ORDER NUMBER
80-01-01A
REVEREND SUN MYUNG MOON
SPEAKS ON
HOME CHURCH
IS THE BASE OF
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
January 1, 1980, Midnight
World Mission Center
Translator - Bo Hi Pak
Copyright © 1980 by Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity
The year of 1979 is finally over. The year of 1980 has dawned with
great hope and glory. In 1980 we can find a very important number,
eight. As we learn in the Divine Principle, the number eight denotes a
new beginning and new hope. The Unification Church just welcomed the
1980's. Now what is the goal and direction of our movement? This year
our job is to undertake substantially the home church providence.
From the providential point of view, the third seven-year course
would have been turned entirely into the home church crusade. The goal
and slogan I gave on the first day of 1979 was "Home Church and
the Completion of the Kingdom of Heaven." The new slogan for 1980
is "Home Church is the Base of the Kingdom of
Heaven."
This slogan shows us that without home church the Kingdom of Heaven
cannot become a reality. What kind of Kingdom of Heaven are we talking
about? The Kingdom of Heaven is where there is rest and Sabbath, where
there is true joy and happiness. When you take that rest do you do it
all by yourself? You want to enter the kingdom together with your wife,
with your children and parents, with your tribe, your nation and the
world. No matter how much you are longing and ready to take Sabbath, if
your parents are not in a position to take Sabbath with you, or your
wife or children, then certainly you cannot very well take rest. In the
Unification Church you are proud of having True Parents. If you are
serving them but they are not in a position to take rest or have peace
then would you take a rest all by yourself?
Yesterday I gave a very long, very detailed sermon about the
position of Cain, and how Abel can win over Cain. In 1945,
approximately 35 years ago, Korean Christianity should have taken the
true Cain's position to accept Abel and to be accepted by Abel and
united together. Then at that time a true foundation of peace and a
foundation for true Sabbath could have been established with the True
Parents in the center on the family level, tribal level, and national
level. Certainly that would have gone on to the worldwide level. If
that had been done in 1945, then finally there would have been a place
for the true, ultimate peace, happiness and Sabbath. Everything would
have been done on the level of nation and world. If at that time the
nation where I initiated this movement had accepted me then the
national level of a foundation of peace would have been erected. Then
the entire world would have seen a model or prototype and it could
easily have followed.
The one golden opportunity came in those years around 1945.
However, Christianity failed to unite with the True Parent, that
revolutionary name of the new age. Because of that the 2,000-year old
Christian heritage could not be fulfilled in the end. Therefore, that
2,000-year old foundation was broken into pieces without being
fulfilled, and God had to rebuild the entire foundation through the
Unification Church, piece by piece from scratch. Certainly that would
not have been necessary if Christianity had accepted the Providence.
Of course, I as an individual could not all of a sudden initiate a
nationwide crusade or movement. I had to start from the family level.
The Unification Church has the ultimate goal of building the Kingdom of
Heaven here on earth. What is the basic component of that kingdom? The
family is the building block of the Kingdom of Heaven. There a husband
and wife become parents and together they become the foundation.
Because Korean Christianity failed to accept me in 1945, I went on
with the arduous task of winning our own foundation after fourteen long
years of struggle. At that time I erected the foundation upon which
Mother and I could be installed as the first True Parents in the
history of man. In other words, by then I had established a bulwark
strong enough that the opposition of the entire nation and of all
Christianity could not break it down; no matter what, our movement
would have enough strength to sustain itself and still go on.
Even though Mother was installed as True Mother, we could not live
as a happy family right away. A three-year period of purification and
separation was necessary, a period which was very important prior to
moving on to the next stage of the dispensation. In order to go into a
second seven-year course, all conceivable indemnity must be paid on a
family level. This first seven-year course was the period of erecting
the foundation upon Mother's installation, and the period in which
Mother was to be perfected as the True Mother. It was the period of
growth for Mother herself.
As you know, the human fall came in the perfection level of the
growth stage. Therefore, the seven year course Mother and I went
through together was the period to cross through the growth stage to
perfection stage, the period in which I would restore and install
Parents Day, Children's Day, and Day of All Things. The most important
condition Mother and I made during the seven-year course was that no
matter what difficulties or obstacles and hardships came upon us, we
would not complain. We would not even feel discouraged inside, or
anguished or rebellious in any way.
