Whose Side Are You On?
In the heat of the American Civil War, one of President Lincoln’s advisors said he was grateful that God was on the side of the Union. Lincoln replied, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”[1] We don’t need to say this has been one of the craziest election years. There are only 9 days left until the Election Day. Many Christians, probably many of us in this room, are frustrated, stressed or concerned about the future. Normally I am kind of a person who tries to steer away from politics, but after much thoughts and prayers I felt it might be beneficial to talk about it as we prepare for the upcoming election. This morning I am not going to tell you whom to vote for and what to vote for. Instead, I want to tell you the story of Elijah and share few things to keep in mind as Christians this election season.
God Is in Control
This is the most important truth that we need to learn from today’s passage: GOD IS IN CONTROL. Elijah experienced a great victory on Mount Carmel. God answered his prayer in a very powerful way by burning up the sacrifice on the altar. Then Elijah removed all of Baal and Asherah’s prophets. And that day there was the sound of a heavy rain after three and a half years. Revival and spiritual awakening finally seemed to come. But then, Elijah heard the news that Queen Jezebel was going to kill him by this time tomorrow. At first Elijah was quite taken aback. What he expected was King Ahab and the people of Israel would repent and now follow God’s ways. But it didn’t happen. Instead, he had to run for his life. Elijah was afraid, tired, upset, confused, disappointed, and discouraged. But then something happened. God opened Elijah’s eyes to see what was really happening. Elijah said to God, “Lord, I am the only one left, and now they are going to kill me too.” God answered, “No, Elijah! Listen! I have plans. I have a plan A, plan B, plan C… plan Z. I have a plan for Hazael, a plan for Jehu, a plan for Elisha, and most of all I have a plan for my people.” God showed Elijah something much bigger than Israel’s politics and even the world’s politics. God showed him the politics of God’s kingdom. And now Elijah realized God is fully in control of his life, of his country, and of all nations. That changed everything. Many people say that this election is the craziest one. But still God has plans. This election doesn’t have God stressed or concerned about the future. Why should we be so stressed out or concerned? God is in control.
Solitude and Silence
What does it look like for us to live out the faith “God is in control” in our daily lives, especially for 9 days? Probably it looks like reducing time spent watching or listening to political news and increasing the time of solitude and silence spent to listen to God. I am not saying that we don’t need good information to vote for the right candidate. But we need a break from the chaos, from the noise and the crowds, more than we may think. As we know, the world’s politics by nature manipulates the truth, gives us half-truths, and promotes more fear and hatred toward the other party. More than ever before we need a time of solitude and silence to listen to God’s “gentle whisper.” So this week I exhort all of us in this room to spend less time listening to political news and more time listening to God.
Prayer
Secondly, let us pray for our future president whether it’s Hillary or Trump. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, "Therefore I exhort first of all that you make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone, for kings and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior" (1 Tim 2:1-3 NKJV). When he was writing this letter, Paul was thrown in jail by the very government that he was telling people to pray for. As Christians, regardless of our party, opinions, and who gets elected, we have a holy obligation to pray for our future president. We should pray for health and safety. We should pray for wisdom to execute justice. We should pray that he or she would follow the Lord’s ways. Praying for the future president is a sure sign of our acknowledgement that God is in control.
Love
And last but not least, let us love one another deeply, from the heart no matter where we stand on politics. St. Augustine said, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.” There are some essentials we cannot comprise such as Trinitarian faith and the lordship of Jesus Christ. They are the foundations of our Christian faith. But we Christians have liberty in things that are nonessential, including politics. The political left and the political right both have good things to say, and both have their problems as well. Normally, Republican presidential candidates are better on issues like abortion, marriage and family, and religious freedom, while Democratic candidates are better on racial justice, economic justice, and the environment. In fact, we find that there was political diversity among Jesus’ disciples. Simon, a Zealot, worked against the government, while Matthew, a tax collector, worked for the government. But both of them were Jesus’ disciples. Jesus himself is nether conservative nor liberal, but he is also both. Sometimes Jesus is more conservative than the far right. He rebukes liberal Sadducees and says, “not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matt 5:18). Sometimes Jesus is also more progressive than the far left. He rebukes conservative Pharisees and upends religious traditions of his time, saying, “You have heard that it was said this… but I say to you that…” Jesus is outside the lines. Pastor Tim Keller once said, “The more we faithfully preach Jesus, the longer it takes people to figure out where we stand on politics.”[2] It is because Jesus is neither conservative nor liberal. John Wesley advised three things to his people who had votes in the upcoming election in this way: 1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy: 2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against: and, 3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.[3] If we faithfully follow Jesus, it is possible to disagree with others and love them deeply at the same time. “In nonessential liberty and in all things love.”
