Foundation of Substance
Hyo Jin Moon November 5, 1989 Belvedere Sunday Service
The whole restoration process relies on man manifesting the foundation of substance, which ultimately means we are to obey and emulate the Messiah. Let me read some verses that describe why such an absolute standard is necessary. Jesus says in Matthew 5:18: "For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished." Matthew 5:37: "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil." Matthew 6:24; "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Mammon is deified riches.
It is clear that it is our responsibility to obey the Messiah, to become an object who will embody the master, to become like Jesus Christ. You must first deny yourself: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself...." (Matthew 16:24) The Messiah is the manifestation of God, His living Word. Our ultimate goal is to emulate the Messiah, and thus become part of God's ideal creation.
To do this Jesus emphasizes that we have to choose to follow and obey the Messiah. "Whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25) Jesus is saying that if I am willing to sacrifice everything of myself in order to become one with God by becoming one with the Messiah, then I can ultimately find true life. We have to put ourselves in a position to be embraced and accepted by the Messiah, by True Parents. That is the way to find Heavenly Father.
Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus told this parable during one of his talks to the multitude: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, 'Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn'." (Matthew 13:24-30)
Jesus is saying that at the time of judgment those who are not worthy in the eyes of God and the Messiah will be put aside. Once again he stresses the importance of man's following the laws of Heavenly Father and the ways of the Messiah.
There is another parable in Matthew 22:2-14: 'The kingdom of heaven may be compared to be king who gave a marriage feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast; but they would not come." Again he sent other servants, and the people went so far as to kill them. As time passed the king became kind of desperate. He said to his servants, 'Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.' And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, 'friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."
Jesus said more than once, "For many are called but few are chosen." Jesus came to become the parent of mankind. There has to be order in the ways that mankind can become one centering on Jesus. Those who are chosen to be the elders of mankind, the subjects who ultimately will guide mankind to Jesus, are only the few. Not everyone can fulfill this divine position to help Christ restore man and establish the heavenly lineage of True Parentship.
Decide to Be Obedient
Maybe you don't really und