddha wearing
shoes backwards, I am going to serve him and honor him with all my heart and I
will succeed in all things, but I cannot find him. What an unlucky person I
am.” Now, he had nowhere to go, nobody would feed him. His clothes had worn
out. Now, he had no where to go except to his mother he had left many years
ago. So, starving many days, he walked on foot toward his home.
One night, he eventually arrived home and he knocked at the door, “Mom,
mom, I came.” The mother, ever since her son left home, she always went to the
farm and worked hard to buy food. Then she always kept the food warm in the
kitchen every day, expecting him to come back. She had been waiting for him
every day. So when he came back home and called his mother, she suddenly came
out and said, “Oh, my son, you came back! Oh, now you came back!” She was
running quickly into the kitchen to prepare food because he was so hungry. When
he looked at his mother running into the kitchen, he saw her wearing shoes
backward. Then he realized, “Ah, the Buddha wearing shoes backward is my
mother. Oh, I was so dishonorable son.” He repented, and he began to pour tears
in contrition. Then he began to serve his mother like Buddha. He served his
mother just like Buddha from then on. Everything good he had, he gave to his
mother and he ate only bad things. Everything delicious, he gave to his mother
and he ate only bad things. From then on, heaven began to pour blessings on
him. Short time later, he became extremely rich person and married a good wife
and live happily with his mother.
I hope you do not make effort to serve servants of God or great man in
the world but serve you parents first at home. So there is a saying that if
children honor their parents, the parents are so happy and whatever they do,
they prosper.
As I went to the prison once, there was even a person who killed his
mother. He was about forty years old. He always beat up his mother and the
mother could not stay with him at home together. So the mother tried to run
away from her son but this son ran after his mother and beat her up and she died.
If that kind of person comes into prison, even the prisoners must beat him up
again. Probably, they have a little conscience also. They also beat that kind
of prisoners. So I said to him, “How come you could do that?” I even saw that
kind of person that’s why the world must be destroyed now. How can that kind of
person succeed in anything in the world? Even if they succeed they will end up
being destroyed. Do you think just to fill our mouth and belly is a blessing?
True blessing is eternal life.
Once there was a very dishonorable son. He also had a son and he had an
old mother. One day, this dishonorable person said to his son, “Hey, my boy,
why don’t you take your grandmother to a deep mountain and just throw her
away?” In old times, there was a custom like that, throwing away their old
mother. That time, children must obey their parents strictly. So the son could
not say no. He just said, “Yes, father.” So he was carrying his grandmother
into the mountain but this grandson and grandmother loved each other.
Everything good, she always gave to her grandson. Although she was not loved by
her son, she loved her grandson. As this boy looked at his grandmother, she was
so pitiful, he could not throw her away. So he made a scheme for his
grandmother. Deep in the mountain, he said to his grandmother, “Ah, grandma,
just stay here for awhile. I’ll be back to take you down.” So he came down back
home. His father was smoking on the floor and said,
“Did you throw her away?”
“Yes, I did.” Then Infront of him, he started hanging the A-frame
carrier so carefully on which he carried his grandmother.
His father said, “Why didn’t you throw away that A-frame carrier also?
It is all worn out.”
He said, “No, I have to keep this A-frame carrier safely.” “What if you
get old? When you get old I have to throw you also with this A-frame carrier.”
So his father became so scared and said, “Hey, my son. Please go and
get your grandmother right away.”
No matter how old one may be, one who dishonors his parents is so
stupid.
In old times, there was a widowed mother had a son. This son despised
his mother so much but he was always hugging and kissing his baby. So the old
mother said to him, “How come you despise and mistreat me everyday but you kiss
and hug your baby everyday? So this old mother said to her son,
“Hey, do you love your baby so much?”
“Of course, I love him so much.”
“I also loved you so much when you were a baby.”
“Hey, not at all.”
Stupid children are just like that. So even if their children defecate
and always make noise and caused troubles, they always eat at the same table
together. However, even though they have only one parent, if their parents are
not descent or clean they always let them stay aside. That’s why they are sons
of vipers. They don’t appreciate their parent’s love. There are many people who
are like serpents, who do not appreciate their parents. Loving their children,
they despise their parents, even in the Christian world. These days, the
Christian world and the secular world are the same. There is no difference.