Here and Now
On Mount Horeb Elijah saw a glimpse of the glory how God’s kingdom looks like. God’s kingdom advances when we acknowledge that God is in control and do His will. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There!” for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:21 ESV). The kingdom of God is not limited to politics and government, but we can and must live in God’s kingdom in everyday life.
Recently I had such a vivid experience of living in God’s kingdom. I had a final interview with the Board of Ordained Ministry for the full membership connection in the UMC. Since there are so many requirements, I was not sure I would be able to apply this year. But I experienced God’s supernatural intervention and help. So I was able to apply on time. I studied hard. I prayed hard. I had mock interviews with my mentor, colleagues, seminary professors and retired clergy. I felt I was ready to go. Even during the interview hours I was confident. A day after the interview, one of the board members called me. And the board said “not yet.” I was disappointed, confused, and upset. I was worried and concerned about my future. It was hard to accept the result. That night my wife Joyce and I sat down together and took time to pray. We poured out our hearts and our disappointment. At the end of the prayer God spoke to us with a gentle whisper, “I am in control.” So finally, I was able to pray like this, “Lord, if it is the board members that say “not yet,” it’s very hard for me to accept. But if it is you who say “not yet,” I can gladly accept it. Abba Father, you are fully in control.” After this prayer, God restored to us the surpassing joy and peace that only comes from Him. Then again, I was able to pray for the UMC and for leadership with sincere heart.
Yes, this election season is a difficult time in many ways. But at the same time, it is a great opportunity to discover who we are and whose we are (cf. 1 Peter 2:9). It’s also a perfect time to seek first the kingdom of God and start living in it. In this time of trouble let us run to our broom tree and listen to God’s gentle voice. Let us take time of solitude and silence. Let us then pray earnestly for our future president because God has his divine plans. And most of all, let us stop speaking ill of the other party or candidate; instead, let us love one another deeply with all our hearts regardless of our political views. This is how we can transform our society. This is how we can live in God’s kingdom here and now. “Seek first the kingdom of God… and all these things will be added to you” (Matt 6:33). Amen.
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Sunday, October 9, 2016
“Dead Men’s Bones” (Matt 23:23-28) - Not A Fan V -
When Christians
Are So unlike Christ
“I like your
Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your
Christ.” These famous words are attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. According to
Gandhi, his way of life was inspired first and foremost by the life and
teachings of Jesus. But he never seriously considered becoming a Christian. Not
because of Christ, but because of Christians. While Gandhi was in Europe , he saw racism and
self-righteousness instead of love among Christians. Once he was asked to leave
a church service because he was not white, and he was routinely denied rooms
and tables at Christian-owned hotels and restaurants because he was a Hindu.
Gandhi saw very little of Christ in the lives of Christians.[1]
Unfortunately, Gandhi was not alone in his displeasure with Christians,
followers of Christ.
“You Are
Hypocrites”
Today’s passage is
one of the hardest sayings of Jesus in the Bible. Matthew 23 is called “Seven
woes to the religious leaders,” or “A warning against hypocrisy.” As we read
this passage, for many of us the first thing that comes to mind is the group
of the self righteous people in the Church. There are so many self righteous
people, particularly pastors and church leaders. The thing is they don’t think
that they are self righteous. In v. 30 Jesus says, “And you say, ‘If we had
lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in
shedding the blood of the prophets.’” In others words, many of the self
righteous Christians don’t have acute self-awareness. They deny. In fact,
they are deceived by themselves. They don’t know what they are doing. Even when
Pharisees and religious leaders were crucifying Christ, the Son of God, they
didn’t know what they were doing. So Jesus prayed for them, “Father, forgive
them, because they don’t know what they’re doing” (Luke 23:34
ISV). In today’s scripture Jesus uses a very familiar analogy for the people of
Israel
In his article, “Can
Your Church Handle the Truth?” Matt Russell shares inconvenient truth with us. Every
day for nine months, Matt sat at a coffee shop in Houston , Texas Kingdom of Heaven
“I Am a
Hypocrite”
Yes, there are so
many self righteous people and hypocrites in Christ’s church today. But when we
read today’s scripture, we need to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, saying, “You
are a hypocrite. You are one of them” WE ARE HYPOCRITES. We all share
self-righteousness, pride, and hypocrisy. But there is hope for us when we are
deeply aware of how impure, how unrighteous, how sinful we are. The Scribes and
Pharisees tried to prove how “pure” they were to others by doing things –
tithing and giving alms to the poor. But the proof of spiritual maturity is
not how pure we are, but our awareness of our impurity. That very awareness
opens the door to God’s grace.[3]
When Isaiah saw the throne of God and encountered the living God, the first
thing he said was, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and
I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord
Almighty” (Isaiah 6:5). As the Apostle Paul almost completed his mission here
on earth, he said to his beloved mentee, Timothy, “Jesus Christ came into the
world to save sinners. And I am the worst of them all” (1 Tim 1:15 ).
