​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes Sunday Service July 19 2026
Sermon Title–All We Need Is Jesus
Text – John 6:22-39
Rev. Key Min Lee

​I continue to emphasize that we should not fix our eyes on our circumstances because they have the power to pull us away from the love of Christ and fill our hearts with fear, worry, and anxiety.  When fear and anxiety begin to dominate our lives, the first thing that happens is that we start questioning the presence of Jesus.  We begin to see everything through a negative lens, and eventually our relationships start to break down.  That is why I continually encourage you not to focus on your circumstances.  Left unchecked, they become one of the greatest obstacles that draw us away from the Lord.
So how can we keep ourselves from being controlled by our circumstances?   I believe today’s passage gives us the answer.
In today’s Scripture, Jesus tells the crowd that they were following Him because they had eaten the loaves and had their fill (v. 26).  There is a very important truth hidden in those words.  Their physical needs had been satisfied.  This speaks to the physical side of our lives.
          God created us with both a body and a spirit.   We were designed to grow in both. When one grows while the other is neglected, the neglected part gradually becomes numb and no longer recognizes its need to grow.  In the same way, if we pursue only what is visible and physical, we eventually stop recognizing our deepest need—Jesus Himself.
          This is exactly what Satan desires.  He wants us to become so preoccupied with our circumstances that we drift away from God.  This is the very deception the Bible warns us about.
          Our circumstances are always changing.  They never remain the same.  That is why we must train ourselves to keep our eyes on the Lord, who never changes and is always with us regardless of our circumstances.  This spiritual discipline means living every day as though Christ could return today.  It means eagerly longing for His return and finding our complete satisfaction in Him alone.
          It also means serving everyone we meet with the love of Christ and giving them the very best of ourselves.  It means living each day in obedience and self-sacrifice for the glory of God.  When we live this way, we are no longer controlled by our circumstances but instead learn to live continually in the presence of the Lord.
 
Throughout today’s passage, Jesus contrasts food that perishes with the food that gives eternal life.  He tells us not to labor for food that spoils, but for the food that endures to eternal life (v. 27).  He also says that believing in the One whom the Father has sent is the bread that truly satisfies and leaves us never hungry again (vv. 29, 35).
          If the food that perishes represents our ever-changing circumstances, then the bread of life represents Jesus Himself.
          Jesus also emphasizes that the words He speaks are not merely His own, but the very words of the Father who sent Him (vv. 38–39).  In other words, when we obey and respond to the words of Jesus, we are obeying the Father Himself.  This is also how we overcome our circumstances.
          Jesus promises that whoever comes to Him will never hunger or thirst again (v. 35).  The Father’s Word is like an everlasting spring that never runs dry, continually filling us with His grace and His presence.  That is why God’s Word remains fresh every day and continually gives us new hope.  As Lamentations 3:23 reminds us, “His mercies are new every morning.”
          When the Lord speaks, our responsibility is simply to obey and apply His Word to our lives.  As we do, we begin to rise above our circumstances.  Instead of being controlled by them, our hearts become filled with gratitude and the fullness of God’s presence.  We begin to live each day with hope.
          After our family moved to Cherry Hill, we had the opportunity to take walks around our neighborhood.  It is a beautiful community with many large homes, luxury cars, and beautifully landscaped gardens.  Some of the lawns are so well maintained that they almost look perfect.  Our yard actually has more weeds than grass, so I spend time taking care of it every week.  It is obvious that many wealthy families live there.
          As we walked together, I said to my wife and children, “There are certainly many wealthy people living here.  But how thankful I am that we are rich in heart.  How thankful I am that the Lord is with us.  Praise the Lord!”
          Some people might hear that and think it sounds like we’re simply trying to make ourselves feel better.  But I truly mean it.  Our greatest joy is not found in what we own but in the Lord Himself.  He has given us everything we need, and because of Him we are genuinely happy and content each day.  That is why we are not easily discouraged or shaken by our circumstances.
          Brothers and sisters, love gives freedom.  It is that freedom that allows us to choose Christ.  Our responsibility is simply to respond to His love.  When we choose Jesus, our circumstances no longer control us.
            On the other hand, if we continue to focus on our circumstances, we remain trapped in deception.  Doubt begins to grow, and doubt produces fear, worry, and anxiety.  Eventually relationships begin to break down, and the church cannot be built up as God intends.
          Remember this one truth above all else:  Jesus Himself is the power.  Jesus Himself is all we need.
          Even today, Jesus is not looking for people who merely react to their circumstances.  He is looking for those who will keep their eyes fixed on Him regardless of what they are facing.
My prayer is that you would live each day with eager anticipation of Christ’s return.  May you find your complete satisfaction in Him alone.  I bless you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes Sunday Service July 19 2026
Sermon Title–Maranatha Amen Come Lord Jesus
Text – Revelation 22:6-7,20-21
Rev. Key Min Lee