In times of Jesus, the Jewish leaders, even priests, if they are told
to honor their parents, they said, “Ah, I donated everything I committed
everything to God so I have nothing to honor my parents with.” God is God and
parents are parents. So if we try to measure our parents love for us, it is as
high as the heavens. Do you now believe that our Father loved all those people
who honored their parents, even though they did not know Jesus? They all will
go to heaven even though they didn’t know Jesus.
Now, let me introduce the honorable children in the Bible. So we should
try to believe in Jesus well. We must first honor our parents, visible gods
first. That’s how we can be saved.
First, Moses. Moses was an honorable son to his parents. You know when
he was taken to Egyptian palace when he was twelve? He was brought up by his
mother until twelve years old. Until twelve years of age, his mother implored
him, “If you go to Egyptian palace, you should not be attracted by those
worldly things in Egypt .
Even if there are many beautiful girls in the Egyptian palace, you must not
marry them. You are a son of God, you must keep yourself clean. You must not be
defiled by them.” This little baby boy
Moses always said, “Ah, Yes, mom. Yes, mom. I want to obey you.” Because he
tried to obey his mother’s word, even though he lived in Egypt ’s palace until forty years of age, he was
not affected by anything in Egypt .
If he would only bow down and compromise with the evil of Egyptian religion, he
could have become the king of Egypt .
But he never compromised with any evil and he never gave his heart to the girls
in Egypt .
Although there came many love letters every day, he never gave his heart to
them. It was because he decided to obey his parents’ words, he became like
that. Because he had a heart to honor his parents, he could keep himself so
clean. His resolution was not changed at all. I really honor Moses.
Do you know the video tapes about Moses, they are all lies. Never watch
them. Because those carnal and lascivious people made those tapes, that’s why
they represent Moses just like themselves. The tapes show that Moses kissed the
girls there but Moses was not like that. He was a righteous person just like a
pine tree. Never watch those video tapes made by those secular people in the
world.
Once I watched the video tape about Pastor Choogi Chur in Korean
history, that’s the only one I found to be alright. Every time the video tapes
come to my place, I always investigate them first. As I watch Pastor Choogi
Chur tapes it was alright. It was good but any kind of tapes any kind of books
written by those immoral people, you should not watch them. There are lots of
killing, lots of murder, and things like that. All those things give fatal
effects to our children.
Moses mother had told him, “Even if you go to the Egyptian palace you
should never be affected by the luxury of the world, and pollution of the
world, and the abomination of the world. He said, “Yes, I will obey your
words.” Even until forty years of age, his resolution was not changed at all.
It was because he decided to obey his parents’ words. That’s why our Father
poured so great blessings on Moses. He even gave him such a great privilege of
being able to see God, face to face. So those who can obey their parents words
so faithfully can also obey God’s words. Our habits cannot be changed all of a
sudden by any incident. So only those who can serve one husband, those who can
love and keep chastity to one wife can also serve our Father with the same
chastity. Those who despised their parents at home even if they come to our
Daddy, they cannot keep chastity. Our habit cannot be changed in an instant.
Elijah had no friends. His parents said, “Do not go or make friends
with worldly children. Just do farming with your parents.” Because his parents
told him not to make friends with those worldly people, he could keep himself
so clean and holy so he became one of the greatest prophets in history.
David was also such honorable son to his parents. His elder brothers
were always hanging around with other kids but David tried to obey his parents’
word. He said to himself, “Ah, my brothers are disobeying our parents. How can
I then disobey my parents?” He was always exposed to all kinds of danger. He
had no idea when he would be eaten by lions or bears. Going through all kinds
of dangers, taking care of his parents’ sheep, he always obeyed his parents
words. That’s why our Father made him a king of Israel because he obeyed his
parents like that. He also obeyed our Father’s words so beautifully. If he had
not made a single mistake, a single sin with Bathsheba, he could have become
the most beautiful person in history. Yet, even though he committed a single
sin, he also did not reject our Father’s counsel and admonition. He gladly and
humbly accepted God’s punishment and became such a good person.