He did mean it. The closer we come to Christ, the more we are aware of our
impurity. So when we hear Jesus saying this warning today, we are blessed if we
are aware of our impurity – “Lord, have mercy on me. I am a sinner. I am a
Pharisee. I am a hypocrite.”
Our Lord Jesus
Christ confronts us and speaks the truth, but always “in love.” Jesus did not just harshly rebuke the religious leaders and then
run away. No! He never gave them up to the very end. In fact, after saying
this, Jesus directly headed to Jerusalem 22:27 -28).
So here in today’s scripture Jesus is basically saying, “You hypocrites, I
love you! I love you brood of vipers!” This message is to be heard by all
of us in this room. Jesus loves “humbled” hypocrites. When we respond to Jesus’
warning with repentance and humility, he will save us from ourselves.
Being with
Jesus
Now one important question
remains: “How are we hypocrites actually changed?” How are we
transformed from the inside out? We can find an answer in the Book of
Revelation. In Revelation 3 Jesus speaks to Christians in Laodicean church, who
weree filled with pride, self-righteousness, and hypocrisy, but didn’t have
self-awareness. Jesus rebukes them in love as follows: “You say, 'I am rich. I
have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that
you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (v. 17 NLT).
That’s spiritually where they were. What’s the cure for this? Jesus
says, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
Look! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the
door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me” (vv. 19-20).
This is the key – “being with Jesus.” This verse (Revelation 3:20 )
is often used when we evangelize “unbelievers.” (Ex. “Invite Jesus to your
hearts today!”) But in fact, in this context Jesus invites “Christians” who are
so hypocrites. The more we hypocrites spend time with Jesus, the more we are
transformed from the inside out and become more like him.
My sister and I
had fought and argued a lot when we were young. In some sense we were like oil
and water. And we are still very different in many ways. But I have grown to
love the person she has become since the day she met my brother-in-law
(at that time her boy friend). The more she was with him, the more I was
drawn to her. The more she was with him, the more I wanted to be around
her. The more she was with him, the more I saw in her the best version
of herself. This is how Jesus changes his people. The more we are with
Jesus, the more people around us start to smell a Christ-like fragrance.
Are you tired of the self righteous people in the church? Don’t be discouraged.
Hope in Christ. Look to Jesus and be with him. Are you tired of your own
hypocrisy? Invite Jesus in every area of your life, be with him, and let him be
with you 24/7. And as we do this, as we have continual communion with Jesus,
the people around us will look at us and say, “You know I like your Christ, and
I also like your Christians, because you are so like your Christ.” Amen.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
“Bury the Dead” (Luke 9:57-62) - Not a Fan IV -
“Flexitarians”
Have you heard “flexitarian”? Probably some of you have heard this word from Kyle Idleman’s Not
A Fan Bible study. This is a term voted most useful word of 2003 by the
American Dialect Society. Several years ago MSNBC did a report on the new
Vegetarians. Here’s what one flexitarian, Christy Pug, said: “I usually eat
vegetarian. But I really like Bacon.” Christy explains it this way, “I really
like vegetarian food, but I’m not 100 percent committed.” Flexetarian is
a good way to describe how many people today view their commitments.
Flexitarians are committed until it becomes inconvenient and uncomfortable.
It’s probably ok to eat a flexitarian diet. But when it comes to committing to
Jesus and Bible, flexitarian approach doesn’t work. Many Christians say, “I
really like Jesus, but I don’t like going to church. I love Jesus, but don’t
ask me to pay tithes. I worked hard for that. I will follow Jesus, but don’t
talk to me about my marriage life. The list goes on. I really like Jesus, but…”
We call ourselves Christians, followers of Christ, and then we pick and
choose as if the teachings of Jesus were a buffet.[1]
Let us ask ourselves: when it comes to our relationships with Jesus, where
are we living as a flexitarian?
“On My Terms”
In today’s scripture
Jesus meets many people who want to follow him. His conversations with three of
them are written in Luke 9. Those three prospective followers are in different
circumstances, but all three have one thing in common. They want to follow
Jesus on their terms. The first one says, “I will follow you wherever
you go.” On the surface, it sounds like this person offers an unconditional
commitment to Jesus. But in reality, it is not. Jesus replies, “I am homeless.
Are you still willing to follow me?” Then this man walks away, because he
wanted to follow Jesus if certain conditions are met. Then, Jesus says
to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replies, “Lord, first let me go and
bury my father.” Jesus says to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you
go and proclaim the kingdom of God
“On Jesus’
Terms”
In fact, today’s
passage needs to be understood in the larger context. Right before today’s
passage, Luke 9:51 says, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus set
his face to go to Jerusalem Jerusalem
Today we celebrate
“World Communion Sunday.” As we break bread together, we remember all
Christians around the world. We remember that we are one body in Christ. We
remember that we are connected and united in Christ. In particular, this
morning I want us to remember persecuted Christians. For them, cost of
discipleship is real. Some are disowned by their family and deported from their
community. Some are tortured and killed. A few years ago my previous
congregation set up a sisterhood relationship with a mission organization for North Korea North Korea
Around that time I
heard a story about four North Korean young men. They crossed the border and
asked the Christian worker, Paul, in Northern
China for help. This worker helped them
find food and shared with them the love of Christ. All four became Christians.
