“Resurrection” (John 20:19-23)

 

*Holman Hunt's The Light of the World

Evidence for the Resurrection
Today we celebrate Easter. The resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord is the very core of our Christian belief. If we read the Book of Acts carefully, the heart of the Good News is the simple proclamation: “Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!” But we may ask: What is the evidence for the resurrection? And even more personally: Why does the resurrection matter to us today?
 
There are several lines of convincing evidence. But perhaps the most powerful and undeniable evidence is this: the transformation of the disciples. The four gospels tell us how each disciple encountered the risen Christ at different times and how their lives were completely changed. Mary Magdalene. Peter and John. Thomas. The two disciples pm the road to Emmaus. And today’s passage is one of those stories. In today’s scripture Jesus speaks three words to his disciples. And these three words answer our question: “Why does resurrection matter?”
 
Peace
First, the resurrection matters because it gives us peace – peace with God, and the peace of God. When Jesus appeared to his disciples, the very first words were: “Peace be with you!” (v. 19b) At that time, the disciples were not gathered for worship. They were hiding. The doors were locked. They were afraid. And suddenly, Jesus stood among them and said, “Peace to you!”
 
Our world needs peace. We need peace today. But the peace Jesus gives is not the same as comfort. We feel comfortable when things are going well. Comfort depends on circumstances. But peace, true peace, is different. It is internal. It is steady. It is unshakable. Jesus said in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” Before the resurrection, the disciples could not live in that peace. They were troubled. Afraid. Discouraged. But after the resurrection, everything changed. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, his peace became real in their lives, and it can become real in ours.
 
How could someone say, “It is well with my soul,” after losing everything in the Great Chicago Fire, and even losing his four daughters at sea? How could a father say, “I give thanks,” after his two sons were martyred? Only by the peace of Christ. The Bible says, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) The resurrection makes this peace possible.
 
Purpose
Second, the resurrection matters because it gives us purpose. Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (v. 21). The risen Christ gives us “direction,” “meaning,” – a reason to live. In John 21, we find the disciples discouraged and lost. They went back to their old life, fishing. All night, they caught nothing. But the risen Christ was already there, waiting for them. He called to them, “Cast your net on the right side.”
And suddenly, their nets were full. It reminded them of the very beginning, when Jesus first called them: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” From fishermen… to fishers of people.
 
E. Stanley Jones, a Methodist missionary, described his conversion when he was 17 years old. At a revival meeting, he knelt to pray. And he experienced something he never forgot. He felt like light pierced his darkness. He wrote:

1. A sense of forgiveness and reconciliation—with God, with others, with myself.
   
2. A sense of being at home.
   
3. A sense of purpose and direction.
   
4. A sense of not being alone.
   
5. A sense of being fully alive as a person.
   
6. A sense of wholeness.
   
7. And a deep sense of grace

Friends, this is not only his story. This is our story. When we encounter the risen Christ, we discover our God-given purpose.
 
Power
Third, the resurrection matters because it gives us power – the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (v. 22b). In the Gospels, the disciples were fearful and weak. But in the Book of Acts, they are bold and courageous. What made the difference? The Holy Spirit. Think of Peter. He once said, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” He meant it. But he had no power. So when the moment came, he denied Jesus three times. But later, we see a different Peter, standing before thousands, preaching boldly, risking his life for Christ. What changed? The Holy Spirit.
 
William Temple explained it this way: “It is no use asking me to write a play like Shakespeare. I cannot. But if the spirit of Shakespeare lived in me, then I could. In the same way, we cannot live like Jesus on our own. But if the Spirit of Jesus lives in us, then we can.” Jesus promised: “The Spirit… abides with you, and will be in you.” (John 14:17)
 
Decision Time
So, the resurrection is real. We see it in the transformed lives of the disciples. And we still see it today. And the resurrection matters because it gives us three gifts: Peace. Purpose. Power.
 
In Revelation 3:20 the risen Christ says to us, “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 them, and they with me.” There is a famous painting, The Light of the World, by Holman Hunt inspired by this verse. Notice that Jesus is standing at the door. He is knocking, not forcing. Calling, not shouting. The house is his. He designed it. He made it. He bought it with his own blood. But he is standing, knocking, speaking from outside. Notice that there is no handle on the outside. The handle is on the inside. Christ knocks; but we must open.
 
A young soldier knelt down by his camp bed one night in the barracks. He prayed a very simple prayer: “Jesus, have mercy on me. I am a sinner. I confess my sins. I turn away from my sins and turn to you. Come into my heart. Be my Lord and Savior. And I will humbly serve you all my life. Amen.” Actually, this was my own prayer about 26 years ago. And I can tell you that since that day, though it has been a journey and I am still a work in progress, I have found peace, purpose, and power through the risen Christ living in me!
 
So before we leave today, let us ask ourselves: Am I truly a Christian? Do I have this peace? Do I know my purpose? Do I have the power of the Holy Spirit? And one final question: On which side of the door is Jesus? Is he outside—knocking? Or inside—living with you? Now is the time. Now is the day of salvation. Let us open the door and say: “Come in. Come in, Lord Jesus. Come in today. Come in to stay. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.” Amen.

