“Life as Worship” (Romans 12:1-2) - Romans for Everyone XIX -

“Therefore”

Have you heard “one-way missionaries”? A century ago there was a band of brave souls, who purchased single tickets to the mission field without the return half. And instead of suitcases, they packed their few earthly belongings into coffins. As they sailed out of port, they waved good-bye to everyone they loved, everything they knew. They knew they’d never return home. A. W. Milne was one of those missionaries. He set sail for the New Hebrides in the South Pacific, knowing well that the tribe members who lived there had martyred every missionary before him. Milne did not fear for his life, because he had already died to himself. His coffin was packed. For 35 years, he lived among that tribe and loved them. When he died, tribe members buried him in the middle of their village and inscribed this epitaph on his tombstone. It said,

“When he came there was no light.

When he left there was no darkness.”

As we hear the story of A. W. Milne, many of us think that kind of life is just for the certain, chosen people, but not for me. We may have not been called to be missionaries, but all of us are called to be all in for Christ, the All in All. Mark Batterson rightly said, “Jesus didn’t die to keep us safe. He died to make us dangerous. The will of God is not an insurance plan. It’s a daring plan. The complete surrender of your life to the cause of Christ isn’t radical. It’s normal.”[1] If Romans 1-11 are about the gospel of Christ itself, today’s scripture Romans 12 marks a turning point. Now Paul tells us what it looks like to live our life in a manner worthy of the gospel in everyday life. In particular, verses 1-2 are a summary of the whole of the Christian life: “Present your bodies and your minds to God as living sacrifices. Let all of your life be worship.”

Consecrated Bodies

Normally, we are often encouraged to give our “hearts” to God, but not our “bodies.” But in verse 1 Paul is clear that the presentation of our bodies is our spiritual act of worship. In Paul’s time, influenced by Platonic thought, people regarded the body as a tomb, in which the human spirit was imprisoned and from which they longed for its escape. Still today some Christians have that “spirit-good/ body-bad” dualistic thinking. But here Paul is saying: “Worship is not just purely inward, abstract and mystical, offered in the church building; it must express itself in concrete acts of service performed by our bodies in home life and in the market-place.” Then, what does it look like to present our bodies to God? In fact, Frances Havergal was inspired by Romans 12:1 and beautifully described what it means to give our bodies to God in this way:

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee…

Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of thy love.

Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only for my King.

Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from thee…

Consecration. Consecrated bodies. But it is much more than just doing good works.  

Transformed

It is quite possible to do good works, keep God’s commandments, avoid all kinds of worldly behaviors, but still not be transformed. Remember the rich young ruler in Luke 18? He said to Jesus, “All of God’s commandments I have kept from my youth!” Jesus said, “One thing you still lack. Sell your possessions and follow me.” Here, basically, Jesus was saying, “You must be born again. You must be transformed.”

In today’s passage Paul says that two patterns are help up: the pattern of the world and the pattern of God’s will. When we get down to the bottom of our life, we see the root, the foundation of what makes us happy. It is either “self” or “God.” Let me give you an example. When I was in seminary, all the doors seemed to be closed. In my third year at seminary I had learned that my school was not approved by the UMC. So when I applied for the UMC ordination process, I was rejected. Then, I tried to transfer to Boston University School of Theology, that is, the Methodist affiliated school. But the thing is I would have to give up quite a few credits and retake classes. That was not a good option. As I was navigating and discerning, God began to search me and invite me to get to the bottom of my life by asking questions. “Why do you want to be a pastor?” I said, “I want to help people to find and live abundant life. That makes me happy.” Then, he asked, “Why does that make you happy?” He kept asking, “Why” questions. When there were not any more answers, I saw the bottom. I saw who I am. I was pursuing success – successful ministry, successful church, successful pastor, because that would make much of me. At the end I surrendered myself to God and said, "Lord, I will serve you alone. I will not worship my school, my denomination, my church, or my career."

Transformation is to remove self at the bottom and replace it with God at the bottom. Transformation changes the bottom, the root, the foundation of what makes us happy. John Piper rightly said, “When you are transformed in Christ, you love to do what you ought to do.”[2] For the young rich ruler, he kept the ten commandments, followed all the rules, did good works, and lived a moral life, because he ought to do. Perhaps, his lifestyle might make him happy. But at the bottom of his joy there was self, not God. That’s why he felt something was missing. That’s why he came to Jesus. But when we are transformed in Christ, we keep the ten commandments, because we love to do it. We come to worship, because it brings joy and satisfaction. We give and tithe, because it gives us freedom and life.

Renewed Minds

So Paul exhorts us, “Be transformed. Do not have self at the bottom, but have God at the bottom.” But how? “By the renewal of our mind.” What’s wrong with our minds? The Bible says our minds are fallen. Romans 1:21 says, “For though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened.” (NRSV). Our minds are bent on not seeing God as more worthy of praise than we are. Our minds are not by nature God-glorifying minds. They are by nature self-worshiping minds. This is who we are by nature. So our minds must be renewed.

In today’s passage Paul does not tell us how our mind becomes renewed, but we know from his other writings and from the Scriptures. Our mind is renewed through the Holy Spirit and the word of God. In Ezekiel 36:26 God promises, “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” This promise is fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit comes to his people. Titus 3:5 says, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (NIV). The Spirit renews our mind. Let us pray fervently that the Holy Spirit may renew our mind. Let us welcome him, invite him by exposing our mind to God’s word, so that the Holy Spirit, the Author of the Bible, may renew our mind and transform us.

All of Life as Worship

“Transform” is the Greek word metamorpho. The only other place where Paul uses, it is in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” Here Paul tells us transformation is not a one time event; it is ongoing, daily journey, daily walk with Jesus, one degree at a time.

