“The Lord Is My Shepherd” (Psalm 23) - Living the Resurrection III -

“The Lord Is My Shepherd”

Psalm 23 may be the most-beloved, most-sung, and most-preached in the Psalter. Most of us in this room were touched, comforted, and encouraged by this Psalm once or more. And probably, there would be thousands of different ways to interpret and preach this famous psalm. Over the past few weeks, I have meditated on Psalm 23 almost everyday. Last week I attended Stewardship Leaders Academy. Those three days’ seminar did give new meaning to my reflections on Psalm 23. So today’s message is more like my theological reflection and personal testimony rather than preaching.

When you read or think of Psalm 23, what word comes to your mind first? One of the core themes of Psalm 23 would be “contentment.” The psalmist begins his song of praise in this way: “The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing” (CEB). Or “I have all that I need” (NLT). We find “contentment.” We find the God of abundance here in this verse. Let’s take a moment to think about the characteristics of sheep. In his book, the Way of the Shepherd, Kevin Leman describes ten characteristics of sheep. First, Sheep have bad sight. So the shepherd bells the leading group of the sheep for the entire herd. Second, sheep are foolish. They seem to only know how to do one thing well – eat grass. Third, sheep easily fall. Fourth, sheep are easily “cast” – flipped over on their back. Fifth, sheep are unable to right themselves. They will die of starvation if not turned over by shepherd. “Helpless.”  Sixth, sheep are selfish and stubborn. Seventh, sheep have no sense of direction. Eighth, sheep go back the way they had come. Ninth, sheep are defenseless and vulnerable. They can only run. Tenth, sheep become silent in the face of death. Sheep need a shepherd. When they have a good shepherd, they are content. They are not concerned about what to eat, what to drink, where to go, or how to protect themselves, because those are the shepherd’s responsibility. All they do is to enjoy fellowship with the shepherd. All they need is their shepherd. The shepherd will feed them, guide them, protect them, and provide them all they need. “Contentment.”

Simplicity

We confess that the Lord is our shepherd. But in everyday life, many of us don’t experience the God of abundance. We don’t feel content. Why? It is because contentment must be cultivated. It is not automatically given to us. God is always with us. But oftentimes we don’t feel the presence of God. We need to practice the presence of God. We need to cultivate our sensitivity to his presence. In the same way, contentment can be cultivated, especially through three spiritual practices: simplicity, gratitude, and generosity.

The first key to contentment is to cultivate simplicity. There are the voices that are constantly telling us we need more, better, and newer. In his book Enough, Adam Hamilton suggests, “We live counterculturally by actually living below, not above, our means; that we build into our budgets the money to buy with cash instead of credit.”[1] According to him, “living simply” means choosing to live below our means. For me personally, his suggestions, “use cash/debit cards instead of credit” was very helpful. I didn’t think much about credit-card use at first. But then, I realized that I had 7 different credit cards; 5% discount here; 6% cash back rewards there; I thought I got benefits from credit cards. But it was not. I realized that I was actually encouraged to spend more than necessary. So last week I talked to my wife, Joyce, about this, we closed all the credit cards except one for emergency. We decided to use cash or debit cards for our purchases. That decision itself brought joy, freedom, and contentment. There is power in simplicity. Are there any changes you can make related to your hobbies, job, home, car, or other possessions that would allow you to simplify your life? Please think about it.

Gratitude

The second key to contentment is to develop a grateful heart. Pastor John Ortberg says there are four words we should say whenever we find ourselves discontented with something or someone: It could be worse.[2] Recently, within a week I had to make two trips to Boston, one for my annual ordination interview and the other for Stewardship Academy. I had a flat tire twice. So I used those moments to practice gratitude. I said to myself, “It could be worse.” “This is annoying… and my life is really very blessed.” When I had a flat tire for the first time in Clinton, it was pouring, windy, and getting dark. AAA truck driver towed my car and drove me home safely. When I had a flat tire for the second time, a state police came and help me to change the spare tire. He escorted me until I safely found a local tire shop in Lincoln. And there I enjoyed a good conversation with people there. I encourage you to practice this when you are discontent. Along with this, I also challenge you to write 5 things you are grateful for everyday – person, thing, or event you are grateful for – no repeating if possible. At the end of the day just before you go to bed, write down five things you are thankful for from your day. That will really help us keep our eyes of gratitude open. Alfred Painter said, “Gratitude is more than good manners. It is good spirituality.” A grateful heart recognizes that all of our life is God’s gift. The more we practice gratitude, the more we become content with God. Some Christians practice this prayer: in the morning they pray, “whatever,” and in the evening they pray, “enough.” God is enough; we are enough. Thanks be to God! 