​Why do we experience so many hardships and difficult seasons in life?
When people are asked that question, most of us naturally look for the problem in someone else rather than in ourselves.  We tend to justify our own actions by pointing out the faults of others.  But is that really what God wants us to do?
Jesus said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  (Matthew 7:3).  Perhaps the greatest obstacle in our lives is not someone else—it is ourselves.
Satan does not want us to move in the direction God desires.  Instead, he works through our sinful desires to convince us that we are always right and that our actions are justified.  When we hold onto our selfish desires instead of surrendering them to God, we drift away from His will.  Rather than living a life that serves God and others, we begin serving ourselves.  As a result, our lives often become filled with struggles, hardships, and wilderness seasons.
So does that mean suffering is always a bad thing?  The Bible gives us a clear answer.  Hebrews 12:7 says, “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.  For what son is not disciplined by his father?”
The reason we sometimes walk through the wilderness is not because God has abandoned us, but because He loves us.  In His grace, He uses those difficult seasons to teach us not to cling to our sinful desires but to cling to Him - the invisible God who never leaves us.
Today’s passage says, “Look, I am coming soon!  Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll” (Revelation 22:7).  What does that blessing mean?  It means that when we obey God’s Word and walk daily with Jesus, we experience the greatest blessing of all.  In other words, true blessing is not measured by wealth, success, or comfort.  True blessing is walking with the Lord.  In His presence there is peace, joy, gratitude, satisfaction, and fullness of life.
Satan knows this very well.  He does not want believers to experience the fullness of God’s presence because his goal is to lead as many people as possible into darkness.  That is why he constantly tries to keep our attention fixed on our circumstances instead of on Christ.  He uses our sinful desires to distract us from the path God has prepared for us.
Dear brothers and sisters, God created this world.  Out of His great love, He sent His only begotten Son to save us.  Jesus died, rose again, and promised that He will return for us (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Revelation 22:20).
Jesus is the Lord over all creation. He is our Creator, our King, and the only Savior who can save us.  But the moment we begin holding onto our sinful desires, God becomes less visible to us, while the things of this world become more attractive.  To focus on worldly things means allowing our hearts to chase whatever pleases us instead of pursuing Christ.
So let me ask you a question.  What is it that you truly love?  Does it fill your heart with lasting joy and gratitude?  Does it draw you closer to Jesus?  Does it shape your words and your actions to become more like Christ?  If the things you enjoy are producing more worry than peace, more anxiety than gratitude, and more emptiness than joy, then perhaps your life is being led by your desires instead of by God's purpose.  Jesus gives us this invitation in Matthew 11:28–30:  “Come to Me, you all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Have you truly experienced that rest?
Today’s passage calls us to live with a Maranatha faith.  What is a Maranatha faith?  Simply put, it means living each day with our eyes fixed on Jesus rather than on what we possess.  It means remaining unshaken no matter what happens around us.  It means taking one faithful step after another with gratitude and joy as we walk together with the people God has placed in our lives, always looking forward to the day our Lord returns.
A beautiful picture of this is a wedding ceremony.  The groom enters first.  Then the bride begins walking down the aisle.  Let me ask you a question.  When the bride enters, where is the groom looking?  And as the bride walks down the aisle, who is she looking at?  Even though the room is filled with cheering, applause, and celebration, the bride and groom keep their eyes on each other.  They walk toward one another, take each other’s hands, and remain together until the ceremony is complete.
That is what I believe a Maranatha faith looks like.  Jesus is our Bridegroom.  Our calling is to keep our eyes fixed on Him, holding tightly to His hand and continuing to walk with Him regardless of the noise, distractions, or changing circumstances around us.  Isn’t that the greatest joy we could ever experience?
Even in my own life, I often tell people that I still look at my wife the same way I did when we first married.  To me, she is the most beautiful and gorgeous person ever in the world.  When I am with her, other things fade into the background because through our marriage I continually experience God’s love and His presence.  In the same way, when our hearts are fixed on Christ, the things of this world lose their grip on us.  When we align our lives with God - the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End - everything else begins to fall into its proper place.  That is the Maranatha life.
As we live each day with thankful hearts while eagerly awaiting Christ’s return, we grow deeper in His presence.  Our lives become channels through which His love, His grace, and His presence flow to the people around us.
A Maranatha faith keeps our hearts from becoming attached to the things of this world.  Instead, it causes us to worship with greater passion as we eagerly wait for our returning King.  So worship Him wholeheartedly.  Sing His praises with joy.  Pray boldly and often.  And every day, remind yourself who you are.  You are the Bride of Christ.
May you walk with the Lord every day, overflowing with His joy and thanksgiving as you eagerly await His glorious return.  Maranatha!  Come, Lord Jesus! 
May the Lord richly bless you all.  Hallelujah!

