“Resurrection Eyes” (Matt 17.1-9) - Transfiguration Sunday -

Why Games

When we raise our children and teach our students, we often find ourselves getting into “why games” with them. They ask:

“Why should I go to school every day?”

“Why should I go to church Sunday?”

“Why should I read the Bible?”

We too ask questions today:

“Why did earthquake happen in Turkey and Syria? Why does God allow natural disasters?”

“Why did Tyre Nichols have to die?”

“Why does gun violence keep happening? Why does God allow evil?”

“Why is my loved one suffering from mental illness? Why does God allow that?

Why, why, why… we question God.

 

Messiah, the Anointed One??

Jesus’ disciples too had questions. Six days earlier, before Jesus took three of the disciples up to a high mountain, he had an important conversation with them. “Who do you say that I am?” Jesus asked. Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said, “You are blessed, Simon!” But then, he began to teach them that he must suffer and be killed and on the third day be raised.

 

Jesus’ disciples must have been so confused and asked many questions to themselves. The name “Messiah” means the promised “anointed” One. God’s chosen, blessed, beloved One. So for them, if Jesus is the Messiah, he must be successful, prosperous, triumphantly marching into Jerusalem, successfully overthrowing the corrupt government, and making things right. But now, Jesus was talking about God’s Messiah being betrayed, suffering at the hand of the religious leaders, and being killed. So Peter had to say (probably the others too), “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” Basically, Peter and the disciples were questioning Jesus, why, why, why…

 

With Resurrection Eyes

After this happened, six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, John, and James up to a high mountain. There his appearance was changed, his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Jesus. Then there was a voice, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” After all this, as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus said to them, “Don’t tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” What is the purpose of this vision? I believe that Jesus showed them this vision to help them to see things with resurrection eyes, to see things with a bird’s eye view. As God’s Messiah, Jesus told them what he must go through, and what would happen to him in Jerusalem. But they didn’t get it. They couldn’t get it with their limited understanding. So what he did was to show them a glimpse of his final future glory, so that they might be able to get through upcoming hardships, though they would not fully understand why.   

 

The same thing happened to Paul. As a devoted Pharisee, Paul (Saul) was expectantly waiting for the Messiah. But he didn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Because he knew that the Messiah was the anointed one, the blessed one. But Jesus was the cursed one, because God’s law says “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Deut 21:23). Jesus was condemned and died on the tree. Therefore, Jesus was the cursed one, not the blessed one. So for Paul, the claim that Jesus is the Messiah was nonsense. But on the way to Damascus he met the resurrected Jesus. Then, Paul’s values, his convictions, his worldview had to change. He was reasoning, “If God raised Jesus from the dead, that means God vindicated him and proved his innocence. Then, Jesus was condemned and died on the tree, not because of his own sins, but because of others.” Then, he came to the realization: “Christ has rescued us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Gal 3:13). Since then, Paul began to see all things with resurrection eyes. Later, he said, “Even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way” (2 Cor 5:16).

 

Live from Victory

Why is it so important to see the world with resurrection eyes? Let me tell you a story. The Shack is a story about one person’s healing journey. Mack is a survivor of child abuse by his alcoholic father, and now he has a father of three children. His life is shattered when his youngest daughter Missy disappears during a family camping trip while he is saving his two older children during a canoeing accident. Later it is found that Missy was abducted by a serial killer, then killed in a desolate cabin, “the shack” in the forest. One winter day, he receives a mysterious message signed by “Papa” that invites him to the shack. Mack thinks that it might be an opportunity for him to meet and punish the killer. But instead, in the shack he encounters three strangers – the African-American woman (God), the Middle-Eastern man (Jesus), and the Asian woman (the Holy Spirit). There Mack asks them so many questions, “Why did you allow my Missy to be killed?” God cooks a meal with him. Jesus builds a wooden box with him. The Holy Spirit weeds the garden with him. These are all part of his healing process. But eventually, the trio briefly takes him to heaven and let him see Missy from a distance, who is happy, beautiful, fully blossoming. Then, the trio also helps Mack encounter the spirit of Mack’s father, who apologizes for his mistreatment of Mack. After this, finally he is able to move beyond his grief and his faith restored, because he now sees all things with resurrection eyes. 

 

The other day I watched the film Pilgrim’s Progress with my children. We have watched it several times, but we are still loving it. The main character Christian has to go through so many trials and tribulations. On the journey his companion Faithful dies a martyr. In the Castle of Doubt Christian and his friend Hopeful fall into despair and almost give up on their lives. As they cross the River of Death, they almost drown and lose consciousness. Those scenes made us a bit nervous, but we were ok, because we knew how the story ends. We knew it is a happy ending, glorious ending. We knew Christian and Hopeful would make it to the Celestial City. As Christians, we live from victory, not for victory. Life is difficult, but resurrection eyes make our life bearable.   

 

Farther Along

Many of our spiritual ancestors, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, our parents, and our grandparents, died in faith. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They accepted the fact that they were transients in this world (cf. Heb 11:13). In his last speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” Dr. King shared his last words as follows before he was assassinated on the following day:

“Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land.” 

