"Faithfulness springs up from the ground and righteousness looks down from the sky" [Ps85:11].

I remember cherishing the times when we went out to the movies. With popcorn in hand, and the silver screen surrounding us, I would intently watch how the plot would unfold. It was always the battle that intrigued me. The greatest example is Sylvester Stallone in "Rocky". With the most unorthodox fighting tactics, Rocky would deliberately take on every punch in order to exhaust his opponent. Clubber Lang, Hulk Hogan, Apollo Creed, Tommy Gunn were the very opponents that caused great havoc in the ring. Yet the ultimate test was the dominate Ivan Drago. Clearly, Rocky was undersized, undermanned, and under-everything. The odds were stacked against the humble boxer from Philadelphia. But yet, Rocky never gave up. He trained, with a blender and egg yolks in hand, running through the city, all the way up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

This is the quintessential picture of what it takes to partake in any battle. With his Arms raised and stretched out, Rocky was ready to face his greatest nemesis, Ivan Drago. The bell rung, the fight started, and the battle had begun! Round after round, bloodied and bruised, tired and weary, it seemed defeat was to be the end result. Yet through all odds, Rocky is victorious!

This movie serves as a metaphor to the battles in life. At times overwhelming and impossible, we continue to endure in faith. We run the race, [1Cor9:24-26] in the midst of every anxiety, pain, stress, sadness, chaos and dysfunction. And though we may become disenchanted by the spiritual battle [Eph6:12], we remember, "take heart, it is I do not be afraid"[Mt14:27]. The battle is not yours to win. But it is the Lord's battle to be won. For not only does "righteousness look down from the sky" but it is our Lord who comes down to be our righteousness by way of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world[Jn1:29]

With His arms raised and stretched out, Jesus fought the battle for you. Dying the biggest battle at Calvary. A battle that involved the hardest and most faithful work. Facing the greatest nemesis of sin death and the power of the devil, Jesus endured, grueling through the excruciating pain of the Cross for you. Round after round, Jesus fought, Jesus endured, Jesus was faithful as He took upon Himself the sins of the World. Bloodied, bruised, tired and weary, it seemed defeat was to be the end result. But when the final bell was rung, Jesus bowed His head, and says, "it is finished". And indeed it has! The resurrection proves all things! [Jn11:25-26;Jn2:19, Rom4:25, 1Cor15:17] And thus, The battle has been won! The devil quelled, death destroyed and the forgiveness of sins delivered for you by the victorious death and resurrection of our Lord. And as one of the criminals on the cross had said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And He said to him, Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise"[Lk23:42-43]. And so this goes for you. As "Faithfulness springs up from the ground" we receive the most comforting victory that in the name of the Father and of the Son and the of the Holy Spirit, the greatest battle has been won!

Amen.

Have a blessed Easter!

✝️ Pastor Jeong

The full newsletter can be found here:
http://www.faithmoorpark.com/files/pdf/2019/2019-04-Newsletter.pdf