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Scripture PassageActs 1:1-11

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptINTRODUCTION: taking our place as parents

This week will be my son Joonie's 10th birthday. I remember when he was born. After we left the hospital and returned home, we walked through the door and I put his carseat down.

Deb and I looked at him, looked at each other, and then we said – Now what?

It was time to take our place as parents, whether we were ready or not.

Life thrusts us into new situations or roles, whether you're ready or not.

ASCENSION: taking your place, whether you're ready or not

Today's passage: ascension, taking your place whether you're ready or not.

Before Jesus' ascension, he did everything. Taught, healed, led.

Exciting. Also very comfortable – just had to follow.

Crucifixion was great shock. But Jesus rose again – hope was rekindled. Now Jesus could finish what he started.

They asked Jesus this question:

Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6)

ISSUE: we're comfortable where we are after working so hard for it

Jesus' response:

… YOU will be my witnesses (Acts 1:8)

It's your turn; YOU will be the one to finish the job.

Life is very hard. Work hard to get comfortable. Try to find formula or path to get to that place.

Once you're there, want to stay there, enjoy the comfort. Period between resurrection and ascension was like that.

After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3)

Shock, trauma of crucifixion.

Rekindled hope of resurrection. Sweet spot of time with resurrected Jesus. Didn't want that to end.

PROBLEM: life changes, to grow you need to take your place

But as you know, life never stops. Life always changing.

Can't remain stuck in one place. University students know this well – changing cycles of university life.

To reach the full potential of your life, you need to keep growing and changing.

You need to take your place in new situations.

JESUS' VISION: much greater than ours

Disciples were not ready to take their place.

I mean, Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Of course they can follow him. But to take HIS place?

They were weak people who deserted Jesus when it mattered most. How could they carry on what Jesus had started?

When we look at our lives, part of the reason we become comfortable is because we believe this is the extent of what I can do.

It's been so hard just to get to where I'm at. I should just enjoy this and be happy where I am. Don't be greedy and expect too much.

Yes, we should always be thankful for what we have and where we are – always content.

But you also need to be open to new things God has planned. That is what life is about.

Their question to Jesus revealed old thinking and expectations: concerns revolved around Israel.

But Jesus had a greater thing in mind:

You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

Many of you are taking care of aging parents, some have already said goodbye.

First generation went through a lot. They had three things that helped them survive and take care of their families: resilience, stubborn determination, and ability to sacrifice.

Those three things helped them overcome all the odds and survive and even thrive. That is the inheritance we received from them.

Fruit of that inheritance for the next generation has been more comfort and stability – things they didn't have. That is a great blessing.

But it was a hard journey.

Because it was so hard, sometimes, like the disciples after resurrection, we want to remain there.

Comfort and stability have been great blessings.

But Jesus' desire is much greater than that. Wants to take you beyond where you're at.

Exciting and scary.

JESUS' PROMISE: power to expand where you're going

Good news: you're not alone. In fact, it's not really you who have to do everything, or even anything.

This is what Jesus promised:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

The Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will have power. The Spirit will be your power. The Spirit will lead you beyond where you are.

The inheritance we've received is precious. It will help you survive through all the challenges that will come. Your families will thrive because of it.

But I also believe Jesus wants to use that inheritance in new ways.

To have stubborn determination not only for ourselves and our families, but also for others, especially the weak and vulnerable. To be able to sacrifice not only for ourselves but for the strangers in our midst. To be resilient in our solidarity with the marginalized.

The first generation had no capacity to think beyond themselves and their families. But God is calling us to go beyond.

It's time to take our place in Jesus' vision.

WAIT FOR SPIRIT

Jesus gave the promise of the Spirit.

It will be your power and driving force. It's not something we take. It's given.

During that sweet period between his resurrection and ascension, this is what he said:

While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait there for the promise of the Father. This, he said, is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. (Acts 1:4-5)

They were told to go and wait.

Waiting is a time of preparation. Preparing yourself spiritually, mentally, emotionally. Preparing to take your place in whatever new situation God has in store for you.

You don't need to scheme up your next steps and plan everything in meticulous detail. Wait for the Spirit.

Life is unpredictable. We never know what it will throw our way. But we wait for the Holy Spirit at all times.

Wait by giving yourself in prayer. That is what the disciples did while they waited.

All these (the disciples) were constantly devoting themselves to prayer. (Acts 1:14)

Life is always changing. It can feel unsettling. But God is always preparing something new for you.

As you wait in prayer, give your heart to God. Give your plans to God.

The Spirit will give you power to go places you've never imagined before.

The post Time To Take Your Place appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJohn 14:24-29

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptA. Words to live by and whose words to live by

What words do you live by?

The words you live by shape your life. They set the direction and outlook your life takes.

The words you live by can be helpful or unhelpful. It is important to critically discern what words you're living by.

But the words we live by don't come out of nowhere. They come from somewhere or someone. Whose words?

An equally, if not more important question is: WHOSE words do you live by? Who are you listening to?

Life can be very confusing. We often don't know what to do. So we look for people to listen to.

At one moment, we find someone who seems to have the right answers and we listen to them – we live by their words. But then at a different moment, someone else seems to have the right answers, so we listen to them and live by their words.

It is important to critically discern whose words you're living by. That is taking ownership of your life.

For me, there are two criteria to determine who you should listen to:

(1) Do they care for me and have my best interests at heart?

(2) Is what they say true, wise and helpful?

Many people have things to say.

But many times, they don't really care about you. They're just trying to increase their own profile or have their own agenda.

What they say is not necessarily true, wise or helpful. Rather, their words can make you feel more insecure and anxious, because that's what will draw you to them.

Sometimes people do care about you, but what they say might not be true, wise or helpful. This can be the case with family and friends.

Your true friends and family love you. You should always be thankful for that and appreciate it.

But you need to critically discern whether what they say is wise and helpful.

B. Words to live by because of who Jesus is

People were drawn to Jesus. He did amazing things. He fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish.

People were in awe of him and wanted to force him to be king.

But his words were not easy to follow. He said strange things. He spoke about eating his flesh and drinking his blood.

They didn't understand his words. They left him.

Jesus' disciples had left everything to follow him, even their families. Jesus asked his disciples if they too would leave him.

This was their response:

Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, Do you also wish to go away? Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God. (John 6:66-69)

Why did they not leave him?

His words changed them, they were words of eternal life.

What made his words words of eternal life for them, when for others they were just strange words?

They had a relationship with Jesus. Through that relationship, they got to know Jesus.

By spending time with Jesus, they saw who he was. They didn't really understand his words, but they trusted who he was.

He was the Son of God. They saw that Jesus was not an ordinary person.

At the time, they didn't know exactly who he was, and didn't have the words to articulate it. (The gospels are later interpretations and articulations of who Jesus was)

But they knew that Jesus had a direct connection with God's divine presence. In the presence of Jesus, they were in the divine presence.

So they knew that Jesus' words carried weight and significance.

C. Jesus was leaving

But Jesus was about to leave them. Jesus had to die. There was no other way because of the words he lived by.

Jesus was one with God. He spoke the truth about himself.

He and the Father are one – that is what the gospel of John has him saying continually. What he's saying is that he is the divine presence of God in human form.

He was speaking truth, but to Jewish leaders, he was speaking blasphemy.

Jesus saw that the path ahead was the cross.

Without Jesus there, the disciples would be left alone. Without him there, Jesus' words would lose power.

When Jesus spoke of his departure, the disciples were troubled. They were scared.

D. Jesus would still be with them

But Jesus knew something that the disciples didn't. He was departing from them physically, but he was not leaving them.

This is what he said:

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you. (John 14:16-17)

He was leaving the earth physically, but he would be with them through the Spirit.

The difference is that they would see Jesus in a different way, and have a relationship with him in new way.

This is what Jesus said:

I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (John 14:18-20)

E. Resurrection: seeing the reality of the risen Jesus

The significance of the resurrection is not merely the fact that he rose from the dead. It's what it does for the believer.

The real mystery of the resurrection is seeing the reality of the risen Jesus. Of having a relationship with this risen Jesus and thereby God.

That is what changes people. That's the real power of the resurrection.

This is a hard thing for people in today's modern, scientific world to grasp and understand.

Resurrection is not about a scientific reality. It is about a spiritual reality. The spiritual reality of the risen Jesus who reigns with God.

The disciples had the special blessing of living with the earthly, flesh and blood Jesus. The one who walked this earth and ate food like us. I would have loved to be there.

But the resurrection is the gift of knowing Jesus for those who live after his life on earth.

We have a real relationship with him through the Spirit. A relationship as real as the real-life relationships you have with people around you.

We see Jesus and know him in ways the disciples couldn't. The resurrection enables this kind of relationship with him.

F. Word of God: relationship with risen Christ gives power to his words

This relationship with the resurrected Jesus gives power to his words and makes them come alive in us. They give power to our lives.

Many things have shaped me. But nothing has changed my life more than the words of the Bible.

Studying the Bible brought me back to church after I had left it. It changed how I view my life, this world and how we're supposed to live in it. It changed my heart and brought healing.

This is why nothing is more important in ministry than the study of the Bible.

You can take away all other programs, but two things will remain: worship and study of the Bible.

We study the Bible because we believe those words have power to change us.

They are not just nice words. They come from God.

They are inspired by God. They reveal truth about God. They are God's words.

When you are connected with God, those words come alive in you and have power for your life.

My driving desire in ministry is for everyone to taste the life-giving power of those words.

G. Relationship with Christ makes words come alive – result is peace that the world cannot give

Jesus said he would be with us and that his words would come alive in us.

I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. (John 14:25-26)

The Holy Spirit is our teacher. The Spirit makes those words come alive in you.

The most powerful word of Jesus is about love. The Spirit will make love come alive in you and make love the guiding principle of your life.

When the Spirit is in your life and you live by the words of Jesus, the result is peace.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

The world cannot give you this peace.

H. Love Jesus: get to know him, build relationship with him, seek him out – his words will guide you, lead you to peace

There are so many things you cannot control or change. If you focus on these things, you will experience greater anxiety.

Don't obsess over those things. Don't allow them to take you to dark places.

One thing you SHOULD do is pursue Jesus.

Be curious about who he is. See what the Bible says about him. Love him, seek him out, get to know him. As you get to know him, his words will come alive in you.

Seek Jesus and get to know him – that will give you peace.

Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. (John 14:23)

You will not be alone. God will dwell with you and make his home with you.

I. My desired legacy: children and people who know Christ

My kids are growing up so fast.

As I get older, and see my own parents getting older, I know that I won't be around forever.

I would like my kids to remember me fondly and to appreciate my love for them. I'd like to leave behind some assets for them.

But the greatest legacy I want to leave them is faith.

Faith that will allow them to know Jesus so that they live by his words. Faith that will give them the peace to navigate through all of life's storms.

Even though I still have a lot of time left, I also think about the end of my ministry. I guess I am getting older.

For church: end of ministry – the one fruit I pray for is that people will know Jesus, find life in him, be changed by him, and live by his words.

This is the way to peace – for themselves and for this world.

Whose words do you live by? Live by God's word.

The psalmist said this:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:5)

God's word will give direction for your life.

This is my prayer for all of you: know Jesus, love Jesus, live by his words.

The post Words to Live By appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJohn 13:31-35

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptJesus said,

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. (John 13:34)

Jesus said he gave them a new commandment.

But it was not a new commandment.

Already, in the Old Testament, this commandment existed.

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18)

So, as you see it, it was not a new commandment.

Jesus did not mean that it was the new commandment as a new idea or a new concept.

Love one another.

It is a very simple concept. Nothing difficult to understand it. Even a little child will understand what it means.

We went to see a Blue Jays ball game because my grandson, Charlie was singing the national anthem. Not a solo but his school was singing. So the whole family went.

My youngest granddaughter, Norah, came and hugged me. So I said, I love you. And she said, I love you too.

Even a little child knows what it means to love one another.

It is a very very simple concept.

But what does that mean? Love one another. It is very simple and yet very difficult.

When Jesus said this, he did not mean to love those who are lovable.

Jesus did not mean to love your personal friends. Jesus did not mean to love your family. Of course we love them all but I don't think Jesus had them in mind when he said to love one another.

We have categories of our love. Lovable and unlovable.

We love those who are lovable. We don't love those who are unlovable.

When I say an unlovable category, I am not saying that they are necessarily unlovable. We are putting them in that category.

With our friends, with those who love us, we love to spend time with them. We don't have to have anything fun to talk about. We just enjoy their company and so it doesn't matter what we talk about.

Anything we do, we just enjoy it. That is a lovable category.

But with those who criticize us, those who do not value us, and approve us, we may not hate them but we don't want to spend time with them. We want to avoid them as much as possible.

That is an unlovable category.

When Jesus said, love one another, what do you think Jesus meant? Love those who are in a lovable category? Think about it.

Today's passage is situated like a sandwich. Of course, what's in the middle is the meat, the core content. That is – Love One Another.

But it is sandwiched between two stories. One is the story of Judas and the other is the story of Peter.

Today's passage begins with this,

When he had gone out (John 13:31)

Who had gone out? Judas.

Let us read Judas' story. A little long but you will get a full picture by reading it.

After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.' The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples the one whom Jesus loved was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, Lord, who is it?' Jesus answered, It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.' So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, Do quickly what you are going to do.' Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, Buy what we need for the festival'; or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. (John 13:21-30)

Another story is the story of Peter.

Simon Peter said to him, Lord, where are you going?' Jesus answered, Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterwards.' Peter said to him, Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.' Jesus answered, Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times. (John 13:36-38)

What we read today is sandwiched between these two stories. Betrayal and denial sandwiched the commandment Love one another .

Jesus talked about loving one another in the context of betrayal and denial.

So when Jesus said Love one another , he didn't mean to love those who are in the lovable category.

Loving those who love you is selfish love. Love for the sake of your own enjoyment and your own benefit. It is love that you do for yourself. Everywhere we look around, we only see this kind of love.

Love has become so cheap. Self-satisfaction. Loving one another has become satisfying one another.

This was what Jesus said.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. (Luke 6:32)

Love, by its definition, is not selfish. It is not self-seeking.

When Jesus said, Love one another , he meant to love those who are in unlovable category.

Love your enemies - even though the idea is there in the Old Testament, the actual phrase does not come out in the Old Testament. It is Jesus who coined the term. But that is the idea of Jesus' understanding of love.

In that sense, Love one another is a very easy concept but a very difficult way to live out your life.

Our natural instinct is to surround ourselves with people who love us, appreciate us, and praise us.

But Christians need to go beyond this comfort zone and reach out to those who are not in a unlovable category.

Every Sunday, don't surround yourself always with people you are comfortable with. Go out of your comfort zone and reach out to those who are strangers to you. Reach out to those who may not even like you.

Bon Hoeffer said Christian fellowship is a great blessing. God gave you the Christian fellowship to be renewed and strengthened.

But he said, the Christian fellowship can also be a temptation when you become complacent in that fellowship.

The disciples did not stay together but soon they all went their separate ways. Loving one another is not just enjoying each other's company. There is a Korean term, (kkiri-kkiri). It is like the saying birds of a feather flock together .

That's why Jesus said,

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.' (John 13:35)

Loving one another is a discipleship. That is what Jesus' disciples do.

Discipleship is sometimes a lonely way to follow Jesus. That lonely way is the way of loving one another.

In chapter 13, a lot of things are going on. Jesus washed the disciples' feet, he did the last supper, and he gave the bread to Judas and told him to go ahead and he predicted Peter's denial. And he said to love one another as my disciples.

Then in chapters 14-16, he talks about the Holy Spirit. He talks about the Holy Spirit in the context of loving one another.

Let me give you an example.

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. (John 14:15, 16)

You can love one another only through the help of the Holy Spirit.

Because loving one another is not a natural inclination you follow. It is going against the grain. You cannot do it with your own strength.

Love one another – is an easy concept and not a new idea.

But it is a new commandment because with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can live out the commandment of love. Through this love, you become a bigger person.

There are many people in this world who are in unlovable category. There are people who are in unlovable category to you.

Jesus commanded us to love one another. It is the commandment and so we need to take it seriously.

Love is not a feeling. Love is not an action, either. Love is to embrace those who are in unlovable category.

Jesus was a friend to those who were in unlovable category in that time.

The post Love One Another appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageRevelation 7:9-17

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptYou have one life to live. Therefore, I think you should pursue the best things in life.

Don't chase the things that don't matter. Don't waste your time on trivial things. Pursue the best things. That's what makes life worth living, isn't it?

The thing is, as I'm sure you know, the best things in life don't come easy.

The best things often come only after difficult struggle. Toronto Maple Leafs, for example.

The greatest temptation is to seek the easy way out. To look for an easier way to get what you want. Or to just go for the easier thing, even if it's not what you really want.

It's hard to pursue the best things in life.

But there's a great pitfall in seeking the easier way out.

You miss out on the best things. You won't get the satisfaction of getting the best things. You won't taste the joy of it. It will always feel like something is missing.

If you can endure and prevail, then you will enjoy the rewards of the best things.

Today's passage is a vision of a glorious future.

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)

Palm branches signified victory. These people have prevailed and are enjoying the best things.

They cried out in a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb! And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing, Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 7:10-11)

It is like the wonderful praise time we had. Except it's the whole multitude and all the angels singing together.

And not just for ten minutes, but for hours on end. All caught up in the wonderful, glorious experience of singing praise.

Who were these people, the elder asks?

These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14)

They were the ones who came out of the great ordeal.

The Greek word is thlipsis. It means pressure, compression.

They endured tremendous pressure on their bodies, their well-being, social pressure. They suffered great persecution.

They suffered greatly because they were pursuing the best thing. And what was that best thing?

Faith.

They experienced great pressure and persecution because of their faith.

When they met Christ, they discovered the best thing. But holding onto that faith brought great persecution and suffering.

They didn't give up their faith. They didn't take the easy way out. Now, in this passage, they enjoy the rewards of faith.

They're no longer hungry. They are in pain no more. There are no more tears.

They now stand with the multitudes and the angels singing God's praises.

I believe that faith is the most precious thing. It's what I stake my whole life on.

It's more precious even than money, health, family and social standing. Why?

Because money, health, family and social standing are great, but they can all be taken away.

If your happiness depends on any of these things, then it can be shaky.

But if you have faith in God, that faith will hold you up even when everything else has been taken away.

It will give you peace and calmness even in the midst of calamities. It will lead you to another way through the storms.

It will give you joy, purpose, and freedom. The kind of joy we see in the multitudes.

These are things that faith brings.

But as you know through living life, faith does not come easy.

The whole premise of faith is not easy.

Faith is an acknowledgement that life is not in your control. That itself is not easy to acknowledge. We want to believe that life is or can be in our control.

Faith is leaving what is not in your control up to God.

It is accepting whatever life will bring, even if it's not what you think you want, because you trust that it is still in God's hands.

Faith is waiting on God and listening for his voice when you don't know what to do, when you feel like there's nothing you CAN do.

That is very difficult, especially when you are facing difficult situations. Faith gets severely tested.

When you're having trouble in your marriage, do you take matters into your own hands? Or do you have to wait?

When you want to pursue a certain career, but there are so many roadblocks and competition, do you go for it, or go after something that seems easier?

When you're not happy in your job, do you take action to make changes, or do you ride things out longer?

Sometimes there are no clear answers. When there are no clear answers, it makes you very uneasy.

The temptation in these situations is to take control, or do something so that you feel like you're in control. But trying to take control is usually the easy way out.

Faith is acknowledging that you're not in control. You do your best with what YOU can do. Then you leave the rest in God's hands.

That is faith.

The multitudes in today's passage are those who endured in faith. They passed the test.

Whom do I imagine at the forefront of this multitude of faithful people?

I imagine mothers from every nation, past and present. Those who endured with faith.

When a parent discovers they'll have a child, their life changes. Especially for mothers.

With motherhood, there is no easy way out. They are in it. From the moment the baby's in the womb, they change. Their thoughts change. It becomes all about the child.

From the moment they're born, all their mental energies go toward the child.

What they will eat, who will take care of them? Are they making friends or learning properly? Are they in a good environment? Are they okay? Will they be okay?

At all times, mothers are thinking about their children. Worrying about them. Wondering how things are and will be.

Mothers carry a huge mental load.

They think about everything. They have to juggle that with work and other responsibilities. They experience a lot of stress.

A lot of this stress comes from the feeling that they're not doing enough. They do everything they can but still feel like it's not enough.

That's where all of the mom guilt comes from. The feeling that they're not doing enough.

My wife, Deb, is always busy doing something – she can't relax. She hates it when I tell her to relax – she responds by saying, I'm TOO relaxed!

What I want to say to moms is: moms, you're doing great. You're doing more than enough.

Moms see their situation most clearly. They see how much life is out of their control. They know how much they need help.

That is why moms often have the deepest faith. They are most ready to turn to God for help because they know how helpless they are.

Mother's prayers are the most fervent. Their prayers are prayers of helpless faith.

They feel powerless, so they lift prayers up to God. In those moments of helpless prayer comes mother's tears.

It was a mother's prayers and tears that led to one of the most influential people in Christian history.

Story of St. Augustine and his mother, Monica. It was because of her unceasing prayers that he found God.

The elder in the passage describes the multitudes in this way:

They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14)

They have become victorious by walking the same path as the Lamb.

Jesus, the Lamb, did not take the easy way out.

He lived with faith. He took on whatever life threw at him. Like a lamb he followed God, even up to the cross where his blood was shed.

The multitudes followed Jesus to the cross and became one with him.

Our mothers are like that. They are not perfect people. They are deeply flawed like anyone else.

But they did not take the easy way out.

They pursued what is best for their children. They took on everything that motherhood brings: the stress, the worry, the guilt, the tears.

Those who have faith until the end will stand with the multitude. The reward of faith is everlasting joy.

This is the author's vision:

For this reason they are before the throne of God and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat, for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:15-17)

God is faithful. True to his promises. Those who have faith until the end will experience this peace and well-being. No more hunger. No more tears.

To our moms: thank you for taking on what you do. God will wipe away your tears.

My friends: faith is the best thing. Pursue faith.

Don't take the easy way out. Hold onto faith, do not ever let go.

One day, we will all sing together with the multitudes our praises to God.

The post Pursue The Best Things appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJohn 21:1-19

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptFeeling guilty is a common response of all human beings.

We are not perfect. We all make mistakes.

We don't always follow the good we aspire; we follow the evil we despise, sometimes. We don't always stand up for what is right. We compromise with what is not right.

Because of fear, we run away for our own safety instead of standing up for what we believe.

That was what all the disciples did.

When their friend, their teacher was unjustly arrested, they deserted Jesus. They all ran away.

Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. (Matthew 26:56)

When we don't live up to the principles we honour, we feel guilty.

Feeling guilty is a natural response and often a right thing to do. There is nothing wrong with feeling guilty.

The issue is not whether you feel guilty or not. The issue is what do you do with the guilt you feel.

In today's passage, Jesus came to help the disciples to deal with their guilt. Jesus appeared to the disciples who were deeply saddened.

Guilt makes you feel sad. Guilt makes you feel powerless.

This sadness and powerlessness were well captured in one verse.

Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing.' They said to him, We will go with you.' They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. (John 21:3)

They caught nothing!

Their minds were somewhere else. They had no motivation to catch fish. They were too sad.

Yes, that's what guilt does. Guilt makes you not only sad but powerless.

The mistake we made, the kind of situation we created because of our mistakes – we can do nothing to fix it. Many times, it is a spilled milk and there is nothing you can do to fix the wrong you did.

Modern people don't like that. Modern people don't like the feeling that you can do nothing.

But that is often the case with guilt. Whatever happened in the past, you cannot fix it. It's already done.

Yes, you may feel guilty, but what good is it when the guilt cannot do anything to fix it.

But in today's passage, I see hopefulness in guilt.

David Prusha, a psychologist, once said,

Our guilt hides hope within it.

I thought it was a very interesting comment.

Guilt hides hope within it. So, after all, guilt is not useless. It's not all bad.

That's what I see in today's passage.

I don't just see remorsefulness, sadness, and powerlessness. I see movement from guilt to hope.

I see a new dimension of guilt. I see Jesus doing a wonderful thing with our guilt.

Guilt is not just about acknowledging your wrongdoing. And feeling bad about it.

GUILT FUELS YOUR MOTIVATION TO LIVE A NEW LIFE.

That was what Jesus came to do to the disciples who were struggling with their powerlessness.

Jesus did not come to condemn them or criticize them. Jesus came to help them to move on. Jesus was using their guilt to fuel their motivation to live a new life.

Especially Peter. They all deserted Jesus but Peter went one step further. He denied Jesus. Not only once but three times. So Peter felt the most about his guilt.

So when Jesus kept asking whether he loved him, he was hurt.

He said to him the third time, Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, Do you love me?' (John 21:17)

He was hurt because he felt guilty.

Even when he said, I love you, he didn't say it confidently. He said it feeling that he didn't deserve to say that.

When Jesus asked him, do you love me, his guilt was triggered. That was why he was hurt.

Why does Jesus keep asking when I already said that I loved him?

Why did Jesus keep asking? Why did he ask three times? Because Peter denied three times? To match the number?

Maybe. But personally I don't think that was the reason.

Jesus did not doubt Peter's love. Jesus knew Peter's love even though he loved Jesus in his limited way.

Jesus asked three times and he used this special word, Agape for love. The word agape – unconditional love.

But three times, Peter answered with the word, Phileo. That's friendly love. Not unconditional love.

Probably Peter couldn't use the word Agape, knowing what he did. That was Ok with Jesus. Jesus knew Peter's limited love.

But that was not why Jesus asked Peter three times expecting him to say the word, Agape.

Jesus understands your limited love.

Jesus asked Peter three times because he was about to say a very difficult thing to Peter.

After asking three times, Jesus said this.

Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.' (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, Follow me.' (John 21:18-19)

But Peter didn't understand why Jesus asked him three times.

Only thing he could think of was his denial. That was why he connected Jesus' question with his guilt.

That's what guilt does. Makes you self-absorbed.

But Jesus did not leave Peter alone in his guilt.

He wanted to restore him. He wanted Peter to embrace his love for Jesus. Jesus wanted Peter to do something better instead of just feeling guilty.

Jesus wanted Peter to live a new life.

To guilt ridden Peter, Jesus turned the guilt into fuel to live a new life.

Jesus said, feed my lamb. Take care of my sheep. Don't just sit there, feeling guilty. Stand up and move on. Feed my sheep.

Guilt, when it is combined with love, it becomes a powerful fuel to motivate you to live a new life.

But when guilt is combined with anger or fear, it becomes a deadly force to destroy you.

That's why St. Paul said this.

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret, but worldly grief produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Godly grief is the guilt combined with God's love. Worldly grief is the guilt combined with pride, fear, and anger.

When guilt is combined with pride, we do self-justification. We try to lessen our guilt by self-justification.

When guilt is combined with fear and anger, we do self-punishment. We become paralyzed. We become depressed. We become very anxious. That is death.

But when guilt is combined with God's love and mercy, we live with hope to change.

Guilt hides hope within it. Guilt helps us become humble but not only being humble but a strong motivation to become a better person.

When guilt is lifted, Peter became strong. He became bold.

All you who are struggling with heavy burden of guilt, come to Jesus.

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Come to Jesus. Lay down all your burdens of guilt and find rest.

With new strength, you can move on.

The post Guilt Hides Hope Within It appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJohn 20:19-31

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptAlan LiuMost people visiting Cuba plan their trip to experience the leisurely life and culture of this Caribbean island.

• Imagine the powdery white sand and blue water beaches
• Sipping tasty rum-based cocktails such as mojitos, Cuban Libres, daiquiris and a whole host of other drinks
• Listening to live Cuban Jazz and hopping across bars
• Walking up and down notable Cuban sites such as Revolution Square, museums, relics with names as Jose Marti, Che Guevara and Fidel Castro.

Our trip however provided us the unique opportunity to witness and experience beyond the tourist lens and really see what the local Cubans really faced.

Our interactions with local people, leaders, and other community members helped us comprehend first hand the dire economic, social and political situation. Examples of real Cuban challenges included:

• Food sources are rations provided by the Government consisting of rice and sugar
• Highly scarce medicines and products on pharmacy shelves
• Regular electricity blackouts which affect industrial production and individual daily life
• Insufficient drinkable water
• An absent working age population (18-55+ yrs old) across all key industries and sectors (an economic calamity)
• These were just a few of the daily struggles everyday Cubans faced ..

We couldn't help hear and witness the Hopelessness but as we learned during and after this trip, the people of Cuba also embody strong qualities of pride, resilience and to some degree even glimmers of hope. A few examples from our trip I wanted to touch on and what you also saw in our video:

• We visited 2 seminaries (stayed in one in Matanzas) and witnessed how both dedicated grassroot leaders and theological students turn to God, take moments to and help communicate hope to their Brothers and Sisters in the community. .
• We spent time understanding key projects undertaken by Cuban people including Weavers of Hope who employ 8 women who take raw materials such as yarn and thread to make assorted clothing products. The financial support raised from these sales go to support underserved women and their families.
• Drinking water installed with the support of Living Waters for the World which has established a key network to bring drinkable water to the local communities in Cuba with an ever growing need for more systems to bring this essential source to more areas in Cuba.
• We visited and sat down with leaders at churches and centers at Kairos Center, Juan G Hall, Guanabacoa and Luyano where we witnessed the importance of the role of local churches. We saw the significance of their role in Cuban society where they provide basic needs: breakfast/lunch and other essential food programs, clean drinking water, medicines, educational and collaborative learning/outing programs, communities where seniors can gather and fellowship together (just to name a few).

During our visit in Havana through the Museum of Fine Arts, our group heard themes of duality as our guide provided us with vivid interpretations of several works showcasing Cuban artistry. Our Mission team continued to discuss, experience and struggle through those vivid tensions the Cubans faced in their present day:

• Country's desire for independence yet there is desperation and severe dependence on basic goods
• Cubans access to free education yet it society faces censorship, dissent criminalisation and skill worker migration (post graduation)
• Access to free healthcare but there are epidemic-level shortages of medicine and badly needed medical resources

Duality is also best described from the Bible verse found in John Chapter 1.
Verses 4 to 5:

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

God showed us that even in the darkness, God shines a light for its people. Our group had the opportunity to witness God's resilience, hope and love from His people that though Cuba is weak, God's light and hope for this country is strong.

Grace B. The situation is the worst it's ever been, and we don't know if it's going to get better.' That's something we heard everywhere we went. We were witnessing a very specific period in Cuban history. A point in time where they're trying to figure out how to move forward in this new reality of yet another crisis. US embargos, disintegrated currency, disassociated government – no direction, no leadership, no hope.

Cuba's one desire is to be independent, but the generations have gone through crisis after crisis. In the future, historians might come up with a name for this current period, but for now – it's just hard times. So hard that it's shaking people to the core. They're agitated and they're starting to lose their sense of community as they're trying to survive on less and less.

In the midst of a mass exodus, seniors and young children (the most vulnerable) remain. For some families, the separation is meant to be temporary, while others are leaving permanently. Those who chose to leave are usually young, highly educated and exactly the people society depends on to build the country. You cannot fault their choice. The multitude of reasons that got them there are oh-so complicated, we learned that it's never just one thing. There's this and there's that, two opposing factors both exist side by side. It's the paradox of Cuba.

On our trip we met pastors, students, educators, community workers, congregation members and were guided by our amazing translator, Yosmel. They are examples of those who have chosen to remain. We looked to them to tell us, to show us what Cuba is to them.

Through them, we saw faithful resilience, ingenuity and fight. They are very aware of how dire their situation is. Despite the darkness at the end of the tunnel, all of them showed us their purpose for staying.

At the Matanzas Seminary and the local churches, the pastors and staff acknowledged that it was difficult even for them, but they told us that they're there to provide hope and strength for the people to go on.

The churches are very attuned to their communities' needs. They have responded by running social programs to support the seniors and children by providing lunches, medical dispensaries, a daycare and discussion groups. The churches are doing the social work. They also create their own source of income by selling crafts, building facilities for visitors to room at a cost, renting out buses – amongst other things. The pastor at Luyano stressed to us that it is important for them to have their own resources to help, not just rely on external sponsorships.

Each of the churches and seminaries we visited had a Living Waters station. As each day passed with us now having to rely on that water, it became increasingly clear how crucial these stations are.

Living Waters of the World is a global organization. Some countries set up the water system as a micro-business to sell the drinking water, but not in Cuba. Cuba decided that the water will be made free for all who need it. There are only about 70 Living Waters stations in the whole country. Currently, the Living Waters program in Cuba only has partners in the US, which in this climate, can become quite a challenge. Cuba needs more partners to build out more water stations. This was the only free drinkable water available to the communities. As I think about the neighbours bringing their big containers to fill with water for their homes, I wonder what they would do if Living Waters was not there? They can't boil water whenever they want – the electricity could be out for days. It's the churches providing drinking water to the people (not the government). They need thousands of stations, but they have less than a 100 today.

Vamos – come see. We heard that a lot. Our hosts opened up their reality to us and honestly shared their struggles. They also showed us all the hard work they do every day. They are present and available for their people, those who remain . Did you know there are 6 generations of Koreans living in Cuba?! Anyway Everyone we met, lives in the same harsh context but to them, that's all the more reason why they choose to stay, to be there to listen, support and love each other.

In the Lord's Prayer, we pray for thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.' Being there, that prayer became real as I could see the possibilities of what coming together as one body in Cuba could look like. Our new friends in Cuba told us how meaningful it was for us to just be there to witness and understand their reality – to be seen. We are connected in spirit and bound by God's love.

