아래설교문은ReubenArcherToney(AD1856-1928)목사님의설교로서그는무디부흥사와함께일하다가무디성서신학교교장으로재직하였으며그의아들은중국에서선교사로지냈으며한국삼척에있는예수원을설립한대천덕신부는그의손자이다.

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TheMostwonderfulSentenceEverWritten(John3:16)

Mytextisthe"TheMostwonderfulSentenceThatWasEverWritten".

Ofcoursethatsentenceutteranceswithwhichthereisabsolutelynothingtocompareinalltheotherliteratureoftheworld.ButIaminclinedtothinktheonewearetoconsidertonightisthemostremarkableofthemall.

ThesentenceisfoundinJohn3:16,"ForGodsolovedtheworld,thathegavehisonlybegottenSon,thatwhoseverbelievethinhimshouldnotperish,buthaveeverlastinglife."Therearewholevolumesofincomparablyprecioustruthpackedintothatonesentence.Indeedmanyvolumeshavebeendevotedtotheexpositionofthatverse,butitisnotexhaustedyetandneverwillbe.

ThesemarvelouswordsofGodneverbecomehackneyedorwornoutorwearisome.Wearealwaysbeholdingnewbeautyandnewgloryinthem.Whenallthemillionsofvolumesthatmanhavewritteninmanylanguagesthroughoutthemanycountriesofliteraryhistoryhavebecomeobsoleteandareforgotten,thatimperishablesentenceshallshineoutinitsmatchlessbeautyandpeerlessglorythroughouttheendlessagesofeternity.

Firstofall,thisversefromGod’swordtelluswhatGod’sattitudetheworld.WhatisGod’sattitudetowardtheworld?Love.Thesentencereads,"Godsolovedtheworld."Loveisthemostwonderfulthingintheworld,andloveisoneofthemostuncommonthingsintheworld.

Thereisintheworldtodaymuchthatiscalled"love,"butmostofthatwhichiscalledloveisnotloveatall.Wespeakoftentimesofayoungman’s"love"forayoungwoman,andallwemeanbyitisthatthisyoungmanwishestogetyoungwomanforhisownpleasureandgratification.Thatisnotlovealtall;itoftentimeshasnottheslightestsemblanceoflove.Itisoftentimesutterselfishnessandnotinfrequentlythevilestandmostunbridledlust.

Helookeddownuponthisword,thewholemassofmenlivingatanytimeuponitandthatshouldliveuponitinalltinestocome,andHelovedthemall.Hiswholebeingwentoutininfiniteyearningtobenefitandblesstheworld.AnycosttoHimselfwouldbedisregardedifitwouldblesstheworldtopaythecost."GodsolovetheworldthatHegaveHisonlybegottenSon."Oh,menandwomen,standandwonder!Oh,anglesandarchangel,cherubimandseraphim,standandwonder!"godsolovedtheworldthatHegaveHisonlybegottenSon."

Godlovestheworld.TherearemenandwomenandchildreninthisworldwhomyouandIlove,butGodlovesthewholeworld.Thereisnotamaninit,notawomandowntothemostapelikeandignorantandmorallymostdegradedandbrutelikemanorwoman,Godloveseachandeveryone.

Therearehundredsandhundredsofpeoplewhogatherinthischurchaboutwhomyoucareabsolutelynothing.Youneversawthembefore;youwillneverseehimagain.Ifyoushouldreadinyourpapertomorrowmorning,"John,Jones,whowasatthechurchoftheOpenDoor,ashewasgoinghomefromthemeeting,gotinfrontofaSixthStreetcarandwasinstantlykilled,"youwouldhardlygiveitsecondthought.JohnJonesisnothingtoyou.ButJohnJonesissomethingtoGod.GodlovesJohnJones.

ThereisnotamanwhomGoddoesnotlove.ThereisnotawomanwhomGoddoesnotlove.ThereisnotthiefwhomGoddoesnotlove.thereisnotandadultererwhomGoddoesnotlove,notasinner,notanoutcast,notacriminalofanykindwhomGoddoesnotlove."Godsolovedtheworld."

ButwhatisGod’sattitudetowardsinishate.Godlovestheworldwithinfinitelove.Godhatessinwithinfinitehate.Howdoesourtestshowthat?Listen.’Godsolovedtheworld,thathegavehisonlybegottenSon,thatwhoseverbelievedinhimshouldnotperish,buthaveeverlastinglife."HowdoesthatshowthatGodhatessin?IfGodhasnothatedsinHecouldhavesavedtheworldhelovedwithoutthedeathandagonyofHisonlybegottenSon.