 

As James was taken for execution, perhaps he was strengthened, remembering his mountaintop experience with Jesus. As Peter was crucified upside down, perhaps he placed his hope in the resurrection, remembering Jesus’ transfigured body (resurrection body) on the mountain. As John was banished to Patmos, perhaps he was comforted, remembering his sweet communion with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.   

 

Before the pandemic began, our church used to lead a weekly Bible study at Gardiner nursing home. The residents’ favorite time was hymn sing. And their favorite hymn was “Farther Along.” We sang that hymn every week. During the Bible study, we were questioning, “Why suffering?” “Why evil?” “Why cancer?” “Why mental illness?” Why, why, why… But at the end, we sang this song together by heart. Then once again we were able to see the world with resurrection eyes. May the Lord take us up to the mountain. May we see life with resurrection eyes and live from victory, not for victory.

 

Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder

why it should be thus all the day long
While there are others living about us,

never molested, though in the wrong

Faithful till death said our loving master;

a few more days to labor and wait
Toils of the road will then seem as nothing

as we sweep through the beautiful gates

Farther along we'll know all about it;

farther along we'll understand why
Cheer up, my brother; live in the sunshine,

we'll understand it all by and by

“Broken and Beloved” (Exodus 3:1-12) - Commissioning Sunday -

The Great Stone Face

There is a famous short story titled, The Great Stone Face, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In the story there is a rock formation imagined to resemble the shape and features of a human face. There is a prophecy, alleged to descend from the Native Americans, that some day a hero would be born in that town whose features would resemble the Great Stone Face. So the people are expectantly waiting for the hero. There is a boy whose name is Ernest. He is very inspired by this prophecy. He himself is expectantly waiting. As time passes, one by one the heroes who claim themselves “I am the one” visit the town and seek public recognition. First, a very successful business man, Mr. Gathergold visits, then charismatic veteran, General Old Blood-and-Thunder, and then presidential candidate, Mr. Old Stony Phiz. Each of them enjoys being recognized for the time being, but later it is found that all of them have character flaws that prevent them from fulfilling the prophecy. As time passes by, Ernest has become an aged man. He used to be a hill farmer, but now he is a local lay preacher. One evening, he delivers the message outside where the worshipers can see the Great Stone Face high above. His words have power, because they harmonize with the life which he has always lived. They are the words of life. After the message, the people realize and shout, “Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone Face!” But, Ernest walked slowly homeward, knowing that he did fall short of greatness, and still hoping that some wiser and better person than himself would by and by appear.

 

Life of Moses

In this story Ernest is an ordinary person, who struggles with the temptations of money, power, fame, but at the same time pursues greatness and truth. In today’s passage we meet another ordinary person whose name is Moses. D. L. Moody sums up 120 years of Moses’ life in this way: “Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; then he spent forty years on the backside of the desert realizing he was nobody; finally, he spent the last forty years of his life learning what God can do with a nobody!” From somebody to nobody, then to God’s body. Although each life journey is unique, I think somehow we can resonate with Moses’ journey. Moses is you, Moses is me, Moses is us – We are somebody, we are nobody, we are God’s body. Where are you on your journey?

 

Today’s passage tells us a story about how Moses has become God’s body. It tells us how God calls Moses and prepares him to live out his calling. Henry Blackaby in his book Experiencing God shares with us seven realities of experiencing God from the life of Moses.

1.     God is always at work around you. (It was not Moses, but God who found him and called him from the burning bush.)

2.     God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. (“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”)

3.     God invites you to become involved with Him in His work. (“Now go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt.”)

4.     God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways. (This reality is taken from the Bible as a whole, not just from Moses’ story.)

5.     God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. (Moses had to say either “Yes, I will go,” or “No, I don’t want to go.” There is no in between.)

6.     You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing. (Moses had to leave his place, his career, his family and face the giant, Pharaoh.)

7.     You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you. (God spoke with Moses face-to-face, as one speaks to a friend.)

 

Reality 5

In particular, I want to draw your attention to the reality 5:

“God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.”

When God called Moses, what was his response?

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (3:11)

“What if they ask me your name?” (3:13)

“O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (4:10)

 

Perhaps Moses thought that God would fix his weakness. Perhaps he expected that God would give him a new ability to speak eloquently. But still Moses didn’t talk well. He was not good at words even after he was called. He still stuttered and stammered. That didn’t change. God didn’t give him a magic wand. Instead, he promised his presence, asking him, “What is that in your hand?” (4:2) Moses relied, “A staff.” God said, “Now go, I will be with you… Take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs” (vv. 12, 17). For Moses, that was a crisis of belief that required faith and action.

I don’t know about you, but for me I see myself in Moses. Public speaking is not my strong suit. Making new friends is not my strong suit. When I was called to ministry, I expected that God would give me a new ability to speak well. I expected that God would make me a more social person. But nothing changed. Preparing and delivering message has never been easy for me. Every week basically I go through birth pangs. Every time I visit parishioners or meet new people, I need to prepare myself. But because I know that I am not good at words and people, that makes me pray more, depend on God more, and seek God’s presence all the more. In this regard, when I am weak, I am strong.

