To the end of the earth -with the Korea Travelogue-

[Stephan Choe]

June 11, 2023

Acts 1:1-14

Leading verse 8:         "But you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth."

In this passage, Luke records that the disciples asked Jesus when He was going to establish an earthly Messianic Kingdom of Israel. In response, Jesus told them not to be interested in a worldly utopia, but to wait to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, to be witnesses of Jesus, and to proclaim the Good News throughout the world.

May God help us to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and proclaim the Good News in Bochum, Germany and the whole world.

1. Being Jesus' witnesses in the whole world (1-11)

The Gospel means who Jesus is and what He has done for us. He is the Christ, the Son of God. He has given us forgiveness of sins, resurrection, and kingdom of heaven through his sacrificial death, resurrection, and ascension.

We are to share this Good News with others so that they may also experience this bliss.

Jesus' disciples actually wanted the resurrected Jesus to immediately bring the unjust reign in Israel to an end and establish an earthly messianic kingdom.

We, too, have a desire from time to time for Jesus to come into this world quickly, punish those who rule unjustly, and establish His righteous earthly kingdom where there is no war and no injustice.

Jesus said to his disciples, "It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has set by his own authority" (verse 7).

Jesus is right. We are to set our first priority on Jesus' lordship reigning in people's hearts and spreading the gospel among people.

Jesus then says to his apostles and also to us: "But you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit who will come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth" (8).

Here we can see two important statements:

We are his witnesses.

What does it mean that we are Jesus' witnesses?

Being Jesus' witnesses means, first, that Jesus Christ is with us and leads us into His kingdom.

That is why Paul said, "I live, yet now not I, but Christ lives in me." (Gal 2:19a).

The risen Christ always accompanies us through the Holy Spirit and leads us on the right road.

We forget from time to time that the Lord is with us and is guiding us to His Kingdom of Heaven.

We should be aware that Jesus Christ is always with us through the Holy Spirit, guiding us into His Kingdom of Heaven,

as Jesus said in Matthew 28:20b:

"Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20b).

It is a wonderful grace of God that the risen Jesus Christ is always with us, guiding us into His kingdom. That is why we live joyfully even though we sometimes encounter difficulties.

Secondly, Jesus' witness means that Jesus wants to use us as His witnesses worldwide.

God loves not only us, but also all people on this earth. Therefore, he desires that as many people as possible on earth be saved and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. For this, he needs witnesses of his gospel.

Jesus uses different people in different ways as his witnesses and spreads the Good News worldwide.

We are to do something for the spread of the gospel. The Lord will use every contribution to the spread of the gospel in a precious way.

The power of the Holy Spirit is the driving force of world evangelization.

That is why Jesus says to us:

"But you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit..."

Of course, God uses our language or our various gifts. But fundamentally, the driving force of the spread of the Gospel is the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, we are to ask God to use the Holy Spirit to help people open their hearts to Jesus and the gospel, and to accept Him as Christ and God's Son.

If we rely only on our ability, we cannot help people. But the Holy Spirit can open people's hearts and give them faith in Jesus Christ.

That is why the resurrected Jesus said:

"You will receive the power of the Holy Spirit that will come upon you, and you will be my witnesses..." (8).

We are to pray to God for the Holy Spirit to open people's hearts and give them faith.

The miracle of Pentecost is an example of this. After 120 Christians prayed with one accord, the Pentecost miracle happened.

The revival in Korea in 1907 also happened after the prayer meeting of Korean Christians.

The Holy Spirit wants to preach the gospel to all nations.

How can we follow the will of the Holy Spirit well?

- If we accept the will of the resurrected Jesus and obey the Holy Spirit, we can preach the gospel effectively.

2. Praying together (12-14)

Through the gentle rebuke of the angels, the disciples came to themselves. They now knew that they could not do anything with their own strength. Therefore, they prayed with one accord and waited for the Holy Spirit to work.

Praying together is always the best preparation for the work of God. In prayer, God reveals His power and wisdom.

Let us pray together so that God may fill us with the Holy Spirit and use us precious as Jesus' witnesses.