So what does it look like to live as a living sacrifice to God? The answer would be to worship him with all of our life. We can worship God in everything we do in everyday life. Brother Lawrence, whose nickname was the kitchen saint, once said, "Nor is it needful that we should have great things to do. . . We can do little things for God; I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God."[3] That is what it means to worship God with all of life – in everything we do in everyday life.

Pastor Mark Batterson, in his book All In, gives us very wise advice about how to worship God with all of life in this way: “I don’t know if you can overcome alcoholism or anorexia for the rest of your life, but I believe you can win the battle today. Don’t worry about next week or next year. Live in day-tight compartments. Can you resist temptation for twenty-four hours? Can you win the battle for one day? I know you can. So do you. And so does the Enemy. Take it one day at a time![4] Tomorrow will worry about itself. So let us fix our eyes on Jesus today. Let us die to self and live for Christ today. Let us pray today that the Holy Spirit will open our eyes and renew our minds, that we may be transformed! Then, we will know God’s good, pleasing, perfect will and sing to God a song of glory:

Take my will, and make it thine; it shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee!

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[1] Mark Batterson, All In: You Are One Decision Away From a Totally Different Life (Zondervan, 2013), 13-14.

[2] John Piper, “The Renewed Mind and How to Have It,” www.desiringgod.org

[3] Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God, and the Spiritual Maxims (Cosimo, Inc., 2006), 61

[4] Mark Batterson, 112. 

“To God Be Glory” (Romans 11:25-27, 33-36) - Romans for Everyone XVIII -

Knowing God

Romans 11 is another hard reading. It is about the greatness and glory of God. You may wonder what the glory of God has to do with your practical issues, such as the pressure of work, paying bills, health problems, the loss of the loved ones, or social problems today. You may think why don’t we just directly get to the practical stuff in Romans 12. My prayer is that we will come to know God better and praise him more as we see the beauty and glory of God in this text.

One time Pastor John Piper preached on God’s greatness as revealed in Isaiah 6, the passage where Isaiah saw the Lord on His throne, high and lifted up. Normally Piper says that he would have tried to apply the text, but on that particular Sunday, he simply tried to lift up and display the majesty and glory of God, without a word of application. He did not realize that one of the young families in his church had just discovered that their child was being sexually abused by a close relative. They were there that Sunday and heard his message. Piper says that many advisors to us pastors would have said, “Pastor Piper, can’t you see that your people are hurting? Can’t you come down out of the heavens and get practical? Don’t you realize what kind of people sit in front of you on Sunday?” Some weeks later he learned the story. The husband took him aside after a service and said, “John, these have been the hardest months of our lives. Do you know what has gotten me through? The vision of the greatness of God’s holiness that you gave me the first week in January. It has been the rock we could stand on.” Piper concludes, “The greatness and glory of God are relevant. It does not matter if surveys turn up a list of perceived needs that does not include the supreme greatness of the sovereign God of grace. That is the deepest need. Our people are starving for God.”[1]

Encounter (11:1-10)

God’s grace leads us to an encounter with the living God and his glory. By his grace God calls us into the frightening, the stressful, and the unknown, so that we may not rely on ourselves, but come to realization that we need a Savior. John Wesley called this “prevenient grace,” the grace that leads us to salvation. Have you ever felt like God didn’t seem to care about you? That was Paul’s first question in Romans 11. He says, “I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means!” (v. 1) Then, he uses himself as an example, saying, “Look at me! I was a very blasphemous and hardened person. How can we say that God has given up on his people when he didn’t give up on me? He even took me and is using me mightily in his work.” Here Paul is saying, “If God can save a hardhearted, rebellious, hopeless man like me, he can save anyone! He can save you! He can save your spouse! He can save your children! Hope in God for He is able!”

Then, Paul gives us another example, the case of Elijah. After his great spiritual triumph on Mount Carmel, Elijah experienced great spiritual depression. At that time he expected that since God removed the prophets of Baal, now He would establish new God-fearing leadership or at least bring repentance from the current leaders. But nothing happened. Instead, he had to flee for his life. Elijah must have felt like God didn’t seem to care about him. He must have felt alone, frustrated and hopeless. He was even suicidal. He asked God, “Enough! Lord! Take me life!” But God used this life’s challenge for Elijah to come to know Him better. God opened his eyes to see the glory of God. And Elijah became a different person. He came down Mt Horeb with new hope, new strength, and new joy. Today, you may feel alone and discouraged. The good news is that you’re not alone. Be encouraged. You are on the way to Mt Horeb. By his grace God will open your eyes to see his glory, and he will open your ears to hear his gentle voice in the midst of all your life challenges. Don’t give up. Hope in God. Remain in Christ. And you will be filled with new hope and new strength!

Humility (11:11-32)

If depression and discouragement are one side of our life challenge, the other side would be pride. Pride is the worst and the subtlest enemy of Christians. At first glance pride seems like a small thing, but like a small weed, if left alone it will take over the field. When we allow our pride, we begin to think, “I am humble. I am better than others. Both God and I are good. I deserve to be blessed…” Dr. R. A. Torrey once got the note from a man in Australia. It said, “Dear Dr. Torrey, I am in great perplexity. I have been praying for a long time for something that I am confident is according to God’s will, but I do not get it. I have been a member of the Presbyterian Church for thirty years, and have tried to be a consistent one all that time. I have been Superintendent in the Sunday School for twenty-five years, and an elder in the church for twenty years; and yet God does not answer my prayer and I cannot understand it. Can you explain it to me?” Torrey read the note from the pulpit and replied, “It is very easy to explain it. This man thinks that because he has been a consistent church member for thirty years, a faithful Sunday School Superintendent for twenty-five years, and an elder in the church for twenty years, that God is under obligation to answer his prayer. He is really praying in his own name, and God will not hear our prayers when we approach him in that way.” Later a man came up to Torrey and said, “You have hit the nail square on the head. I see my mistake.”[2]