As you can see, it was God's method to utilize Satan to give Father
and Mother the worst kind of test and tribulation. This is the way I
had to be hardened and proven to be the True Parent. For Mother too,
Satan created incredible instances in the first seven years, one after
another, in which Mother could easily have given up and said,
"Father, you are too great a husband and I simply cannot follow
you. I'm not worthy of you, so let me pack and go." She could very
well have done that many times during those seven years.
To make things worse, when was Mother was already so heavily
burdened I was not a comforting husband. I started out as the worst
kind of cruel husband. That was the standard I set at the beginning
because that's the way I also tested Mother, even harder than Satan.
Knowing that Satan was going to test her, I tested her myself first.
That was my purpose. Even though I tested her worse than Satan, stile
some hint of purpose behind it could be understood by her. That made it
easier to bear than Satan's tests. In this way we became closer and
closer for 3 1/2 years, then another 3 1/2 years.
After those seven years, our victorious foundation proved in front
of God and in front of Satan that I was an invincible husband and that
Mother was an invincible wife. No matter how difficult Satan's standard
was, God was justified in saying that we had passed the test. The many
other blessed couples who came knew that the True Parents had set the
true standard, and they followed that standard by uniting with them and
serving them without a word of complaint. By doing so, they could
obtain the same degree of perfection.
During the seven-year period I had blessed many couples, and they
could easily have exclaimed to me, particularly the women, "I just
don't understand you. What kind of husband are you ? How can you treat
your wife like that?" But these blessed couples who passed the
test know one thing: no matter how many things I did that they didn't
understand, they were at least sure that I was absolutely God-centered,
and whatever I did was for God. The 36 couples, 72, 120, and 430
couples were blessed within that seven-year period, and they knew one
way or another what a difficult path Mother and I trod. Since they knew
what kind of difficulties we had to overcome, they could not complain.
After that seven-year dispensation the time finally came to set up
God's Day. Only after the seven-year course was completely secured did
I declare God's Day. From the original point of view God's Day should
actually have come first, then Parents Day and Children's Day and Day
of All Things. But because of restoration, all other conditions had to
be ready before God's Day could be set up. That was finally done on
January 1, 1968. Since God's Day was declared victoriously in 1968,
everything is restored and celebration begins with God's Day. The first
seven-year course was the time in which the True Parents were
concretely established and upon which God's Day, Parents Day,
Children's Day and Day of All Things could be restored to God.
In the meantime, the national level of opposition and persecution
against our movement was gradually decreasing. Upon the victorious
foundation of the first seven-year course our movement transcended
persecution, and whether it came from the government or the Christian
community, it didn't hinder us at all. This is because I and my family
took all the indemnity for the sake of our movement. Adam should be the
one who stands like a tower to receive the persecution coming from the
entire nation. That is the Adam role and I never hesitated to take it.
The first seven-year course was for restoration of Adam and Eve, and it
has been completed. The True Parents were installed and the True Family
has been declared in heaven and earth.
The second seven-year course is the one in which the blessed
couples had to take a major role. Their responsibilities were to teach
the government and nation how to treat the families of the nation. At
the same time. as the families of the nation' they are teaching other
families how to serve the nation. This second seven-year course was the
period of the total mobilization of the blessed couples. All the
blessed couples in Korea and some blessed couples abroad were mobilized
to take up the torch for the second seven-year course, and in 1970 I
ordered every blessed couple to leave their family. The wives took up
the front-line role and I sent them out. Why? Because the women had to
experience what True Mother experienced before them. They had to go the
same route to learn that particular tribulation.
When the heavenly order came to leave their homes for the mission,
then their loved ones-their husbands and children-could become the
enemies of the mission. Because the husbands were in a position close
to their wives, they could easily try to dissuade them from going. Then
they would be the first ones to block the heavenly dispensation and
actually be the worst Satans. The best way for the wives to overcome
such a temptation would be to regard their husbands as their enemies.
By thinking in that way it wouldn't be painful to deny them and go
out. By thinking of her husband as her loved one it would hurt a wife
to refuse him, but by thinking of him as her enemy she was in a
position where nothing could stop her. Then she could obey absolutely.
Each mother had to look at her children as her second enemy for the
same reason. Then even if the children cried out and tried to stop her
from leaving them it would not hurt her and break her heart. By doing
so, if Satan was trying to invade then her standard would block him and
protect the children. This is why the Bible teaches that the closest
members of your family are your worst enemy in the last days. We must
fulfill that scripture in the Unification Church. These are not just
empty words. This is the actual history I am explaining to you.