Before I left, I did not like the word or the idea of Mission because of its connotation to colonization and dominance. I'm still not comfortable with it, but I do wonder if what we witnessed in the Cuban churches is what Mission could be. Mission doesn't have to be about conversion and it doesn't have to be one-sided. Maybe we can re-envision Mission to be about showing up, listening, becoming attuned to the needs and partnering with the community to heal and build together in solidarity.

Also, Mission could be fun. Every day was a gift to learn more about Cuba. It was great to get to know our guide and group members a little better and to have lots of laughs. This trip was filled with joy, as it felt like it was the beginning of something new.

Thank you for the opportunity.

John ChungIs it possible to fall in love with a country, and with a group of strangers after only 8 short days? I would not have thought so, but we did. We fell in love with Cuba and with the many people we met. We fell in love with the warmth and generosity of their hearts. We grew to admire and respect the dignity they hold within themselves and the dignity they continue to uphold in each other. We saw the pride they had in being Cuban, although that sense of pride is quickly diminishing. It diminishes with each person that decides to leave Cuba because they feel that the socio-economic condition there is unsustainable, and they realize that this is the worst it’s ever been. The average person lives without enough food and their daily lives are punctuated by extended blackouts, living without electricity for much of each day, sometimes for more than 20 hrs per day. Yes, we experienced the daily blackouts and yes, it was inconvenient but we also knew that this was a temporary experience for us. We would be fine as soon as we came back home. But for those who remain, this is their daily existence.

The diminishing pride of Cubans is hard to watch. What is even harder to witness is the gradual dimming of hope. This was heartbreaking. We spoke a lot about hope during our 8 days there.

When we asked our translator and guide what the next 5 years looks like for Cuba, he responded by saying he doesn’t know what next week will look like, let alone the next few years. He spoke about feeling hopeless for the first time in his life.

When we asked the principal of the seminary how the seminary students will teach and preach when they graduate and start their ministries, he confided that this is THE main challenge that awaits the future pastors. How can they minister to their people and speak about the love of God when their church members are hungry? How can they preach the good news of Jesus when many members of their community have left to find work, with the hopes of sending some money back home? How can they lead their congregations in worship when many people in Cuba feel that God has abandoned them?

It broke our hearts to hear of such things.

As we heard many stories of the difficult reality most people in Cuba live with, we were told on more than one occasion that the 10 of us taking our time to be in solidarity with them in Cuba gave them hope because it made them feel like they were not forgotten. To hear this was deeply humbling.

During our nightly debrief sessions, the 10 of us spoke about what it means to have hope. What is that fine line between being hopeful and hopeless? What did Paul mean in Romans when he said “hope against hope”? We understood why the people of Cuba were growing more hopeless when faced with material shortages, but why did Rev Kim preach about hope a few Sundays ago to those of us at St Timothy, living very comfortably in Canada, where our issue is not having too little but having too much? Many of us have sought a comfortable, relatively worry-free life. We’ve got that now. We’re so comfortable, in fact, that it’s starting to feel a little bit uncomfortable. So is hope contingent on having our basic needs met or rather, is hope a spiritual state of being, like Rev Kim reminded us? We discussed and reflected on such matters during our time in Cuba.

Thankfully, as the days went on, we did witness little glimpses of hope.

We saw hope in Ortiz, the patient and persistent gardiner who was an answer to prayer for the seminary. We saw the fruits of his labour when he turned 7 acres of overgrown weeds into a thriving vegetable garden full of herbs, sweet potatoes, peppers, squash, and the list goes on. All organic and all grown with love, and yes, hope. Enough to feed those inside the seminary but also enough to share with a few people and businesses in the surrounding neighbourhood.

La esperanza vive en Ortiz. Hope lives in Ortiz.

We saw hope in the montessori school in the church at Guanabacoa, where the 40 beautiful children are loved and cared for. Those kids still have that innocence and purity that all children are blessed with, or perhaps I should say, that they bless us with. We saw hope in the renovations that the church is doing to add space for 20 more kids. And we hope that they will be able to eventually meet the needs of the more than 120 other children in the neighbourhood who are on the waiting list.

La esperanza vive en la iglesia de Guanabacoa. Hope lives in the church at Guanabacoa.

We witnessed hope in the churches at Juan G Hall, and Luyanó, who despite having lost many of their members to emigration, have somehow found ways to be the central and critical sanctuary for the members of their respective communities. Whether it’s in providing clean, fresh drinking water for the community, or being the main centre for essential social and spiritual services for everyone who walks into their buildings.

La esperanza vive ahí. Hope lives there in those church communities.

In these and many other instances we saw hope. Hope in action. Day by day. Hope against hope.

As we hope for Cuba, we continue to pray for them also.

We pray for Yasmina, that her surgery went well and that the electricity stayed on during her operation, and that if there was a blackout, that there was hopefully enough fuel in the generator to keep the lights and machines on.

We pray for David, who was sent by his community to the seminary, to learn and to be filled with hope so that he can then bring that hope back with him to the people that need it most.

We pray for Violeta, Anna Paola, Annabelle and Carla, who when they turn 15 will not be able to celebrate their quinceañera like most other 15 year old girls in Spanish speaking countries around the world. They will not be lavished with expensive gifts and fancy celebrations, but we pray that they will be surrounded with love from their families and communities. We pray they will experience true joy on their special day.

We also pray for Ayler and Yosmel, our driver and translator, who have become our friends. We pray that they will keep enough hope alive in themselves to continue the good work they are doing. We pray for them and their families, that they will continue to fight the good fight.

And finally, we pray for the people of Cuba. We hope you will pray for them too.

Thank you.

Rev. In Kee KimThank you for your testimony.

The word that we heard the most was hopelessness. The common theme we heard from three people was hopelessness.

Last Wednesday, I went to Cuba-Canada Solidarity Gathering in Toronto. Two people came from Cardenas where our team also visited. They shared their stories.

They also let us know the hopeless situation in Cuba. They said any help will be helpful.

But they pointed out medical needs and the basic food needs as the most urgent needs. They feed 120 seniors every day, delivering food because there is no transportation.

Hopelessness – that was what Thomas experienced.

After Jesus was crucified, everybody felt hopelessness. They didn't know what to do. Their only hope was their Lord, Jesus.

And they thought that he was the Messiah and he was the only source of their hope. They thought that Jesus would deliver the country from the devastating situation. They thought that Jesus would bring a new life for them.

But he was gone.

Their expectations and their hopes were shattered. They didn't know what to do.

When you see no hope, you experience helplessness. That was exactly what Thomas experienced.

Even though his friends said they saw the Lord Jesus, Thomas could not believe that. He thought they must have seen a ghost or hallucination.

He wanted concrete evidence of the mark of Jesus' hand and put his hand in his side. He didn't take his hopelessness with faith. He wanted concrete solutions.

There are no concrete solutions of what to do in Cuba.

We took 12 bags of clothes, shoes, and medicines. What good are they considering the immensity of the problems in the country. There are only 60 or so water pumps when they needed 1000s of them.

It's like five loaves of bread and two fish when you have to feed 5,000 male adults. Including children and women, probably 15,000 people.

What good are five loaves of bread and two fish? These are not concrete solutions.

These are our acts of faith. That was what we saw.

They worked hard not necessarily because they are concrete solutions. But they worked hard, having faith in Jesus.

Ultimately Thomas had faith in Jesus. His confession was the highest confession.

No one dared to say that Jesus was God but Thomas confessed that Jesus was God.

Thomas answered him, My Lord and my God!' (John 20:28)

Jesus said to him,

Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.' (John 20:29)

We don't necessarily see the concrete solutions. But we have faith in God.

In your hopelessness, you may not see concrete solutions but my friends, have faith in God. God will bless you by taking you out of your hopelessness.

God does wonderful miracles. We believe that.

We have no solution but God has a concrete solution. Let us trust in God and do whatever we can.

We share our food with them. We will continuously bring medicine to them. Hopefully, our church gets involved in installing water filter system. Advocate the Canadian government so that the embargo may be lifted.

These are not necessarily solutions but we do all this with faith in God. God will use our two fish and five loaves of bread to feed 15,000.

The post Reflections on Cuba appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageIsaiah 65:17-25

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptToday's message begins with this.

For I am about to create new heavens
and a new earth;
the former things shall not be remembered
or come to mind. (Isaiah 65:17)

Isaiah saw new heavens and a new earth.

Today's message came from the third part of Isaiah.

Isaiah's message consists of three parts. They are all to do with Babylonian Captivity.

The first part deals with why the exile happened. The second part was for those who were in exile and gave them hope that they would return home. The third part was the message for those who returned from the exile.

Today's story comes from the third part.

People returned from exile. They came home. They were in captivity and now they were freed to come home.

But the home they returned to was not a utopia. What was waiting for them was not a rich and abundant land.

Their homeland was still in ruins. The temple remained destroyed. People's spirits were still crushed.

When you look at the experiences of Israelites, you can see two paradigms.

One is Exodus Paradigm and the other is New Creation Paradigm.

Exodus is being free from the bondage.

Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Moses brought them out of Egypt. That is the Exodus.

But what Isaiah is talking about today was not the Exodus.

He was talking about the New Creation. It is a different paradigm from the Exodus.

Isaiah saw new heavens and a new earth.

There will be no more of the sound of weeping or the cry of distress. They shall not labour in vain. Their hard works will be compensated.

They will live a long, happy, and healthy life. One who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.

They will all live in peace and harmony. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together.

It is a vision about the new creation. Isaiah's vision of new heavens and a new earth.

Where did he get this vision?

Not from his reality! His reality was still devastating.

Was it his wishful thinking?

God gave him this vision. This vision creates hope. Hope is the product of this vision.

Thank you for allowing us to visit Cuba.

People in Cuba deeply appreciated your generous donations. To be able to raise $30,000 in a not-so-big church like ours tells us a lot about this church. Every time we opened the bag we brought to them, I could see their happy faces.

The country is in a very bad shape. Political leaders are not really concerned about people.

US embargo makes people's lives miserable. People are the ones who receive the brunt of this terrible political situation.

We don't know the real number, but a very conservative estimate of the number who left the country in 2022 and 2023 is more than a million people.

Now about 3 million? And all of them are between the ages of 15 and 59.

Many families have been destroyed. Only people that are left are old grandparents and young grandchildren.

People in the ages of 19 to 49, they are all thinking of leaving. We passed by government buildings that deal with emigration. There was a long lineup.

We went by pharmacies and there were no drugs on the shelf. The shelves were empty.

All the donations you gave generously were so much appreciated. We gave them the shoes you donated to the Matanzas seminary. The next day, they all showed the shoes they were wearing.

The churches struggle because only people that are left are elderly grandparents and young grandchildren. You can see that when you walk around the street or visit churches. They have a hard time running Sunday school. Because all the teachers left the country.

It is a devastating situation.

At Matanzas seminary, the principal gave us the lecture about Cuban history and told us that the paradigm they need is not the Exodus paradigm but the Creation Paradigm.

People are leaving and so Exodus model will not work for them. They need God who creates the new world.

When I went to Madagascar, I saw the poverty there too.

But they were not leaving the country. Lots of young people – I mean between 19-50.

But Cuban situation was different. Every day, young people were leaving the country. Then what's left? A lot of old people and children.

So far theologians of the two-thirds world (or you know it as the third world) interpreted their situations with the paradigm of Exodus.

South Africa's apartheid. Latin America's liberation theology. Korea's Minjoong theology. America's black theology and feminist theology. They base on the paradigm of Exodus.

But what Cuba needs is the paradigm of the new creation.

The first day, we were all down. We felt very heavy.

At the debriefing meeting of the first day, they shared their hearts were heavy. We felt the hopelessness.

But from the next day, we all saw that people in Cuba did not lose their hope. Two words that we heard the most.

Dignity and Hope.

They kept the hope. The church was active and vibrant. Ministers were filled with passion.

At the Matanzas seminary, I told the students. What is hope in a hopeful situation? That is not hope.

Hope is hope only in a hopeless situation.

That was what St. Paul said.

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:24, 25)

I told them you are in a very difficult and almost hopeless situation. That is the best environment to explore the theology of hope. And show us what the genuine hope looks like.

You are not alone in this struggle. There is only one church of Jesus Christ in the world. God called you in this context to carry out the mission. But your mission is also our mission.

You are not forgotten. We will do our best to work with you.

People we met, leaders we met, they did not lose hope. They were fighting with their situation with the power of hope.

Hope is possible when you see the new world and new life God is creating for you.

Hope does not come from seeing your present reality. Hope is possible when you see the beautiful world God is creating for you.

Two weeks ago, I asked you what do you see in your future?

Do you see dark ominous clouds ahead of you? Or do you see the bright sun that is coming out of the dark clouds?

I always see the bright future.

Even in difficult times, I see the bright future. That gives me vision, and this vision gives me hope.

The resurrection is the new creation.

That was what St. Paul saw.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

My friends, Jesus is risen!

He opened the bright future of new heavens and a new earth.

Always focus on the new life God is creating for you. Even in hopeless situations, you will not lose hope.

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Scripture PassageIsaiah 50:4-9

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptOur mission team is in Cuba right now.

For their trip, we asked for support from all of you. The response was incredible.

Many backpacks and items. And cash amounts that exceeded what we asked for: almost $30,000.

I reflected on what that means.

The amount of support we received tells me this: there is a real desire for goodness in this world.

You were inspired by people who wanted to go simply to serve.

They're not going to spend time on a resort. They paid their own money and all expenses simply to see what good we can do.

And you in turn wanted to support that desire to do good.

There was no ulterior motive, nothing suspicious. So you gave so generously.

All of this tells me that people are wired for goodness. We are created to do good acts for one another.

Seeing pure goodness in others inspires us. It makes us want to do good as well.

Doing good is what makes us most human. Doing good things here and there feels good.

But what about doing good everyday, as your job even?

It almost sounds silly in today's world.

When I was younger, many young people wanted to do good in this world. There were many things for young people – things like service corps, volunteering opportunities.

A whole generation was inspired by JFK's famous speech: Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

(Working at P&G in my university days – community work)

But I sense that kind of idealism to be dead now.

What young people see now is a world full of competition and self interest.

They see the opposite of goodness. They see a world where you have to fight to get what you need. They see meanness, greed, the will to power.

And so the heart gets jaded. It becomes cynical. It doubts the possibility of real goodness in this world. And they look out for what's best for them.

But this lack of goodness is causing so many issues.

Many people struggle with mental health issues, lack of joy, loss of meaning. I think a huge reason is that they see no motivation to do good in this world. There is nothing beyond themselves to live for.

Israel was set apart to do good in this world. To be a blessing. They were called to live a new way – the way of God's goodness.

But they were a small country surrounded by powerful neighbours. Those neighbours did not care much about goodness. They were more interested in power and wealth.

Small nations like Israel got beat up by those powerful neighbours.

Israel experienced slavery in Egypt, being under the thumb of Philistines, forced assimilation by the Assyrians, and deportation and exile under the Babylonians.

They experienced the lack of goodness firsthand.

They had to decide: would they give up on their unique identity and become like other nations? Or would they remain distinct as the people of God?

Would they resign themselves to the world as they experienced – a world without goodness – or would they reinterpret their experiences of suffering and maintain faith in goodness?

Isaiah was a prophet during one of these difficult times. His people were crushed by Babylon, and its leaders were deported to live as exiles there.

They experienced the raw power of a mighty nation. They suffered indignity, humiliation and powerlessness.

This is how one psalmist described it:

By the rivers of Babylon there we sat down, and there we wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our harps. For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion! How could we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? (Psalm 137:1-4)

They were asking difficult questions in their hearts.

In this situation, Isaiah saw new meaning in their suffering.

Their suffering was not meaningless. Isaiah interpreted their weakness not as something to be ashamed of, but as the very means through which God was creating something new.

God gave Isaiah the vision of a Servant.

We don't know exactly who this servant is. But in a way, this Servant represented Israel. It represented a new interpretation of Israel's suffering.

Today's passage is one of four servant songs.

We see here the purpose of the servant:

The Lord God has given me a trained tongue, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. (Isaiah 50:4)

The purpose of the servant is to do good for the weary. To lift them with a word.

But the servant runs into a big challenge:

The Lord God has opened my ear, but I was not rebellious; I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. (Isaiah 50:5-6)

In trying to do good, the Servant runs into vile opposition.
They strike him. They pull out his beard. They spit on him and insult him.

But in that suffering of persecution, the Servant discovers something:

The Lord God helps me It is the Lord God who helps me. (Isaiah 50:7, 9)

He discovers the presence and power of God.

When you look at this world, it often seems like a world without God. People look at all the evil in this world as evidence that there's no God.

I can see why people think that.

God is definitely not present in the evil and sin of this world.

But there is one place that God has chosen to be: with those who suffer for doing good.

When those who try to do good suffer for it, God is there with them.

That is what Jesus meant when he said this:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)

Those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness will taste the kingdom of heaven. They will be in the presence of God.

Today is Passion Sunday. We reflect on the suffering of Jesus.

Jesus' life took on the shape of this servant.

He did good. He loved this world.

But the world did not love Jesus.

People did not like what Jesus did. It made them very uncomfortable. They opposed Jesus. They began plotting against him.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, this is what Jesus experienced:

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, Sit here while I go over there and pray. He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, My soul is deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me. And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want. (Matthew 26:36-39)

He did not want the suffering that was to come. But in that moment, he experienced the power of God.
He experienced the help of God.

After this experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was able to bear his suffering all the way to the cross.

Jesus suffered persecution not in spite of his righteousness, but BECAUSE of it.

Our world is so twisted that if you try to do good, you WILL suffer persecution.

People will not pat you on the back and say, good job .

They will look at you funny. They will think you are strange. They will look for ways to take you down. They will look for any reason to tear you apart.

It's to the point where doing good is seen as a bad thing now.

One of the first things the US government cut off was the US Agency for International Development.

They provide help for millions of vulnerable people around the world. They attacked funding for churches that provide shelter and help for refugees.

This is becoming more and more a dark, cold world.

In these times, we need to restore our thirst for righteousness. We need to rekindle our desire for good. We need to overcome the fear of doing good.

Now is not the time to keep your head in the sand. To keep your head down and stay in your lane.

Now is the time to seek the good that God desires.

God is calling YOU to do good.

It is not the easy path. Jesus' death on the cross is evidence of that.

But it is the only way that leads to life.

You want to find meaning in life? Do good for others.

Do good and seek righteousness – right living. Take on the righteous suffering that will come your way.

When you find yourself alone, powerless and tormented, God will be with you. You will experience the presence and power of God.

The post Take On Your Righteous Suffering appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassagePhilippians 3:4b-14

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWhat do people value the most?

A recent Reuters poll says that American people value time the most. Then career , success , and money come in as close seconds.

I think that is so true.

What good is money when you have no time to spend it? What good is all the power and success when no time is left for you.

It is like a parable of a rich fool that our Lord Jesus taught us.

Then he told them a parable: The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops? Then he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be? (Luke 12:16-21)

He had all the riches but he didn't have time. What's the use?

Time is the most valuable, the most important, and the most practical.

So, appreciate your time. Cherish it. Don't waste it away.

It is free but priceless. Once you have lost it you can never get it back.

There are different ways of thinking of time. Different aspects of time.

The Past, the Present, and the Future. Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.

Of these three, I think the future is the most important.

If there is no future, our past and present become meaningless.

You reflect on your past to make a better future. You work hard today so that you can have a good tomorrow.

So your past and your present should ultimately work for your future. Because your future is the most important.

The interesting thing is: The future is not here yet but it is the most important.

In our hands, we don't have the future yet, but it is what determines the quality of your life. When you have no future, you will be devastated.

So life is very interesting and strange in that way.

What we don't have, what we don't see, what has not happened yet, – that controls and determines the quality of our life.

So don't tell me that I can accept only thing that I can see, I can touch, and I can feel. You are controlled by what is not here yet. Your future.

The future – It is interesting. People have different attitudes about their future.

I don't think many people are comfortable with their future.

Is your future your friend or your enemy? Do you love to think about your future or you try to avoid your future as much as possible?

The future can be scary because it is unknown. It is uncertain.

These days, the uncertainty of our future has become very real. Because of US policy, the whole world is wondering what their future may be. Uncertain, unknown, unpredictable.

The future is not just uncertain and unknown – It is uncontrollable.

The future is not in your control. You don't know what tomorrow holds for you.

In Myanmar, close to 3,000 people died because of earthquake. Nobody knew that it was coming.

Recently in LA, and also in Korea, so many people lost their homes because of fire. Nobody expected that.

The future just comes without warning.

What are human responses to the very nature of the future?

Worries and anxieties. That is what a lot of people have about the future.

University students – What if I can't get into the program I want. People who are working, especially in the auto industry – What if I get laid off because of this new tariff. Old people – What if I get sick, who will take care of me?

Worries and Anxieties – A very common attitude towards their future.

Another human response is – You become helpless and hopeless.

You can do nothing about your future. So, just passively receive your future. Que sera sera – whatever will be, will be. The future is not ours to see.

But Paul showed a different attitude towards the future today.

but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13)

He didn't worry about his future. He didn't just passively take whatever future that came to him.

He strained forward to what lied ahead. He put away his past. He didn't dwell on it.

Our past can be a good teacher for us. But at the same time, our past can haunt us. Our past can drag us down.

Not just your painful past but even your glorious past can drag you down. What good is your glorious moment in the past? It's gone. No use.

You have to cut it off.

St. Paul considered his past as rubbish. Rubbish is a very toned down translation.

The Greek word Paul used,

skubalon – means “dung,” “excrement,” or “refuse .

He cut it off.

Forgetting what lies behind me, I will strain forward to what lies ahead.

A very future oriented mentality. How could he have this very strong future-oriented mentality?

Because he saw what most of us don't see.

He clearly saw what was ahead of him. He clearly saw the end. He was able to see the goal.

Verse 14.

I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

What do you see in your future? Do you see only dark, gloomy, and ominous clouds?

In the same letter St. Paul said this.

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

What does he see in his future?

The good work that God began will be completed. The good work God began in you will be completed.

He saw what was in his future with the eyes of faith.

He saw the power that moved and propelled him into the future.

He did not just wait passively for the future to come to him. He entered into the future with boldness.

There was power within him and this power propelled him into the future.

His attitude towards future is very different from most common attitudes of people: like worries and anxieties, or hopeless submission.

He knew that his future was not in his hands.

BUT

He believed that his future was in God's hands.

He believed that death is not the final station of his train.

My friends, death is not the final station of your train. Don't get off there.

St. Paul believed that the resurrection is his final station.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10, 11)

The power of the resurrection was what propelled him to take on his future.

The resurrection was what he saw in his future. Even suffering could not stop that future. Death could not stop that future.

If somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:11)

What do you see in your future?

Believe in your future.

When faith dances with the future, it becomes hope. Live with hope. Believe in your future.

At the end of your journey, there is the resurrection. See that. And boldly take the challenges that come to you. And build your beautiful future.

The post Look To the Future appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageLuke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptThis is a very famous story. I am sure most of you have heard about this story and are very familiar with it.

This is one of the most famous parables Jesus left behind for us to remember.

What we read today is the last one of three stories. All three stories have the same theme.

The first one is about a shepherd searching for one lost sheep, leaving 99 in the wilderness. The second one is about a woman searching for one lost coin. And today's story is the last one about a father who lost a son.

All three parables are about losing something and finding it back. But the third story has its unique message that is not in the first two.

The shepherd and the woman were actively searching for their lost one.

The shepherd went out and went through all the troubles to find the lost sheep. The woman lit a lamp and swept through the whole house to find the lost coin.

But the father didn't do anything to find the lost son.

He didn't go out to search for him. He didn't send people to find his son.

Was it because the father did not love the son? Was it because he was upset at the son? Or was it because he didn't care?

I don't think so.

I see two images of God in these three stories.

The first one is the image of God who actively goes out to search for the lost. The second one is the image of God who waits.

The lost sheep and the lost coin could not come back on their own. That's why the shepherd and the woman actively searched for it.

But the son – he was different.

He chose to go out. He didn't want to stay home. The Scripture doesn't tell us why he wanted to leave the house.

Maybe because of his self-righteous brother? Maybe because he felt stuffy at home? Maybe because he wanted to see the bigger world? Maybe because he simply wanted freedom? We don't know why.

But he wanted to leave home. He wanted his inheritance.

The father didn't die yet. But he wanted his portion anyway. That doesn't sound nice.

But strangely, the father was silent. He just gave it to him. The father let him go.

He didn't tell him to stay. He didn't tell him to reconsider. He didn't threaten him not to give him his portion.

He simply divided his property between two sons and gave his portion.

The father might have been disappointed. The father might have been angry. The father might have been concerned.

But the Scripture doesn't express any of his emotions. The silence of the father speaks volumes.

The father knew exactly that his son needed to do that.

He needed to leave the house. He needed to go out and experience the world. He needed to find his own life. He needed freedom even though the father knew that freedom was costly.

That is the kind of God we have.

God allows us to go. God allows us to have freedom. God allows us to have our own choice.

You have many young children. Now they are cute and adorable.

But there will be a time when they want to leave you and leave home. They want to make their own choices. They want to have their own freedom.

Letting them go is hard.

There is pain in letting go. Sometimes going out and actively searching for them is easier. But human beings are not like a sheep or a coin.

The image of God this parable portrays to us is the pain of God who lets his son go. The pain of God who lets his son reject him.

Asking for his inheritance while the father was alive was the greatest insult and disrespect. And yet the father doesn't say anything. His silence delivers his pain.

That is the kind of love Jesus showed. Jesus allowed people to reject him. I could see that very clearly in his last supper.

He knew that Judas would soon reject him. And yet he gave the bread to him.

Then he said,

Do quickly what you are going to do. (John 13:27)

John described the scene in this way.

So, after receiving the piece of bread, he (Judas) immediately went out. And it was night. (John 13:30)

And it was night.

This was a symbolic expression. He left Jesus who is the light and entered into darkness.

Jesus allowed Judas to betray him. Jesus allowed Peter to deny him.

Listen to this conversation.

Peter said to him, Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.' Jesus answered, Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times. (John 13:37, 38)

Jesus allowed Judas to betray him and Peter to deny him. Jesus allowed people to reject him. That is the message of the cross.

Today's story shows the agony of the father who allows the son to reject him, disrespect him, and leave him.

But that is not the end. The story also shows the image of God who is waiting.

The father let him go even though it was painful but deep inside, he was hoping that he would come back. This is well captured in verse 20.

So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:20)

I have an African Bible. It is in English but there are commentaries about how Africans may read a particular passage.

On this passage, it says, African elders will never run. Same with older Korean custom. They never run.

While he was still far off, the father could recognize his son. It gives me the image that he was waiting every day for the son to return.

That is the kind of God we have. Not only he allows son to go but he waits for the son who rejected him, insulted him, and left him.

That is the gospel. That is the good news.

Waiting is much more difficult than doing something for your son. Waiting is much more difficult than searching.

The third parable is the climax of God's love. It shows the epitome of God's love.

My friends, our God is not God who forces you to stay home. Our God is not God who justifies his righteousness by punishing us. I told you so is not God's attitude towards us.

Our God is not God who is forcing you to follow his command so that he could claim his authority and ownership.

Our God is God who wants you to be free and experience the world.

Our God is God who even allows you to reject him and leave him.

But our God is God who waits for you and is always ready to embrace you when you return.

This new image of God is what Jesus showed to all of us. This new image of God is what St. Paul discovered.

This is the image Pharisees did not understand and could not accept. So they rejected Jesus.

My friends, God is always waiting for you. Come home!

The post Pain of Letting Go appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture Passage1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptHave you had a personal experience of meeting God?

Meeting God is a wonderful experience. When you meet God, everything is good.

You feel embraced by God's love. Your burdens are lifted. You feel that everything is going to be alright.

Many of you have experienced this kind of wonderful encounter with God.

This is what it was like when the Corinthians received the gospel.

Meeting God instills a core belief: that everything will be alright. In God's hands, all will be good.

In Christian faith, we call that hope. Everything might not be alright now, but they will be.

Hope is at the core of Christian faith. Hope is what the resurrection is all about. No matter how bad things are now, in the end, God will be victorious.

The writer of Revelation articulates a beautiful vision of this good ending:

See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them and be their God;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.
(Revelation 21:4)

That is the promise of our hope. Our whole Christian faith is built on the promise that no matter how bad things are right now, in the end they will be alright.

Because of that hope, how you live now changes. You live based on the promise that is to come.

That's what happened to the Corinthians when they met God.

Christ was coming soon, and that all would be well. Based on that belief, they made radical changes to their lives.

They created a new community that crossed social and economic lines. Relationships that would never have been formed were created. It was a beautiful new kind of humanity and community.

When you meet God, that hope seems so real and alive. It is a beautiful thing.

But what happens when that hope doesn't manifest? What if there is a never ending delay to that promise? What if things don't really get better? Things don't change or even get worse?

When the promise of a better future doesn't become real, two questions arise in the heart:

What's the point?
What difference does it make?

What's the point of holding onto faith when nothing changes? What difference does it make to keep trying?

Your belief in the promise of a better future erodes. You lose hope.

That is the situation that Paul is addressing.

Christ did not come as they expected. Their problems remained. They were losing hope.

In today's passage, Paul is warning them using examples from the past. The examples he uses are from the Israelites when they were in the wilderness.

The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt. God heard their cries and sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt.

They experienced the mighty hand of God in leading them out and providing for them.

This is how Paul describes this:

I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)

God had led them out with a mighty hand. God promised that he would lead his people into the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

But then they got stuck in the wilderness.

People grew restless. They began to lose hope in the promise.

Paul describes what happened:

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness. (1 Corinthians 10:5)

They lost hope and fell away from God.

Paul has a few warnings based on what happened to them in the wilderness:

Do not become idolaters as some of them did, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play. (1 Corinthians 10:7)

This is based on the golden calf.

Moses went up to Mt Sinai to receive the commandments from God. But he took so long.

The people got tired of waiting. They demanded a god they could see.

So Moses' brother Aaron created a golden calf. They held a festival where they ate, drank and played.

God makes a promise that all will be good. But when things don't seem to get better, people easily turn to other things.

Where do you really turn to to feel safe and secure? What do you trust to make your life better?

We must not engage in sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. (1 Corinthians 10:8)

At another point during their time in the wilderness, they settled at a place in Moab.

The men began to sleep with Moabite women. Not only that, they began to offer sacrifices to Moabite gods.

They forgot about God's promise. They lost hope they would ever get to the Promised Land. So they focused on pleasure for that moment.

Many people say: just focus on the present.

We should enjoy each moment, yes. (Olivia tanned from vacation – jealous!)

But when you only focus on the present and ignore the future, if all you look forward to is pleasure, it could be a sign of lost hope for the future.

We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. (1 Corinthians 10:9)

When God's promise does not come to fruition, people question God.

When I see people, they don't turn to God or places like the Bible for wisdom, guidance and answers. They turn to experts online, influencers, people who sound intelligent. Anywhere but God.

When I mention the word Bible , many times I sense an immediate aversion.

It's almost like: God can't exist when there's all this mess – prove to me that God exists .

Even after all that God had done, many people in the wilderness questioned God himself.

And do not complain, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. (1 Corinthians 10:9)

People complained and grumbled to Moses the whole time. They even asked why he had brought them out of Egypt. At least there they had food to eat!

Grumbling, complaining, being a victim – these are not marks of trust in God and his promises.

Paul uses these examples to identify pitfalls to faith. Things that take your eyes away from the promise we build our lives on.

What is the Christian journey?

It is living in that gap between God's promise and its fulfillment. That's what it means to follow Jesus.

The Christian life exists in tension between the messy reality that's now and what will be. That's why it can be so difficult.

That's why so many people fall away.

Christian life is not for the faint of heart.

It's not for those seeking a simple, easy life. It is living with that gap that sometimes seems like a chasm.

The main ingredient for life in this gap is faith: trusting in the promises of God, even when they seem so far away. Trusting the one who makes the promises.

When faith goes, so does hope.

There are so many reasons to lose belief in God's promises.

We have our Sioux Valley info session today.

So many challenges – drug epidemic among youth. Grave concern among elders and leaders for youth.

Legacies of history and residential schools is tragic – breakdown of family life where love is experienced.

Message from broken family and outside world: you are not loveable. Questions: what's the point? What difference does it make?

Lost hope – no belief that future can be different, better.

It seems more difficult than ever to hold onto hope in God's promises.

But I hold onto God's promises.

Why?

First, because life with no hope is no life. I don't want to have nothing to live for!

Secondly, because of what I've experienced and because of people's living testimonies of faith.

I've seen the living testimonies of faith in you and places like Sioux Valley. I've seen people get through so many challenges and difficulties with faith in God's promises.

They don't lose hope.

I've seen the power of faith that moves mountains and overcomes all manner of tribulations.

They assure me that God's promises are real and true.

My friends, it is worth it to hold onto the promises of God. The rewards of the promise are great.

They are life. They are joy. They are fullness.

Living with faith in that promise has its rich rewards now. It brings peace, joy, community.

That is what we are: a community that holds onto the promises of God.

Paul gives this assurance to us:

No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

We face many tests of our faith. But God will not let them overcome you.

God will give you strength. God will give you a way out! God will hold up your hope.

Hold onto hope. Do not give up. Find rest in the promises of God.

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Scripture PassagePsalm 27

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWe've been studying David at our Winter Fridays. The psalm we read today was written by him.

Around 73 of the 150 psalms are attributed to David. That is almost half of the entire book.

He was a talented poet. He had the sensitivity of an artist and the insight of a theologian.

When I look at David's life, I see a common theme. It is that God was always with him.

He lived his life with this understanding, in all circumstances.

