“I AM the Messiah” (John 12:12-19) - The God We Can Know VI -

“I AM the Messiah” (John 12:12-19)

- The God We Can Know VI -

Why the Triumphal Entry?

Today’s text is well known as “Jesus’ Triumphal Entry.” This story is recorded in all four Gospels (cf. Matt 21: 1–11; Mark 11: 1– 11; Luke 19: 29– 38). It shows the importance of this event. In the ancient world “triumphal entries” were fairly common. When a king wins the battle, he would return to his city, bringing the spoils of his battles and stories of conquest. So when John says that the crowd “went out to meet Jesus (v.13),” this is a common expression used for cities meeting their triumphant, returning king. Then, you may ask, “Is the triumphal entry necessary for Jesus?” The answer is “YES!” It is necessary for Jesus to declare his kingship. He intentionally declares his kingship by this triumphal entry, riding on a donkey. Zechariah 9:9 says, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Jesus has chosen to fulfill this prophecy by entering Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. Here he is saying with his action: “Yes, I am the Messiah.” He is saying, “I am lowly and gentle. I am not, in my first coming, on a white war-horse with a sword. I am not coming to condemn you. I am coming to save you this time. Today is the day of salvation!” And in today’s passage the people take palm branches as a sign of honor for a victorious person and go out to meet Jesus. They shout, “Hosanna,” which means, “Save us now!” They give Jesus their praises. The people seem to recognize their King, their Savior. But the Bible says there are two different kinds of people, two different kinds of Hosannas.

The Crowd’s Hosanna (12:12-19)

The first kind of Hosanna is the crowd’s Hosanna. Many scholars believe that the regular population of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time was about 50,000 and that during Passover it grew to perhaps 100,000 to 120,000. A first-century Historian Josephus even describes one Passover 2,700,000 people took part in the city. Imagine that tens of thousands of people would gather and shout, “Hosanna!” That would be such a marvelous sight. It is natural for the Pharisees to say, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” (v.19) Such praise for Jesus is perfectly appropriate. He is worthy to be praised. We ought to give Jesus all our praises just as the crowd did in the text. Luke 19:40 reminds us that if we do not do this, nature itself will cry out! The crowd did the right thing in the right place at the right time. However, their hearts were not right before God. Their motivation to worship was to achieve their visions. The people were looking for someone who would set them free from political oppression by the Roman Regime. They were looking for someone who would liberate them from religious rules and regulations. They were looking for someone who would stop a vicious economic cycle. Then they found Jesus. They saw his “power” to raise Lazarus from the dead. In verse 17 John says, “Now the crowd that was with Jesus when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.” Those people continue to follow Jesus from Bethany, spread the word, and today many people join and shout out loud, “Hosanna! You are the Savior!” However, one week later the very same crowd turns into a mob, crying out, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (John 19:6). Why? Because Jesus fails to satisfy their immediate needs. Jesus is worthy of our praise all the time. But too often we only look at Jesus through our own needs and our own issues. When he satisfies our needs, we praise him. But when he fails to satisfy them, we turn our back on him and even deny him.

Mary’s Hosanna (12:1-8)

Today’s text says there is another kind of Hosanna. It is Mary’s Hosanna. The day before the triumphal entry, Jesus spends time with Lazarus and his siblings. While they are having a dinner, Mary comes in with a jar of very expensive perfume, that is worth a year’s wages (Minimum wage of ME is now $7.25 per hour, and per capita income in this area/ in a 5-mile radius is about $20,000). So Mary now anoints Jesus’ feet with the perfume worth $20,000, wiping his feet with her hair. “What a waste!” That was the people’s response in the room (cf. Matt 26:8). They didn’t understand. For them, it was too much. It was a lavish waste. But for Mary, it was just such a joy and privilege to honor Jesus in this extravagant way. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time, probably for life. She was ready to give up everything, even her life for Christ without reserve. Why is then Mary’s devotion so extravagant and special from others? It is because she experienced the extravagant love of Christ in a very special way. Mary always listened to Jesus’ words attentively. She sat at Jesus’ feet, hanging on every word he said (Luke 10:39). And she saw how Jesus healed the sick and forgave sins. Mary herself was also forgiven and set free from guilt, sin and shame. For the first time she was finally able to find rest for her soul. But there comes a time when she personally experiences Christ’s love the most: “the death of her brother Lazarus.” She lost the pillar of the family. She lost all hope and doesn’t know what to do from now on. And Jesus comes and comforts her and raises Lazarus from the dead. Now she does know that Jesus is indeed the Savior of the world. And she remembers Jesus’ words that he would suffer many things and must be killed, because he said this before at least three times (cf. Matt 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19). She knows intuitively there isn’t much time left. When Jesus visits her hometown, she gives her best to Jesus. Pouring a $20,000 perfume upon his feet is the least Mary can do for Jesus who loves her so unconditionally. That is Mary’s Hosanna.