Pride is our greatest enemy, but God’s grace keeps us humble. Then, how does God deliver us from our pride? By showing us his glory. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wisely said, “The best corrective against pride … is to know God, His character and the truth about Him.”[3] When our eyes are truly opened to God’s glory, his character, his power, his greatness, we become humble. In today’s passage Paul says, “You [are] a wild olive shoot grafted in and share in the nourishing root of the olive tree… So do not become proud, but fear” (vv. 17-20). Apart from Christ we can do nothing! John Wesley always considered himself “a brand plucked from the burning.” When he was 5 years old, his parsonage was burned down. For some reason he was not able to escape. He was left alone in his 2^nd floor room. Just as the roof fell into his room, he was rescued by his neighbors – one stood on the other’s shoulders and pulled John through the window. 45 years later, Wesley got seriously sick and was lying in bed sick with consumption. He wrote an epitaph for himself to be used if he didn’t recover. It said, “Here lies the body of John Wesley, a brand plucked out of the burning” (Wesley lived another 37 years and this epitaph was not used.) He could have talked about the famous Oxford Holy Club, or the class meetings he had organized across England. He might have mentioned his dramatic conversion experience on Aldersgate Street or his missionary work in the United States. But instead, he summed up his remarkable life with this phrase: “A brand plucked out of the burning.” Why? Because his eyes saw the glory of God, the God on His throne, high and lifted up. When we see the glory of God, we become humble.

Doxology (11:33-36)

Paul finishes his argument in verse 32, but it is not the end of the chapter. All of sudden, in verses 33-36, we find Paul breaking into spontaneous worship! So what makes him give praise to God? As Paul meditates on the Scriptures and closely studies the doctrine of how God will save Israel, his people, and the Gentiles, he just bursts into tears of joy and song of praises from the heart: “O how deep are God’s riches, and wisdom, and knowledge!” God’s truth, Christ-exalting doctrine always reveals the glory of God, that leads us to the greatest joy and praise.

What does it look like for us to see the glory of God in the midst of all our life challenges? I think Dr. King’s personal experience can be a good example. After he took the leadership of the Montgomery bus protest, he began to receive threatening phone calls and letters. They increased day after day. He reached the point that he felt himself faltering and growing in fear. One night he got another very threatening phone call. He couldn’t sleep. He was ready to give up. He prayed, “God, I am afraid. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I’ve come to the point where I can’t face it alone.” At that moment he experienced the presence of God and heard the gentle inner voice, saying, “Stand up for righteousness, stand up for the truth. God will be at your side forever.” Almost at once his fears began to pass from him. His uncertainty disappeared. He was ready to face anything. The external situation remained the same. But strangely enough, he became calm and joyful. How come he became so different? The answer is because he did see the glory of God.

I still remember what one of my colleagues shared several years ago. After he planted a new church in Korea, he experienced spiritual depression. People didn’t come, and the church didn’t grow. It was so painful for him to watch empty pews every Sunday. One Sunday morning as he was praying and worshiping with just a handful of people, God opened his eyes, and then the pastor saw that all the pews were filled with the angels who were singing praise to God. That changed everything. Since then, he became a different person. Today we need the prayer of Elisha for his servant who was afraid when they were all surrounded by the enemy in Dothan: “O Lord, open his eyes that he may see.”  Then the LORD opened the young man's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire (2Kg 6:17). Are you afraid? Are you discouraged? Are you frustrated by the troubling news? Let us pray the prayer of Elisha, “O Lord, open my eyes that I may see.” Then God will open our eyes to see his glory, his truth, his wisdom, his greatness. And we will be filled with new hope and great joy. We will praise our God and join Paul in singing: “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

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[1] John Piper, The Supremacy of God in Preaching (Baker, 2015), 10-11.

[2] R. A. Torrey, The Power of Prayer and the Prayer of Power (Zondervan, 1987) 138-39.

[3] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: To God’s Glory (Banner of Truth, 1999) 125. 

“The Word Driven Life” (Romans 10:14-17) - Romans for Everyone XVII -

Walking in a Circle? 
Years ago one man was missing in the Alps, and he was rescued after 13 days. This man had walked more than 12 hours per day to find a village in bad weather. But in fact, it turned out that he went round in circles within a 4-mile radius. When a person keeps walking with the eyes closed, he or she ends up walking around in circles. But, there is a way to avoid this! If we make a stop for a moment on a regular basis, rather than keep walking, we are able to almost walk in a straight line. Oftentimes we are too busy to stop, and we find ourselves just keeping going without thinking and ending up wandering around in circles, just like the man in the Alps. We need a time to stop and think whether we are on the right track. By His grace, every year God gives us a special time, called “New Year” for us to stop and see where we are today, and where we should be heading.

Reading the Bible Together 
There would be several ways to avoid walking in circles in our life journey, but one of the best ways is to let God’s Word shine on our ways and direct our path daily. Starting on January 1, 2018, we as a church read the Bible together by using “5 Day Bible Reading Program.” It allows you to read the entire Bible (or just the New Testament – it’s your choice) in one year while only reading five times a week. This allows time for catching up, taking a day off, read other parts of the Bible to prepare for Bible class, etc. This reading program also helps us to see the big picture of the Bible as we read the Bible in chronological order. There will be a monthly meeting, “Coffee Break” (3rd Sunday of the month after church) to check in with each other, ask each other questions, and encourage each other. It is totally fine not to use this particular reading program. You may use your own program on your own pace. The point is to read the Bible together, because I believe God reveals more of himself through his word when it is read in community than he or she does when it is read in isolation. So let’s read the Bible together.