 

Broken and Beloved

There once lived a water carrier in India. He used two large pots for his task. One of the pots had a big crack in it while the other pot was perfect. The perfect pot always delivered a full portion of water from the stream to the master’s house, while the cracked pot arrived only half full each day. For two years this water carrier made the same journey. The perfect pot became proud, while the cracked pot felt ashamed. Finally, one day by the stream, the cracked pot spoke to his owner, “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize that I have only been able to deliver half my water to your house.” Then the water carrier replied, smiling, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.” On that trip from the stream, the cracked pot looked around. “Did you notice there are flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?” the water carrier commented. “That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we passed these spots, you watered them. Without you being just the way you are, I would not have this beauty to grace my master’s house.”[1]

 

In Japanese, this cracked pot in the picture is called Kintsugi, meaning “to join with gold.” It’s the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold. This restoration process usually takes up to three months. The fragments are carefully glued together, left to dry for a few weeks and then adorned with gold running along its cracks. This art of repair is built on the idea that in embracing “scars” as a part of the design, we can create an even more beautiful piece of art. If we use Kintsugi as a metaphor for our journey, God’s grace is like “gold” in this restoration process. God’s grace – his presence and his power in our lives – turns our scars into stars. God’s grace turns our weakness and brokenness into something more unique, beautiful and resilient. So not in spite of our weakness, but because of it, God’s power is made perfect. “We ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves” (2 Cor 4:7, NLT).

 

Sisters and brothers in Christ, God is always at work in our lives. God is real and personal. He is reaching out to us, calling us, inviting us to join him in his work. You may feel that you are not ready. You may feel that you are not equipped. But you are called as just you are. Do you hear God calling you today? May the Lord open our eyes to see and open our ears to hear. May we say “Yes” to his great invitation today. And we will come to know God face to face and become a beautifully broken pot, kintsugi, proclaiming God’s great power in our weakness. Amen.

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[1] Peter Scazzero & Warren Bird, The Emotionally Healthy Church, 123.

“Tasty & Shining” (Matthew 5.13-20)

Getting to the Bottom of Your Joy

Are there any sermons that have made a lasting impact in your life? For me personally, there are several, but one of the sermons that had a lasting impact on me was Pastor John Piper’s message on joy, titled, “Getting to the Bottom of Your Joy.” In his sermon he asks, “What’s at the bottom of your joy?” “What is the feeder of your happiness?” These questions really made me ponder and examine myself. You see, all of our joys have a foundation. What does it mean by that? Let me give you an example. One day my 7-year-old Grace and I had some conversation. She said to me, “Dad, when I grow up, I want to be either pastor or teacher.” I said, “I see. But why do you want to be a pastor or teacher?” She replied, “Because you teach and talk in front of many people, and they listen to you. I like it.” So I asked, “Why does that make you happy?” She replied, “Because you can tell them what to do and boss them around.” If we continue this “why – because” conversation, we eventually get to the bottom of what makes us happy. At the bottom there are only two possibilities of our joy: making much of me, or making much of God. Self or God.

Tasteless & Invisible

In today’s passage Jesus says to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (vv. 13-14). Then he continues, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (v. 20). Here we learn that there are two different kinds of righteousness – external righteousness vs. inner righteousness. And Jesus invites us to take a closer look inside our hearts.

 First, an external righteousness is that of the scribes and Pharisees. They have a form of godliness but deny its power. They fast and tithe but have no compassion in their hearts. They look perfect and beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead people’s bones and all kinds of impurity. They are like whitewashed tombs. They give to the poor, preach the message, do good works and religious activities. But all they do is use God to make much of themselves. God is not at the bottom. They (self) are at the bottom of their joy.

John Wesley called these people “almost” Christians. In his sermon The Almost Christian, he shares his own experience with us. Basically, he did everything he could do – Bible study, daily prayer, giving alms to the poor, visiting prisoners, and all other good works. He even volunteered to go to Georgia as a missionary to the settlers and Native Americans. But the harder he tried, the more he felt empty and dry. Wesley said,

I did go thus far for many years, as many of this place can testify: using diligence to eschew all evil, and to have conscience void of offence; redeeming the time, buying up every opportunity of doing all good to all men, endeavoring after a steady seriousness of behavior at all times and in all places… doing all this in sincerity… Yet my own conscience beareth me witness in the Holy Ghost that all this time I was but ‘almost a Christian.’

Tasty & Shining

What is then an inner righteousness? The inner righteousness is a righteousness of the heart. The default mode of the human heart is self-centered, self-exalting, making much of self. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (NIV). That’s why being “born again” is necessary. The new birth changes the default mode of our fallen heart. It changes the bottom of what makes us happy – from self to God.

“You must be born again” Jesus said to Nicodemus, who was a good man, moral man. He was knowledgeable, experienced, respected Pharisee. But for some reason, he felt miserable. He felt something was missing. At night he came to see Jesus. Here Jesus was saying, “Nicodemus, you need something new at the bottom. Now God is not at the bottom. You are at the bottom. You must exchange yourself at the bottom with God.” We don’t know exactly when Nicodemus was born again. He struggled. He wrestled through questions. He changed over the time as he pondered, as the “yeast” of Jesus’ teaching appealed to his conscience, his convictions, his expectations. He changed gradually but surely. Later, when the Pharisees openly criticized Jesus, he advocated for Jesus (cf. John 7:51). Eventually the Pharisee Nicodemus became a faithful disciple of Jesus. After Jesus was crucified, along with Joseph of Ari-mathea, he risked alienation from their colleagues and punishment from the Romans by claiming Jesus’ body (John 27:57-60).