While I was meditating on Mary’s Hosanna during the week, one person came to my mind. That was Ruby Kendrick, who was a missionary to Korea. She was born in Texas in 1883. At an early age, she experienced the extravagant love of Christ and decided to be a missionary. At the age of 24 she arrived in Korea all alone. In Korea, she just started to learn Korean language, at the same time she taught Sunday School. Less than a year later, Ruby Kendrick died of appendicitis in Korea. At her request she was buried in Korea. Her last words home were, “If I had a thousand lives, Korea should have them all.” What a waste! What made Ruby Kendrick give up her life for Korean people she had never seen before? She loved Korea for Christ. She served Korea for Christ. In the letter she wrote just before passing away, she wrote following words:

“Dad, mom! This land, Korea, is truly a beautiful land. They all resemble God. I see their good heart and zeal for the gospel, and I believe that in few years it will be a land overflowing with the love of Christ...

But the persecution is getting stronger. Two days ago, three or four of those who have accepted Christ less than a week have been dragged away and were martyred. Missionary Thomas and James were also martyred… Tonight, I have strong desire to return home.

I remember you mom who resisted to the last moment of me leaving the port because of the stories of the hate of foreigners and opposition to the gospel.

Dad, Mom! Perhaps, this may be the last letter I will be writing…

I will bury my heart in this land. I realized that this passion for Korea that I have is not mine but God’s passion toward Korea. Mom, Dad! I love you.”

I am grateful for Ruby Kendrick and those who said YES to partner with God’s heart and gave their lives to others. Their fruit is now seen all over the world. I am one of many beneficiaries. Before I came to the US in 2006, I visited the Foreign Missionary Cemetery and expressed my respect to Ruby Kendrick and many other missionaries. Ruby Kendrick passed away more than a hundred years ago, but her devotion is still remembered up to this day and her fragrance fills Korea and all over the world.

Our Hosanna

Missionary C.T. Studd said, “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him.” I think Mary would say exactly the same. As we are moving forward to the Resurrection Celebration, I exhort all of us to prepare our extravagant perfume for Christ. Here are three specific things that we can do: First, come to Easter Services! I think one of the most precious gifts that we can offer to Christ would be ourselves, our presence with a grateful heart. So I encourage you to make every effort to attend the Easter services to honor and praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This week the church offers several services: Maundy Thursday (6 pm, Hodgdon UMC), Good Friday (6 pm, Houlton UMC), and Easer Sunday (9:00 am, Hodgdon/10:15 am, Houlton). Second, invite your friends! One of my favorite hymns is “Because He Lives.” A refrain of this song is as follows: “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, he holds the future. And life is worth living, just because he lives!” Yes indeed! Because of Easter our past is forgiven, our life is worth living and we have a future in heaven! Hallelujah! Why don’t we share this good news to our neighbor and friends? I encourage you to invite them to the Easter services. Third, prepare your personal gifts to Christ! I encourage all of us to give our best for our King, Jesus Christ, just as Mary did. There is a time for everything (Ecc 3:1). There is a time for devotion. To die for Christ is a glorious thing. But to live for Christ is an equally or even more glorious thing. As we are moving forward to this precious time of the Holy Week, let us ask ourselves this question: “How can I live for Christ?” “How can I show my devotion to Christ?” 

“I AM the True Vine” (John 15:1-8) - The God We Can Know V -

“I AM the True Vine” (John 15:1-8)

- The God We Can Know V -

Into the Storm

When I was a little boy, one of my favorite things to do was to ride on a motorbike, of course as a passenger. At that time, my grandfather was a pastor and did lots of visitations on his motorbike. When he had free time, he used to give me a ride and take a round to downtown. When he did speed up or turn the corner, he always said to me, “Hold fast to me!” On his motorbike I just felt like I was flying. I felt literally on top of the world. In today’s scripture Jesus says the same thing to his disciples. “Hold fast to me! Remain in me!” When we read John 15, normally what comes to our mind is a typical idyllic, relaxed, romantic scene. But actually, Jesus was saying this on the very night when he was betrayed. It was his farewell speech. We can imagine the atmosphere of the upper room might be like the calm before the storm. The disciples now know trouble is coming, but they don’t know what to do. They are afraid. Jesus says to them, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled (John 14:1). Remain in me!” Then, what does it mean by “Remain in Christ”? How do we remain in him? In today’s text Jesus tells us how we should remain in him.

