“Dark Night of the Soul” (John 11:1-6)

Mother Teresa

In August 2007 TIME magazine had an amazing cover story titled “Mother Teresa’s Crisis of Faith.” Mother Teresa’s secret letters were made public by her mentor and colleagues. The letters show that she spent almost 50 years without sensing the presence of God in her life. In one of the letters that she exchanged with her mentor, Rev. Michael Van Der Peet, she says, “Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear…” In more than 40 communications, she compares the experience to hell, and at one point she says it has driven her to doubt the existence of heaven and even of God. As she was walking through the dark times, her constant prayer was, “Lord Jesus, come be my light.”

Dark Night of the Soul

The truth is that the dark times come to every Christian. St. John of the Cross calls it the “dark night of the soul.” Here I am not talking about the dark night that comes as a result of our sin or disobedience. Sin always separates us from God. So if there is any known sin in our hearts, we need to repent and turn to God. But this morning I want to tell you about the dark night for those who are seeking after God wholeheartedly and harbor no sin in their hearts, just like Mother Teresa did.

Isaiah 50:10 says, “Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of his servant, who walks in darkness and has no light, yet trusts in the name of the LORD and relies upon his God?” In other words, it is quite possible to fear, obey, trust, and rely upon the Lord and still “walk in darkness and have no light.” It’s quite possible we are living in obedience but we have entered a dark night of the soul.

Don’t be surprised. When we go through such a time, Bible reading doesn’t inspire us. Preaching doesn’t move us. The hymn sing becomes weak. The worship service becomes dull and dry. When God graciously draws us into a dark night of the soul, we are easily tempted to seek immediate release from it or to blame everyone for our spiritual dullness. But in fact, that’s the time God is lovingly drawing us from every distraction so that we can see him clearly and know him personally. For me personally, the five years in seminary were a dark night of the soul. All my pride, fear, doubts, and unhealed wounds from the past were revealed. God did intensive work within me. It was so painful and so dull. During such a time Bible reading and prayer didn’t seem to help me. I even walked away from the church for six months. I blamed God. I blamed others. But as I look back, it was the time that God did a major surgery for my spiritual health and laid the strong foundation for pastoral ministry. These are the words of St. John of the Cross something to ponder[1]:

“Oh, then, spiritual soul, when you see your appetites darkened, your inclinations dry and constrained, your faculties incapacitated for any interior exercise, do not be afflicted; think of this as a grace, since God is freeing you from yourself and taking from you your own activity.”

Lazarus, Jesus’ Beloved

In today’s passage we meet three people who are going through the dark night of the soul – Martha, Mary and Lazarus. They were siblings and close friends of Jesus. They were like a family to him. So when Lazarus got sick, the sisters immediately sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick” (v. 3).  The Apostle John confirms this truth in verse 5: “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” So there’s no question about his love for them.

When Martha and Mary sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick,” they had confidence. They believed that as soon as Jesus heard the news, he would drop everything and come running to them. But for some reason he didn’t. In verses 5 and 6 we find how Jesus’ love is much deeper and surpasses all our understanding:

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

So,

when he heard that Lazarus was ill,

he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” 

Between verses 5 and 6, there is a conjunction woon, referring result or consequence, normally translated as “therefore,” or “so.” Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, “so,” he stayed two more days (ex. ESV, NKJV, NASB, NET). Basically, Jesus waited two more days until Lazarus died. Jesus allowed Lazarus to go through the dark night of the soul. Why?

If the purpose of God’s love is to make us safe or happy, he could do that. He could prevent Lazarus from dying. He could protect us from all dangers, diseases, sufferings, and losses. Please don’t get me wrong. God does care for our safety and well-being. But that’s not the ultimate goal of his love. God’s love is not that we be healthy or wealthy and live a long, comfortable life. God’s love is not God’s making much of us. No! God’s love is God’s saving us from self-centeredness, which is, the root of all sin, so that we enjoy making much of God forever. God’s love is always God-centered, not self-centered. John Piper rightly said, “God’s love is giving people God. God’s love is showing people God. God’s love is getting people to God. God’s love is helping people be satisfied in God and be willing to lay down their lives for God.”

Two More Days  

What should we do during the dark night of the soul? The first thing we can do is to recognize the dark night for what it is. Embrace it instead of denying it or running away from it.

As a pastor, it is my honor to be there for God’s beloved on the sick bed. It’s one of the most sacred places. One afternoon while I was sitting right next to the person on the sick bed and holding his hand, I realized there is a lot of similarity between “on the sick bed” and “on the cross.” On the sick bed we see a lot of raw emotion – a sense of aloneness and lostness. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” On the sick bed we often have visits from family and friends. We experience forgiveness and reconciliation. “Father, forgive them.” On the sick bed there is not much we can do. All we can do is to trust God. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Henri Nouwen compares our spiritual journey to the art of the “trapeze,” especially when we go through the dark night of the soul. One day Nouwen had a chance to see the show. He always believed that a flyer is the star of the trapeze. But Rodleigh, the flyer and the leader of the troupe, said to him, “No, the real star is Joe, 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. As a flyer, I must have complete trust in my catcher.” “How does it work?” Nouwen asked. Rodleigh said, “The secret is

that the flyer does nothing and the catcher does everything… The worst thing the flyer can do is to try to catch the catcher. I am not supposed to catch Joe. It's Joe's task to catch me. If I grabbed Joe's 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.”[2]

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Not trouble, not hard times, not conflicts, not illness, not aging, not dementia, not the dark times. When you walk through the dark night of the soul, remember that God will be there for you. Don’t try to grab him. He will grab you. Just stretch out your arms and hands and trust the Catcher. Amen.