Altogether Christian

Nicodemus is our shining example of being salt and light in this world. When Jesus says to his followers, “You are salt and light”, he refers here to more than good deeds; he refers to a good character, which comes from the new heart. It’s from the inside out.

Pastor Tim Keller compares encountering with Christ to what he calls "a life-quake"[i]:

When a great big truck goes over a tiny little bridge, sometimes there's a bridge-quake, and when a big man goes onto thin ice there's an ice-quake. Whenever Jesus Christ comes down into a person's life, there's a life-quake. Everything is reordered. If he was a guru, if he was a great man, if he was a great teacher, even if he was the genie of the lamp, there would be some limits on his rights over you. If he's God, you cannot relate to him at all and retain anything in your life that's a non-negotiable. Anything … any view, any conviction, any idea, any behavior, any relationship. He may change it, he may not change it, but at the beginning of the relationship you have to say, "In everything he must have the supremacy."

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you,” God promised (Ezekiel 36:26). How would he do it? He told Ezekiel: “I will put my Spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes” (v. 27). Those who have a new heart by the Spirit, those who have Christ at the bottom of their joy, John Wesley would call “altogether” Christians. Are you altogether Christian? Let us examine and ask ourselves: “Is God’s love poured into my heart? Do I take delight in God and desire nothing but him? Am I happy in God? Is God my glory, my delight, my joy? Also, do I love my neighbor as myself? Do I love all people, even my enemies, as Christ loved me?”

May we say “yes” to all these questions by grace through faith. May we all experience what it is to be not almost only, but altogether Christians! May Christ – his love, his truth, his teaching – be the “yeast” within us that transforms our views, our convictions, our character, our behaviors, our relationships, so that people around us may see our congruent lives and praise our Father in heaven. Amen.

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

“Discipleship” (Matthew 5:1-12)

Eye of the Needle

Jesus said to his disciples, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt 19:24). Jesus uses this metaphor to show that God’s grace is necessary for us to enter into salvation.

If we visit Bethlehem, we would find the gate, called, “The eye of the needle” at the entrance of the Church of the Nativity. It is the oldest church in the Holy Land. The highest lintel was the original entrance. The middle opening with an arch was built by the Crusader. The current 4-foot small entry was built around 1500 AD to prevent war animals from entering the Church. Whoever wants to enter the church, they would need to bow low. This place is a significant reminder that we enter the kingdom of heaven on bended knees.

A disciple is someone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, intentionally follows him, and strives to live more like him. The word “discipleship” is often used to describe a journey of spiritual growth; journey into Christlikeness.

Discipleship and the Beatitudes

The beatitudes paint a masterful portrait of a disciple’s journey into Christlikeness. First we see them acknowledging their spiritual poverty and mourning over it. This makes them meek and gentle in all their relationships. They constantly hunger and thirst for righteousness, longing to grow in grace. Since they live by grace, they show mercy and grace to those battered by sin. They are cleansed and pure in their hearts, and seek to play a role as peacemakers. But they are not appreciated for their efforts, but rather opposed, slandered, and persecuted for doing right in this world. They stay humble, and stay the course to the end.

Discipleship and Humility

A recurring quality from each beatitude is humility. We may say discipleship is a journey toward humility. God often uses our humiliating experiences – our sickness, our aging process, our weakness – to make us humble, to make us more like Christ. Humiliation is the road to humility. I am often asked, “Where are you really from?” Though all my children were born here in the US, they too are asked, “Where are you really from?” This question implies that you are not one of us. Until Joyce and I received green cards in 2019, when we went through immigration at the airport after our international trip, we were always set aside for further investigation though we had all the papers. We often had to wait for long hours in an investigation room and missed our connecting flights. One time we were almost deported. For me personally, these humiliating experiences help me stay humble.

For many of us, aging process is another humiliating experience. I love the way Missy Buchanan describes it with a prayer poem. The title of the prayer is “I can’t do it now” [1]:

I can’t do it now I gave up the keys to the car.

I knew it was time.

In fact, it was a relief.

But it was hard for this do-it-yourselfer to admit I cannot do things I once could.

 

O Lord, my sense of independence has taken a beating.

There are so many things I’d like to do but can’t.

If I could, I would change an overhead lightbulb and balance my checkbook.

But these tasks are hard for me now.

 

At times I feel humiliated by my dependence on others.

I don’t want to be a burden.

Lord, give me a humble spirit to accept help graciously.

In my weakness you are strong.

In the mystery that is life, help me to depend on you and trust your perfect plan.