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes Sunday Service July 12 2026
Sermon Title–The God Who Is Always with Us
Text – Joshua 3:7-13
Rev. Key Min Lee

​People often allow their hearts to change when their circumstances and situations change. Therefore, it is important for us to have an unshakable heart regardless of our circumstances and environments.
 
However, Satan continually stirs up our desires so that we become attached to our circumstances and situations.  Through our words, he desires to create death and darkness.  That is why it is so important for us to practice looking toward the unchanging God instead of focusing on our circumstances and situations. 
 
James 1:17 says:  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadow.”  This means that God never changes.  He has loved us the same way yesterday, today, and forever.  This is important because when we look only to the unchanging God, our hearts will not be shaken, and we will be transformed into Christians who can overcome what the world cannot overcome.
 
Therefore, we must look only to God.  If our hearts are currently being influenced and changed by our circumstances and situations, we must remember that we are moving in the direction that darkness desires.
 
Today’s passage shows the moment when Joshua, the new leader of Israel, was leading the people to cross the Jordan River.  We need to understand that when the leadership changed from Moses to Joshua, there could have been division among the people.  However, when we look at the actions of Joshua and the actions of Israel, we can see what was truly greater in their hearts.
 
Joshua 1:17-18 says:  “Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you.  Only may the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses.  Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey whatever you command him will be put to death.  Only be strong and courageous.”
 
The reason Israel was able to make this confession was because, in their hearts, the unseen God was greater than visible circumstances and situations.
 
When we look at those who truly serve God with all their hearts, we see complete obedience and sacrifice.  I believe this is the kind of image that today’s church needs.  Only through complete obedience and sacrifice can true unity be established.
 
God also spoke to Joshua:  “Look only to Me, and be courageous.” (Joshua 1:1-9).  These words were spoken to Moses as well (Exodus 3:11-12), and they are also words that God speaks to us today.
 
Therefore, regardless of our circumstances, we must look only to the Lord and offer Him thanksgiving and worship.  Through this, God receives glory through our lives, and the lives of those we encounter can be restored.  That is why we must first become united with God, and then become united with the people God has placed in our lives—just as Joshua and Israel were united.
 
We must remember this:  the reason we must look only to God is because everything visible is only a temporary phenomenon that appears and disappears.  (2 Corinthians 4:18).  Satan tries to make us hold onto visible things through our desires because he wants to separate us from God’s will.  A representative example of this is the battle of Aphek (Ebenezer) recorded in 1 Samuel 4.
 
After Israel was defeated in their battle against the Philistines, they brought the Ark of God from Shiloh to the battlefield.  Why did they do this?  The reason was that they used the Ark as if it were a charm that would bring them victory.  They believed that if the Ark was with them, God would be with them and they would win the battle.  However, the result was devastating.  Thirty-four thousand soldiers died, and the Ark of God, which represented His presence, was captured by the Philistines.
 
Beloved brothers and sisters, we must understand that the Ark itself was a visible sign.  Even when the Ark was placed in the center when Israel conquered Jericho, the Ark was never the source of victory.  It was only a visible sign that pointed Israel toward serving the invisible God.
 
As 2 Chronicles 20:15 says:  “The battle is not yours, but God’s.”  In other words, when we look to the invisible God and walk with Him, then true restoration and unity can finally take place.
 
Beloved brothers and sisters, if we continue chasing after what is visible, we will no longer be able to sincerely serve the invisible God.  As a result, true restoration and unity cannot take place.
 
I believe this is one of the areas where today’s church is lacking.  We are often good at following visible circumstances and outward appearances, but perhaps we have become less devoted to loving the invisible God and walking faithfully with Him.  I believe what we need today is a faith that thinks only of God, refuses to be controlled by circumstances and situations, and continues moving forward.
 