Reading to Obey
Now the more important question remains: Why do we read the Bible? Why do we care? In God’s eyes, why we do something is far more important than what we do. It is possible to do the right thing but with the wrong attitude. When we read the Bible, we should start with the proper attitude. We should read to obey. The Pharisees were law experts. They meditated on the word day and night. They had a thorough knowledge about the Scriptures from Mosaic laws to the Prophets. But the problem is they didn’t recognize the Christ, who was standing right in front of them, although all scriptures point to Christ. In John 5:39 Jesus said to them, “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (NLT; cf. Luke 24:44). Jesus had to tell them several times, “Haven’t you read?” “Can’t you see what this means?” (cf. Matt 12:5-7) Here Jesus was saying, “Pharisees, you don’t know the Scriptures.” How is it possible to fail to see Christ and understand the Scriptures while studying them daily? Why did they fail? Because they read the Bible with the wrong attitude.

When we come to meet with God in our Bible reading, the proper attitude is crucial. Many people say, “God, show me your will.” But God doesn’t show his will to those who come to Him with this attitude: “Lord, tell me your will, and I will choose what I will or won’t do.” God does show his will to those who come to him having already chosen to do his will no matter what: “Speak, for your servant is listening!” (cf. 1 Sam 3:10) In John 7:17 Jesus said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” Let us read the Bible to obey anything and everything that God wants us to do.

Reading to Be Transformed 
Then, what happens when we read the Bible with the proper attitude? The answer is that we are transformed. In the Book of Nehemiah, the wall reconstruction project was successfully finished in 52 days. That did draw the Israelites close to God and made them thirst for God. They came to listen to God’s word. All the people gathered as one man in the square. When Ezra opened the book, all the people stood up. They could not remain seated because of the overwhelming reverence for God. All the people listened closely to the Scriptures from daybreak till noon, about for 6 hours. And when Ezra praised the Lord, all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” And they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. And then what happened? When the people heard the word and understood the reading, they all wept. They realized how far they had backslid from Him. And they voluntarily made the covenant with God about three most important areas of their lives – relationship, time and money. First, they promised not to have mixed marriage. At that time, the Israelites were defiled and sought after other gods as a result of mixed marriage with the Gentiles. And now they resolved to purify themselves and live as pure bridegroom of Christ Jesus. Second, they promised to keep the Sabbath holy. They used to rest on their terms on their ways. But now, on God’s terms, they resolved to rest, to worship God, to savor Him, to have fellowship with Him. Third, they promised to bring the whole tithe and offering. Money has power. No one can deny it. Tithing is all about faith in action to deny the power of money over us and to surrender ourselves to the Lord. The people of Israel resolved to bring the whole tithe, the first fruits, offerings to the Lord. By reading the Bible, they were transformed. When we read the Bible with the proper attitude, it transforms us from inside out.

Pastor Rick Warren rightly makes a distinction between the Bible and self-help books in this way[1]: Self-help books often give us helpful insight. They can tell us the right thing to do, but they just don’t give us the power to do it. Self-help books tell us that we should stop worrying or we should give up all our bad habits. Yes, it is helpful in some ways, but the thing is we don’t have that power to keep the advice. Those books aren’t alive. But God’s Word is alive and active. It not only tells us what to do; it gives us the power to do it. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (ESV). In other words, when we read (hear) the Bible, it increases our faith, it gives us confidence, “I can do this. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength!” For example, before I stand up to preach, I always pray, recall, trust specific promises of God. “Lord Jesus, apart from you I can do nothing (John 15:5). I pray for your help. Lord, you promised, “My word… shall not return to me empty,” (Isa 55:11) “It is not you who speak, but the Spirit” (Matt 10:20). So Lord, speak to me. Speak through me. Preach to the hearts of your people.” Then, by faith I preach. I act in obedience to God’s word. And I give thanks to God for whatever good comes and give him the glory.

Being Transformed to Transform
Now let me give you a brief picture of what it might look like for you to read the Bible to be transformed. Suppose you are in your quiet place at home. It’s early in the morning before anyone else is stirring. You are reading your Bible. Perhaps you woke up with heavy heart because of financial difficulty or relationship difficulty. But as you open the Bible and read on, the word shifts your mindset and opens your eyes to see the risen Christ with you in that room. And no longer you read about Christ, but now Christ himself begins to speak to you through the Bible. And he promises that he would give you his peace that passes all understanding. Then by faith, you get up with his promise. And then after breakfast, you go to Tim Hortons for coffee, you see the person over there with whom you had a strong argument yesterday. You are tempted to take revenge, but you remember the promises that God himself will settle accounts. So you go to that person and say, “I’m sorry about the harsh words yesterday. They were wrong, and I need your forgiveness.” In the afternoon you go to Walmart to buy something, on the way you see the person walking with bags of groceries in this cold weather. And you give him a ride home. And perhaps by God’s grace, he asks the reason for the hope that is in you, and you tell him what you saw (read or heard) that morning in God’s word. And perhaps by God’s grace, his eyes might be opened by God’s word that you shared, and see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. That is what it means to read the Bible to be transformed. If we meet Christ in our Bible reading, we will experience this. So let's all pray for this to happen to us more and more, daily and each and every moment! May many hear and believe and call on the name of the Lord and be saved through you! Oh, how beautiful are the feet of you who bring good news!

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[1] Rick Warren, “Let God’s Word Activate Your Faith,” (May 21, 2014), http://pastorrick.com/devotional/english/let-god-s-word-activate-your-faith_105

“WITH” (Christmas Eve Service)

Three Pictures of Immanuel 

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, on his deathbed, cried out with all his remaining strength, “The best of all is, God is with us.” God’s presence is the greatest gift God gives his people. God is personally near. Tonight I want to show you three pictures to help us understand the true meaning of “Immanuel,” God-with-us.

