The Words of the Lee Family

Inherit the True Love of God

Dong Han Lee
August 29, 2009
Headquarters Church, Seoul, Korea

Opening prayer by Agnes Fenoli:

Our dearest Heavenly Father,

We would like to express our gratitude for this day that we are once again here together with all our brothers and sisters from all around the world. Our Heavenly Father we would like to invite You into our hearts, Heavenly Father. Open our hearts and minds as we listen to the words of inspiration that will be given by our guest speaker. Heavenly Father, we give You back all the glory and we just love You so much. This we pray and report in our name, Agnes Fenoli from a blessed central family, Aju! Aju! Aju!

Opening Remarks by Rev. Michael Brazil:

Well hello everyone. I know I am not the person you hope to see! And you want to know the truth? Me too!

I received a message 20 minutes ago that Hyung Jin Nim and Yeon Ah Nim had to leave much earlier than anticipated to go to the States. They were supposed to fly out this evening, but they were asked to come even earlier. So when True Parents ask you to come, what do you do? You go! And that’s what they have done. So I apologize that they are not here. They truly wanted to be here with you and they asked me to offer their apologies to you.

But don’t be too disappointed! We still have a wonderful service. With your heart and with God and True Parents with us we will have a wonderful service. True or false? (True!) True or false? (True!) Hey! I am not sure I believe you. True or false? (True!) Ah! Ah! OK now I believe you.

Well I’d like to read something from the Cheon Seong Gyeong and it comes from a wonderful section entitled,”What is true love?” These are the words of Rev. Moon, our True Parents.

“It is not without meaning that I am vibrant and active in many fields. I do so because I have a purpose. That purpose is none other than to realize the world of love. Human beings exist with the aim and purpose of attaining love. Since the purpose of human life lies in the realization of true love, the value of human existence is also decided by this true love. How wonderful this is!”

So let me ask you a question: which do you think is more powerful? Which do you think is more valuable? Truth or love? (“Love”) Actually, we know this is really true. So the other day when I was on one of my early morning drives coming to church, I was thinking about this, and how we put a lot of emphasis on truth. Divine Principle is an incredible truth and if you’ve ever had the opportunity to speak to someone about Divine Principle, it really lifts up your spirit. It really inspires you. But actually even greater is the power of love. And as powerful and as fantastic as the truth is, if we are unable to love, people will not be able to receive the truth. People won’t be interested to hear the truth.

So the other day I was thinking that I too really have to develop my love, develop my ability to love. Lecturing Divine Principle is absolutely necessary, understanding Divine Principle absolutely necessary. But without love, what is truth? So truth plus love is the most powerful combination but as St. Paul did say, love is the greatest. With love we can change the world. With love, we can change people’s hearts.

What’s going to change the world is when people come to know and experience God’s love. That’s when people will change. That’s when the world truly can change. So if we are able to build a church here of incredible love, nothing can stop us, no one will be able to stop us. Even God has to follow us. This is what Father teaches us.

So perhaps this week we can keep that in mind. A few weeks ago I talked about being the arms, the extension of God, that when you reach out and touch someone, think that you are touching them for God. When you shake someone’s hand think that you are shaking their hand for God. If you receive a hug, if you receive a compliment, think that that hug or that compliment is coming from God. If you give a compliment think that you are giving it on God’s behalf. Then truly you can share God’s love.

Interesting Story by Rev. Michael Brazil:

There is this famous monastery up in the mountains. The monks would get up at 3 am for prayer and meditation. That sounds familiar! Life was very difficult and challenging there. They grew all their own food, they did all of their own labor but they had one special rule -- you could not speak. Every ten years you were allowed to say two words.

A new monk arrived and he was not quite sure, if he really wanted to be there or not, but he wanted to give it a try. At first life was difficult for him, getting up at 3 am, meditating a lot, hard labor and they had to grow their own food. But, actually, he grew to like it. Ten years went by rather quickly and finally he was called in to the Head monk. He said: “Brother Robert, this is your chance, after ten years to say two words. What would you like to say?” And Brother Robert said: “Bed hard!” The Head monk was surprised and said: “Well, thank you very much for that. I’ll see you in ten years.”