Generosity

The third key to contentment is to cultivate generosity. God is the source of all we have and all that we are. Psalm 24:1 says “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it!” And God is a Giver. God created humans in his own image, therefore we are designed to be givers! We are created to experience true joy and contentment when we give. Giving is an essential part of Christian discipleship. We define our priorities, values, and what we love through our giving. We often ask how much we should give to God. I think our spiritual ancestors probably had the same question. So God offered a minimum standard to measure their response: the tithe (Deut. 26:1-11). During Stewardship Academy, Jim Mentzer, president of UM Foundation of New England, shared his grandson, Warren’s story. When Warren was a child, he didn’t like peas and vegetables. So Jim and his wife set a minimum standard for Warren – 10 peas for instance. He ate those minimums. And now his grandson is 17 years old. He eats like a horse. There is no need to set a minimum any longer. The tithe is the same. It is like a training wheel. Once we know joy and blessing of generosity, we realize that tithing is a floor, not a ceiling. God calls us to grow beyond the tithe. But for some of us, it might be challenging to tithe right away. But I encourage you to take a step in that direction. You may give 2 percent or 5 percent. God will help you to become more and more generous. And for those of us who tithe already, I encourage you to consider not only tithing but also going beyond the tithe as you can for God’s kingdom work. “The real issue is not whether we will give 10%, but what we will do with the entire 100%!”[3] Joyce and I tithe not because it is God’s law, but because we love God. Our tithes and offerings are an expression of gratitude and love. It is a tangible sign, “Lord, we love you. We own nothing. You own everything.”

“You Are with Me!”

Which "tent" will you live in— discon-tent-ment or content-ment?[4] We are the ones who determine which "tent" will be ours. Contentment comes through our simple lifestyle, our gratitude to God, and our generosity. But there is always “fear” within us. The voice of fear says that we will not be enough. In Numbers 13 twelve spies explored the Promised Land for forty days. Ten of them gave a bad report. They said, “We went into the land, and it does flow with milk and honey. But giants live there. We cannot attack them!” They saw the Promised Land but focused more on the giants. As a result, they gave in to their fears. Joshua and Caleb explored the exact same land, but they gave a totally opposite report. They said, “The land we explored is exceedingly good. If God is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land. God is with us!” They also saw the giants but focused more on God who is with them. As a result, they were able to overcome fear and enter the Promised Land. The psalmist does the same confession of faith: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me!” What do you see – giants or God-with-us? My prayer is that all of us in this room will be Joshuas and Calebs who trust God and experience the abundant life that he promised. Amen.

“Wesleyan Covenant Prayer” [UMH #607]

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

---

[1] Adam Hamilton, Enough, Revised and Updated: Discovering Joy through Simplicity and Generosity (Abingdon Press: Nashville, 2012) Kindle Locations 315.

[2] Ibid., 722.

[3] James Mentzer’s presentation, “God Loves a Hilarious Giver!”

[4] Adam Hamilton, Enough, 873-874.

“Resurrection and Forgiveness” (John 21:1-14) - Living the Resurrection II -

Who Needs Forgiveness?

Who needs forgiveness? Today’s passage is about the subject “forgiveness.” While I was meditating on this passage and studying it, I read a very inspirational sermon preached by Pastor Michael Parker.[1] In his sermon he tells a story of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who was a Russian novelist and social activist. Because Solzhenitsyn was an outspoken critic of the Soviet Union, he was sent to a concentration camp, called Gulag Archipelago. In the camp he met one of his close friends. The two were in the army together in WWII, and they seemed to be alike in many ways, sharing the same convictions and hopes. But after the war they went in different directions. Solzhenitsyn was caught up in the Soviet gulags. There he and others went through the unspeakable tortures. His friend, on the other hand, became one of the interrogators whose job was to force confessions from innocent people. Solzhenitsyn wondered how two people who had had so much in common could have turned out so differently. He could not believe that his friend was a totally evil person. He knew his friend very well. He could not say that he was totally good while his friend was totally evil. He concluded:

If only there were vile people ... committing evil deeds, and it were only necessary to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?