God Created Us

If you have a chance to go to Vatican City, you don’t want to miss this one, The creation of Adam, painted by Michelangelo. On the right side of the fresco, God extends his hand towards Adam, leaning towards him, reaching towards him as much as possible. Michelangelo painted this scene with vibrant colors to describe God as a dynamic, active figure. He comes to our place. He is personally near to us. On the left side of this fresco, we see Adam lean backwards with passive, reserved, lazy posture. Unlike God, we don’t seek him, nor desire him (Rom 3:11). Another point is that Adam’s finger and God’s finger is not touching. There is space. Why is that? Free will. God did give Adam free will to choose to obey or disobey him. But Adam let go of God. He chose independence, separation from God.

God With Us
But God still comes to us, near to us, and with us. How do we

know? How do we know that God does care about us? The second picture answers this question. Probably, some of you in this room have been to Niagara Falls. Suppose you are now standing before Niagara Falls. Probably you stand in awe. You are moved to admiration by its beauty. No one would just ignore it and pass by. When I was there for the first time, it was late night. I just had to stand there to watch for a long while. Then, where does that beauty come from? What attracts us, compels us to stop and stand there? The difference in elevation – 50-yard head of water. The Son of God became human. The Creator became a created being. He gave up all his divine privilege and glory and left his heavenly throne. He was born as a child – maybe 7 or 8 pounds in weight, unable to feed himself, unable to speak, wearing diapers, totally dependent on his parents. He never skipped any part of human life. The Son of God Almighty became limited by space and time. Why? Because of love. It’s radical love. He did all this to reach us, to communicate to us in our language, to save us from sin and death. In Jesus God has come to us to live with us and in us.

God Recreates Us

As we begin to grasp this mystery of incarnation, “God became human” to be with us, it changes everything! The third picture tells us what happens to us when we believe and dwell in this truth. At the Royal Palace of Tehran in Iran, you can see one of the most
beautiful mosaic works in the world. The ceilings and walls flash like diamonds with multifaceted reflections. Originally, when the palace was designed, the architect specified huge sheets of mirrors on the walls. When the first shipment arrived from Paris, they found that the mirrors were shattered. But amazingly, the architect ordered all of the broken pieces collected, then smashed them into tiny pieces and glued them to the walls to become a mosaic of silvery, shimmering, mirrored bits of glass.[1]

Broken into beautiful. Somehow we are all broken; our beautiful image of God is damaged, even destroyed because of our sin. We have made wrong choices. And we see the consequences. But God is able to take our broken piece and turn them into something beautiful. He recreates us. How does he do that? Where do we start? God is always ready. He is always near. He meets us where we are. Jesus found Peter while he was still living a sinful, powerless life, suffering from a vicious cycle (Luke 5:8). But he said to him, “Don’t be afraid. Follow me! From now on you will be catching men! You will do a fresh start!” And Peter left everything and followed him. Jesus also found Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth, and said to him, “Follow me!” So Matthew got up and followed him.

Still today Jesus comes to us, in order to be with us. He is seeking out us gently and actively. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Do you hear him knocking the door of your heart? Let us open the door and say, “O come, O come, Emmanuel!” And he will come in and live with us, and he will make something beautiful out of us. Amen.


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[1] “Saving the Broken Pieces,” God’s Work Ministry, http://www.godswork.org/emailmessage147.htm

“God with Us, Life with God” (John 3:16; 1 John 3:16)

God with Us

Today we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent. The advent (“coming”) of Jesus Christ is what separates Christianity from all other religions. We affirm that Christ is indeed “Immanuel,” God with us. Christ is the God whom we can know, feel, and touch. He is God with skin.

Last week Esther, my youngest daughter, had a hard time. For some reason she suffered from constipation for three days. She cried, cried in agony. During that time I could feel her pain. I could feel her agony. I wish I could suffer instead of her. But what Joyce and I could do was just to pray for her and to be with her.

In Exodus 3:7-8, when the Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out, the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people… I have heard their cry… I know their suffering, and I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians…” And God did send Moses to deliver his people. But Moses was a just shadow of the true and better Messiah to come. When the time had fully come, God sent his Son to buy freedom for us who were slaves to sin, so that he could adopt us as his very own children (cf. Gal 4:4-5).

Perhaps John 3:16 is one of the most beloved passages in the Bible. It has only about 25 words in the English translation of it, but it is the gospel in a nutshell:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV).

In his sermon Billy Graham tells us his story to explain the true meaning of this verse. One day Pastor Graham was walking with one of his sons and they stepped on anthill by mistake, and all the ants were suffering. Their little houses had been destroyed. He looked down and he said “I wish we can help to rebuild the anthill but we could not. We are too big and they are too little.” [1] God looked on this planet and saw us as little ants and saw that we are destroying ourselves, so he decided to become a man and that’s who Jesus was. He was God in the flesh. He came to tell us that he so loves us… no matter what. And he healed many sick people, taught us the way to heaven. Jesus was Immanuel 2,000 years ago. And He is still Immanuel today!

Life with God

God is with us. Then, our next question is, what does “life with God” look like? 1 John 3:16 answers this question:

“We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for one another” (NRSV).

“Life with God” begins and ends with love. Life with God is life with love. Let me share the story of Pastor Paris Reidhead. He went to Africa as a missionary. He didn’t think it was right for anybody to go to hell without a chance to hear the gospel. So he went to give poor sinners a chance to go to heaven. But when he went to Africa, he expected that the people there would appreciate him and look forward to hearing the good news. But no! He discovered that they were monsters of sin! They loved their sin and wanted to continue in it. They had no interest in the Bible, no interest in Christ, no interest in heaven. They didn’t welcome him. They didn’t appreciate him. He couldn’t stand any more of their mockery. He just wanted to come home. One day in his private prayer time he poured out his heart to God, and he heard Him say, “Yes they deserved hell! But I love them! And I endured the agonies of hell for them!”[2] When Jesus came to his own, and his own people did not receive him (John 1:11). They didn’t welcome him. They didn’t appreciate him. But Jesus just loved them no matter what. He just loves us no matter what. Even in our least lovable moments, even in our rebellion and sin, God is still near to us and showers us with his love. Once we experience this rain of God’s love, it changes us, compels us to do the same. You keep reaching out, giving your presence to those who are ungrateful, unlovable. You pray for those who hate you. You endure, you suffer, you forgive, you love. That’s what life with God looks like.