God was never separate from or outside the reality of his life. God was intimately involved in his life.

We can see this at the beginning of today's psalm

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

Even in danger, David never lost his confidence. Knowing that God was with him gave him strength.

It gave him the courage to face Goliath when no one else wanted to. It gave him the wisdom to spare Saul's life even when it was to his advantage.

It made him the spiritual rock that he was.

What does it mean to know that God is always with us? What did it mean for David? I asked myself that question.

This is something that we hear often. But what is implied in that expression?

To know that God is with us is to know that we are LOVED.

There is no difference. They are very much connected.

That we are loved reveals itself in the way God cares for us.

Knowing this is the foundation of our faith. It is the source of our confidence in the midst of trouble.

David knew that he was loved. It was not head knowledge.

He experienced God's love surrounding him all throughout his life. Not only in his successes and victories, but especially in situations that seemed impossible and life-threatening.

He was saved numerous times from Saul's attempts to kill him. He was pulled back from the frontlines just as he thought he had to go to war against his own people.

When he was lost and unsure of what to do, David saw God's hand rescuing him like a ray of light piercing through the darkness.

God's steadfast love became real to him in those moments.

We don't know the exact context or background of today's psalm.

It is obvious that he is in some kind of danger. People are against him and they want his life.

Yet, he does not easily waver in his confidence. He knows that he is loved and God will take care of him.

For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock. (Psalm 27:5)

If my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will take me up. (Psalm 27:10)

Whenever difficulties come, the first thing we do is panic.

We become fearful. We lose perspective and get overwhelmed.

We look for solutions to get rid of our problems quickly. We make rash and impulsive decisions.

We end up complicating our situations even more. We feel more powerless and helpless than before.

All this comes from believing that we are alone.

That is why we ask ourselves, Why is this happening to me? We feel totally isolated.

Is God really with me? In other words, we are asking Am I loved by God?

That was Saul.

He lived in constant fear. It stemmed from his belief that he was totally alone.

Unlike David, God was not a part of his reality. Only himself. His life became all about him trying to deal with his problems.

But it didn't better his situation. It only led him further and further into darkness. It ultimately destroyed him.

In that sense, dealing with the challenges of life is not so much a question of what to do, but WHO WE ARE.

It is not a matter of finding effective solutions, but our IDENTITY.

When the storms come, what gets rattled is our sense of self. Everything else in our life feels shaky as a result.

If our identity is firmly rooted, we can withstand the storm. If our identity is fragile, we will be knocked down by the storm.

That is what our Hi-C students reflected on at their retreat last weekend.

The theme was, Be Who You Are .

To be a rock, we need to cultivate a healthy and strong identity. Adolescence is perhaps the most formative time for that.

Cultivating a healthy sense of self begins with hearing who God says that we are.

The first thing God tells us is that we are loved as Jesus heard at his baptism

And a voice came from the heavens, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased. (Mark 1:11)

We are not loved because of anything we have done.

It is because that is who God is. God is love.

We were loved even before we were born. Our very existence is the evidence of God's love.

To know that we are loved is where everything starts. It is the bedrock of our life and identity.

Do you know that you are loved? Do you believe that?

Remind yourself daily of this truth.

I AM LOVED.

Every morning. During the day. At the end of the night. I think it can be a good spiritual practice for Lent.

When we rest in God's love, the power of fear will lose its grip over us. It will no longer control or dictate the way we live.

The most visible indication of the absence of love in our life is the presence of fear. From there comes hatred and anger, envy and jealousy.

Where love is present, fear cannot exercise its power.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

Whether you feel it or not, God's love always surrounds you. That will never change.

There is never a moment when you are away or apart from God. His love will accompany you through all the stages of your life.

David said

Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast. (Psalm 139:7-10)

Hearing this, I also thought of what St. Paul said.

Like David, he lived with the deep understanding that he was loved. He knew that nothing could separate him from God.

No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

UNCERTAINTY seems to be the word that captures the mood of today.

Not that our life was more certain before. But what is happening around us seems to amplify the feeling of uncertainty even more.

People are stressed and on edge. They are struggling not just financially, but mentally as well. They seem burdened and down.

In some ways, this feels like the next big challenge that we are facing since the pandemic.

How we choose to go through this period will be very important.

Even though our circumstances may tell us otherwise, remember that you are loved. You don't have to do anything.

First, simply rest in God's love. Find refuge in God. Be still and look to him.

Be strong and courageous, as David said

Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:14)

You are not alone. God is always with you.

God will stretch out his hand and deliver you. God's goodness will surround you and follow you. God will help you come out of the storm stronger than before.

This is the time for us to be shaped into a ROCK.

The post Know You Are Loved appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageDeuteronomy 26:1-11

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWhen I think about people today, there's a word that comes to my mind: overwhelmed.

I sense that people are just overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by the demands placed on them. Their time. Energy. Attention.

It is true, our senses are overwhelmed, our brains are overwhelmed. We can't even sit still: our phones demand our attention.

But I think there's a deeper force that leads people to feel overwhelmed. It's that the anchors people rely on are crumbling.

In Canada, we're going through a huge change.

For our entire lifetimes, the United States was our anchor. Our identity as Canadians was closely tied to the United States, whether we like it or not.

We liked to say that we're not Americans, but even saying that reveals just how closely tied we were to them.

They were our economic anchor. They were our security anchor. We could live safely, peacefully and prosperously because we had a strong, rich, friendly neighbour to the south.

But all that has changed in just two months.

Canada is very alone and vulnerable right now. We cannot rely exclusively on the United States for our economy.

But it will take time to diversify our trading relationships. Even geographically we are isolated – the only neighbour we have is the United States.

I have concerns about the future; I don't know what will happen.

Today's passage is the final speech of Moses to the Israelites.

It begins this way:

When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you (Deuteronomy 26:1)

They are still in the wilderness.

In the wilderness, the Israelites had no anchor. Their only thing they knew before freedom was their life in slavery.

That's why even though they were free in the wilderness, many times the people complained to Moses. They would say that at least in Egypt we had food to eat!

In the wilderness, they had absolutely no anchors but God.

They had to learn how to trust completely in God. They trusted God for everything: food, water, shelter and where to go.

It took a whole generation. Over 40 years. The first generation all died in the wilderness. A new generation was born.

But finally, by the end, they knew their anchor was God. They became God's people.

Our identity is always in connection with something or someone else.

I am not just Simon. Even my name is not from me – it was given to me by my parents. I am their son. I am Joonie and Abby's dad. I am a pastor of St. Timothy.

I am always someone in relation to someone or something else.

For me, the most important part of my identity is that I am a child of God. God is the unchanging anchor that I pin my identity to.

That was the main outcome of the Israelites in the wilderness: they became God's people by pinning their identity to God. They and God became one.

My friends, in these times, we feel no true anchor in this world. Anything can change. And that can be overwhelming.

But we HAVE an unchanging anchor.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. God is steadfast, unchanging and forever faithful.

That is who we pin our identity on.

If your identity as God's child is clear, steadfast and unchanging, then you can get through ANYTHING in life!

That's how important your identity is. You are a child of God. You are God's.

If you know who you are, if you know whose you are, then you will withstand anything that comes your way.

Moses' main concern was whether the people would maintain their identity.

Their time in the wilderness was coming to an end. A whole generation had passed away, and a new one emerged. They would enter a new environment filled with new challenges.

Would they remain attached to God, or would they attach themselves to other things?

That was the great question and concern in Moses' mind. Who would they be?

That's the question for us.

In today's passage, Moses institutes spiritual practices so that people would maintain their identity as God's people.

That is what today's passage is all about: how the people maintain their identity as the people of God in new and changing environments.

Those practices are just as relevant for us today.

When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess and you possess it and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.' (Deuteronomy 26:1-2)

Moses instituted the first fruit offering. This is where we get our practice of tithing from.

Give to God before you take anything for yourself

What does this achieve?

It affirms your connection to God. It acknowledges who gave you this fruit in the first place.

You may have been the one to harvest the land, but it was God who gave you the land in the first place.

There's an old Korean custom I learned growing up. When you start a new job, you give your first paycheque to your parents.

It's an acknowledgement of their hard work and sacrifice to help you get to where you are. It's affirming your relationship with them. I think it's a beautiful custom.

Giving your first fruit to God: that is affirming your identity as a child of God.

That is something that was instilled deeply in the first generation.

During COVID, when we could not meet in person, people would deliver their offering envelopes in person. When they miss a week at church, the next week they bring two weeks of offering.

We need to learn from these things.
Giving of your first fruit is a tangible, concrete expression of your relationship with God.

When presenting the first fruit, the people were to say this:

Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.' (Deuteronomy 26:1-2)

After that, this was his instruction:

When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, you shall make this response before the Lord your God: A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.' (Deuteronomy 26:4-10)

While giving their offering, they remember all that God has done. Not just that, but especially how God came in their darkest moments and helped them.

My friends, we are here because God has been with us. God has helped you.

All of you have faced great challenges. Overcome great difficulties. Many of you still are dealing with great challenges.

But God has been with you. God has brought you to this point. God is carrying you now.

Sometimes when we look back, we don't know how we made it. But we realize that it was God who did.

When I really look back, there were so many dark, difficult moments. I don't know why or how God helped me. But somehow, God did.

I am so blessed now – I don't deserve any of them. When I think of how God has been with me, it brings tears to my eyes.

In that sense, it is nothing to give the first fruits to God. Of course God deserves that first portion. God was everything when I was nothing.

That's the attitude we bring to offering. By reciting the past, God once again becomes center in the present.

You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 26:10)

Our offering song was simple and beautiful. We fall down, we lay our crowns, at the feet of Jesus. We cry Holy Holy Holy is the lamb!

That is our worship. With thanksgiving, we give to God and fall down in worship.

That is what we do.

Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house. (Deuteronomy 26:11)

After worship and thanksgiving, there is a celebration! Levites were the priests. Aliens are the strangers in their midst.

So with the pastors and people from all over, we celebrate!

That's what happens in our Fellowship Hall.

I know it can seem intimidating to go into a hall full of people. It's hard for introverts.

But from a spiritual perspective, our fellowship time is a great celebration of the God who has been with us. Everyone is a part of that celebration.

These were practices that Moses left so that Israel could affirm its identity as God's children.

This is not just a one-time thing.

God has given us the gift of the Sabbath. A weekly rhythm of rest and making life blessed again.

Sabbath is a day of rest. But rest is not doing nothing.

Rest is recentering your identity. Coming back to who you really are. Coming back to God and resting in God's presence.

On the Sabbath day, we worship God and affirm once again who we are – beloved children of God.

You are God's children. We have an unshakeable anchor in God.

No matter how much the world changes, our God does not. How wonderful that is!

Know who you are. Know whose you are.

That identity be your anchor to get you through anything that life throws your way.

The post Know Who You Are appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageLuke 9:28-36

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptToday's passage gives us a wonderful scene. A glorious scene!

While Jesus was praying, his face changed. His clothes became dazzling.

Two dead people appeared. They were not just dead people. They were like pillars of the Old Testament.

Moses represented the Law. Elijah represented the Prophet. So the Law and the Prophet, the core tradition of the Old Testament.

What a glorious scene! It's a miracle. It was out-of-this-world experience.

I need that these days. The reality is so harsh that I need something out of this world.

The world we live in is a very difficult world. Especially for those who are weak and powerless, this world becomes more and more difficult to survive.

Yesterday was 3.1. It is a special day for Koreans. They protested against Japanese occupation. The powerless fought against the powerful. Many Christians participated in this movement.

But now the powerless has no place to stand. Our reality is harsh; I need fantasy.

The Scripture tells us about a few wonderful out-of-this-world experiences people had.

It is the intervention of God. It is God's way of entering into this world. It is God's special touch.

On the road to Damascus, Paul had this intervention of God.

He was going to arrest Christians, imprison them and kill them. He was exercising his power and authority on the weak and the vulnerable.

But on the way, he experienced the bright light shining around him. And he heard Jesus talking to him.

By then, Jesus was already dead. And Paul knew that.

He heard the voice of Jesus telling him, Saul, Saul, (His Hebrew name) why do you persecute me?

Why are you doing this to my powerless people? Persecuting those who are weak and vulnerable is persecuting me.

Out-of-this-world experience!

It happened to Isaiah too.

He was in the temple. He described his experience in this way.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.' (Isaiah 6:1-3)

Out-of-this-world Experience!

Elijah also had this kind of experience.

He (God) said, Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, What are you doing here, Elijah?' (1 Kings 19:11-13)

Out of this world Experience!

I discover one common thing of all those who had this wonderful glorious moment.

They were all facing their harsh reality. They were all going through hard times before this happened.

Isaiah was struggling with his own inadequacy and sinfulness, living in a sinful surroundings. This was what he said.

Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts! (Isaiah 6:5)

Elijah was so deeply depressed that he wanted to die. This was what he said.

He asked that he might die: It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors. (1 Kings 19:4)

Even in Jesus' case, this was what he said just before he experienced the transfiguration on the mountain.

The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. (Luke 9:22)

Jesus was facing his own death.

Sometimes God intervenes in our life.

God shows his grace in a special way. Not necessarily only through the forms of miracles and supernatural experiences.

But there are times when God specially touches you, awakens you, and inspires you. These are glorious moments.

This happens when you are going through difficult times.

When life is difficult, God appears to you and makes his presence evident. God's presence empowers you, transforms you, and lets you experience glorious moment.

But my friends, God gives you this wonderful experience not just to console you and comfort you but to PREPARE you. To prepare you to take the challenges ahead of you.

God prepared Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles.

How about Isaiah?

After this experience, God said this.

Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? (Isaiah 6:8)

Isaiah said,

Here am I; send me! (Isaiah 6:8)

Elijah too. Elijah said this.

I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away. (1 Kings 19:14)

To Elijah, God said this.

I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:18)

And go and do what you have to do.

God gives us this wonderful divine experience so that we are ready to take our challenges.

When you carefully read today's passage, you see that the central message is not the divine experience but the central message is what was coming ahead.

Let me read it for you.

Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:30, 31)

What departure? Jesus' Death. The Cross.

They were talking about Jesus' death. They were talking about what Jesus was about to do.

The glorious moment you experience with God is to prepare you to deal with your harsh reality.

Every Sunday, you come and worship God. It is a wonderful experience. Thank you all for making this worship service very special.

But we should not just feel good about experiencing God's inspiration. This is to prepare you to deal with challenges you face every day from tomorrow.

Tomorrow you have challenges ahead of you. There are problems you have to face.

That was what Jesus did right after the transfiguration. The very next day, this happened.

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.' Jesus answered, You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.' While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God. (Luke 9:37-43)

Yes, the very next day, Jesus had to deal with the darkness, the evil power, and the poor victims in his life.

Tomorrow, from Monday, you have to deal with challenges in your life. Relationship problems. Health problems. Financial problems. Deal with evils around you.

God will be with you. God will strengthen you. God will show you the power to deal with your challenges.

There will be God's intervention.

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Scripture PassageLuke 6:27-38

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptJesus is our Lord. But Jesus was also a flesh and blood human being. His ministry took place among flesh and blood human beings.

Jesus' message to them was that the kingdom of God was at hand. Something new was being born.

What was the main point about the kingdom of God?

Put simply, it was this: you are not merely a victim of your circumstances, but you are empowered to live a better way.

Today's passage is the first lesson Jesus gives to his listeners.

Love your enemies.

Why did he begin with this?

He was addressing a critical issue for his audience.

His listeners were not people living comfortably, there for a good and entertaining lecture. They were desperate, poor, struggling peasants and commoners in the countryside and small villages.

Life had become very difficult for commoners in Galilee. They were forced into debt. They lost their land. They were left behind economically, politically, socially.

When things get difficult, the first thing to get affected is unity.

The hardships they faced eroded the bonds that held them together. Their difficult circumstances made former friends enemies. Former neighbours adversaries.

Hatred and mistreatment grew among people.

They were victims of forces and decisions beyond their control. But Jesus is saying: don't be victims of your circumstances.

If you react to hate; If you curse those who curse you; If you mistreat those who mistreat you; Aren't you merely a victim of your circumstances?

You don't have control over their actions or behaviours. But you allow those behaviours to shape yours. The behaviours and actions of others take control over you.

Offering your other cheek; Giving your shirt after they've already taken your coat; Are these signs of weakness?

No. They are signs of an empowered person.

One who is making their own choice.

Jesus' message is that you have agency. You have the power to live a different way.

You may not be able to change your circumstances, but you can change how you live.

The kingdom of God is this: people who live a new way despite present circumstances. A new way defined by God's will that goes against present circumstances.

Jesus came to show that a new way is possible. The kingdom of God is not something that takes place in the afterlife. It is something that is present now.

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed, nor will they say, Look, here it is!' or There it is!' For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you. (Luke 17:20-21)

This is a radical message for life. You can live a different way from your circumstances or environment.

I don't want to underestimate our circumstances. They have a huge effect on your life.
Sometimes they are so difficult to deal with.

I know some people are dealing with health issues. Others are dealing with financial challenges or finding a job. Others are very anxious by the political uncertainties in the world.

Difficult circumstances instill fear, uncertainty, anxiety.

Our circumstances are so powerful. They are powerful because they become so much larger than us.

Last Sunday, our sanctuary was quite empty because of all the snow. We had no control over nature. We were at its mercy.

Circumstances are like that.

Because they are so large, they influence us deeply. They affect how you feel. How you think.

But what Jesus is saying is that yes, they are powerful and real, but still, you do not need to become a slave to your circumstances.

Human beings are very adaptable. We've learned to adapt and survive in all sorts of environments. It is an important skill.

But if all you do is adapt and survive, then you will not be free. You will continue to be a slave to your circumstances.
You will be absorbed by your circumstances.

Sometimes, we need to fight against the circumstances and work to change them.

When things are unfair or unjust, we should speak truth and resist. If your health is not great, then you should seek the best medical help and do everything you can to improve your health.

But more important is your attitude and thinking.

Do not let your circumstances dictate how you think, feel and behave.

Circumstances will come and be beyond your control. But do not let them control your thinking. Don't just react to them with your emotions. If you do, then you are just a victim of your circumstances.

The people listening to Jesus had adapted to the hostility around them.

They began to think like those in a hostile environment. They began to feel like them. Talk like them. They all became part of that environment and perpetuated it.

Jesus came to break that cycle. He came to break the grip that circumstances in this world have on you.

Jesus came to bring freedom and the possibility of a new start.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17)

Freedom to live the right way. Freedom to do the right thing. Freedom to live by the golden rule:

Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)

If you are not free, you cannot treat others as you would have them treat you. If you're not free, how you treat others will depend on how your circumstances are affecting you. You will not be consistent.

Jesus came to bring freedom. But freedom comes with a cost.

You have to struggle for it. You have to fight for it.

Many Canadians are uneasy by all this talk about becoming the 51st state. I don't know how serious they are. But if they are, and we want to maintain our freedom and independence, it will come at a cost.

St. Paul's core belief is that we have been rescued from the bondage of our sins. Sins no longer have dominion over us.

We are free in Christ. But that freedom came at a cost. The cost of his life and blood on the cross.

Jesus was not a victim of his circumstance. He lived an empowered life, filled with the Holy Spirit.

He loved his enemies. He did good to those who hated him. He blessed those who cursed him. He prayed for those who mistreated him. He allowed himself to be hung on the cross.

Those of us who follow Jesus are not mere victims of circumstance. We are empowered by his Spirit of freedom.

We may not control our circumstances. We may have no say in what happens around us. But we will not let them have control over us.

Today's passage reminds me of the Freedom Movement in the 1960's. Martin Luther King Jr articulated a new response to their situation: nonviolent resistance.

In a society filled with hatred and violence, they resisted it with nonviolence. They met hatred with love. When they were struck, they offered the other cheek.

The real power of the movement lay in the change that occurred in millions of black people across the country. They discovered that they were no longer mere victims of their circumstance.

Before, they were mere victims of racism, hatred and evil. They lived in fear of violence and hatred.
They allowed themselves to accept their inferior status. They allowed themselves to be treated with less dignity.

But now they realized that they were not mere victims. They were somebodies. They had a say in how they lived. They could react differently to the hatred and violence of others.

In responding to violence with nonviolence, they became an empowered people. The kingdom of God was alive among them.

Their example inspired millions of people around the world. They fueled global movements for change and justice.

We need that spirit to come alive today. We need empowered people who live differently than our environment and circumstances dictate.

Our context today is very challenging. The issues are so much more complex.

It's hard to know what's right from what's wrong. It's hard to know what to fight for, and what to fight against. It's easy to give up and withdraw from caring.

Jesus gave us gift to be empowered: the gift of prayer.

Prayer is our access and lifeline to the empowering Spirit of Jesus.
When circumstances overwhelm us and drown us, prayer is the boat that keeps us above waters.

Prayer gives us the strength we need to carry on our own path in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Prayer keeps us from being passive victims of these complex and overwhelming circumstances.

When circumstances threaten to overwhelm you; When they tire your spirit; Come to Jesus in prayer.

He will grant you his Spirit to live an empowered life in the kingdom of God.

The post Don’t Be A Victim, Be Empowered appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture Passage1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWhen does a person deteriorate?

What I means is When does a person become weak, frail, dark, and negative?

When does a person become overly critical, not happy, gloomy, and feel hopeless?

I think that happens when your thinking is deteriorated.

The other day, I was talking with a person who just retired. I asked, How is your retired life? He said, Good. I do a lot of things. When I do a lot of things, I don't think about death too much.

That was interesting, I thought when I heard it. But I think he is right. There is wisdom in what he said.

If you think about death all the time, definitely, you will soon become deteriorated.

I visit many people at the hospital. I realized that after they were diagnosed, they became much more quickly deteriorated.

It is all to do with your thinking.

That was what happened at the church in Corinth. When they first heard the message from St. Paul, they were ecstatic.

They received the message of the good news. First time, they heard about the message of resurrection.

When Paul preached that in Athens which is very close to Corinth, this was people's reaction.

May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means. (Acts 17:19-20)

Corinthian people also found it strange but soon they were able to receive the message of resurrection.

When they believed the message, they experienced the power of the resurrection. They were filled with joy and eternal hope.

But soon, their thinking became deteriorated.

They focused more on day to day living. They worried about what to eat, what to wear. They worried about their businesses. They worried about their children. They worried about their own death. Their thinking became weak.

When their thinking became weak, everything fell apart.

There were sexual corruptions. They created factions and fought with each other. They became very divisive. They neglected the poor around them.

Their spirituality became very self-focused. Their spiritual gifts made them proud and arrogant.

When their thinking became weak, their life became dark. Morality, principles, spirituality – everything went down the drain.

Ultimately, they doubted about their own resurrection. Their belief deteriorated.

That was why Paul raised this question.

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:12)

They didn't raise this doubt when they first received the message from St. Paul.

That's why it was possible that the church was established in Corinth.

But now some people at the church could not accept the resurrection. When their thinking became weak, their belief became frail.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the core belief that we Christians hold unto.

If there is no belief in the resurrection, there is no Christianity. On resurrection, Christianity is established.

If the cross were the end, then there is no point in believing.

If the cross were the end, then the evil won. God is defeated by the evil, the darkness, and the death. There is no hope for us.

The whole theology and all Christian thinking depend on the truth that there is resurrection.

Death is not the end. There is resurrection after the death.

Death did not win. Life defeated death.

That's what we believe.

Jesus exemplified what our destiny would be. He created the path to the eternal life for us.

As God raised Jesus from the dead, he will raise us from the dead.

People who were martyred died with the hope of resurrection. If there is no resurrection, their death is in vain.

That was what St. Paul firmly reiterated in today's passage.

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:13-14)

All my life, I have been in ministry. All my life, I have preached about the resurrection.

If there is no resurrection, I have lived all my life for nothing.

I can feel what Paul was saying today.

If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)

Belief in the resurrection is tough.

The resurrection is not something that you can prove theoretically or empirically.

That is the nature of belief.

Belief is different from knowing. Knowing is intellectually convinced or convicted.

Belief is spiritually accepting the truth.

Knowing is in your limited capacity. You can only know what you can intellectually understand.

But belief is accepting what is much bigger than yourself.

The good will win over the evil. The truth shall set you free.

It's hard to believe these days but ultimately justice will prevail. That is all in the realm of belief.

These are things you can accept only through your belief. There is no logical necessity that the good will win over the evil.

But we believe that. And we live by that belief.

Jesus said to Martha.

I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25, 26)

Jesus didn't say, Do you know this or do you understand this. Jesus said, Do you believe this?

Because it is realm of belief.

Belief is not about being intellectually convinced.

Belief is accepting the world of truth that is much bigger than my world. Much bigger than what we can process with our intellectual understanding.

So, I realized that belief is not something that I do with my brain but I practice to accept the truth that came to me.

Belief is about practicing it. You practice to believe.

Daily you practice to believe. After practicing it, see what happens.

When your thinking deteriorates, your belief deteriorates. You become small. You become locked up in your own small world.

Life – you have to live with belief, not with knowledge.

When you live with belief, your life becomes bigger. You become a bigger person.

If you are waiting for the tangible proof of resurrection, you will never get it. Don't even wait. How long are you gonna live in a limbo?

You can accept the resurrection only through your belief.

Then you will see that our world is full of resurrection.

Every morning, you wake up, you see that the new day is the resurrection.

Whenever you get defeated, you can overcome your failure and rise again. That is the resurrection.

Even in your hopeless situation, you don't give up. You fight. You pursue what is ahead.

That is the resurrection.

It is a little long passage but I can see Paul's thinking about the resurrection quite well.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:10-14)

That is the attitude of a person who believes in the resurrection.

Don't let your thinking deteriorate. Be strong. Practice your belief. Think about the resurrection. Think about it all the time.

Don't think about death; think about life.

Steve Jobs said,

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.

Let me tell you a better way.

Think about that you will be alive every day. Your day will be brightened up.

The post Think About Being Alive Every Day appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageLuke 5:1-11

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptLife is about more than fish.

Focus on God, not the fish. God will provide all that you need and unlock what you really want.

Do you know what it is that you WANT?

What if what you THINK you want is not REALLY what you want?

We often confuse what we WANT with what we NEED. What we THINK we want is often really what we NEED.

Because it's hard to get what we need, we think that's what we want.

It's very hard to make money. Especially if you don't have much to begin with.

Young people are having a hard time getting a job. It's getting harder and harder to keep a job.

So yes, it takes a lot of work to get what we need.

But when you get what you need, you're not satisfied. Getting what you NEED can never satisfy.

Money, love, acceptance- these are things we need. Even pleasure and leisure – we need these things. Human beings are not animals meant to only work.

But the things that we need cannot satisfy.

We need something, so we get it, but then we're not satisfied.

You need MORE than that. Only getting what you WANT can satisfy.

Simon was a fisherman. He needed fish. That was his livelihood.

The fact that he owned a boat meant that he had a fishing business. It was a hard business.

That very night, he fished all night but caught nothing. Catching fish is what he thought he wanted.

But Jesus came and told him to put his net out into deep water. He had fished all night and caught nothing, yet Jesus was telling him to go again.

Simon was probably skeptical, but he listened to Jesus.

The result was pretty crazy:

When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. (Luke 5:6,7)

It was the biggest catch of his life! He had more fish than he needed.

But instead of being so happy, we see an interesting response.

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus's knees, saying, Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man! (Luke 5:8)

I am a sinful man!

Simon received everything he thought he had wanted. But in that moment, he saw something clearly.

He saw that his focus had been on fish, not God.

Simon was a member of the synagogue. Every Sabbath he would have heard the Word being taught.

For Jews, from the time they were born, they were imprinted with this commandment:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

The most important commandment was to love God. It was to seep into their whole existence.

It didn't come out of nowhere.

It was forged from their experience in the wilderness.

In the wilderness, there was nothing. No food, no water.

But there, they experienced God's presence in a powerful way. God provided everything they needed.

God sent manna from heaven. God sent quails for meat. God made water flow from the rock.

In the wilderness, they learned to love God and trust God completely.

God created human beings to live in relationship with him. God blessed Adam and Eve with everything in the Garden of Eden.

We were to enjoy all this abundance in relationship with God.

But sin began when they turned their focus away from God. When they lost trust in God. When they hid and turned away from God.

Sin begins when we turn our orientation and focus to the things we NEED and AWAY from GOD.

When we become preoccupied with what we need, we turn away from God. The worries and anxieties of what we need take over our thoughts.

Sin is separation from God.

When we put what we NEED at the centre, we separate ourselves from God.

And in focusing on what we NEED, we lose touch with what we WANT.

In the presence of Jesus, Simon saw how much he had turned away from loving God at centre.

God knows what we need. He knows that we need money, food, clothing. Love, acceptance, and validation.

God doesn't want us to be blind to our needs.

We need to work hard. We need to use our brains that God gave us.

But they cannot be our center.

Our love, loyalty and devotion need to be to God alone. Our complete trust must be in God.

Jesus said:

Therefore do not worry, saying, What will we eat?' or What will we drink?' or What will we wear?' For it is the gentiles who seek all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)

Trust God. Love God first and with all your heart. And God will provide all that you need.

That's what Peter experienced in the presence of Jesus. He saw how far he had gone away from God in his focus on fish.

After Simon's confession, this is what Jesus said to him:

Then Jesus said to Simon, Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people. (Luke 5:10)

Jesus provided everything Simon needed. But now he unlocked what Simon really WANTED.

What Simon wanted was not fish. Fish was merely what he needed to live.

What he WANTED was a bigger purpose. A life that was drawn toward the divine will. A calling that connected him a bigger life.

Jesus unlocked this deeper desire that had been HIDDEN.

A deeper desire hidden and buried underneath his pursuit of fish.

My friends, what do you really WANT?

Have you been able to ask yourself that? Or have you been so focused on what you NEED?

God wants to give you an abundant life. That is what Jesus came to give.

God's desire is for you to live for what you WANT. When you're connected with God, you get in touch with what you WANT.

God will take care of your needs. God will free you from your fear and preoccupation so you can live for what you WANT.

Living for what you want – that is a life of joy, purpose, significance. That is a life worth living for!

Simon Peter found that after meeting Jesus.

Finding what he wanted was worth more than all the fish he could ask for. That's why he left everything – all of his fish – and followed Jesus.

My friends, we need fish to live.

I love fish. I've loved fish and chips since the time I was a child. I love mackerel ( ) and . I love sushi – sushi boats with sashimi and rolls, yum! I love salmon chirashi. I love McDonald's Filet-O-Fish.

I love fish. But life is more than fish.

Fish can satisfy my taste buds and appetite. But fish can never satisfy my soul.

Only Jesus can.

Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)

We're living in a very unsettling time. Everyday there's something new.

Most recently, we've had a scare with the tariffs. Something about this has shaken Canadians to the core.

Donald Trump threatened to take away our fish. I thought we were friends!

How are you doing me like that? You tryna take my fish? You may take all of my fish, but I gonna take some of yo fish. Keep yo hands off my fish! We ain't friends no more.

We don't know what's in store.

But more than ever, fix your eyes firmly on God.

Stand more rooted on the solid rock of Jesus. Love God with all your heart and put all your trust in him.

God will provide all the fish you need. God will reveal what you really want. God will lead you to green and abundant pastures.

The post More Than Fish appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture Passage1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptLove never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:8)

This phrase catches my eyes.

There is so much in this passage. I can talk about so many things about love.

But this phrase stands out for me.

Love Never Ends.

Love is eternal. The eternal quality is intrinsic in Love.

But that's not what we experience about love in this world.

People fall in love and easily fall out of love. Today they go crazy about each other and tomorrow they go separate ways.

We don't experience the eternal quality of love.

That's what celebrities always experience. People are crazy about them and they say how much they love them. But once their popularity goes down, nobody really cares for them.

Loving your neighbours is what we have learned from our Lord Jesus.

We try to practice that and we also expect that from our neighbours. But all of a sudden, they tell us that we have to pay 25% tariff.

We feel betrayed. Once we were neighbours and now we feel like we are strangers.

That is the kind of love we experience in this world.

Today we are a friend, but tomorrow, we become a stranger.

We don't experience the long lasting quality of love in this world. So, people don't trust love. They sing What's love got to do with it.

Love we experience is a very momentary thing.

It doesn't give us security and confidence. It is just feeling you feel for the moment.

And it doesn't last too long.

That's what feeling is. Feeling is never eternal.

To many people, love is just feeling. It comes and goes. One day you feel very close. The next day you feel indifferent.

But Paul boldly proclaims that love never ends.

Everything else comes to an end. But love never ends.

He said,

But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. (1 Corinthians 13:8)

But love we experience is a very small fraction of the true love that is eternal. We feel that love but only momentarily.

Then what is love that never ends? Where does it come from?

This was what John said.

God is love. (1 John 4:16)

God is love and love is God. That's where love comes from.

We don't feel God but we feel love that is God. We don't experience God but we experience love that is God.

Love is God's essential attribute. God is made up of love.

So that's why John didn't say that God HAS love. He simply said God IS love.

Love we experience is God's love.

But only the fraction of it. Only momentarily. Even that momentary experience is heavenly bliss.

Love is God's gift for us, for the humanity. This love created the world.

When God's love is materialized, that is creation. The birth of a child is God's gift of love for the parents.

The abundance we enjoy in our lives is God's gift of love. The breath that makes us alive is God's gift of love.

This love sent his son to the world to save it.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Because we have love that never ends, we have no fear.

We have dark time coming ahead of us. We are not clear how this relationship with US will affect us.

But because we have love that never ends, we don't fear. It is time to pray for Canada.

We should be united, not divided.

Because we have love, we don't fear judgment. Because we have love, we are not afraid of death.

So, John said,

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:17-19)

The last sentence.

We love because he first loved us.