Remain “Vitally” (v.2)

First, Jesus says, “Remain vitally.” According to verse 2, there are two kinds of branches: one is a fruitful branch and the other is a fruitless branch. The difference between the two is that one is connected to the vine, but the other is not. On the surface, it is hard to tell the difference. Both of them look the same. But, if we take a closer look, smell them, and touch them, we can easily tell which one is real. The fake branch has no life. It has no connection with the vine. So, it bears no fruit. In Jesus’ time there were lots of fake branches, including the Pharisees and religious leaders. On the surface, they looked like vital branches. They worshipped. They gave tithes. They gave to the poor. They even fasted twice a week. So, they thought, ‘I am a good believer. I am a Spirit-filled person.’ But, Jesus said to them, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean” (Mt 23:27). What’s wrong with them? They worshipped, but they had never stood before “the throne, high and lifted up.” They fasted, but they had never cried out in despair because of their sins. They gave to the poor, but they had never received God’s forgiveness and mercy. They were not connected to the Vine.

What is the cure? The best cure is our absolute honesty. In Mark 10 there was a blind man, named, Bartimaeus. He was sitting beside the road and begging people. He was not satisfied about his life physically, emotionally, and spiritually. One day he heard that Jesus was nearby. He didn’t pretend to be ok. Instead, he began to shout desperately, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many people rebuked him, “Be quiet!” But he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then, Jesus called him and asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man knew exactly what he needed most. He answered, “Rabbi, I am blind. But, I want to see!” Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight, and since that time he became a follower of Jesus. Our response must be the same. If you are not satisfied about your spiritual life, do not pretend to be ok. Instead, come to Jesus, come to the his throne of grace and cry out to him, “Lord, have mercy on me. I am blind. But, I want to see.” Are you personally connected to the Vine, Jesus Christ? Do you really receive your nourishment and life from him? That is the first question we need to answer as we read today’s passage.

Remain “Actively” (v. 4)

Secondly, Jesus says, “Remain actively.” We as the branches need to cling to the vine with all our hearts and with all our strength. In verse 4, Jesus says, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” Jesus is Almighty God, but he always treats us respectfully. He never forces us. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus beautifully describes how he invites us and waits for each of us. He says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Only when we are willing to open the door for him and remain in him, then he will come in and remain in us through the Person of the Holy Spirit.

When a storm is coming, all we have to do is to hold fast to Christ with all our strength. In Ephesians 5:18 Paul says, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Then, he expounds how to be filled with the Spirit. He says, “You can be filled with the Spirit by worshipping the Lord, by singing praises, by giving thanks, and by serving others!” When we are filled with the Spirit, we like to pray. But, the same is true in reverse. Sometimes, we are not in the mood to pray, but when we pray by the act of will, we come to be filled with the Spirit. When we are filled with the Spirit, we love to read the Bible. But, the same is true in reverse. When we read the Bible by the act of will, we come to be filled with the Spirit. In his early ministry John Wesley learned a lot from the Moravian brothers and sisters. But, Philipp Molther, one of the Moravian leaders, began to teach a doctrine of “stillness.” He told people to be still and do nothing until they were born again. He insisted that we should stop trying to do good and abandon all the rites of the church until faith comes. Unfortunately, the Moravians fell into unhealthy mysticism and disappeared in history. But Wesley did encourage people to practice “Means of Grace.” He commended them to pray, attend worship service, receive the Communion, do good works, and give to the poor, whether they are in the mood or not. We cannot make the wind, but we can hoist a sail to receive it. When trouble comes, when spiritual depression comes, do not shrink back in stillness. Instead, come to Christ all the more. Stay connected to Christ and his body, the Church all the more, and you will be restored and filled with the Spirit again!

Remain “Faithfully” (v.5)

Thirdly, Jesus says, “Remain faithfully” until bearing fruit. This is the hardest part for many of us. Each tree has its own purpose of existence. Some trees provide habitat and furniture. Some supply firewood. In verse 5 Jesus says, “I am the vine. You are the branches.” The grapevine exists solely for bearing fruit. But it takes time to bear fruit even if a branch is well connected to the vine. We don’t know how long it may take, but only the Gardner, our Heavenly Father, does know when. So, it is very important for us to remain faithfully and trust in Christ until we bear fruit. One day, Henri Nouwen, a Catholic priest and writer, had a chance to see circus. He was very impressed by the performance of the trapeze artist. After the circus, he met the flyer. He shared how impressed he was. But then, the flyer said, “The public might think that I am the great star of the trapeze, but the real star is my catcher. He has to be there for me with split-second precision and grab me out of the air as I come to him in the long jump.” Henri asked, “How does it work?” The man said, “The secret is that the flyer does nothing and the catcher does everything. When I fly to the catcher, I have simply to stretch out my arms and hands and wait for him to catch me.” The man continued, “The worst thing the flyer can do is to try to catch the catcher. I am not supposed to catch him. It's his task to catch me. If I grabbed his wrists, I might break them, or he might break mine, and that would be the end for both of us. A flyer must fly, and a catcher must catch, and the flyer must trust, with outstretched arms, that his catcher will be there for him.” God is the Catcher, and we are the flyer. As the flyer, all we have to do is to stretch out our arms and trust and wait for the catcher. Then, God, the Catcher, will be there for us and grab us in his perfect time.