Humiliation is the road to humility. Another good example is the film Driving Miss Daisy. It is a story about two main characters, Miss Daisy, the stubborn 72-year-old widow and her African-American driver, Hoke. The story begins when Miss Daisy crashes her car by putting her foot on the accelerator instead of the brake. Her son, Boolie, tells her that no insurance company will now insure her and that she must get a chauffeur. He finds Hoke and hires him as her driver. On one occasion she yells at Hoke, “I don’t need you, I don’t want you, I don’t like you!” But gradually as Miss Daisy and Hoke spend time together, they grow to appreciate each other until years later she says to him, “You’re my best friend. Really.” Later on, Miss Daisy shows signs of dementia. Her son arranges for her to enter a retirement home. The film ends on a Thanksgiving Day in the retirement home. Boolie and Hoke both visit her. Now Missy Daisy is 97, and Hoke is 85. He notices that she has not eaten her pumpkin pie, and as she tries to pick up her fork, he gently takes the plate and fork from her. He cuts a small piece of pie and carefully feeds it to her. She is delighted. At the beginning, she refused to be dependent on him for anything. At the end, she is dependent on others for nearly everything.

Whether it is aging or sickness, whether it is a disappointment or a frustration, we need to learn to trust God who makes us humble like Christ in this process. “It is good for me that I was humbled, so that I might learn your statutes.” (Psalm 119:71, NRSV)

Our Lord Jesus is the humble Christ. He is born a baby, totally helpless and dependent on others. He needs to be fed, he needs to be washed, he needs to be held. And at the end, on the cross, once again he becomes totally vulnerable and dependent, unable to move. But he never loses his divine dignity.

Cultivating Humility

The more humble we stay, the more we become like Christ. As disciples of Jesus, how can we then stay humble? How can we more proactively cultivate humility in everyday life? For me personally, I always try to remember and practice the advice of Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury, who preached at one of the ordination services. His sermon was on humility and included the following advice[2]:

1.     Thank God, often and always...Thank God, carefully and wonderingly for your continuing privileges...Thankfulness is a soil in which pride does not easily grow.

2.     Take care about the confession of your sins. Be sure to criticize yourself in God’s presence: that is your self-examination. Put yourself under the divine criticism: that is your confession...

3.     Be ready to accept humiliations. They can hurt terribly, but they help you to be humble. There can be the trivial humiliations. Accept them. There can be the bigger humiliations...All these can be so many chances to be a little nearer to our humble and crucified Lord...

4.     Do not worry about status...There is only one status that our Lord bids us to be concerned with, and that is the status of proximity to himself...

5.     Use your sense of humor. Laugh about things, laugh at the absurdities of life, laugh about yourself, and about your own absurdity. We are all of us infinitesimally small and ludicrous creatures within God’s universe. You have to be serious, but never be solemn, because if you are solemn about anything, there is the risk of becoming solemn about yourself.

Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

When we are humble, we are poor in spirit and pure in heart. When we are humble, we are meek and merciful. When we are humble, we are mourning and hungry. When we are humble, we become peacemakers and the persecuted. When we are humble, we are like Christ.

So far, I have shared much about the beatitudes as the journey toward humility, as the journey toward Christlikeness, but how is it possible for us? Many of us in this room love the beatitudes, but oftentimes, we feel the gap between its ideals and our reality, and we question, “Are its standards attainable?” In our own strength, it’s impossible. But God has given us his Holy Spirit to enable us to live the beatitudes. William Temple used to illustrate the point from Shakespeare in this way[3]:

It is no good giving me a play like Hamlet or King Lear, and telling me to write a play like that. Shakespeare could do it; I can’t. And it is no good showing me a life like the life of Jesus and telling me to live a life like that. Jesus could do it; I can’t. But if the genius of Shakespeare could come and live in me, then I could write plays like his. And if the Spirit of Jesus could come and live in me, then I could live a life like his.

Without the Holy Spirit, all our spiritual disciplines are no use. We practice spiritual disciplines in order to create room for the Spirit of Jesus to come and live in us and empower us to live a life like his. May we welcome and be filled with the Holy Spirit. By God’s grace, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, may we stay humble and stay the course until we enter the kingdom of heaven on our knees. Amen.

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[1] Missy Buchanan, Living with Purpose in a Worn–Out Body (p. 20). Upper Room Books. Kindle Edition.

[2] John Stott, The Radical Disciple (p. 74). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

[3] Ibid., 25. 

“The Call” (Matt 4:12-22)

Here I Am, Lord

When was the first time you felt God’s love? Reflecting on my spiritual journey, I realize that God’s grace always surrounded me. When I was young, I suffered from various diseases, including serious ear infection, chronic indigestion, asthma, and arthritis. God healed me from those diseases. So I came to know God as Healer. But it was in my 7^th grade when I felt God and his love profoundly for the first time. I was attending a youth summer camp. That year the speaker was my grandfather. He shared his faith story with us, then preached the good news of Jesus Christ. How he came and died in our place to give us new life. So I repented my sin and invited Jesus to be my personal God and Savior. During the last service, he did an altar call. That night I said “Yes” to the invitation and decided to go all in for Christ.

Peter’s Call Story

Today’s scripture is about how Jesus calls Peter and the other first disciples. Here we need to remember that this is not the first encounter between Peter and Jesus. John’s gospel helps to fill in some of the background. Two disciples of John the Baptist, Andrew and John, left him to become disciples of Jesus. Then Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus. As soon as Jesus saw Simon, he said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Peter (Rock)” (John 1:42). Since then, Peter accompanied Jesus. He went to the wedding at Cana with Jesus, where he observed the first miracle. He continued to follow Jesus for about a year. He still had his family, he still had his fishing job. And now Jesus came to Peter and demanded his all, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Immediately Peter left everything and followed him – from loosely following to going all in.