We don't have love on our own.

The love we have is imperfect. The love we have is not complete.

We love because God first loved us. We love because God gave us love.

Love is God's greatest gift to us.

Faith is also God's gift. Hope is also God's gift. But love is the greatest gift.

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

When you love, you participate in the most profound and marvellous realm, sphere of God's world. You enter into the most holy and sacred space.

When you love, you enter into the eternity.

When you love, you will be able to see the great mystery of God.

Your eyes will be open and you will be able to see the true purpose and meaning of life.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

My friends, let us enjoy God's greatest gift to us.

This gift will enliven our lives. This gift of love will make our lives abundant and meaningful.

If there is no love, everything will become useless and everything will end in nothing. Our life will end in nothing.

That was what Paul eloquently articulated in the beginning.

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

What good is it if you are the most powerful person in the world? What good is it if you have everything people desire?

If you have no love, it means nothing.

When everything becomes nothing, the only thing that remains is love.

Love never ends.

And nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God. That was what Paul experienced.

And that is the good news. Nothing can separate us from the love of God that never ends.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

God loves you! He loves you eternally!

Love others as God has loved you. That is how to live eternal life.

The post Love Never Ends appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture Passage1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWhen St. Paul met Christ, he became a new person.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Yes, when we meet Christ, we become a new person.

But St. Paul was not only talking about himself as a person. He was thinking beyond just himself.

He was thinking about our existence as people.

In Christ, our whole existence becomes new. How we live together is new.

Today's passage that we read is a concrete metaphor for the new kind of community that is created in Christ.

He describes it as a new humanity:

For he (Christ) is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two (Ephesians 2:15-16)

A new community, a new humanity – that is what we become in Christ.

In this new community, everyone belongs.

You are valued for who you are. You are treated with respect and honour. You are valued for the unique contributions you bring.

Differences are valued and appreciated and embraced.

This community belongs to everyone, and everyone belongs to it.

It wasn't always this way for St. Paul.

Before he met Christ, belonging meant something different.

Belonging was an exclusive possession. Belonging was conditional on meeting the right requirements.

Before he met Christ, he belonged to the chosen people of the Jews. This is how he described his belonging as a Jew:

Circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:5-6)

He belonged to the exclusive community of God's chosen people because he met the requirements.

In the old way of thinking, there is a high barrier to entry for belonging. It is an exclusive club. It is a closed belonging.

If you belong, then you're in. If not, then you're out.

If you're on the inside, you get the benefits of belonging. If you're on the outside, you're left out.

Everyone tries so hard to belong, because we need to belong somewhere to survive.

Human beings need to belong.

We need to belong to a company or organization that will provide a living. We need to belong to friend groups that meets our social needs. We need to belong to a family that provides love and support.

But even when you belong, you don't necessarily have it easy.

You have to continue to meet the requirements. If you start slipping on the basic requirements, then your standing becomes more tenuous.

I see this in our kids sports teams.

If you're a good performer, then all is good. You're valued for your personality. He's a funny guy, a great character.

But all of that won't matter if you're not good and producing.

In this kind of community, you belong to survive, not thrive.

There is pressure. There is fear of losing your standing.

In this kind of community, what's valued is what will make that community strong.

It's not about you. It's not about the unique gifts that you can offer. It's whether you offer the right gifts that the group needs.

Uniqueness and diversity of gifts don't matter. It's about having the right gifts. Offer the right gifts, then you belong.

In this kind of community, there is a clear pecking order. Honour and respect are given in that order. There is a hierarchy of value.

In this kind of community, belonging is often defined by who you're against.

Sometimes, belonging means you don't really know what you're for, but you definitely know what you're against.

You prove that you belong by how strongly you're against those who don't belong. The stronger you're against those who don't belong, the more you belong.

For Paul, belonging to the Jews also meant opposing and persecuting the church. More zeal for persecuting them meant he belonged even more.

All of this changed after he met Christ.

After meeting Christ, his understanding of belonging changed.

In Christ, belonging changed from closed belonging to open belonging.

Whereas in the old world, belonging was closed and exclusive, in Christ, belonging is open and inclusive.

All belong. All are sinners. All are forgiven. All are invited into the kingdom of God.

It is not about having the right gifts, it is about discovering your unique gifts. Your unique gifts and personality are what will bless the group.

Honour and respect are not given according to the pecking order. Rather, everyone, especially the weak, are given honour and respect.

No one is considered dispensable.

St. Paul saw this very clearly:

The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect, whereas our more respectable members do not need this. (1 Corinthians 12:21-24)

The end result of this kind of community is unity and harmony.

But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31a)

This is a very different kind of community than the one we see in the world.

In the old world, exclusive belonging creates competition, rivalry and division. It stirs up jealousy, hatred and animosity.

In the new humanity, no one is left behind. Everyone is cared for.

What Paul is describing in today's passage is the church.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

The church is the body of Christ. The church is the new community, the new humanity.

In this new humanity, we are one body comprised of many members; many members yet one body.

We are unified as a community but only in our diversity, not through uniformity. We are diverse and different, yet unified as one.

Everyone belongs and is welcome. There is enough room at the banqueting table for all that.

God provides. We may have only five loaves and two fish, but God will provide an abundance for all.

That is the nature of the new community in Christ.

The people of Corinth found new life in Christ when Paul came and proclaimed the gospel.

The church began with great joy and enthusiasm. But they were still living in the old world.

The values and ways of the old world kept creeping into this new community.

Paul was teaching them how to live as a new community in Christ.

This is the church today: we live in the old world, but we live together as a new community, a new humanity that's not of the world.

We live as a new community that's set apart from the old world.

People of St. Timothy: you belong to the new humanity!

Do you believe that?

That is your calling, that is our mission.

The church exists for mission. Our mission is to be the new humanity in this world.

To live a new way that's different from the old way. To model a new way of treating one another. A new way of living with one another.

You belong to this new humanity. You are the new creation.

You have something valuable to contribute. Not necessarily by what you do, but by who you are.

(Joy of discovering unique quirks and personalities of congregation)

You don't need to be something other than who you are. There is no one who has nothing valuable to contribute.

If the foot would say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. (1 Corinthians 12:15-16)

If you're a foot, an ear, a hand or an eye, it doesn't matter.

Each one of you is needed. Each one of you is a part of the body.

But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members yet one body. (1 Corinthians 12:18-20)

To be part of the new humanity, offer yourself for this community.

Don't hide yourself.

You will bless this community, and you will be blessed as you discover gifts you didn't know about.

There are many demands these days that make commitment such a challenge. This world pulls us in so many different directions.

It is so difficult to exist as a new community. The church is going against the ethos of the world.

But the world needs the new community.

But to be the new humanity in this world, we must continually be shaped into it. We must be shaped as Christ's body.

That requires consistency.

Consistency in worship. Consistency in being rooted in the Word and teachings of the Word. Consistency in practicing life as a new community.

In our consistency, Christ will shape us and form us as a new community.

This is why the Christian journey cannot take place apart from the community. It's a fallacy that you can cultivate faith on your own.

Christ shapes us together in our journey together. Christ shapes us into the new humanity for this world.

One body, many members. You belong to this body.

We are called to be a light for this new way to live.

This year more than ever, let us be a new humanity that welcomes others.

A new humanity that shows there is a different way to live. Different way to be a community.

The post You Belong appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageIsaiah 62:1-5

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptGod never forsakes you. God never abandons you. God never deserts you.

But, even though God never forsakes you, sometimes you feel forsaken, abandoned, and deserted.

Even our Lord, Jesus, experienced the feeling of abandonment on the cross. He cried out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

St. Paul also experienced the feeling of abandonment.

We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world right up to this moment. (1 Corinthians 4:13)

That was what Israelites experienced when they lost their home. They experienced the abandonment when they were exiled.

Korean people experienced this kind of abandonment when they lost their country. Many of your parents experienced that when they lived under Japanese occupation. They felt abandoned.

When you lose everything, you feel forsaken.

That was what Palestinians and also Israelites experienced last 15 months. They lost so much. They lost their loved ones.

Finally there is a cease-fire agreement with a tinge of uncertainty. We need to pray for them.

Also, this is what people in LA experience right now.

They lost everything. They lost their homes. Many people do not have an insurance because the insurance company does not accept it because of frequent fire.

Feeling of abandonment.

(Last Sunday, elder Min told me that her friend lost her house and down the road, her son also lost his house. She gave elder Min money to treat our Wednesday Bible study.)

I am sure people in southern Tibet feel the same way after the earthquake.

Feeling of abandonment is what we experience in life.

Your experiences may not be as dramatic as war, fire, and earthquake, but you experience different kinds of abandonment in your own way.

When life is difficult, we feel lost. We feel that nobody really cares.

The world is getting more and more selfish and self-centred.

Me first has become our philosophy.

We used to say me first is not a good attitude. Now it is our way of living. Very different from Jesus' teaching.

We don't even know how to feel others' suffering and hardships. As long as nothing happens to me, everything else doesn't matter.

When the world becomes selfish and self-centred, what will be the result?

We get the feeling of abandonment. People will feel neglected, forsaken, and abandoned.

We become an invisible man and woman, like the book invisible man by Ralph Ellison.

Ralph Ellison said in the book,

I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me.

That is a big reason for us to go to Sioux Valley every year.

Indigenous people in this country experienced the greatest abandonment.

When their children were taken away against their wish, they felt so abandoned.

Children also felt abandoned when they had to leave their homes and their parents and live in a foreign place.

We just want to tell them that we care. You are not alone.

That was what Gord Downie, the Tragically Hip’s frontman wanted to do. He wanted people to remember them. He wanted to tell them that they are not alone.

That is why we are starting a new project with Cuba.

They were isolated especially because of the US embargo. They were an island isolated from the rest of the world.

They are not an island just physically; they are an island politically, economically, and psychologically.

We want to go and see what is going on there. Because we care.

Also, this year, we want to reach out to Evangel Hall who is doing the work for the homeless people in the city.

We used to be heavily involved in the Evangel Hall mission but since Covid, we have lost touch with them. We want to renew our commitment to their work.

Homeless people all felt abandoned. We used to go out on Boxing Day with sandwiches and went to homeless people on the street.

Feeling of abandonment is probably the worst human emotion.

When you are abandoned, you lose hope, joy, and motivation to live.

When the Israelites were in exile, they lost the desire to sing.

This is well captured in the psalm.

By the rivers of Babylon
there we sat down and there we wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the willows there
we hung up our harps.
For there our captors
asked us for songs,
and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,
Sing us one of the songs of Zion!'

How could we sing the Lord's song
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!
Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
above my highest joy. (Psalm 137:1-6)

It captures the feeling of Israelites feeling abandoned in a foreign land.

A famous Korean song, Arirang, captures the Han of Korean people.

Han is a special Korean word which captures complex emotions of grief, anger, resentment, and regret.

Han is what you have when you are abandoned.

The word became a very important word for Korean theologians.

.

If you leave and forsake me, my own,
Ere three miles you go, lame you'll have grown.

It captures grief, anger, resentment, and everything when you feel abandoned. This song captures Han of Koreans.

To Israelites who experienced abandonment, God gave these words.

You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you,
and your land shall be married. (Isaiah 62:4)

In the world, you may experience abandonment. You may experience life's tragedies.

You may experience rejection and alienation by the powerful evil system. You may experience hurt and pain by your loved ones, by your family, by your friends.

Sometimes, you may feel like you are a motherless child.

That was what indigenous children in residential schools felt. That was what many black sisters and brother felt in America. That was what many Tibetans felt under Chinese occupation.

There are many old people who live in isolation. They feel useless and unwanted. They feel abandoned.

But my friends, you are not alone. You will never be alone.

God never forsakes you. God never abandons you. God never deserts you.

God will lift you up. God will crown you with honor.

This is what Isaiah said.

You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. (Isaiah 62:3)

God will wipe your tears. God will take away your shame.

God will restore you. God will bring honor to you.

You are like a precious child to God. Will God ever abandon his precious child? No. He won't.

You are people of God's promise. You are in God's good hand.

When you know this, you will not live any more feeling abandoned by the world.

Even though the world may still treat you in that way, you will be strong.

You know that you are a precious child of God and God honours you. So, you can handle the abandonment of the world.

It's Ok not to be invited to the Inauguration of Trump like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Shou Chew.

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Scripture Passage1 Peter 2:4-10

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptI hope that you are having a great start to 2025.

Before we get too far into the new year, it's important to reflect on important things.

What kind of person do you want to be in 2025?

Let me share a great vision with you today: Be the rock that others stand on.

Isn't that a great thing to aspire to? It's something we can all do.

In 2025, we should strive to be a rock on which others stand.

It brings such a nice image to me. Someone who is solid. Not easily shaken. Someone whom others can stand on.

In Chevrolet truck commercials, they are built like a rock. The most dependable, longest lasting trucks on the road like a rock.

We're not trucks, but we too should be dependable and lasting like a rock. Maybe good trucks, we can rely on.

It's so hard to find people like that, isn't it? Whom can you really rely upon?

But wouldn't it be so good to have people like a rock? People you can rely upon, depend on.

I think the best kind of person we can be is to be a rock for others.

When times are difficult, when things are turbulent, the best thing you can be is a rock that others can stand on. You will be a great blessing to others if you can be that.

Jesus told Peter that he would be the rock.

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

Jesus said Peter would be the rock. But at that time, he was not the rock.

When Jesus was captured by the authorities, he ran away. He deserted Jesus. He even denied knowing him.

Peter was the most passionate disciple. He spent three years with Jesus. He loved him. He left everything to follow him.

But at Jesus' most vulnerable moment, he was not the rock he needed.

After Jesus was crucified, Peter was devastated by his flimsiness. He had been exposed for who he was: a coward who lacked courage.

Jesus was gone. Everything he had given up came to nothing. In that moment, it seemed like his failure would haunt him for the rest of his life.

But that didn't happen. Peter did eventually become the rock. What changed?

After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to Peter. That encounter was described by John.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my lambs. A second time he said to him, Simon son of John, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon son of John, do you love me? Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, Do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep.Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go. (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, Follow me. (John 21:15-19)

Jesus forgave him. He gave him another chance.

Even though he denied Jesus and ran away, he still believed in him. He still chose Peter to carry on what he started.

That changed Peter. It transformed him. He became the rock of the church.

How can you be the rock?

Be someone who forgives and gives others a second chance.

You're not blind to the flaws of others. But you can accept them. You don't define them by their flaws.

You are the rock on which others can stand.

This world is a merciless place. One mistake and the world piles on you. It shuns you. Cancels you. Destroys you.

Can you be the safe rock on which others can stand? When everyone else has condemned them, be the safe harbour that shelters them from the world's judgment?

Peter says in the passage today:

Like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5)

What is a spiritual house?

It is a house of mercy. A house of grace.

A house where people are not judged by their sins but given the chance to become someone new.

A house where people who have been given a second chance gather together.

Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:4-10)

We are God's people. We are those who have received mercy. That is the church.

Peter became the rock of this church. But the rock that Peter stood on was Jesus Christ.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight. (1 Peter 2:4)

Rev. Kim spoke last week about living life based on principle. That is how you be the rock.

The greatest principle is love.

Jesus lived his life with the principle of love.

In all that he did, he loved God and he loved people. He healed others. He taught people.

But the greatest love was shown on the cross.

How?

Through forgiveness.

On the cross, Jesus bore the sins of others and forgave them.

Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)

On the cross, he forgave them. He forgave us. He gave us a second chance. He still believed in us.

That is the power of the cross. The power to bear the sins of others.

The power to forgive. The power to give a second chance.

When you get hurt and disappointed, that hurt and disappointment can take on a life of their own.

They grow in power. They take control of your thoughts and actions.

Even if you want to be free from those emotions, it is so hard.

The power of the cross releases you from the grip of hurt and disappointment.

Instead of the power of anger or resentment, the cross gives you the power of forgiveness.

Forgiving those who have hurt you, overlooking the sins they've inflicted on you, giving these people a second chance: that is the most difficult thing to do.

It takes enormous power to overcome the desire for vengeance. To overcome the negative energy these emotions give you.

Being able to forgive others, to still believe in them and give them another chance: that is the greatest spiritual superpower. That is what Christ showed on the cross.

Jesus was the true human being. The one who reflected the image of God in all its fullness right on that cross.

The blood of Jesus washes away our sins. But it also washes away the sins of others.

It washes away the effect the sins of others leaves on your heart. It heals you from the damage and imprint they leave.

That is the power of the blood of Jesus.

That is the power that changed Peter. That is how become the rock.

I had an old friend from university days. We went through many things together.

A close and loyal friend but I could see some deep flaws. Especially when drinking. I would be the responsible one.

But it got to point where I couldn’t do it anymore. I felt disrespected. So I cut him off.

This is one of my real regrets. I wish I gave him another chance. It would have helped him. It would have blessed me.

Peter asked Jesus this question:

Then Peter came and said to him, Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times? Jesus said to him, Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22)

Be a rock who is not shaken by the sins of others. Be a rock who doesn't crumble because you get hurt by others. Be a rock who can forgive and give another chance.

You will change lives by being a rock.

God will give you the power to forgive and give others another chance.

In 2025, ask God to make you a rock.

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Scripture Passage1 Peter 2:4-10

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptHappy New Year!

May God's blessings be upon you and your family!

God has been good in 2024. God will be also good in 2025.

Let us trust God. Everything will work out for good.

Even though there may be difficult times, God will give you the strength and the wisdom to deal with difficulties.

Not only that, he will work out everything for good for you.

This year's theme is Be the Rock.

I would like to focus on two things. One: Being a Rock. Second: How to live as a Rock.

In today's passage, Peter said this.

like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)

He said, Let yourself be

Being the Rock is about who you are, not about what you do.

You are the Rock. Nothing can shake that away. That's who you are. God made you be the rock.

Your understanding of who you are is the foundation on which you can build your life.

If you think you are the rock, then you will live like the rock. You will have the firm foundation for your life.

If you think you are chaff, then you will be easily scattered.

That was what the Psalmist said.

The whole book of psalms begins with the statement about two kinds of life. Life like the rock that is deeply rooted. And life like the chaff that is easily scattered.

First, life like a rock

They are like trees
planted (rooted) by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper. (Psalm 1:3)

Life like chaff

(they) are like chaff that the wind drives away. (Psalm 1:4)

If your understanding of who you are is not clear, you cannot have an authentic existence. You cannot be firmly rooted.

See – You can only be who you are. You don't have to pretend to be who you are not.

Not only your identity, but your understanding of your identity is very important. Everything flows from your understanding of who you are.

Don't let others tell you who you are.

You don't need to be so concerned with what they say about you. Do they really know you? No, they don't.

They judge you with their limited knowledge they have about you. And many times, their limited knowledge is filled with their own prejudices.

Jesus did not let others dictate his life.

He was rejected by people and that was Ok with him. Because he knew who he was.

Peter knew about this very well and so he said.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight (1 Peter 2:4)

Chosen and precious in God's sight

Rejection was a part of Jesus' life in this world.

When he was born, there was no happy birthday Herod tried to kill him. Unfortunately, so many innocent babies were killed instead. He was rejected by Herod.

During his life time, his life was full of rejections. They even accused Jesus of being demon possessed. The cross was the ultimate rejection of Jesus Christ.

He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. (John 1:11)

So even if you feel rejected, not understood, and abandoned, don't ever doubt yourself.

You are chosen and precious in God's sight.

This is what Peter proclaimed.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people (1 Peter 2:9)

That's who you are.

A chosen race. A royal priesthood. A holy nation. God's own people.

To be honest, Peter himself was not like a rock.

He was flaky and flimsy. He made a commitment that he could not keep. He denied Jesus even three times because he was scared of people's rejection.

But Jesus chose him and told him that he would be the rock.

He used to be Simon. But Jesus gave him a new name, Peter, which means the Rock.

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:18, 19)

What a wonderful proclamation about a person.

Peter was not that great yet. He didn't have a solid understanding of who he was or who Jesus was. He didn't even know what he wanted.

Right after Jesus' proclamation about Peter, there is a strange interaction between Jesus and Peter.

From that time on, (after Jesus' proclamation of Peter) Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.' But he turned and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.' (Matthew 16:21-23)

Can you believe it?

Right after Jesus said that Peter would be the rock on which he would build his church and he would give him the key of authority, Jesus said this.

You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things. (Matthew 16:23)

That's life.

There is no hero. There is no one who is so great that he or she is flawless.

You are not that strong. You are not flawless. You are not a superman or a Wonder Woman. You are as flimsy and flaky as Peter was.

When Jesus said to Simon, you will be the rock. What he meant was I WOULD MAKE YOU the rock.

God will make YOU a rock on which God will build a beautiful life.

Don't doubt yourself. No matter what people may say, you are a precious living stone.

So, the first point is about your identity. The second point is about how to live as the Rock.

You will face many difficult challenges in 2025 as you did in 2024.

You may encounter storms in your life. Your circumstances may not be so kind to you.

Don't be so easily influenced by your circumstances.

When things are going well, you feel loved by God. You will be thankful.

But when things are not going as well, you will doubt God’s love. You will be filled with fear. And you will do things that you shouldn't because of fear.

We are going to study that soon in February.

When you look at king Saul, the biggest problem he had was not that he was not smart or capable.

His critical problem was that he let his circumstances absolutely influence him and dictate his decisions.

He tried to deal with his situations with his own wisdom and strength. In the end, he went mad.

Be a man and a woman of principle. You have to have principles if you want to live a good life.

Principles you have are your backbone. That is the rock for you. They are the skeleton of your life.

It's a life philosophy.

Life is not just about doing well in your jobs and making money. Life is not just about enjoying good things in life.

There has to be a life philosophy.

The greatest principle that we hold is Love. Love God, love yourself, and love others. Always remember that.

No matter how hard life may be, how challenging people may be, always remember this: LOVE. That's all you can do.

In all circumstances, trust in God and simply practice your love.

Always go back to that. Trust and Love.

That's how you become the Rock.

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Scripture PassageColossians 3:12-17

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptLast week, we talked about humility.

I said, humility is not just accepting your weaknesses and shortcomings.

Humility is trusting in God's power and looking to God in all your circumstances, even in an impossible situation. That was what Mary did when she said, Let it be so.

Humble people always look to God in all circumstances and leave their situations in God's hand.

That's why they experience the peace of God.

Every problem, every challenge, every difficulty – They all leave it in God's hands instead of worrying about it.

And God grants peace to those who are humble.

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6, 7)

Memory Card – today's passage too.

Humble people are comfortable with themselves.

Because they don't have to prove to the world how great they are. Because they don't have to control others as they wish.

The opposite of humility is pride.

Pride is the root of all our sins. It destroys peace within us.

C. S. Lewis said, in his book, Mere Christianity

According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil.

All the great Christians in history warned us against pride. Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestants, all of them warned us against pride.

Pride is poison to our soul.

Proud people can never please God. God resists the proud.

God opposes the proud,
but gives grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)

Do you know why pride is so bad?

Pride does not allow forgiveness. Proud people cannot forgive themselves either and also others.

Pride and forgiveness don't go together.

In today's passage, St. Paul advised us to do this.

Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Colossians 3:13)

This – proud people cannot do.

Pride dismantles our ability to receive and give forgiveness. That's why it is the greatest sin. It immobilizes the power to forgive.

Our spiritual discipline is to turn pride into humility.

In humility, we can receive true forgiveness. Our humility can kill our pride.

The greatest message Jesus brought to this world is Forgiveness.

The cross is all about forgiveness. He took our sins upon himself and forgave us.

Isaiah saw that very clearly.

But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Jesus was humble to take on all that suffering. To let us go free, he took our punishment upon himself.

THAT IS THE ULTIMATE FORM OF HUMILITY.

Pride will never do that. Will never be able to do that.

Forgiveness comes from this kind of humility.

This is unthinkable in this ego-filled world. This is not possible in those who live their lives with the entitlement attitude.

This world lost the ability to be compassionate, kind, meek, and patient which are hall marks of being a good Christian. Being a good human being.

As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

Jesus was humble and that's why he was able to take our punishment upon himself.

He was meek and gentle. He took our burdens upon himself and now we can have true rest in Jesus.

Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

And this he told us to do.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15)

Jesus had the power to forgive because he was humble. Jesus gave you the power to forgive.

Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. (John 20:22, 23)

We are living in the world of division, separation, and animosity. People are polarized.

There are so many hurts, pain, and sadness. We don't see peace around us.

Hurt, anger, disappointment, and hatred – These are like poison. They poison our soul.

They cause division, separation, violence, and many heartaches.

We know how divided we are.

We are divided by our cultures, races, ideologies, and politics. We are divided because we have hurt each other.

We live in the broken and dysfunctional relationships.

Let us put down our pride and clothe ourselves with humility. Let us bear one another. Let us be peace makers.

Power can never bring peace.

It brings more division, more fights, more violence, more sadness, and more victims.

Humility brings peace to the world.

Listen to the prayer of St. Francis.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

We dream of the world where there is peace.

That was what John saw.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away. (Revelation 21:1, 4)

Today is the last Sunday of 2024. Do not get stuck in your old baggage.

Send away your anger, disappointment, hatred, and animosity.

In humility, clothe yourself with love.

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. (Colossians 3:14, 15)

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Scripture PassageLuke 1:46-55

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptMerry Christmas!

We are celebrating today as Christmas Sunday even though it is the fourth Sunday of Advent.

Today, we are celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

His birth changed the way we think about our life. His birth gave us hope. His birth showed God's desire for this world.

What was God's desire for the world?

What did God want us to do? What message did he want to get across through the birth of Jesus?

I think that message is this.

Be humble!

That is the Christmas message this year.

God became a human being. That is the message of being humble. The king became a servant. How much more humble can you get?

St. Paul clearly understood this when he said this.

though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death
even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8)

Jesus – even though he was God, he humbled himself to be human – not only human but the form of a slave.

He was not born in a royal family. He was not born to a powerful king. He was not born in rich and influential parents.

He himself did not enjoy the privilege of the power of this world.

He was not a partner in a big accounting company. He was not an investment banker. He was not an MP. He was not a doctor. He was not a lawyer.

Pharisee, a scribe, a priest – they are the ones who held the high position in their society. Jesus was none of that.

He was nobody in the eyes of the world. He was humble in every sense.

His birth, his life, and his death – they all point to the humility.

But the irony is: the humble Jesus revealed most clearly, the power of God.

A very strange dynamic!

He had no power but he changed the world. He defeated all the powers of this world. He destroyed the Roman kingdom.

That is the power of humility.

St. Paul talked about Jesus' humility and immediately after that he said this.

This captures that power very clearly.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Everyone will worship him – That is what we do now.

When St. Paul wrote this passage, he didn't see that yet.

Jesus was not a world famous figure. The universal recognition of Jesus was not yet the historical reality.

But somehow Paul saw that. It was his prophecy.

Mary captured this sentiment very well when she found out that she had a baby.

She expressed her own humility first.

he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. (Luke 1:48)

She was very conscious and aware of her humble status.

Why me? I am nobody. I am just a poor peasant girl.

Then the message came to her.

He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53)

She was not just impregnated with a baby physically.

She was impregnated with the message. She was impregnated with God's desire for the world.

God's desire for the world is this. Be humble!

Lack of humility brings disaster to you.

Herod lacked humility and that's why he killed so many babies because of the birth of Jesus. He was scared because his kingship was threatened.

People who built the Babel tower lacked humility and that's why they built the tower high. They were scared to be drowned from the flood.

The king Saul lacked humility and that's why he tried to kill David. He was scared and threatened.

Lack of humility is very much to do with your fear.

Humility is the acknowledgment of God's power.

It is not just the acknowledgment of your weaknesses. But it is the acknowledgment of God's power.

So humility is always accompanied by trust in God.

Even in impossible situations, even in helpless situations, we trust in God's power.

The news of having a baby for a little girl was too much to take.

Who can handle such a devastating news? That was an impossible situation.

Mary could have wished that it was somebody else who was chosen to do what was given to her.

And yet, at the end, she said, let it be so.

I don't have power. I don't have power to run away. I don't have power to handle the scandal. I don't have power to control my future.

I may be stoned to death. I may be rejected by Joseph. I may be kicked out from home.

I have no power to control my situations.

But let it be so.

That's what humility is.

In her humility, she recognized the power of God. That's why humility is powerful.

Humility is not just seeing who you are. Humility is seeing what God can do.

In humility, we trust God. In humility, we will experience the power of God as Mary experienced it.

Because of her humility, Mary was able to go through even the most difficult time of seeing his son being crucified.

Even after Jesus died, she did not give up. When 120 gathered together in Mark's upper room, Mary was there, praying with others.

Because she believed in the power of God.

Humble people don't give up. Humble people don't fear their impossible situations.

Humble people always look to God.

Humble people do not focus on their lowliness but on God's greatness.

My friends, God wants us to be humble. Because God can only work through humble people.

Through humble people, God's power is manifested. Through humble people, God's love is shared.

Humble people will see that it is God who has exalted them, not themselves.

That's why they have deep joy. They know clearly that salvation belongs to God, not to them.

You don't have to save yourself. You don't have to worry about what is in store for you. You don't have to create a path for yourself.

God saves you. God knows what you need. God takes care of your future. God creates a path for you.

That is the Christmas message. Be humble and trust in God's power.

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Scripture PassageJohn 1:1-14

Worship VideoSermon ScriptHOW EACH GOSPEL SAW THE BIRTH OF JESUSMerry Christmas!

On Christmas we celebrate birth of Jesus. We celebrate because it has meaning.

How did the gospel writers in the Bible view the birth of Jesus?
Mark: taken for granted, focused on life of adult Jesus
Matthew and Luke: narratives of physical birth of Jesus

HOW JOHN SAW THE BIRTH OF JESUS: THE SPIRITUAL MEANINGJohn: wasn’t focused on physical birth of Jesus, but the spiritual meaning of it

Spiritual meaning for John: the light has come into the world

Most similar to what prophet Isaiah saw:
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2)

For John, Christmas is about the light coming into the world.

Before light, there was darkness.

DARKNESS: LOSTWhen all is dark, we can't see. We can't see what's around us, where we're going. We’re moving, but we don't see where. We have to be careful because we can bump into things. We feel afraid and frustrated.

LIGHT: CAN SEE THE WAYIn the light, we can see what's around us. We can see where we're going. We navigate around obstacles.

Jesus is the light that has come into this world.

WORLD: DARKNESS TRIES TO OVERCOME LIGHTJohn's view of the world: the darkness tries to overcome light. It tries to make people lost again. It makes people confused. We don't know where we're going.

DARKNESS IN 2024If I were to describe this year in one word, I would use the word lost. People can't see clearly what's going on. People can't see the way. The future is unclear. Even information is not clear. We are lost.

THE MEANING AND POWER OF CHRISTMASIt's in this context that Christmas has real meaning for us.

John's crucial insight was this: the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

This is the real meaning and power of Christmas. Jesus came as light. The world did everything to overcome the light but it could not. It tried to overcome love with hate, healing with sickness, life with death. But not even death could overcome the life.

The light that cannot be extinguished has come into the world.

HOPE AND JOYBecause of that, we have HOPE. No matter how lost you are, there is a way. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

Hope is not hope when everything is going well. Hope is most real in the midst of darkness. Hope leads to joy.

Joy because we know that: after sadness comes laughter, after the night comes the day, after darkness comes light.

That's why Christmas is filled with joy, because we have hope in the midst of our present darkness. What a gift to receive from God! The gift of hope, and the gift of joy! The delight that children feel when they open presents represents the joy we have because the light has come into the world.

The birth of Jesus represents light that cannot be overcome. Let the light of Jesus shine brightly in you. Let that light be the light for your families, be the light for those who are lost, and let it be the light for those who have lost hope.

I pray that this Christmas you may be filled with the light of Jesus. May it fill your hearts with hope and joy. Merry Christmas!

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Scripture PassageLuke 3:7-18

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptINTRODUCTIONDo you know what you were born to do?

Many people don't. Some do – John the Baptist was one of them.

What he was born to do was foretold even before his birth.

Zechariah and Elizabeth – righteous but no children. Promise to Zechariah:

But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Zechariah said to the angel, How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years. (Luke 1:13-18)

To make ready a people prepared for the Lord. That was what John was born to do.

When he became an adult, his ministry became a very powerful movement. People came to him from all over the countryside.

Many even thought he might be the Messiah who saved them from their troubles.

But John was very clear about who he was:

John answered all of them by saying, I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16)

His role was to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

John the Baptist plays a prominent role in all of the gospels.

His role is very important. He comes before Jesus to prepare us for him.

Preparation for Jesus is a very important thing.

As we approach Christmas, we prepare many things. Gifts, parties, get togethers.

What is it that we're preparing for?

Yes, we are preparing for the birth of Jesus. Birth of not just any person.

Birth of the one who would give life:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b)

Birth of the one who would show us the way:

Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

Birth of the one who would satisfy all of our needs:

Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)

Birth of the one would give us eternal life:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

John came to prepare us for life itself.

Let me ask you this question: have you prepared yourself for the best life ever?

That is what John came to do.

MOVEMENT 1: PREPARATIONIn Jesus, God promises us the best life ever.

Isn't that amazing news?

The most fulfilled life. The most meaningful life. The complete life.

That sounds like a great promise to me.

But it doesn't just happen. It doesn't come out of nowhere.

It comes when we are prepared for it.

The best things in life don't just fall into your lap. They come to you when you're ready for it.

There is a show called Band of Brothers. Company in the 82nd Airborne Regiment in WWII. Two years of intense training.

Can't predict situation in combat. Nerves and fear can take over. But training enabled them to stay calm.

Led by officer who remained cool and applied training. Because of preparation, able to achieve objective.