For their safety, the four men chose to use fake names. One of them used the
name “pencil.” Three of them grew in faith, but Pencil seemed an undisciplined,
out-of-control boy who refused to grow up. After several months of discipleship,
these three young men decided to carry the gospel back into North Korea
“Anything,
Anytime, Anywhere”
Once a young man
approached an older Christian with this question: “I live in a place where it’s
hard to experience martyrdom or persecution. In this kind of environment what
does it mean to follow Jesus?” The old man said, “A follower has no further
plans of his own.”[3] I can’t
agree with him more. A follower puts all of his or her trust in Jesus. A
follower always says, “Yes, Lord to anything, anytime, anywhere.” So what
does living as a follower look like? Probably, it is different for each person.
Some of us are called to serve where we grew up; some of us are called to
journey thousands of miles away. Some of our Christian brothers and sisters
live in hardship and lose their life for the faith, like Peter who died for the
faith, while others live a long life, like John who died of old age. But there
is one thing in common. Followers obey on Jesus’ terms, not on their terms.
Fanny J. Crosby
describes the joy of obedience as a follower of Jesus in this way:
Perfect
submission, perfect delight,
Visions
of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels
descending bring from above
Echoes
of mercy, whispers of love.
This
is my story, this is my song,
Praising
my Savior all the day long;
This
is my story, this is my song,
Praising
my Savior all the day long.
“Perfect
submission, perfect delight.” These are the follower’s words. Amen.
[1] http://crosswalk.ccphilly.org/no-exception-clause,
Excerpt From: Idleman, Kyle. “Not a Fan Daily
Devotional.” Zondervan, 2016-01-01.
[2] North Korea Hermit Kingdom
[3] “I have been crucified with Christ!”
(Chito Cordero, May 14, 2014 ), Asian Journal, http://asianjournal.com/lifestyle/i-have-been-crucified-with-christ/
Sunday, September 25, 2016
“What Must I Do?” (Matthew 19:16-30) - Not a Fan III -
Two Flowers,
Two Paths
This morning I
brought some flowers. Some are in the vase, and others are in the pot. They
both are beautiful. They both have a nice fragrance. If we look at outward
appearance, we can’t tell the difference. But there is a significant difference
between the two. What is it? One is connected to the root, the source of life;
the other is not. One is alive; the other is dead.
A Rich Young
Man
We have just heard
a story about a rich young man. He is like a beautiful flower in a vase.
He was a good man. He was a moral man. He was a rich man. In Jesus’ time the
rich were believed to be rich because they were blessed by God. Besides, the
rich had more time to study the Scriptures so as to better know God’s will. The
rich also had more resources to give to the temple and to the poor. And people
believed the rich would gain greater favor with God, a greater chance to get
eternal life. The problem of the young rich man was not that he was rich. The
problem was he was not poor in spirit. The problem was his spiritual
pride and complacency. When this young rich man came to see Jesus,
he had confidence. When Jesus told him to obey God’s commandments, he said, “I
have kept all of these. What’s left?” Deep down in his heart there was pride: “I
am good.” He was rejoicing in his own security based on his wealth, his good
reputation, his morality, his charity works and good deeds, but not necessarily
on God himself. He was trying to get eternal life through what he has and
what he does. Jesus said, “With man this is impossible!” Although this man was
seeking very hard, from Jesus’ point of view he didn’t hunger and thirst for
God. His possessions gave him false security and made him think, “I am ok. I am
good. I am enough.” So Jesus wanted to help him to remove that false security,
but the man was not willing. He chose his own security rather than Jesus. And
he went away sad, although he still had everything – his money and his status. Jesus
says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven” (Matt 5:2). Let me ask you, how hungry are you for God?