Since then, Peter went through so many ups and downs. At one time Peter was the first to boldly get out of the boat and walk on water by faith, but in a few seconds, he was doubting and terrified by the strong wind and sank. Peter was the first to confess the divine nature of Jesus. He rightly said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” But, in a few minutes, he rebuked Jesus when Jesus began to explain that Christ must suffer and die, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” Peter was the first to draw a sword to defend his Master in the garden, but within a few hours, he denied his Lord three times.

Peter’s spiritual journey curve is so inconsistent, but God’s grace curve in his life is so stable. It sustains him and empowers him to live out his new name, his new identity in Christ – man of Rock. As we know, in the New Testament we have two letters written by Peter. They were written about thirty years after these earlier events of his life. In the letters Peter is solid and steady like a rock. He is no longer easily moved. He does not fluctuate. He is stable, resilient, strong, and consistent. Even in the midst of severe persecution he stands firm and encourages other fellow believers. In 1 Peter 4:12-13 he said, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (NIV). Simon Peter has matured. He is no longer a man of many moods.

My Call Story

Since my encounter with God in the 7^th grade, God continued to shape my calling. In particular, for me personally, the years in college were transforming years in terms of discerning the call. God pruned the path that I thought was the best – working at UN. Instead, I sensed that I was called to ministry in the most unexpected time and place – while I was in Thailand as an exchange student. But the most defining moment was when I was teaching the youth group. I was teaching 10^th and 11^th graders. Some of them were from dysfunctional families. I began to meet with them during the week as well as Sundays, starting a “Vision Study Club” to help with their academic work and teach God’s word. By the grace of God they started to discover the goals of their lives and eventually entered their chosen colleges. As I saw them change, I said to myself, “I want to do this for life.” That year I took my students to the summer camp. There was a prayer time after the message. While I was praying for each of my students, I heard the inner voice saying, “I want you.”

Recently, my daughter Lydia asked me, “Why do you keep doing what you are doing?” because she has heard and seen so many challenges in ministry. My answer was, “Because it is a calling.” Actually, I asked the same question to my father about 20 years ago. At that time the new church was being built. In the midst of it he had to deal with so many problems – divisions, gossip, false accusations, etc. So finally, one day I said to him, “Dad, why don’t we just move on?” I can still vividly remember his answer. He said, “If we moved now, the church will be falling apart. If we had to move, let’s move when the church is united and thriving.” He continued to serve that church for 30 years and retired at that church last year. Why? Because it’s a calling.

Your Call Story

How about your call story? Many of us in this room are already Christians, Jesus’ disciples. But like Peter, Jesus is calling us to new ministries, new possibilities, deeper commitment this year 2023. He continues to shape our calling.

Our calling, whatever it is, is sacred. Our calling, whatever it is, is ultimately to fish for people – to bring people to Christ by loving them with agape love. This is an honorable as well as challenging calling. We need to stay in touch with people, but at the same time, to stay the course. What does it look like to love people with agape love? For me personally, I find encouragement in the life of Mother Teressa, who said,

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

The one who calls us is faithful and he will do it (1 Th 5:24). We are called not to be successful, but to be faithful. Wherever we are in our spiritual journey, may we be found faithful and trustworthy stewards. May we go all in for Christ:

No more waste… Employ what God has given you in doing good… Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can. (Wesley’s Sermon “On the Use of Money”).

 

“Disciples” (John 1:35-51)

Rafiq

In Arabic, Rafiq (رفیق) refers to “intimate friend”, “companion”, and “comrade.” One time a local newspaper in London gave the following quiz to their readers: “What is the fastest way to get to London from Manchester?” Many people, including mathematicians, scientists, students, entered their names with ingenious answers. But the winning answer was “traveling with a good friend.”

Today’s scripture is about calling the first disciples of Jesus. Why did Jesus call twelve disciples? Mark 3:14 answers this way: “He [Jesus] appointed twelve to be with him and to be sent out to preach and to have authority to cast out demons.” Jesus still comes to us, inviting us and calling us, to be our Rafiq, our companion.

Come and See: “Being Disciples” (Discipleship)

In today’s passage Jesus first calls two people – Andrew and John, with a simple and straightforward invitation, “Come and see” (v. 39). In our lives there is a person like John the Baptist who points us to Christ, saying, “Look, the Lamb of God.” But that’s not enough. We must come and see ourselves at first hand. We must taste and see that the Lord is good at first hand. At first, they called Jesus “Rabbi” or “Teacher.” But after spending an entire day with him, they shouted with excitement, “We have found the Messiah – the Anointed One!” (v. 41) The next day when Philip invited his friend Nathanael to come to see Jesus, Nathanael was skeptical and said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (v. 46) Basically, to him Jesus was a mere “Nazarene” – a country bumpkin without an education. But after he did come and see himself, he now exclaimed with conviction, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (v. 49)

At the heart of discipleship (being a disciple of Jesus) is to come and see, and to spend quality time with him day by day. If you asked me, “Who is Hannah?” I can describe her quite well. But if you asked me, “Who is Lydia?” I can give you a much more in-depth answer - who she is as a person, because I have spent much more time with her. “Who is Jesus to you?” That is one of the most important questions in life. The more we spend time with him, the more our answer would become rich, meaningful, and personal. 