If you want the best life that Jesus offers, need to prepare yourself.

MOVEMENT 2: I NEED TO CHANGE – REPENTANCECrowds were coming out to be baptized by John. It was a frenzy. Like a Taylor Swift concert.

What were they seeking? Why did they make all this effort to go out there? Not easy to get there.

THEY WERE SEEKING CHANGE.

Change because life had become so hard.

Roman rule: appointed ruler of region – Herod Antipas. Born in Palestine but educated in Rome.

Ambitious. Had greater aspirations, but had to prove himself in Palestine.

Providing taxes to Rome. Set up an efficient and effective system of tax collectors.

Support of populace by becoming benefactor to Temple. Supported temple tax system.

Crushing tax burden. Debts, loans, loss of land. Old ways of life, communities broken down. Relations torn apart.

People came to John in hopes of change.

God would do something. Take down corrupt rulers. Drive out oppressive Roman system. Make Israel great again!

They were hoping John would be the one to lead this change.

But message of John very unique:

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? (Luke 3:7)

What was he saying?

He's saying: What are you doing here, you snakes! Why are you trying to escape? What were you hoping to find here?

He wasn't offering comfort and an outlet for their frustrations. Instead, he had harsh words of judgment.

Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our ancestor,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:8-9)

All of your problems: stop blaming others for them. Change yourself!

That was his message: CHANGE YOURSELF!

Just because you're a child of Abraham, don't think you're innocent.

Just because you call yourself a Christian, don't think that you're righteous.

God can create Christians out of the stones here. God is ready to chop you down and throw you into the fire.

Harsh words.

He wasn't excusing the hardships caused by others.

He was very critical of Herod Antipas and was eventually executed because his criticism became a threat to him.

But his message is that change starts with yourself.

When things are difficult, the easiest thing to do is to blame others.

But all this will do is make you angrier and more bitter. It won't change anything.

Preparation for the best life ever begins with recognizing that YOU need to change.

Don't take the easy way of blaming others.

Don't be so blind to think you're righteous and innocent. Open your eyes and see how you are contributing to the problem.

John's harsh words of judgment pierced the hearts of people.

They saw that they needed change.

MOVEMENT 3: TAKE CARE OF OTHERSTheir natural question was: what then should we do?

John's instruction was simple: go back home and be different.

And the crowds asked him, What, then, should we do? In reply he said to them, Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise. Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, Teacher, what should we do? He said to them, Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you. Soldiers also asked him, And we, what should we do? He said to them, Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages. (Luke 3:10-14)

Go back and right your wrongs. Go back and repair relations. Go back and be the change that the community needs.

The crowds were gathered by the Jordan river.

This is where many centuries ago, the Israelites crossed over into the Promised Land.

When they escaped Egypt, they were just a loose group of fugitives. But after 40 years in the wilderness, they made a covenant with God at Mount Sinai and became the people of God.

The covenant was this: they would honour God.

They would honour God by how they treated one another. They would show mercy, justice and kindness to others.

Through baptism in the Jordan river, John was sending them back as people of God once again. To live as people of the covenant.

When things are good, when they're plenty to go around, it's easy to be generous, fair and compassionate.

The real test comes when things become difficult. When times are tough.

Even though times were tough, John was sending them back to live as people of God. This is how they would prepare for the coming of the Lord.

Canadians have prided themselves on being a generous, fair and compassionate country.

We have welcomed many immigrants. We have been tolerant and embrace diversity.

But our identity as a welcoming country is being strained and challenged.

Recent survey: people not proud of Canada or being Canadian. Correlates to tough times.

Something snapped after COVID pandemic. Everything became shaken. Life has been hard.

With that, the values we once embraced are shaken.

In this world, how do we prepare for Jesus?

We turn from the way we've been living.

Especially in times that are challenging, we take care of the weak and vulnerable. We treat others with respect and dignity. We live as people of God.

Resist the thinking of this world.

St. Paul said it clearly:

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

Do not be conformed to this age of meanness, selfishness, self-centredness.

But be transformed by the renewing of your minds. Let us see and think clearly!

Do not fall into the behaviours and patterns of this world.

Taking care of the weak, being with the vulnerable, who did that?

Jesus Christ.

He cared with compassion, he took care of the weak and vulnerable.

By doing as John says, we are preparing to follow the way of Jesus.

We begin forming the spiritual muscles to live as Jesus did.

Jesus identified himself in this way:

For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)

Following Jesus is not about having your spiritual needs met. It is not about feeling good or connected to God.

It is ultimately about giving yourself for others as Jesus did.

In the process of following Jesus, he supplies all of our needs. He fills you up and you are connected with him.

But that is the blessing you receive as you follow him in being a blessing for others.

Following Jesus is not an easy journey.

It is not a popular path. It will lead to difficulty.

That is why it requires preparation to take this journey.

Change yourself. Change how you treat others. Especially when things are difficult for you.

You will see how hard this is.

That is when you will be ready to meet Jesus.

John said that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. He will give us the power to be like him.

When you prepare the way by acting justly and loving kindness, that is when God will come to you.

CONCLUSIONChristmas is a time to feel joy. It is a time for family and friends.

But it is a season to prepare ourselves for the gift of Christ.

It is a season to repent.

Who have you mistreated this past year? Whom have you caused hardship?

In the midst of your difficulties and challenges, how have you instead hurt others? How have you become selfish?

We give gifts to others. The greatest gift we can give to God is our contrite hearts.

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

This Christmas, prepare your heart for the Lord. Give him your contrite heart and ask for the power to change your ways.

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Scripture PassageLuke 1:68-79

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptINTRODUCTIONI enjoy buffets. There is a sequence, method.

Purpose of first round: whet the appetite, get me going for the main courses and proteins.

Luke is about Jesus – the main course.

But Luke 1 is about things that take place before Jesus is born. The set-up to what God does through Jesus.

Central character in chapter 1 is Zechariah. Today's passage – Benedictus. Last part of chapter 1.

Chapter 1 begins with Zechariah and ends with him.

Luke is communicating something important. Zechariah is a set-up story for the main course of Jesus.

It's a substantial appetizer – so much good material. God has something amazing to say through story of Zechariah.

MOVEMENT 1: ZECHARIAH'S ISSUE – BARRENNESSLuke's introduction of Zechariah and Elizabeth:

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. (Luke 1:5-6)

Zechariah and wife Elizabeth descended from Aaron.

Bloodline survived the whole history of Israel up to now.

Faithful to that heritage, faithful to God. Righteous, blameless.

But Luke introduces issue:

But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years. (Luke 1:7)

Barrenness.

Whole future is in doubt. Rich past coming to an end. No future.

God makes promise to Zechariah through angel:

Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. (Luke 1:15)

Not only that, but great purpose through this promise:

Even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:15-17)

Stories of barrenness are a common starting point for God's action. Abraham and Sarah. Hannah.

God gives promise that addresses the barren situation.

But something different in Luke's story of Zechariah: He goes silent upon receiving the promise.

When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. (Luke 1:22)

MOVEMENT 2: THE REAL ISSUE – ZECHARIAH'S SILENCEZechariah became silent. An alternate title to this sermon was Zechariah's Silence .

He remained silent until the prophecy we read as today's passage.

What made him go silent, and what does this silence represent?

Last thing that Zechariah said:

How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years. (Luke 1:18)

Angel's response:

I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur. (Luke 1:19-20)

Many scholars believe this is punishment for Zechariah's lack of belief. This may be true, but I believe there's a lot more here.

When the angel communicated God's promise, it brought to the surface the pain he had been feeling for years.

He stated the facts as he experienced it: I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.

These were irrefutable facts. These facts were his reality.

The gap between that reality and God's promise was so vast. It was a wide chasm.

There was nothing more that Zechariah and Elizabeth wanted than a child.

In their younger years, they probably prayed very fervently for one. They probably kept hope for many years.

But as each year went on, that hope slipped away.

Their prayers probably stopped. They resigned themselves to the facts as they were.

The promise reminded Zechariah of the wide chasm between what he really wanted and the reality he experienced.

That gap was so painful. The pain silenced him.

More than the pain, it was his loss of hope that silenced him.

Hopeless pain makes one silent.

The wide chasm between your heart's desire and facts that are the complete opposite leaks hope.

The longer this chasm remains, the more hope dissipates.

The chasm hangs in the air like a great weight. The weight squeezes out hope. It silences prayers and cries of the heart.

Hopelessness renders you mute, silent and unable to move.

It makes you resigned to reality as it is.

Zechariah and Elizabeth resigned themselves to life as a barren couple. They remained faithful, righteous and blameless in their actions.

But underneath those actions were empty hearts.

They were empty of joy. Empty of purpose. They had no future to live for.

I wonder how many people today live like this. No future to live for. No hope that fuels them.

Human beings are born to dream. We're born with desires that are unique to our hearts.

But the facts on the ground often make that desire seem impossible.

At first, we hold on with hope. We try what we can. But in the end, we resign ourselves to reality as it is.

We come to believe that this is as good as it gets. So we try to make the best of life as it is.

We try to enjoy what we can. We forget about the pain of unfulfilled promises.

The pain of the gap between promise and reality becomes more and more silent over time.

Do you truly believe that your life right now is as good as it gets? Do you believe your situation is the final conclusion?

MOVEMENT 3: GOD MOVES IN THE SILENT HOPELESSNESSZechariah went home. We don't know what else we did.

But the scene in chapter 1 shifts from Zechariah to other things.

Luke makes clear that while Zechariah is silent in hopelessness, God is on the move.

God makes Elizabeth conceive. God speaks to Mary that she will give birth to the Saviour of the world.

Mary goes to visit Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's baby leaps in her womb. Things are happening.

Finally, a son is born, and he is named John. Zechariah is able to speak again at this point.

Luke's message is clear: even in our silent hopelessness, God is on the move.

More accurately: it is especially in our silent hopelessness that God moves.

While Zechariah was silent, God began his plan of salvation for the world.

How many of you have experienced hopelessness, and somehow came out of it for reasons that had nothing to do with you?

That has been my experience.

Post-articling experience. Until then, charmed life. Things went well on the surface.

But underneath, always a tightrope. Tricky balance between doing what I felt I needed to do, and what I really wanted to do.

That tightrope broke, things came to a head. Not hired back – only one in my class. Darkness of next 8 months.

Look back: period of silence. Nothing positive, no good lessons learned, no real growth.

Just sheer silence and darkness. Didn't grit it out and fight my way out of it.

How did I come out of it?

Very random. Partner from old firm. No reason for her to really.

Didn't solve things – many ordeals to come. But it stirred me out of the darkness. Put me back on my feet to get moving again.

MOVEMENT 4: ADVENT AND LUKE 1 REAWAKEN HOPEAdvent: beginning of new Church year. Meaning: arrival or coming.

Lectionary passage for this season: Luke 1. Purpose: to stir the heart, reawaken the hope that has been lost.

Appetizer: stirring up of hope, so we can wait eagerly for the main course – what God will do for you.

As the people sat in darkness, they began to await the arrival of a Saviour. That happens in chapter 2 of Luke.

When hope is stirred, it transforms the pain. From silent pain to pain that cries out.

Pain retrieves its voice – it cries out to God. It seeks God. It waits for God.

CONCLUSION: HEAR THE TENDER VOICE OF GOD IN THE NIGHTWhen the Israelites were exiled in Babylon, during their darkest time when all hope seemed lost, God pierced through the silence through the prophet Isaiah:

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:1-2)

These are the opening words of Handel's Messiah.

These words stirred up hope in the people.

It made them open to what God might do. It made them look once again to God.

During this Advent season, open your ears to the tender voice of God in the night.

The final words of Zechariah are the final words of chapter 1 before Jesus is born:

Because of the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:78-79)

Press these words on your heart.

Let them awaken hope in you.

Lift up your heads and wait for what God is about to do for you.

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Scripture PassageJohn 18:33-37

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptI don't like the term, king or queen. The image of king or queen – it doesn't mean much to me.

It rather gives me a negative image. Power, Privilege, Entitlement, Domination, and even Corruption.

These are not the words I am not so attracted to.

Especially when they use this term for Jesus whom I love, I feel uncomfortable.

King is a political language. Isn't there a better word than king to describe Jesus?

But when you read today's passage, Jesus clearly said he was the king.

You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world (John 18:37)

This statement is so strange.

Because we all know that Jesus was never the king while he was on earth.

He didn't become the king. He was simply a carpenter. And he became an itinerant preacher. Then he died as a criminal.

Never the king.

Why did he say that he was born to be a king. And for this he came into the world?

That was exactly what they wanted Jesus to say. They wanted to frame Jesus by saying that he acted like he was a king.

They wanted to charge him with a treason. It could be a very dangerous statement for Jesus.

That was why the first question Pilate asked Jesus was this:

Are you the King of the Jews? (John 18:33)

The only real king to Pilate was Tiberius, the Roman Emperor. The most powerful man in the world at that time. That was the image of a king Pilate knew of.

No Power, No King.

Tiberius sacrificed everything to have the power. Including his wife.

Tiberius had a wife whom he loved. He lived a happy life. But to be the emperor, he was forced to divorce his wife.

Why? Because Tiberius was not his blood line of the previous emperor and he Octavius wanted to have his blood line in the next emperor.

So Tiberius had to divorce his wife and marry Julia, the daughter of the first emperor. He wasn't happy about it.

But he did it to be the emperor. He did it to have the power. That is the kind of king Pilate knew.

Jesus did not look like a king to Pilate. He had no power in the eyes of Pilate.

Just an innocent poor man who was caught up in the political turmoil.

That's why after meeting Jesus, he said,

he went out to the Jews again and told them, I find no case against him.' (John 18:38)

Why did Jesus say that he was the king?

Jesus' kingdom was different from Pilate's kingdom.

Pilate's kingdom was defined by the power. Controlled by the power. Jesus' kingdom was not Pilate's kingdom.

This was what Jesus said.

My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here. (John 18:36)

Jesus' kingdom is the kingdom of the truth.

Jesus came to testify the truth. Jesus came to proclaim the truth. Jesus came to make us people of the truth.

Because only the truth will set us free.

You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. (John 8:32)

To Pilate, that was a foreign concept.

So he asked Jesus,

What is truth? (John 18:38)

His question is this: What's the truth got to do with anything?

The kingdom is all power; nothing but the power. The truth has nothing to do with the power.

To have the power, lies are permitted.

Sometimes, lies are much more effective and efficient. You can lie through your teeth if that gets you the power.

I see that a lot these days. Truth can be inconvenient.

That is very different from Jesus' idea of kingdom.

In Jesus' kingdom, we are free. In his kingdom, Pilate was not free.

Pilate met Jesus again. That comes out in chapter 19. He believed that Jesus was innocent for sure but the crowd shouted to crucify him.

So, he came back to Jesus and asked him.

Where are you from? (John 19:9)

Jesus didn't answer this time.

And he said,

Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you? (John 19:10)

THEN Jesus said,

You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above. (John 19:11)

Pilate did not have the power to release innocent Jesus. Jesus knew that clearly.

Pilate wanted to free Jesus but he couldn't. He was not free to do what he believed.

Only the truth can set you free. Not the power.

Pilate lived in that kind of kingdom. The kingdom that doesn't make sense.

The kingdom that benefits only those who are powerful and privileged. The kingdom where the powerless and the voiceless were ignored, rejected, and abandoned.

The kingdom where the prejudices control human thinking. The kingdom where selfishness dictates and overpowers justice and humanity.

The kingdom where there is no eternal life but only destruction in the end.

That is not Jesus' kingdom.

Jesus' kingdom is the kingdom where everyone is respected, honored, and loved.

The kingdom where the truth dictates and the justice is upheld. The kingdom where humility takes priority over bragging and pride.

The kingdom where there is eternal life.

Jesus came to be like us.

He denied even his divinity. He emptied all his power to be even like a servant. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death.

Who lifted him up?

Not Jesus.

Who lifted him up?

God lifted him up.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

He became the king not in a palace through grand coronation. He became the king on the cross.

Ironically it was done by Pilate.

Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.' Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not write, The King of the Jews , but, This man said, I am King of the Jews. ' Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.' (John 19:19-22)

What kind of kingdom do you live in?

The Kingdom of Power?

Or

The Kingdom of Truth?

We are IN this world but we are NOT OF this world.

Who is Jesus to you?

I hope that Jesus is your king. I want to have Jesus kind of king.

That is my true king.

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Scripture Passage1 Samuel 1:4-20

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptThe sermon script is currently unavailable. We are sorry for the inconvenience!

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Scripture PassageMark 13:1-8

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptNowadays we use GPS, before we used to look to the stars.

Stars that orient you. The terrain changes, but you know where you're going.

We have foundational things that anchor our lives and give direction. They give shape and direction to day to day life.

We don't even have to really think. For me, it is my kids, church, family.

Seasons, details change, but the general shape of my life doesn't.

What happens when any of these things are taken away?

There are foundational changes taking place in the congregation.

Aging parents, looming loss of loved ones. Some are already grieving the loss of loved ones. Retirement and loss of anchor that gave shape to life for years and decades. Transition from school and anchored life to new routines. Your own health.

If stars you relied on for direction were to disappear, you would feel lost, disoriented. We wouldn't know what to do or where to go.

Likewise, when these things that anchor our lives change, we feel lost and disoriented.

For Jews in Jesus' time, the Temple was the anchor of Jewish life. They had the Temple and they had the Law.

The temple was the visible and tangible anchor. It set the routine for Jewish life. It was where God resided. Hence there was admiration.

But Jesus was saying it will be destroyed. This was very concerning.

The disciples wanted to know when this would happen.

If something like this is going to happen, you want to know when and what the signs will be. You want to prepare.

But Jesus doesn't say when. Instead, he gives warning.

Then Jesus began to say to them, Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, I am he!' and they will lead many astray. (13:5-6)

Why did he say this?

When that anchor is gone, you feel lost.

Being lost and not knowing where to go is an uneasy feeling.

Staying still makes you feel vulnerable. Our tendency is to want to move and do something.

When you are lost, that is when you're most vulnerable to being led astray.

You're most vulnerable to listening to the wrong voices. Because you want to do something and will listen to someone who sounds convincing and confident.

There are so many voices out there.

I am off of social media because there are too many voices. Too many influencers, too many experts.

Too many people trying to gain a following by saying I am he! or I am she!

Everyone nowadays is an expert. Everyone has an opinion.

Many people gain a following by tapping into people's fears and sense of being lost. They say follow me and everything will be alright.

But many of these are false promises.

Many of these leaders and influencers' true agenda is not to help you. It's to gain a following. It's more for themselves, not for you.

Led astray: be deceived.

Main deception: destination will be great, journey will be easy. Leave out the difficulties in that journey.

Don't be led astray.

When the stars you relied upon for direction disappear, you are tempted to just start moving. But if you get lost in the forest, that's the wrong thing to do.

You feel like you're doing something by walking. You just end up walking in circles and you end up in the same place.

If you're lost, you need to take time to be still. You need to attune yourself to other things in your surroundings.

Before, all you needed to do was look at those stars you relied upon. But now you need to notice other things. Notice other stars in the sky. Notice the landscape around you.

Become familiar with other things that can guide you: rivers, hills, rocks. Slowly, you will become familiar with the new landscape.

There will be other things to guide you and give you direction.

All of this is becoming in tune. Reflected on this on Friday.

Need to be in tune, connected.

With yourself:

Be aware of how these changes are affecting you. Find space to process these changes. Give yourself room to mourn, think, reflect.

Be in tune with your life:

Be aware of changes that are happening. Notice what's going on in your life.

These are all part of noticing things in the landscape that you didn't before.

But most importantly, know which voice to listen to.

Jesus called himself the good shepherd.

This is what he says:

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers. (John 10:2-5)

We need to be spiritually in tune.

We need to learn to listen to the voice of God. It is not easy to do that.

You are here in church today to listen to the Word of God. To hear what God has to say.

Preparing sermons is so difficult because it's not about information or data. I am trying to be in tune with what God wants to say.

To say words that our good shepherd wants to say to help you navigate this often treacherous terrain of life.

Be in tune with yourself. Be in tune with your life. Be in tune with God.

Then you will know which way to go.

Jesus is our good shepherd because he cares for us. We follow him because we can trust him.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:11-15)

All those people trying to gain your following?

They are hired hands. They will abandon you at the first sign of trouble to save their own skin.

Jesus is the good shepherd. He cares for you. He lays his life down for you.

Foundational changes are not easy to deal with.

Wars, famines, earthquakes: these are things that shake up the foundations of life. They disrupt the routines of life. They are scary.

We cannot avoid them. That is what Jesus is saying. These changes are a part of life.

But what he also says is that they are not the end.

When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. (Mark 13:7)

Painful and scary as they may be, rather than destroying you, these changes will be the beginning of something new.

Jesus tells us not to be alarmed.

When your foundations are shaken, he will guide you through these things.

Like sheep, we will have to go through treacherous terrain.

To get to pastures, they have to travel across rocky ledges and high mountains. There are all sorts of dangers along the way.

The journey is not easy. That's why it's often a slow journey. So that you don't fall off a cliff. To tenderly navigate you through dangerous paths.

Sheep follow their shepherd's voice. They trust the shepherd. They don't panic, but calmly travel along the path laid out by the shepherd.

When big changes come, don't be led astray.

Be in tune with yourself, with your life, and most importantly, with God.

Big changes will continue to come, but everything will be alright.

The post Everything's Gonna Be Alright appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageMark 12:38-44

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWhen life is not on your terms, how do you respond?

That's an important question we must ask ourselves. It has implications for your life and those around you.

We all try to do our best to make a good life. We understand the rules of the game and work hard to do well within them.

But sometimes, even if you follow all the rules, things don't turn out the way you expect. Sometimes, life is not on your terms.

No one likes that. No one wants to lose control over the terms of your life.

Jesus makes a contrast between the rich people and the poor widow.

He sees the rich people put in large sums of money into the treasury. He then sees the poor widow put in two copper coins.

He says this in response to what he saw:

Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. (Mark 12:43-44)

Jesus is not criticizing the rich people.

But he's pointing out a crucial difference between the rich people and the poor widow. What was that difference?

The rich people lived life by their own terms. Life was in their control.

Yes, they gave large sums, but it was on their terms. That money came from their surplus. Life was in their control.

The poor widow, on the other hand, did not live life on her own terms.

All she had was two copper coins. That amounts to 1/32 of a day's wage. In today's minimum wage, that would come out to about $5. You can barely buy a cheeseburger from McDonald's with that amount.

No one would choose to have so little to live on.

Life for the poor widow was not on her terms.

Not all widows were poor in Jesus' time. Some were wealthy. They were allowed to own property.

But they were nonetheless very vulnerable. If they didn't have a wealthy or powerful family to protect them, they were susceptible to abuse and exploitation.

Widows and orphans were the most vulnerable people. This is why the Law paid special attention to them. It provided special protection for widows and orphans.

James says this about the perfect religion:

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:27)

As the early church began to grow, the first issue was how to take care of the widows in their community.

The community and the religious system built around the Law was supposed to protect vulnerable people like widows.

But in reality, the system was often broken. They were victims of the community that was supposed to take care of them.

Religious leaders often took advantage of widows for their own gain. Experts in the Law often used their knowledge to cheat or take more from widows.

This is what Jesus was implying when he criticizes the scribes:

Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation. (Luke 12:38-40)

The poor widow was likely the victim of this abuse.

Life was not on her own terms. She could barely survive day to day. Life was precarious and uncertain.

Life today feels like that for many people. Very precarious. Very uncertain.

It used to be that if you did all the right things, things would turn out okay.

If you studied hard enough, you would get a good, steady job. That job would allow you to afford a house. You could then live a good middle class life.

That situation is harder and harder to come by. Getting a good job is so competitive now.

Even if you do get a good job, they're often not steady like they used to be. There is constant pressure.

More work is contract or gig based. So there's less stability and predictability.

Even if you do get a good job, owning a home is out of reach for so many people.

Everything is so expensive. Our dollar doesn't go as far so we feel more poor. Eating out seems like a luxury.

Life is less and less on your own terms.

When life is not on your own terms, it creates uneasiness. It creates frustration.

When things seem out of control, it makes you anxious. It creates fear.

Fear is the most primal emotion for human beings.

It activates our brain the fastest. It propels us to move fast (Joonie as toddler getting chased by dog). It helps us survive.

But if fear is not managed, it can morph into other things.

Fear can become anger. Fear breeds suspicion. Anger and suspicion lead you to look for people to blame.

Fear divides.

It points the finger at others for the difficulties you face. It creates walls so that you can feel safe.

The world is absorbing the result of the US election this past week.

Donald Trump won because he was able to tap into the sense that things are out of control. He was able to convince people that with him as President, they will be able to once again live life on their own terms.

Whether that is true, or whether it creates more chaos and division, we will have to see.

Fear takes on a life of its own. It's a natural emotion but it can create so many problems.

This is why so much of the Bible addresses fear.

Whenever God speaks to people in the Bible, the first words are often do not fear or do not be afraid . The first thing God does is bring peace to ease your fear.

When things seem out of control, the most important thing is to experience peace.

The poor widow's life was not on her terms. Life was not in her control.

But what she did was remarkable. She gave everything she had to God.

She didn't cling onto the two coins she had. She put in everything she had.

In other words, she surrendered herself completely to God. She placed her total trust in God. For her survival. For her life.

We don't know anything about this poor widow, but we see her faith. Not just a meek faith, but a tenacious faith. A faith that believes and fights against all odds.

It's remarkable!

That is what she put into the treasury – her tenacious faith and trust in God.

The rich people didn't put in faith. They put in their surplus on their own terms.

Faith is not on our own terms. That's what we learned on Friday at our Bible study.

Faith is not on your own terms. It is on God's terms.

To have faith is to live by God's terms. It is to place yourself in surrender to God's terms.

That's how Jesus lived. He lived completely by God's terms. Accepting the cross was his complete surrender to God's terms.

That is what the widow did.

Surrendering yourself is not easy.

Faith doesn't shield you from life's problems. So it brings testing.

The problems make you doubt God's presence. They shake your trust in God. They tempt you to take matters into your own hands.

I'm sure the poor widow was afraid and worried about how she would survive.

Tomorrow was uncertain. Where would her money and bread come from?

But she had a relentless, tenacious faith. A faith that would not be deterred.

No matter what my situation is, I will give to God. Whatever my situation, I will trust in God.

That's how she was able to give even her last penny.

Life was not on her terms, but she gave everything to God.

The poor widow gave all she had because giving was baked into who she was. No matter what her situation, she would give to God.

Worship was a habit built into her. Trusting God was baked into her. It's what gave her a tenacious faith.

Worship is a habit.

Every week, worship needs to be a habit. A habit where you come and give everything to God: your fears, your worries, your anxieties, your money, your future. Where you hear what God has to say to you.

Through the discipline and habit of worship, you will build a tenacious faith that withstands what life throws at you.

This is what James says:

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

My friends, build up a tenacious faith.

When your faith is tested, persevere.

When life is not on your terms, don't let fear and anxiety take over your life. Rather, bring everything to God in prayer.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

When life is not going your way, when life is not on your terms, give everything to God.

God will give you a tenacious faith.

God's peace will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God will take care of you.

The post When Life Is Not on Your Terms appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageMark 12:28-34

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWhen I was in University, Mother Teresa once came to U of T to speak.

It was outdoor and so many people came. Like Zacchaeus, I tried to go near to the front and so I could see her.

With excitement, I was waiting for her. And finally she came out.

She was small and her face was full of wrinkles. But she had a charisma. She came to the mic and she started speaking.

All she said was, love God and love your neighbour.

That was exactly what Jesus said.

People saw Jesus' miracles. They saw how profound he was when he argued with Pharisees and Sadducees.

Chapter 12 of Mark – various groups of people came to Jesus and challenged him. They were so called important people.

First, Pharisees came and asked about whether to give taxes to the emperor or not. Then, Sadducees came and asked about the resurrection.

They all asked these questions not because they were really interested in what Jesus had to say but they wanted to trap him.

Jesus was not trapped. He answered each one wisely. His answer was profound.

Today's Scripture passage deals with the third question. But this question was different from other two questions.

The question came from one of the scribes. Another important group.

He saw the interaction between Jesus and Pharisees and Sadducees. He saw how wisely Jesus dealt with their trick questions.

Now he was genuinely interested in what Jesus had to say.

Mark records it this way.

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, Which commandment is the first of all?' (Mark 12:28)

He really wanted to know what Jesus had to say about the commandments.

At that time, for them, the commandments were everything. They lived for the commandments, they lived by the commandments. Commandments were their life.

So his question can be rephrased in this way. What is the most important about life? What is life all about? What is the ultimate meaning and purpose of life?

That was what he was asking.

Jesus' answer was very simple.

Love your God and love your neighbours.

Like what Mother Teresa said. Everything else is the commentary of how to do it.

There was a famous teacher in Israel. His name was Hillel. His grandson was Gamaliel who was St. Paul's teacher.

He said this.

What is hateful to you, do not to your neighbour. That is the whole Torah, while the rest is the commentary thereof; go and learn it.

Love is the greatest thing. Love is the ultimate purpose one can pursue.

Make money to love. Work hard to love. Get educated to love. What else is there?

God created us to love. When God created the world, every time, he said, it was good.

Then God said, Let there be light'; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. (Genesis 1:3, 4)

God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:10)

Every day, he achieved the masterpiece of his creation. And he said, it was good.

But only once, he said it wasn't good. That was when God saw Adam being alone.

Then the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.' (Genesis 2:18)

He created Eve. It was not that he only created another human being. He created love that binds them together.

Adam felt love for the first time. Now he knew what love was.

We can see that in his confession.

This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. (Genesis 2:23)

God created love for them and Adam felt it.

But soon, when they committed sin, he lost the ability to love.

The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate. (Genesis 3:12)

No more bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This woman you gave me.

Separation. He separated himself from the woman.

That is what sin does. Separates.

Love unites and confesses you are bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.

Jesus came to restore love that was originally given at creation.

Love. That was what Jesus told them to do. Restore love that was lost.

It doesn't matter what you do with commandments. If there is no love, none of them is useless.

Everything else is merely the commentary of love. That is what is the most important.

The scribe now clearly understood what Jesus meant.

this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. (Mark 12:33)

That's why Jesus said about the scribe:

When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God.' (Mark 12:34)

And Mark ends the story with this.

After that no one dared to ask him any question. (Mark 12:34)

They were all struck by the truth. No one dared to add anything to it.

That is it! The conclusion and the finality. No more frivolous arguments.

The problem Jesus saw – THEY LOST THE ABILITY TO LOVE.

In that way, they were dysfunctional. This world lost the ability to love. In that way, this world is dysfunctional.

We have to restore the ability to love.

How do we do that?

Go back to God. Not for religious reasons. Not for piety.

Go back to God who created love. And experience God's love. Learn about God's love. Ask God to give you love as he gave it to Adam.

The whole purpose of Jesus coming into the world was to restore the love that was lost.

This was what John said.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Through Jesus Christ, we have to restore love. When we don't find love, we are lost.

God loves you. Receive that love. When you find God, you find love.

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:7, 8)

You are not alone. It is not good to be alone.

You have God with you and you have sisters and brothers who care for you. Nothing can separate you to be isolated.

This was what Paul said.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

When love is restored within you, you are no more an island. You don't need to live like an island.

But that is the feeling we feel sometimes.

That feeling was well captured in the song of Paul Simon, I am a rock.

A winter’s day
In a deep and dark December
I am alone
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow
I am a rock I am an island

I’ve built walls
A fortress deep and mighty
That none may penetrate
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain
It’s laughter and it’s loving I disdain
I am a rock I am an island

Don’t talk of love
Well I’ve heard the word before
It’s sleeping in my memory
I won’t disturb the slumber of feelings that have died
If I never loved I never would have cried
I am a rock I am an island

I have my books
And my poetry to protect me
I am shielded in my armor
Hiding in my room safe within my womb
I touch no one and no one touches me
I am a rock I am an island
And a rock feels no pain
And an island never cries

Jesus came to restore love within us.

Jesus came to tell us that you are not a rock. You are not an island.

I am with you, Jesus says. Let your love within you be restored.

It's like a match stick. It has all the potential to set a fire. All you need is to strike it to the surface. (I got the imagery from the podcast Tom sent me.)

Yes, you have potential fire of love. You need to kindle it.

Let your love within you be kindled.

The post Restore Love That Is Lost appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageMark 10:46-52

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptHappy anniversary!

Today is the 28th anniversary of this church.

Once a year, we remember how faithful God has been to this church. Another year, God has been with us.

God has been with our children. God has been with our youth and young adults. God has been with all of you.

On this anniversary, it is good to remember God and give thanks.

God has given us a Word from the gospel of Mark for us today. On this anniversary Sunday, let us hear what God has to say to us.

The whole gospel of Mark is about the journey Jesus takes from Galilee to Jerusalem.

Along the way, Jesus calls his disciples. He teaches and he heals people. Others begin to follow.

While he teaches and heals, the destination is always Jerusalem and the cross.

The passage today begins with Jesus and the crowd in Jericho. Jericho is the last stop on the way to Jerusalem.

It begins with a scene of Jesus, his disciples and a large crowd departing from Jericho.

You can envision the large crowd. They are leaving with a spirit of anticipation.

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. (Mark 10:32)

There was excitement, there was fear, there's a buzz in the air.

But as they are departing, the camera shifts to the roadside. We see a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, on the side of the road.

The story shifts to him. Who was this man? What was he doing there?

We know nothing about him except that he was a blind beggar. It means that he was utterly dependent on the mercy of others.

He could not survive without help from others. He knew he needed help.

When Jesus was near, something stirred up deep within him.