Like interrogators, there are evil people out there. We read the paper and see the giants of evil almost every day. Are they then totally evil? No! We shouldn’t say that they are totally evil. We shouldn’t put them beyond forgiveness. They need forgiveness. In fact, we share the same evil in our hearts. In Romans 7 Paul cries out in agony, “When I want to do good, evil is right there with me… What a wretched man I am? Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Have you felt this frustration? The Bible says that both good and evil are living in us. In this sense, we need forgiveness and redemption. Every human being needs forgiveness.

Are You Forgiven?

One time Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matt 18:21) In the context it seems that Peter thought that he was doing ok and wanted to brag about himself. But the Lord answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Basically, here Jesus was saying that there is no limit to forgiveness. Pastor Martin Luther King Jr. said, “A man cannot forgive up to four hundred and ninety times without forgiveness becoming a part of the habit structure of his being. Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.”[2] Forgiveness is a permanent attitude.

Then how can forgiveness become our permanent attitude? Forgiveness becomes a part of our being when we first experience God’s forgiveness. For Peter, the night when he denied the Lord three times was probably the worst time in his life. When he did that, the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter (Luke 22:61). Imagine that moment. It was too heavy for Peter to bear that shame and guilt. He thought to himself he was the most bold and greatest disciple, but it turned out to be the exact opposite. He was a coward and traitor. He couldn’t forgive himself. So even after he saw the Risen Christ twice, he decided to go back to Galilee, his old life. He thought, “I am no longer worthy to be called his disciple.” But now Jesus is there ahead of Peter and waiting for him just as the father of the prodigal son (cf. Matt 28:10). Peter and six other disciples go out and get into the boat. But that night they catch nothing. Jesus says to them on the shore, “Throw your net on the right side.” When they do, they are unable to haul the net in. Probably, that reminds Peter of the very first day when he met Jesus on his boat. Jesus prepares breakfast on the beach – bread and fish. Probably, that reminds Peter of the day when Jesus blessed five loaves and two fish and fed five thousand people. Probably, that also reminds him of the last supper with the Lord. After breakfast Jesus asks Peter, “Simon son of John do you truly love me?” He asks this same question three times. The other day one of my colleagues shared her story with me. She needed spinal surgery. She was so anxious and restless. Finally, she went to the operating room. The doctor held her hands and said to her, “Look at me! I am not going to hurt you. Do you believe me?” To her surprise, she was relieved and able to calm down. In today’s passage Jesus asks the same question three times, not because he doesn’t trust what Peter says, but because he wants to confirm their trust relationships. “Peter, look at me! Do you love me? Do you trust me? Do you believe me? Then, feed my sheep. It will be a tough and narrow path. You will be led to where you do not want to go. But trust me. Follow me!”

At first, Peter was a common man. He was a man of many moods. He was full of inconstancies. At one time Peter was the first to boldly get out of the boat and walk on water, but in a few second, he was terrified by the strong wind and sank. Peter was the first to confess the divine nature of Jesus. He boldly said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” But, in a few minutes, he rebuked Jesus when Jesus began to explain that he must suffer and die. Peter was the first to draw a sword to defend his Master, but within a few hours, he denied his Lord three times. But Peter was not always like this. He became a different person. He became a man of love, man of forgiveness. The breakfast with Jesus on the shore was the turning point of his life. Peter experienced God’s forgiveness. That changed his life. As you know, in the New Testament there are two letters written by Peter. They were written about thirty years after these earlier events of his life. In the letters Peter is solid and steady like a rock. He is no longer easily moved. He does not fluctuate. Even in the midst of severe persecution he stands firm and strengthens his fellow believers (cf. Luke 22:32). God uses the healed men and women who understand their personal histories, handicaps, and brokenness well. God uses the people who have experienced God’s forgiveness personally. Have you experienced God’s forgiveness? Are you forgiven?

Forgive and Forget

When we are forgiven, we are then able to forgive others. When I read Martin Luther King’s sermon book Strength to Love, I was very impressed. Though he went through all kinds of discrimination, racism and threats from the enemies, in his sermon I couldn’t find any sign of hate, resentment, or bitterness. His message was full of hope, love, and forgiveness, because he experienced God’s forgiveness and grace. Look at Joseph! After Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers were afraid if Joseph would revenge himself on them. But Joseph comforted them and said, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children” (Gen 50:19-21). Joseph did forgive his brothers, not because they repented first, but because he himself experienced God’s love and forgiveness. When we try to forgive others with our own strength, we may forgive but will never forget what they have done to us. But when we forgive others because we ourselves have been forgiven, we are able to forgive and forget. In Jeremiah 31:34 the Lord says to the people of Israel, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” This is God’s forgiveness. He remembers our sins no more!

But I am not saying that it is easy to forgive and forget. In his book Forgive and Forget Lewis Smedes says that forgiveness is a process that has four stages: we are hurt, we are angry, we forgive, and we reconcile. This may take a long time. The Christian writer C. S. Lewis was badly brutalized by his schoolmaster when he was a very young student. He was a sadistic teacher who tormented and whipped his students; eventually he was declared insane and put away. When Lewis became a Christian he tried to forgive him. But it was almost impossible for him to forget. He couldn’t put it behind him. It kept coming back. And then, not long before he died, he wrote a letter to an American friend in this way: “... Do you know, only a few weeks ago I realized suddenly that I had at last forgiven the cruel schoolmaster who so darkened my childhood.”[3] Forgiveness is a process. Forgiveness always costs.[4] On the cross our Lord Jesus Christ endured the unspeakable pain, anger, and shame. When we determine to forgive, our emotional cost is enormous. We are hurt. We are angry. Anger will keep coming back. Real pardon is never easy. But we have hope! Jesus always takes imitative just as he did for Peter. He comes to our place to restore us, feed us, and reassure us, “Look at me! You are forgiven. Do you love me? Do you trust me? Do you believe me? Then go, feed my people. Let them know that they are forgiven. Deliver the message of reconciliation!” (cf. 2 Cor 5:18) Do you have somebody you need to forgive from your heart? Do you have a hard time to forgive that person and forget his or her wrongdoing to you? Then, let us go to our seashore, quiet place and meet the Risen Christ there. He is waiting for us. Let us be honest and vulnerable. Let our brokenness transparent before him. Let us sit down with him and dine with him. And let us listen to his words of forgiveness: “You are forgiven! You are beloved!” Then, we will be able to forgive and forget by the power of Christ’s love and His Spirit. And we will truly experience the power of this prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Amen.

---

[1] http://www.unitedparishbowie.org/parker/sermon_miracle_forgiveness.html

[2] Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2010), 33.

[3] http://www.unitedparishbowie.org/parker/sermon_miracle_forgiveness.html

[4] Franklin Brookhart, Living the Resurrection: Reflections After Easter (Church Publishing Inc., 2012), Kindle Location 765.

“Living the Resurrection” (John 20:19-31) - 2nd Sunday after Easter -

Everyday Easter

One church in Washington D.C got a phone call from one of the parishioners. The church member asked, “I heard Mr. President is coming to our church this Sunday. I want to find out if the rumor is true.” The church secretary said, “I am not sure whether the president is coming or not. But Jesus will be present for sure. So please come and join our worship service!” I think the secretary answered the question very wisely and well. The Risen Christ is here among us today. We are here to worship him and honor him for the glory of his holy name. Last Sunday we celebrated Easter, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we continue to sing, “Every day to us is Easter, with its resurrection song…” (UMH #304). This morning I want to ask all of us this question: “How do we live the resurrection in everyday life?” According to the Gospel of John, living the resurrection is nearly synonymous with living the abundant life Jesus promised. So, how do we live the abundant life Jesus promised? (cf. John 10:10; 20:31)

Two Laws Governing the World

There are two cosmic laws governing our world: “the law of gravity” and “the law of grace.” What is “gravity”? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines gravity as “the force that causes things to fall towards the Earth.” So symbolically, the law of gravity refers to the law of this world. For instance, when we have lost our loved ones, we grieve. When we are persecuted, we fear. When we see things or people change, we doubt. Those are natural reflex responses. But the Bible says there is another law, the law of grace, which transcends the law of gravity. How can we escape the Earth’s gravity? The answer is we need to travel at 7 miles a second to escape gravity. It’s called “escape velocity.” In other words, it’s impossible for us to escape gravity with our own strength. We need external help, rocket power. In the same way, we need the power of the resurrection to escape the law of gravity and live by the law of grace. What would living by the law of grace look like? In 1 Corinthians 4:12-13 Paul shares his life in this way: “When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it, when we are slandered, we answer kindly.” This is what the life by the law of grace looks like. We Christians are the people who live by the law of grace, not by the law of gravity. Today’s Scripture tells us how to live by the law of grace, how to live the resurrection in everyday life.

Grace Greater Than All Our Troubles

Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene and the other women were grieving and worried. On the way to Jesus’ tomb, they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” They were heavy-hearted. They worried. They didn’t know what to do in front of the immovable stumbling-block. But in fact, the heavy stone had been already rolled away! God’s grace is greater than all the sorrows and worries.

Jesus appears to his disciples. On the evening Jesus was raised from the dead, the disciples were still filled with fear. They were extremely afraid that the Jews would come and kill them just as they did to their Master. So they locked all the doors and hid themselves. But then, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” It was a typical way of Jewish greeting, still used in the Middle East today. But here these words are far more than a greeting. Here Jesus was not simply making a wish for his disciples’ peace, but he was saying, “You already have my gift of peace. Don’t you see now peace is with you?” Probably, some of you have seen the film, “The Passion of the Christ.” I do remember the conversation between John and Peter after they abandoned their Master. Peter had many sleepless nights because of fear and guilt. John said to Peter, “Peter, you need some sleep.” Peter answered, “No, I need peace!” And Jesus did come to Peter and the other disciples and give them his peace. God’s grace is greater than all the fears. One of the Bible reading passages this previous week was 1 Samuel 17, the story of David and Goliath. Goliath challenged the Israelites every morning and evening for 40 days (16). The armies of Israel were filled with fear. God didn’t remove Goliath, the cause of fear. Instead, God prepared one person, David, a man after his own heart. And God gave him strength to face the giant, strength and courage greater than all the fears. Probably, some of you may have heard about North Korean defectors. Many escape North Korea because of extreme hunger. Many of those who cross the Chinese border get help from Christians and hear the gospel from them. Amazingly, a large number of them who have become Christians go back to North Korea in order to spread the Good News about Christ to their family and friends with a high risk of death. God’s grace is greater than all the fears.

Jesus then appears to Thomas, “doubting Thomas,” a man no different from us. He had no experience at an empty tomb. He had not heard or seen the Risen Christ. So he said, “I will not believe it!” But our loving Jesus came to him and said, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe!” If Jesus came to Thomas, he will come to you. Always expect the presence of the Risen Christ. Assume that Christ will be present regardless of what you feel – whether you doubt or not. Be open and ready to be touched by the Risen Christ. God’s grace is greater than all the doubts and feelings.

He Giveth More Grace

Living the resurrection is living by the law of grace. Living the resurrection is not a sorrow-free, worry-free, fear-free, doubt-free, or disease-free life. Instead, living the resurrection is experiencing the Risen Christ and his power of resurrection in the midst of all afflictions. In Psalm 34 David says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (ESV). The Message version translates it in this way: “Disciples so often get into trouble; still, GOD is there every time.” Lastly, I want to share the story about Watchman Nee. He was a church leader in China during the first half of the 20^th century. He was afflicted with serious illnesses, including a chronic stomach disorder and the heart disease. So, he prayed for healing everyday. One day he had a dream. In the dream he was crossing a river by boat. But, suddenly, a huge rock appeared in front of him and blocked his way. He prayed, “Lord, please take away this rock!” Then, he heard a voice. The voice said, “My beloved son, do you want me to take away that rock? Or do you want me to make the water rise that you may pass over the rock?” He answered, “Lord, please make me pass over the rock.” For life he was never cured of the heart disease. So, day by day his ministry was sustained by the power of the resurrection, not by his own physical strength.

If we focus on our problems, we have to ask God every single time, “Lord, take away this rock. Take away that rock, please.” But if we focus on God’s grace, we shall pass over all the troubles of life. How big they are, it doesn’t matter. Probably, some of you may have a number of huge immovable rocks in front of you this day. But James 4:6 says, “But God gives us more grace!” He gives us more grace as our burdens grow greater. He sends us more strength as our strength has failed. This gift of living the resurrection, living the abundant life is available to everyone right now. Come, and believe! Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. He is here with us today. What shall you do with the Risen Christ?