“Missionary Mindset” (Colossians 3:1-11)

 

Three Ways to Live
There are often three ways people live when they go to another country: as immigrants, as tourists, or as exiles. Some live like immigrants. They try to fully assimilate. They adopt the language, the customs, the values, sometimes even losing their original identity along the way. Others live like tourists. They stay, but only on the surface. They keep their distance. They remain in their own bubble, never truly engaging the place or the people.

But then there are exiles. Exiles are different. They do not forget who they are. They keep their identity. And yet, they do not withdraw. They build homes, plant gardens, raise families, and seek the good of the place where they are. This is the picture Scripture gives us.
 
In John 17, Jesus says we are in the world, but not of the world. We belong here. And yet, we do not belong here. Our true citizenship is in heaven. We set our hearts and minds on the kingdom of God. In other words, we live as missionaries – faithfully present in this world, yet deeply rooted in the kingdom of God. In this sense, every Christian is a missionary.
 
Raised
In today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul describes our identity in three ways: “You were raised with Christ” (past; verse 1), “You are hidden with Christ” (present; verse 3), and “You will be revealed with Christ” (future; verse 4).
 
First, we were raised with Christ (v. 1). When Christ died, we died with him. When Christ was risen, we were raised with him. This is our new reality. In Romans 6:11, Paul says, “Consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Notice that word: consider. Remember. Reckon. Live according to what is already true.
 
Imagine a people who lived for a long time under a cruel king. His rule was harsh and oppressive. Then one day, a good and gracious king takes the throne. The people are now free. They belong to a new ruler. But it takes time. Even though their status has changed, their habits have not. They still act as if they are under the old king. They keep going back, living as if nothing has changed. They must learn to remember: Now we belong to a new king. The Bible gives us this same picture in the story of Exodus. Israel was set free from Egypt. Their status changed completely. They were no longer slaves. They were God’s people. But their hearts took longer to change. They kept looking back to Egypt. They complained. They struggled. They lived with old habits of slavery. That is why the journey took forty years in the wilderness: a time of learning, shaping, and discipline.

The new life is not automatic. It does not happen without effort on our part. As Moule rightly said: “The process of fully becoming detached from the old and fully belonging to the new remains to be painfully and laboriously completed.”[1] So every morning, as we begin a new day, we need to remember: We are a new creation. We were raised with Christ.
 
Hidden
Second, we are hidden with Christ (v. 3). What does that mean? Negatively, it means putting off the old self – our pride, our need to control, our preferences. Positively, it means putting on the new self – that is, Jesus Christ himself.
 
A Korean missionary once wrote the poem, “Do You Know What Victory Is?” It beautifully describes what it means to be hidden with Christ: 

Do you know what victory is?
Victory is this—
when you are tempted by an easier, more comfortable way…
and you choose to follow only the Lord.
 
Do you know what victory is?
Victory is this—
when there are so many words you want to say…
and you hold them back…
and let only the Lord speak.
 
Do you know what victory is?
Victory is this—
no matter the outcome, if Christ is honored…
and His peace fills your heart.

Friends, this is the hidden life. A hidden life with Christ means Christ becomes more visible, even as we become less. His will replaces our preferences. His voice becomes clear, as we grow quiet. “No longer I, but Christ lives in me.” This is the hidden life with Christ. And this is the true victory.
 
Revealed
Third, we will be revealed with Christ in glory (v. 4). Jesus Christ himself was hidden. He came to his own people, but they did not receive him. He was misunderstood, rejected, and crucified. But God raised him. And one day, he will come again in glory. The best is yet to come.
 
There is a story of an old missionary couple returning home after years of service in Africa. They had no pension; their health was broken; they were old now and afraid. On the same ship was President Theodore Roosevelt, returning from a hunting trip. When the ship arrived in New York, there was a great celebration for the president. A band, officials, crowds. But no one noticed the missionaries. They quietly went to a small apartment. That night, the missionary’s spirit broke. He poured out his heart to the Lord. He said, “Lord, I can’t take this. You are not treating us fairly. The President received this tremendous homecoming, but no one met us as we returned home.” But when he finished it, God simply said, “My son, you’re not home yet!”[2] That is our hope. One day, when Christ returns, we will be revealed with him in glory.
 
The Life of Adoniram Judson
This week I reread the biography of Adoniram Judson, the first American missionary sent to a foreign country. At age 25, he and his wife, Ann, age 23, went to Burma. They had three children there. All three died. The first was stillborn. The second lived 17 months. The third lived two years and died six months after her mother. And yet, they stayed.
 