BecauseGodwasholyandthereforehatedsin,hateditwithinfinitehatred,Hishatredofsinmustmanifestitselfsomehow,eitherinthepunishmentofthesinner-andthebanishmentofthesinnerforeverfromHimselffromlife,andfromhope-orinsomeotherway.ButGod’slovewouldnotpermitthejustpunishmentofthesinner.

SoGodinthepersonofHissontookthepenaltyofsinuponHimselfandthussavedtheworldHeloved."Allwelikesheephavegoneastray;wehaveturnedeveryonetohisownway;andJehovahhathmadetostrikeonhimtheinquityofusall"(Isa.53:6).InthiswayGodmadepossiblethesalvationthatHeHimselfpurchasedformenbytheatoningdeathofHisonlybegottenSon.

ThecrossofChristdeclarestwothings:first,God’sinfiniteloveoftheworld;second,God’sinfinitehatredofsin.Oh,wickedman,donotfancythatbecauseGodlovesyouHewillwinkatyoursin.Notforonemoment.

Hehatesyoursin,hehatesyourgreed,hehatesyourselfishness,Hehatesyourlying,hehatesyourdrunkeness,hehatesyourimpureimagination,Hehatesyourmoraluncleanness,Hehatesyourbeastliness,Hehateseverysin,greatandsmall,ofyouareguilty.

TheHatredofatruemanforallfalsehood,thehatredofhonestmenforalldishonesty,thehatredofatrue,purewomanforunspeakablevilenessofwomanofthestreetandgutterisnothingtotheblazingwrathofGodatyoursmallestsin.Nevertheless,Godlovesyou.

Nowletuslookatanotherthing:whatthesentenceteachesaboutGod’sattitudeallwhobelieveinJesusChrist?Itcanbeputinafewwords.God’sattitudetowardallbelieversinJesusChrististogivethemeternallife."godsolovedtheworld,thathegavehisonlybegottenSon,thatwhoseverbelievethinhimshouldnotperish,buthaveeverlastinglife."

ThedeathofJesusChristhasopenedforallwhobelieveinHimawayofpardonandmadeitpossibleforaholytoforgivesinandtogiveeternallifetothevilestsinnerifonlyhewillbelieveinJesusChrist.

"Thewageofsinisdeath"(Rom.6:23),andthesewagesmustbepaid;butJesusChristpaidtheprice,solifeandnotdeathispossibleforyouandme-"thegiftofGodiseternallifethroughJesusChristourLord"(Rom.6:23).WhoseverbelievesonJesusChrist,canhaveeternallife,yes,doeshaveeternallife.Anyonevanhaveeternallife.Thereisbutonecondition-justbelieveonJesusChrist.

ButthereissomethingtobegainedbybelievingonHim,somethingofinfiniteworth-eternallife.Doyouwisheternallife?Youcanhaveit.Anyonecanhaveit,nomatterhispastmayhavebeen.

Oh,ifIofferedyougreathonoritwouldbenothingcomparedwiththis.IfIofferedyouenormouswealthitwouldbenothingcomparedwiththis.IfIofferedyouexemptionfromallsicknessandpainitwouldbenothingcomparedwiththis.Eternallife!ThatiswhatGodoffers.AndGodoffersittoeachoneofyou.

Thereisjustonethinglefttomention,andthatisGod’sattitudetowardallthosewhowillnotbelieveonJesusChrist.Whatisit?Listen."forGodsolovedtheworld,thathegavehisonlybegottenSon,thatwhoseverbelievethinhimshouldnotperish,buthaveeverlastinglife."

God’attitudetowardthosewhowillnotbelieveinJesusChrist,thosewhoprefersinandvanityandpridetothegloriousSonofGod,issimplythis:GodwithgreatandreluctancewithdrawsfromthemtheinfinitegiftHehaspurchasedatsogreatcostandwhichtheywillnotaccept.Godleavesthemtoperish.

ThereisnohopeforanymanwhorejectsGod’sgiftofeternallife,obtainedbysimplybelievinginHisonlybegottenSon.GodhasexhaustedallthepossibilitiesofasavingloveandpowerinJesusChrist’satonementonthecrossCalvary.RejectHim,neglecttoaccepthim,andyoumusteternallyperish.

(copiedbyMr.YangonJune8th2006)

저의설교제목은“지금까지쓰여진가장아름다운말씀”입니다.물론이말씀은성경에있습니다.지금까지쓰여진가장아름다은말씀들은책한권즉하나님의말씀인성경안에서발견됩니다.성경은우리를조명하고자극하고놀라게하고,놀랍고,당황하게하고놀랄만하고인생을변화시기는말씀-세상의모든문학도도저히비교할수없는말씀-으로가득찬책입니다.그러나오늘저녁우리가생각할말씀은말씀중에가장놀라운말씀이라합니다.