Next, Joseph. He was always frustrated as he saw his step brothers
doing bad things, so he told his father, “Dad, please tell them, please correct
them. What if they cannot go to heaven?” He always obeyed his father’s word.
That’s why his father loved him so much and gave a colorful garment only to
him. Even when he was sold to Egypt
as a slave, when he was dragged to Egypt , he could see his father’s
house in a distance. While being dragged to Egypt as a slave, he made a
resolution in his heart to serve the true God. He said to himself, “Even if I
become a slave, I will serve my father. I will serve my God as my father had
told me, as my father had always taught me.” He decided to obey his father’s
word. So until he became a Prime Minister of Egypt, his resolution could never
be changed. His resolution he had made when he was a little boy never changed
even after he became old.
There are many people today who cannot make a resolution, who could not
make a decision. So even with little children, there is a distinction among
them. One are those who will obey God until the end and the other are those who
will not keep their chastity. There is a distinction among them.
Because Joseph decided to obey his parent’s word, he also obeyed his
God’s word like that. So, even though he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife, he
never gave himself to her. He knew that if he would only accept her, he would
receive much glory and luxury and everything in the world. However, without
considering the result, he just chose to keep himself clean, not to commit sin
in the sight of God. Potiphar knew that his wife was in the wrong because he
knew what kind of person his wife was and he knew what kind of person Joseph
was, so he could not believe that Joseph truly did that kind of thing. He could
not believe that. But just because of rumors and public opinion he had to
imprison Joseph, put him into jail. Still even in the prison he kept his
chastity alone, that’s why our Father loved him so much and made him the king
of Egypt .
Pharaoh was a king merely by name. The true king was Joseph.
Next, Daniel and his three friends. They were also so honorable
children. When they were teen-agers, they were dragged to Babylon as captives. Their parents implored
them, “My children, Daniel, Hananias, Azariah, Mishael, even if you are taken
to Babylon as
captives, you must serve the true God of heaven. You must remember the meaning
of your names. Their parents gave them names which implied so deep meaning.
Their parents gave them thorough education. Being dragged to Babylon , they said, “Yes, mom. Yes, Dad, I am
going to obey you. I will only serve the true God of heaven.” So even though
they were thrown into fiery furnace and lions den, even though they were only
teen-agers, they kept their heart so firm. Because they were so handsome, so
good-looking, and so strong and the best ones among the boys in Babylon , there were
countless number of girls who loved them but they never gave their heart to
them.
Those who give their heart to male and female relationship problem,
those who give their heart to them so thoughtlessly, they are totally hopeless.
That’s why our Father made such beautiful children. God made Daniel a
Prime Minister. He made Daniel king of Babylon ,
so the king of Babylon
always listened to the words of Daniel. Because everytime he listened to the
word of Daniel, he always succeeded. So, they became so sparkling glorious
stars in Babylon .
Next, John the Baptist. He was also the most honorable child. His
father was a priest who had come out from theological school. His father’s
fellow priests also had many children and they also sent their children to
theological school, rabbi school. But his father said, “Hey, John all the
theological schools became corrupt. Why don’t you just do farming with me in
the country?” If he had been stubborn saying, “No, father. I want to go to
rabbi school like other kids,” then he could have gone there. But to obey his
parent’s word, to obey his father, he just followed him and just stayed with
his father. Because he was so obedient son, our Father could use him. And made
him the greatest prophet in history.
Next, Jesus. He was also so honorable son to his mother, His parents.
Even on the cross, even bearing and suffering from unbearable agony and pain,
he was still saying to John, “John, this is my mother. Please take care of
her.” Even though he was suffering from such unbearable pain, he was saying to
John, one of His disciples, to take good care of His mother. So in the entire
Biblical history, there was not one dishonorable person, disobedient to his
parents, who was used by God. God only uses honorable children to parents.
