Good morning everyone. My name is Insoo Kim and I am the assistant pastor here at the Hyde Park Vineyard Church. I want to welcome each and every one of you to our Sunday Morning Gathering. If you are joining us for the first time this morning, we are thrilled that you are here with us. And if you are joining us for the first time, or if you have not filled one out before, I want to ask you to please fill out the Connection Card found inside your bulletin. This is just a way for us to get to know you a little better. So please fill it out and drop it off in the box on the Welcoming Table on your way out.

For the last two weeks, we have been talking about God’s Heart for the City. The purpose of this three-week series has been to teach us about the deep love that our God has for the city, well, because we live in a city. And as we learn about God’s heart for the city, that God would stir in us a deep desire to partner with Him in serving those around us. First week, Ian from the Oak Park Vineyard challenged us to become God’s vessels to reach out to the world around us. Last week, Rand spoke specifically on God’s heart for the poor and the needy of the city. And today, I will be closing this series by talking to you about God’s heart for the Nations. And in talking about God’s heart for the Nations, it is my deepest hope and desire that God will truly captivate our hearts with a new love for our city and all the people that are around us. I hope that as I speak for the next 30 minutes, that God will begin to soften the parts of our hearts and lives that may have grown cold. I pray God will captivate us this morning with a deep learning to love Him more, that the simple and profound words of John 3:16 would once again cause us to worship Him for who He is and what He has done. Please bow your heads and pray with me.

The Westminster Catechism asks: What is chief end of man? The answer: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." In these brief words a doctrine is stated that has ramifications towards all aspects of faith. Man's highest good is to enjoy the greatest good. The greatest good is God, in whom man finds his ultimate fulfillment. If man fails to expressly seek the glory of God in all that he does, he will obtain no true glory, honor, or Christian virtue. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

But what is the chief end of God? What is his aim? What is his MO? What is God's ultimate passion? When everything is eliminated but one, what is His central motivation? What is the chief end of God?

John Piper, the famous author and pastor, in his Chapel address at Wheaton College on October 23, 1984 said this:

I would like to try to persuade you that the chief end of God is to glorify God and enjoy himself forever. Or to put it another way: the chief end of God is to enjoy glorifying himself. The reason this may sound strange is that we tend to be more familiar with our duties than with God's designs. We know why we exist - to glorify God and enjoy him forever. But why does God exist? What should he love with all his heart and soul and mind and strength? Whom should he worship? Or will we deny him that highest of pleasures? It matters a lot what God's ultimate allegiance is to! It ought to matter a lot to us what God is committed to with all his heart and soul and mind and strength. What is the impulse that drives the Almighty? What does he pursue in all his plans?

And so John Piper begins his address at Wheaton College. The chief end of God is to enjoy glorifying himself. And we see this loud and clear at every point in redemptive history. Let me share just a couple of passages to make this point clear.

Why did God create us? Isaiah 43:6-7, "Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth (says the Lord), everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory."

Why did God choose a people for himself and make Israel his possession? Jeremiah 13:11, "I made the whole house of Israel ... cling to me, says the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise and a glory."

Why did God rescue them from bondage in Egypt? Psalm 106:7-8, "Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider thy wonderful works...but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name's sake that he might make known his mighty power."

Why did God use his sovereign power to bring back his people from exile after punishing four generations of sin? Isaiah (48:9,11) put it like this, "For my name's sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you ... For my own sake, for my own sake I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another."

Why did the Son of God come to earth and to his final decisive hour? John 17:1, "Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee.”

And why will Jesus come again in the great day of consummation? 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10, "Those who do not obey the gospel will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at in all who have believed."

From beginning to the very end, the driving impulse of God's heart is to be praised for his glory. From creation to consummation his ultimate allegiance is to himself. His unwavering purpose in all he does is to exalt the honor of his name and to be marveled at for his grace and power. He is infinitely jealous for his reputation. "For my own sake, for my own sake I act," says the Lord. "My glory I will not give to another!"

OUR GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED IN EVERY NATION!

So you may be asking, “Insoo, what does any of this have to do with God’s Heart for the Nations?” Well, let me tell you why.

God’s heart for the nations, in other words, God’s LOVE for the people of every tribe, tongue, and nations, is intrinsically tied to His chief end, which is to be glorified in every nation! The fullness of the glory of God will be revealed only when he is glorified in EVERY nation. Habakkuk 2:14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

OUR GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED IN EVERY NATION!

So this brings us back to the Westminster Catechism. If the chief end of men, you and I here in this room, is to glorify God, it necessarily implies that our desire to glorify God must also be intrinsically tied to our love for the nations as well. God loves the nations. Let us, too, love the nations. Let us imitate the One we adore!

Okay, so you may be asking, “Insoo, how do I do this? I understand that God will be glorified in every nation, so are you trying to send me to Ukraine so that I can share my faith with the people there? Are you asking me to quit my job and go to Kazakhstan for a missions trip?” Or maybe there are others of you here this morning who may be asking, “Insoo, how the heck am I supposed to share Jesus with the nations when I’m stuck behind some office job from 9 to 5?”

I am NOT trying to sign you up to go on a missions trip to some third-world country, even though I think that would be absolutely awesome. No, that is not what I am trying to do. But here is what I am trying to do. I want to tell you that as Christians, as followers of Jesus Christ, we have a solemn duty to respond to the call of the Great Commission. The Great Commission was not a suggestion or a recommendation. No, the Great Commission was a mandate that he left for those who choose to follow Him. What I want to tell you this morning is that there is something that we can all do. There is something that every single one of us here can play a role to see that our God will be worshipped by every nation. For us, who live in Chicago, and especially Hyde Park, it starts by loving our neighbors! Let me explain.

We read in Mark 12:28-34 the story of a man who asks Jesus this question, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” And this is Jesus’ answer: "The most important one is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Love God. Love your neighbors. These are the two great commandments! But you and I live in a city where the concept of what makes a “neighbor” is quiet unique. Let me give you a quick lesson on the history of Hyde Park and then tell you who your neighbors are.

THE HISTORY OF HYDE PARK
Hyde Park was founded by real estate mogul named Paul Cornell, who was a first cousin of Ezra Cornell, in the 1850s in what was then the unincorporated land south of Chicago.

Although today the term "Hyde Park" is applied to the neighborhood from 47th street to 61st streets, in the 19th century the term applied to areas as far south as the 100s, twelve miles south of the Loop.

The 1890s marked Hyde Park's emergence as a unique urban neighborhood. In 1892 the University of Chicago opened on land donated by Marshall Field, and 1893 saw the marvelous World's Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park, adjacent to Lake Michigan.

Over the years, Hyde Park grew with Chicago, being annexed in the 1890s. The University of Chicago quickly became one of the nation's best research institutions. Many of the neighborhood’s stately high rises were actually built as hotels in the 1920s. Famous Hyde Park residents have included Muhammad Ali, Marshall Field, Mayor Harold Washington, and numerous figures associated with the University of Chicago. The neighborhood has produced three U.S. Senators, Paul Douglas, Carol Moseley Braun, and most recently, Barack Obama.

In the 1950s and 1960s Hyde Park began to suffer from the economic decline of the rest of the South Side. To protect itself, the University of Chicago sponsored one of the largest and most controversial urban renewal plans in the nation. Organizing through the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference in the 1950's, many citizens advocated an "interracial community of high standards." In the 1960s Hyde Park's average income soared by 70%, but its black population fell by 40%.

THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF HYDE PARK
The national average of Whites in the US is 75%. In Hyde Park, it’s 42%
The national average of Blacks in the US is 11%. In Hyde Park, it’s 47%
The national average of Hispanics in the US is 9%. In Hyde Park, it’s 3%
The national average of Asians in the US is 3%. In Hyde Park, it’s 6%

For the past 10 years, the White population has been steadily declining, while the minority population has been steadily climbing. 35.5% of the people polled said that they speak language other than English at home.

THE NATIONS HAVE COME TO OUR DOORSTEPS
The implications of these numbers that I just read to you are absolutely huge. Missions organizations all over America are having to rethink the whole concept of world missions because of the demographic change. Missions used to be defined by geography. Well, that can no longer be the case. Missions today must be defined in terms of people rather than geography. The nations have come to our doorsteps. As Ralph Winter who is the General Director for the US Center for World Mission said this: “The unreached peoples of the world are showing up in the United States and are remarkable keys to reaching the populations they leave behind.” This is absolutely huge! The immigrants and the international students who live in our midst, even right here this morning, is something completely new in the history of the world. And this trend will only continue. We can reach the Nations by simply walking out of front door and talking to our neighbors!

In the context of Chicago, the majority of the immigrants cluster in the inner city where the church is the weakest. These people tend to be skilled and are employed as blue collar workers or operate small businesses. Those who settle in the suburbs, where the church is more numerous, tend to be scattered.

Like others before them, those locating in the inner city often aspire to move to the suburbs. They want to escape the problems of crime and, at the same time, provide for better opportunities for their children. As a result, there is also an out-migration of ethnic peoples from the inner city into the suburbs. These various immigration patterns bring this new mission field within the reach of most local churches in urban America.

Most of these recent immigrants come here believing this to be a Christian country. Sad to say, but fewer than 10 percent will be invited into an American, let alone a Christian, home. While hospitality is often at the heart of the cultures from which most of these people come, they will seldom experience it from our society.

Because of this, our faith is left to be defined by the media, the public schools, and our society. In this regard, these new residents are shocked by the violence and eroticism they see on television and in the movies. Those settling in the inner city are perplexed by the destructive lifestyles displayed openly on the streets. Coming from countries where religion and state are linked, they can’t understand why a "Christian" government allows these practices to continue.
They also come expecting to find a financial paradise, only to be overwhelmed by an economic struggle for survival. The parents often need to take several jobs. Being away from home, the mother is exposed to the Western idea of female equality. Marital conflicts are often the result, since many come from societies where the husband is dominant.

The combination of these factors can produce considerable stress within the family. This is more than culture shock. This is a reaction to an environment which does violence to their value system and family solidarity. Because of this, there often is delinquency among the children and abuse on the part of the parents, especially the father. Even when families escape these problems, all too often they fall prey to materialism.

THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The situation is not all that different for the international student. The foreign students on your campus are often lonely and are used to living around people in their own nation who show them great respect. Now, living in America, they are treated like another face in the crowd. Most international students come to this country with a real desire to have an American friend. They are looking for people who have genuine love and concern for them. But this again, is seldom the case. My personal story is very similar. I am from an immigrant family from South Korea. My parents moved our family to the states to give their children opportunities that they’ve never had back home. I remember standing out like a sore thumb in all the schools that I’ve attended through my junior high school years. We’ve experienced prejudice. We’ve experienced the joys and pains of being aliens in a foreign land.

Experiences like these open the typical immigrant or the international student to a new set of felt needs. Feelings of loneliness, despair, and fear are very common. In addition, they usually experience these emotions without the traditional coping mechanism of an extended family. Like Americans, these internationals have sorrows and joys, fears and dreams, victories and failures. What they need are Christians who will meet them at their point of need, friends who would demonstrate in practical ways the love and reality of Jesus Christ.

Having felt needs, however, does not imply that they are open to Christian answers. Although they often are not faithful in their religious duties, they will still take offense if people speak ill of their faith. Nevertheless, these new neighbors usually are open to hospitality. While they may not be open to visiting our churches, they would be open to visiting our homes, and they would be honored to have us visit them.

ONE THING: PRACTICE HOSPITALITY
In Romans 12:13, it states that Christians should "practice hospitality." As expressed in the text, Christians are to be alert to strangers in their midst and respond in brotherly love. This should be a characteristic of God’s people in any culture, in any era, and in any circumstance. The presence of the mission field in our country provides churches, schools, and agencies with a natural context for revealing the caring nature of our God to these strangers in our midst. Most of us may never have the opportunity to go overseas to share the Gospel. But we can all practice hospitality. We can all invite that international student over to our home for dinner. We can all get to know the names of that one immigrant family that live down the hall from us. We can all take that uncomfortable and challenging steps to reach out to that one person or family, so that by the grace of God, we might exemplify and share the love of God, not by the words that we preach, but by the life that we live.

SOME EXAMPLES
Right now, one fourth to one half of the future leaders of the world are on American campuses. The greatest potential for world evangelism lies in the international students studying in America. There are many nations of the world which either prohibit or restrict missionary activity. In American universities, however, there are many Muslim, Chinese, and Southeast Asian students, whose governments are sponsoring their academic endeavors.

These students are already familiar with the people, language and customs of their own country. These international students are the future leaders of their societies, often comprising the top five percent of their nation - often, most people in these nations have never even heard of Jesus Christ. If these students become Christians while studying here in America and are trained in God's Word, they can go back and begin a spiritual awakening in their own nation - from within!

In the 1950s a young man from Ethiopia came for military training to Maryland. During the course of his stay, as the result of unfortunate experiences, he became embittered against America, and against the Christian faith. After his training here he returned to Ethiopia, and in 1974 participated as a key figure in the military coup which resulted in the establishment of a Marxist regime. Among his actions as head of state was the launching of a campaign to root out "alien" religion in Ethiopia. In a speech to the nation, he named missionaries as the number one source of "imperialist infiltration" in Ethiopia. Many missionaries were expelled, and many national Christians were imprisoned. Churches were closed, and the formerly Christian radio station was converted into a voice for Marxist propaganda. The student’s name was Mengistu Mariam.

About the time Mengistu was returning to Ethiopia, another student by the name of Tuisem Shishak arrived in Chicago from India, and later completed his Ph.D. in education at the State University of New York-Buffalo. While he was here Christian friends encouraged Tuisem in his faith, and encouraged him in his vision to return to India to establish a Christian college. In 1974 he did exactly that, founding Patkai Christian College, the first Christian liberal arts college in India. Since then, hundreds of graduates have entered India’s society to fill positions of leadership in business, government, agriculture, the arts, and Christian ministry.

These are just a few of the thousands of similar stories that could be told about students who have come to America, and have returned to make a contribution in their home countries. While they were here, their attitudes toward the U.S. and toward American Christianity were indelibly shaped by their personal experiences. Some of them returned with an attitude that could be characterized as less than friendly. Others have returned with at least a positive impression of America and American Christians. Many have taken with them a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, as a result of their encounter with Christian friends. Will that be you?

It was through the hospitality practiced by the prostitute Rahab that Joshua was able to enter into the promised land. It was in the act of hospitality toward Jesus that Zacchaeus received freedom and ultimately salvation. It was through the act of hospitality that Martha lavished her love upon Jesus. Her hospitality was an act of worship. And may we, through our acts of hospitality, bring glory to our God!

THE BIG PICTURE
Next week, we start the study on the book of Revelation which I am really excited about and I hope you are, too. In Revelation, the culmination of God's purpose is revealed. Listen as I read from Revelation 7:9-10: "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

OUR GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED IN EVERY NATION.
OUR GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED IN EVERY NATION.
OUR GOD WILL BE GLORIFIED IN EVERY NATION.

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. As we leave here this morning, I hope that God will captivate our hearts and minds with a passion to see that He is gloried in every nation. May we be captivated by God’s heart for the nations!