그말씀은요한복음3장16절입니다.“하나님이세상을이러처럼사라하사독생자를주셨으니이는저를믿는자마다멸망치않고영생을얻게하려합이니라”이한구절말씀안에는비교할수없이귀한수많은진리가담겨있습니다.참으로많은책들이이한절을설명하기위해쓰여졌지만아직다쓴것이아니며결코다쓸수없을것입니다.

이놀라운하나님의말씀은결코진부하지않으며낡지않으며지루하지않습니다.우리는항상말씀안에서새로운아름다움과새로은영광을바라봅니다.사람들이수세기의문학역사를통하여많은언어로쓴수백만권의책들이역사의뒤로사라지고기억에서잊혀질때이영구불멸의말씀은영원토록비길수없는아름다움과도비할수없는영광으로빛날것입니다.우선이구절은세상을향한하나님의태도가무엇인지를말해줍니다.

세상을향한하나님의태도가무엇입이니까?사랑입니다.본문은“하나님이세상을이처럼사랑하사”라고말합니다.사랑은이세상에서가장위대한것이며가장특별한것중의하나입니다.오늘날세상에서사랑이라고불리는것이많지만사랑이라불리는것의대부분은전혀사랑이아님니다.우리는종종젊은여자를위한젊은남자의사랑이라말합니다.우리가말하는뜻은젊은남자는자기의쾌락과희열을위해젊은여자를원한다는것입니다.이것은전혀사랑이아님니다.그것은종종사랑이라는말에근처도가지못합니다.그것은종종철저한이기주의이며빈번하게다가오는가장악의적이고가장고삐풀리정욕입니다.

하나님은이세상을내려다보셨으며어떤시대에살았던모든인간들을내려다보셨습니다.그리고앞으로이세상살아갈인간들을내려다보셨습니다.하나님은그들모두를

사랑했읍니다.

세사에유익을주고세상을축복하기위해그의존재를무한한열명으로나타내셨읍니다.

그대가가세상에복이된다면어떤대가도개의치않으셨습니다.“하나님이세상을이처럼사랑하사독생자를주셨으니”오!남녀여러분일어서서경외하십시오!오,천사들과천사장들,체류빔과세라빔,일어서서경외하십시요!“하나님이세상을이처럼사랑하사독생자를주셨으니.”

하나님은세상을사랑하십니다.이세상에여러분과내가사랑하는남자와여자와아이들이있지만하나님은세상전체를사랑하십니다.세상에는하나님이사랑하지않는남자가없으며,여자도없으며,아이도없습니다.지적으로가장드물게재능있는사람으로부터도덕적으로가장거륭한남자와여자로부터가장짐승같이무식한남자와여자그리고도덕적으로가장타락하고잔인한남자와여자에게까지도,하나님은각자그리고모두를사랑하십니다.이교회에수백명의사람들이모여있지만여러분은그들을전혀사랑하지않습니다.여러분은그들을전혀본적이없읍니다.여러분은그들을다시보지않을수도있을것입니다.만일여러분이내일아침신문에서“존존스는오픈도어교회에참석하였다가여배후귀가중6번가전차에치여즉사했음“이란기사를읽는다면여러분은그기사를두번생각하지않을것입니다.존존스는여러분에게아무존재도아니기때문입니다.그러나존존스는하나님에게는특별한사람입니다.하나님은존존스를사랑하십니다.

하나님이사랑하지않는남자는없습니다.하나님이사랑하지않는여자는없습니다.하나님이사랑하지않는도둑은없습니다.하나님이사랑하지않는간음자는없습니다.하니님이사랑하지않는죄인,쫏겨난자.범죄자는없습니다.“하나님이이세상을너무사랑하십니다.

그러나죄에대한하나님의태도는무엇입니까?본문은우리에게죄에대한하나님의태도는증오라고말씀하십니다.하나님은무한한사랑으로세상을사랑하십니다.하나님은무한한증오로죄를증오하십니다.본문은그것을어떻게보여주고있습니까?

“하나님이세상을이처럼사랑하사독생자를주셨으니이를믿는자마다멸망치않고영생을얻게하려함이니라:하나님이죄를증오하는것을본문은어떻게보여주고있읍니가?만일하나님이죄를증오하지않았다면그가사랑하는세상을독생자의죽음과고뇌없이세상을구원하였을것입니다.