Everytime God chooses His children, He always tests them at home, not
outside. He tests them at home first. Of course, there are some kinds of
parents who give wrong education to children. That’s why some children do not
honor their parents due to the fault of their parents. Anyhow, we must do our
best to honor our parents first at home before trying to go out, to do
missionary work for God outside. So before being the servant of God, we must be
able to honor our parents first at home. This is the first step of being the
true servant of God. So even if one does not know Jesus and God, if he honors
his parents with all his heart like as our Father told us to, he will go to
heaven. Since we know our Daddy, since we know our Father and Jesus already,
should we not honor our parents much more than those who do not know Them? So,
throughout the entire biblical history, not one person who dishonors his
parents was used by God, except for one. Who is that? It’s me.
Do you think God is using me also? Do you believe I am a servant of
God? Since God is using me now, I am the servant of God also. But I don’t
understand why my Daddy is using me, in spite of my being dishonorable son to
my parents. Now I realized that the reason why my Daddy is using me, is because
He wants to lower the standard so that all people may see and follow Me. I
think my Daddy wants to lower the standard so that all people may be saved.
I was born in a totally atheist family. I was born as the sixth one
among the seven children. All of my brothers and sisters obeyed my parents
thoroughly. Although they are all grown-ups already, when they want to buy any
house or land, they always ask the opinion of our physical father. If he said,
“Ah, probably, you better not buy it then,” so they don’t. They always ask our
Father in making any decision. They could make their decision but they always
ask our father.
One of my elder brothers, just one day before he was dragged to the
military service, he even emptied the bathroom outside our house in the
country. Our town folks were so surprised at his beautiful heart to our
parents. He emptied our bathroom saying, “Ah, if I go to the army, my father
has to do all this so I have to do this today.” He loved and honored our
parents like that. Also, our parents always taught us to be frugal and never to
get help from anybody, but only to help others.
During the battle in Korea ,
scores of years ago, although many people came to our village to grow lots of
corns but none of our parents’ children took them or stole them. So all the
town folks loved us so much and complimented us saying, “How come you are so
honest? How come you are not like those other kids?” No matter how poor we
became, our parents never allowed us to steal anything from others. Even if we
brought just a piece of straw from other neighbor’s farm, my physical father
scolded and punished us so hard. So our parents taught us to always be honest
and never to get anything from others without getting permission first.
When I was about five years old, my parents always told me to keep the
house because they had to go out for farming. One day, my mother told me to
keep the house and everybody was going out so I had to remain in the house all
day long by myself. So, I said to my mother, “Mom, may I eat one cucumber from
the cucumber garden?” There was nothing to eat in the country. Because I had to
keep the house all day long by myself and I would be so lonely so I asked my
mother, “May I eat just one cucumber?” There were no toys, unlike these days.
So I had to spend time just catching dragon flies. Since everybody went out, I
was by myself so lonely then. The only thing that occupied my head was only
cucumber because there was nothing to eat. Then unconsciously, I found myself
standing inside the cucumber garden already. There were lots of cucumber. Some
were long, some were short some were straight some were crooked, many of them
on the ground. Since I saw them, my urge to eat them was stimulated. I had even
stronger urge to eat them. No matter if I eat them up nobody would know because
everybody went out. I was just keeping the house by myself. I can just eat them
up and throw the little thing. However, because I could not disobey my mother’s
word, I could not eat them. I just sat down to look at them closer, but I could
not pick them, then with my fingernails I pricked them. A little piece would
stuck in between my fingernails, then I tasted them. Ah, the fragrance was
extremely nice. Then I started poking them here and there. Then the cucumber
became terrible but they were all connected to the stem. When they arrived
home, my mother went to the cucumber garden to cook food for everybody. Then
she already knew whose finger prints they were because they were so small. So
she called me, “My son, my son! Please come out.” Then I quickly ran out to
her. She said, “How come you did not even pick one of them? How come you are so
obedient?” She loved me so much and picked one for me and gave it to me. As I
ate up, Ah, it was so delicious. From then on, I have never tasted so delicious
cucumber like that.