3. My experiences in Korea

I share about those through whom I was greatly encouraged during my visit in Korea.

Young-Ran Yoon, the first daughter of my third sister, was raised in faith by her mother. She attended Navigators during her college years. Through being involved in Navigators, her faith was deepened. After graduation, she actively participates in Youngnak Church in Seoul for the sake of the gospel. Youngnak Church is one of the largest churches in South Korea.

She has a wide, friendly heart for all. That is why she exerts a good influence both in her church and among relatives. She also helps her husband with warmth and love.

Young-Gyun Yoon, the first son of my third sister, was raised in faith. He attended navigators during his bachelor's studies and received personal faith in the gospel. During his master's studies, he learned about Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Christian worldview.

He is a pastor. He currently leads a house church. He has good understanding of young people.

My third sister, Chun-Ja Choe, was the first in the family to come to faith in Christ when she was about 16. She prayed for all the family members. So my mother, first sister, second sister, fourth sister and brother were able to believe in Jesus Christ. She also encouraged relatives to believe in the gospel. She also encouraged people to believe in Jesus Christ in public transportation.

After visiting my third sister, I went to my home church in Daejeon.

The couple Abraham & Sarah Kim invited me to stay in their apartment. So I was allowed to stay with them for 11 days and have breakfast together.

Abraham Kim was a retired teacher. But he is active as a teacher in a Christian father school. He took extra leave to serve me. He and his wife served me so warmly that I felt at home.

The Abraham & Sarah Kim family and the Isaac & Rebecca Kim family are pillars of the All Nations Mission Church in Daejeon. Isaac Kim is currently having some dizziness problem. That is why he is resting.

For lunch and dinner, I was invited to eat at the restaurant by a couple each time.

I also had some fellowship with Joshua & Deborah Yeo, the missionary couple in Malaysia. Joshua Yeo needs treatment for one of his eyes. Despite the health problem, the couple is devotedly working for the mission of the children in Malaysia. 

I preached on Acts 7:54-60 at two services on Sun, April 30. The lead verses were verses 55-56:

"But he, being filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and cried out: I see the heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

Ji-Young Song and J. Choi wrote me their feedback on the sermon:

Ji-Young Song wrote:

"Hello Missionary Stephan, how are you?

 - I am Ji-Young Song, the wife of Byeong-Jae Kim. I received your Kakao Talk address today through Abraham Kim. I am grateful to be able to greet you.

My husband served with worship last Sunday and I served with playing the keyboard. It was really nice to worship with you.

I was very touched by your testimony sermon. I felt as if the fire of the Holy Spirit had suddenly fallen on my longing heart.

The God who accompanied you on your missionary life gave me much grace and made me look back at the past, present, and future of my life as if I had really looked into a mirror.

The next day, on Monday of May 1, our couple was on a trip, and during that trip and also at home after the trip, while I was doing housework, that heart touch, the feeling of happiness and the message continued to be alive, and the prayer of repentance continued to happen to me with tears..."

J. Choi also wrote to me about his impressions of my sermon.

"Dear Missionary Stephan,

Ji-Young Song, shared her thanks for your sermon. I was also greatly blessed by the sermon.

Where do we have to go! I believe that when the glorious Kingdom of Heaven is clear as our destination, our life on this earth will be free and joyful like a trip.

I also met the risen Lord in 2013 on the mission field in a country. From then on, as a new creature, I know no limits to the world of faith. Since we live a life of faith with the hope of the Kingdom of Heaven, we are free from earthly things and yet do not think only of the Second Coming alone like Adventists.

Thank God for giving me health so that I do not get tired but feel fit. Glorious destination in heaven!

I believe that if we hold on to the gospel of the resurrection, we will live powerfully like the disciples with the living hope of the kingdom of heaven because we are young! because the resurrection is a reality.

As you said, Missionary Stephan, I believe and pray that the dream and true goal of all people is the Kingdom of Heaven, and we are traveling there!

I thank God for making us one with heavenly hope and love.

Stay healthy until the Lord comes!