This is what he cried out:

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! (Mark 10:47)

Even after people told him to be quiet, he shouted even louder. Son of David, have mercy on me! Nothing could stop him.

Mark took a detour in the story of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem to tell this story about Bartimaeus. Why did he do that?

It was very intentional. He is trying to say something very important by inserting this story.

Mark wanted to say something important about discipleship. This story illustrates the very heart of discipleship.

That heart is this statement: Lord, have mercy on me!

Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, help me.

Help me, for I am unable to help myself. Help me, because I need you.

Recognizing that we need help is the beginning of discipleship. It's the cry that brings us into God's presence.

Without a heart that desperately needs God, there is no faith. There is no discipleship.

Jesus healed Bartimaeus. This changed him. Instead of going on his way, he followed Jesus on THE way.

Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. (Mark 10:52)

Tradition says that he became a leader in the church. His story became a powerful testimony to the power of Jesus. Imagine the impact that his testimony had!

It became a powerful witness to what God does. He would never forget what God had done for him.

The story of Bartimaeus is not only his. It is ours as well. His testimony is our testimony.

I was blind but now can see! I was lost but now am found!

The details of your story are unique.

But you are here in this church today because of one simple fact: God has been with you when you needed him. God heard your cry.

God has saved me. That is our testimony.

You are a powerful testimony of what God has done. Your life is a powerful testimony to who God is. Do you believe that?

What is the church?

The church is an assembly of witnesses to what God has done in our lives. The story of Bartimaeus is our story.

Whether you are new or old to this community, you are a powerful witness to God's presence in your life.

On this church anniversary, we remember what God has done for us.

I see the powerful witness of what God has done in all of your stories.

You have faced so many challenges. Overcoming doubts and insecurity. Dealing with challenging situations. Facing many uncertainties. Battling anxiety and depression and worries.

But God heard your cries. God has made you well.

Many of you are still struggling with challenges. You're still fragile and vulnerable.

Yes, we are still broken, but filled with grace. That grace has become our strength to carry on.

Our weakness has become the window for God's strength to shine through.

Every week we come to church, we come to say Lord, help me , and Lord, thank you .

On anniversaries, you look back. You smile at the good memories. You reflect on the challenges. You have gratitude. You renew your commitment. You look forward to what lies ahead.

On this anniversary, we remember God's mercy on us.

Like Jesus' movement, this church began as a small group of people. It was just Rev. Kim and a small group of people, no more than 40 in total, from children to adults.

But they had a vision to create a good, healthy church. A church built on the Word. A church that would cultivate faith in the next generation.

Over 28 years, many people have been touched by God in and through this community. Many prayers have been prayed with the simple cry of Lord, have mercy on me! Many prayers have been answered.

God has been faithful to the people of St. Timothy.

I mentioned on Friday at our Bible study how we're like a blue zone for our oldest members in the KSM.

Some of them are 90 and above, but still taking the TTC to come to Bible study and finding so much meaning in them.

They are healthy because they are filled with the Spirit of God. This church has given them meaning and anchor in their lives.

In our ESM, a whole generation has grown up in this church – our young adults as the first generation to be born and raised here.

Many of them have experienced the love and faithfulness of God in and through this community.

Our children are growing up so beautifully under the grace of God, and I know God will be there for them when they too cry out.

No one knows what the future holds. Many uncertainties and challenges lie ahead.

It is so hard to be a church and do ministry in this day and age. But as we look back on how faithful God has been, we are confident with faith as we look ahead.

We may not know exactly how God will lead us, but the Word today makes clear what our focus and direction is.

Like the crowd following Jesus, we are on our way to Jerusalem, toward the cross. That much is clear.

But we do not remain comfortable in the crowd, aloof to those on the side of the road.

The crowd was annoyed by Bartimaeus. They wanted him to be quiet so they could go on their way uninterrupted.

But Jesus stopped. He listened. He called out for Bartimaeus.

We are the presence of Jesus for those sitting in darkness by the road. We are called to hear their cries.

We are to be the presence of Jesus that stops and calls out to them. We are to offer the Word of God that heals and makes well. We are to invite them to join us on the way of following Jesus.

Always, our cry is Lord, have mercy on me! We are people who remember the mercy God has on us.

We are always broken people who are led by the grace of God. We are a worshiping community that comes together every week in gratitude for God's grace.

God who has shown mercy will continue to do so.

Happy anniversary, St. Timothy! May God lead us again for the year ahead.

The post Lord, Have Mercy on Me! appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageMark 10:35-45

Worship Video

Worship AudioSermon ScriptJesus summarizes the purpose of his life:

For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)

He came to restore the essence of life.

We are at our best when we put others first. Life comes alive and flourishes when we do that.

This applies to all of your relationships. Whether it's your marriage, friendships, workplace, community or geopolitics.

US President John F Kennedy had a famous line:

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.

Joonie played house league baseball this past summer. He had a great experience. Because coaches were willing to offer their time for the kids.

All busy (with their work and family lives) but put in time to develop the kids. Summer was so much fun.

Joonie had fun and improved so much that they put him on a rep team.

Joonie's cousin also played house league baseball, but had a terrible experience. Because no one was willing to serve as coaches. Practices, games, useless.

Church thrives because people willing to serve. Thanksgiving lunch. Fall Fridays (food prep, praise team, clean up, etc). Praise team, teachers, etc.

When people are willing to serve and put the interests of others at centre, life thrives. When people don't, life diminishes.

Today's story begins with James and John's request to sit at Jesus' right hand and left hand in glory.

It sounds so selfish and greedy! Why would they ask that?

But I take a more sympathetic view of them.

James and John were among the very first disciples to follow Jesus. This is how their journey began:

As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (Mark 1:19-20)

They just followed Jesus! They dropped everything to follow him. They didn't ask any questions. How remarkable!

They remind me of Abraham. Like Abraham, they didn't ask questions, they didn't try to find out more, they didn't equivocate. They simply followed.

That is faith!

They followed Jesus when he was unknown. When he was still a nobody.

There was great risk in what they were doing, because no one knew Jesus and what would happen. I admire what James and John did.

James Choe and John Chung were our first elders in the ESM. Their willingness to serve paved the way for many others to serve as elders. I admire James and John!

More people need to be willing to serve and put the interests of others. That was not James and John's issue.

So what was their issue?

They were there from the very beginning. They were part of Jesus' inner circle.

Fidel Castro and Mao Zedong: leaders of Cuba and China. Remarkable how they came to power.

Small guerilla forces starting in a tiny section of the country. But somehow survived, went on March and gathered momentum and power on their journey toward the capital against all odds.

I think the disciples were feeling something similar.

Those who were with them from the very beginning got into positions of power. They jockeyed for positions closest to the leaders. You see similar dynamic at play here.

James and John's were among first disciples. They were always part of Jesus' inner circle.

But when you think of disciples, who's the most famous disciple that comes to mind?

Peter!

Peter was the first. He was always the most prominent. Even being called, Peter was the first.

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And Jesus said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people. And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (Mark your 1:16-20)

James and John were renamed by Jesus as Sons of Thunder.

No one else was given a new name – except one: Simon > Peter.

Wherever they went, they were overshadowed by Peter.

This must have got to them. It must have made them insecure and uneasy of where they stood.

Jesus' calling to think of others took a back seat as their I became insecure. The I started to take centre stage.

When people mutually put each other first, life is beautiful. Life flourishes.

Problems begin when the I begins to take over.

We often put our I at the centre because we're afraid of losing ourselves. We're insecure. We want to preserve ourselves.

I think this is what happened to James and John.

A strange thing happens: the more you put the I at the centre, the less secure the I is.

It is less at peace. More insecure. More anxious. More concerned about how others respond to you.

The I gets set off more easily and gets in the way. Putting I at centre becomes contagious.

Other disciples upset because they too wanted to be at centre.

I that feels unworthy. That too becomes a barrier.

In any relationship, the I becomes the barrier to true connection. It becomes the barrier to truly serving the other. It becomes the barrier to harmony and community.

It gets in the way of a flourishing life. For life to come alive, the I has to take a back seat.

Jesus did that. His I took a back seat.

Even when he could see what was going to happen to him, he was calm, confident and resolute.

We see this right before our passage today:

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the gentiles; they will mock him and spit upon him and flog him and kill him, and after three days he will rise again. (Mark 10:32-34)

Jesus was not a doormat. He carried on with God's will, even when he knew what lay ahead.

How was he able to put God's will and others ahead of his I ?

He gave his I to God. Completely entrusted his I to God.

You see this most clearly on the cross. On cross, everyone had abandoned him. He even felt abandoned by God.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

But even there, entrusted his I to God.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.

Following Jesus is to give your I to him and follow him. That's what it means to deny yourself.

Denying yourself is not being a doormat and losing who you are. It's giving your I completely to God.

You give your I to God so that it no longer drives your life. When your I is not at the centre, you are free.

You can see God's will more clearly. You are led by God's wisdom. You can put needs of others first without being afraid of losing yourself .

When you give your I to God, you become truly yourself.

My friends, give your I to God. God will take care of you. God will provide your I what it needs.

That should be part of your regular prayer and spiritual life. Give your I to God. Find peace in God's presence. Hear God's affirmation. Entrust your I in God's merciful hands.

Jesus entrusted himself completely to God, even to death on the cross.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death
even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

But God exalted him.

Therefore God exalted him even more highly
and gave him the name
that is above every other name,
so that at the name given to Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

That is what God will do for you too.

God will protect you. God will crown you with glory. God will make your life around you will thrive.

You will be a blessing.

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Scripture PassageMatthew 6:25-33

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptHappy Thanksgiving!

As soon as I walk into my house, I see this sign: Be Thankful! Whenever I come in, I see that and remind myself to be thankful.

We often forget to be thankful.

Being thankful is not a natural thing to do. We have to constantly remind ourselves.

Be thankful because God takes care of you. No matter what you may go through, God will take care of you.

No matter how big the challenges may be, there is no challenge too big for you to overcome with God's help.

So there is nothing for you to worry about. You will be all right because God takes care of you. God will provide you with everything that you need.

That is what our Lord Jesus teaches us in today's passage.

Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. (Matthew 6:25)

God will take care of you and so don't worry about anything. You are in God's good hands.

And yet we worry.

Worrying is ingrained in our existence.

We are so used to worrying that if there is nothing to worry about, we feel strange. And we feel anxious. Why is there nothing to worry about?

So we worry about having nothing to worry about. Worrying is our second nature. It is in our DNA.

It is easy to tell other people not to worry. And we tell them that a lot. But when it comes to ourselves, it is very hard not to worry.

My friends, worrying is a negative energy. It has a negative effect on you.

Worry is about something that didn't happen yet but it deceives us to think that it is happening right now.

We take what's in the future and bring it to the present and we suffer. Not very wise.

Corrie Ten Boom, the Christian who helped Jews by hiding them from Germans said,

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.

Study says that 90% or more of what people worry about never happens.

They say the average person has three to four worries per day, and 91% of those are false alarms.

To those who worry, this is not a good news. Even if there is 1%, we worry. But there is a 9% chance of our worries coming true?

Worry does not have power to change the outcome. Worry does not make our situations any better.

Dalai Lama said,

If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.

Jesus knew that very well.

And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? (Matthew 6:27)

Not only worry is useless but it is also harmful. It paralyzes us. It brings us down. It makes us less effective in dealing with our life.

Worry is not just about our future. It is not just about calculating danger that may come to you. Worry is also created by our bad experiences in the past.

Hurricane Milton swept through Florida, causing so much damages and taking away lives. 2.9 million homes and businesses were in the dark. These people experienced terrible loss.

Dangers and threats may be gone in a few weeks. But dangers and threats did not end at the storm.

They are carved in their minds. So next time when they see rain, they will worry that another storm may come.

Both your future and your past create anxiety within you. And this anxiety takes away smile from the present.

So how do we deal with worries? What should be our attitude?

First, as Jesus said, know that it is useless.

Don't use it.

Golfers know very well. When you see water, you worry that you may put your ball into the water and you remind yourself not to do that. And you put it into the water.

Not only is it useless, it is harmful.

Worry can hurt your self-confidence, your relationship, your performance, and your well-being.

Second, don't feel so bad about worrying.

Don't make a big deal out of it. We all worry. It is not just you. We all do. So don't blame yourself when you worry.

But don't let worries control you.

Whatever you worry about, it didn't happen yet. If it happened, you would not worry. You worry it might happen.

Don't act as though it already happened. That is letting worry control you.

Third, calm yourself down and exercise your faith.

To me, that is the key. God will help you. Believe that God will help you.

Change the belief system. Rewire your brain with faith in God.

St. Paul gave us many precious lessons.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6, 7)

Memorize these passages and recite them whenever worries trouble you.

My previous church bought a manse and they asked us to live there for a while.

When I went to the house, I saw a little container at the front door. So I opened it and there was a piece of Torah.

The previous owner must have been a Jewish person.

They practiced what God taught them.

Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

Exercise your faith. Exercise your meditation. Exercise your prayer.

What are you focusing on every day? Where is your mind?

If you focus on your problems, you can never defeat worries.

That’s what Jesus said at the end.

But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

Focus on doing what is good. Focus on God and his will.

Worries will fly away. You will be able to find peace.

Giving thanks for me is to focus on God.

Whenever I give thanks, I think about God and his grace.

God has been so good. I don't deserve all the good things that I enjoy every day. My life is too imperfect to deserve this kind of abundance.

And yet God has been good to me.

As we reflect last week, what am I that the almighty God is mindful of me.

When we live a life of thanksgiving, worries disappear.

If you worry, do something about it. Do your best with what you can do. What you cannot do, leave it in God's hands. God will help you.

And for you, DO NOT WORRY, BE THANKFUL.

The post Do Not Worry, Be Thankful! appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassagePsalm 8

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptIt is a beautiful psalm. It starts with this.

How majestic is your name in all the earth!

And it ends with this.

How majestic is your name in all the earth!

Where was he when he wrote this psalm? Was he in front of Grand Canyon or Rocky Mountain or Mount Everest? Probably Not!

But definitely he discovered the majestic world God created. And he saw the majestic power of God.

I shared with you once. I used to take young people every year to Algonquin. At one point more than 30 people.

We had a night hike. We went through the woods.

It was pitch dark. We couldn't see anything. Even a person right in front of me, I couldn't see.

And then we came to an opening. All of a sudden, the sky opened up and we were surrounded by millions of stars.

So bright and majestic. Nobody spoke. We were just there in complete silence.

That was what David experienced.

He was in darkness. His life was in darkness. He couldn't see anything hopeful.

He was so surrounded by his problems. Enemies were all around him ready to attack.

Today's psalm is Psalm 8.

When you read psalms that lead up to Psalm 8, they all deal with David's darkness and his problems.

When you read from Psalm 2 to Psalm 7, you see David's problems.

Why do the nations conspire,
and the peoples plot in vain? (Psalm 2:1)

O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me; (Psalm 3:1)

How long, you people, shall my honour suffer shame?
How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? (Psalm 4:2)

For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues. (Psalm 5:9)

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
My soul also is struck with terror,
while you, O Lord how long? (Psalm 6:2, 3)

O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,
or like a lion they will tear me apart;
they will drag me away, with no one to rescue. (Psalm 7:1, 2)

David was in deep darkness, in deep trouble. He was in danger. He was surrounded by enemies. There was no way out.

His life was so dark that he couldn't see any light. He saw no hope.

But when you look at Psalm 8, he came to an opening from this complete darkness and experienced God who created this beautiful world.

So he started this psalm with this.

How majestic is your name in all the earth!

There are times when we feel small.

There are times when we are bombarded with so many problems.

There are times when we are surrounded by complete darkness.

No hope, no light, and no way out. We all feel that way sometimes.

That's why Simon and Garfunkel's song, Bridge Over Troubled Water captured so many young people's hearts at that time, who were disillusioned by so many things including the assassination of JFK and Martin Luther King Jr., and the war in Vietnam.

When you’re weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all
I’m on your side
Oh, when times get rough
And friends just can’t be found

He wrote this song while hearing the gospel song over and over again, Oh Mary, Don't you weep.

That's why there is a gospel flavour.

He said, I have no idea where it came from. It just flowed through him.

That's why somebody said this song was written by Paul Simon and God.

We all experience sometimes that we are weary, feeling small. That is when we experience our own frailty, weakness, finitude, and helplessness.

We don't like it. We want to feel powerful. We want to feel invincible. We want to believe that we are capable.

That is why we like super hero's movies.

When I was young, I didn't grow up with Marvel series.

Captain America. Iron Man. The Incredible Hulk. Thor. These weren't around in my time.

I had Bruce Lee. But the effect was the same.

After watching Bruce Lee's movies like Enter the Dragon , I felt like I could fight anyone. 10, 20 people, I felt that I could fight off as long as I have a pair of nunchucks.

I liked that feeling. Feeling powerful!

But that's not our reality. Many times, we feel powerless.

Tremper Longman, an OT scholar, commenting on Abraham, said,

Being human is not being safe, or comfortable.
Being human is being uncertain, being on the way to an unknown place.

Yes, that is what being human is.

We are faced with many challenges and often we feel that we don't have strength. We don't have any idea of how to deal with these challenges.

We feel we are not smart enough, strong enough.

Finitude, Fallibility, and ultimate dependence – that's who we are. These are structural to our existence, James Luther Mays said.

We often forget that. We often pretend that we are not. We often deny that.

Then we face our own failures and our own weaknesses and the problem is we don't know what to do.

David didn't know what to do either. That's why he wrote Psalms. That's why he let out through poems and prayers.

When he didn't know what to do, he turned to God. And there he found his solution.

When he turned to God, David experienced God in a new way.

It's like coming out of the dark woods and seeing the bright sky filled with stars.

He realized that he was very small and very insignificant and yet the almighty God was mindful of him.

The almighty God did not forget him. The one who created this whole universe cared for such an insignificant person like him.

This was what he said.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them? (Psalm 8:3, 4)

He felt so small and yet God who created heaven and earth was thinking about him.

He was almost invisible compared to the majestic world God created and yet he was so visible to God.

Not only was he important to God, God honoured him with the crown of glory.

Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
and crowned them with glory and honour. (Psalm 8:5)

He discovered about himself. He discovered who he was.

He realized that he was not just an insignificant dirt but that he was a precious jewel, honoured with the crown of glory.

He discovered this when he felt small. That's mystery.

When you feel small, often that is when God appears to you. And crowns you with his glory.

That is when God becomes real. That is when you become healed and restored.

When you feel small, faith becomes a powerful tool for you. Until then, you don't know how powerful faith is.

But when you feel so helpless and hopeless, you know the significance of your faith.

And that faith will bring you out of your darkness. And that faith will give you honour.

The post When You Feel Small appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJames 5:13-20

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptThe prayer of faith is powerful and effective. That's what I want to reflect on today.

Today's passage begins with this sentence:

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. (James 5:13)

If you have the answers for your problems and challenges, then you don't need prayer. You can figure it out.

But there are times when you can't figure it out. There are challenges that are beyond your capabilities.

The prayer of faith happens when you know you need God.

The Canaanite woman came to Jesus, begging him to heal her sick daughter.

Jesus said that he had come only to save the lost sheep of Israel. She persisted in asking for his help.

This is what happened:

He answered, It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs. She said, Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. (Matthew 15:26-27)

She was desperate. She would not give up. She knew she needed Jesus' help and would take even the crumbs he offered.

That is the prayer of faith.

Jesus was moved by her faith and healed her daughter.

When you don't have the strength to carry on. When you are at your wits end. When things are beyond your capabilities.

Turn to God in prayer.

The prayer of faith opens up your heart to God. It lifts up the cries of your heart to God.

When your heart is immersed in prayer, something mysterious happens.

Your circumstances are no different after that prayer. Nothing has changed.

But something in you has changed.

Where before the prayer you felt weak, now you feel strength.

Where before you felt despair and hopelessness, now somehow you are able to carry on.

The prayer of faith brings you into God's presence, and that presence strengthens you.

That has been my experience.

That is what St. Paul discovered. That is why he was able to say:

For whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

The prayer of faith is powerful and effective.

I pray that you may discover this power of prayer when you are feeling weak and hopeless.

But there are times when your strength is so gone that you cannot even bring yourself to prayer.

James says this in today's passage:

Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up. (James 5:14-15)

The prayer of faith is not only something you do. It is something you receive from others.

When you are too weak to pray for yourself, you have the community that prays over you.

This is the essence of a spiritual community.

The prayer of faith will give strength to one who has none. It will give faith to one who is lacking in faith.

In that way, the prayer of faith is a gift not just for yourself but for the community.

When you cannot pray for yourself, turn to this community of faith.

You are not alone.

Turn to your elders and ask them to pray over you. This is why we have elders. They are called and ordained to pray over you when you cannot pray for yourself.

Elders: that is your role above all others. Love them, be connected with them to know when to pray over them.

We receive the prayer of faith when we cannot pray for ourselves. It is also something we give to others.

One of the joys in ministry is doing pastoral visits. I learn so much about people's lives.

Towards the end, I always ask what I can pray for.

I cannot do anything for them. But the most important thing I can do is pray for them.

Prayer is a gift for us to give to one another.

It is not only elders and ministers who are able to do that. That is something we can all give to one another.

Prayer is a gift for the community.

Praying for one another brings God's presence near.

Jesus said this:

For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. (Matthew 18:20)

When we pray for and over one another, Jesus is right there with us.

The weight of the world is heavy. Sometimes it is too much to bear. So many people bear that burden all by themselves.

But we shouldn't have to. That is not God's will.

God gave us this community to bear one another's burdens. God gave us the gift of prayer.

I am so thankful for our youth ministry. It is such a precious ministry.

We have such strong young adults in our church because of the foundations laid during their youth.

Retreats are powerful, formative times for them. That's why we place such importance on them.

And the singular most powerful part of retreats are the moments when people pray for each other. They share their burdens and they invoke God's presence on each other.

God is truly there as they pray.

But the gift of prayer is not only for youth.

I pray that this church can be a place where people's burdens are lifted through prayers we offer for one another.

The prayer of faith is powerful and effective.

The prayer of faith gives you strength when you have none. It is a gift we can offer to one another.

The prayer of faith is powerful and effective in another way: it brings about God's will for peace, healing and reconciliation.

This is how St. Paul articulates God's will:

For he (Christ) is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. (Ephesians 2:14-16)

That is why Christ came.

To break down the dividing walls. To create in himself one new humanity. To reconcile us to God and put to death hostility.

The will of God seems so far off from the reality we see in the world.

The conflict in the Middle East is escalating as we speak.

There is so much hostility to immigrants and migrants in the United States that's also spilling over into Canada.

All around us, we sense hostility.

A friend of mine who returned to Toronto from LA recently asked, Why are people so mean here?

What can bring about God's will for peace and reconciliation?

James says this:

Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. (James 5:16)

God's will for peace will happen in communities bound together by prayer.

Prayer and confession go hand in hand.

We confess our sins to each other and we invoke God's power in prayer to bind us together.

We invite God's supernatural power to overcome divisions, heal the animosities and hurts in our hearts, and make us one in our differences.

Only prayer has the power to do this.

I experienced the power of prayer in Sioux Valley.

Sharing is very important. Sharing your heart creates the opening.

But that is just the setup.

THE most powerful impact of that trip was praying with them. Prayer is what gave them strength.

As we mark this year's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we can't do anything to change the past.

But we seek healing for the present that will create a new path for the future.

Healing will happen in spiritual communities built on prayer. Prayer will bind hearts together and give new vision for the way forward.

The prayer of faith is powerful and effective.

When you have no strength, turn to God.

When you cannot pray, turn to others to pray for you.

When your heart is filled with hostility, let prayer heal you and bring reconciliation.

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Scripture PassageJames 3:13-4:3, 7-8

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptToday's passage begins with this question:

Who is wise and understanding among you?

Everyone on the internet and social media has something wise to say. Everyone's an expert.

But who is truly wise among us?

The Scripture says this:

Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. (James 3:13)

A good life is rooted in wisdom. We need wisdom to live a good life.

But the passage today talks about two different kinds of wisdom. Depending on which wisdom you have, your life will be very different.

There are two wisdoms, two paths.

There is wisdom that comes from above, and wisdom that is from below. Wisdom that comes from God, and wisdom of the world.

The passage says this about the wisdom of the world:

But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and lie about the truth. This is not wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. (James 3:14-15)

This wisdom of this world uses smarts to make yourself look good. It tries to display your own importance to others.

But it does so in a way that masks the truth. It masks what really lies underneath: bitter envy and selfish ambition.

Digging deeper, envy and selfish ambition are really manifestations of fear.

Fear at your core that you are not good enough. You are not enough. What you have is not enough.

That insecurity gets triggered very easily.

If something good happens to someone, instead of being happy for them, you are filled with envy because it makes you feel even more insecure.

When you boil it down, the goal for wisdom of the world is to keep up with or have more than the next person.

When you're driven by these things, the result is clear:

For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. (James 3:16)

So many of the world's evils stem from envy and selfish ambition.

We see this right from the beginning.

Adam and Eve gave birth to Cain and Abel. God approved of Abel's offering but not Cain's.

Cain was filled with envy and rage, so he committed the first murder by killing his brother.

The Greek word translated as disorder also means unstable, restless and unsettled.

When your heart is insecure, the heart is unstable. It is not at peace.

That disorder bleeds into your life. It bleeds into your relationships. It bleeds into your families and communities.

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? (James 4:1)

This world leaves you unsettled. It leaves you always feeling there's more you need to do and be.

We use the world's wisdom to feel at peace.

But even if you've succeeded in creating the desired circumstances, the heart is still not at peace.

The world constantly fuels your insecurity by saying you're not enough.

After I graduated from university, my first full-time job was in marketing at a global consumer packaged goods company.

They know the consumer better than they know themselves.

They know how to tap into your beliefs and make you feel that you're not complete unless they buy your product. Ads reinforce the message that you're lacking until you buy it.

That was twenty years ago. It's even worse now.

The whole business model for smartphones and social media is to fuel your insecurity and feed off of it.

The wisdom of the world does not bring peace to the insecurity in your heart. It is very different from the wisdom from above.

The passage says this:

But the wisdom from above is first pure** (James 3:17)

In what way is it pure?

The wisdom from above is pure of envy and selfish ambition.

It is pure of insecurity and feelings of nothingness. It is pure of desire and cravings for things that stem from fear and insecurity.

When your heart is pure from these fears and insecurities, you experience peace.

The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. (James 3:17)

When you have the wisdom from above, you're no longer driven by fears and insecurities.

Your heart is at peace. You can see and think clearly. You can be more generous. You can be led by the right motivations.

There is a difference between ambition and selfish ambition.

Ambition itself is good. The desire to succeed is energy and an engine that propels you.

There's a famous book in the world of business titled Good to Great . It talks about companies that went from good to great in a lasting way.

The main finding is that its leaders have great ambition. But that ambition is directed toward the success of their company.

By directing their energy toward the success of their company, they also achieve great personal success.

But that personal success is a result of their service to the success of the company.

We know many of these companies today, but we don't know the leaders behind them. That's what makes these companies great.

I think that's the key to success for all of you too.

I want all of you to be ambitious. But be ambitious for something beyond yourself.

I want all of you to strive for excellence in what you do. But do that so that you can contribute your absolute best for the people you serve.

I want you all to be very successful. But I want your success to be a result of being ambitious for the company you work for, the community you serve, the people you love.

You will find that success when your heart is set free from fear.

Wisdom from above brings peace. Peace in your heart. Peace in your communities.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:18)

Do you want to make a difference in this world? Then seek out the wisdom from above. Become a spiritual person.

You will bring peace to those around you. You will bear good fruit in your life.

The wisdom of the world is acquired by your effort. It becomes your possession. It becomes your property that you use to elevate yourself.

But the wisdom from above cannot be acquired by your effort. It cannot be your possession.

The wisdom from above is a gift given by God.

The passage today tells us these things:

Submit yourselves therefore to God Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:7-8)

Submit yourself to God. Submit all of your insecurities, cravings and fears of your heart to God.
Let go of the false things your heart is pursuing out of fear. Let God purify your heart.

Then draw near to God. God will draw near to you.

Seek the wisdom that comes from God. Ask for it. Pray for it.

King David wrote this psalm:

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false
and do not swear deceitfully.
They will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
Such is the company of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. (Psalm 24:3-6)

With clean hands and pure hearts, we seek the wisdom of God.

We no longer lift up our souls to what is false. We no longer lie to ourselves.

Two wisdoms, two paths. Seek the wisdom that brings peace.

You will live a good life that bears good fruit.

The post Two Wisdoms, Two Paths appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJames 3:1-12

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptLanguage is God's precious gift for human beings.

Because we have language, we can communicate with each other.

We can express our sorrow, our joy, our dreams, our appreciation, and our love. How wonderful it is to be able to do that.

My sister came from Korea in August. She doesn't speak much English.

My nephew Peter and Annie invited her for lunch. Annie's mother came out too. She doesn't speak English at all – Only Chinese.

My sister only speaks Korean and Annie's mother speaks only Chinese.

So, they just sat there for the whole time not being able to speak at all. Just look at each other with smile. And just eat.

That's how I survived when I first came to Canada. I was 19 when I came to Canada.

I couldn't speak a word of English. In the bus, people talked to me and I could not understand a word of what they said.

If they smiled, I smiled. If they were serious, I was serious. But I didn't know what they were saying.

Sometimes I get responses from people about the Inner Voice they received.

Somehow the words touched and moved them on that particular day. Simple words lifted them up.

Some time ago, I received an email about the sermon that is on our website. It is somebody I don't know.

He happened to come to our website and listened to the sermon. That particular sermon deeply touched him.

He just came out of prison and tried to live a new life. He said it was hard to do that in this cruel world.

He said the words I spoke helped him tremendously. So, he wanted to thank me.

The sermon title was Dignity in the midst of Humiliation.

Because we have the language, we can experience life more fully.

Our relationships can be deeper. We can express how we feel to each other.

I am sure you all have books, or poems that have affected you profoundly.

God created the world with his word. Jesus is the Word that became flesh.

The language is the greatest gift that God gave to us.

But at the same time, because we have the language, we can hurt each other. We can harm each other.

Our tongue is small but what it can do is enormous. James said the tongue is a fire.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. (James 3;5, 6)

He saw the danger of our tongue.

The most beautiful gift God gave to us can be the most dangerous weapon that can destroy people.

People use the words to curse each other. When we are angry, we are searching for the word that can hurt the most.

Also our tongue is very delicate and very difficult to control.

James knew this characteristic of the tongue when he said,

but no one can tame the tongue a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8)

He said because it is so difficult to control your tongue, if you don't make mistakes in speaking, you are perfect.

For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. (James 3:2)

So, it is very important for us to think about our tongue and use it wisely so that God's most beautiful gift can be used to edify our life and enrich it.

Don't let God's most beautiful gift be used as a weapon that destroys not only yourself but also others.

Let your tongue be an instrument to lift you up and inspire and encourage others not to discourage, disempower, and destroy others.

That is how God wants you to use your tongue.

Your spirituality is very much to do with the way you use your tongue.

I would like to say three things briefly.

1. Don't use your tongue to manipulate others.

That's not why God gave us this beautiful gift.

God gave us this gift to express your love for others, show your appreciation of others, to praise God, and thank God.

Not to manipulate others. When you use your tongue to manipulate others, God's most beautiful gift becomes ugly.

Japanese says that we have three faces.

The first face is the face you show to the world. Your public face.

The second face is the face you show to your family and close friends.

The third face is the face you never show to anyone.

People use language so that they can hide their true self.

People use language to present a false image about themselves and manipulate people's opinions of themselves.

They don't care who they really are; they care more about how others see who they are.

Don't use words to manipulate others. Don't use words to get away with difficult situations.

When you use words to manipulate others or your situations, your words become cheap; Deceptive, Empty, Insincere, Unreal.

That leads us to our second point.

2. Speak from your heart.

Don't say empty words. Say what is in your heart.

Be connected to your soul and speak what's in your soul. Speak who you are. Say what you really mean.

Your words will be connected to you and they will have the power.

Jesus never said empty words. Jesus always spoke from his heart.

When you speak from the heart, people will become connected to what you say.

Because what you say is who you are. There is no discrepancy between who you are and what you say.

Your words become authentic, genuine, sincere, real, and truthful.

Jesus gave us an interesting parable.

A father had two sons. He told them to go out and work in the vineyard.

The first one said no but went out any way. The second one said, yes, I will go, sir. But didn't go.

He just said yes, to get away with the situation.

Empty words have no power. Words by themselves are nothing. There is no energy.

Saying always right thing is not what's important. Saying what is in your heart is what is important.

What you say and who you are should not be disconnected. Don't separate who you are and what you say.

Speak who you are.

When you know what's in your heart, then you can speak clearly, with passion, and energy.

So many people don't know what they are talking about because they don't know their heart.

Take the journey of examining your heart.

When you speak from the heart, you can be connected with others.

Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. (Plato)

When you speak from the heart, you become connected.

3. Know when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak.

Speaking from the heart does not mean speaking from your emotion.

When you speak from emotion, sometimes emotion takes over you and you will say things you will regret later.

Because you will speak without knowing when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak.

For example, when you are really angry, often the anger consumes you and you say what you will regret.

Your emotion of anger takes you over and you cannot know when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak.

Know your heart and speak from the heart.

You will know when to speak and when to be silent. You will know what you need to say. And you will speak with care and love.

Develop the skills of knowing when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak. That is a spiritual discipline.

When you are able to do that, you will become perfect as James said. It is a very high level of spirituality a human being can achieve.

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Scripture PassageJames 2:1-10, 14-17

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptFaith is complete trust in God. It is your heart's loyalty to God and God alone.