These days, even in Christian families, children take money away from
their parents pocket. Even a little amount, they should not take any without
parent’s permission. Even in Christian families, all the children became
thieves. There is no distinction between stealing or just taking away. They all
became thieves. I was born in an atheist family but I was taught to be so
honest.
When I went to grammar school, we always ate barley not because we were
poor but because there was no rice. My
family was the richest in the whole town. My grandfather had an only son.
Knowing that the battle was about to break out, my grandfather did not buy any
land. He was only keeping the money. When the battle broke out, the house was
completely burned and all the money was gone. So my father worked hard with
bare hands and eventually he became so rich that we even became the richest
family in the whole town. In spite of being the richest family in the hometown
our family always ate barley to save more money. If I would go to school with
my lunch box full of barley, I would be ashamed of eating it because everybody
else was eating white rice. So, my mother always gave white rice for lunch.
Then if I take the white rice to school, as I opened it, I could not eat it
because I was aware that everybody at home was only eating barley. I could not
eat it thinking of my family members so I just covered it. After eating just
two tablespoonfuls, I covered it and just brought it back home in the evening
and gave it to my father. As he was eating the white rice, I felt so happy.
Sometimes my father would go to town to visit his friends to come back
early in the morning sleeping in his friends’ house. Sometimes in winter, if it
snowed a lot he couldn’t come because there was too much snow. Then early in
the morning, I woke up and gathered all the snow to make a road for him.
However my father never expressed his love to us. Because he was so strict to
us so I could never touch his hands either. But he still loved me so much
although he didn’t express his love.
As I became a junior high school student, I got sick. Although my
parents gave me all kinds of remedies and drugs, they had no effect. My
intestines became so weak and I was suffering from severe diarrhea. Whatever I
ate it just went out. Even if my parents gave all kinds of medicine and all
kinds of drugs, they had no effect. I was not getting any better. What my
father hated most was superstitions but when I was about to die, he even went
to the spirit medium to ask about my disease. So I realized that no matter how
strict parents may be, they still love their children. Even if I ate white rice
porridge, it just went out. I couldn’t digest at all. So everybody in my family
thought that I was going to die soon. One of my relatives who went to America later,
suggested me to go to church. But in my family nobody could dare say about
Jesus. One of my relatives was an elder in Adventist church but even though he
came into my house, he never mentioned the name of Jesus even once because my
parents were so strict. My father never liked those religious things. However,
knowing that I was on the verge of death, and about to die soon my father just
told me to go to church. As I went to church, there was nothing. I was not
interested in anything. As I kept going to church for a while, somebody taught
me the word of God and he gave me the word of God in Isaiah something. “Lift up
your eyes on high and see who created all these things. It is God who made all
these things.” I was completely moved by that word and became one with Jesus.
So as I found Jesus and became one with him, I was so happy. All of a sudden
all of my diseases went away. As I got well, my parents told me not to go to
church anymore. So, I said, my Jesus, my God completely healed me, how could I
betray him after healing me? As I went to church just for a short time, I
learned that I must serve my parents in the Lord. So I said to my parents, “My
God, my Jesus healed all my diseases and he saved me from death and how can I
betray him?” My father became so mad because it was the first time I disobeyed
him. From childhood everybody obeyed him, everybody obeyed our parents so
completely. It was the first time that I started disobeying him. Even up to now
my mother used to say, “Even from your childhood I didn’t have to tell you to
do this or that because you always folded your clothes. Even when you were a
little boy, you always took off your clothes when you sleep and folded them in
order and in the morning you could wear them. So, I did not have to take care
of you for those kinds of things and you always obeyed me.” Because I always
gently obeyed them, my parents and I also thought that if I only go out of the
house I would starve to death. Because of my belief in Jesus, I was cast out
from the house even four times. I was totally inexperienced. I had no idea what
to do outside. By believing in Jesus, just trusting him completely, I was just
cast out. It was no wonder that my father cast out me like that because I had
always obeyed his word completely. Since I began to believe God and Jesus, I
started to disobey him. So my father became so mad and became stricter to me.