I will pray and hope to see you again."

While I stayed in Daejeon for 11 days, I was invited to lunch and dinner almost every day by various brothers and sisters in the faith. While doing so, some of them took me to places of interest. This church is not a large church. However, many missionaries were sent out to the world from this church. This church has a big heart for the missionaries.

Pastor John Park has a health problem. That is why he is resting at the moment.

My hometown friend Eun-Chun Lee took me by his car to Shinryewon, my birthplace, on Wed, April 25, so that I could visit grave sites of my grandparents, my parents, and my brother. After that, he took me to the place of my birthplace and finally drove around Sucheol Lake, which is about 2 km away from my birthplace.

From Daejeon, I was picked up by Ho Kang, my former fellow student, on May 1 to his apartment in Sejong and stayed there until May 3. He is a retired professor. However, he is actively working as a pastor even though he has various health problems. For example, he also preaches in the church at Chungnam University.

When we studied together in Daejeon, Korea, he was not yet a Christian, and we had not been close friends. But after he came to faith while doing his doctoral work in the U.S., he has become my best friend among former fellow students.

On Tuesday, May 2, Rebecca Park, our former missionary in Bochum, invited me and Ho Kang and his wife Ginam Lee to lunch in Sejong. She is an English teacher. She had worked with us in Bochum for 10 years for the student mission and had gone back to Korea in 2000 because of the illness of her husband, Samuel Park. She had many difficulties because of his health problem. Despite these difficulties, she raised her four children well in the Christian belief.

She gave me a copy of her doctoral thesis, "A Study for North Korean Defector's Christian Identity Development." In this work, she reported on the faith development of young refugees from North Korea. Besides church work with her husband, she also leads a Bible study group at school.

I realized through her story and her work that in the midst of suffering, she has matured in faith and is fragrant of Christ.

On May 10, David & Maria Woo brought me from Anjang to Incheon and gave me a guest room of the church. They then took me to my parents' burial place on May 11 and then to the place of my birthplace. They then took me to my high school, restaurant street in Yesan for lunch and then Yedang Reservoir.

On May 17, the couple took me to visit the former President's House in Seoul. David Woo has published more than 10 books of his sermons. I think God is encouraging many people to believe through his books.

On Sunday evening of May 14, David Woo preached at the Jesus Full Church in Pazu (or: Paju), which has 4500 seats. Pazu is located in the north of Seoul and is a border city with North Korea. After his sermon, I shared my faith experience.

On Monday morning, David Lim and his wife took us to the border with North Korea by riding the suspension railroad directly to the border. Some Korean Christians consider North Korea as the end of the earth because it is a closed country.

His church has 5 o'clock prayer hours Monday through Friday, and he doesn't go to bed until 12 o'clock at night. He has 4 services on Sunday. Besides this church in Pazu, he has two churches, one in Seoul and another in Ilsan. Through electronic transmission, all three churches celebrate services together. He does not take a year off.

David Lim gave us two books he wrote about his church.

On the afternoon of Monday, May 15, I visited Peter Suh and Jonghee Suh in Dangjin, located south of Seoul about 140 km away. He and his wife had been in the US in April. He told how he was able to help Sang-Bok Lee and Jong-Sik Lim, the two sick missionaries, with God's help in Chicago.

On Tuesday, the two of them showed me the beautiful west coast of Dangjin and Seosan by car. Finally, we took a tour by Ship.

On Wednesday, May 17, David and Maria Woo took me and showed me the former presidential house called "The Blue House" in Seoul. It seemed like an old palace to me.

I flew back to Germany on May 19, 9:05, and arrived in Frankfurt at 17:20. Timothee and Monica welcomed me there. Timothee accompanied me by train to Bochum HBF, and Andreas and Renate took me home.

I thank God for proclaiming the Gospel to all the world through my relatives, friends, brothers, and sisters in faith and missionaries.

It is God's desire that the gospel be proclaimed to the ends of the earth to save as many people as possible from all nations from sin and bring them into His kingdom. This is God's goal and our prayer! Amen!