Jesus in the Driver’s Seat

A.W. Tozer said that “most Christians are theological Christians… They’re trying to be happy without a sense of the presence.” In other words, they intellectually agree that Jesus is Immanuel. And they want to live a life with God – life filled with love, power, joy. But they don’t experience it. They don’t experience God’s presence. Why is that?

Here’s what Christians tend to do: when we receive Christ, we invite him to be our guest, special guest at best, but not our Master. We are still in control of our lives, making decisions according to our experience, our preference, our knowledge, our plan. We drive the car, and Jesus is in the passenger’s seat. Even though he is a best driver and is with us all the time, our life is still constantly in conflict, confusion, and stress. There will be constant danger of accident. The best way to handle this situation is to get out of the driver’s seat and let him drive. Is Jesus in the driver’s seat in the car of your life? May Christ Jesus dwell in your hearts as Lord of all! Amen.

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[1] Billy Graham, Sermon on John 3:16, http://ipost.christianpost.com

[2] Paris Reihead, “Ten Shekels and a Shirt,” http://www.heavenreigns.com/pdf/ten_shekels.pdf 

“You’re Invited!” (Matt 22:1-14) - The Return of the King II -

When a Parable Doesn’t Make Sense

What is your favorite story in the Bible? Jesus often used short stories, called “parables” to convey deep, spiritual messages, such as “the kingdom of God” and “the end of the age.” In fact, a third of Jesus’ teachings written in the gospels are the parables. By this, Jesus did proclaim things hidden since the creation of the world (Matt 13:35). But, today’s parable, the parable of the wedding feast, is kind of a weird one. Have you ever invited people to your party who did not attend? Everything was ready but some of the guests didn’t come. Did it make you so angry that you killed them and burned down their houses? Probably not, but that’s what happens in this parable. Here perhaps Jesus uses hyperbole to emphasize his point.

There are three different groups of people in this parable: the first-invited group, the second-invited group, and the guy who doesn’t wear the wedding garment. The first-invited group is Israel, the chosen ones. The king sends his servants to call them, but they would not come. So the king graciously sends other servants for the second time, but again they pay no attention. They are either indifferent, or so preoccupied with their own affairs. They would not come. So the king says, “The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.” Then, he commands his servants to go out and invite anyone they find to the banquet. The same parable written in Luke is more specific. The king says, “Bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame” (14:21b). So it becomes an open invitation to everyone, both bad and good (10). You’re invited. I’m invited. The second-invited group is the undeserving outside of Israel, that is, you and me. The wedding hall is now filled with guests. But then, the king finds a man who isn’t wearing wedding garment. So he orders this man to be tied up and cast outside into darkness. This seems a little harsh. The parable doesn’t seem to make sense. But we need to see the event through first-century eyes. In Jesus’ day, wedding clothes were often provided by wealthy hosts.[1] So this man’s wedding garment had already been provided by the king. But for some reason this man refused to wear the wedding clothes offered. Why? Perhaps he thought his own clothes were good enough. Perhaps he thought he could make it in on his own terms, dressed in his old outfit.

Ignorance 
Who does the man without wedding garment represent? John Bunyan, in his book Pilgrim’s Progress, answers to this question. One day main character Christian and his companion Hopeful meet with Ignorance, a very lively lad, on their way to the Celestial City. He is truly ignorant of the truth, but he is very conceited and certain that he knows everything. Ignorance follows them at a distance. Christian asks, “How stands it between God and your soul?” Ignorance answers, “I have good thoughts, a good heart, and a good life according to God’s commandment.” Christians says, “The Word of God says, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one’ (Rom 3:10). Your name is Ignorance because you are ignorant of Christ’s righteousness and the results of saving faith.” But Ignorance doesn’t listen and says, “I will never believe that my heart is bad. Your faith is not mine, but mine is as good as yours.” Christian says, “Be awakened, see your own wretchedness and fly to the Lord Jesus. By his righteousness you shall be delivered from condemnation.” But Ignorance says, “You go too fast. You go on; I must stay behind for a while.” After this, Christian and Hopeful continue their journey and finally arrive at the gate. But between the pilgrims and the gate is a river. There is no bridge, no boat, and the water is deep. They have to cross a river by swimming. They have a near-death experience. Finally, they arrive at the gate, welcomed by the heavenly hosts. Ignorance gets over with little difficulty, because Vain-Hope, a ferryman, rows him over in his boat. Ignorance climbs the hill by himself, but no one welcomes him. The men at the gate ask him for his certificate. But he doesn’t have it. Then, the king orders his servants, “Take him out, bind him hand and foot and take him away.”

Wedding Guests in Jumpsuits
Who does the man without wedding garment represent? John Bunyan called him Ignorance. But I think “Pride” would be more accurate word: a man of pride. C.S. Lewis rightly says, “… the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”[2] In the parable this man wouldn’t wear the wedding garment provided by the king because of pride, self-righteousness.