하나님은거룩하시기때문에죄를증오하셨고무한한증오로죄를미워하셨습니다.죄에대한하나님의증오는죄인을형벌하시든지죄인을하나님과생명과소망으로부터영원히추방하시든지혹은다른방법으로나타내셔야했습니다.그러나하나님의사랑은죄인에게형벌ㄹ을내리는것을허락하지않으셨읍니다.

그래서하나님은그의아들가운데죄의형벌을그위에놓으시고그가사랑하신세상을구원하셨습니다.“우리는다양같아서그릇행하여각기제길로갔거늘여호와께서는우리의무리의죄악을그에게담당시키셨도다(사53:6)이와같은방법으로하나님은그의독생자의구속적인죽음으로인해인간을값주고사셨으므로구원을가능케하셨읍니다.

그리스도는의십자가는두가지선언을하고잇습니다.첫째로하나님이이세상을무한이사랑하신다는사실과둘째로하나님은죄를무한히증오하신다는사실입니다.오악한사람이여하니님이당신을사랑하기때문에당신의죄를모른척하신다고생각하지마십시오.한순간에도그렇게생각하지마십시오

그는당신의죄를증오하십니다.그는당신의탐욕을증오하십니다.그는당신의이기주의를증오하십니다.그는당신의거짓을증오하십니다.그는당신의술취함을증오하십니다.그는당신의더러운상상을증오하십니다.그는당신의도덕적불결을증오하심니다.그는당신의추악함을증오하십니다.그는크든지작든지당신이가책을느끼는모든죄에대해증오를하십니다.진실한사람을거짓되다고증오하는것,정직한사람을부정직하다고증오하는것,진실되고정숙한여인을입에담지못할악의로가득찬거리의여자나하류계의여자로증오하는것은조그만죄에도불타오르는하나님의진로앞에서살라져없어질것입니다,그럼에도불구하고하나님은당신을사랑하십니다.

또다른주제를봅시다.주예수그리스도를믿는자들을향한하나님의태도에대해본문은무엇을가르치는지알아봅시다.예수그리스도를믿는자들에게행한하나님의태도는무엇입니까?몇마디로말할수있습니다.예수스리스도를믿는모든자들에게행한하나님의태도는그들게영생을주신다는것입니다:하나님이세상을이처럼사랑하사독생자를주셨으니이는저를믿는자마다멸망치않고영생함을얻게하려함이니라“예수그리스도의죽음은그를믿는모든사람들을위해사죄의길을열었으며거룩하신하나님께서는가장악한자라도예수그리스도를믿기만하면죄를용서할수있으며영생을주실수있습니다.

“죄삯은사망이요(롬6:23)”이삯이지불되어야합니다.그러나예수그리스도께서그대가를지불하셔서죽음이아닌생명이여러분과나에게가능하게되었습니다.“하나님의은하는그리스도예수우리주를통한영생이나라”(롬6:23)예수그리스도를믿는자마다영생을얻을수있습니다.예,영생을얻습니다.어떤누구라도영생을얻을수있습니다.그러나한가지조건이있습니다예수그리스도를믿어야합니다.

그러나그를믿음으로얻는어떤것,즉무한히가치있는어떤것이있습니다.그것은영생입니다.여러분은영생을원합니까?영생을얻을수있습니다.과거에는어떻했던지간에어떤이도구원을얻을수있읍니다.

오,내가여러분에게큰명예를드릴지라도영생과비교할수는없을것입니다내가여러분에게엄청난재무릉ㄹ드릴지라도영생과비교할수는없을것입니다.내가여러분에게모든질병과고통을면죄해줄지라도영생과비교할수는없을것입니다.영생!그것은하나님이주시는것입니다.하나님은여러분각자에게영생을주십니다.

한가지언급할것이남아있습니다.그것은예수그리스도를믿지않는사람을향한하나님의태도입니다.그것이무엇일까요?들어보십시오,“하나님이세상을이처럼사랑하사독생자를주셨으니이는저룰믿는자마다멸망치않고영생을얻게하려함이니라”

예수그리스도를믿지않을사람들,영광스러운하나님의아들보다죄와.허무함과,교만을더좋아하는사람들에대한하나님의태도는단지이렇습니다.하나님은커다란슬픔으로본의아니게그가매우큰대가사신무한한선물을그들로부터거두어가십니다,그래서그들을받을수없게됩니다하나님은그들이망하도록내버려두십니다.

그의독생자를믿음으로얻게된하나님의영생선물을거절한사람에게는소망이없습니다.하나님은갈보리십자가에서일우신예수그리스도의속죄가운데구원의사랑과능력의

모든가능성을다쏟아부으셨습니다.그를거절한다면그를영접하기를무시한다면당신은영원히망할것임에틀림없읍니다.