1 Peter 3:18-20
Huisun Rev. Abraham Park’s sermon from the Special Dawn Service on September 2, 2019 (Originally proclaimed July 28, 1998)
The Life of Waiting
As we live our lives, it is a life of continuous waiting. Wives wait for their husbands to return, students wait to see the results of their test at school. This is the life of waiting, for it is every day, we wait for something in our lives. We wait up until it’s time to eat, we wait for certain events to finish; we pray and wait to receive blessings. The person who does not wait has no hope. God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the Ark was being built (1 Pet 3:20). God was waiting for repentance and for people to believe. But outside of Noah, everybody died. Jesus knew how sad God was, and for three days, Jesus went to those souls who died. Therefore we should not be disappointed when we wait for something.
The father who waited and yearned for the return of his son
There was a younger son who took all of the wealth and spent all of his money on prostitutes and ate food set before pigs. This younger son was ashamed and was embarrassed. However, he went back to his father’s house and confessed that he had sinned against God and his earthly father. When the son was still a long way off, his father waited for him and ran to embrace him and kissed him, and gave him a ring and new clothes and celebrated (Luke 15:11-24). The father said, “This is my son who was lost and now found, he was dead and now he’s come back to life.” The eldest son, however, was waiting for his brother not to come back for he wanted all the wealth for himself and did not want to split it with his younger brother. The older son bragged that he was faithful in service in his father’s house, and yet, his father did not kill a young goat for him (Luke 15:29-30). But the father replied and said; “All that is mine is yours” (Luke 15:31). The father replied this way, seeing the heart and thoughts of his eldest son, knowing that he did not yearn for his brother to return. Children and parents must have a yearning heart and wait while looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:12-13). We must wait and pray according to God’s will (Jude 1:21).
We must spread the Word and wait
The farmer spread his seed in the spring, and he waits until the fall. He waits with patience for the precious produce of the soil whether or not he receives little rain or too much rain. Likewise, we must be patient and wait (James 5:7). Waiting can have tribulations for God warned Apostle Paul not to go to Jerusalem because he would receive great affliction. Thus, tribulations wait for us. Even though Paul had received this warning and knowledge from God, Paul said, “What is my life?” So Paul said, “Even if persecutions or afflictions are waiting for me, I will go to Jerusalem to proclaim the Word, even to die for Jesus” (Acts 4:11-13). The Apostle Paul had a clear purpose. This is the blessing of waiting.
The grace to wait for the Groom
We have to be ready and yearn for the coming of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we have to remain alert and keep watch for God says, “Blessed are those who wait and are alert when He comes (Luke 12:35-40). We have to have the grace to wait for God’s promise (Acts 1:4-5). The promise of the Father was the Spirit, for if they do not receive the Spirit then they would all fall away and not believe. They needed to receive the power of the Spirit and authority to proclaim the gospel of the Lord. So they gathered and they were waiting for the promise of the Father. Likewise, we must endure and have patience and wait a little longer. We must keep looking forward even if the time has passed of the appointed time, we must continue waiting on behalf of receiving God’s promise. Jesus, even until He died upon the cross, waited for God’s command. The cup was the cup of the cross and Jesus prayed and said, “Must I bear this cup?” There was no answer, but Jesus replied and said, “Not my will Father, but as You will” (Luke 22:42). This is the blessing of waiting. Therefore, we must wait and wait for the redemption of our bodies and our spirits (Rom 8:23-25). Even if we receive grace, we are still sinners, so we must continuously wait for grace and not be shaken and become angry and we lose God’s grace (James 1:20). God is the God of all things and the God who comforts us; therefore, we must receive this comfort (2 Cor 1:3). We must not depart from the church but pray; for Jesus Christ is our true comforter for there is no change in Him. God said to Anna, “Do not depart from the temple, but pray for you will meet the comforter of Israel, Jesus,” and she met Him while still alive (Luke 2:25-38). May we have this blessing of seeing and meeting the comforter. I bless you that you will have the blessing of waiting in all of your families and wait on the kingdom of God (Luke 23:50-51; Mark 15:43).
Conclusion: We must wait for the second coming of the Lord and trust in God and receive the blessings of His grace. Cornelius gathered all of his family members and close friends and waited for Peter and they worshiped and received the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44). So let us have the blessing of waiting and live and receive the blessing of waiting for the return of Christ (Psa 40:1). I bless you in the name of the Lord.
