[Korea] “The Jesus that Visited Peter Visits You Today!”

The 2016 Good News Mission Easter Service (Seoul Jangchung Stadium)

The three women came to the tomb before the break of dawn. Those who loved Jesus were immersed in sadness and despair at his death but when they had come to his grave, he wasn’t there. Jesus overcame death and resurrected after three days. Good News Mission Easter Union Service that praised the Jesus that gave us true peace in our hearts was held at the Jangchung Stadium in Seoul. At the break of dawn on March 27, the yellow “Easter Union Service” banner hung at the Jangchung Stadium brightened the surrounding atmosphere as the Lord that gave us hope in a dark rough world. The brothers and sisters started gathering one by one into the stadium.

The clear beautiful voices of the Gracias Teen Choir delivered a calmly touched the saints’ hearts. As we were reminded of the Jesus who was whipped and stabbed to take over our sadness and despair; we were grateful to the Jesus who made us holy through his blood.

On this day, Pastor Ock Soo Park preached the Scriptures in Mark chapter 16 explaining how Jesus changed the hearts of the faithless disciples to make them into preachers of the gospel. He said that it is not by my efforts that I change but by God’s works that I will change; If God makes me an evangelist, then I shall become one. The Lord works inside our hearts to change us.

In order to attend the Easter Morning Service, the buses carrying Good News Mission saints from Seoul, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, Gangwon, and Jeolla provinces lined up outside the Jangchung Stadium. The brothers and sisters filled each and every seat inside the round-shaped stadium. Many carried their packed lunches with bright faces as a children on a picnic and, despite the numerous people, everything was peaceful and in order.

Although the Gracias Choir could not be present at the place due to the Easter Cantata Tour, their performance video warmed the hearts of the saints and filled them were thankfulness.

The testimony of Pastor Yong Gap Cho, who received true salvation and is living a new life after ministering in a general church for 30 years, followed.

After a sensual performance by flutist Chang-dae Jang and pianist Seung-hwan Seok, there was a duet of Gracias Choir’s baritone Jeong-jun Yoon and Eu-Teum Oh that immersed the audience’s hearts into the music.

The Gracias Teen Choir’s singing of Hear My Prayer, Remember Me, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Because He Lives with their clear, pure voices reminded us of the Jesus who had risen at dawn from the tomb and visited his disciples after being nailed to the cross.

Through the Scriptures in John 21:1-14, Pastor Ock Soo Park preached about resurrected Jesus.

“Our standards of seeing things and Jesus’s standards are completely different. Jesus visited Peter, who left to the Sea of Galilee after fallen into trial after denying Jesus, and gave him faith and hope. Likewise, the resurrected Jesus visits such weak and lacking people as ourselves to put into us his heart and leads us. Because we are weak and lacking, Jesus needs to work. Believe that this Jesus will work for you and wait. The Jesus who visited Peter will also visit you.”

After the morning Easter Service, people gathered in groups outside the stadium talking, fellowship, and lunching.

At 2 o’clock in the afternoon, the elementary, teen, and college dance groups that passed the first round of competition gathered in one spot. The 5th Dance like the Stars competition was intense than ever. Their fancy costumes, lively expressions, and powerful movements showed us how much they had prepared for this dance competition. The judges say they had difficulty deciding the ranking. This competition was meaningful in that they were able to learn how to overcome their limits and adjust their hearts with one another through it.

At 4pm, Pastor Hun Mok Lee began the afternoon service with the stories of the Zambia witness trip. God who carefully planned and led the weather at the Zambia IYF Center groundbreaking ceremony and the meeting with VIPs was glorified.

There was a special concert of the Gracias Music School students.

The sermon of Pastor Dong Sung Kim of Good News Daejeon Hanbat Church followed. He read the Scriptures in 2 Samuel 18:1-5 and preached the Words about David and Absalom.

He preached saying, “As the story of Peter that we heard this morning, Peter was unable to look up because of how he had abandoned Jesus despite having sincerely said that he wouldn’t. But Jesus did not blame Peter for what he had done and dealt with him generously. That is how Jesus deals with us. David dealing with Absalom generously is the way God is dealing with us generously and gently. He is telling us that He will deal with us in such manner. As God is working in wondrous ways in our mission, spiritual life is waiting on that God to work and keeping our focus on the Lord. I hope that you live a life with a heart of waiting on the Lord to work for us.”

Everyone came with their own hearts to the Easter Service but, the long forgotten Jesus in our hearts was strongly leading us as we listened to the Easter sermon. We are very hopeful to think that the God who recently worked in Southern Africa (South Africa, Malawi, Zambia), Vietnam, and US (Easter Cantata) in our mission will show Himself to the brothers and sisters through the Scriptures.