Chris Hoke is a prison chaplain. He tells the story of what happened at a Sunday afternoon Bible study in his prison. At that time there were more than 20 men, and they were studying today’s passage. The group had a natural leader, Richard, and Richard had brought the whole of his part of the prison. He was very excited about the fact that the king invited both bad and good. But then they heard that the king ordered the attendants to bind the man without the wedding garment and cast him into the outer darkness. “Just what I thought,” Richard said. “What do you expect from people like us? We don’t have all the right clothes. We never look right! You should know that!” The chaplain explained quickly that in first-century Palestine, it was the custom for the host to provide these over-garments for the guests, right at the door, before they got into the banqueting hall. Richard spoke back: “But we might not want to wear those clothes. We don’t play by all the little rules. You didn’t really want us at all! Or did you just so you can throw us back out into the darkness? Better to stay in the streets with the bad people than be told you’re wanted and then find out you’re really not!” “You’re just assuming,” the chaplain said, “the one not wearing the garment is one of the ‘bad’ people who were invited off the streets. But it doesn’t say that. What if it’s one of the ‘good’ people who feels suddenly uncomfortable around all these ‘bad’ folks pouring in from the streets and sitting next to him or her. Someone who feels better than these folks. Someone who needs to set himself apart, not putting on the same robe as all these undeserving ones?” He continued, “How do you think the host would feel, watching his new flood of guests that he invited from the streets to share his joy, now all feeling judged by this one guy, who’s totally killing the party, making all the rest of the guests feel uneasy, awkward, unwanted, not belonging? He’d throw that guy outside and tie him up, let him get it out of his system, grumble all he wants—grind his teeth, I don’t care—until he was ready to come back in and share the joy of the king who wants everyone. Even people like you!” But for Richard it seemed too good to be true. He said, “Send me a copy of whatever scholar you’re talking about. I wanna see that in print!”[3]

Come to the Feast!
What is the right dress for God’s banquet? What does the wedding garment represent? The wedding garment provided by host symbolizes the righteousness of Christ provided by God for entrance to Heaven. Revelation 7:14 says, “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

How do we then put on the wedding garment? By repentance. How did God prepare his people before the coming of Christ? What was the first message of John the Baptist? “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt 3:2). What was the first message of Jesus? “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (4:17). How can we be prepared at the second coming of Christ or at God’s banquet? By repentance. We sing “Joy to the world” especially in this season of Advent. But the best way to let every heart prepare Him room is to repent. Repentance is not just to regret the sins we have done. It is to invite God to turn our heart. It is to invite God to dwell within us, to reform us from inside out. It is to be in tune with God.

As I look back on my college years, I had to confess that I was legalistic. At that time, I wanted to tithe my time as well as my money. So each day I went to a chapel room on campus, I prayed for a tenth of the day, that is, 2 hours 24 minutes, without joy, but out of sense of duty. And the rest of the day, nine tenths, I was so preoccupied with my own affairs. And I thought that I was doing pretty good and better than many other believers. What a Pharisee I was! I served God, on my terms, with my strength and efforts. Much effort, little fruit. Recently, as I was working out at the fitness center after my morning devotion, the Voice said, “How much time do you spend communing with me?” The first thought that came to my mind was, “I did my devotion.” Then, the Voice said, “Look around, and see people. I want you to be open and listen to me always. I want you to make yourself available to me always, so that I can commune with you and work through you all the time.”

Have you made yourself available to God today? Have you responded to God’s invitation? Are you wearing the wedding garment today? In verse 14 Jesus says, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Many hear God’s word, but few believe and respond. John Wesley said, “Yea, many are members of the visible Church, but few of the invisible Church.” Let us repent. Let us come out of our old filthy rags of self-righteousness and receive the new ones of abiding in Christ. Let us be awakened, and see our own wretchedness and fly to the Lord Jesus, and by his righteousness we will be saved from ourselves. Jesus is calling! Come to the feast! You’re invited!

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[1] Bryan Loritts, Saving the Saved: How Jesus Saves Us from Try-Harder Christianity into Performance-Free Love (Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2016), 106.

[2] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan, 1960), 108– 9.

[3] Chris Hoke, “Wedding Guests in Jumpsuits” The Christian Century (1/21/15)

“Maranatha!” (Revelation 22:16-21) - The Return of the King I -

Advent 

Advent begins today. The Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming” or “visit.” Advent begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends Christmas Eve. Advent is the beginning of the Christian year. So during Advent, we remember, look back and celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Messiah. But more importantly, we also eagerly anticipate the second coming of Christ Jesus our Lord in this special season of Advent. So this year during Advent, each week we will explore different Bible passages from the perspective of Jesus’ second coming. And we will resume our study on the Book of Romans in the new year.

Advent is a great reminder that Christ will return soon. It reminds us that we must begin with the end in mind. It reminds us that our best life is not now, but the best is yet to come. It reminds us that we must set our hearts on the kingdom of God and live for eternity.

Garden of Eden and New Jerusalem 

Today’s passage is the final chapter and conclusion of the entire Bible. Today we will explore the last two chapters of the Bible, Revelation 21 and 22. There is one dominant characteristic of these two chapters. In these chapters we cannot find any sin or evil. They are already eradicated. There is the only other place where there is no sin or evil in the Bible, that is, the Garden of Eden in the first two chapters of the Bible, Genesis 1 and 2. The entire Garden was filled with the presence of God. There Adam and Eve enjoyed a deep, intimate, constant communion with God. There was full of joy and pleasure. There was no sin, no evil, no death, no suffering, and no disease. Everything was good in God’s eyes. God created the whole universe for man and woman and let them be the lords of creation to take care of it. God even gave them perfect free will to accept his love or to reject it, because the essence of true love is perfect freedom. In the middle of the garden was the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The tree was the holiest place where Adam and Eve worshiped God and had the most intimate fellowship with him. The tree was also a loving reminder that “He is God, the Creator, and we are his creation.” The tree could be seen from anywhere because it was in the middle of the Garden. One day Adam and Eve were tempted to be like God and chose to disobey God. They chose to become the lords of their life. Since that time the way to the middle of the Garden has been blocked (Gen 3:24). Since that time the way to the sanctuary of God has been blocked. We have become separate from God. We have become slaves of sin and death.