Faith begins when you recognize your need for God.

Faith was a powerful presence in the lives of second generation Koreans because we needed God. We needed something the world wasn't giving – love, acceptance and a community.

But as time goes on and life's challenges continue to come, faith gets tested. Instead of trusting God through tough times, many people start looking elsewhere for help.

That's when faith begins to die.

This was the issue that James' community faced.

They used to be a tight community in Jerusalem. They discovered the good news of Jesus Christ. That faith gave them life.

But persecution scattered them away from Jerusalem. They became immigrants in the diaspora.

Out in the diaspora, they were poor. They were oppressed and taken advantage of by rich and powerful people.

They were a minority with a strange faith and belief. They saw that the rich and powerful people had all the advantages in life.

Their faith became shaken.

Instead of looking to God in their difficult circumstances, they looked to the rich and powerful for some advantage.

James used this example to illustrate the issue:

For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, Have a seat here in a good place, please, while to the one who is poor you say, Stand there, or, Sit by my footstool, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:2-4)

The world we live in honours the winners.

We show favour to those with money, position, access and resources. We try to be around them and benefit from them.

The poor are seen as the losers in life.

They have nothing to offer us.

We judge them and have negative views of them. The best they can do is stay out of the way and be invisible.

Jesus saw the poor in a different way.

Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5)

In the kingdom of God, the poor are honoured. They are the inheritors of the kingdom.

That's what Jesus said.

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. (Luke 6:20)

Is it because God loves them more?

No – it is because they are rich in faith.

Which is the key requirement to enter the kingdom of God.

The poor know that help doesn't come from the world. The world is not kind to them.

They are more ready to hear the good news of God. Their hearts are ready to turn to God.

This is how they are rich in faith.

I experienced this richness of faith at Sioux Valley.

In Sioux Valley, the adults we met are not thinking about how much money they'll make.

They're grieving over the death of loved ones. They're worried whether the youth will make it through another day.

They're worried about the effects of drugs and addictions in their community. They're dealing with all kinds of issues in their families.

They know they are powerless against these overwhelming forces.

Their hearts are much more open and ready for faith. They are ready to hear about a God who is for them and on their side.

An interesting thing happened to us.

As we listened to their stories and prayed for them, we were the ones who shed tears. Our hearts were broken and affected.

Their openness to faith increased ours.

Jesus knew this truth: WE NEED THE POOR FOR OUR SALVATION.

It's not that the poor need us. We need the poor.

This is why the kingdom of God belongs to them.

At Sioux Valley, all the surface level things we're so preoccupied with here melted away.

We got down to the raw realness of life. We tasted life.

I think they were the missionaries for us more than we were for them.

Connecting with those who suffer strips away the superficial and materialistic things.

You cannot talk about your money and how you spend it. You need to connect at a deeper human level of what they're going through.

That brings healing to your soul. It makes you whole. It makes you richer than any amount of money can.

Jesus knew this secret of what we really need.

Faith brings healing to the community.

James was the brother of Jesus. He wasn't one of his disciples, and didn't follow him while he was alive.

But somehow, James retained the teachings of Jesus. He saw the implications of Jesus' teachings for how people live.

As the community turned away from faith, he saw what that was doing to the community. He saw clearly the ethical implications of faith that is alive or dead.

That's why his nickname was James the Just.

When faith is alive, this is the kind of community that faith creates:

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well. (James 2:8)

The kingdom of God is defined by the royal rule.

Jesus expanded the definition of neighbour in the Good Samaritan parable.

Our neighbour is not those just like us.

The neighbour is the one in need. The neighbour is the poor among us. The neighbour is the stranger in our midst.

The one left on the road to die, the one discarded by the rest of society.

In the kingdom of God, no one is left behind.

When faith is alive, the community of faith is ruled by compassion, mercy and grace.

But for this to come about, our hearts need to be totally committed to God.

Jesus said this about rich people:

Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, 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. (Matthew 19:23-24)

Is this because God loves them less?

No. It is because it is so hard for a rich person to have faith in God and place their utmost trust in God.

They trust in their own resources more than God. They live by the values of this world.

Faith is our heart's desperate need for God. The world of wealth and power draw our hearts away from God.

Faith in God is challenged at every corner.

For people of faith, everyday is a battle for our hearts. It is warfare for the the allegiance and loyalty of our hearts.

For those of us living in a society of abundance, it is so easy to turn our hearts away from God.

Jesus said this:

No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:24)

There is no middle ground.

Your heart belongs to God, or it belongs to this world.

We live in this world, but we not be of it.

We must equip ourselves for battle. Every day, you must strengthen your hearts' allegiance to God.

There are two things we must do:

1. Make Church a mandatory rhythm of your life

The world will always make demands of your time.

As a parent, I am really struggling as my kids begin to play more sports. There is no consideration whatsoever to people's faith.

God gave the Sabbath so that we would not be enslaved to the world's demands.

Every Sunday: make worship a fixed part of your life for yourself and your family.

Re-dedicate your life to God. Confess your sins and set your heart right with God once again.

Hear the Word of God, and let that shape you.

Worship is like a detoxification from everything you've absorbed in the world.

Letting worship become a casual thing is the first step to losing the battle for your heart to the world.

2. Seek out the poor and those who are marginalized

Don't just hang out with those like you. Intentionally seek out those who are different.

Those who are poor. Those who are suffering.

It won't just happen casually. Our society is too stratified and divided for this to happen naturally.

You have to make intentional effort to make this happen.

Block out time for you to serve or volunteer in a setting that serves the poor.

We are looking for opportunities at Willowridge community with St. Philip's Lutheran Church.

That will open your eyes and strengthen your faith.

I have a heavy heart for the second generation of Korean-Canadian immigrants.

So many who once felt close to God have left the church. Their hearts have been drawn away from God and into the world.

I pray for them.

For those of us who still cling onto God, trying to have faith in this world that pulls us away from God, keep pressing on.

Make church and unshakeable rhythm of your life. Seek out the poor.

Your faith will come alive and your life will be filled with purpose and meaning.

The post Give Your Heart to God, Not Money appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJames 1:17-27

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptJames tells us today this very important lesson.

let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger (James 1:19)

This should be our life lesson. This teaching should govern our life.

When we don't listen, when we are too quick to speak, and too quick to anger, we face all kinds of problems.

We will regret what we said. We will hurt others. Our relationships will be strained.

Listening is so important.

It is the forgotten art of our spiritual discipline. We need to restore the beautiful art of listening.

Listening requires a lot of practice. It doesn't come automatically.

Because listening is not mere hearing of sounds. We all hear sounds but listening is more than that.

That's why Jesus said this.

Let anyone with ears to hear listen! (Mark 4:9)

We all have ears but we don't listen. Because listening is more than hearing with your ears.

Beethoven completely lost his hearing when he was about 44 or 45.

After he lost his hearing, he stopped social interactions with people. It was too painful for him to do that.

No performance. No public appearances. He left the city and went to the countryside.

He saw the beautiful nature and even though he could not hear any sound such as birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the river flowing, he was able to listen to the nature much better than when he was able to hear with his ears.

There, he wrote his famous Symphony #6, often called Pastoral Symphony.

So, listening is more than hearing sounds with your ears.

Beethoven listened with his imagination. He listened with the heart of music.

He was able to listen much more clearly without hearing sounds.

Sometimes sounds hinder your listening rather than helping.

When we hear too many sounds, we cannot really listen to what we were supposed to listen.

So, we need silence to listen.

Sometimes, I can listen the best early in the morning. Because everything is so quiet.

Usually, I don't turn on any music while I am driving. I just want to be quiet. Then I can listen.

These two words are composed of same alphabets.

L-I-S-T-E-N
S-I-L-E-N-T

Silencing ourselves – being where there is no noise – that is the best way to be able to really listen to the inner voice.

Don't constantly fill up your silence with sounds.

People are nervous when there is silence. They feel anxious with the void and the emptiness.

Silence represents the void and the emptiness and so they are uncomfortable with silence.

Be comfortable with silence, you may be surprised at what you might listen.

Actually silence yourself – that is the best way to prepare yourself to listen.

Silence not only noise but silence your anger and prejudice. Silence your worries and fear.

Psalmist said.

Be still, and know that I am God! (Psalm 46:10)

Prejudgment in your mind really hinders and blocks you from true listening.

We often filter what we want to hear with prejudgment. We choose to hear what we want to hear.

Not only that, we hear in our own way because of our prejudice.

Our listening is selective.

The rich and the powerful – we listen to them. We want to listen to them.

But the poor and the weak – we often don't care to listen to them.

So, many powerless people don't feel heard. They have to shout for people to hear.

But Jesus heard them.

Jesus listened to those who were weak and vulnerable. Jesus heard their outcries.

God listens to those who are weak and suffering from injustice.

When Israelites were suffering under the powerful Egyptians, God heard their outcries.

After a long time the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery, and cried out. Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Exodus 2:23, 24)

When Hagar was kicked out with her son Ishmael into the desert, God listened to Ishmael.

Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, Do not let me look on the death of the child.' And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy (Genesis 21:16, 17)

God listens to those who are weak and suffering from injustice.

Listening is the best gift you can give to others.

When you listen with the total attention, you make people valued.

Listening means you care. Listening takes energy.

When I listen to people for counselling, after that, I get really drained. For a while, I can't do anything.

Listening is at the core of our spiritual discipline.

Prayer is not speaking to God. But mostly it is listening to God.

You think sermon is about speaking. No, there are several hours of listening. Then I speak what I heard.

A speaking part is only 15-20 min. But the listening part is several hours.

I want to briefly say three things about what listening does for us.

1. Listening gives you understanding.

When you are able to listen to others without prejudice, your understanding gets deeper.

When you put down your prejudices about a person and just listen to him/her with empathetic ears, you will be able to understand the person better.

When you listen to yourself, you will have a better understanding of yourself.

When you listen to what God says in the Bible, you will be able to understand God much better.

I said, listening is much more than hearing sounds.

Listening to God is the same. It is not about hearing voices. When you hear voices, you better see a doctor.

Take your time and listen to your life. You will have a better understanding of your life. You will become wiser.

2. Listening not only gives you understanding but also it brings transformation.

When you are able to listen, it changes you.

When you listen to the story of those who are suffering, you change. When you are able to listen to God, you change.

When Elijah felt he was all alone, he listened to God.

God said,

Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:18)

He overcame his own depression. Before, he said, kill me. I can't go on.

Now he was transformed.

Jesus said, you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.

Listening and understanding give you freedom.

3. Listening brings about unity.

When our relationship is strained, the first that goes is communication. We don't listen to each other.

In marriage relationship, when the relationship is not right, they don't listen to each other. They give up listening to each other. They don't want to listen.

Love is not romantic feelings. Love is not an abstract concept.

Love is listening.

As I said, listening is the best gift you can give to each other.

When you truly listen to each other, you will experience the unity.

Jesus' last prayer was about the unity. This was what Jesus prayed.

I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:23)

But before this, he said this.

for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth (John 17:8)

Unity comes from listening, listening to the truth.

Where there is true listening, there will be no more division but harmony and unity.

Our differences will not divide us. Our differences make us a whole.

By ourselves, we can never be whole. When we listen, our differences will make us whole.

Different voices will find harmony, not dissonance.

The post Listen! appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageEphesians 6:10-20

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptLife is more than our actions.

Yes, our actions are important. Our decisions are important.

We need to take responsibility for our own actions and our decisions.

Don't blame others for your own life. There is no use to blame other people or your circumstances.

That doesn't do any good. That just makes us feel bad.

It is ultimately your decisions and your actions that shape your life.

Today is Education Sunday and also Graduation Sunday. We recognize those who are graduating.

Congratulations! One chapter of your life is over. And a new chapter begins.

So we call it commencement. A new beginning.

Your decisions and your actions are very important in beginning a new chapter of your life.

What school to go to? Who to meet? What do you want to study? What kind of job? What do you want to do with your life?

These are all very important questions you have to seriously ask yourself.

You need to spend a lot of time in thinking about these questions when you start a new chapter. Because they will shape your future.

You have to pray hard to make good decisions. Don't make hasty decisions. Don't follow others mindlessly.

Make good decisions. Choose good actions.

That was how St. Paul lived his life.

He believed that his decisions and his actions would shape who he was.

He wanted to be the best person he could be. He wanted to live a good life.

So, he chose a good path. He chose a path of the life of a Pharisee.

Being a Pharisee meant something noble. A good upright life. Pharisees were elites of that society.

He also chose the best teacher he could find. Gamaliel. Gamaliel was one of the most famous teachers during his time.

Meeting a good teacher is very important. So all the teachers – thank you for your service.

St. Paul got the best education available to him.

He also chose good actions for himself. He set a high moral standard for himself. His actions were noble and admirable.

He said he was blameless as far as the law was concerned. Who could dare to say that?

But when he met Christ, he realized that life was more than his actions and his decisions.

He realized that he could not control his life only with his actions and decisions.

He realized that life was a battle. A battle against challenges, problems, and darkness.

For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

It is a battle against the systemic evil that controls our society.

Prejudice. Greed. Selfishness. Indifference.

The battle is not necessarily against certain people. It is against this negative power built-in in our system.

No matter how much you try to live your life with good actions and good decisions, this negative power does not leave you alone.

It makes you helpless and powerless.

After meeting Christ, he became real about himself.

He realized that he was enslaved by this negative spirit. He never knew that before.

But through Christ, he could see clearly how enslaved he was.

In that enslavement, his actions and decisions were made in blindness. He lived in this blindness.

Through Christ, his eyes were open and he could see clearly how enslaved and how blind he was.

This was what he confessed.

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. (Romans 7:15)

It shows very clearly that he was not as free as he thought.

If St. Paul was not as free as he thought, how much more that is the case for all of us.

So life does not depend only on your actions and decisions.

You need to first spiritually prepare yourself so that you can make good decisions and follow good actions.

So St. Paul said to put on the whole armour of God today.

He used the military language. Armour, breastplate, shield, helmet, and the sword – These were all military words for a Roman soldier.

He used the military language because he saw life as a battle. A battle against this dark, negative energy that fills the whole cosmos.

Yes, life is a battle. A battle against the negative energy that strikes you down and makes you dark.

You need to be spiritually equipped.

My friends, I would like to say three things that you can prepare yourself spiritually.

1. Live a life of principle.

Don't make decisions only by calculating what's beneficial for you.

Fasten the belt of truth around your waist. Know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

Seek God's righteousness, everything else will be added unto you.

Put on the breastplate of righteousness. See what principle you are following.

Life is more than money. Life is more than selfish gain. Life is not just about what's in it for me.

Follow the principle always. You won't be easily shaken and tempted.

A principle is more important than profits.

Guard yourself with the truth. Be a principle-oriented person.

2. Have faith.

Take the shield of faith.

Life is challenging. All kinds of challenges will come to you. They are like flaming arrows.

What you need is the shield of faith.

These challenges will make you feel weak. They make you fall.

They take away confidence from you and you will want to give up.

It is faith that gives you the strength to go on.

Even in the worst circumstance, if you have faith, you can come out of it stronger and taller.

Sometimes, you may see no future. That is when you need faith.

If you see the future, you don't need faith. When you cannot see anything, that is when your faith comes in.

You will be able to see with the eyes of faith what you cannot see with your physical eyes.

3. Be the good news.

Don't just share the good news. Be the good news.

To those who are in sorrow, be the comforting presence. That is being the good news.

To those who need friends, be their friends. That is being the good news.

To those who are struggling with their own failures. Comfort them and embrace them with gentle and warm arms. That is being the good news.

To those who are unjustly treated. Stand with them to uphold the justice.

To those tyrants who abuse their evil power to oppress others. Confront them. Resist the evil.

That is being the good news.

Be the good news.

Be spiritually equipped. Then your actions and decisions will shape your life in a beautiful way.

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Scripture Passage1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptIt is difficult for us to recognize that we just do not know.

I'm not talking about not knowing some kind of information.

I'm referring to not knowing what we should do or where we should go.

Rather than saying I don't know, we want to say I know . We want to feel like we've got all the answers.

We want to seem like we are all put together and sure of what we are doing and where we are going.

If we do say that we don't know, it is usually to avoid talking about the issue altogether.

No amount of books we read, the advice we receive, or the planning we do can drive out the unease of not knowing.

It never goes away, no matter what life stage we are in.

I know that many of our students struggle with that. The same goes for our university, college graduates.

We also have those who are navigating the challenges of being first-time parents, or left with an empty nest.

There are some that are either in or preparing for their retirement.

And the last thing we want is to acknowledge that we are lost. If not to others, then at least to ourselves.

In today's passage, we see that Solomon was in a similar situation.

He was the son of David the greatest king of Israel. He was set to follow in his father's footsteps after he passed.

Imagine the pressure and the anxiety. He had enormous shoes to fill.

This was what he said about himself

And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. (1 Kings 3:7)

Solomon described himself as a little child'.

He wasn't being literal. He was young at the time. But he was not a child.

Yet he compared himself to a little child who doesn't know what he should do or where he should go.

In a time of loneliness, confusion and vulnerability, Solomon did not hide.

Instead, he was honest and transparent before God. He simply acknowledged that he was lost, anxious and afraid.

I don't know where to start. I don't know who to trust.

Solomon saw that he needed wisdom.

So, this was what he asked from God

Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil, for who can govern this great people of yours? (1 Kings 3:9)

Here, mind' can also be understood as the heart'. The very centre of a human being.

The word understanding' also means listening'.

In that sense, Solomon wasn't asking for stronger rational and intellectual capabilities.

He was asking for the ability to listen. To listen and seek God's will in every situation.

Solomon sought what was spiritual.

Being wise doesn't mean knowing' more.

In this day and age, we know more than we have ever before.

Being wise has to do with understanding that we do not know all there is to know and that is okay.

Wendell Berry, the American writer, said

It may be that when we no longer know what to do,
we have come to our real work
and when we no longer know which way to go,
we have begun our real journey.

We don't need to feel ashamed that we don't know everything. Why should we?

We are only human. We are only a little child in need of guidance and care.

The more we try to pretend otherwise, the more we will be unable to see what we need to see and hear what we need to hear.

We will remain trapped in our small world. We will never be able to see beyond ourselves.

Our mind will be so full of our own voices that nothing else will be able to speak into it. Not even God.

The key that unlocks the world of spiritual wisdom is humility.

Being humble does not mean putting ourselves down.

Being humble means to see ourselves as we are, and to see God as who God is.

Our humility comes from recognizing that it is not we, but God who leads and guides our every step.

It wasn't Solomon's innate ability or experience that made him wise. It was his humility. And it pleased God to bless him.

I now do according to your word. Indeed, I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you, and no one like you shall arise after you. (1 Kings 3:12)

Indeed, there was no one like Solomon before or after.

If his father was the greatest king of Israel, Solomon was known as the wisest king of Israel.

He entrusted every situation in God's hands. God gave him the wisdom he needed.

People saw something unique and authentic about Solomon and his leadership.

All Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to execute justice. (1 Kings 3:28)

We've been enjoying a time of rest, play and rejuvenation this summer.

Summer is also a time of transition and preparation.

New school year is on the horizon. Even our ministers are preparing for the new season.

Everything will be back in full swing before we know it.

I pray that we take this time to be wise in our living.

To reflect on where we are at the moment.

To acknowledge our uncertainties, doubts, and worries.

And more importantly, to seek and listen to God who cares for us and knows the way we should go.

We heard it during today's special music

The matchless wisdom of his ways
that mark the path of righteousness
his word a lamp unto my feet,
his spirit teaching and guiding me.

How we got to be where we are and who we are today is a mystery. It is purely by God's grace.

In many ways, we still feel like a helpless little child.

We are discerning and figuring it out as we go, with God's help. God is opening doors and creating new paths we didn't expect.

Be wise, my friends.

When we are wise, we experience peace and freedom. We are no longer driven by our need to be in control.

When we are peaceful and free, that is when we start taking ownership of our life.

We can envision and live into our future while leaving it all in God's hands.

That is the journey of faith. Walking each day and every step in trust.

Embracing the unknown yet hopeful future that lies ahead.

Being able to say with confidence, I don't know but that is okay.

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Scripture PassageEphesians 4:25-5:2

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptSt. Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians,

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children (Ephesians 5:1)

Be imitators of God. What does this mean?

We often think of imitation as copying or mimicking someone. But when Paul says be imitators, he means more than that.

It concerns not just our behaviour, but our entire existence.

Being imitators of God means to REFLECT THE IMAGE OF GOD that is within us.

It has to do with living the way we were made to live.

We are made in the image of God, who is love. John said that clearly

Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8)

We are made to love and to live in love.

That, I believe, is the essence of Christian anthropology. It is our basic and fundamental disposition.

Love is what we experience when we first enter this world.

As children, we freely receive and give love to others. Yet somehow as we get older, we seem to lose that capacity to love.

The disappointments and hurts we experience along the way harden our hearts.

We close up, withdraw, and become selective about to whom we will show our love.

We constantly hold back even though we know very well that when we love, that is when we are most alive.

We know how to be nice', but not love. In other words, we learn to BURY the image of God within us.

Last week, Rev. Simon briefly shared about the youths in Sioux Valley. The children are very receptive and responsive to love.

The youths not as much. They are more closed off, guarded, and evasive.

It takes more time and effort to get past the hard exterior. Some of our young people had a difficult time with that.

On the final day, as a wrap-up activity, our counsellors had the youths do the warm-and-fuzzy's together. Even to get all of them to sit at a table was a challenge.

It was clear that some of them didn't like the others. You saw the resentment in their eyes.

We told them to write a positive note of affirmation and encouragement to each other.

Thankfully, all of them did it without a complaint. Some couldn't even wait to look inside the bag.

After we finished, I asked the youths why we did something like this. One of them said, to be nice and kind?

I said, That's good. Then I shared what I'm reflecting with you today.

That we are all made in the image of God. That means, we are all perfectly capable of showing our love and care to one another.

But we can only do that as long as we learn to let go and not hold back that part of ourselves from others.

The notes we wrote to each other were visible reminders of that. I encouraged them to do that for each other even after the camp.

To be honest, I didn't plan on saying that. I just felt moved in that moment to share it with them.

I felt God laid that message upon my heart.

Because at the end of the day, what does it all come down to? What ultimately counts in the end?

It is love.

Without love, life becomes cold and unbearable. There are no second chances. Community becomes divided and broken. There is no possibility of meaningful change.

When love is absent, everything falls apart.

Yet, the irony is that we often resist this kind of message. Conceptually, we know it matters, but we remain skeptical.

We think to uphold love like that is too idealistic.

We conclude by saying it is just too difficult to love people. They are too stubborn, contradictory, and unpredictable.

What is the alternative, then?

Hate? Indifference?

Even indifference is a form of hate.

What would be the implications of living such a life?

My friends, the message of love embedded in our gospel is not meant for only certain people of a specific community. It is a message for all of us.

We all need to reclaim the image of God and be imitators of God in our own life.

That is what Jesus came to do. He came to restore the image of God within us through his love.

He showed concretely what it means to love others.

Love is being completely for the other person.

For our sake, he went all the way to the cross. Through his death and resurrection, he tore down the HOSTILITY that divided us with God, and with each other.

For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. (Ephesians 2:14-16)

Because of Christ, we are now free to love as he loved us. That means we are now able to CHOOSE.

We are no longer ruled by the power of hostility. We are given the power to love.

That is why right after calling us to be imitators of God, St. Paul said

and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2)

Much of today's passage may sound like a list of moral acts we should carry out somehow.

Don't speak falsehood, but the truth. Don't sin while you are angry. Don't steal, but share and do honest work. Don't tear down people with words, but build them up. Put away all bitterness, and be kind to others.

But these are not merely disconnected, individual acts. As if we can pick and choose what we will do.

Rather, they are all anchored together by the last two verses. They are manifestations of walking in love.

They are what happens when each one of us are concerned with the good and well-being of those around us.

Where the imitators of God are gathered, there is the CHURCH.

Church is more than a collective of friends and families.

Church is an eclectic gathering of broken people who strive to be imitators of God in a genuine and authentic way.

Church is where the commandment of love is not just uttered in words, but practiced in truth and action.

It is where the presence of Christ is felt in a real way.

Jesus said that.

For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. (Matthew 18:20)

This was my experience of the mission trip in a nutshell.

This year, we had a few members from the London Church join us. Simon and I had some concerns in the beginning because the two teams didn't have many opportunities to get to know each other.

Much to our surprise, the two churches got along very well all throughout the trip.

There was always the willingness to understand, serve, and look out for one another that instilled a sense of unity in the team.

It wasn't all smooth sailing, though.

Any mission trip is an intense experience. Being in a high-intensity environment, everything is heightened.

With the unexpected changes and challenges we had to deal with this year, in our committee, there were some subtle tensions at one point.

In the situation that we were in, we could've been cold or reactive. But rather than letting it negatively affect the unity of the team, we learned to discuss and work it out, no matter how difficult it was.

What is love if not that? It brought greater understanding between the members.

In our journey together, let us be imitators of God. Reflect the image of God within you by walking in love.

Don't bury it and grieve the Spirit who brings people together. Let it SHINE.

This is our calling as the body of Christ. To forgive, understand, and persevere with others.

There is no other alternative.

As God is always for us, we should always be for each other.

When the image of God shines brightly, we live out our calling to be his witness in the world.

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

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Scripture Passage2 Corinthians 5:17

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptThe essence of the gospel is about change.

Once I am in Christ, I am a new creation. The old has passed, the new has come.

The person I am today is not the person I will be tomorrow.

That is good news. In Christ, there is always the possibility of a new beginning.

But many times, that change is not easy.

We just came back from Sioux Valley yesterday. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Sioux Valley is located in the southwest area of Manitoba.

This year, seven members from London Korean Christian Church joined our team of twenty-seven, to make a total of thirty-four people.

It was the second trip there for our church members.

Joon Song and Sarah Park from the KSM went for many years, from 2002 to 2015 with their old church.

Last year, we went for the first time.

We had a great experience last year. We formed great bonds.

But a whole year had passed. We weren't sure what it was going to be like this year. Would they remember us?

This year, no one knew we were coming. So as soon as we arrived on Monday, we unpacked, had dinner, and immediately went out to knock door to door.

When people opened the door, we introduced ourselves as the Koreans from Toronto, and that we were back.

We were pleasantly surprised to see that many people remembered us! Their faces relaxed and they became friendly.

Tuesday was our first day of programming. Over 100 people showed up – from kids all the way to adults.

The seeds of love we planted last year bore some fruits of change. We recognized many of the kids – they had grown up so much!

Things were off to a great start.

But then we received some bad news: the main hall that we were using had to be vacated for a funeral on Thursday.

So that meant we had to leave the hall by 3pm the following day, Wednesday.

They asked us where we would stay.

We were shocked! We said we don't have any other place to stay.

They felt really bad and offered us a smaller space at their community center.

But we had to move everything over to the community centre and the church, because the community center wasn't large enough by itself.

Our kitchen team had to pack all the kitchen stuff and food. Our drivers and team members had to transport everything to the community center and the church.

The kids and youth had their program in the hot non-air conditioned church on Wednesday. On Thursday they had to go outside to the park all afternoon where it was so hot.

Meanwhile, everyone else had to re-pack everything to go back to the hall.

It was very tiring. Some of our young people became sick.

It seemed like a message from God saying that change doesn't come easily.

The path to real change is never easy or smooth.

Our challenges were so small compared to the challenges that people in Sioux Valley face. Everyday seems to bring new challenges for them.

The very first day we were there, one of our close friends from Sioux Valley shared how her nephew just died last week from a car accident.

He was a respected teacher at the Sioux Valley school. He knew the history and traditions of his people.

And now they lost a respected role model for the youth.

Our worship service that day became a space of mourning for her and she broke down during our prayer time.

One of the boys who came was found to have lice in his hair. For the sake of the other children and our mission team members, I had to send him home.

I felt so bad, because he had been having such a good time. He was playing and smiling.

When I broke the news to him, I was expecting disappointment. But instead, all he said was ok with no reaction.

That surprised me. He was around the same age as Joonie.

If I had to send Joonie home when he was having the time of his life, he would have protested and been very upset. But this boy expressed no such thing.

It made me wonder what he had gone through to have no expectation. It's almost like he expected nothing of life.

At such a young age, he had faced one disappointment after another, to the point where he no longer expected anything of life.

Another young man I met last year had a powerful spiritual experience last year. The message and prayers really hit him.

I was very happy to see him again, and he joined our worship service. During that service, I got to speak with him at length.

He too is going through so many struggles and challenges. He's trying to keep things together in his family.

He's been one of the few to be on the straight and narrow path.

He said that all of his peers his age succumbed to drug addictions or suicides, that not many were left.

These are only a few stories.

In our surroundings, these stories would be wild exceptions.

But I'm not exaggerating in saying that these stories are everyone's stories in the community.

It's not a large community – there are around 1400 people living on the reserve, and another 1400 who live outside of the reserve.

And for those who live on or off the reserve, these stories run through every individual and family.

Underneath these endless stories of despair, addictions, abandonment and death is the sense that their lives don't matter. That no one cares for them.

Their hearts are broken and shattered.

Even when they try to mend their hearts, more things are thrown at them that keeps their hearts broken.

Do you know what the most significant result of a broken heart is? It's conflict and division in the community ( ).

When your heart has been shattered by violence, you don't know how to love others.

There is a lot of conflict and division in the community. For KSM: conflict and division in our community.

This is the result of centuries of colonial policies that broke down the most important part of one's life – the family.

Families were shattered and broken by residential schools and forced adoption of indigenous children into other families.

They taught them that who they are is bad and that they don't matter.

With the people of our KSM: what would have happened if Japan had stayed in power?

One reason so many kids and youth came to us is because there are no other programs or camps for them in the community.

When community leaders do try and organize something, it doesn't work out because no one attends. If one group comes, then those who don't like them won't come.

Leaders are divided and in factions ( ). Families don't like other families. Even the Christians there are divided and don't get along with each other.

Change can only come if the community comes together.

If the community works together to figure out what to do about drugs and addictions. About the despair young people feel.

That change can come only when people's hearts are healed.

The change they need is healing that will bring their community together.

My heart was heavy the whole time I was there. I wondered how change could come when there is such weight on everyone's hearts.

Even going to school from junior high on up is such an ordeal. Kids have to wake up at 6am to get the bus to go into Brandon (half an hour away). Then they get bused back to school.

It's hard enough for parents in our church to wake our kids up. At least we have parents to wake you up.

But if your family doesn't care what you do, what motivation do they have?

Only the power of God can heal hearts and bring change. That's the only conclusion I have.

I don't know how, but only God can bring change through the power of love.

One of our prayers for this trip was that we begin to make relationships with leaders in the community who are trying to help.

Last year, we only built relationships with the children and families who came to us.

There are leaders who care very deeply. Elders who worry about the youth. We wanted to connect with them.

God opened up doors to new relationships.

A few of us met the drug addiction workers in the community. I met the executive assistant of the Sioux Valley school in Brandon. One lady works for the family services department.

She was so impressed by what we're doing. What we're doing is exactly what she was hoping to see in the community.

So she first gave us hundreds of water bottles and juice boxes. She then said next year that her organization will give us $5000 for us to run and expand what we do there.

These are the small ways that God is planting seeds for change.

One burden on my heart from this trip is for the youth of Sioux Valley. That's the group that all the leaders and elders of the community feel the heaviest weight for.

Right from the first evening there, our friend Dallas beckoned me over.

She was with Rev. Dave and another two elders in the community. She said we need you to send Pastor Dave to be our full-time youth pastor in Sioux Valley .

My prayer request is for a pastor, a shepherd, who can be there week in, week out with the youth of Sioux Valley.

There were a group of guys who came in and out throughout the week. They look kind of intimidating.

But on the last night, when everyone formed a circle to sing our last song, I made everyone, including them, join the circle.

I prayed for them and hugged them. I told them that I want them to take good care of themselves over the next year, and that I want to see them again next year.

I began to imagine the impact that a full-time youth ministry can have there.

I've seen the impact our youth ministry has had on our members. And my prayer is that God may send someone to be with the youth.

Change is so difficult. It doesn't come without a cost.

The cost that God paid for change was the death of his son Jesus Christ.

Because of Christ, we can be healed and changed

I don't know what it will take for change to come to Sioux Valley. But I pray that God may bring change.

Let us keep the people of Sioux Valley in our prayers.

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Scripture PassageJohn 5:1-9

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptThe Hebrew word Bethzatha means House of Mercy .

Many ill, blind, lame and paralyzed people gathered around the pool called Bethzatha hoping to receive mercy.

The pool was inside the Sheep Gate.

The Sheep Gate and the pool inside it remind me of Psalm 23.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. (Psalm 23:1-3)

Inside the Sheep Gate, they wanted to be healed. They wanted to be restored. They wanted mercy.

But the pool was anything but a place of mercy.

This is what the man said when Jesus approached him:

Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am making my way someone else steps down ahead of me. (John 5:8)

There was no one to help him. Everyone was looking after themselves.

A place meant for healing became a place without mercy.

People believed that when the water in the pool was stirred up, they would be healed if they went into it.

So all sorts of people gathered by the pool, waiting for it to be stirred up.

Getting into that pool became the goal, the thing people chased after.

What is the stirred water for you?

What do you think will make you well? What's missing in your life that will make it better?

Is it good health? Is it money? Is it popularity and the praise of others?

Will these things truly make you well?

All of these things might help. They definitely make life easier. But can they restore your soul and make you well?

We put so much effort into these things. We chase our own version of the stirred water.

Obtaining your stirred water doesn't make you a bad person. The problem is that your blind pursuit of it contributes to a merciless world.