All the blessed mothers in those days were given their marching
orders and nothing would stop them. They decided to give up their
children and leave them with someone else to be cared for. In this
country you have many welfare organizations, but in Korea there is no
such thing. So they wrote short letters and left their children with
their unwelcoming relatives, knowing they would be criticized. Their
letters said, I "I am not abandoning my child. I love him, and I
will come back in three years. Will you please take care of I him until
I come back?"
You can imagine what the parents, in-laws and the public would say.
They bitterly criticized those women and criticized me and our
movement. People said, "Reverend Moon put those couples together
and now he's separating them. He never even thought of their children.
What kind of cruel man is he?" There was no direction from which
criticism didn't come. But during those seven years the one group of
people who adamantly refused to complain against me was the Unification
Church husbands and wives. They looked like victims but they welcomed
the mission, and even the children sometimes said, "Mommy and
Daddy, go ahead and don't worry about me." How could Unification
Church couples be so strong? Because there was a living example in
front of them, Mother and I, who had gone through much more
tribulation. Compared to that suffering, the blessed couples knew that
their own suffering was small.
The major members of the Unification Church knew that incredible
opposition would come to them, but they knew that the most accusation
and criticism would go to me. They felt very protective of me, wanting
to shield me and not let my name be tarnished. That's why the
Unification Church core foundation has become tight and strong.
Therefore, the love of God is coming to my family and will be connected
to the blessed couples. That inseparable bond between True Parents and
true blessed couples was made under overwhelming adverse conditions.
The first six months were the worst period. Throughout the entire
nation there was criticism and negative publicity. People knew all
about our movement and how our young couples were leaving their
children and going to the front line. As time went on, people knew they
were missionaries of the Unification Church and then they asked,
"Aren't you the women who left their families behind? Why did you
do that?" Then the true testimony was given. "Yes, we love
our children and we love our husbands, but we love this nation, the
people of the world and God more. We want to demonstrate by the most
painful experience of leaving these children behind that we want to
save this nation. We love this nation and people more than we love our
own children."
After one year these people who were negative began to weep
together with our people, praying together with them and coming to
help. Even without knowing the contents of the Divine Principle they
wanted to be with them and be supportive. After two years passed public
opinion was unanimous that if all the Korean people loved their country
as much as Unification members, then indeed the nation would be saved.
Furthermore, no matter how great the communist threat would become, it
could be stopped. That was the conviction of the people.
What about the children who were left behind? During the first two
years the people thought they were a burden to everyone. Villagers
would talk about the Moonie children and say, "Their mother and
father are crazy." Two years later what happened? Everyone wanted
to come help, wanting to take care of the children for a few days to do
something for that young couple before they came back. They volunteered
to serve those children in some way. Even the Korean government looked
at what our people were doing in every corner of the countryside.
The Christians who were traditionally very negative toward our
movement thought they had a golden opportunity to criticize Unification
Church and called me all kinds of names, but two years later the
villagers and common people stood up and said to those critics,
"Are you true Christians? We found God in the Unification Church
members. They stood up and fought for us. What kind of Christians are
you?"
In other words, during these three years of tribulation unity was
made with the people, and even unity between the government and the
people was enhanced by our heroic actions. By doing so a condition was
established: by our members' abandoning their children for three years,
all other people recognized their sacrificial work and came to value
and respect our movement. Then they wanted to do something to help the
children who were left behind. Thus, through the children a link was
made between our members and other churches and the common people. That
formed a condition for God's blessing to flow not only to the
Unification Church but through us to all the people, even to negative
Christians and people who criticized us.
The providence of the second seven-year course was such that I
wanted to save the nation by sacrificing my own beloved family. That
was the theme of it.
It also made restitution for Jesus' time, when incredible
opposition came from Judaism and the Jews who ultimately crucified
Jesus. By offering the family as a sacrifice on the altar of God and
going from the position of receiving the worst criticism to the
position of welcome, a base was formed for the restitution of Jesus'
ministry as well. Our members in Korea have successfully fulfilled the
second seven-year course through their own portion of responsibility.
This was why I could come out of Korea for the worldwide
dispensation in the third seven-year course. Furthermore, the
dispensation of God was pushed three years ahead of time. Always the
providential schedule has been delayed, but for the first time in
history I could advance the schedule and come to this country in 1971.
At the onset of 1972 my global ministry could begin. The remarkable
thing was that during the initial period of my ministry in 1972,1973
and the middle of 1974, the Christians of America gave me an open-armed
welcome and red-carpet treatment, even though Korean Christianity
failed to accept me in 1945.
America is a nation of people from around the world, and American
Christianity represented world Christianity. By America's initial
acceptance, God was in a position to forgive Korea's mistake. By doing
so the condition was sustained that God could still give blessing to
the entire world through America. By the end of 1974 I had won an
unprecedented heavenly victory here in America, receiving the total
welcome of the American people and the Christian churches. I visited
every state at least once, and visited many major states several times,
sweeping the country and kindling a spiritual revolution. I received
around 850 welcoming proclamations and honorary citizenships and
citations. Even Jimmy Carter gave me one when he was governor of
Georgia.
Upon the foundation of this worldwide victory I returned to Korea
with honor and with strength to truly go on the offensive. My goal was
to teach strongly the Korean Christians and government who so adamantly
opposed me. What was the situation at that time? At first the
Christian churches and government united together against me, but then
after 2 1/2 years what happened? There was a big fight between the
Korean government and the Christians. I was very strong in saying that
the government must be strong to stop the aggression of communism. The
Christians thought they could confront and criticize the government,
but when the Unification Church stepped in between they were forced to
fight the Unification Church instead.
This was the reversal of the relationship between Rome, Israel and
Jesus 2,000 years ago when the Roman government sided with the
government of Israel to crucify Jesus. Today Christianity is in the
position of Judaism at that time, and the Korean government in the
position of Israel. God wanted the government of Rome and Israel to
support Jesus and stand up against Judaism if necessary, but exactly
the opposite situation occurred. 2,000 years ago Jesus was not accepted
by Judaism, by Israel, and certainly not by Rome. America today is in
the position of the Roman Empire 2,000 years ago, and in 1974 America
welcomed me. Then when I returned to Korea the government welcomed me,
and instead of uniting with the Christian churches who were attacking
me the government stood together with us. That was historical
restitution.
No matter how external America's unity with me was at first, this
nation set a condition of welcoming me. Therefore, with that power I
could go back to Korea victoriously, no matter how much Christian
opposition existed there. Opposition is mounting here in America only
because American Christians are affected by the Korean churches. Also
there is agitation by communists internationally, people who know me as
an archenemy of communism. The new opposition grew because of the
planning between American churches and Korean churches, as well as
conspiracy between communistic elements. The United States government
and the media have been exploited by these forces. Initially, however,
there was a pure welcome, and because of that condition America can
still be saved.
Furthermore, no matter how much people may scheme to ruin us, we
have built up enough strength already to not only resist but win over
them. I know that no matter how much Christians come against the
Unification Church, they are going to be defeated. No matter how much
the communists come against us, they are going to be defeated. Once the
necessary foundation is made, we can declare the new age, and now, no
matter what the people say, a new age has dawned.
When I initiated the three seven-year courses there seemed to be a
stone wall blocking us, with one obstacle after another. At that time
many early members thought there was no hope, no way to break through
all the barriers. Everyone was discouraged, but what happened? After
winning each incredible battle and completing each of the seven year
courses' it seemed almost as though a big construction company was
going out in front of me, laying a super highway. This is why after the
victory at Washington Monument I could declare that Moscow is our next
goal.
No matter how much the international communists struggle for world
conquest, they cannot proceed according to their own schedule. Their
decline is inevitable, and they will have worse internal arguments and
splits among themselves. Russia and China fight even more bitterly with
each other than either of them fights with the United States right
now. The communists thought they had the one unified ideology which
could bring world conquest, but now they are busy fighting among
themselves.
I can say very clearly that without the Unification Church America
has no hope. The free world has no vision of hope without Unification
Church. Furthermore, the Unification Church can go on and truly
liberate communism. No one except the Moonies has the ideology or the
power of love to do that.
I have made a most important declaration: all the historical debts
of the past have been paid. Now the time has come when I can focus
completely on building. The time has also come that Mother and I can
take some rest. At the outset of this talk I said the Kingdom of Heaven
is the place of Sabbath and true peace. No satanic power has any right
or condition to claim True Parents' family or the Unification Church
movement. We are above their accusation.
The final role the American movement will take in addition to what
the True Parents and the Korean and Japanese blessed couples have done
is a 2 1/2-year condition by the blessed couples. I want America to go
ahead on a global scale and show in front of God and Satan the
determination of the American blessed couples. That's why I have asked
the American blessed wives to go to the CARP movement for 2 1/2 years.
It is the final condition the women are going to undertake in America.
If this final condition by the American blessed couples is fulfilled
then even if you volunteer for such things there won't be any
opportunity. This is the final chance. After that the home church
crusade will be wide open and home ministry will be our way of life. In
other words, you will not face the indemnity Mother and I went through.
You won't have to go through the same condition the Korean blessed
couples went through in those harsh years.
Now everything you do is building a lasting accomplishment that
will become your tower. The men and women going out into home church
will be harvesting and bringing things in. We are moving across the
boundary. We no longer belong to the old age or old territory. We are
moving into a new territory and a new era. That is why I told you that
home church is the base of the Kingdom of Heaven. We can now build the
physical kingdom with our own hands. In the past the Unification Church
missionaries endured incredible situations. Your elder brothers and
sisters were kicked and spat at, and even killed, but that era is now
over. You don't have to face that. When you speak the Divine Principle
you will meet people anxiously waiting for the message and you shall be
regarded as their savior. The people are waiting for you to come.
This afternoon Tiger Pak reported that 150 brilliant college
students came to the CARP week-long workshop in Florida. He reported
that those students were really excited when they heard our lecturers
teach the Principle and they look like real Moonies. I told Tiger Pak,
"Don't you know that it ought to be that way? Don't you know God's
timetable? It's just about that time for that."
You are in the same position. Just concentrate and totally unite
and do things beyond the standard I established. All you have to do is
try to cross over the boundary of the worst persecution I have been
receiving. If you exert your energy trying to bring yourself over the
line of my own suffering, once you go one little step beyond it the
entire spirit world will come down upon you. A new horizon will be
wide open.
Home church will only be difficult at the beginning. The first
several steps will be difficult but try to cross over the point of
persecution by comparing it with my energy at that particular point.
When you go just one more step over that point everything will become
easy. Can you do it? At the beginning you may wail, "Father, I
just can't do it!" But as you continue, slowly everything will
become easier. Don't worry about trying to save face. Make a new hole
and tighten your belt. Make up your mind, grit your teeth and step
forward.
When you go to home church don't try to get into someone's living
room right away. Go through the back door and then to the bathroom.
Your first thought will be, "How can this be a bathroom in the
heavenly kingdom? I cannot afford to leave it this dirty. Let me clean
it." After the bathroom is clean and fresh you can come out and
look at the hallway. You will say, "I cannot afford to welcome
Heavenly Father in this dirty hall. Let me clean it up."
The person living there will stride up to you and shout, "What
kind of rascal are you? Why do you bother my bathroom?" Then you
will shout back, "What kind of rascal are you? This is my home.
I'm trying to welcome Heavenly Father in this home and no one will stop
me. I'm going to keep cleaning your house."
You can tell them, "Don't you want to celebrate at least one
of God's birthdays in your home?" The other person will be totally
overcome and say, "Is it true? Can we have God in this house? You
say, "All you have to do is try me out free for one week. Whether
God is coming in through the door or not, try me out for one
week." This is a very effective way to make a sale in America,
offer someone a tree trial, and if they don't like what you offer they
can return it.
I want you to know that the term "home church" is a most
precious one. Many, many saints, wise men, prophets and Christian
martyrs have waited for the day of home church but they did not have
the luxury of seeing it. They did not have anyone to set the highway
straight by paying back all the necessary indemnity. There was no way
home church could start before I came. Only because I have paid all the
past debts can we now undertake home church. I want you to know how
precious the gift of home church is.
Your 360 homes are your tribe. If your name happens to be Smith,
those 360 homes are the Smith tribe. You can even put a sign up. You
can say, "Who built all these homes for them? I came and I am
going to build homes for all of my tribe." But then you can think,
"I know who built these homes. God built them for me to give to my
tribe and He used Satan as labor. I claim ownership of this place and
as the tribal messiah I shall lead my tribe into the Canaan of the
modern century."
When you begin to enjoy your home church and claim the land, God
will come down, smile at you and say, "My son, don't you like
it?" Then you will reply. "Yes, Father, I like it." Then
Satan will come and tell you, "You are using the homes that I
sweated very hard to build but that's okay. You go ahead because I
cannot claim you any more."
Do you understand what a welcome word "home church" is,
and how much indemnity was paid in order to make home church possible
at this time? If you truly know the value of home church through
learning the depth of the Divine Principle then you will come to the
point where even if you just see the words "home church",
tears of gratitude will roll down your face. You will bow down to those
words, saying, "Thank you, Father, that I can read 'home church'
and have home church."
Now home church is available for all mankind. I have done
everything on a global scale to pay for the past 6,000 years and now I
am asking you to take care of one little corner of the land with 360
homes. Can you say you cannot do it? If you say you refuse this task
then you are entitled to the worst hell, not heaven. That is true
because it is so obvious that home church can easily be done.
Once we turn the atmosphere of America around, particularly the
media atmosphere, everyone will say, "Reverend Moon, please come
and do home church for me." If everyone says that, don't you think
home church can be done easily? Then will you be persecuted or be a
hero?
When I say "base",. what do I mean? Usually a base is a
launching pad like the pads at Cape Kennedy. When a rocket is launched,
the capsule for the astronauts is on the top. The engines for take-off
are on the bottom, then the booster engines in the middle, and the
capsule put on top. What you are doing is building a rocket. You build
the engine on the base first, and that's the most difficult. Then you
build up and up and up all the way to the capsule where you can stay.
Once you have finished constructing it, all you have to do is push the
button and lift off. After a successful launch you can look back and
see your 360 home church families all around you.
Why did God allow man to land on the moon successfully? Where did
Armstrong land? On the moon. M-O-O-N. But the moon is not the end of
the journey. When you land on the moon, I will be up there waiting.
Then I will build another rocket and we will lift off to the sun. Then
you will be a Sunny, but that's not all. I will ignite you once more
and this time you will land in the heart of God. Then you will be a
Kingy. Other people might say you are brainwashed or crazy, but who
cares what they think as long as we are happy? What is our topic? Home
Church is the Base of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Let me ask you a question-Do you want Mother and me to take a rest
and go around the world? Would you say, "Father and Mother, you
can go and rest under one condition: that you take me along"? I
will tell you to come along with me only after home church has lifted
off. I have done home church on a global basis, and because of the work
I have done home church can be done everywhere by everyone.
No matter how gutsy you are, can you ask me to take you along if
you have only done home church in 360 homes? I have been looking
forward to home church for at least twenty years. This is my
twenty-year dream become reality; even to speak the word home church is
a dream become reality for me. I never gave up but hung on and fought
it out for twenty years. How long have you been doing home church?
Some of you have not even done it for twenty weeks. Are you justified
in whining, "Father, I am so tired. My legs are hurting and
getting sore"? Do you think home church is incredibly difficult or
can it be done? Not "can be done" but "candy
done". Sweet things are always done.
In the future being deprived of the right to do home church would
be the worst sentence to pass on anyone, worse than prison or
electrocution. The age has come when home church is that precious.
Everyone will be so eager to have a territory for home church that if
they can't have their own area they will feel they are in the worst
hell. Do you clearly know the value of home church? Do you know that
in order to establish the foundation of home church God and I have
worked desperately hard to pay all the indemnity? Many, many saints
and martyrs have shed blood in order to achieve the home church
dispensation.
You don't need any additional explanation, do you? Can you go on
and finish without me? Let's meet together when we complete home church
and then we can have a victory party. I am looking for one person: the
champion of home church. Whoever consummates the home church
dispensation shall truly be recognized as the tribal messiah and will
issue invitations to Mother and me to come to the first completed home
church on earth. I am looking forward to that home church and am
anxious to see whether it will come in Japan, Korea or America. I will
ask the same question to the Korean congregation and they will say,
"The first champion of home church will be in Korea." The
Japanese will say it will come in Japan. So you have fierce
competition!
Sometimes you think it's a great advantage for Americans to have
long legs because you can run faster, but watch out for the Japanese
and Koreans. They will be fierce competitors because, even though their
legs are short, your eyes are big and you look around at so many
things. But Koreans and Japanese have small eyes and they see only the
goal, nothing else. Can you still win?
The Korean way of life is such that they can skip lunch for a week
and never notice. But in America you count on eating three meals, and
when one o'clock comes you think, "Why isn't lunch ready?"
The Koreans have another advantage because they don't need any special
furniture to sit on. They can sit anywhere: on the grass, on the sand,
on the highway, and it doesn't make any difference to them. But when
you tell Americans to sit down they look for a bench or chair. The
Korean people don't need flush toilets because nature provides a toilet
everywhere. But when Americans have to relieve themselves they run
around until they find a toilet.
Also you Westerners complicate a meal by using so many different
utensils-a fork, knife, butter knife, salad fork, steak knife, coffee
spoon, soup spoon. Why do you make your life so complicated ? All
Koreans need are two chop sticks for everything. Chop sticks were
inspired by the birds, whose beaks work on the same principle. A bird
doesn't need many forks and knives. When you think you need so many
items, you will get left behind. Would you fall behind?
In an American meal there is soup, then salad, then the main
course, then dessert and an after-dinner drink. You have breakfast and
then in a couple of hours you want a coffee break. How many breaks do
you have during the day? You waste so much time doing many tedious and
ridiculous things. How many of you sisters waste time painting your
fingernails and trying to shape your eyebrows? If you do all these
things do you still have time to complete home church?
It is not very easy to win at home church. You need to do three
things: think differently, plan differently and act differently. Your
way of life must become different. Instead of walking the normal way at
a normal speed you need to be shouting out and running down the
highway. If you have that kind of stamina then I can see some hope in
you to win the home church championship here in America. Can you do
it? Your answer is very clear.
Do you know how much I have been tricked and cheated by you? You
always lie to me. How many yeses have you spoken to me? But where are
those yeses in action? I forgive you for 1979. It's gone and behind
us. What about 1980? Would you do it? Is this a yes I can remember or
should I forget it?
I gave you not only a sermon this morning but a one-man show. Why?
Because I see nothing but hope in 1980, nothing but brightness and
excitement. Therefore, I want to start the day by being happy, excited
and jubilant. I would like to keep a record in my own notebook of
successful home church #1, #2, #3, and #4. How many numbers would you
like to have? You won't see that notebook here on earth, but as soon as
you get to the spirit world you will automatically see that notebook.
If you find it and see you are number one then all your American
ancestors will be shouting and dancing. God will be awakened and ask,
"What are you doing down there?" and you will reply,
"Father, come and dance with us. America has the number one home
church and did the number one job."
When you become a champion in home church, is that comparable to
winning the Olympic marathon? A marathon is trivial compared to the
home church race, where a champion must run for ten or twenty years to
win. You are going to win far greater glory as a home church champion,
so wouldn't you want to give your entire best for a few years? It is
only logical. I want you to know that what I said this morning will be
put into practice by all the Unification Church members around the
world, not just you. You have tough competition. Within three days the
entire world will hear what I said this morning and then everyone will
want to catch up with you for the three-day delay. They will want to
run faster and do something better than the American movement. "I
will witness better and lecture better and visit home church
more." Even the MFT will want to do better than you in every
competition. Especially the heavy women will want to get rid of their
extra burden so they can do better, and God, looking down, will say,
"That's truly my daughter. She resembles me and my character.''
then will God think that He wants to give her the best husband or not?
You know the answer. You are not dumb.
Today's topic is the slogan for this year of 1980: Home Church is
the Base of the Kingdom of Heaven. That is the destiny where true rest
lies, where true happiness and joy lies, and even where true life
lies. The person who lives and dies in home church is the person who
is truly happy.
I would like to buy an airplane. What kind would you like me to
get? If you ask me to buy a Concorde, I will do it. I would like to go
around the world and hand-pick the twelve most scenic areas for
resorts. I might visit Greece, South America, or the Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico. Would it be fun for me to go to those places alone? Who
should I bring with me? I don't want to go alone but to take the home
church champion along. Those who have been persecuted and who suffered
the most yet still became the home church champions are going to be my
companions. Those champions cannot ride in any ordinary car. I would
like them to have a Lincoln Continental because they are the eternal
heavenly heroes.
What kind of ranking would you want to get- number one or number
one thousand million? This is the appropriate morning for you to make
up your mind. I want you to know that in order to build the base of the
Kingdom of Heaven eternally you must first build a base to the Kingdom
of Heaven within yourself. So make up your mind what kind of grade you
want to get. To reach that rank do you need everyday supervision or do
you need someone snapping at you every minute?
If you've really make up your mind that you're going to be the
champion for the home church, that means I am already a success at the
outset of 1980. Do you want to make me a success? Your yes sounds like
ye-su, which is how Koreans pronounce Jesus' name. Does that mean you
are going to give your life like Jesus did for the sake of your own
mission?
This is your first 1980 promise to God and me: that you are going
to be a home church champion and win the most successful rank. Will
you fulfill it?
God bless you.