Sermons from Miracleland: Recent Episodes
Charlie Koo
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried,and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[c]
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him:
“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because He is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’[e] (Psalm 16)
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontu sand Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[c] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were 1Peter, 2John, 3James and 4Andrew; 5Philip and 6Thomas, 7Bartholomew and 8Matthew; 9James son of Alphaeus and 10Simon the Zealot, and 11Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters,[d] the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”
18 (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:
“‘May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,’[e]
and,
“‘May another take his place of leadership.’[f]
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[c] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were 1Peter, 2John, 3James and 4Andrew; 5Philip and 6Thomas, 7Bartholomew and 8Matthew; 9James son of Alphaeus and 10Simon the Zealot, and 11Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters,[d] the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”
18 (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:
“‘May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,’[e]
and,
“‘May another take his place of leadership.’[f]
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
1 In my former book,A)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26925A" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teachB)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26925B" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven,C)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26926C" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> after giving instructionsD)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26926D" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> through the Holy Spirit to the apostlesE)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26926E" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> he had chosen.F)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26926F" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to themG)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26927G" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.H)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26927H" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but waitI)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26928I" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.J)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26928J" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 5 For John baptized witha]" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;">[a] water,K)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26929K" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> but in a few days you will be baptized withb]" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;">[b] the Holy Spirit.”L)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26929L" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;">
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restoreM)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26930M" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.N)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26931N" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;O)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26932O" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> and you will be my witnessesP)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26932P" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,Q)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26932Q" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> and to the ends of the earth.”R)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26932R" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;">
9 After he said this, he was taken upS)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26933S" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in whiteT)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26934T" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,”U)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26935U" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come backV)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26935V" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had preparedB)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-25993B" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-size: 0.625em;"> and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.C)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-25995C" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightningD)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-25996D" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:E)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-25998E" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 7 ‘The Son of ManF)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-25999F" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”G)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-25999G" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 8 Then they remembered his words.H)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26000H" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;">
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with themI)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26002I" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> who told this to the apostles.J)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26002J" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 11 But they did not believeK)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26003K" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves,L)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26004L" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> and he went away,M)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26004M" style="font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> wondering to himself what had happened.
9He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
13“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’
14“But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”
17Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
“?‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’ a ?
18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
20Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24“Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
25He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
26They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
Luke 16:19-31, a parable that is more complex than meets the eye, Jesus speaks against the Pharisees, who loved money, and gives us an illustration of what can be conceived as the Heaven and Hell (Hades) dichotomy. Although we can draw from this parable just that, and mistakenly say that the rich go to hell and that the poor go to heaven, the emphasis is on the life we are given now, the opportunity to know Jesus, to know the Word (Moses and the Prophets) and understand that there are values that transcend selfish gain and monetary security.
In Luke 18:9-17 Jesus tells a parable of the self-righteous Pharisee and the mercy-seeking tax collector. These characters display a kind of polarity within the church, of those who feel that they are righteous enough to condemn those who are the lesser in their own eyes, vis-a-vis those who in fact feel unworthy to stand before God, but longs for His mercy. Conclusively, Jesus states that it is the self-loathing person who seeks the mercy of God who receives the justification. This poses important implications in salvation, for if people cannot seek mercy on account of their wretched states, the doctrinal "assurance" will only become a vehicle to err in the way of the self-righteous. Jesus imparts an principle to be kept for wisdom, "for she who exalts herself will be humbled, and she who humbles herself will be exalted." Jesus highlights the children as those who the Kingdom of Heaven is for. Humble, dependent, needy for God's mercy and not self-sufficient or autonomous.
In this episode we hear from Luke 19, where we see Zacchaeus the wealthy chief tax collector have a change of heart upon meeting Jesus face to face. Zacchaeus exclaims: "Look Lord, today I will give half of everything I own, and I will pay back four-fold, if I had defrauded anyone." And Jesus says, you too are a Son of Abraham, today, salvation has come to your house.
This week pastor Charlie takes us through the first two parables of the "Lost Series," with special attention on the second one, the woman who lost her coin. God made that illustration much more real to him, with two cases of misplaced keys and how the joy of recovering what was lost makes the anxious search worth it. The bottom line: Jesus came to seek the lost, and we do too!
Titus 3:1-11 "For good works of course!"
1) Do the will of God
2) Pray for one another
3) Share the gospel
20Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”29The crowd that was there and heard dsit said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up g from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
In this episode, pastor Charlie introduces the notion of "personalities" or individuals exalted as cultural icons or heroes, as being idols in especially hearts of young, impressionable hearts. Pastor Charlie used to idolize Bruce Lee, and reading through Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, sums up that Paul states that their (apostolic) duty was not to promote themselves, but to deny themselves, focusing on the eternal (Christ Jesus) and not the transient, temporary things.
In this episode, we take a look at personal individual liberty as a possible idol here in North America and the western world. And then we examine Paul's letter to Philemon, that challenges the freedom of our choices, the constraint that the Holy Spirit puts on us through the gospel, and the nature of true freedom that is found in choices where we deliberately lay down our own preferences.
Paul is not ashamed of the gospel in spite of the Roman milieu where such a story could be easily scorned. It is the power of salvation first to the Jews, and then the Gentiles. It is the Righteousness of God revealed.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.