A Man Who
Collects Pearls
The Bible tells us
another parallel story. In Matthew 13:45-46 Jesus says, “Again, the kingdom of
heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great
value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” The man in
this parable is like a flower in the pot, a tree planted by streams of
water. Let me paraphrase this parable. There was a man who collected
pearls. One day, while walking downtown, in a store window, he sees the most beautiful,
magnificent pearl he has ever seen. He knows he must have it. He enters the
store and an old man comes out from behind the showroom. “I must have that
pearl. How much is it?” he asks the storekeeper. “How much do you have,” the
old man asks. “Well, I’ve got $300 in my pocket.” “Good. I’ll take that. What
else do you have?” “Well, I’ve got a BMW outside, low mileage, two years old,
paid off.” “Good. I’ll take that as well. What else you got?” “Well, I’ve got two
CD’s worth about $22,000.” “Good, I’ll take that too. What else you got?” This
goes on and on until the guy has given away his house and even his family. Then
finally the storekeeper says, “OK, here. The pearl is yours.” The man is
relieved that the ordeal is at last over and that he finally owns the pearl. He
turns to leave the store, but as he is walking out, the storekeeper stops him
and says, “Hey, you know what? That family of yours? I don’t need a family. I’m
going to give them back. But remember, they are mine now, not yours. You must
take good care of them.” “And that house in Connecticut
The Exchanged
Life
“We own nothing,
Jesus owns everything.” This is the secret to eternal life. This is the secret
to an abundant life. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,
but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son
of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20 ). Hudson
Taylor, missionary to China Taylor Taylor Taylor
As long as we own
something, we constantly swing back and forth between pride and insecurity,
between “I am good” and “Am I good enough?” But when we abide in
Christ, when we surrender everything to Jesus, true rest and joy flow, and we praise
him, “Jesus, you are good. You are beautiful. You are
enough!” Let us not strive nor struggle as the rich young man did. Instead, let
us abide. Let us trust Jesus and rest in his love moment by moment. “I am the
Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the
relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated,
you can't produce a thing” (John 15:5, MSG). Amen.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
“Follow Me” (Matthew 9:9-13) - Not a Fan II -
Jesus Calling
If someone wants to be a pastor in the United Methodist Church
I shared my conversion several times in different occasions. It
happened when I was in the army. I fell ill with an endemic disease, called “Dengue
Fever,” in East Timor , and I had a near death experience. At the valley of death I
repented my sin and surrendered my life to Christ. Miraculously, I was
completely healed. I was converted. I knew I had a new nature. I knew I had
assurance of pardon. But once I went back to college, I was still not sure what
God’s plans for my life were. I kind of wanted to have my cake and eat it at
the same time. I wanted to have a decent job and salary and do some church
work. I wanted to have a little of Jesus but at the same time I also wanted to
have my own areas that I can make decisions. I pursued “moderation.” At that
time I felt like I was sitting on the fence. I didn’t feel satisfied. I didn’t
know what to do. Around that time I attended a youth Bible camp as one of the teachers.
At the end of the evening service there was a corporate prayer time. I was
praying for my group students. I prayed that they might encounter Christ and
discover God’s plans for their lives. While I was praying, I heard the inner voice
of Jesus calling, saying, “My son, I want you. I want you to
follow me.” That night I gave Jesus Christ the master key of my heart.
“At the Tax Collector’s Booth”
Jesus meets us where we are and calls us to follow him. Jesus meets us in our mess and then begins the process of
change. In today’s passage there was a man named Matthew who was suffering from
a bad reputation. As a tax collector, Matthew was rich, but he was absolutely
despised and considered outcast. No one wanted to associate with him. I want to
draw your attention how and where Jesus met this man. Verse 9 says, “… he
(Jesus) saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth.”
Jesus didn’t meet Matthew at the synagogue. Jesus didn’t meet him at the prayer
closet. But Jesus did meet Matthew right where he was – “at the tax collector’s
booth.” Many biblical scholars say that Matthew’s conversion was not some kind
of miraculous summons that suddenly changed him from a racketeer into a saint.
Matthew had heard of Jesus long before He challenged him to follow Him. He had
heard Jesus’ gracious words and had seen His mighty works. Matthew was being
moved. A change was taking place. He began to loathe his business in life. He
began to ponder his purpose in life. Matthew was greatly distressed. He wanted
to change his life. He wanted to run away, but he couldn’t go anywhere because
he didn’t know which way to go. He didn’t know what to do. He felt like his
life was a treadmill set at a pace that he couldn’t control. He just kept
going. One day Jesus came and stood before his desk at tax office and said,
“Follow me!” Jesus didn’t condemn Matthew. Instead, Jesus did meet Matthew in
his mess and call him to follow Him. And Matthew followed. Have you met
Jesus in your mess? Have you heard Jesus calling? Have you responded to His
calling? How do you live out your calling?
What Separates Real from Fake
In today’s passage there are two groups of people who were following
Jesus. The first group of people was those receiving Jesus’ love and
rejoicing in it. They repented and believed Jesus. They ate with Jesus and
followed him. They were tax collectors, prostitutes, and “sinners.” The
second group of people was those rejecting Jesus’ love and calling because
they considered themselves righteous and healthy. They didn’t need a savior.
They didn’t need a doctor. They were Pharisees, religious leaders, and coddle
insiders. They thought they were following Jesus. Yes, they were being around
Jesus, but they were not following his ways and his words. In Matthew 23 Jesus
rebuked teachers of the law and Pharisees. He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed
to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but
you were not willing” (v. 37). They rejected Jesus and his love.
On the Day of the Lord many will say to Jesus, “Lord, Lord, did we
not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many
miracles?” Then Jesus will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away form me,
you evildoers!” (Matt 7:22-23) Pharisees and religious leaders did lots of
God’s works, lots of good works. But Jesus said to them, “Away from me, you
evildoers!” From what Jesus said here we can learn one very important truth.
It’s not how much we do. What separates real from fake is “love.” If we have a
great faith, if we give all we have to the poor and sacrifice ourselves for
others, but have not love, we are nothing! My father-in-law is a Presbyterian
pastor in Korea
Life with Love
Love. By love people will know we are followers of Jesus.
This love is agape love, different from other loves. The Bible says even
those who are evil know how to give good gifts to their children (Matt 7:11 ).
It’s rather easy to do good things to our family and friends. But agape love,
Christ-like love, is different. It is to love the unlovable. It is to bless
those who curse us and pray for those give us a hard time. It is to lay down
our lives for those who hate us. We do not have this agape love in us. But when
we experience Jesus’ love first, then and only then can we love others as Jesus
loved us.
Recently I have read the story of Mother Antonia. She was a blond Beverly Hills La Mesa Mexico La Mesa La Mesa
The love of
Christ transforms us. Jesus invites “anyone.”
Anyone is welcome to follow him. Anyone. Sexual past? Anyone. Ex-con? Anyone. Inmate?
Anyone. Recently divorced? Anyone. Legalist? Anyone. Alcoholic? Anyone. Addict?
Anyone. Hypocrite? Anyone. Matthew heard Jesus calling. And he became a follower. Years later, as he
was writing the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew humbly shares his own story with us
how Jesus found him and changed him. He once was cheating his own people as a
tax collector, but later with love he laid down his life for those who
persecuted him in Ethiopia
Sunday, September 11, 2016
“Fan or Follower” (Luke 9:18-25) - Not a Fan I -
D.T.R.
Fan or Follower?
How do you define your relationship with Jesus? Who do you say Jesus is? Every
semester Scot McKnight, professor of religious studies at North Park College Chicago
What do you think
Jesus is like? Some said, “Elijah,” because they wanted to have miraculous
signs and wonders in their lives. Some said, “John the Baptist,” because they
wanted to have some kind of fresh start and spiritual renewal in their lives.
How about you? Who do you say Jesus is? Over the next several weeks I want all
of us to have a DTR talk with Jesus and find out where we stand with Jesus. In
the Bible there are two kinds of groups who were with Jesus: the first group of
people is called, “fans,” and the second group is called “followers.”
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word, “fan” in this way: “an
enthusiastic devotee usually as a spectator,” or “an ardent admirer or
enthusiast.”
Life FROM
God
Then, who are fans
of Jesus in the Bible? Skye Jethani gives us a good insight and defines relationships
with Jesus by using different prepositions. The first group of fans is the
people who live “from” God. Right before today’s passage Jesus feeds the
five thousand. After this, in John 6 large crowds continue to follow him, go
before him and wait for him on the other said of the lake. Jesus says to them, “I
tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous
signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill” (26). Then, Jesus says,
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no
life in you” (53). He challenges the fans to a deeper, more intimate
relationship with him. Guess what? In verse 66 the Bible says, “From this time
many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” The fans who
have a Life From God posture view God as a divine butler or a holy vending
machine to dispense their desires. They want God’s blessings and gifts, but
they are not particularly interested in God himself. God is a means to an end.
This view is so appealing because it doesn’t ask us to change anything. We
become the center of the universe and expect God to orbit around us. So, when
Jesus challenges us to define the relationship, we go home. When pain comes,
when healing doesn’t come, we turn away from God.
Life UNDER
God
The second group
of fans is the people who live “under” God. In the Bible the teachers of
the law and the Pharisees fall under this category. They saw God as an angry righteous
judge. They put God in a box, labeled “cause-and-effect”: We obey God’s
commands and God blesses our lives, our families, our nation. On the surface, a
Life under God posture looks devout, religious, humble and moral. But
ironically, we seek to control God by keeping religious rituals and morality.
Through our righteous behavior and our worship, we put God into our debt and
expect him to do our bidding. Many Christians are told if we obey God’s
commands, if we attend the church service regularly, give financially to the
church, and abstain from immorality, then God will bless our lives.
Cause and effect. One Christian leader made the following statement after the
9/11 attacks: “I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the
feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that
an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them
who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say
“you helped this happen.””[2]
These kinds of judgments happen when we believe that living under God should be
the essence of Christian faith. But the limitation of the Life under God
posture is that they can only see external behaviors –following rituals and
obeying commands – but they cannot look into a person’s heart. Pharisees did
all kinds of good religious things, but inside they were filled with hatred,
greed, pride, lust, and deceit. That is why Jesus said to them, “These people
honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in
vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men” (Matt 15:8-9).