Again they went back to their regular routine of 3 am prayer, meditation, working hard and another 10 years passed. Brother Robert said: “Food cold!” Again the Head monk was surprised: “Brother Robert, thank you for those words. Good luck for the next ten years!”

Brother Robert kept working hard and ten years went by. He was called into the office again to share his two words and was asked: “Brother Robert, what would you like to say?” Brother Robert said: “I quit!” And the Head monk said: “I’m not at all surprised, you have done nothing but complaining ever since you have got here!”

Introduction of Guest Speaker:

Today, we cannot have our senior pastor here, but we are very blessed to have a wonderful elder brother with us. As I was given his biography, I was really amazed; there was so much I didn’t know about our wonderful speaker today. Let me just tell you a little bit about him.

He received his PhD in Theology from Sun Moon University; he also received a PhD in Journalism from Sung Kyun Kwan University, he has worked as a respective professor at Sun Moon University and also at Sung Kyun Kwan University for eight years. He has been a minister in our church for 28 years! He has also worked as the Publishing President of Segye Times and Sports World for eight years. He is currently the Vice President of the Korean Unification Church and he is the senior pastor under Hyung Jin Nim, for all the ministers here at Headquarters Church. Of course, I’m speaking of Rev. Don Han Lee, an amazing man!

He is going to read his sermon today in English! Really impressive! (Applause) When I heard that yesterday I was really impressed and also judged -- thinking, now I have to really study Korean! So, let’s give Rev. Lee a big warm applause and welcome him to the podium.

Main Sermon by Rev. Dong Han Lee:

Good afternoon, brothers and sisters! I am very grateful to see all of you on this wonderful afternoon. As you know, I am Korean. You may find my pronunciation difficult to understand but please concentrate on the content rather than on the language. (Laughter)

"True Love begins with the willingness to invest even our own lives over and over, giving and giving again, but forgetting that we have given. As it ascends, it can penetrate and enter anything it pleases, for example a strong mind, heaven and earth, the world of life, and even the world of death."
Cheon Seong Gyeong

When we do jeong seong (sincere devotion) or worship, we say "I will inherit the true love of God," while manifesting the Unification Church symbol. It means that we will inherit God's True Love, practice it and build the world of True Love.

Rev. and Mrs. Moon, known as True Parents, have taught and practiced True Love for their whole life. But, we didn't know the deep meaning of it. Until now, we just said that True Love is the love of living for the sake of others or of giving, giving again and forgetting the fact that we have given.

However, Hyung Jin Nim realized the deep meaning of True Love during his jeong seong at dawn before the one-year anniversary of True Parents’ helicopter crash. Hyung Jin Nim, the World President, gave us the inspiring and wonderful speech after his realization of the True Love theology.

Hyung Jin Nim wrote a moving calligraphy, which read “Seven deaths and resurrections, the eight-stage perfection, True Parents Victory, True Love Theology” as a way of expressing his deep realization. The World President also wrote a letter of repentance to True Parents and offered bows of repentance in tears. True Parents were really impressed.

Hyung Jin Nim did the special jeong seong of 21,000 bows in order for him to internalize and substantialize True Parents' grace, and for the victory of the Cheon Bok Gung (Heavenly Temple) of the growth stage.

The True Love that the World President spoke of in tears is God's True Love revealed by True Parents who walked the way of the eight-stage restoration of indemnity through the seven deaths and resurrections. The True Love of True Parents is a supreme love that we cannot find in the other religions. This True Love can embrace all religions of the past, present and future.

Our World President says that if we open our spiritual eyes and realize the deep meaning of True Love, we can know why the four Great Saints bow to True Parents and that our life is not ours anymore.

If we realize the value of True Love, we should be able to dedicate the victory of the 210,000 Cheon Bok Gung of the perfection stage to God with our jeong seong and our effort. Hyung Jin Nim is leading the Headquarters Church with the irresistible force of True Love and all of us are following him. The True Love that the World President is teaching us is the way Head Quarter Church members should follow with absolute standard of faith.

True Father says, "True Love can penetrate and enter anything it pleases: a strong mind, heaven and earth, the world of life, and even the world of death." Let us inherit the True Love that is beyond time and space and overcomes life and death."

What should be the standard of our faith and behavior as the essential core of the eternal and immortal True Love?

First, let us build the World Temple, Cheon Bok Gung.