 

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[1] St. John of the Cross, The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, trans. Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1964), quoted in Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition (p. 244). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition

[2] Henri Nouwen, A Book Excerpt on Faith, https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews/excerpts/view/17109

“Do You Want to Get Well?” (John 5:1-9)

“My Life Will Never Change”

Several years ago an elderly mother and her adult son stopped by the church office. They were looking for some financial support and visiting different churches, making their rounds on a regular basis. While I was having a conversation with them, I really wanted to help them not just one-time financial support, but help them to break out of a vicious circle. So I shared the good news and invited them to come to church. But they said, “I have never been to church for more than 20 years. I am unholy. If I go to your church, the church will be falling apart.” I said, “No, we are all broken people, but Jesus is able to help you. He is able to save if you turn to him.” But they insisted, “No, my life will never change.” And they walked away.

Do You Want to Get Well?

How sad! But some of us in this room may feel like things will never change in certain areas in our life. Some of us feel like our prayers are not answered. Some of us feel like healing doesn’t come. If you feel that way, today’s message is for you. In today’s passage we meet a man who had been ill for 38 years. At that time there were hundreds of sick people – blind, crippled, paralyzed – laying on the porches. But for some reason, Jesus saw this particular man lying there, and he knew that this man had been there a long time. Here in verse 6 the Greek word gnous, translated as “to know” refers to supernatural, divine knowledge. Jesus knew what this man was going through. Jesus knew that he had been sick for 38 years. More importantly, Jesus knew that his mind was just as sick as his body. Jesus knew that he had been there a long time without hope.

Perhaps, at first this man came to Bethesda (“healing place”) with hope. He was eager to be healed. He got up early in the morning and kept watching a pool. But little by little, he began to get used to his dull life at Bethesda. He began to get up late. For him, everyday became the same. Eventually, he had lived in Bethesda, the healing place, for 38 years. But ironically, he had never experienced healing there. He just got used to his dull, powerless life. He got used to maintaining the status quo. He came to believe, “I will never be healed.” “My life will never change.” Deep in his heart he already gave up being healed. He already accepted this powerless life as his fate.

Once I had a chance to ride an elephant while I was in Thailand as an exchange student. I was amazed how this big elephant was so submissive to his trainer. And after that, I heard how they train an elephant. It was very simple and easy. First, a trainer just ties an elephant to a stake. Of course, at first the elephant tries hard to escape. But later on, the elephant gives up and just stands beside the stake. Then the trainer unties the rope. The amazing thing is that the elephant would never try to run away any longer although he is untied.

The invalid became exactly the same as the tame elephant. Now his heart was filled with despair. Jesus knew that this man’s illness of the mind, disease of despair, had to be healed first. So Jesus asked this strange question, “Do you want to get well?” The man didn’t say, “Yes.” But instead, he said, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Basically, he was making excuses, complaining, and blaming others. “I am not healed because no one helps me! I am miserable because no one cares for me!” But nevertheless, Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk!” Many of us grew up in the church. We got used to living here in this place. We feel comfortable. We feel at home. But, have you experienced healing and transformation through Jesus Christ in this place? Jesus is asking us today, “Do you want to get well?”

Healing on the Sabbath

In verse 9 the Apostle John purposely says that the day on which this healing took place was a sabbath. Why is this important? Why did Jesus heal this man on the sabbath? It is because Jesus wanted to reveal his glory. He wanted to reveal who he is to the Jews and to us. When the Jews saw the man healed, they were mad and said, “It is not lawful for you to take up your bed on the sabbath.” Then later, they accused Jesus of breaking the sabbath. Jesus said to them, “My Father is still working, and I also am working.” After this, they were seeking even more to kill him because they thought Jesus made himself equal with God. Actually, they saw his point: “Jesus is equal with God.” But they refused to believe. They refused to come to Jesus to have life. They were expectantly waiting for their Messiah for a long time. And now there he is. They should celebrate their Christ. They should celebrate this healing and rejoice with the man. But instead, they are angry and furious. Why are they mad at the healed man? Why are they so angry with Jesus? It is because of their spiritual sickness – a deadly disease of legalism. They did rigidly observe the sabbath. But they couldn’t celebrate the sabbath. There was no joy, no life, no power in their religious life.

Karl Barth tells us a story about people who live in a wilderness alongside a canal. The canal was there to bring them water and life, and the project cost them a great effort. Great sacrifices were made, and many even died when the canal was cut through mountain and desert. But the great irony is that the canal has become dry, and while they still see evidence of the coursing of water, there is nothing there that can give life to anyone. Nevertheless, the people continue to service it, to defend it, to name their children after its architects and engineers; but it is only a historic thing. A canal meant to convey something— water and life— now has become static, an end instead of a means. Something for the museum. People tell stories about it instead of drinking from it. And no one has a memory of what water in the canal really looks like.[1]

A Life-Quake

If the invalid was an irreligious person who believed superstitions and struggled with despair and self-pity, the Jews were religious people filled with pride, and a self-righteous, judgmental spirit. Jesus invited both of them. Jesus loves both religious hypocrites and irreligious people. Jesus loves the healthy and the sick, the self-righteous and the self-pity. Jesus loves them all. Jesus invites all of us, saying, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'” (John 7:37-38, NRSVue).

Today’s passage is called the third sign. At least seven signs are written in John’s Gospel, and each sign points us to the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, so that we may believe this glorious truth and have life in his name (cf. 20:30-31).

For me personally, I love “a life-quake” metaphor that Pastor Tim Keller used to compare the Lordship of Jesus Christ based on his own conversion experience[2]:

When a great big truck goes over a tiny little bridge, sometimes there's a bridge-quake, and when a big man goes onto thin ice there's an ice-quake. Whenever Jesus Christ comes down into a person's life, there's a life-quake. Everything is reordered. If he was a guru, if he was a great man, if he was a great teacher, even if he was the genie of the lamp, there would be some limits on his rights over you. If he's God, you cannot relate to him at all and retain anything in your life that's a non-negotiable. Anything … any view, any conviction, any idea, any behavior, any relationship. He may change it, he may not change it, but at the beginning of the relationship you have to say, "In everything he must have the supremacy."

Jesus’ question is still valid: “Do you want to get well?” It might be a physical illness or an illness of the mind, or both, or something else. Whatever it is, if your answer is “Yes, I want to be healed,” then come to Jesus right now with a trusting heart. He knows what you are going through. Let him in. Love him. Savor him. Worship him. Give him full control. And streams of living water will flow from your heart. Your life will never be the same. Amen.

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[1] Gary M. Burge, The NIV Application Commentary: John (Zondervan, 2000), 137.

[2] Tim Keller, “The Lordship of Christ Is 'A Life-Quake,” https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2016/march/3031416.html

                                                  *The Bethesda Pool

“Good Seed, Good Soil” (Matthew 13:1-9)

 

Transforming Power of the Gospel

Philosopher and educator George Steiner, who wrote extensively about the impact of Holocaust, cautions us “that one can read Goethe or Rilke in the evening, that he can play Bach and Schubert, and go to his work at Auschwitz the next day.”[1]

God’s word has a transforming power. “Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb 4:12, NRSV)

God’s word is always good seed. It always has great potential to change our lives. But we need to be willing to be formed, shaped, and transformed. In today’s passage Jesus tells us there are four different soils of the heart. As we listen, may we examine our hearts and respond to God’s word today.

Seed on Paths

A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road. Birds came and ate it right away. They are ones who have hard hearts. They may hear the word of God but don’t take it in. It just remains on the surface. So the evil one comes along and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.

They are like the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, who were against Jesus from the start. From the beginning they were following Jesus and listening to his word – not to learn and believe, but to trap him into saying something for which he could be arrested (cf. Mark 12:13). Their hearts were not right. Or how about the Israelites in the wilderness? They received the Ten Commandments from God, they heard God’s word through Moses, they saw God’s glory and miracles. But they put God to the test over and over again, turning a deaf ear to God.

So God said to them and says to us through David’s psalm, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” Jesus says, “He who has ears, let him hear” (Matt 13:9).

Seed on Rocky Places

The second type of soil is rocky ground. It signifies “superficial” heart. When they hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, no commitment, no room for Jesus and his word. Self is still at the bottom (foundation) of their heart. So when trouble comes because of the word, they fall away. They backslide.

In Pilgrim’s Progress, when Christian started his journey, there were a couple of neighbors who followed Christian and tried to persuade him to go back. One was Obstinate (hard heart) and the other Pliable (superficial heart). Obstinate went back home complaining and denouncing Christian. Pliable came with him for a little while. When Pliable heard the good news from Christian, he received with joy and walked along with him. He liked the promise of eternal life, he liked the promise of heaven where there is no sorrow, no illness, no death. Then both of them fell into the Slough of Despond. Pliable became angry with Christian, saying, “Is this the happiness that you spoke? If we have had such a bad beginning, who knows what dangers we will run into before the journey is over?” Then, he managed to get out of the bog and returned home in anger. Christian saw him no more. This is the person who has shallow heart.

Seed among Thorns

The third type of soil is crowded with thorns. The parable of the Sower is written in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Mark’s version says this way: “The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.” (4:19-20) In other words, they have good potential to be fruitful in their lives, but sadly, they are choked out by competing priorities. They spend too much time and energy for what to eat, what to wear, how to live a comfortable life.

Once Søren Kierkegaard was asked what sort of effort could be made to pursue the kingdom of God. “Should a person get a suitable job in order to exert a virtuous influence?” His answer was, “No, we must first seek God’s kingdom.” “Then should we give away all our money to feed the poor?” Again his answer was, “No, we must first seek God’s kingdom.” “Well, then perhaps we are to go out and preach this truth to the world that people are to seek first God’s kingdom?” Once again the answer is a resounding: “No, we are first to seek the kingdom of God.” Kierkegaard concludes, “Then in a certain sense it is nothing I shall do. Yes, certainly, in a certain sense it is nothing, become nothing before God, learn to keep silent; in this silence is the beginning, which is, first to seek God’s Kingdom.”[2] Oftentimes good things become our idols. We must learn and practice to put God first. And it is the matter of the heart.

Seed on Good Soil

Seed on the paths, seed on rocky places, seed among thorns, and now seed on good soil. Jesus expounds this parable in Luke in this way: “But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.” (8:15)

It’s a marathon not a spirit. It’s a long obedience in the same direction. Only the person who receives the message, holds on no matter what, sticking with it with perseverance, lives the fruitful and abundant life that Jesus promised.

Arabian horses are renowned horses. They are trained rigorously in the middle eastern deserts. The horses must learn to fully obey their master. Part of the training is this. Water is taken away from them for several days. After this, turn them loose near water. As the horses get to the edge of the water, and just before they drink of the much needed water. The trainer blows his whistle. If the horses have learned to obey, they turn around and come back to the trainer who then gives them as much water as they need.[3]

God knows what his children need and wants to supply it, but first we must trust and obey him. My prayer is that we may learn to trust God and his word with endurance, so that we may produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times and give glory to our heavenly Father. Amen.

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[1] Austin Carty, The Pastor's Bookshelf: Why Reading Matters for Ministry (p. 138). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.. Kindle Edition.

[2] Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition (p. 87). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

[3] “Training Arabian Horses,” https://ministry127.com/resources/illustration/training-arabian-horses

Easy Yoke II (Matthew 11:25-30)

 

(Maria Lang, "My Yoke Is Easy")

Why and How

Last year (May 15, 2022) I preached on today’s passage with the title “Easy Yoke.” In the message the main question was “Why did Jesus say it is an ‘easy’ yoke?” The yoke is easy, not because the burden is light and comfortable, but because we are yoked to Jesus and he carries most of the weight. That’s why the yoke is easy and bearable no matter how heavy the burden is. 

Today’s message is a sequel to last year’s message. The question of the day is “How do we experience the easy yoke?” We will answer to that question as we explore the following hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus (UMH 526)” – stanza by stanza. This poem was written by Joseph Scriven who was suffering from ill-health and depression. He wrote this poem to comfort his elderly mother.   

Stanza 1: “Everything”

“How do we experience Jesus’ easy yoke especially when we are down?” The first stanza answers this way:

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear—
All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

In the first stanza the word “everything” stands out. We can take everything to God in prayer. The Book of Psalms is our guide. There we find all of our emotions – fear, anger, loneliness, sadness, grief, lamentation, joy, happiness, and so on. The psalmists take all their emotions to God in prayer. Their raw and honest prayers speak to all of our emotions.

At this moment perhaps some of us may be grieving the loss of the loved one. Perhaps some may lament over conflicts and problems within the family. Perhaps some may feel hopeless because of their own brokenness and wounds. Perhaps some may feel all alone on their sick bed. Perhaps some may feel fearful and panicked as they lose their memories and their independence. All of our emotions, all of our burdens, we can take to the Lord in prayer!

Stanza 2: “Every Weakness”

The second stanza expounds further on how we can experience Christ’s easy yoke:

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Jesus knows our every trial, every temptation, every trouble, every sorrow, every weakness. On the night before Jesus was arrested, he prayed. He prayed for himself to be ready, but also he prayed for his disciples. He said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail, and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).

Jesus knows our every weakness, and he prays for us. While Jesus was here on earth, he himself has gone through all the pain and all the testing. Jesus knows our pain. He bears our pain. He is able to help us when we are being tested (Heb 2:18). So we can come to the throne of grace with confidence, and we will receive strength and peace when we need it most (cf. 4:16).

Stanza 3: “Still Our Refuge”

How do we experience Jesus’ easy yoke when our burden seems so heavy and unbearable? The third stanza comforts us and encourages us this way:

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.

Jesus is still our refuge today. Once Henri Nouwen had the opportunity to meet Mother Teresa of Calcutta. At that time he was struggling with many things and decided to use the occasion to ask Mother Teresa’s advice. As soon as they sat down he started explaining all his problems and difficulties—trying to convince her of how complicated it all was! When, after ten minutes of elaborate explanation, he finally became silent, Mother Teresa looked at him quietly and said: “Well, when you spend one hour a day adoring your Lord and never do anything which you know is wrong . . . you will be fine!” After this, Nouwen shares his reflection with us this way: “Her few words became engraved on my heart and mind and remain to this day. I had not expected these words, but in their directness and simplicity, they cut through to the center of my being. I knew that she had spoken the truth and that I had the rest of my life to live it.”[1]

There are times when we feel like our burdens seem unbearable. For me personally, yesterday was one of the days. There were some concerns that made me feel stuck and hopeless. I didn’t have strength to keep going. So I went to the church sanctuary and spent almost the entire morning just praying. I just poured out all of my emotions before God like water. Then silence. Then this hymn came to my mind, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” I sang and sang and sang. I felt someone was praying for me. That someone was Jesus. At the end I felt encouraged. I regained my strength.

Colossians 3:16-17 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.” When we are filled with the Spirit, we sing hymns. But the reverse is true as well. When by faith we sing hymns even in the midst of our turbulent times, we are then filled with the Holy Spirit and rejoice. When we are filled with the Spirit, we read the Bible. But the reverse is the true. When we feel empty but come and listen to His Word, we are then filled with the Holy Spirit and give thanks.

Are we weary and carrying heaven burdens?

Do we feel forsaken, lonely, hopeless?

Let us come to Jesus. He is still our refuge today. There we will find rest in Christ alone. Amen. 

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[1] Henri J. M. Nouwen, Here and Now, The Crossroad Publishing Company. Kindle Edition, 102-3.

“Into the Deep” (Luke 5:1-11)

 

(*Bagong Kussudiardja, Indonesia, Christ and Fishermen, 1988, oil)

Deep Person

Superficiality is the word of the day. We live in a instant world. We expect everything to come to us instantly – instant news, instant notifications, instant money, instant gratification. The church is not the exception. We are constantly looking for new methods, new plans, new programs for instant church growth. We are looking for newer and better methods; God is looking for better people – not intelligent people, or gifted people, but deep people.[1]

Hymn writer A. B. Simpson describes God’s invitation to deeper life in Christ this way:

But mercy, alas! Only stand on the shore

And gaze on the ocean so wide;

They [You] never have ventured its depths to explore,

Or to launch on the fathomless tide.

Launch out into the deep,

O, let the shoreline go,

Launch out, launch out in the ocean divine,

Out where the full tides flow.

 

The Great Invitation

In today’s scripture we meet the one who says “Yes” to the great invitation. It was an ordinary day when Jesus was walking the shoreline. He saw two boats tied up. One of them happened to be Simon Peter’s. He just finished his work, getting out of the boat and washing the nets. Jesus came to him and asked him to put out a little the shore. At that time, many people were pushing in on Jesus to better hear the Word of God. If we picture or paint this scene, we tend to think Jesus in a white robe with a halo. That’s probably not the case. For me personally, I love Indonesian artist Bagong Kussudiardja’s painting, Christ and the Fishermen. He has painted Jesus as one of us, wearing sunglasses and shorts with dark skin. Jesus looks just like those who surround him. He identifies and hangs out with ordinary people – you and me. He still comes to us on an ordinary day.

Jesus did come to Simon. He asked him to push the boat out into the water, then he used it for a pulpit. He taught the crowd first. When he finished teaching, Jesus said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Jesus’ invitation always leads us to a new crisis of faith. Simon answered, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and caught nothing.” Here he was saying, “We already tried them all. Been there, done that.” Let us pause and think about Simon’s feelings for a moment – tired, frustrated, disappointed, hopeless, perhaps even angry. At that time he was not fishing for fun, but for survival. For him, fishing was a life or death matter under the burden of heavy taxation. But listen to Simon’s own words: “Nevertheless because you say so, I will let down the net.” The only difference between then and now is “Because Jesus said so.” At the crossroads Simon chose to the path of obedience. At a crisis of faith he chose to say “Yes” to the invitation. 

 

Into the Deep

Results? Miraculous catch. But this miraculous catch itself is not abundant life that Jesus promised. Rather, it’s a sign of abundant life. All of Jesus’ ministry – his teaching, his preaching, his healing – is a sign that points us to who he really is. If we say, “Because I believed, I prospered. Because I believed, I was healed. Because I believed, I got rich”, that’s the prosperity gospel. That’s like staying on the shallow seashore. But God nudges us to go deeper. For Simon, this miraculous catch made him stand in awe and feel that he is sinner and needs a different life. He felt nudged to go deeper and live for higher calling. Then, Jesus said to him, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” Now Simon got a new vocation – from catching fish to catching people and bringing them to life. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19, NRSV) This is Jesus’ calling. This is every Christian’s calling.

It’s a new beginning. When Simon (and his partners – James and John) are called, they leave everything – their boats, their nets, their catch, their families – in order to follow Jesus. They choose to launch out into the deep. Jesus needs deep people, not gifted or smart people. He does not need people who will direct him but people who will serve him, and trust and obey him.

 

Launch Out into the Deep

What’s the message for us today? How do we read and apply this story to our lives? Let us remember that we enter the story not as passive spectators, but as active participants. Alexander Whyte declares, “with your imagination anointed with holy oil you again open your New Testament. At one time, you are publican: at another time, you are the prodigal… at another time you are Mary Magdalene: at another time, Peter in the porch… Till your whole New Testament is all over autobiographic of you.”[2] So today Peter is you, Peter is me, Peter is us. And Jesus is coming to us and nudging us to go deeper.

It was this past Thursday when I felt nudged. I serve as a member of the District Committee on Ordained Ministry (DCOM). As a committee, we interview new candidates who are called to ministry and help them accountable by evaluating them annually. This time a candidate was bisexual. She seemed to be a practicing bisexual person. As I was reading her paper, I realized that I was not ready to interview and evaluate that candidate. So I abstained.

That afternoon I spent time to pray and meditate on the scriptures – today’s passage. I felt like I was Simon. I said, “Jesus, I tried them all. I studied and read and listened to both sides. But there is no easy answer.” I felt torn apart inside. I felt tired, frustrated, sad. As I was journaling, I asked questions to myself: “As a traditionalist[3], how can I navigate the next steps?” “Is there any room for traditionalists in our conference?”  “How much is possible working together in reality? If it is possible, what does it look like?” Too many questions, too few answers.

Then, I felt God’s nudge to go deeper. I realized that even though it’s important to discern what is right and what to do next, those questions are still like walking the shoreline. Jesus wanted me to go deeper and examine my heart. He was more interested in how I would get there – my motives, my priorities, etc. At the end of my journaling I prayed like this: “Lord, I surrender my life to you. Whatever decision is made in the future, let it be not based on my best interests, my family’s best interests, my financial security after retirement, or political lines, but solely on your will. I just want to do your will.”

As I was praying, Dr. King’s last speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” came to my mind. In the midst of uncertainty and chaos he shared the following words without knowing that he would be assassinated on the following day:

“Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land.”

Wherever we are on our journey, Jesus is right here with us to teach us, guide us, and nudge us. Do you feel a “nudge”? Let us launch out into the deep, cut away the shore line, and be lost in the fullness of God. Amen.

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[1] Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (HaperOne: New York, 2018), 1.

[2] Ibid., 30.

[3] Traditionalists refer to those who hold a traditional understanding of the LGBTQ issue, such as ban on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy, whereas progressives are those who affirm LGBTQ inclusion. Both sides are on the same page in that we should welcome and love all people regardless of age, class, ethnicity, race, gender identity, etc.  

“Father of a Multitude” (Genesis 18:1-15)

The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel written by John Steinback in 1939. The author builds up a story around the Great Depression, one of the most challenging times in the US history. In the story the Joad family has to leave their farmhouse in Oklahoma desolate and head for California because they have been told there is plenty of work there, and grapes in huge clusters – like land with milk and honey. But on their journey to the promised land Grandpa dies, then Grandma dies. The remaining members press on. They finally make it to California. But their hope gets crushed by brutal reality – few jobs and too many peoples. Some were even dying of starvation. But the Joad family never gives up. They work hard, they are compassionate toward the needy and help them, and they hunger for justice. In the final chapter of the book, the family takes shelter from the flood in an old barn. Inside they find a young boy and his father, who is dying of starvation. Ma realizes there is only one way to save the man. She looks at her oldest daughter, Rose of Sharon, who just gave birth a stillborn baby. Rose of Sharon understands and knows what to do. She goes to the man and has him drink her breast milk. The story ends with a sign of hope in the midst of hopeless circumstances.

Abram, Childless?

In Genesis 12 we meet Abram, that is exalted father. But unlike his name, Abram was not a father – childless, fruitless. When he was 75 years old, God called him to go to the land that he would show him and promised that he would give him many children. Abram waited, waited, waited for 10 years. But nothing happened. Then Abram and Sarai decided to do something. They decided to have a child through Sarai’s servant, Hagar. But God appeared to Abram and changed his name – from Abram to Abraham, that is father of a multitude. Then God said to him, “Your wife Sarah will bear you a son.” So again, Abraham waited, waited, waited. Waiting is hard.

Another 13 years passed. In today’s scripture now Abraham is 99 years old. Perhaps he might question himself and even God, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is 90 years old, bear a child?” (cf. 17:17) But again, in this hopeless situation God appears to Abraham and says, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” At that time Sarah, who was in the tent and overheard the conversation, laughs and says to herself, “An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?” God hears the question in their minds and says, “Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby.” By God’s grace Abraham and Sarah believe, they wait, they hope.

 

UMC, Hopeless?

Across the country, as of June 16, more than 5,800 churches have left the UMC over the LGBTQ issue. In the New England Conference 14 churches officially made a request for disaffiliation and got approval during the annual conference this month. Among them, one Korean UMC left, and several other Spanish-speaking churches left the denomination. Where are we headed? Is there any hope left?

The annual statistical report says that the UMC in our conference is on the steady decline. The number of churches decreased from 630 in 2010 to 561 in 2022, and the membership decreased from 152 in 2010 to 117 in 2022. In our own Katahdin district, out of 77 churches, 8 churches were not able to get a pastoral appointment for the upcoming year. Where are we headed? Is there any hope left? 

As of July 1^st, it marks the start of my 10^th year ministry here in Houlton, ME. While I was attending the annual conference last week, some of my colleagues said to me, “Are you still up there? What are you doing there?” I wish I could show them some kind of tangible fruits of the ministry. I could not but ask myself, “What’s left? What’s next? Where am I headed? Is there any hope left?”

 

Hoping against Hope

For me personally, Abraham’s story is a great encouragement. It’s a story of hope. Abraham knew that his body was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old. He knew that his wife was old and barren. No hope of new life. But Abraham believed, he hoped, he never gave up, he was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. Romans 4:18 says, “Hoping against hope, [Abraham] believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be."(Rom 4:18, NRSV) I like the way Eugene Peterson translates this verse in the Message Bible:

When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, "You're going to have a big family, Abraham!" (Emphasis is mine.)

If we continue to read Abraham’s story in patience, finally we get to Genesis 21:1-2, saying,

The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him.

God promises. And God fulfills his promises. Then, what is Abraham’s role? His role is to have faith in God. Faith is a verb. Hope is a verb. In the meantime, between Genesis 18 (God making a promise to Abraham) and Genesis 21 (God keeping his promise), Abraham lives out his faith. In particular, he prays for his family. He prays for his nephew, Lot and his family. He prays for their salvation. Before he became a father of many nations, he became a father of one. He stared with one person. He started with his family.

 

I Have a Dream Today

So where do you see the signs of hope today? I see the signs of hope in new pastors in the UMC. This year at the annual conference 9 pastors were newly ordained as deacons (2) and elders (7), 7 were commissioned as provisional members, 14 were licensed as a local pastor, and 9 were appointed as a certified lay minister.

Where do we see the signs of hope among us? Recently, God nudged Joyce and me to do something for the homeless people in our community. We asked ourselves, “What can we do?” Then, we realized that they love to have hot coffee in the morning. So we started to make coffee and deliver it to them every morning, getting to know them as a person and listening to their stories. It’s a baby step. We don’t know what’s next. We just take one step at a time. But in this process, we see the God of hope.

On August 28, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. stood before the Lincoln Memorial and cried out to the nation, “I have a dream. I have a dream today.” It was not a personal preference, but a dream deeply rooted in God’s promises. Dr. King believed, he waited, he hoped. He sang a song of hope by faith:

I have a dream today…

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be engulfed, every hill shall be exalted and every mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plains and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I will go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.

With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.

With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to climb up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

 Dr. King’s 60-year-old speech is still relevant today. Jesus promised to Peter and us, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it” (Matt 16:18). Christ’s Church will prevail. The Church will never die. This is our hope deeply grounded in Jesus’ promise. With this faith let us pray together, work together, press on together, saying, “I have a dream. I have a dream today.” May God’s will be done. Amen.

 

 

“I Believe” (Philippians 4:5-11)

The Apostles’ Creed

Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday. We Christians believe in one God that exists as three distinct Persons – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Church has tried to make sense of for thousands of years (Ex. The Trinity is like an egg – the shell, the white, the yoke; or a shamrock – three different cloves together to make one leaf; or water – a liquid, a gas, and a solid). But none of these metaphors can fully capture everything God is. The Trinity is a holy mystery that is beyond our ability to perfectly comprehend.

This morning I am standing here to simply proclaim the mystical truth of the Trinity rather than to prove it. There is no better summary of the Christian faith centered on the Trinity than the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostles’ Creed was not actually written by the twelve Apostles, but its language is taken directly from the Scriptures. It reflects the faith of the Apostles. It contains the twelve most essential affirmations of the Christian trinitarian faith. The Apostles’ Creed can be found in the United Methodist Hymnal book on page 881-882:

1.     I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

2.     I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

3. who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,

4. suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;

5. he descended to the dead.

6. On the third day he rose again;

7. he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father,

8. and will come again to judge the l and the living and the dead.

 

9.   I believe in the Holy Spirit,

10. the holy *catholic (universal) church, the communion of saints,

11. the forgiveness of sins,

12. the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

God the Father

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.”

This is a radical statement that God is Father. If the Creed had said, “I believe in God, the Almighty, creator of heaven and earth,” it could be Islamic creed or a Jewish creed. When Jesus was asked to teach his disciples to pray, he said, “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven…” Jesus called God “Abba” (dada or daddy), and he commended us to do the same. That means, God is a person, and God wants to have a personal, loving relationship with us.

God loves us because he made us. When we open our hearts to God, we come to know and love God as Father. And we become more like him (“Like Father, like son”, “Like Father, like daughter”) – more loving, more just and generous. John Wesley calls it “Christian perfection.” It doesn’t mean sinless perfection. But it does mean perfect in love – the heart undivided in its love for God and others. Let me give you an illustration. Robert Coleman, my seminary professor, once shared his story. He was working in the garden on a hot summer day, and sweat was pouring off his body. His little son saw him working hard outside, and decided to bring him a glass of water. He went down to the kitchen, pulled up a stool, and managed to reach up to sink. He picked up a dirty glass laying in the sink, filled with lukewarm water, and brought it out to his dad. Robert commented, “The glass was dirty, and the water warm, but it was brought to me in perfect love.” Our life might be broken and stained with all kinds of sins like dirty glass, and our best efforts like lukewarm water. But when we call God “Abba Father” and bring ourselves to him with love, he takes it, and calls it “perfect love.”

 

God the Son

“I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,”

Jesus is the central figure in our Christian faith. Out of the twelve affirmations of the Apostles’ Creed, six of them are about Jesus Christ. Throughout the church history all of the major heresies have to do with who Jesus is. For instance, Jehovah’s Witness teach that Jesus is created being who doesn’t share in God’s deity. Mormons deny the uniqueness of God, teaching that all of us can become gods. But the Bible says, “The Son is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being” (Heb 1:3). Jesus is fully God and fully man.

If we go to Trafalgar Square in London, we can’t miss Nelson’s Column at the center. Horatio Nelson is the great 18^th century naval hero in British history. He defeated both the French and Spanish fleets at Trafalgar. But he was fatally wounded in the battle and died on ship soon after he heard the news of the great victory. To honor him, the people built Trafalgar Square and erected a huge column with his statue on top. But the statue is so high (169 feet, 3 inches!), visitors cannot get a glimpse of Nelson. So, the British have an exact duplicate of Nelson’s image at the ground level so that people can see him face to face[1]. The Apostles’ Creed is confessing this great mystery of the incarnation (literally meaning “in the flesh”).

God came down in Jesus Christ so we could see him face to face and see his glory. This is the Gospel in a nutshell. We (Adam) sinned against God. God says the wages of sin is death – separation from God. But God came down in Jesus to rescue us. Jesus emptied himself, conceived by the Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary in the manger. He humbled himself and died a criminal’s death on a cross. But God exalted him. On the third day Jesus was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, now sitting at the right hand of God. And he is coming soon. If we believe in Jesus’ name, we are forgiven. We become children of God. We become Christians.

 

God the Holy Spirit

“I believe in the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force, but a person. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the one who knocks at the door of our hearts, nudging us and reminding us that we need a savior. The Holy Spirit is the one who specifically points us to Christ as our Savior. The Holy Spirit is the one who empowers us for effective service and witness – the gifts of the Spirit (spiritual gifts). The Holy Spirit makes us holy and makes us become more and more like Jesus – the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control, that is, the character of Christ.

Our role is to consent to the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s not about self-help or the power of positive thinking. Rather, we are opening ourselves to be shaped by the Holy Spirit, creating room for him to come and begin a new work in our lives. We can welcome the Holy Spirit every morning with this simple welcoming prayer[2]:

I consent to the work of the Holy Spirit.
I let go of my desire for security and pleasure.
I let go of my desire for affection and esteem.
I let go of my desire for power and control.

It is one thing to receive the Holy Spirit. And it is quite another thing to stay filled and overflowing in the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is always active in our lives. But we need to consent, saying “Yes” to the work of the Spirit.

 

I Believe

I believe in God, the Father Almighty.

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.

I believe in the Holy Spirit.

I want to close with a story of a sculptor. There was a sculptor once, so they say, who sculpted a statue of our Lord. And people came from great distances to see it – Christ in all his strength and tenderness. They would walk all round the statue, trying to grasp its splendor, looking at it now from this angle, now from that. Yet still its grandeur eluded them, until they consulted the sculptor himself. He would invariably reply “There’s only one angle from which this statue can be truly seen. You must kneel.”[3]

From ancient times, our spiritual ancestors used the Apostles’ Creed to teach new believers before their baptism on Easter. On Easter Sunday the twelve statements were asked as questions. And the candidates replied, “Yes, this we believe.” Only then the candidates were baptized as Christians.

1.               Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth?

“Yes, this I believe.”

2.               Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord?

 “Yes, this I believe.”

3.               Do you believe in Jesus Christ, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary?

“Yes, this I believe.” 

4.               Do you believe in Jesus Christ, who suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died and was buried?

“Yes, this I believe.”

5.               Do you believe in Jesus Christ, who descended to the dead?

“Yes, this I believe.”

6.               Do you believe in Jesus Christ, who rose again from the dead on the third day?

“Yes, this I believe.”

7.               Do you believe in Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty?

“Yes, this I believe.”

8.               Do you believe in Jesus Christ, who shall come to judge the living and the dead?

“Yes, this I believe." 

9.               Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?

“Yes, this I believe.”

10.            Do you believe the holy *catholic (universal) Church, the communion of saints?

“Yes, this I believe.”

11.            Do you believe the forgiveness of sins?

“Yes, this I believe.”

12.            Do you believe the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting?

“Yes, this I believe.”

 

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[1] Timothy C. Tennent, This We Believe (Seedbed Publishing: Kentucky, 2012), 17-18.

[2] Ken Shigematsu, “Become a Shadow of Your Future Self,” Christianity Today (May 26, 2023)

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/may-web-only/ken-shigematsu-christian-identity-holiness-manifesting.html

[3] John Stott, The Incomparable Christ (p. 236). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.