The question is “How do we cultivate an intimate relationship with Jesus in our everyday life?” For me personally, I find the story of missionary Frank Laubach very helpful. Mr. Laubach went to the Philippines as a missionary. But after 15 years, he became very dissatisfied with his spiritual life. He realized that he had not lived every day in minute-by-minute effort to abide with God. Then, he resolved to bring God to mind at least once each minute, at least one second out of every sixty. He called this experiment “the Game with Minutes.” He began to talk and listen to Jesus, work and rest with Jesus, eat and sleep with Jesus, twenty-four hours a day. Moment-by-moment he asked these two questions: “What, Father, do you desire said?” and “What, Father, do you desire done this minute?” For the first few weeks nothing seemed to change. But later, he said, “The results of this practice grew rich after six months, and glorious after ten years.” In his letters sent to his father, he provides practical suggestions about how we may deepen our relationship with Jesus in everyday life[1]:

1.     Pray.

2.     Recall God.

3.     Sing or hum a devotional hymn.

4.     Talk or write about God.

5.     Seek to relieve suffering of any kind in a prayerful spirit.

6.     Work with the consciousness of God’s presence.

7.     Whisper to God.

8.     Feel yourself encompassed by God.

9.     Look at a picture or a symbol of Christ.

10.  Read a scripture verse or poem about God.

11.  Give somebody a helpful hand for the Lord’s sake.

12.  Breathe a prayer for the people you meet.

13.  Follow the leading of the Inner Voice.

14.  Plan or work for the Kingdom of God.

15.  Testify to others about God, the church, or this game.

16.  Share suffering or sorrow with another.

17.  Hear God and see Him in flowers, trees, water, hills, sky.

We become disciples of Jesus as we fix our eyes on him and practice “being with him” moment by moment.

Come and See: “Making Disciples” (Evangelism)

True disciples make disciples. But how? We can learn from Philip, one of the first disciples of Jesus. After Philip spent a day with Jesus, he was transformed. He couldn’t keep new-found joy inside. He had to share it with his friend, saying, “We have found him about whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth!” But his friend Nathanael was unimpressed and skeptical. Philip didn’t argue with him; but instead, he simply said, “Come and see!” (v. 46) This is how we make disciples. Oftentimes we don’t feel confident or equipped to share the good news of Jesus with others. We feel like we need to have more biblical knowledge. Not so. Our job is not to advocate or defend God. It is not to convince or persuade people. We know we cannot change people – their hearts, their convictions. Only God can. Our calling is simply to invite them and to point them to Christ, saying, “Come and see!” 

We can start with the person next to us – our own family members, our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends. This past week I was kind of physically “half-homebound.” I spent most of time on housekeeping – fixing meals, washing dishes, doing laundry, and cleaning – during the day. I didn’t have that much opportunity to go out and see many people within and without the church. But then, all of sudden I realized that my main parish is where I am – my home. Housekeeping in Korean is “Salim” (살림). Interestingly enough, Salim also means “Letting (others) live.” As I was doing the housekeeping, letting my children live, God opened the door for me to disciple my children. Each day on the meal table, beside the bathtub or sink, on the floormat at night, we had lots of meaningful conversations. They asked so many questions; I had so many opportunities to point them to Christ. We talked about relationships with friends at school and marriage, time management and sabbath, allowance management and tithing, etc. We can make disciples who are right next to us. We can start from where we are.

A Disciple’s Life

We are continually “becoming” – becoming disciples as we ourselves come and see, being with Jesus day by day. We are faithfully “making” – making disciples as we invite our people and help draw them closer to Jesus with our words and our actions, “Come and see.”

Perhaps some of you who are hearing, or watching, or reading this message may feel like you are not doing much for the Lord because of your life stage, or your family or health situations. I pray that Missy Buchanan’s prayer poem, “Ordinary days”[2] may encourage and comfort your souls:

There’s a slow, steady rhythm to ordinary days.

Uneventful kind of days that follow a simple routine of meals,

medications, and favorite TV shows.

During this time, empty squares march across the calendar.

 

One day feels like the next.

In truth, I like days that are uninterrupted

by crisis or sudden change.

I am thankful for the repetition.

 

But Lord, it’s easy to get lost in the monotony.

Save me from the emptiness

that comes with too much time to think and too little to do.

It is fertile soil for negative thoughts to grow.

 

And if I hold too tightly to rigid routine,

remind me that I may miss out on a wonderful surprise.

Help me rediscover the abundant blessings in my life.

 

Today I will turn the pages of an old photo album,

and I will give you thanks for my life stories.

I will pray for my loved ones, calling each by name.

O Lord, show me the extraordinary joy in ordinary days.

This is the prayer of the disciple. Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work, as Oswald Chambers said. Whether our life is mundane or challenging, may we come and see, staying close to Jesus, day by day, minute by minute. Wherever we are in our life journey, may we invite our people to come and see Jesus as long as ever we can. Amen.

---

[1] Frank Laubach, Letters by a Modern Mystic (p. 114). Purposeful Design Publications. Kindle Edition.

[2] Missy Buchanan, Living with Purpose in a Worn–Out Body (p. 29). Upper Room Books. Kindle Edition.