However, the last Adam, Jesus, became human to restore the Garden of Eden. In Luke 13:33 Jesus says, “I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!” Here Jerusalem symbolically refers to the Garden of Eden. It was the place where Adam and Eve used to enjoy intimate fellowship with God. It was the place where they failed to obey God. Jesus came to the very same place. He obeyed God to the end and died on the cross. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom (Mk 15:38). He reconciled us to God through the cross. He restored our broken relationship with God through his obedience. The Bible says, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” (Rom 5:19) Calvary was located in a high place that could be seen from anywhere in Jerusalem, just as the tree of knowledge was seen from anywhere in the Garden. The cross at the Calvary was a reminder that “He is our God. We are his people.” God was pleased to save everyone who looks at the cross and believes in Jesus. In Revelation 21:2 John sees the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, the new Eden, coming down out of heaven from God. In the New Jerusalem there is no sorrow, no death, no suffering, no disease, no sin, and no evil.

Engaged to Jesus

God invites all of us in this room to come to his Holy City. “Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” (22:17). This gospel is available to everyone who believes. 

In Jewish custom a marriage took place in two stages, the engagement and the wedding. The engagement included an exchange of promises and gifts, and was almost regarded as a marriage. The engaged couple could be called ‘husband’ and ‘wife’, and if a separation happened, it would have to be a divorce (cf. Matt 1:18–19). The wedding followed some time after the engagement. It began with a festive procession, music and dancing. Then, the bridegroom went out to bring his bride, who will have made herself ready. And he would bring her back to his home for the wedding feast. We, as a Jesus’ bride, live in the engagement period. Now we are preparing ourselves and waiting for the Bridegroom. Once we get engaged, the power of the devil is remarkably weakened. But still, the devil carries out a full-scale attack to break off our engagement. He tries hard to make our attention wander. He makes us “busy” with many things. He makes us “worry” about many things. All these fragment our lives. All these pull us apart and make us lose our center. Our lives are full of many things to do or think, but we feel unfulfilled.

Our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, does not try to pull us away from the many things. Instead, he shifts our attention to the “one necessary thing” from the “many things.” In Revelation 22 Jesus says three times, “Behold, I am coming soon!” (7, 12, 20) Here Jesus is saying, “Be ready. Set your hearts on the kingdom of God first… and all these other things will be given as well” (Matt 6:33). Jesus asks us to readjust our priorities and to move our hearts to the center, “the kingdom of God.”

Maranatha Mindset

Horatius Bonar was a Scottish preacher and hymn writer. Whenever he opened the curtains in the morning, he asked to Jesus, “Lord, are you coming today?” Whenever he closed the curtains in the evening, he said, “Lord, are you coming tonight?” He was always packed and ready to go. He said, “Be ready for the last moment by being ready at every moment...so attending to every duty that, let Him come when He may, He finds the house in perfect order, awaiting His return.”

The word "Maranatha" is an Aramaic expression meaning “Come, O Lord.” In the early church when believers gathered or parted, they didn't say "Hello" or "Goodbye." Instead, they said "Maranatha!" to one another. They encouraged one another, reminded one another, and anticipated the imminent return of the Lord. Living with a Maranatha mindset means living as pilgrims and strangers in this world, traveling light and eagerly longing for our heavenly home. It means living as Jesus’ bride purifying ourselves and preparing for our wedding. It means living as servants of the Lord giving ourselves fully to the work of the Lord and laboring for our rewards.

In his sermon, “Don’t Waste Your Life,” Pastor John Piper shares two different stories with us. The first story goes like this. In his church two of the faithful church members, Ruby Eliason and Laura Edwards, who went to Cameroon as missionaries, had both been killed because of a car accident. Ruby was over eighty. Single all her life, she poured it out for one great thing: to make Jesus Christ known among the unreached, the poor, and the sick. Laura was a widow, a medical doctor, pushing eighty years old, and serving at Ruby’s side in Cameroon. As people read this story in the paper, they said, “What a tragedy!” But no, that is not tragedy. That is a glory. Then, Pastor John tells us the second story, what a tragedy is. He reads to us from Reader’s Digest: “Bob and Penny… took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their thirty foot trawler, playing softball and collecting shells.” That’s a tragedy. The American Dream: a nice house, a nice car, a nice job, a nice family, a nice retirement, collecting shells as the last chapter before you stand before the Creator of the universe to give an account of what you did: “Here it is Lord — my shell collection! And I’ve got a nice swing, and look at my boat!”[1] That’s a tragedy.

Live for Eternity 

On the Day of the Lord we must give account. That day God is going to ask us at least these two questions: “What have you done with my Son Jesus Christ?” and “What did you do with what I gave you?”[2] What would be your answer? Are you ready to answer?

The promise of the second coming of Jesus occurs 1,845 times in the Old Testament, and 318 times in the New Testament. In other words, about every 30 verses of the Bible tells us about the return of the King Jesus Christ. The Bible keeps telling us, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief” (2 Pt 3:10). But, we will not be surprised if we set our hearts on his kingdom all the time. The last trumpet may sound anytime. Let us travel light. Let us be “packed and ready to go” at every moment!  Let us live for eternity. Let us live to know Christ and make Him known. Let us encourage one another, remind one another, and anticipate together the return of our King Jesus. As we gather and part, let us not just say, “Hello” or “Goodbye,” but say "Maranatha!" Yes, Come, Lord Jesus!

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[1] John Piper, “Don’t Waste Your Life,” https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/boasting-only-in-the-cross/excerpts/don-t-waste-your-life
[2] Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life (Zondervan, 2012) 37-38.