Life FOR
God
The third group of
fans is the people who live “for” God. You may wonder what is wrong with
living for God. Of course, there is nothing wrong with serving God. But the
problem comes when we find our identity and worth in serving or obedience. Our
obedience becomes our self-righteousness. It becomes bitterness, resentfulness
and anger toward God and people. For example, in Luke 10 Martha invites Jesus
and his disciples. She welcomes them, serves them, and cooks for them. But
while she is preparing a meal, Martha is getting upset and angry. Finally, she
interprets Jesus with the question. “Don’t you care that my sister has left me
to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Martha found her worth in
serving. Her service became self-righteousness. “I did something for Jesus. I
fed Jesus and his disciples. What about my sister Mary? She is doing nothing!
What about Jesus? Is he aware of what I am doing for him?” So Martha got angry
at Jesus and her sister Mary. Many Christians fall into this trap. One study
reveals that every month about fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry because
of conflict, burnout, or moral failure. They start with passion for God, but
when they fail to have a sense of significance or reward, they quit the
ministry.[3]
Life WITH
God
So far, we have
explored three groups of Jesus’ fans: life from God, under God and for God. In
fact, these three postures are not all bad. But they are “incomplete.” If these
three postures become the entirety of how we relate to God, the most important
is missing. God didn’t just make us to receive good things (Life from God). God
didn’t just make us to keep a list of rules to follow (Life under God). God
didn’t just make us to accomplish a mission (Life for God). Rather God himself
came to be with us. Immanuel, “God with us.” The purpose of our life is to
live life with God more than life from God, under God or for God. I have
spent time living in each one of these categories. Our life is a journey to
learn to live Life with God.
Our sin has
separated us from God. But God sent Jesus, Immanuel. Jesus took the penalty for
our sin on himself. He died my death. Jesus opened the way to live with God
forever. So, a follower of Jesus is a person who trusts in what Jesus has
done and by faith lives life with Jesus. The follower dines with Jesus,
talks with Jesus, walks with Jesus, watches TV with Jesus, reads the paper with
Jesus, and sleeps with Jesus. In today’s passage, Jesus said, “The Son of Man
must suffer, be rejected, be killed and then be raised to life” (22). If we are
followers of Jesus, we also must go along the same path that Jesus walked. We
must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow Jesus (23). A
follower goes wherever Jesus goes. I think the Apostle Paul can be a good
example of what it means to be a follower. At first, he lived life under God
and for God. He kept all God’s law and persecuted the church as a
service to God. But he was restless, tired, angry, and resentful. But then he
encountered Jesus. Since then Paul lived life with Jesus. In prison Paul
wrote to Philippian church, saying, “I consider everything a loss compared to
the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (3:8). Here the word “know”
doesn’t mean an intellectual knowledge about someone, but it is an intimate and
experiential knowledge. In prison every night Paul did sing and dance with joy while
nothing was accomplishing tangibly for God. Fans know about Jesus, but
followers know Jesus. Fans rejoice in Jesus’ gifts, but followers
rejoice in Jesus himself.
Fan or Follower
All of us in this
room are invited to live as followers of Jesus. We are invited to live life with
Jesus, ongoing communion with him. In the 1980s the CBS anchor interviewed
Mother Teresa. He asked, “When you pray, what do you say to God?” “I don’t say
anything,” she replied. “I listen.” “Okay,” the anchor asked a follow-up
question, “When God speaks to you, then, what does he say?” “He doesn’t say
anything. He listens.” The anchor was baffled. Mother Teresa added, “And
if you don’t understand that, I can’t explain it to you.”[4]
By definition, a follower is always with Jesus and listening to him. Are you a
follower? Are you listening to Jesus? Do you believe Jesus is also listening to
you all the time? Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and
they follow me” (John 10:27 ).
Sunday, September 4, 2016
“Marks of a Christian” (Gal 5:16-26)
Marks of a
Christian??
If you are asked
by someone “What are the marks of a Christian?” what would be your answer? One
research found that 5 out of 6
young non-Christians say they know a Christian personally, but only 1 in 6 say
the lifestyles of those believers are noticeably different in a good way.[1] The word
“Christian” literally means, “belonging to the party of Christ” or a “follower
of Christ.” But, what does it really mean to be a Christian? What are the marks
of a Christian? There are at least two infallible marks to see whether we are
true Christians.
Transformed
Will and Affections
The first mark of
a Christian is transformed wills and affections. Suppose you have a pig.
You give him a bath. You polish his hoofs. You put a beautiful ribbon around
him. You sprinkle nice perfume on him. Now he smells good and looks good.
Everybody says, “How nice! I’ve never seen such a lovely pig!” You open the
door and let the pig out. Where does he go? He directly goes back to the
mud-hole, because his nature has never been changed. He’s still a pig.
You can take a man, dress him up on Sunday morning. He sits down in the church.
He smiles and beams all over. After the service, he walks out, shakes hands
with the minister, smiles and says, “It was a wonderful service.” Then, he goes
back and practices the same old sins, because his nature has never been
changed.[2]
That’s why Jesus
said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again!” Nicodemus was a good man, a
good Pharisee. He was an honorable, respected and conscientious man. But he
felt something was missing in his life. He thought if he knows God’s law a
little bit better, it would be ok. He thought if he becomes a little bit
better person by keeping the law, he would have eternal life, more
satisfying and abundant life. But it didn’t work. So he came to see Jesus. The very
first thing Jesus said to him was, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God
Then, how do we
have a new nature? The Bible says when we come to believe in Jesus Christ, we
have transformed will and affections. For the first time our most inner
being is transformed and delights the law of God. Here are two important
questions to examine whether we are born again: “Do I love and desire and do
what God loves? Do I hate and avoid what is evil?” In natural state of
human beings we do what is right in our own eyes (Judges 21:25 ).
We love sin because it fulfills the desires of our sinful nature. But, when we
are born again, we have transformed will and affections. We are dead to sin. We
are dead to self. We crucify our sinful nature. We hate sin. We forsake sin. We
don’t desire and do sexual immorality, idolatry, hatred, discord, dissensions,
factions and the like. Rather, we love Christ. We obey Christ, not from fear,
nor from a sense of obligation, but from love. After he was born again, Charles
Wesley said, “I want a principle within of watchful, godly fear, a sensibility
of sin, a pain to feel it near.” Are you born again? Are you transformed?
Bearing the
Fruit of the Spirit
The second mark of
a Christian is to grow in grace and bear the fruit of the Spirit. From
the moment we come to believe in Christ we are grafted into the vine. We have
new life. We have a new nature. We begin to grow. Then, what does it mean to
grow in the faith of Jesus Christ? It means to follow in Jesus’ steps. We grow
when we follow Christ. Twenty times in the New Testament, Jesus issued a
challenging invitation to follow him. He was not interested in mere “fans” who
admired him with enthusiasm. He wanted “followers” who wanted to grow in him.
In his book Not A Fan, Kyle Idleman compares and contrasts fans and
followers as follows:
Fans love rules; Followers love Jesus.
Fans glorify themselves; Followers die to themselves.
Fans settle; Followers sacrifice.
Fans create outcasts; Followers create followers.
As we follow
Christ, we grow to be more like Christ. We love God. We sacrifice for others.
We reproduce followers of Jesus Christ. Above all else, we bear much fruit. What
fruit? Galatians 5:22-23 gives us the fruit of the Spirit which are definite
marks of a Christian: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We can’t tell whether we are
Christians by our outward appearance or activity that we are doing. But we do
know by the fruit. Jesus said, “By their fruit you will know them!”
(Matt 7:20 ) So the question we must ask ourselves is not, “Am I doing
such and such good things?” Instead, we are called to look at our lives and
ask, “Am I more loving? Am I more joyful? Am I more peaceful? Am I more
patient? Am I more like Christ than I was a year ago?” Are you growing
in grace? Are you bearing the fruit of the Spirit? If you are not growing spiritually,
if you are not fruit-bearing, it may be that you have never been grafted into
the vine and the nature of God. You had better check to be sure.
Are You a
Christian?
In church history
followers of Jesus Christ were first called “Christians” in Antioch 11:26 ).
They didn’t call themselves Christians. But people around them called
Christians, because their behavior, their attitude, their speech and their
lives were like Christ. They were filled, controlled, and empowered by the
Spirit of Jesus.
Are you a
Christian? Are you born again? Are you transformed? Are you growing? Are you
bearing the fruit of the Spirit? Are you sure? This morning I commend you to
present yourself, your life to Christ and receive him as your Lord and Savior.
If Jesus is already your Lord, commit yourself to obey him, follow him, and
grow in his grace. My prayer is that all of us in this room may bear much
fruit, the fruit of the Sprit, and people around us may notice it and call us “Jesus
freaks,” so that our heavenly Father will be glorified through our lives. Amen.
[1] “Test Yourself: Are You More Like Jesus or
More Like the Pharisees?” https://theway21stcentury.wordpress.com/2014/09/04/test-yourself-are-you-more-like-jesus-or-more-like-the-pharisees
[2] Illustration adapted from Billy Graham’s
sermon, “The Marks of a Christian” (Oct 14, 1957), Christianity Today (Oct
28, 2008 ), http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/octoberweb-only/144-28.0.html
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