While I was sleeping in my room, when my father came back from
somewhere, all of a sudden he came into my room and he got rid of the blanket
and yelled at me, “You go away from this house! How come you are sleeping here?
You are not my son.” Sometimes I was cast out with my blanket. My church
members even saw me being cast out by my father. So all the family members even
prayed for me. I was even cast out four times even after my military service.
As I was cast out the fourth time, my Daddy gave me my wife. It was late spring
when I was cast out fourth time. Because of my shy character, I cannot ask
anybody to help me. I could not eat at anybody’s house. Since my childhood, I
was taught never to be helped by others. Because I was so shy, how could I
attempt to live with somebody in anybody’s house? Although I went to my church
members houses it was so uncomfortable with me to stay with them.
Then, somebody suggested me to sell iced tea at the beach saying, “If
you sell iced tea during the summer then you can make money enough for the
whole year.” So I borrowed money from my second brother and I bought a big cart
for selling the iced tea. But, Oh, I was so shy to do it because everybody in
the village, in the town knew my face. So I could not keep standing by the cart
and hid myself somewhere. Then if someone wanted to buy iced tea, my brethren
pushed me away so I barely went there and sold it. Anyhow God helped me to do
it. There were so many funny stories when I was doing that. So, as I made much
money, but I donated it all to church and I decided to leave my place. I wanted
to leave my hometown. I wanted only to live with Jesus. There was nowhere to go
but anyhow I wanted to go and leave my hometown to only live with Jesus. So I
thought to myself, “Should I go to Seoul ?
No, there are many people who know me there. Then where shall I go?” Then I
chose a place called Iri. I just wanted to leave my hometown first. So I went
down to Iri. I sold everything, all the cart and all the money I earned, I just
donated to church. With just a little amount of money I went to Iri. As I went
there, the church pastor was so kind to me. Later, a new pastor came and he was
so unkind. He never asked me about my life and he was so cold. But I just said
to myself, “I am just following Jesus not because of the pastor.” So I rented a
small room to stay there by myself. I wanted it to do so.
As I first went there, the first pastor I met was so cold, but a short
time later a new pastor came who was so kind. So I started peanut selling in
the city. In summer, because I did not want to give trouble to the pastor and
his wife, I didn’t sleep in their house although he eagerly wanted me to stay.
So I slept inside the church, but if I sleep in the church, countless number of
mosquitoes would come in and kept biting me all through the night. If I wake up
in the morning my whole face was swollen. So, staying there I had to do peanut
selling and clothes selling.
Yet I never hated my parents, my father. I always wanted my father to
come back to God. So although I was always going to so much trouble and
hardship, I always sent money to my parents. Everytime his birthday came I
always sent money and letter to them. If I sent money to them, later I found
out my father throwing the money saying, “Who told him to send money to me?” I
knew my father’s heart towards me, although he threw the money, I knew his
heart to me.
I have never seen my father shedding tears. When one of my eldest
brothers died, my father did not even shed tears. Even after burying him, when
he came back home, he even ate lots of foods by himself. But when I went to my
father once, for the first time in his whole life, he began shedding tears
saying, “How come I have greatest expectation from you? How come you disobeyed
me? How come you keep going to church?” He was pouring tears in front of me.
Oh, that test was almost unbearable to me. I felt an urge to apologize to him
saying, “Oh, father please don’t cry. I won’t believe in Jesus.” It was so hard
for me to overcome the test but I just continued to believe in Jesus although
he cried to me. Everytime holidays, or his birthdays came, I sent money to him.
Although he threw the money away, I knew he still loved me. His love for me did
not change at all because he is my father. As I went to him once, he said,
“Until when you are going to wander around like that?” I couldn’t say, “Because
you cast me out,” I just kept quite. It was when I was about 26 years old.
Probably 25 or 26. Then he said,
“Now that you are mature enough, don’t you have any plan to get
married?”
I said, “No, I don’t want to get married.”
He used to say to me, “Because you do not know what is money you must
have a wife and many children. Then you will now what is money. So you must go
through all kinds of hardship with your wife and many children.” I thought that
he was trying to make me marry, to make me not believe in Jesus and make money.
So I said, “If I have much money to make a person happy, then I will get
married but right now I have nothing. I don’t want to make somebody unhappy so
I am not going to marry.”
Later my father knew my heart. He realized that the reason why I still
disobey Him was not because I hated him nor because I wanted to disobey him but
because I love Jesus. And he knew that my heart to him had never changed. Later
he said, “Even if you bring a woman who believe in Jesus just like you, I will
just accept her. If you want, you can just get married.” So as I always loved
him with the same love, steadfast love, he understood my heart and his heart
had been melted like that.
When I was about to get married, my wedding was in the church, and from
his hometown, he even came to the church where I was staying. It was a miracle
that my father came to my wedding, which was held inside the church. Although
my father hated the church or anything like that, he came to church to attend
my wedding. Before my wedding I told him,
“Father, please make a promise with me.”
“What’s that?”
“OK, I am the third son. If you promise me that you will live with me
after my marriage then I am going to marry, but if you are not going to live
with me, then I am not going to get married. Because I have given you so much
trouble so far, so I want to live with you and serve you to make you happy
living together with me. So let us live together after my wedding.”
He said, “Ah, let’s not think about that now. Let’s make a decision
after your marriage.” After my wedding, we lived together for a few months.
Then he told us to go out and live separately. When my father’s sixty-eighth
birthday came, I decided to give him a birthday gift. I bought him gold rings,
two gold rings, one for my father and one for my mother and a Bible.
I already told you that we don’t need rings because only those carnal
people wear those kinds of things to display themselves. Even though I knew
that it is not good for Christians, for us, I still bought rings for them
because my parents are completely atheists. They did not know whether it is bad
or good. Of course buying parents alcohol or pork things like that is bad. Ring
is not bad to them. And they don’t use them for luxury or for display because
they were already old. It was just nothing to them. I was just making them
happy. So in order to make them happy, I bought gold rings for them.
Once there was a girl who married a person and her father-in-law was a
heavy smoker. He always smoked but she was a good Christian. She never told her
father-in-law to stop smoking, but even after their marriage she always bowed
down to him every morning. Every morning, when she woke up, she always bowed
down to her father-in-law. Without missing even a single day, she always bowed
down to him for 365 days. One year later, her father-in-law said,
“Hey, my daughter-in-law, what is your desire? What is your wish?
Please tell me, I am going to do whatever you want.”
And she said, “My father I do not want anything, I just want you to
stop smoking and go to church and be a happy Christian like me.”
Then he said, “Alright, I’ll do that. I am going to do that.”
He broke his pipe right away and started going to church. Later he
became a better Christian than her. So we should not become so foolish. We
should not say to that kind of people, “Please stop smoking. Don’t do that.
It’s bad.” Everybody must lead these people through love, like this woman.
So on my father’s 68th birthday, all my brothers and sister brought
their gifts for our parents. Then our parents began to open the gifts, starting
from the eldest one and then it was my turn. As he opened the gift, there came
out two gold rings and a Bible. If he had been like in the past, He might have
thrown the Bible away, but he only said, “Ah, this is a Bible,” and put it
aside. As I looked at him, he was so happy. After seeing the gold rings and the
Bible he looked so happy and satisfied. Living together with us just a few
months, he found out that Christian son and Christian daughter-in-law are much
better than the other daughter-in-laws, daughters and sons. He loved me and my
wife most than other children. So I even prayed for him in front of everybody
else. It was a miracle that I was able to pray for him in front of everybody.
Then as he was sitting in his room, I entered his room and talked to him,
“Father, I have only one wish.”
“What is that?”
“Ah, in my church, there was a famous pastor that will hold
evangelistic meeting. Please attend that meeting just once. It is just a 7-day
meting.”
And he said, “Alright.”
It was really a miracle that he said alright. Unfortunately as he came
to the meeting, when everybody else was moved by the sermons, he was not moved
even a bit at all. Because he was full of Confucius knowledge, he was not even
moved by those basical teachings. If such a great message as this had been
given him, he might have accepted our Father. But his heart was not stricken at
all.
Before his death he said to me, “Hey, my son. All the religions,
Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, all these religions became corrupt. Don’t
be too peculiar, just like be everybody else. How come you are so peculiar?
Just be like everybody else. Since you have also wife and children, don’t you
think you have to take care of them? Don’t you have to think about their future
also? Look at these.” He showed me newspapers showing all the abomination and
corruption of Christians. So I have no words to say to him. Because of
abominable Christians, so many people are destroyed.
And my father was very sick. As I got the telegram I quickly went to my
father. It was already after he died. As he died, people could not put him to
the coffin because I have not yet arrived. I also went to the meeting that’s
why I was a little bit late. But as I went there, he already died. I could not
even shed tears because it was truly an undreamed of fact. I could not even
imagine that. And I cried, I cried holding his hands, because his hands had
worked so hard all his lifetime for his children. If his hands had opened the
Bible and received eternal life from the Bible, how great blessing he might
have received. But his hand only worked hard only for his children and died. He
died forever. I was so distressed. I was so sad. So I slept one night with him,
with his dead body. People in the world are so scared to stay together with the
dead body but I stayed with him all through the night. Pouring tears all
through the night because I have now lost my father forever.
We must serve our parents when they are alive. When time passes by,
it’s of no use to regret. When our parents are alive, we must serve them with
all our heart. Once they pass away, there is no use to regret. So, I hope you
save your parents when they are still alive. I hope you will not be a
disobedient child like me. So when your parents are still alive, I hope you do
your best to honor them and serve them. I am the most dishonorable son who lost
my father forever. Because I am the most dishonorable son who lost my father
forever, I still do not understand why my Father is using me. So there is a
poem like this:
Although trees want to be quiet,
want to stay calm,
The wind do not leave them alone.
Although children want to serve their parents
with all their hearts,
The parents do not stay with them forever.
When children want to serve and honor
their parents, their parents already passed away.
Nowadays, I only have a mother. I lost my father forever. Having my
mother I am so happy also. But when she was living with my brother, I could not
even come to her. But these days, I am so happy because she is living with me
in my house. I’m so thankful to my Daddy for being able to serve her before her
death.
What is more? My mother-in-law also is living with us. So my two
mothers love each other so strongly. If they have any good things, they do not
give it to their children. They give it to one another. Since I live with my two mothers, I even
became more happy. Because I lost my father forever, my Daddy gave me another
mother also so that I may serve her with all my heart.
Okay let me tell you one more story. There was a very dishonorable son.
In old times, there was a custom to throw away their old mother in the
mountain. This son also had a good mother. He was carrying his mother to throw
away. In that time, there were lots of wild animals in the mountain. Sometimes
tigers come down and sprinkle sand to the houses. So this son, just because his
mother was so old, he was carrying his mother deep into the mountain to throw
her away. But on the back of his son, the mother continued breaking dried pine
tree needles on their way to the mountain. Being carried on the back of her
son, she was always breaking pine branches without saying anything as she was
just carried up to the mountain. And deep in the mountain, he just laid her down.
He just threw her on the ground. And she who had been so quiet, who had not
said any word, now spoke,
“My son,”
And the son said, “Why?”
“This is a very deep mountain. What if you lose your way back home? So
I broke pine tree branches all the way here. You can just follow the broken
pine tree branches to find your way home. So you can go safely and live
happily.”
This was the mother’s love. This love is also our Father’s love for us.
So, not only that mother but our parents also have such a great love for us.
She raised us with such a love. If you reject and dishonor your parents who
have such a great love for us, if you dishonor then, how can you receive
blessing forever from God? I hope you honor your visible gods first before
trying to become God’s servants. I hope you honor your visible gods first at
home. Then, our Father who called Daniel, Joseph and made them great in the
world to save the world, He will also call you and use you as great workers to
save this world.
So I hope you honor and serve your parents when they are alive, when
they are living with you. So in old times, people who did not even know Jesus,
but honor their parents our Father sent them and protected them. So I hope you
all be taken to heaven like these people.
Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment