“A Life of Repentance” (Luke 3:10-17)

Prepare the Way of the Lord

Advent begins today. It’s a season of patient waiting, hopeful expectation, and soul-searching. The English word “Advent” is from the Latin adventus, which means “coming.” Advent begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends Christmas Eve. Christians celebrate Advent in diverse ways. Some light candles. Some sing carols. Some give gifts. Some hang wreaths. Some do daily Advent devotional readings. Many of us do all of the above. At the center of all our Advent activities is Jesus – our hope, our peace, our joy, and our love. The purpose of celebrating Advent is all about adoring Christ and preparing for his coming or second coming. My prayer is that God may use today’s message to prepare our hearts for Christ’s return.

John the Baptist was one of the prophets who prepared the way of the Lord and helped others to do the same. So how did he prepare for the coming of the Messiah? He prepared the way of the Lord by proclaiming of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3). The very first message of John the Baptist’s preaching is this: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Mark 3:2). So how can we prepare the way of the Lord? According to John the Baptist, the answer is by repentance.

In the New Testament, the word ‘repentance’ comes from the Greek ‘metanoia,’ which means ‘to change one’s mind’ or ‘to turn around.’ To repent is to have a change of heart. According to today’s scripture, Luke 3, repentance can be described as “a radical change in one’s spirit, mind, thought, and heart, a complete reorientation of the whole of one’s life. It is the necessary first step in the way of the Lord. It is accompanied by the confession of sins and the act of baptism, and is followed by a life filled with fruits worthy of this change.”[1] We will explore what repentance really means step by step according to this definition.

The Baptism of Repentance

First, repentance is accompanied by the confession of sins and the act of baptism. When John the Baptist proclaimed the message of repentance, the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins (Matt 3:5-6).

What is baptism? What is the purpose of baptism in the Christian life? Baptism symbolizes washing away of sin. When we are baptized, we publicly announce that we are sinners who need a Savior and that we choose to follow Jesus as our Savior. When we are baptized, our old self is totally buried with Christ in water, and our new self is raised with Christ from water. When we are baptized, we die to sin and live to God. During the services of baptism, confirmation, or reaffirmation of faith, we are basically asked the following three questions:

1.     Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin? I do.

2.     Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves? I do.

3.     Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races? I do.

Baptism is the act of faith that renounces our old way of life and receives new life in Christ. So is repentance. Repentance is to turn from our ways and to turn to God. Repentance and baptism always go hand in hand, and they are the first step in the Christian life, in the way of the Lord.

The Fruit of Repentance

Second, repentance is to be followed by a life filled with fruits worthy of this heart change. In John’s time people just wanted a short cut, an easy way out to pardon and forgiveness. So they came out to be baptized by John, and they thought, “One and done!” But John the Baptist said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance” (vv. 7-8). Repentance takes time, practice, and experience. True repentance takes a lifetime of practice; the fruit of a lifetime of walking with God.

Repentance is a lifestyle, not an event. Most of you know the story of Martin Luther nailing his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. The first of these theses was this: When our Lord Jesus said “repent,” He meant that the whole of the Christian life should be repentance. You might be heard somebody say, “Well I repented twenty years ago when I received Jesus, it’s done and dusted. No, it’s not done and dusted for Jesus. It is the whole of the Christian life. This inner transformation, this circumcision of the heart, this baptism of the heart must take place day by day for all the days of our life.

The fruit of repentance is always “love” – more love to God, and more love to our neighbor. The crowds asked, “What should we do?” John the Baptist answered, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Tax collectors asked, “What should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.” This time soldiers asked, “What should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay.” In a word, where you are called, love your neighbor as yourself. That is the fruit worthy of repentance.

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit

But still, some of us may wonder and ask, “What should I do?” As a pastor, as a parent, as a grandparent, as a widow, as a retiree, as a teacher, as a student, as a farmer, as a social worker, what should I do? We need practical guidance. We need a guide. John the Baptist was aware of his limitations and said to the people, “I baptize you with water, but… he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (v. 16). Jesus said to his disciples, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26, ESV). We need the Holy Spirit to live a life filled with fruits worthy of repentance. We must be baptized with the Holy Spirit, as well as baptized with water.

How can we then be baptized with the Holy Spirit? There are three steps in this path. The first step is to repent and receive Jesus. When the people heard Peter preaching, they were cut to the heart and said, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). We must renounce all sin, “the hidden things of shame” in our life (2 Cor 4:2) – our sense of pride, hidden dishonesty and deception. Then, we must receive Jesus as our Lord and surrender ourselves to him. “I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.” This is the first decisive step in receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The second step is to ask. Jesus said, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13) Upon those who are thirsty God will pour His Spirit. What does it mean to thirst? When my children are thirsty, they keep asking, “Water! Water! Water!” until they receive it. In the same way, when we thirst spiritually, we will ask, “The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit!” The intense desire for the baptism with the Holy Spirit is the second step. The third and last step is faith. Jesus said, “So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer (“according to God’s will,” cf. 1 John 5:14), believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

Are you baptized with the Holy Spirit? Renounce all sin and receive Jesus as your Savior and your Lord. Specifically, ask God for the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and take it by simple faith. Then, you will receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit today.

A Life of Repentance

In the New Testament, the phrase “baptized with the Holy Spirit” is used synonymously with “filled with the Holy Spirit.” In other words, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not “one and done.” It’s a lifestyle. We need to be filled and filled afresh with the Holy Spirit day by day. If we read Luke 3 carefully, we realize that a life of repentance and a life filled with the Holy Spirit are synonyms. The fruit of repentance and the fruit of the Spirit are the same.

During thanksgiving my family and I visited our friends in Belfast, living near the ocean. There was a foot bridge nearby. It was early morning. The street lamps shone bright and clear on the bridge. Across the bridge there was a beautiful harbor trail – many boats and ships along the way. During my morning walk I crossed the bridge and enjoyed the trail very much. And I realized that a life of repentance is like crossing a foot bridge. God built a bridge between him and us through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is lamps on the bridge to guide our feet. And we are invited to cross the bridge and enjoy fellowship with God. But still, we need to be willing and actually cross that bridge – not just once, but every day, every morning, for all of our life. Then, when the Day comes – the day when we have to cross the long bridge, we will not be caught by surprise. We will be ready. We will have so sweet, so familiar fellowship. And we will hear the Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your master’s joy!” Amen.

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[1] St. Athanasius Orthodox Academy, 2008. “The Orthodox Study Bible”, p. 1269. 

“Yet I” (Habakkuk 3:17-19a)

The Heart of Worship

Matt Redman is a world-renown worship leader and songwriter. Many people attended Matt’s home church, Soul Survivor, in Watford, England, simply because they wanted to listen to his music. The senior pastor and the congregation felt that there was a dynamic missing. One day the pastor did a pretty brave thing. He suggested to the worship team that they would get rid of the sound system and band for a season and gather together with just their voices. His point was that they’d lost their way in worship, and the way to get back to the heart would be to strip everything away. Initially, it was hard, embarrassing, awkward. Many people stopped coming to church. The bubble burst. But eventually, the congregation began to join in a capella songs and heartfelt prayers. They encountered God in a fresh way. The song “The Heart of Worship” written by Matt Redman simply describes what occurred at that time:

When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come

Longing just to bring something that’s of worth that will bless your heart…

I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, Jesus.

It’s all about You, Jesus.

Getting to the Bottom of Your Joy

In his sermon Getting to the Bottom of Your Joy, Pastor John Piper asks the following question: “What’s at the bottom of your joy?” “What is the feeder of your happiness?”[1] All of our joys have a foundation, except one, the one that has no foundation, that’s the bottom. What does it mean by that? Let me give you an example. Recently, Lydia got a good report card. That made her very happy. Suppose Lydia and I have a conversation something like this. I would say, “Lydia, why are you happy about making an A on a test?” She would say, “Because it helps me to get into school to be an author.” Then I would ask, “Why do you want to be an author?” She would reply, “Because I want to help children that way.” I would ask, “Why does that make you happy?” If we continue this “why – because” conversation, we eventually get to the bottom of what makes us happy. At the bottom there are only two possibilities of our joy: making much of me, or making much of God. Self or God.

It’s quite possible to do good and enjoy worshiping God while I am still at the bottom. It’s quite possible to enjoy worshiping God, because at the bottom, this God that I am worshiping is committed to making much of me. For example, I’ve always wanted to be wealthy and I’ve always sought it in the wrong places. My hard work, or the lottery, or whatever. But now, I went to church, and I heard there’s a way to have what I’ve always wanted, Jesus, is the way, and I sing, and I sing, he’s the way to give me what I always wanted: money. In this case God is not at the bottom. I am at the bottom. So what’s at the bottom of your joy?

Oftentimes, it’s hard to know what’s really at the bottom. Perhaps we just don’t want to know it, or we just assume that God is probably at the bottom. In his great love God often uses suffering to uncover what is at the bottom of our joy. Not only that, God uses suffering to strip everything away, and to remove self at the bottom and replace it with God at the bottom.

“If” to “Though”

The Prophet Habakkuk struggles. At that time the Babylonians were preparing to invade Judah, God’s chosen people. This was a direct judgment from the Lord, because the Israelites had experienced rapid moral and spiritual decline. But Habakkuk questions God’s justice, asking, “How could a good and just God use a more wicked nation in Babylon to punish a less wicked one in Judah?” At first, Habakkuk complains and informs God how to run his world. ‘If God is good,’ the prophet says, ‘he would not punish his chosen people, especially through a more wicked nation.’ ‘If we are God’s chosen people,’ the prophet says, ‘he would be committed to giving us peace and security instead of judgement.’ But by the end of the book, Habakkuk is a changed person – he has learned to wait and trust God. Through his suffering, through prayers in many sleepless nights, he has learned to trust that God knows best and will make it right in his time. He has learned to exult in God and treasure God as the bottom of his joy in the midst of trouble.

The key phase of the book is, “The righteous will live by their faith” (2:4). You see there are two types of faith. There is an ‘if’ faith, and there is a ‘though’ faith. Now the 'if' faith says, “If all goes well; if life is prosperous and happy, then I'll have faith in God, then I'll be alright.” That's the 'if' faith. And there is a 'though' faith. The 'though' faith says “Though things go wrong; though evil is temporarily triumphant; though sickness comes; though healing doesn’t come, neverthless! I am going to trust God anyway. I am going to have faith anyway” The ‘though’ faith says, “Though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling… The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Ps 46:3, 7).

Habakkuk begins his spiritual journey with an ‘if’ faith, saying, “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?” (1:2). But he ends his journey with a ‘though’ faith. “Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation” (3:17-18).

God’s Gifts to God Himself

One of my mentors, Pastor Tim Keller shares with us how God is growing his faith in the face of death.[2] Earlier this year he wrote a small book, On Death, relating a lot of what he says to people in such times. But about a month after the book was published, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He spent a lifetime counseling others before his diagnosis. But he didn’t dare open the book to read what he had written. He asked himself, “Will I be able to take my own advice?” Since his diagnosis, the prayers of the Psalms gave voice to his feelings, “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?” “Wake up, O Lord, why are you sleeping?” “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” He felt like a surgeon who was suddenly on the operating table.

As death becomes his personal reality, Tim Keller is surprised by what happened to his joys. Since his diagnosis, his wife Kathy and Tim have come to see that the more they tried to make a heaven out of this world – the more they grounded their comfort and security in it – the less they were able to enjoy it. For instance, Kathy finds deep consolation and rest in the familiar, comforting places where they vacation. Some of them are shacks with bare light bulbs on wires. Tim finds deep satisfaction in professional goals and accomplishments – another book, a new ministry project, another milestone at the church. But now, since his diagnosis, they are not able to do those things that they used to enjoy very much. But to their surprise and encouragement, Kathy and Tim have discovered that the less they attempt to make this world into a heaven, the more they are able to enjoy it. Yes, they had to give up so many things, slowly and painfully and through many tears, but they have found that the simplest things – from sun on the water, and flowers in the vase to their own embraces and conversation – bring more joy than ever. And most importantly, they have learned to savor God himself instead of God’s gifts. They have learned that when we turn good things into ultimate things, when we make them our greatest joys and consolations, they will necessarily disappoint us bitterly. Tim Keller says, “I can sincerely say without exaggeration that I’ve never been happier in my life, that I’ve never had more days filled with comfort. But it is equally true that I’ve never had so many days of grief.” I think these are the words of the person whose self at the bottom is replaced by God at the bottom of his joy.

Yet I Will Exult

What are you going through today? We don’t choose what we go through, but we can choose how we go through it. No matter what we face, we can choose to trust God who is able. We can choose joy in him. We can choose to say, “Nevertheless. Though. Yet. I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength.” May the Lord help us to trust him, love him, be satisfied in him, savor him, treasure him as the bottom of our joy. Amen.

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[1] John Piper, “Getting to the Bottom of Your Joy,” (Passion 2011), DesiringGod, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/getting-to-the-bottom-of-your-joy

[2] Tim Keller, “Growing My Faith in the Face of Death” (March 7, 2021), The Atlantic Magazine, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/03/tim-keller-growing-my-faith-face-death/618219/ 

“Watch and Pray” (Luke 21:34-37)

The Second Advent

Author and businessman Stephen Covey found that effective people had something in common. He wrote a book titled “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Among those seven habits, the habit 2 is this: “Begin with the end in mind.” This pass week we had a funeral service for Priscilla Clark. During the service I invited us to stop and imagine our own funeral. And now I want you to do the same. Imagine the people closest in your life – your family, your friends, your coworkers, and your church family members – speaking at your funeral about your life. What would you want them to say? What character would you like them to have seen in you? Contemplating the end helps us to see life in perspective.

Advent has the exact same purpose. Advent, which means “arrival’ or “coming,” begins with the end in mind. We begin this new church year, as we are expectantly waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ. While Jesus was here with us on earth, he repeatedly said that the Day of the Lord would come unexpectedly as a thief (cf. 1 Th 5:2, 2 Pet 3:10, Rev 16:15). And today’s passage is one of them. Eugene Peterson in his Message Bible paraphrases it this way:

But be on your guard. Don't let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it's going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once (vv. 34-35). 

Chronos and Kairos

Jesus also said three times, “Behold, I am coming soon!” (Rev 22:7, 12, 20) More than 2,000 years have passed since Jesus had said this. Then, what does it mean that Jesus is coming soon? It’s very helpful to know that there are two types of time in the Greek language – chronos and kairos.

Chronos is most familiar. It is the time of clocks and calendars – November 14, 2021. It is chronological, sequential, linear, quantified and measured. It moves in one direction: past – present – future. But another word for time is often used in the Bible – kairos. Kairos time is different. It is rhythmic, seasonal, circular, dancing back and forth, here and there, without beginning or ending. Kairos is God’s dimension – one not marked by the past, the present, or the future. Kairos is marked by the person of Christ: his birth, baptism, ministry, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, sending of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost), and promised second coming (Advent).

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law” (Gal 4:4, NIV). “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6, NIV). “When the day of Pentecost had come… suddenly from heaven there came a sound like rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting” (Acts 2:1-2, NRSV). On God’s karios timetable, all his promises have been fulfilled – Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Holy Spirit. And now, there is only one event left – the second Advent, the second coming of Christ. In this context, Jesus says to us, “Behold, I am coming soon!”

Watch and Pray

Christians are those who live in both times: chronos (Nov 14, 2021) and kairos (between Pentecost and Advent). To be more accurate, Christians are those who live a kairo life in a chronos world. But it’s so easy to be preoccupied or overwhelmed with our chronos calendar – work schedules, family schedules, doctor’s appointments, and the list goes on. That’s why in today’s passage Jesus says that we should constantly be on our guard so that our hearts will not weighed down with busyness, self-indulgence, self-pity and the worries of this life. Instead, we need to practice kairos time. Then, how do we learn to live a kairos life in this chronos world? In today’s passage Jesus calls his disciples to watch and pray. “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (v. 36). Praying is the answer.

Then, what does it look like watching and praying in everyday life? We can find the answer in the very next verse: “Every day he was teaching in the temple, and at night he would go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives, as it was called” (v. 37). During the day Jesus worked hard, teaching, preaching, healing, but then, at night he went to his prayer closet – the Mount of Olives. He also got up early in the morning and went to a solitary place and prayed there (Mark 1:35). And before important decisions or events, Jesus spent entire nights in prayer. He prayed to God all night before choosing the twelve apostles (Lk 6:12). He spent the night in prayer, as he so often did, on the Mount of Olives, before he was betrayed and arrested (22:39). Jesus’ chronos time was hectic most of his life (cf. Mark 3:20 – he couldn’t even find time to eat because of the crowds), but he was never in a hurry. Instead, he was able to find peace and joy from above in God’s kairos time. And his prayer life made this possible.

Praying in Advent

As we enter into Advent this year, I exhort us to examine our prayer life. If our prayer life does not shape our thoughts and our actions, we should ask ourselves whether we are praying right.

Though we know it’s important to pray, some of us in this room may wonder how to pray, or what to pray. As we pray during this Advent, I commend us to follow Jesus’ example. When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father, he prayed specifically for two things. First, for himself, Jesus prayed that he may have complete trust in God and follow God’s will no matter what it costs. “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). As we pray for ourselves, let us cry out to God day and night that we may die to self and live for Christ.

Secondly, during his last hours Jesus prayed for his disciples (cf. John 17). He prayed, “Holy Father, protect them… so that they may be one, as we are one” (v. 11). “I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one” (v. 15). “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (v. 17). Jesus prayed for the disciples’ protection, perseverance, unity, and holiness. And Jesus’ prayer led him to sacrificial, meaningful actions. He laid down his life for them. During this Advent, let us set aside time to pray for others. As we pray, let us reflect on how God might use us to answer our prayer. The Spirit may be telling us to follow up with the person or contact him. Maybe the Spirit is telling us to repent of our negligence in the way we relate to that person. For instance, instead of praying, “God, please heal John of his sickness,” we may pray, “God, please heal John of his sickness. Help me to encourage him to draw near to you in this time of distress. As I send him a text message, I pray that it lifts up his soul toward joy in you.” Praying for others means giving our life to others. When we pray for others, we are sharing our life with them.

Advent is coming. The second Advent, the second coming of Christ, is coming soon. Are you ready? As followers of Jesus, we are called to live a kairos life in the chronos world. We are called to watch and pray at all times. As we spend quality time with God daily through prayer, and as we pray for others and love our neighbors with meaningful actions, we will be ready for the return of the King Jesus Christ and say, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20) Amen.

“Every Day, Every Moment” (Micah 6:6-8)

All Saints Day

On the evening of May 24, 1738, John Wesley was attending a prayer meeting on Aldersgate Street in London when his life was transformed. As he was listening to someone read Martin Luther’s preface to the book of Roman, Wesley felt his heart strangely warmed. Dr. Timothy Tennent once shared his experience when he visited London to see Aldersgate. He reverently made his way to the street and, guided by a Methodist tourist map, walked carefully to the very place where Wesley was converted. Then, he was shocked when he found out that the historical marker was located on the concrete edge of multilevel parking garage. The worship place where Wesley’s life was transformed had long disappeared. There wasn’t even a gift shop where he could buy trinkets to commemorate his visit. Dr. Tennent said that he had expected an incredible location to mark this pivotal moment in Christian history. Instead, he found a mundane parking garage.[1]

In a similar way, we often search for God’s signs and presence in a spectacular way. But we typically fail to realize that God’s most remarkable signs and works often unfold in ordinary and mundane everyday life. On this special Sunday we commemorate all saints in church history. When we hear the word “saints,” we often think about spiritual giants, such as St. Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley, etc. But when we really think about those who have helped form and shape our faith today, they would be our grandparents, our fathers, our mothers, our pastors, our Sunday school teachers. It is their kindness, their patience, their generosity, their forgiveness, their real-life example, their presence, that has been shaping our everyday spirituality up to this day. Let us remember each of them on this day and be thankful.  

Micah

For today’s service I chose Micah 6, because this passage teaches about who are true saints in the eyes of God. It teaches about what God is really looking for in us. The Prophet Micah’s time was the golden age of the religion. It was never more of temple worship, but never less of God worship. It was never more of lip service, never less of heart service. It was never more of churchgoers, never less of true saints.

So the Prophet Micah by the Holy Spirit says to the hypocritical Israelites, “Would God be impressed with your worship service? Would he be moved by your giving?” Then he continues, “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness (mercy), and to walk humbly with your God?” (v. 8) Eugene Peterson translates this verse in his Message Bible this way:

But he [God] has already made it plain how to live, what to do, what GOD is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously-- take God seriously.

According to today’s passage, true saints are those who say “Amen” to God, not merely in ritual, but in everyday life. True saints are those who humbly walk with God every day, every moment.

John Wesley

John Wesley developed the idea of this everyday spirituality, Micah 6:8. He divided it into two groups: works of piety (“walking humbly with God”) and works of mercy (“doing justice and loving mercy”).

First, works of piety. Wesley’s purpose of life was to walk daily with God, especially through prayer. He spent two hours daily in prayer. He began at four in the morning. One who knew him well wrote this way: “He thought prayer to be more his business than anything else, and I have seen him come out of his closet with a serenity of face next to shining.” Prayer gave Wesley power and made his labors lasting and fruitful. But as for Wesley, prayer was not a means to an end. Prayer, walking with God, was the end he was after.

Second, works of mercy. Wesley believed our love for God must be expressed in the form of good works for others. He believed that Christians are called to rise, not the standard of living, but the standard of giving. Wesley determined to maintain his standard of living at the same level and give away everything above that threshold. At first, he earned 30 pounds. With living expenses at 28 pounds, he gave away two pounds. When his earnings increased to 60 pounds, he gave away 32. As they increased to 120 pounds, he continued to live on 28 and give away 92 pounds. He continued this practice his entire life. Even when his income reached 1400 pounds, he lived on 30 pounds and gave the rest away. For Wesley, that was what it means to do justice and love mercy in everyday life. I am not saying we should forgo our emergency savings or our retirement savings. But the principle is timeless. As God’s stewards, we are still called to consider ways to maintain our standard of living in order to increase our standard of giving.  

My Grandfather

Surely, John Wesley is a shining example who did justice, loved mercy, and walked humbly with God. He was a true saint according to Micah 6:8 definition. How about from the people around us who have Micah 6:8 spirituality? For me personally, my grandfather is the first person that comes to my mind. He was the one who had “earthy” spirituality. He was a good pastor, good preacher. When I listened to his sermons on Sundays, I felt my heart warmed. But what I was impressed most was his life between Sundays. He always started his day with early morning prayer, walking humbly with God. And throughout the day he visited the sick, helped the poor, taught the Bible to many. When he went to the market, he didn’t bargain to cut the cost, caring for sellers. He always saved some emergency food for the poor. When the poor asked for help, he never sent them away empty handed. He was prepared. When my grandmother got sick with heart disease and Parkinson’s disease, he became her full-time caregiver for 15 years until she passed away. From him, I’ve learned that being a good husband and good dad is more important than being a good pastor. From him, I’ve learned that Christian discipleship is character formation, not biblical information. From him, I’ve learned what it means to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.  

 All the Good

There was a tiny British Methodist church facing a looming challenge. They had dwindled over the years until there were just eight people—and that was on the Sundays when everyone could attend. They had done all they knew to do to “reach out to young people” and grow the church, but to no avail. A time finally came when the matriarch and pillar of the church reached an age and moved into a nursing home in town. The congregation was heartbroken that their beloved friend and mentor would no longer be able to worship with them. The church prayed, listened, asked the question to themselves, “How can we as a church practice God’s love in this situation?” Then, they decided to move their worship every fourth Sunday to the nursing home, so they could worship with their friend and also with residents. The first Sunday in the nursing home, 70 people participated in the worship service; the second Sunday almost double that number participated. Then, the church decided to meet more regularly at the nursing home, finding growth through reaching out to the aging.[2]

So before we leave this room today, I want to encourage us to ask the same question to ourselves: “How can we practice God’s love in our context?” “What does it look like practicing Micah 6:8 – doing justice, loving mercy, walking humbly with God – personally and as faith community?” Perhaps each of us would have our own different answers, but I believe John Wesley’s motto can remain as our timeless principle:

Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.

May God’s Holy Spirit sustain us, empower us, and fill our hearts with Christ’s love to do all the good until our last breath. Amen.

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[1] Timothy Tennnet, For the Body: Recovering a Theology of Gender, Sexuality, and the Human Body (Zondervan, 2020), 22-23.

[2] Laceye C. Warner, Amy Valdez Barker, Jung Choi, Sangwoo Kim, All the Good (p. 41). Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition.