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A miracle of the steps of the gospel

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[Acts 1: 8]

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

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Today, in many countries around the world, many people live by believing in Jesus.

How then have these many people from different countries come to believe in Jesus?

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It was because there were apostles who preached the gospel that Jesus was the Savior.

Paul was one of the first apostles to begin to preach the gospel to other nations.

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Paul originally did not believe in Jesus. but Jesus appeared directly to Paul.

He went to Damascus to arrest those who believed in Jesus and met Jesus.

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Before meeting Jesus, Paul was a person who was greatly appreciated by the Jews.

He was a good family member in the Jewish community and had a lot of learning.

Paul said in his mouth: “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the

tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal,

persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.” (Philippians 3:5~6)

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But after meeting Jesus, Paul boldly discarded all that he had been proud of.

In Philippians, Paul continues to confess:

“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ”(Philippians 3:7~8)

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Knowing that Jesus is the Christ, Paul realized that communicating the gospel was the

most important thing in his life. So he quit everything and went to various parts

of the country and lived for the rest of his life as Jesus was the Messiah who saved us.

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Even though he was struggling to be imprisoned and jailed, he did not give up the gospel.

Paul went to Rome and preached the gospel and was martyred there.

Because of Paul, the gospel that started at Jerusalem spread to many countries.

Many people believed in Jesus and were saved.

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Later, many missionaries who did the same thing as Paul preached the gospel to the world.

There were missionaries who delivered the first Gospel in Korea.

Typical missionaries include Thomas Missionary, Allen Missionary, Hulbert Missionary,

and Underwood Missionary.

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Underwood is the first Western missionary sent to Korea.

Underwood, an American young man who wanted to be a missionary,

originally wanted to share the gospel in India and was preparing to go there.

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Then, by chance, he heard about the news that the Gospel did not enter a small country

called Korea. Finally, in April 1885, following the call and guidance of God, he stepped

on the Korea land as a missionary. At that time, Underwood was 25 years old.

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Underwood saw the darkness of Korea.

In his prayer: “Lord! I do not see anything now. Lord! The hungry and poor land of Korea

... I do not see anything now. It is only Korean people who are stubbornly stained darkness, tied to darkness, poverty and customs.”

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Korea in front of Underwood's eyes was such a land that there is no hope.

However, underwood missionary prayed for God in such despair.

“I can not see the heart of Korea. and we can not see what we have to do.

But Lord! I will obey. When we humbly obey Lord, He begins his work. And we believe

that the day will come when we can see with our spiritual eyes what has been done.”

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“Now there is no worship chapel, no school, and all the people here are full of doubt,

despair and disgrace. But I believe this place will soon be a land of grace.”

Missionary Underwood sought to preach the gospel to Korea even at the expense

of all his own sacrifices. God has listened to Underwood missionary prayer for this country.

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Over 130 years later, Korea has become a nation with many chapels.

Many people worship God there every Sunday.

In addition, it has become a nation sending many missionaries around the world.

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Through the apostle Paul, God made the gospel spread throughout the world.

And through Underwood, the Gospel came into Korea where we live,

and many people became God's servants.

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Even now, God is looking for people like Paul and Underwood. We, all who believe

in Jesus and become children of God, should live in obedience to God's call.

Whatever we do, we must give priority to preaching and building the kingdom of God.

Live a life of witnessing the gospel of God day after day like the apostle Paul

and Underwood missionary. So I hope to be friends of faith that please God.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)