In the growth stage, we will build the Cheon Bok Gung where 21,000 people can worship God. In the perfection stage, we will build the Cheon Bok Gung where 210,000 people can worship God. That is our vision and our mission. To accomplish these goals, we should witness to a lot of people.

By the beginning of 2013, we should build the Cheon Bok Gung of the perfection stage. That is the wish of God and True Parents, as well as all beings in the spiritual world and in the physical world.

Let us build the 210,000 Cheon Bok Gung to fulfill God's wish, liberate the hearts of good spirits who sacrificed for the providential history of restoration and become the Unificationists who can stand with pride in front of our descendants. Let us create the great history of freedom and liberation.

Our desire in our dreams is the Cheon Bok Gung. If we can accomplish the providence of the Cheon Bok Gung, even the people who opposed us and persecuted us, will welcome us. In the Cheon Bok Gung the day of God's liberation will be started.

To build the World Temple, members of the Headquarters Church, of Korean churches, of Japanese churches and all members in the world, as well as conscientious people, are donating beyond nationality and religion.

Up till now, the total donations for the Cheon Bok Gung are about 8 million dollars. Members of the Headquarters Church have donated about 1 million dollars. The entire spiritual world is mobilized and supporting the Cheon Bok Gung. Donating to the Cheon Bok Gung is our pride and glory. Let us encourage people to join us in making donations for the Cheon Bok Gung.

Second, let us attend early morning devotions.

During his ministry, the World President wakes up at 2 am, prays, meditates and does 120 bows. Rain or snow, even at 20 degrees below zero, the World President did early morning jeong seong on Maebong Mountain.

On July 29, the World President started his offering of 21,000 bows as a condition to successfully witness to 21,000 people. As he did thousands of bows every day, he sweated profusely and suffered with cramps. He had to overcome his physical limitations. During his special condition, many members did 210 bows daily as a condition of joining in his jeong seong.

After his special condition, the World President continues to do his Jeong Seong together with the Hoonsas. He is still cleaning the bathrooms with the spirit of the Danbury jeong seong. Now, more and more members are joining our early morning prayer service at the Headquarters Church.

The Cheon Bok Gung of the World Headquarters Church will be accomplished through our early Morning Prayer and bowing Jeong Seong. The proverb says, "Sincerity moves heaven." The Resurrection of good spirits will be actualized by the early morning devotions.

The resurrection of the True Children, the Five Great Saints and the good spirits in the spiritual world can be actualized through the condition of jeong seong on the earth.

Third, let's attend Sunday service.

The chapel at Headquarters Church is not large enough for all members to attend the Sunday service at once. There are 10 services offered every week; 5 services on Sunday, 2 services on Saturday, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. There are still many problems in terms of caring for members, building management, parking management and so on.

However, in a few months, Headquarters will move to the Cheon Bok Gung of the growth stage and about 2,000 people will be able to attend the Sunday Service at one time, and this (present) church building will take its place in our church history and in our memories.

Our Sunday Service at Headquarters church is an inter-religious worship that is open to all people and is a unification worship that people can attend beyond nationality, race, and religion.

When the World President came to Headquarters Church one year and six months ago, two hundred members attended the Sunday Service and the total donation was about 10 thousand dollars. Now, two thousand people attend our weekly services at Headquarters Church and the total donation is about 150 thousand dollars. (Applause)

In book of Malachi, it says, "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me. But you ask, 'how do we rob You?' In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse -- the whole nation of you -- because you are robbing Me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test Me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that You will not have room enough for it."

Lots of members are offering tithes, gratitude donations and donations for the Cheon Bok Gung. I believe our church will be the fastest developing church not only in Korea but in the world. How thankful and joyful we can be!

Sunday Services at Headquarters church are filled with the grace and love of God and True Parents as expressed through Hyung Jin Nim and Yeon Ah Nim. We can inherit True Love through the meditations, prayers, worship and sermons given at each service.

Dear members! Let's worship God with all our Jeong Seong. Let's offer to God our very best from the bottom of our hearts. In that way, we can develop our church more and more. Let us get the victory of the Cheon Bok Gung Providence, not only in the growth level but also in the perfection level.

Fourth, let's join our home-group movement!