“Forgiven, Beloved” (Matthew 3:13-17)

Humility

The other day Esther (5 years old) entered into conversation with her older sister Grace (7 years old). She asked, “How can I meet God?” Without any hesitation, Grace replied, “There are four steps you need to take to meet God. First, you need to find a quiet place to meet God without any distraction. Second, you need to pray peacefully. Third, you need to be humble. And lastly, you need to answer the following two questions: (1) Do you believe that Christ died for you? (2) Do you want to serve God?” Esther asked, “What does it mean to be humble?” Grace said, “If you think you need God, you are humble. But if you don’t think you need God, then you are not humble.”

John’s Baptism

I don’t know where Grace learned all these four steps from. But I think she made a good point – especially about humility. I shared Grace’s story because it has to do with John’s ministry. His calling from God is basically to prepare the way of the Lord and to make his paths straight. In other words, his life mission as a messenger is to help people prepare their hearts to receive their Messiah who is coming very soon. And humility is a key element of heart preparation. That’s why John used baptism as the central means of his ministry.

In John’s time baptism was used for the Gentiles who would want to convert to Judaism. So if you are a gentile and want to believe in the God of Israel, you need to be baptized in order to demonstrate that you sincerely repent and are willing to follow the Law of Moses in public. Baptism was for the “unclean” Gentiles. But now, John used baptism for Jews as well as Gentiles! This was unheard of because the Jews were the “children” of Abraham. They felt they were already right with God. But John turned that notion upside down and taught that everyone needed to repent, confess their sins in pubic, and be baptized, saying, “You brood of vipers… do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor.’” Humility is the way to meet God.

Two or three days ago Hannah was sick. She had a fever and couldn’t sleep. Joyce gave her a lukewarm bath to bring down her fever. That reminded Joyce and me of water baptism. There was no intrinsic power in water itself. But as we were giving her a bath, we humbly prayed that somehow God would have mercy on her and heal her. I believe that’s what John the Baptist was doing it for God’s people. There is no intrinsic value or power in Jordan river. But as he was baptizing the people, he would humbly pray that God may cleanse them of their sins and prepare their hearts to receive the Christ. John the Baptist said, “I baptize you with water for repentance… but the one who is coming will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt 3:11). 

Jesus’ Baptism

What is the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire? I like the way the Message Bible interprets this verse:

"I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama--compared to him I'm a mere stagehand--will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.”

Our God is able to give us new life, new heart in Christ, changing us from the inside out permanently. But before that, Jesus comes to John to be baptized first. John the Baptist must be puzzled, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus said to him, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Here in this context “righteousness” is a relational term – being right with God, having peace with God. But how does Jesus make this happen? By receiving the baptism of repentance, by taking away the sins of the world as the Lamb of God. That is God’s way of salvation.

Gordon MacDonald is well known as President Bill Clinton’s pastor with a past. He himself committed adultery and publicly repented. He experienced forgiveness of sin in a very personal way. In one of his books Pastor Gordon asks us to imagine the scene of Jesus’ baptism if it took place in the twenty-first century. Imagine John’s baptism occurs in our lifetimes, so we go out to be baptized by John. Imagine someone decided to get organized, so they set up a registration table, handing out nametags for each person who wants to be baptized by John. When a person registered for baptism, the person working the registration would ask, "What’s your name? And what sins do you need to repent of?" You’d say, "My name is Gordon and I’m an adulterer." So each person to be baptized would have a nametag with their name and their sin written on it. What would you and I have on our nametags? Perhaps it would be words like “unforgiving spirit” or “pride” or “guilt of abortion” or “hypocrisy.” Then comes Jesus who doesn’t need a nametag, and he asks each of us to take off our nametags. As Jesus prepares for his baptism, he puts all our nametags on himself, mine and yours, my name and your name, my sins and your sins. And then Jesus goes into the waters of baptism, identifying himself with our sins. That’s the reason why Jesus was baptized by John. 

Remember Your Baptism

Whatever we have on our nametags, Jesus takes off ours and gives us a new nametag, on which is written, “Beloved child of God.” That’s what happens when we are baptized. We are forgiven and adopted into God’s family. By baptism, God promises to give us new life, new identity, new name in Christ. Our part is to humbly believe this promise and receive baptism with thanksgiving.

Baptism is needed only one time in a person’s life. But from time to time we can renew our faith and our covenant with God. For instance, we can remember our baptism every morning when we wash our face or take a shower. I learned this spiritual practice from Adam Hamilton. We may offer a very simple prayer something like this:

“Lord, as I enter the water to bathe, I remember my baptism. Cleanse me anew. Let me hear you say, ‘You are my beloved.’ Help me to live as your child today and honor you in all that I do. Amen.”

We can also remember our baptism and renew our commitment to God as a church. Every New Year’s Eve John Wesley and the early Methodists had a special service called a Watch Night Service. The heart of the service was to commit themselves to God by reciting the covenant prayer. Today we as a church will take a moment to renew our baptismal covenant with God. The covenant prayer card will be given as a reminder. May we keep it always. May we write this covenant prayer deep within our hearts.

“I am no longer my own, but thine.

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

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

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

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things

to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.”