Remember this:  God is with us.  When we keep our eyes fixed on Him, our circumstances and situations no longer become our focus.  We begin to pursue unity.  We seek to understand others and willingly sacrifice ourselves for their sake.  Whatever we do, we desire to do it together.  We do not force or pressure others.
 
Our responsibility is simply to live in such a way that those who encounter us can freely choose God for themselves.
 
May the Lord bless each one of you to keep your eyes fixed on Him and walk with Him every day.  God is Always with You.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes Sunday Service July 5 2026
Sermon Title–United Through Love
Text – John 21:15-18 
Rev. Key Min Lee

​ 
One of Satan’s greatest desires is for people to live in despair.  Why?  Because despair pulls us back into our old selves and keeps us from moving forward in the new life God has given us.  It fills our hearts with complaints, self-condemnation, and feelings of inferiority. Instead of producing life (creation), it creates an environment where spiritual death begins to grow. That is why Satan wants us to remain trapped in despair.
Peter experienced that very kind of despair.  After denying Jesus three times, he forgot the Lord’s promise that He would rise again and returned to his former occupation as a fisherman.  But we must remember who Peter was.  He was a man of faith who stepped out of the boat to walk on the water toward Jesus (Matthew 14:28).  He was also the disciple who boldly confessed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).  He loved the Lord deeply.  Yet now he found himself unable to escape the swamp of despair.
This reminds us that even a person with great faith can lose sight of God’s calling in a single moment.  That is why none of us can boast about our faith, for our salvation is entirely by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8–9).
When Jesus appeared to Peter, He asked him the same question three times:  “Do you love Me?”
Years ago, I heard a pastor preach on this passage, and he explained Jesus’ three commands this way:   “Feed My lambs.  Tend My sheep.  Feed My sheep.”
He said the first command means to encourage and strengthen those who already follow Christ so they can faithfully finish the race.  The second means to pray for those who will come to believe in Christ and help them grow in their faith.  The third means to show understanding and compassion toward those who oppose you or think differently from you, never giving up on praying that they will return to the Lord.
After hearing that sermon, I wondered why he interpreted it that way .  Then one word came to my mind:  Love.
The Bible tells us, “God is love” (1 John 4:8).  At that moment, I realized something important.
When Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?” He was reminding him that God’s love never changes.  Even though Peter had denied Jesus three times, pretended not to know Him, and returned to his old life in despair, Jesus came to him personally.  He restored him completely and gave him a new mission—to help bring even one more soul into the kingdom of God.
In essence, Jesus was saying, “Rise from your despair.  Be strengthened, and move forward.  I am with you always.  You are not alone.” (Matthew 28:18–20)
My prayer is that each of us will believe this promise today.  Amen?
What Jesus wanted from Peter was not simply an answer.  He was asking something much deeper:
“Will you love the people you meet the same way I have loved you?  They are My children.”
Please remember this.  The people sitting beside you in this church are God’s beloved children.  God has placed them in your life so that you may experience His love and also share His love with them.
Then Jesus continued, “When you were younger, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted.  But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”  (John 21:18)
The message is clear.  Until now, we have lived according to our own plans and chosen where we wanted to be.  But now we are called to stand where the Lord wants us to be.  That place is where we love people who are different from us with the love of Christ.
Everyone around us is different.  The people we work with, study with, meet at the grocery store, and even live with are all different from us.  The important question is this:  how we will share God’s love with those who are different from us.
When God’s love is shared, true unity becomes possible.  And through that unity, the Lord builds His church.
The United States is made up of fifty independent states and one federal district, Washington, D.C.  Each state has its own constitution, legislature, governor, court system, and laws.  Yet together they form one nation that has had tremendous influence throughout the world.  In the same way, unity is divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).
If we want to experience genuine unity, we must first learn to love and understand people who are different from us.  That may require changing the way we speak and act.  It may require leaving our past behind and moving forward by faith.  Sometimes we will have to do things we do not enjoy.  Sometimes we will have to accept people and situations that are difficult for us.  But remember this:  when we choose love over ourselves, true unity begins to grow.
Just as Jesus came to Peter after his betrayal, restored him completely, and called him back into fellowship and ministry, He asks each one of us the same question today:  “Do you love Me?”
Only unity that is rooted in the love of Christ can build the Lord’s church.
May we all be united in His love, bring joy to our Lord, and faithfully fulfill His calling.
Amen.