True Parents mentioned about "witnessing to one person each month through home church, organizing hoon-dok churches, etc." a very long time ago. But, we could not fully practice it. True Parents said, "Home church is the road, truth and life, so you can go to heaven through home church." Following True Parents words, Hyung Jin Nim set up home groups for the strategy of ministry and witnessing for our Headquarters Church.

Home groups consist of members who have received grace in the Sunday Services and make their own groups of small numbers. They can make good relationships, they can witness, they can do service projects, etc. In this way a home group is a way to practice true love through our daily life.

Hyung Jin Nim divided the members into seven regions and appointed a pastor and woman leader who is in charge of each region. There is also a pastor who is in charge of each specialized group at Headquarters Church: the International members, the Japanese members, the young people, middle and high school students, and elementary school students. These groups can also develop home group activities.

Dear brothers, you and your family can start a home group lifestyle. We can believe the words, "Through my home group my family and I can put into practice God’s words and love, and complete the Cheon Bok Gung and realize the Cheon Il Guk."

Let's think that home groups are easy! It's making relationships with people. It's just taking part in a group, or making a group. When you form a group with acquaintances or friends, you can develop friendship with them, do services for others with them and witness with them.

Dear brothers and sisters! Let's practice loving Cain! St. Paul said, "And how terrible it would be for me if I did not preach the gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16). We should regard witnessing as our life!

We cannot go to heaven without earning Cain's natural submission. Let's enter into the Cheon Bok Gung of the growth-stage period with each member bringing one new member through your home groups!

Fifth! Let's increase our women groups movement!

The World President gave appointment letters to the women leaders of seven areas. Erikawa Yasue and 3 more Headquarters leaders were appointed and seven area leaders were also appointed. A company woman leader, a Japanese woman leader, a youth woman leader, a native English-speaking woman leader were also appointed. In total there are 28 women leaders.

Hyung Jin Nim said, that when we think of our church's revival and development, we need to change the man-centered culture to a woman-centered culture. Women possess abundant emotion and maternal love, and naturally can embrace others. Hyung Jin Nim meets with the women leaders and educates them every week.

Women can be the frontline for the revival of the Unification Church. Women must have the self-awakening of the principle of restoration, and strongly stand up to complete Eve’s mission, as well as accomplish the mother-son cooperation, and go with the flag of the providence.

If you are a woman, please join a women's group. If you are a man, please join a men's group and support the women groups. It is said, "Something soft changes the world." Please participate, pray, support and cooperate with the women groups.

The ministers and women leaders who participated in the special condition of 21,000 bows of Hyung Jin Nim are now visiting all the members’ houses for sharing heaven's fortune and true love from Heavenly Father and True Parents. Let's find new members! (Applause)

Dear brothers and sisters, now our church has a very clear purpose and direction. In addition, the methods and means of reaching the ideal are clear. What remains is how much the members will join and participate.

Our church members had habits from the indemnity period and the wilderness period of the past. We have been emancipated, freed! It is now the time of the Canaan settlement age. The Cheon Bok Gung Headquarters Church is a very different church.

Just before we enter into the Cheon Bok Gung, let's throw out what we should throw out. When Joshua and the 2nd generation of Israelites mourned 30 days after burying the body of Moses, they also buried their disbelief, complaints and fallen nature. Likewise, let's go to the Cheon Bok Gung of the growth-stage period by taking off all fallen nature that is connecting us to Satan and bring new, fresh ideas, a new hopeful faith, and a fiery true love.

Headquarters members! The World President is preparing so much to enter into the Cheon Bok Gung. What can we do to prepare? After today’s service, in your homes, please have a family meeting and decide. Prepare new clothes, new shoes, and a new necktie. We should prepare new clothes, but primarily we should be a new person. We should become a new believer.

Who must go to the Cheon Bok Gung first? The members who are eagerly witnessing must go the Cheon Bok Gung temple first. The members who are eagerly contributing much must go the Cheon Bok Gung. The members who are eagerly serving must go the Cheon Bok Gung temple. The members who are eagerly devoting themselves much must go the Cheon Bok Gung temple.

I hope all our members can become excited about these four things: witnessing, donations, social activities, devotion. Through the seven deaths and resurrections, and eight-stage perfection, let us receive and inherit True Parents’ True Love.

Aju! 

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