One Thing

How do we abide in Christ? Jesus offers a vivid image – be a branch! Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. Jesus is the driver, and we are the passengers. Jesus is the catcher, and we are the flyers. Jesus is the treasure, and we are the jars of clay. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and power and strength and life! (Col 2:3; Rev 5:12) In 2 Corinthians 13:5 Apostle Paul says, “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it” (MSG). When storms are coming, we need to examine one thing that we have Jesus. If we have Jesus and hold fast to him and remain in him vitally, actively, faithfully, there is nothing to fear. Jesus promised, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b) Lastly, I want you to sing with me the song, “I’d rather have Jesus.” My prayer is that this song will be our confession of faith all the days of our lives.

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

Lenten Service: “True Fasting” (Isaiah 58)

“True Fasting” (Isaiah 58)

“What Are You Giving Up for Lent?”

Lent is a time of self-denial. “What are you giving up for Lent?” It’s a question we get at this time of the year. Twitter reveals top 100 ideas of 2015. Here is the list of the top 10: First, School. Second, chocolate. Third, Twitter. Fourth, alcohol. Fifth, social networking. Sixth, swearing. Seventh, soda. Eighth, sweets. Ninth, fast food. And tenth, coffee. So what are you giving up for Lent? And why are you giving them up? In his book Story of the Student Christian Movement, Tissington Tatlow says, “Self-denial is not denying to ourselves luxuries such as chocolates, cakes, cigarettes and cocktails (although it might include this); it is actually denying or disowning ourselves, renouncing our supposed right to go our own way.” Actually, this is not a new statement at all. About 2700 years ago the Lord our God said exactly the same thing to the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah. Then, what is the heart of fasting? What is the heart of self-denial? In Isaiah 58 God gives us a clear answer.

Do No Harm

God defines it in three ways. The first step of true fasting is to do no harm. In Isaiah 58:3-5 the Lord says, “But they also complain, 'Why do we fast and you don't look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don't even notice?' "Well, here's why: "The bottom line on your 'fast days' is profit. You drive your employees much too hard. You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight. You fast, but you swing a mean fist. The kind of fasting you do won't get your prayers off the ground. Do you think this is the kind of fast day I'm after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, GOD, would like?” (MSG) At that time, many people observed the feasts of the Lord and did fast, but at the same time, they kept doing evil things. They did fast, but they kept going their own way. If we truly resolve to do no harm, we can no longer gossip. We can no longer speak ill of others. We can no longer take revenge. True fasting is to do no harm to others. It sounds simple, but it is not an easy rule, because it does demand a radical trust in God’s presence and power. To do no harm is an act of disarming, laying aside our weapons and leaving room for God’s intervention.

Do Good

The second step of true fasting is to do good. In vv. 6-9 the Lord says, "This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The GOD of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, GOD will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.' To do good sounds simple. But what doest it mean by that? Where do we begin? Doing good is not limited to those like us or those who like us. Doing good is directed at “everyone,” even those who do not fit our category of “worthy” to receive any good. For those who cut in ahead of us in traffic, and even for those who consider us less than a child of God, still we must commit ourselves to seeking good for everyone in every circumstance. That is what it means to do good. 

Stay in God’s Love

The third step of true fasting is to stay in love with God. God concludes in vv. 13-14.  "If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don't use my holy day for personal advantage, If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, GOD's holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing 'business as usual,' making money, running here and there-Then you'll be free to enjoy GOD! Oh, I'll make you ride high and soar above it all. I'll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob." Yes! GOD says so!” The Israelites did fast, but they broke the Sabbath. God made the Sabbath holy. It was the day of resting in order to worship and have fellowship with God. But the people broke the Sabbath. On that day they did fast, but they did whatever they wanted. They did fast, but they went their own way. They did fast, but they sought their own pleasure. God says to them, “No, that’s not the heart of fasting. Come back to me and stay in my love.”

“Not My Will, But Your Will Be Done!”

Giving up chocolate and coffee can be a good spiritual discipline for self-denial. But our fasting should be more than that. So today I would like to exhort you to try this little exercise. Every time you give up something, chocolate or coffee or anything, pray this short prayer, “Not my will, but your will be done! Not my way, but your way, Lord!” “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Mc 6:8, NIV) Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God always! Amen.

“I AM the Good Shepherd” (John 10:7-15) - The God We Can Know IV –

“I AM the Good Shepherd” (John 10:7-15)

- The God We Can Know IV –

Whose Voice Do You Follow?

A George Barna survey asked high school students where they turn first in times of tension, confusion or crisis. Their answers were shocking: No. 25 on the list was their father; No. 11 on the list was their mother; secular music and personal friends topped the list. In other words, in times of tragedy young people may well look to false shepherds or immature shepherds at best. We do live in a modern desert. We as believers are called “sheep” – needy, defenseless, prone to wander and stubborn. Predators are everywhere. We hear confusing voices from everywhere. Drugs and alcohol are used to escape reality and cope with the pressures of life. Moral standards have more to do with what feels good to us rather than God’s word. The pervasive moral atmosphere says “God is irrelevant and there are no rules.” In the midst of this moral chaos, in this threatening desert, whose voice, which shepherd do you follow?

I AM Not …

In today’s text Jesus says “I am the good shepherd.” What does it mean by that? Which shepherd is a good shepherd? Jesus defines what the good shepherd means by differentiating himself from false shepherds. First, Jesus says, “I am not a thief or a robber” (v.1). Thieves and robbers come to harm the sheep. They just take advantage of the sheep. Here Jesus is saying, “I don’t want your possessions but you!” Second, Jesus says, “I am not a stranger” (v.5). Strangers don’t know the sheep, and the sheep don’t know them. They don’t have any personal relationship with each other. Here Jesus is saying, “I am not the god of deism who exists and created the world, but does not interfere with his creation.” Third, Jesus says, “I am not a hired hand” (v.12). The hired hand feeds the sheep and takes care of the sheep, but when trouble comes, he abandons the sheep and runs away, because his relationship with the sheep is established based on his interest, not on trust.

I AM …

But Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd.” The good shepherd calls the sheep by name, guides them, goes before them, and provides pasture for food and water. But the most important and striking feature of the good shepherd is that he lays down his life for the sheep. In verse 11 Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Again in verse 15 he says, “And I lay down my life for the sheep.” In the Judean desert at night sheep were often herded into walled enclosures. These enclosures provided walls, but the door was just a bare entrance. No gate. It was an opening in the wall for sheep to go in and out freely. At night, the shepherd would lie down in the doorway to protect the sheep from predators. The shepherd literally became the door of the sheep-fold. In this context, Jesus said in verse 7, “I am the gate for the sheep.” The good shepherd is willing to come between his flock and danger. He is willing to die for them.

Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

Then, why did Jesus, the good shepherd, have to die? To answer this question it is important to know what kinds of dangers the sheep are facing. The greatest danger of the sheep is not from outside, but from within. It is called, “sin.” What is sin? As a young man, once John Wesley asked his mother for a definition of sin. Susanna replied in a letter: "Take this rule: whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off your relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself." (Letter, June 8, 125). Sin is anything that separates us from God. God made Adam and Eve, and it was very good in his eyes. But Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and desired to be equal with God. That separated them from God. All of us, like sheep, have done our own thing, gone our own way. Sin is pride, arrogance, self-centeredness, self-love, the desire to be equal with God, and the autonomous reason, morality, and culture without God.

The gravity of sin is this: Sin never goes away by itself. It only accumulates. Probably, many of you have seen the buildings and roofs that collapsed under the weight of snow. Sin is just like that. We don’t know. We don’t feel like we are accumulating sins. But the day will come like a thief. Romans 2:5 says, “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.” Whether willing or not, we will face up to this gravity of sin. What are the consequences of sin? The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death” (6:23) and “after that we have to face the judgment” (Heb 9:27). What can wash away our sins? Hebrews 9:22 says, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” That is why Jesus, the good shepherd, had to lay down his life for us. Christ died for us. More specifically, Christ died for our sins. Even more specifically, Christ died our death. We never came to him for ourselves. Instead, all of us without exception have gone our own way. God sent his kings, judges, and prophets to show the way of salvation. But we ignored them, persecuted them, and even killed them. Finally, just as Moses had lifted up the snake in the desert, so Jesus had to be lifted up (John 3:14). And when Jesus was lifted up high from the earth, he did draw all people to himself (12:32).

Feed My Sheep

In his first letter Peter says, “For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). Peter was able to say this, because he himself experienced this. At first, although he was one of Jesus’ disciples, he was going his own way. He had his own plan. He had his own ambition. When Jesus began to explain his suffering and death for the first time, literally Peter took him side and rebuked him, saying, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” (Matt 16:21-22) On the night when Jesus was betrayed, he prophesied that his disciples would all fall away because of him. But Peter declared, “Even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” (26:33) He did mean it. But he didn’t have power to overcome his sinful nature. He didn’t have power to overcome the power of sin and death. He disowned Jesus three times. After that, Peter was wandering and going astray. But after Jesus was risen, he went ahead of Peter into Galilee. He appeared to him and prepared breakfast for him. When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter said, “Yes, Lord. You know that I love you.” And Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” He did reinstate Peter. Peter personally experienced unconditional love and forgiveness of sin. He returned to his Shepherd and came to believe that Christ indeed died for him, that Christ died for his sins, and that Christ died his death. Only then, was Peter able to follow in Jesus steps and too lay down his life for Jesus’ sheep (1 Peter 2:21).

Love Begets Love

John 3:16 tells us how much God loves us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” And 1 John 3:16 tells us how much we as God’s beloved children should love others: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” Only love begets love. Anne was born on April 14, 1866. At the age of five she contracted an eye disease called trachoma. When she was eight years old, she became blind. That same year her mother died. After that, her father abandoned her and her brother, Jimmie. They were sent to almshouse. Jimmie suffered and died after three months. After that, Anne attended the Perkins School for the Blind. She had never been to school before and lacked social graces. She had hard time there. But there was one person who loved Anne devotedly and became her good friend and teacher. Her name was Laura Bridgman. Laura spent time with Anne and taught her the manual alphabet. And while there, Anne had a series of eye operations, and it significantly improved her vision. Eventually, Anne was able to graduate from the school at age 20 as the valedictorian of her class. After about a year, she got the job offer. It was to teach a seven year old girl who was deaf, blind and mute. She decided to repay debts of love and accept the job offer. She began to teach the girl and helped her to fully blossom. Her name was Anne Sullivan, and her student was Helen Keller. Love begets love.

To Thy Precious Bleeding Side

Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). This morning whose voice are you listening to? Which shepherd are you following? Frances Jane Crosby, who became blind at the age of six weeks, answers to this question in this way: “I am Thine, O Lord. I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy love to me; but I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to Thee. Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to the cross where Thou hast died; draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to Thy precious bleeding side.” Are you weary, are you heavy hearted? Come to Jesus’ bleeding side. Are you longing for new life and the life to the full? Come to Jesus’ bleeding side. Are you having a hard time forgiving others? Come to Jesus’ bleeding side not just once or twice, but every day and night. And you will find rest for your souls and be able to feed many and not faint! Amen.  

“I AM the Light of the World” (John 8:12-20) - The God We Can Know III -

“I AM the Light of the World” (John 8:12-20)

- The God We Can Know III -

A Life-Changing Verse
Jesus says in verse 12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” This is a life-changing verse if we really see it for what it is. Jesus said this statement during the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Booths. The people of Israel observed this Feast to commemorate their journey through the wilderness after leaving Egypt. I prepared a short video clip to show you how Jewish people observe the Feast of Tabernacles today. [Video clip] The Israelites celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days. Particularly, on the seventh night the festive atmosphere reaches its peak. The people call that special night the Grand Illumination. That night giant torches lining the Court of the Women burn so brightly that all of Jerusalem is illuminated. Under their light the Jewish elders lead an exuberant celebration. Rabbinic literature, Mishnah says that whoever has not seen these things has never seen joy in his or her life! People would sing and dance until morning light. When a cock crows to tell the coming of dawn, the people wind up their festival. At the end the elders and teachers lead the songs of God’s forgiveness. And all the people from old to young follow and sing praises to God who forgives all their sins. Then morning breaks.

The Accusers

In this context we need to read John 7:53-8:11, the story of the woman caught in adultery. John 8:2 says, “Early in the morning he [Jesus] came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them.” (John 8:2, NRSV) That morning is not an ordinary morning. Last night and until this morning, the people of Israel did dance and sing before the Lord. They sang praises to God who forgave their sins. But now, perhaps in less than an hour they are bringing in a woman caught in adultery. And they say to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” Jesus says to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” And then what happens next? Verse 9 says, “When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman” (NLT). Why were they not able to stone the woman? It is because Jesus did illuminate their dead consciences with his light of truth. And the people, especially the elders, must have remembered the songs that they just led early in the morning. They were convicted and had to walk away first. In this context Jesus declares to the people, “I AM the light of the world.”

The Accused

How about the woman caught in adultery? She does not have a minor problem. Her life is in jeopardy. She has broken the law. According to that law, it is fully appropriate for her to die. If she was Jewish, probably she had learned the law of God and observed all the religious duties. But they didn’t affect or shape her life. Rather, she might be disappointed and wounded by the religious leaders known for upholding the law. And as a result, she draft apart from God and lived without God. She knew she was in the dark but didn’t have power to turn back. She was helpless. Eventually, she is caught in adultery and brought to Jesus. Jesus says to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She says, “No one, sir.” Jesus declares, “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” This statement has a profound meaning. The law is God’s word, so Jesus cannot break the law. Leviticus 20:10 says, “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.” Jesus cannot break that law. Then how can he say, “Neither do I condemn you”? Here Jesus is saying, “Woman, I will carry your adulterous sin and be put to death instead of you. So now you are forgiven. I don’t condemn you. Don't commit adultery any more. Not because you fear stoning. But because you have met God, and have been rescued by his grace—saved by grace!”

God’s grace is like a safety net. When the Golden Gate Bridge was under construction, the project moved at a snail’s pace because of 750 feet high altitude, contrary winds, icy fog, unpredictable weather, and occasional seismic tremors from below. All those factors made the workers fearful. Chief engineer Joseph Strauss finally decided to add a safety net. Since then, the workers had confidence and sense of security. They progressed far more quickly and effectively than before. In less than a year they completed the bridge. The safety net saved the lives of 19 men who fell from the structure. These workers proclaimed themselves, “The Halfway-To-Hell Club.” God’s grace is a lot like the safety net used underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. When we try not to sin out of fear, we fall into sin. When we try to live a good life out of religious obligation, we become either hypocrites or heartless accusers. But when we experience God’s forgiveness and love first, we are then able to grieve over sin, hate sin, stop sinning and leave our life of sin with confidence.   

Walking in the Light

Jesus said, “I AM the light of the world.” Jesus is the true light that gives light to everyone. The accusers need the light of truth. The accused need the light of truth. We all need the light of truth. The Bible says, “If we walk in the light as God is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Christ, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). During the Nazi occupation of Holland Corrie Ten Boom was arrested for concealing Jews in her home and sent to a concentration camp. After the World War II, God sent her to Germany to proclaim the message of God’s forgiveness. One day after the service, one man approached her. Intuitively, she recognized him. He was a guard at the concentration camp. That man extended his hand and said, “A fine message! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!” Corrie Ten Boom describes her feelings in this way, “My blood seemed to freeze… It could not have been many seconds that he stood there—hand held out—but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.” She knew what she had to do. But she could not. So she prayed silently, “Lord, help! I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.” And then mechanically, Corrie held out her hand. Then an incredible thing happened. Surpassing forgiving love of God just flooded her whole being, bringing tears to her eyes. And she cried out, “I forgive you, brother, with all my heart!” Corrie concludes her story as follows: “For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely, as I did then.”

There is a crucial difference between God’s forgiveness and ours. We forgive when people ask forgiveness. But God forgives even before we deserve to be forgiven. God sent his son Jesus Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Joseph was able to forgive his brothers even before they deserved to be forgiven. How was it possible? It was possible because Joseph had already experience God’s forgiveness. Corrie was able to forgive the former guard because she had experience God’ forgiveness and love. Whether we be the accusers or the accused, men or women, young or old, we are all in the dark. We don’t have power not to be judgmental. We don’t have power to forgive others. We don’t have power not to sin. We don’t have power to overcome the enemy’s accusations. We don’t have light within us. We are darkness (Eph 5:8). We all need the light of truth. But true light has already come. All that we have to do is to expose ourselves to the light. All that we can do is to expose our whole life to Jesus Christ and his love. Let us come and walk in the light. Let us believe this gospel, and we will have the light of life! “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6). Amen. 

“I AM the Bread of Life” (John 6:25-40) - The God We Can Know II -

“I AM the Bread of Life” (John 6:25-40)

- The God We Can Know II -

“Yes” to Every Prayer?

Have you watched the movie, “Bruce Almighty”? Bruce Nolan played by Jim Carrey continues to suffer unfortunate events. He has relationship problems and gets fired from his job. After a series of other misfortunes, Bruce complains that God is the one that should be fired. Then, he is offered the chance to try being God himself for one week. God tells Bruce that he cannot tell others he has God's powers, nor can he use the powers to alter free will. Bruce ignores God and uses his powers for personal gain, not for helping people. But then he has a hard time to answer all the prayers he receives. So he ends up setting the program to automatically answer “Yes” to every prayer. As Bruce looks around, he realizes that the city has fallen into chaos due to his actions. And he asks God to take back His powers and let his fate be in His hands.