For me, one of the most moving moments in his life is how he asked to marry Ann. Adoniram Judson knew he was going to Burma. So he wrote to Ann’s father. And he did not hide anything. He asked: 

“Can you consent to part with your daughter… to see her no more in this world… Can you consent to her exposure to hardships… danger… suffering… and perhaps a violent death… for the sake of Him who left His heavenly home, and died for her and for you… and for the glory of God?”[3]

Surprisingly, Ann’s father did something remarkable. He did not decide for her. He let her choose. After much prayer, Ann said “Yes.” She wrote to a friend: 

“I have come to the determination to give up all my comforts and enjoyments here, sacrifice my affection to relatives and friends, and go where God, in his Providence, shall see fit to place me.[4]

It took 6 years to baptize the first Burmese Christian. 12 years to see 18 converts. But, Adoniram Judson kept going. When he died, he left behind a Burmese Bible, over 100 churches, and more than 8,000 believers. He lived as a missionary, setting his heart on things above.
 
Missionary Mindset
This week, I also had the privilege of interviewing Brian Ketchum with the help of Diane. He worked hard and became successful. But later in life, he started what he called a “jelly mission.” He said, “I've spent my whole life trying to buy something for less than it was worth and then sell it for more than it was worth. I don’t want to do that anymore. From now on, I’m not going to sell… I’m going to give it away.”
 
Who is a missionary? A missionary is someone fully present where they are sent, yet always setting their heart on things above. And the truth is – this is all of us. We were raised with Christ. We are hidden with Christ. We will be revealed with Christ. 
 
When his memory was failing, John Newton said, “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior.” May we always remember who we are and who Christ is. May we set our hearts on things above, and live for eternity. Amen.

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[1] David E. Garland, Colossians, Philemon (The NIV Application Commentary Book 12) (p. 223). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.

[2] Ray Stedman, Talking To My Father (Barbour & Co. 1997).

[3] Courtney Anderson, To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson (Zondervan, 1956), 83.

[4] Ibid., 84. 

“My Exceeding Joy” (Philippians 3:12-16)

 

Joy and Happiness
Can we rejoice even when we are unhappy? The answer is yes. Because joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness depends on our circumstances. When things go well, we feel happy. When life is hard, happiness fades. But joy is different. Joy is deeper. It is internal. And for Christians, joy comes from our relationship with God. As Henri Nouwen once said, “Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing—sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death—can take that love away.”
 
Nouwen tells a story about a friend of his. This friend was always speaking about the sun. He did not deny the sorrow around him. He did not ignore the cries of the world. But he remained joyful, no matter what. Why? Because he knew that in Christ, hope was more real than despair, and love more real than fear. Nouwen admitted that he often felt the pull to focus on the darkness—wars, the corruption, and the brokenness of humanity. But his friend would say, “I saw two children sharing their bread with one another. I heard a woman say, ‘thank you,’ and smile when someone covered her with a blanket.” And Nouwen concluded, “My friend’s joy is contagious. Through him, I am reminded that there is a sun, even though the skies are covered with clouds… Those who keep speaking about the sun while walking under a cloudy sky are messengers of hope—the true saints of our day.”[1]
 
Rejoice!
In this way, the Apostle Paul is one of those messengers of hope—a messenger of joy. In his letter to the Philippians, the words “joy” and “rejoice” appear again and again—about 14 times in this short letter of just four chapters. That is remarkable, especially when we remember: Paul is writing from prison.
 
So we ask, what are his reasons to rejoice? Paul’s joy is always connected to Christ and comes from Christ. Christ is the source of his joy. He begins chapter 3 with this invitation: “Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.” Then he shows us that life is really a pursuit of joy—but there are two very different paths. Paul uses his own life as an example—before Christ and after Christ. Before Christ, he pursued joy through his own performance. He had every reason to be proud: circumcised on the eighth day, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, blameless under the law. These were his achievements, his assets, his identity. This was his source of joy.
 
But when he encountered Christ, everything changed. What once looked like gain, he now considered loss. What once gave him pride, he now saw as a stumbling block. He even calls it rubbish compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ. Now, his pursuit of joy is completely different. He pursues joy by knowing Christ. He pursues joy by sharing in Christ’s sufferings. He pursues joy by living in the power of Christ’s resurrection. This is the great shift—from joy in self, to joy in Christ.
 
Abrahams and Liddell
The other day, my children and I watched the movie Chariots of Fire during our family movie night. It tells the story of two runners, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. Both were outstanding athletes. But they pursued joy in very different ways. Harold Abrahams was driven to win. He trained with all his strength, and he did win the gold medal at the Olympics. But even after his victory, he felt empty. He said something like, “I have ten seconds to prove my existence.” His joy depended on his performance. And it was never enough.
 
But Eric Liddell was different. He once said to his sister, “God made me for a purpose. He made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” For Eric, running was not the source of joy—it was a means of grace. Christ was his joy. When the 100-meter final was scheduled on a Sunday, he chose not to run, in order to honor God. Instead, he entered the 400-meter race on another day—and won the gold medal. Many expected him to continue to the next Olympics. But he chose a different path. He went to China as a missionary. Later, he was placed in an internment camp during the war. Even there, his joy remained. He used his gifts to serve others—teaching, encouraging, organizing games for children and families. They loved him. They called him “Uncle Eric.” His joy was contagious. He gave himself for others, using everything he had to honor God. In the end, he suffered greatly from a brain tumor. Yet even on his deathbed, he was still encouraging and discipling others. Two runners. Two paths. One found joy in performance, and it faded. The other found joy in Christ, and it overflowed, even in suffering.
 
Press On
Paul, in the previous passage (vv. 1–11), reflects on his life—before Christ and after Christ. Now, in verses 12–16, he shows us how he actively pursues joy after Christ has come into his life. He says, “Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own” (Philippians 3:12, NRSV). Do you hear his heart? Paul has one goal, one purpose: to know Christ and to make Him known. So he forgets what lies behind and strains forward to what lies ahead. Ever since Christ revealed Himself to Paul on the road to Damascus, he did not dwell on the past. He pressed on. He actively pursued a deeper, living relationship with Christ.
 
Two images may help us understand this. First, the image of marriage. In Hosea 6:3, we read, “Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.” The Hebrew word for “know” is yada. It is the same word used in Genesis 4:1: “Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived.” This is not just intellectual knowledge. It is deep, personal, intimate, experiential knowledge. When Joyce and I were dating for about two years, I thought I knew her. But after we got married, I realized how little I truly knew. We have been married for about 18 years now, and I am still discovering new things about her. And I hear the same from couples married 40, 50, even 60 years. A relationship must be intentionally cultivated. It takes time, attention, and love. Otherwise, it can slowly drift. In the same way, we are called to press on to know Christ more deeply, more personally, more intimately.
 
Second, the image of a runner. To run well, athletes discipline themselves. They care for their bodies. They eat wisely. They develop healthy rhythms of rest. They train daily with purpose and focus. That is the reason I love running. And Paul reminds us: whether we think of ourselves as athletic or not, we are all runners in our spiritual journey. We are pressing toward the same goal. Our one common goal is to know Christ and to make Him known. And the prize is this unshakable, contagious joy that comes from knowing Christ.
 
As Long as We Can
This past week, our dear sister Liz Taylor went to glory. I had the privilege of visiting her one last time. Though she had become unresponsive, there was a deep sense of peace in the room. And there was joy. I saw a life that had pressed on. A life that had fought the good fight. A life that had finished well.
 
I believe that is the kind of joy Paul is talking about. Friends, let us press on to know Christ and make Him known, “by all the means we can, in all the ways we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, to all the people we can, as long as ever we can.” Amen.

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[1] Henri Nouwen, Here and Now (The Crossroad Publishing Company,1994), 35.

“Jesus, Our Cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-22)

How Imperial Hotel Survived
In his autobiography, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright tells a story about building the famous Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. During construction, the chairman wanted to remove a large pool from the design to save money. Wright strongly resisted. He insisted that the pool was not a luxury—it was part of the building’s protection system in case of disaster, especially earthquakes and fires. The debate became so intense that Wright even threatened to walk away from the project. In the end, the pool stayed. Two years later, the devastating Great Kantō Earthquake struck Tokyo. Many buildings collapsed or burned. But the Imperial Hotel remained standing. Wright had designed the structure with the right foundation and safeguards. What seemed unnecessary at first turned out to be essential.[1] In many ways, our lives are like that building. When things go well, we may not think much about the foundation. But when the earthquake begins, what we have built our lives upon suddenly matters most.
 
The Cornerstone
In ancient Israel, especially in the time of the apostles, the cornerstone was the most important stone in the entire building. It was the very first stone placed at the corner of the foundation. Builders selected it carefully, because every other stone in the structure would be measured and aligned from that one stone. If the cornerstone was strong and properly set, the whole building would stand straight and secure. But if the cornerstone was misplaced, the entire structure could become crooked, unstable, and even collapse.
 
Today’s scripture tells us Jesus is our cornerstone. This means that Jesus is the essential, foundational, and stabilizing stone of our lives. For a Christian, taking Jesus as the cornerstone means putting him at the center of life – allowing him  to shape all our decisions, beliefs, values, and actions, rather than trying to fit him into a life we have already built. So receiving Jesus is something like an earthquake. Everything must be reordered. Pastor Tim Keller called it a “life-quake.” He wrote:
 
“When a great big truck goes over a tiny little bridge, there’s a bridge-quake. When a big man walks onto thin ice, there’s an ice-quake. When Jesus Christ comes into a person’s life, there’s a life-quake. Everything is reordered—your views, convictions, behaviors, and relationships. He may change them; He may not. But at the beginning, you must say, ‘In everything, He must have the supremacy.’”[2]
 
A Stumbling Stone
Jesus is our cornerstone. But not everyone receives him the same way. The apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 2:6–8 that for those who believe, this stone is precious, a foundation of hope and life. But for those who don’t believe, the same stone becomes a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. In other words, the same cornerstone that holds the building together can also trip those who refuse to walk in its direction. Jesus is not just another stone we can place wherever we like. He sets the line. He determines the direction. If we build our lives aligned with Him, we find stability, purpose, and life. But if we resist Him or try to build around Him, we eventually stumble. So the real question for each of us is this: How are we responding to the cornerstone? Are we aligning our lives with Christ, or are we stumbling over Him?
 
Tested and Precious
How do we know whether our lives are truly built upon Jesus the cornerstone? Usually we discover it when the earthquake of life comes. Abraham believed in God and loved Him. But one day God said, “Abraham! Take your son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice.” It did not make sense. Isaac was the son of promise, one and only son, the child God had given Abraham when he was 100. And offering a person as a burnt offering did not seem consistent with God’s character. That was a crisis of faith. Although he didn’t fully understand, Abraham obeyed. When Isaac asked, “Father, where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham said by faith, “My son, God will provide.” Abraham took a leap of faith. Through that obedience, Abraham was saying, “God, you are the most precious cornerstone of my life.”
 
Recently Joyce and I received a phone call from the DS about a new appointment. We were given 24 hours to discern. Early the next morning, while praying and meditating on scripture, there came a quiet assurance: “Don’t be afraid. Go.” But the first thing that came to my mind was my children’s faces. By God’s grace, our two older children had entered MSSM. They love their school and will be juniors this fall. Our three younger ones were all born here in Houlton and are thriving. So Joyce and I prayed hard for our children. When we shared the news with them, they all wept. “How could you?” “How dare you?” Watching them, my heart felt torn apart. The only thing I could say was, “God will provide.”
 
The Exchanged Life
The missionary Hudson Taylor faced many trials while serving in China. In those days, all the mission works were done along the coast. No one dared to go inland. But Taylor founded the China Inland Mission (CIM), and by faith he preached the good news to those who lived inland. Travel was dangerous. Foreigners and missionaries were forbidden, feared, and hated. Taylor was often sick, exhausted, and discouraged. In one honest letter to his mother, he admitted that at times he felt he might break down completely.
 
Later, in another letter to his sister, he described a turning point in his spiritual life. For months he had struggled, praying harder, striving to be stronger, trying to live a holier life. But the more he tried, the more he felt his weakness. Then one day, he received a letter from a fellow missionary, John McCarthy, who wrote: “But how to get faith strengthened? Not by striving after faith, but by resting on the Faithful One.” That simple truth changed everything. Hudson Taylor stopped striving and began abiding – like a branch abiding in the vine. His circumstances did not suddenly become easier, but the foundation of his life had changed. Christ became his cornerstone – his freedom, his joy, and his strength. Often it takes seasons of suffering or crisis to reveal what we are really standing on. But when our lives are built on Christ, we discover that we can stand firm even in the storms.
 
Ebenezer, Jehovah Jireh
Hudson Taylor kept a plaque in every home where he lived. It read: “Ebenezer, Jehovah-Jireh.” Two names of God.
 
“Ebenezer” comes from 1 Samuel 7:12. After God saved Israel from the Philistines, Samuel set up a stone and named it Ebenezer, meaning “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” “Jehovah-Jireh” comes from Genesis 22, the story of Abraham and Isaac. When God provided a ram in place of Isaac, Abraham declared "Jehovah Jireh” – the Lord will provide.
 
Hudson Taylor’s life was full of sorrow. His wife Maria died at age thirty-three. Four of their eight children died before the age of ten. He suffered illness and hardship for many years. Later, during the Boxer Rebellion, fifty-eight of his missionaries were killed, along with thousands of Chinese Christians. Near the end of his life, after hearing another tragic report of martyrdom, Taylor said this: “I cannot read, I cannot think; I cannot even pray; but I can trust.” He trusted the God who had helped him thus far. He trusted the God who will provide.
 
Are you worried? Are you afraid? Are you tired? Our God is able. Jesus is our cornerstone. Sometimes the building process is painful. But Christ is building us, individually and as a church, into his dwelling place. So may we stop striving and start abiding. The One who has help us thus far will also provide. Amen.

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[1] Edward Tenner, The Atlantic, “How Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel Survived a 1923 Earthquake,” (April 1, 2011), https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/04/how-tokyos-imperial-hotel-survived-a-1923-earthquake/73306/

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

“I Am a Christian” (Gal 5:16-26)

 

*Nicodemus Visiting Jesus, by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1899)

Marks of a Christian?
If someone asked you, “How do you know he or she is a Christian?” what would you say? One study found that 5 out of 6 young non-Christians say they know a Christian personally, but only 1 out of 6 says the lifestyle of those believers is noticeably different in a good way. The word “Christian” literally means, “someone who belongs to Christ” or “a follower of Christ.” But, what does it really mean to be a Christian? What are the marks of a Christian? Today’s scripture tells us there are at least two undeniable marks of a Christian: the cross of Christ and the Spirit of Christ.

The Cross of Christ
First, the Christian is a person who has been transformed by the cross of Christ. A Christian is someone who has died to self. Galatians 5:24 says, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus (Christians) have crucified the self with its passions and its desires.” (CEB) Their wills and affections have been changed. Suppose you have a pig. You give him a bath. You polish his hoofs. You put a beautiful ribbon around him. You sprinkle nice perfume on him. Now he smells good and looks good. Everybody says, “How nice! I’ve never seen such a lovely pig!” You open the door and let the pig out. Where does he go? He directly goes back to the mud-hole, because his nature has never been changed. He’s still a pig. In the same way, a person can dress nicely on Sunday morning, come to church, sing the hymns, smile, shake the pastor’s hand, and say, “That was a wonderful service.” But after church, that same person may return to the same old sins. Why? Because the nature has never been changed.

That’s why Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again!” Nicodemus was a good man, a good Pharisee, honorable, and conscientious leader. But he sensed that something was missing in his life. Perhaps he thought if he tried a little bit harder and improved his life, everything would be right. But it didn’t work. So he came to see Jesus at night. The very first thing Jesus said to him was, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again!” All of our efforts – living a moral life, doing good works, trying to improve ourselves – are not enough. Self-help cannot change our nature. Jesus says there is only one way to enter the kingdom. We must be born again, born from above, born of the Spirit! It is not enough to become a better person; we must become a new person in Christ.

And how does this new life come? By trusting who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Jesus explains it clearly to Nicodemus in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” When we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died for our sins, we become a new creation in him. In our natural state, the Bible says that everyone does what is right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). We follow the desires of our sinful nature. But when we are born again, something begins to change. Our hearts change. Our desires change. We become dead to sin and alive to Christ. We begin to hate the sins we once loved. We turn away from things like sexual immorality, idolatry, hatred, jealousy, and division. Instead, we begin to love Christ and obey Christ—not out of fear, not out of duty, but out of love. After Charles Wesley experienced this new birth, he wrote these words: “I want a principle within of watchful, godly fear, a sensibility of sin, a pain to feel it near.” So let me ask you a simple question: Have you been born again?

The Spirit of Christ
The second mark of a Christian is this: we live by the Spirit and bear the fruit of the Spirit. From the moment we believe in Christ, it is as if we are grafted into the vine. We receive new life. We begin to grow. But, what does it mean to grow in the faith of Jesus Christ? It means to follow Jesus. Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit.” It’s a daily walk. It’s a long obedience in the same direction. Again and again, Jesus gave this invitation: “Follow me.” He was not looking for “fans” who simply admired him and his teaching. He was looking for “followers” who would give their lives to him. In his book Not A Fan, Kyle Idleman describes the difference:

Fans love rules; Followers love Jesus.
Fans glorify themselves; Followers die to themselves.
Fans settle; Followers sacrifice.
Fans create outcasts; Followers create followers.

Galatians tells us what that fruit looks like: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them.” So the question is not simply, “Am I doing good things?” The deeper question is this: Am I becoming more loving? More joyful? More peaceful? More patient? Am I more like Christ today than I was a year ago? When we keep in step with Christ, we become humble without losing conviction. We become holy without losing warmth. We become people of integrity without becoming rigid. Slowly we grow into the full stature of Christ.

I Am a Christian
In the early church, followers of Jesus were first called Christians in Antioch. They did not give themselves that name. Others gave it to them. Why? Because their behavior, their attitudes, their speech, and their lives looked like Jesus. They were filled with the Spirit of Christ, controlled by the Spirit of Christ, and empowered by the Spirit of Christ.

George Müller cared for more than ten thousand orphans and established more than a hundred schools in his lifetime. People often asked him, “What is the secret of your fruitful life?” Müller once answered with these words: “There was a day when I died—utterly died. Died to George Müller, his opinions, his preferences, his tastes, and his will. Died to the world, its approval and its criticism. Died even to the approval or blame of my friends. And since that day, I have studied only to show myself approved by God.” The apostle Paul spoke in a similar way. In 1 Corinthians he says, “I die every day.” And in Galatians he declares, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

So every day, by faith, may we say: “My old self has been crucified with Christ. Now Christ lives in me.” And that is what it means to say, “I am a Christian.” Amen.

“Making Sense of Suffering” (2 Corinthians 11:22-30)

 

St. Anthony

Have you ever felt pulled in all directions – by life’s demands, distractions, or temptations? Let’s take a look at this artwork by Martin Schongauer, Saint Anthony Abbot Tempted by Demons (c. 1470-1480). St. Anthony was a Christian monk from Egypt in the 3^rd century. At eighteen, he inherited his family’s wealth, but he gave it all away to the poor. He became a humble, devoted, well-respected monk, living in the desert. But then, he was severely tormented by temptations. His biographer, Athanasius, writes that Satan sent subordinate demons to attack Anthony when he was 34 years old. Athanasius describes the later stages of the devil’s temptation as a physical attack by demons masquerading as wild animals: “Anthony, beaten and mauled, experienced even more atrocious pains in his body but he remained unafraid, his mind alert.” At the end, the weary Anthony cries out to the Lord, “Where were you, good Jesus? Where were you? Why were you not here from the beginning to heal my wounds?” A voice answers, “Anthony, I was here, but I was waiting to watch your struggle.”[1] Like Anthony, we are not immune to life’s temptations. And like Anthony, we may ask, “Where were you, God? Why didn’t you help me from the beginning?”

 

Paul in Danger

Paul, in Today’s scripture, wrestles with the same questions. He was a faithful servant of Christ, but he was not immune to life’s hardships. He was imprisoned, flogged, beaten, shipwrecked, stoned. He faced danger from robbers, enemies, his own people, the wilderness, and the sea. On top of this, he carried the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches. And then there was the “thorn in his body,” a messenger from Satan that caused him ongoing physical agony. Paul was in constant suffering. Then, where was God in all this? Why didn’t He come and help right away?

 

Crucifixion

The answer is God did come and help in Jesus. In Psalm 22, David prophesies what would happen to God’s Messiah. Christ would cry out, “My God! My God, why have you forsaken me?” His enemies surrounded him like mighty bulls. They attacked like young lions, ripping and roaring. Like wild dogs, a pack of evil people circled him, tormenting him again and again. Jesus was mocked and taunted, like Anthony, like Paul. But this suffering was God’s plan for the Christ. (cf. Isaiah 53:10)                                                         

 

So what was the point of Christ’s suffering and the cross? Think of it like a battle: Jesus entered the enemy’s stronghold and destroyed it. Through his death on the cross, he defeated the powers of sin, evil, and death – once for all. Colossians 2:15 says, “He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” (NLT) Through his suffering, Jesus set free all of us who were enslaved by the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:15)

 

I keep Matthias Grünewald’s painting Crucifixion on my desk wall and the front page of my Bible as a constant reminder. It was painted for a hospital, for people dying from a terrible plague called ergotism. – a disease that caused painful seizures, violent spasms, constant diarrhea, relentless vomiting, and agonizing deaths, with their bodies twisted and broken. Perhaps they cried out, “Where were you, God? Why didn’t you help me?” In this painting, the Christ is depicted as stricken with the same suffering. His limbs are distorted and twisted. The artist wanted those suffering to see: Jesus suffers with you, and Jesus suffers for you. To Christ’s left, John the Baptist stands, pointing to the crucified Christ, saying, “Look, here is the One.” And at John’s feet stands a lamb carrying a cross—an echo of John’s own words: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”[2] This is the good news. Jesus entered into our deepest pain, bore our suffering, and made it his own. Through his suffering, we are made whole.

 

Making Sense of Suffering

Now we understand the purpose of Christ’s suffering. But how about our suffering? What’s the point? Paul answers in Colossians 1:24: “Now I’m happy to be suffering for you. I’m completing what is missing from Christ’s sufferings with my own body. I’m doing this for the sake of his body, which is the church.” (CEB) Here, Paul is not saying that Christ’s suffering was incomplete. Jesus’ death on the cross is fully sufficient for our salvation. Paul means that our suffering has purpose. God can use our struggles to advance the gospel, encourage others, and build the church. Paul once saw his weaknesses and hardships as obstacles, even clouds over God’s glory. So he pleaded with the Lord to remove the thorn. But Jesus replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness.” Then Paul realized that God’s glory is revealed not through impressive preaching, wonders and miracles, but through weakness, hardship, and endurance. People are drawn to Christ when they see someone who rejoices in suffering and forgives enemies, by the supernature power of God. Through our trials, people can taste and see the love of the cross.

 

During the Nazi occupation of Holland, Corrie Ten Boom was arrested for hiding 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, a man approached her. Intuitively, she recognized him. He was a guard who tormented her and her sister 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 writes: “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.”

 

Greater

I also remember an older brother’s eulogy for his younger brother, a promising football player tragically killed by a car accident. He said, “Our loss is great, but God is greater.” Likewise, our suffering today can be real and heavy, but God’s grace is always greater.”

 

Even in her eighties, Corrie Ten Boom faced suffering. She had a major stroke, became bedridden and mute, and needed help for the simplest tasks. Yet one day, she surprised her caregiver by saying “Blij”—“Happy, joyful.” On her ninety-first birthday, April 15, 1983, she peacefully passed into the Lord’s presence.[3]

 

Our suffering has purpose. Christ’s power is made perfect in our weakness. My prayer is that through our trials, Christ’s love will be revealed, His people encouraged, and His church strengthened. And in all things, may His grace be greater than our weakness. Amen.

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[1] Heid J. Hornik, The Art of Christian Reflection (Baylor University Press: Waco, Texas, 2018), 67-9.

[2] Christian Century, Art selection and commentary by Heidi J. Hornik and Mikeal C. Parsons. (January 4, 2017)

[3] Kenneth Boa and Jenny Abel, Recalibrate Your Life, InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition. 69.

“O Love That Will Never Let Me Go” (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

 

*What Our Lord Saw from the Cross, by James Tissot.

Breathing Underwater

How was your week? There are times when we feel like we breathe underwater – overwhelmed and struggling just to keep up. For me, last Thursday was one of those days. I worked hard, but I very unmotivated, unproductive, and unfulfilled. My “To do list” kept growing. Sermon ideas were not coming together. The visitation list was long. Reports were due. I did not have enough time with my children. No matter what I did, I just couldn’t catch up. So, I went out for a run. Running usually gives me joy and a sense of accomplishment. But that day, even running betrayed me. My body felt heavy. My ankle hurt. I felt cold and hungry. I wanted to stop. I almost called Joyce to pick me up. I barely finished. It was a low day. But early the next morning, God lifted my heart as I meditated on today’s scripture – 1 Corinthians 13.

 

Problems Analyzed (13:1-3)

We know 1 Corinthians 13 as the love chapter. It is often read at weddings. And that is beautiful. But the original situation was very different. When Paul wrote this letter, the Corinthian church was in serious trouble. They were divided over their favorite leaders. They tolerated serious sexual sin. They were proud and competing over spiritual gifts. So their worship became chaotic. In short, Corinthian church was messy. It was falling apart.

 

In this particular context, Paul goes straight to the heart of the problem: They lacked love. They were smart, eloquent, rich, but they didn’t love each other. They had spiritual enthusiasm and gifts, but they didn’t love each other. They engaged community service and involvement, but they didn’t love each other. That’s why the Corinthian church was struggling. And when we think about it, most problems in life come from the same place – a lack of love. We desperately need more love.

 

The Love that We Need (13:4-7)

After diagnosing the problem, Paul gives the cure. The love we need is Agape love – a love that is patient and kind, a love that is not self-seeking, a love that forgives, a love that always protects, always trusts, always endures. This Agape love is perfectly shown in Jesus Christ.

 

The artist James Tissot helps us see this through his painting What Our Lord Saw from the Cross.[1] Instead of looking at Christ on the cross, we see what Christ saw from the cross. We see soldiers gambling for his clothes. We see religious leaders mocking him. We see a curious and ignorant crowd. We see grieving women and other disciples.

 

From the cross, Jesus himself was suffering beyond words. Yet he was not focused on himself. He didn’t just see the crowd. Instead, he saw each and every individual face. He saw his torturers and prayed, “Father, forgive them.” Love keeps no record of wrongs. Jesus saw the thief and said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Love is kind. He saw his mother and his beloved disciple and said, “Woman, here is your son… Here is your mother.” Love is not self-seeking. From Christ’s own view, the cross is not just suffering. It is Agape love. Jesus saw the broken world below him. And he chose to stay. Love bears all things, endures all things.

 

Love Begets Love

Christ’s love compels us. We may have natural love for our family and friends, but Agape love does not come from us. It is a gift. When we come to the cross and trust Christ crucified, Christ’s love is poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

 

Let me share a story that shows how Christ’s love changes us. Many of you may know the story told in the book and film End of the Spear. In 1956, five young missionaries flew into the jungles of Ecuador to reach the Waorani people, a tribe known for violence and isolation. These men loved Jesus deeply. They believed Christ’s love was for everyone, even those who had never heard his name. After making several friendly contacts, they landed on a sandbar to meet the tribe. But something went terribly wrong. All five men were speared to death. When the news came back to the United States, it felt like a tragedy. A failure. Five young lives lost. Families broken. Children left without fathers. It seemed like their sacrifice had accomplished nothing. What a waste.

 

But the story did not end there. Instead of turning away in anger, the wives of these men did something surprising. They stayed. Some of them even went back to live among the very people who had killed their husbands. The tribe chief later asked, “Why?” The wives answered, “Because Christ loved us first. We wanted to show you there is a new way of life in him.” That’s Agape love – the love that suffers, the love that forgives, the love that stays. Over time, something remarkable happened. The killers became friends. The tribe laid down their violence. Many came to faith in Christ. Love begets love.

 

The Love That Will Never Let Me Go (13:8-13)

For me, the most powerful and encouraging words in this passage are found in verse 8: “Love never fails.” What does this mean? It means Christ’s love will prevail no matter what. It means our victory does not depend on our performance, but on the finished work of Christ.

 

The other day I watched the women’s 3000-meter short track relay final at the Winter Olympics. I felt nervous. I wondered, Will they make it? Will they win? For most of the race, the Korean team was in the third place. It looked uncertain. But with two laps to go, they surged ahead and won the gold. Later that day, I watched the race again with my children. The second time felt very different. I was calm. I was confident. Even when they were behind, I was not worried. Because I already knew the ending.

 

This is our life in Christ. Today, life may feel like a live broadcast. We may feel tired. Discouraged. Uncertain. Afraid. But God tells us the truth: Christ’s love will prevail. We already have the final victory. One day, God will make all things right. And we will stand complete and blameless before him. That’s way Paul could speak with hope and stay positive in the middle of a troubled church. And that’s why we can be “eternal optimists” no matter what. Our calling is not to do great things for God, but it’s to do small things with great love – with Christ’s love.

 

“Who will separate us from Christ’s love? Nothing – not death or life, not angels or demons, not our fears for today or our worries for tomorrow, not even the powers of hell – absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.” (Romans 8:38-39) Amen.

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[1] Terry Glaspey, Discovering God Through the Arts (Moody Publishers, Chicago, 2021), 114.