The Miracle Chasers

In today’s scripture we find a second Bruce Nolan, a miracle-chasing crowd. The day before, Jesus performed a miraculous sign and fed more than five thousands people. They were all completely satisfied. But now less than 24 hours after this great miracle, the crowd is asking another miracle. They say to Jesus in verse 30, “What can you do for us now?” And they continue, “Our ancestors ate manna in the desert. Give us this bread all the time, so that we don’t need to worry about tomorrow’s problems.” A Samaritan woman said exactly the same, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have keep coming here to draw water” (John 4:15). Too often we want things instead of God. We are more interested in the gift than the giver. We are more thrilled about what God has in His hands than Himself. But God wants to give us Himself. God wants to impart Himself with His gift. So Jesus declares, “I AM the Bread of Life… Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life!” God fed the Israelites with manna to teach them that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD (Deut 8:3). Jesus fed the crowd with five loaves and two fish to teach them that Jesus is a source of true satisfaction. But the response of the crowd is shocking. When Jesus said, “Eat my flesh and drink my blood,” many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. They wanted the gift, blessing, and things from Jesus but were not interested in Jesus Himself.

Eating the Flesh of Jesus?

What does Jesus mean by “eat my flesh and drink my blood?” It means to become one with Christ. Christ did not die on the cross to just save us from hell; rather, he died on the cross so that all of us could become one with him. Jesus says in verse 56, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” The life of eating the flesh of Jesus is to die with him and to live with him. The key verse for this is Galatians 2: 20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” The life of eating the flesh of Jesus is the crucified life. A.W. Tozer said, “The crucified life is a life absolutely committed to following after Christ Jesus. To be more like Him. To think like Him. To act like Him. To love like Him.” But many of us are just content with the fact that someday we are going to die and go to heaven. Yes, we have been saved and renewed by the grace of God, but we are not pursuing our spiritual growth. We are halfway in between two worlds: the kingdom of God and this world, the Promised Land and Egypt. We are not influenced or led by the Holy Spirit but rather are controlled by our desire. After twelve men explored the Promised Land, the ten of them spread a bad report and said, “Let’s stay here in the wilderness. Although it isn’t the best, we are already free of Egypt and not slaves anymore. Why take unnecessary risks?” But the purpose of God is not to save us from Egypt. The purpose of God is to save us in order to enter the Promised Land. That is why Jesus says to his people, “How long will you waver between two worlds? Stop wandering! Come eat my flesh and drink my blood. Come die with me and live with me!”  

The Cost of Discipleship  

What is then the cost of living the crucified life? The answer is it costs us everything. Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who died a martyr under the Nazi Regime, said, “The grace of God is costly because it cost Christ His blood, and it will cost us everything – maybe even our lives. Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace.” North Korea is the most hostile place for Christians around the globe, according to the annual “World Watch” list from the Open Doors Organization. Few years ago one mission organization leader met North Korean underground Christians, and he asked them, “How can I pray for you?” with deep concern in his voice. “You pray for us?” they said with a gentle smile, “We pray for you! And if you pray for us, please do not pray that we would escape suffering. But please pray that we may continue to stand firm and endure persecution to spread the Good News.” When the early church Christians were persecuted, they didn’t pray that God would take away their suffering. Instead, they fervently prayed that God would give them courage and strength to continue to peach the Word of God boldly in the midst of their persecution (esp. Acts 4:29-30). Recently, 21 Christians in Libya were killed. But because of this, Egypt is now experiencing revival. Libya’s martyrs spark largest outreach ever in Egypt. The Bible Society of Egypt made an evangelism track right after this incident, and they were able to distribute more than 1.65 million copies. Church history is witnessing to us that the blood of the saints is the seed of the Church. Apostle Paul says to Timothy, “Join with me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God” (2Tim 1:8b). He continues, “No one serving as a solider gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer” (2:4). Those who live the crucified life seek no place, no comfort, no wealth, no things, only Christ!

The Crucified Life

There is nothing wrong with the payer, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This pray must come after the prayer, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done!” What matters most in the world is not whether we live to be 100 years old. What matters most in the world is whether we eat Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood. What matters most in the world is whether we are crucified with him and live with him. Romans 14:8 says, “If we live, we live to honor the Lord; and if we die, we die to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord” (ISV). Whether by life or by death, whether by wealth or by poverty, whether by health or by illness, if Christ is exalted in our lives, we are living the crucified life (cf. Phil 1:20). Lastly, I want to share with you how hymn writer C.F. Butler describes the joy of the crucified life with Christ:

Since Christ my soul from sin set free,
This world has been a Heav’n to me;
And ’mid earth’s sorrows and its woe,
’Tis Heav’n my Jesus here to know.

What matters where on earth we dwell?
On mountaintop, or in the dell,
In cottage, or a mansion fair,
Where Jesus is, ’tis Heaven there.

Oh, hallelujah, yes, ’tis Heav’n,
’Tis Heav’n to know my sins forgiv’n;
On land or sea, what matters where?—
Where Jesus is, ’tis Heaven there.

Amen.