This is the problem that the ill man in this passage faced.

Anytime the water stirred up, there was a stampede. Everyone was fixated on getting into that stirred water.

Only the fittest and fastest could get in. The ill man was left behind as everyone else rushed to get in.

The ill man shared everyone's belief that he could get well only by getting into the pool.

But because he couldn't get into the pool, he met Jesus. If he was able to get in, he would not have met Jesus.

That is such wonderful grace!

Jesus saw the man.

Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time (John 5:6)

Until this time, no one even really saw him. He was just part of the background.

Jesus saw him and made him well with the power of his words: stand up, pick up your mat and walk!

Jesus restored mercy by the pool of Bethzatha.

Our sin is not indifference. Our sin is chasing after the stirred water.

That chase makes us blind to the need of others. Indifference is the result.

Our sin is making the stirred water an idol. A replacement and substitute for God.

Idolatry was the first commandment that God gave to the Israelites.

You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God. (Exodus 20:3-5)

We've made the blind pursuit of stirred water our idol. The stirred water is the thing you believe will make you better.

But like the stirred water for the ill man, it is elusive and out of your grasp.

There's always more money to be made. Better health to achieve. More approval or acceptance to gain.

That pursuit makes this world a less merciful place.

It leaves no room for the needs of others. There's no time to stop and help the person in need.

Jesus went to Jerusalem for a festival. He could have gone anywhere in Jerusalem.

He could have attended some nice exhibits. Enjoyed time with friends and family.

But he chose to go to the Sheep Gate. The Sheep Gate was a wretched place.

It was not a happy place. It's a place people wanted to leave as soon as they could.

But he chose to go to that most wretched place. And there, he approached the man who was always left behind. He went to the least among the least.

In that most wretched place, the least among them experienced mercy.

In that most wretched place, grace and truth were present in Jesus.

My friends, when you're in that most wretched place, don't chase the stirring water. Don't create false idols.

Seek Jesus. Hear him knocking at your door. Hear his voice asking if you want to be made well.

Receive the grace and healing that only Jesus can give.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Our souls are made well only in him.

As I was preparing this sermon, I realized that it is exactly five years since I got ordained as a minister. Five years. They've flown by.

We had a wonderful ordination of Rev. Dave just last month. I still remember mine.

It was one of the happiest days of my life. It was such a joy because I was able to be ordained in this church.

I am so thankful for this church, this community.

It was this church that welcomed me back into faith. It was the place I was able to wrestle with my own calling.

Many of you were there when I shared the testimony of my calling. It was the place I experienced so much joy in my ministry as a youth pastor.

It's a place I've met so many wonderful people. All of you whose support I feel through prayers and your service.

During the dark days of COVID, many of you pulled together to keep our community strong.

I appreciate everything this community is. I am so thankful for it.

I know that many of you appreciate it too. I hear many comments like I love this community . I appreciate it .

But as I reflected, I realized something: the community can become the stirred water that we chase after.

We can fall in love with the community and forget about God. The community can become an idol that replaces God.

Instead of seeking God, we seek after the comfort of the community.

I must confess and ask whether I too have been complicit in making the community the center over God.

My friends, the community is a gift from God. It's the place we experience the grace of God.

But it cannot replace God.

Ministry has been very challenging. In the midst of joy have been many difficult moments.

When I look back on the most wretched times, the community helped, but ultimately it is God who helped me.

It is Jesus who took me out from the miry depths and made me well.

Certainly, God used people in the community to help. An encouraging word. An act of kindness.

But only Jesus restores your soul and makes you well.

In the next five years of ministry, I want to make Jesus the center.

I want this church to be the living Body of Christ.

I want this church to be a place where people come to Jesus to be healed. To get to know him and his teachings.

I want the Word of God to be central in who we are and what we do.

I want this church to be a true house of mercy.

Bethzatha was a place where sick people gathered. We are all sick people in need of healing. We are sinners who need forgiveness.

I want this church to be a place where sinners come to seek mercy from Jesus.

A place where we experience the grace and mercy of Jesus. A place where we see the suffering and needs of others. A place where Jesus lives in us and where we can be the presence of Jesus for one another.

Repent and turn away from chasing stirred water.

Turn toward and seek Jesus.

In everything you do, seek Jesus. He will make you well.

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Scripture PassagePsalm 23

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptPsalm 23 is one of the most beloved psalms of all psalms.

It is the most quoted and memorized OT Scripture. Many people wrote songs about this psalm.

Whenever we hear this psalm, we feel good. I feel good because it tells me that I am not alone.

I read this Psalm at the burial service.

To die means to be alone. The body will be buried and people all leave the site. But we are not alone even in our death.

I have a shepherd. The shepherd is always with me. I am like a sheep.

Many times, I feel lost. I don't know what to do and I don't know where to go.

Sometimes, we feel all alone. Especially, when we go through suffering, we feel all alone.

But God is my shepherd. He tells me that I am not alone. He tells me that he is with me.

That was what God told Isaiah.

Do not fear, for I am with you,
do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

What was Jesus' last word while he was on earth? It is the last verse of the gospel of Matthew.

I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

Psalm 23 is the psalm King David wrote.

He himself was the shepherd when he was a boy. He knew what to do to take care of the sheep. He knew very well that the sheep would not be able to survive without him, the shepherd.

The shepherd was very important in the life of sheep. The shepherd did so much for the sheep. David knew that very well.

Finding green pastures was not easy. Near home, sheep already ate all the grass.

So, they had to travel many days to find green pastures. That was not an easy journey.

They carried big knives so that they can make paths by cutting weeds so that sheep could pass through.

They had to protect sheep from wild animals; snakes in the field, lions, and wolves. Sometimes they had to fight with them, risking their lives.

David knew exactly what shepherds had to do to take care of the sheep.

Then he realized that his God was his shepherd. When he thought about God, that image came to him very strongly.

The Lord is my shepherd. (Psalm 23:1)

Then he said,

I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

I don't need anything else. I don't lack anything.

All I need is God being my shepherd. That was David's experience. That was his confession.

Sheep did not need to create a path. Sheep did not need to find green pastures. Sheep did not protect themselves from wild animals.

It is the shepherd who creates a path. It is the shepherd who finds green pastures. It is the shepherd who protects the sheep from wild animals.

David's life was not easy. Nothing came to him easily.

Life did not come to him on a silver platter. He had to fight about everything.

When Samuel was looking for a king, he came to Jesse's house. Because God told him to go there.

He asked Jesse: Bring your sons to me. But Jesse, David's father, did not even show David to Samuel.

He even sent him away to take care of the sheep while his brothers had an important meeting with the prophet Samuel.

Because he didn't consider David as an important person. He didn't think of him as a king material.

His father did not even recognize his existence. Samuel had to probe into the father to see whether there was another son.

David was so good to king Saul but Saul constantly persecuted David because Saul was jealous and was threatened by David. He even tried to kill him.

So David had to live as a fugitive in another country.

But in all of his life experiences, he firmly believed that he was not alone. God was with him as his shepherd.

He believed; God would guide his life. God would protect him from enemies. God would provide him with his goodness.

We can see this very clearly in this psalm.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name's sake. (Psalm 23:2, 3)

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies. (Psalm 23:5)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life, (Psalm 23:6)

Even when he fought Goliath, he was confident because he believed that God was his shepherd and he would be with him. When he tried to get permission to fight Goliath from Saul, he shared his experiences when he was a shepherd. But David said to Saul, Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.' (1 Samuel 17:34-36)

He related his confidence to his experience of being a shepherd. He learned this confidence by having been a shepherd.

Like David saved his sheep from a lion and a bear, God will save Israel from this ungodly man.

His image of God was clearly the image of a shepherd. He strongly believed that God was his shepherd.

Goliath, seeing David, insulted him, saying,

Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. (1 Samuel 17:43)

But this was what David said to Goliath.

You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (1 Samuel 17:45)

All his life David believed that he was not alone. Always, God was his shepherd. He didn't need anything else.

Yes, my friends, you are not alone. God is your shepherd. You don't need anything else.

You may face challenges in life. You may face dark times. You may face even crises.

But remember God is your shepherd.

This was what Jesus said.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14, 15)

Jesus knows what you need.

Jesus knows that you are sometimes lost. Jesus knows your worries and fear.

But as your good shepherd, he will provide you with what you need.

He will show you the way out. He will give you peace and confidence.

He takes care of you, risking his life.

Even when you face the most difficult time in your life, Jesus your shepherd never leaves you.

Hired hands run away when they see dangers. But our Lord, the good Shepherd sacrifices his own life to protect the sheep.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff
they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

You are sheep in the good hands of the Shepherd.

The post I Lack Nothing appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageMark 6:1-13

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWe think we know – that is the problem. We think we see – that is the problem.

Jesus saw that as the problem,

If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, We see , your sin remains. (John 9:41)

We think we see – that makes us blind. We think we know – that makes us ignorant.

The moment you think you know, your knowledge stops. Why?

Because your limited knowledge stops the process of attaining the fuller understanding.

You think you already know. Why would you explore further?

That was what the people in Nazareth did. Jesus came back to his home town.

You see. Jesus was born in Nazareth but he did a lot of his ministry in Capernaum, which was about 50 Km away from Nazareth.

It was the hometown of Matthew, Simon Peter, and his brother, Andrew, John, and James, sons of Zebedee.

Now he came back home and preached in a synagogue. People of Nazareth heard him and they were amazed.

I think they were shocked by his wisdom and the way he taught.

He had authority in his teaching. Not just in his tone but Jesus knew what he was talking about.

That was the same response he got when he taught in Capernaum.

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Mark 1:21, 22)

That was the kind of response he got in Nazareth too.

They responded in this way.

Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! (Mark 6:2)

They were shocked and were very impressed. But the reaction was different in Nazareth.

Jesus became famous in Capernaum but not in Nazareth. This was what happened in Nazareth.

Immediately after they spoke about their amazement, they said this.

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?' And they took offence at him. (Mark 6:3)

They took offence at him. Their prejudice was kicked in and controlled their thinking.

They thought they knew Jesus.

Did they really know him? Was their knowledge of Jesus correct or complete?

Would they have known that this Jesus they thought they knew would be a person the whole world, not just Galileans, will know for next 2,000 years?

Would they have known that this Jesus they thought they knew would influence billions of people in the world and shape the way they think about life?

The moment they thought they knew Jesus, their knowledge about Jesus stopped. Because it stayed at their limited understanding.

From that point on, their prejudice controlled and guided their thinking. Not true knowledge of Jesus.

They stopped learning and understanding who Jesus was. They were entrapped in their own prejudice.

Their understanding of Jesus was so limited and so wrong and yet they held unto it as though it was the truth.

They even took offence at Jesus.

So Jesus could not do many miracles in his hometown. That's sad. Their prejudice hindered the power of God being released.

This was how Mark described the situation,

And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. (Mark 6:5)

It was not that Jesus did not have the power.

It was because their prejudice blinded them and entrapped them, and so, the power of God could not work in them.

Their knowledge stopped. Their understanding stopped. Their faith stopped.

That is not how faith works.

Faith is not memorizing doctrines you already know and regurgitate it constantly. Faith is not about strongly holding unto whatever is acceptable, comfortable to you, and verifiable.

That was the kind of faith Paul had before he met Christ. His faith was about holding unto the law and keeping the law, and protecting the law.

Through his faith, he even tried to protect God. That's why he arrested and killed Christians. Because he believed that they were destroying God.

Christians were not destroying God. They destroyed Paul's prejudice. That was what he was scared.

Paul was not protecting God. He was protecting his own prejudice.

He didn't realize that faith was not about holding unto right statements, right doctrines, and right theories but it was about the power that releases God's grace. He didn't realize that.

Only after meeting Christ, he saw that.

Only after his prejudices were shattered, he was able to see what he could not see before.

Only after something like a scale fell off from his eyes, he could see what he was supposed to see.

His experience on the road to Damascus was nothing but his prejudice being demolished.

After the Damascus experience, Paul realized that faith has the power to defeat the power of darkness.

It has the power to forgive sins. It has the power to heal the broken hearted. It has the power to raise the dead.

When you have faith, your understanding does not stop. Your understanding gets deeper and deeper. Never stops.

Your understanding goes beyond yourself. Your understanding does not get stuck in your own knowledge.

More than anything else, faith releases God's grace. Through God's grace, the way you see yourself changes.

Once St. Paul had this supernatural experience. He called it going to the third heaven.

It was not the experience he could articulate with his knowledge. All he could say was I don't know.

This was what he said.

I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows (2 Corinthians 12:2, 3)

But immediately after that experience, he received this thorn which tormented him. This thorn made him weak. Miserable.

So he prayed that this thorn be removed. He wanted to be strong.

Who doesn't want to be strong? But this thorn made him weak.

But God did not remove his thorns. He did not become strong.

This was what God gave.

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Instead of removing thorns, he released God's grace.

Instead of making him strong, God let him experience God's strength through his weakness.

So St. Paul confessed,

Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

That is the power of grace. Through faith, grace is released to you, and through the power of grace, even your weaknesses become your strength.

Your prejudice not only stops your knowledge but it also blocks you from having faith.

That's why people of Nazareth, even though they were amazed at Jesus' teaching, could not have faith.

Jesus' teaching could not bring about the power of God in them. They were rather offended.

Jesus was amazed at the power of prejudice too.

This was what Jesus said.

And he was amazed at their unbelief. (Mark 6:6)

My friends, if you are filled with prejudices, you will never grow. You will never have faith. You will never have understanding.

You will never experience the power of God in your life.

Christian journey is not about covering yourself with layers of prejudices but about uncovering one layer after another.

And you will be filled with God's wonders.

The post Prejudices Block the Flow of Grace appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture Passage2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptI thank God for everything that I have.

All I have comes from God. Good health, good food, good family, good church, and good life – they all come from God.

In that sense, I will say life is a gift. I see life as a gift.

Jesus gave us a very interesting story. Through this story, he makes a very important point.

There was an owner of a vineyard. Early in the morning he went out and saw people not working. He told them to come to his vineyard and work.

And at noon, he went out again and found some people again. He told them to come and work.

Even one hour before, he went out and there were still people who didn't have work. So he called them to come to his vineyard and work.

At the end of the day, he paid them, starting from people who came one hour before.

Surprisingly, he gave them one denarion, which was one day's full wage. They worked only one hour.

Later, he paid the people who came early in the morning and paid the same one denarion, which was the full wage.

People who came in the morning were upset. I understand why they were upset. I would be upset too.

But one thing was clear.

For people who came one hour before, one denarion was the gift. They went home recognizing that life is a gift.

How do you see your life?

Do you see it as a gift?

If you are able to see your life as a gift, that's wonderful. Not many people do that. It is not easy to see life as a gift.

The abundance we enjoy is a gift. It is a gift of grace.

St. Paul said in the next chapter.

And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Don't turn gifts into possessions. There is a difference between gifts and possessions.

If it is a gift, you share it with others.

If it is a possession, you own it. You keep it to yourself.

We don't own anything. Everything flows from God. And returns to God.

Life we have in this world is God's gift. When that life is over, it returns to God. We don't own life. The life we enjoy is God's gift.

Let me read 2 Corinthians 9:8 again.

And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

You may share abundantly in every good work. That is the conclusion.

When you consider life as a gift, that's what you do. You share it with others.

You share your talents. You share your money. You share your time.

That is what St. Paul said in the beginning of today's passage.

Now as you excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

Corinthian church was a rich church. Compared to the church in Philippi, they were quite well off. But they were not as generous as the church in Philippi.

Northern part is Macedonia. And the southern part is Achaia. The church in Philippi belonged to Macedonia and the church in Corinth belonged to Achaia.

Achaia was much more affluent than Macedonia. But it was the church in Philippi which was much more generous.

People in Philippi understood the truth that life is a gift. People in Corinth did not yet understand this truth.

So St. Paul had to teach them about generous giving.

People in Corinth consider themselves spiritual, faithful, and wise. But they didn't yet know how to share.

Read verse 7 again. You see that kind of tone in Paul's message.

Now as you excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

They thought they had good faith, and good knowledge of God.

They thought they were good Christians and yet they didn't know the secret of seeing their life as a gift. So they didn't know how to share.

Even spiritual gifts – they consider them as possessions rather than as gifts.

When you read Paul's first letter to them, he mentioned the problem in the Corinthian church.

They were fighting with each other for the gifts they had. They were fighting about whose gift is greater.

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? (1 Corinthians 12:29, 30)

They were divided by the spiritual gifts they had. They turned the gifts of the Spirit into their personal possessions.

They were fighting with each other about who is greater. Whose gift is greater.

That's why St. Paul said,

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:7)

There are just different gifts. They are not your personal possessions.

God gives you gifts for the common good.

So, St. Paul said at the end of chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians,

But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:31)

Then in chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians, he wrote the most famous chapter on love.

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Love is the best gift. The best gift is love.

Love, if it is not shared, what is it? Love is love when it is shared.

In the same way, a gift is a gift when it is shared. When it is not shared, it is only a possession.

When early Christians received the Holy Spirit, they experienced the abundance. They experienced that life was the gift.

So what did they do? This was what they did.

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. (Acts 2:44, 45)

They shared.

They experienced that life was a gift and so they shared what they had with each other.

That's what the Spirit does to us. It helps us understand that life is a gift.

When you see life as a gift, then your life becomes abundant. Because you share.

When you start sharing, life becomes beautiful. Everything becomes beautiful.

There is a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. Our choir sang this song a few times.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
Each little flow’r that opens,
each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.
The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden:
He made them every one.
He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well.

Jesus showed the ultimate example of how to live your life as a gift.

For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

That is what we believe about Jesus. That is what we believe about our life.

The post Life Is a Gift appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageMark 4:35-41

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptLife is not in your control. That is the basic truth in life.

Jesus led the disciples into the boat to cross over to the other side. But a great storm came upon them.

Our life is like that. We need to get into the boat to get to the other side.

But storms can come at any moment. You cannot control when they come, or whether they come.

Storms are powerful forces. They can be overwhelming.

You are so small compared to the big storm. You are helpless in it. You can only try to withstand it and come out of it alive.

Storms create havoc and difficulty. But most of the time, they come and go. If you can withstand that storm, it will pass and calm will come. Storms are powerful, but most of the time, they're temporary.

Storms may come and go, but their effects can remain.

The real power of the storm is the fear it leaves in your heart.

That's the issue Jesus focuses on when he asks this question:

Why are you afraid? (Mark 4:40)

At the retreat, I shared the story of my year at the small law firm.

It was the year from hell. Being yelled at by my boss on a regular basis. Being chained to the desk 12 hours a day.

After I quit that job, I started my criminal law practice. I rented an office in the basement of a law chambers.

My landlord was a lawyer. When he walked by my office, I would tense up and get stressed out. He was not my boss. I was paying HIM rent.

I was no longer at my old job. But the effects of that stormy year were still with me.

The greatest power of storms is the fear it leaves in your heart.

Storms are powerful. The storm overpowered the disciples.

But Jesus had even greater power. That's what Mark wants to show.

Jesus had power to still the storm.

Often, our circumstances themselves become the storm.

Financial difficulty becomes the storm. Bad health. A difficult and strained relationship.

These storms make us anxious, fearful and overwhelmed.

But Jesus is more powerful than those storms.

Jesus doesn't necessarily take those circumstances away. But he nullifies the power of these storms.

He makes it so that those circumstances are no longer a storm.

Those same circumstances may exist, but they're no longer a storm. It is calm water.

How amazing that is! That is the power of Jesus.

Maybe financial difficulties are still there. Maybe you're still in poor health. But they are no longer storms.

They no longer have power to strike fear in your heart. You can live with it.

It no longer overpowers you or strikes fear in your heart. You can face it with great calmness.

When you have no more fear, you're free. That's when you can really live your life. You can live your life the way you're supposed to.

Be driven by bigger purpose and dreams. Let love and passion drive you.

Living without fear is the best life to live.

A life connected with Christ is a powerful life that's free from fear.

You have the power of Christ that stills storms. The storms become calm and have no more effect on you.

What a gift! What a treasure.

That is what St. Paul discovered in Christ.

That is why knowing Christ became the most precious to him:

I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him… I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:8, 10)

To know Christ is to know his power.

Faith is trust in the power of Christ. That faith gives you peace.

With that faith, you can withstand the storms of life and not become fearful. This is why faith is a gift.

I've come to realize that you never know what your faith really is until you encounter your own storms in life.

Faith is not what you say or think it is. Faith is how you respond to storms that overwhelm you and make you feel helpless.

The disciples left everything to follow Jesus. They were so inspired by his teachings, healings and miracles.

But when the storms came and overwhelmed them, they didn't have faith. They were just like us.

But the good news is that today's story is not about your faith. It's about what Jesus does.

The disciples did not yet have faith. But what they did do was call out to Jesus. They didn't just call out, they woke him up.

They woke him up and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? (Mark 4:38)

Jesus responded:

And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Be silent! Be still! Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. (Mark 4:38)

It's not about your faith. It's about what God does.

Jesus, do you not care? The answer is a resounding yes , I do.

God is merciful. God hears your cry. God is awake to your calling out.

I lift up my eyes to the hills
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:1-4)

Whether or not you have faith is not the issue here.

When the storms hit you, cry out to God.

You do not need strong faith right away. You simply need to cry out to God when you feel powerless and overwhelmed.

Don't try to figure things out on your own. Don't turn away from God.

Cry out to God. God will hear you and respond.

The disciples witnessed the great power of Jesus. The one who stilled the storm.

This was their response:

And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? (Mark 4:41)

When you experience the great power of God in your life, you will be filled with great awe. That is the beginning of faith.

Yesterday we had the funeral for Jacob. It was a difficult funeral.

Jacob was so young. He still had so much life to live. So many things to experience. Our hearts break for Marie and their children.

But we reflected how it's not the length of life we live but the quality of life we live.

Jacob lived a good quality of life. He lived it fully.

Our time on earth is short. If we can stretch it out longer, that's a blessing.

More than the length, it's about the quality of life we live while we have life. And that life is to live free from fear.

The disciples did not have faith at first. But by the end, they had faith.

That faith freed them from fear. They lived boldly. That faith became the seed for our faith

As you experience the power of God in your life, your faith will grow.

God will grow your faith into a mighty source of strength that can withstand any storm without fear. That is what God will do.

But right now, even if you don't have faith, take heart that God hears your cry.

When storms come into your life, cry out to God. Let Jesus do powerful things in your life.

The post Call On the One Who Calms the Storm appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageMark 4:25-34

Worship Video & Worship AudioDue to technical difficulties, the Worship Video & Worship Audio are unavailable this week. Sorry for this inconvenience!

Sermon ScriptHow wonderful it is for us to gather here together and worship God.

Jesus said,

Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. (Luke 13:29)

If this is not the Kingdom of God, what is the kingdom of God?

Believers gather together, eat together, share our love with each other and worship together.

God sent us into this cold, cruel, and selfish world but he didn't leave us alone. He gave us this spiritual community through which we experience love and encouragement.

That was how the early Christian community lived.

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47)

Small kingdom of God was created.

Jesus tells us about the kingdom of God today.

We can learn two things about the Kingdom of God through Jesus' teaching. These two are connected.

First, verse 27.

The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. (Mark 4:26, 27)

He does not know how the seed grows. That's what the Kingdom of God is like.

We don't know exactly how the Kingdom of God grows. The kind of change God makes within us is not visible to us. It's a mystery, hidden to us.

Don't be discouraged because you cannot see the change. You may not see it but change is happening right now.

You don't see God's work but God works. Not in your own terms but according to God's will.

Do your best and leave the result in God's hands even though you don't see the change right away. That's what faith is.

The kingdom of God is not something that I can make.

It is what God makes. It is not made by our own power and ability.

It is established by God's power. We don't know how the kingdom of God is established.

When I first started the ministry at this church, I had a dream about inclusive community. That's why I didn't put the word Korean in our church name.

I wanted this community to exist not just for Koreans but also for all those who believe. I wanted this community to be a place where everybody is welcomed and loved.

Now we see its fruit. I don't know how it happened. It is what God gave us.

We have to experience changes that God grants to us.

Life is more than our own decisions. Life is more than doing what we want.

So many things happen in our lives. God uses all these things to mould us, shape us, renew us, and bring about changes within us.

God gives us peace, joy, hope, and the heart to love. It is what God does in our lives.

The second, verse 32:

yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade. (Mark 4:32)

The kingdom of God grows to become big so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.

Becoming big does not refer to the quantity but the quality. Your heart becomes big. This community becomes big in heart so that it can accommodate all people.

That was the pain the early Christians had to go through. To become big, they had to overcome their own tradition and the law. Their own culture.

It was painful to let go of things like culture that was like their identity. Culture was so deeply ingrained in them and so letting go was a growing pain.

I said before. To become big, you have to be ripped apart.

Only when you are ripped apart, you can become big. Being ripped apart is painful.

I hope that our heart becomes so big that we can even embrace our enemies.

I pray that this community becomes big so that we go beyond our ethnic identity and become truly a spiritual community.

The Kingdom of God!

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Sermon TextSession 3: Power To Be a WitnessLife should be a wonderful witness to God and all God has done. In the end, that should be our testimony: that God was good and faithful, and God has done wonderful things in my life. I've had the privilege to be part of the Wednesday KSM services, I've played piano. While playing, I get to see the people singing, I see them singing fervently, and even with tears. During the Bible study portions, they are deeply engaged, many of them are near the end of their lives. I see them reflecting back through the Word, they didn't have easy lives. But through the Bible studies, they reflect back and see how God has been with them, they are witnesses to the grace and love of God that flowed in their lives.

Our life is a witness to God's power, grace and goodness. God gives us power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we've reflected on how faith is the key to that power. Faith gets activated best in unsettled situations, so we find true empowerment in those very unsettled situations. But what is the purpose of that power? To what end do we receive power? Is it only to get us through difficult times?

Jesus said that we would be witnesses once God's power has come upon us, it takes us back to the original purpose of God's blessings for us.

Now the Lord said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

God's purpose for blessing Abraham was so that through him all peoples of the earth could be blessed. That is God's desire for this world, that is why God sent Jesus.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

God gives us power so that we can be witnesses of his love and the grace we've experienced, the joy we have because of God. So that others too may experience this great power, love and joy, that is the ultimate purpose of our blessing. All human beings have a tendency to become settled in the comfort of those blessings, to enjoy it for ourselves and remain there. But the Spirit pushes us out with that power to be blessings for others.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

When we receive this power, we will be witnesses as a result, we will have the power to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. It's a power that pushes us outward, it's a power to live out the purposes of God he had from the very beginning.

What does it mean to be a witness? I want to reflect on that tonight. I think it's important for you to be a witness to God's power in your own life, we reflected on this the first night.

Peter was in jury duty this week, in a court case, a witness has to give testimony of what they saw and observed. That evidence is tested in cross-examination to determine whether it's credible and reliable, do you have credible and reliable testimony to what God has done in your life?

But being a witness as Jesus talked about goes beyond your own personal witness. The Spirit came upon the gathered community of believers, this is what happened when the Spirit came upon the first believers.

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

When God comes upon a community of people, there is generosity, everyone's needs are taken care of. There is a spirit of gladness and goodwill, I've experienced a lot of this in this community of St. Timothy. I'm very thankful for it, people are warm, they have open hearts. People are generous, the Church is a gathered community. But it is also a scattered community, the Church began to grow in numbers. As it did, it drew attention of Jewish leaders, the Church began to be persecuted. One of the key figures of this persecution was none other than our friend Paul, as the persecution increased, the believers became scattered.

But they didn't scatter into the wind, they planted new seeds of faith wherever they went. In other words, they were scattered as empowered people, they were witnesses to all they had experienced. The persecution was very unsettling and difficult, but somehow, the Holy Spirit used the persecution to fulfill Jesus' promise of being witnesses in Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.

This is another great lesson for us, difficulties come at us. We do suffer from these difficulties, but the Spirit is at work to achieve good purposes. That's what the Spirit did with the persecutions, that's what the Spirit is doing in your own difficulties.

The church had to become unsettled to go out and be witnesses. The Church is a gathered church and scattered church, it is both. Without the other, the church is incomplete, what is the purpose of the gathered church, and what's the purpose of the scattered church?

The gathered church experiences the power of God in community, the scattered church is the individual witnesses to God's love wherever they go. We gather as a community so that we can be empowered by God, the early church experienced the powerful presence of the Spirit as a community. The Israelites experienced the powerful hand of God as a community – while they escaped from Egypt and when they were in the wilderness.

The most powerful experiences of God are always in community, when we gather, we experience God in profound ways. This is why we put so much into retreats, it takes enormous effort and resources to put this together. And it's a great commitment from all of you to set aside a whole weekend for this, why do we do this? We do it because we experience God in a powerful way together, we're like the Israelites in the wilderness – we've left behind our life back home to experience the power of God in community.

We are empowered by the Spirit of God when we gather, but the purpose of being empowered as a gathered community is to be scattered. Scattered as empowered people to be witnesses to what we've experienced, to share the good news. The purpose of the scattered community is for people to be blessed and receive good news for their lives, good news that the almighty God loves them and cares about them. That God can do the same things in them that God has done for you, and to bring them into the gathered community of faith where we experience so many good things.

If a church becomes only a gathered community, it becomes a settled community, we've reflected on the settled life. You settle, you die!

A settled community becomes comfortable with existing relationships, without realizing it or doing it intentionally, walls are built. It becomes a safe place for the existing in-members, newcomers or outsiders have to assimilate and conform to become a part of this community. It is not readily open to change.

A settled community is not an empowered community, it cannot become a scattered church. A scattered community without an empowered gathered community has no power, you cannot be an effective witness if you don't experience the true power of God that manifests most powerfully in community. Your zeal will wane, your experience of God will diminish on your own. You cannot be an effective witness without being part of an empowered gathered community.

(Need for empowered gathered community because difficult context for the scattered community)

We need to have an empowered gathered community, because the context for the scattered church is so difficult.

Who really believes in God nowadays? Science has destroyed much belief in the divine or supernatural. Although science is meant to understand the physical world only, many people equate all of reality with what they can see and touch and measure and quantify. Instead of God, it is up to us to create our own lives.

Many people believe in the possibility of some kind of force or presence, but they don't look to the church or traditional religions for answers. If anything, traditional religions, especially Christianity, are looked upon with suspicion, there are many good reasons for that. For too long, the institutional church used power and fear to control people, they caused a lot of harm and damage in the process.

The church we see today isn't a shining example of Jesus, they're trying to use political power to regain some of the lost standing they used to have in culture and society. They're trying to impose their views of truth onto others with power, not persuading with love, they've developed a defensive posture, an us against them mentality. Rather than an open, us for the world spirituality.

And to be honest, so many preachers just don't have anything to say to help people live through this confusing, chaotic world. There is no message of empowerment rooted in spiritual truth, and so people have tuned out church leaders.

The Bible carries a stigma. It's our main source for insight into God and God's spiritual truths, but it's seen by many people as an old and archaic collection of writings. It's also seen by many people as oppressive to freedom. Which is justified, because it has been interpreted in abusive ways by many leaders.

And so, in this context, the only way for many churches to survive has been to become a settled church. A church centered around community and fellowship. A place to enjoy and escape the troubles of everyday life.

A settled church is not an empowered church. It is a container of blessings that doesn't overflow. It retains blessings for itself, it is like a reservoir of water that doesn't flow out. It becomes more about the community than God who brought it together in the first place and is the reason it exists. Human fellowship – not God who binds people together in spiritual fellowship – becomes the focal point.

The settled church may use the religious words and motions of God, but it is not a church filled with the Spirit of God. Our church is part of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Every year, the denomination gathers together for a General Assembly. Young Adult Representatives are nominated and sent there each year. This year, we sent Caitlin Chung to represent our presbytery. I know she had a wonderful experience meeting many people in our denomination, and seeing how things work.

The blunt truth, though, is that our denomination is dying. Not only ours, but Canadian churches in general – Presbyterian, United Church, Anglicans – are all dying. Literally dying -congregations filled with aging people slowly dying off. The problem is that Canadian churches became too settled, too comfortable. They used to be at the center of society. Every respectable Canadian attended church. But as our society changed, people stopped going to church. Our society became more diverse and multicultural. But these churches didn't change

A settled church gets used to being a certain way. It's hard for settled churches to change. We reflected on being settled and unsettled this morning. What's true for individuals is also true for communities. A settled community doesn't know how to be desperate and cry out to God in faith. That's my diagnosis of Canadian churches. They see that they are dying, but they're still not broken enough to cry out in desperation and find faith

The first generation of Koreans in Canada built churches. We enjoy the blessings of this church because of the first generation that built it. There was a dynamism in Korean churches because they were unsettled. Their whole lives were unsettled. Born during Japanese occupation, only to have their country plunged into a civil war with many deaths and much displacement. Coming of age in a poverty-stricken, war-torn country, then coming to a foreign land where they didn't speak the language. Very unsettling. But in the midst of that unsettling life, they found faith. That faith was vibrant.

The second generation that followed them also went to church. It became a big part of life for many of us because we too had very unsettled lives. It was tough being a visible minority. The church became a safe place for many of us. We found faith. That faith helped us cope with the difficulties of life. That's why many of the older members have carried our ESM.

But the church for the second generation became a settled place. It became a place to find friends, a place to escape from reality, rather than be empowered to be a scattered church. There was no teaching to give insight and a critical edge. So the church began to have no bearing on life outside the church. It became a bifurcated life: church on Sundays, life on the outside. It's become more and more where church is just a place to meet friends and to take a break from real life.

The settled church. The motto from Hi-C when thinking about the story of Abraham: you settle, you die! If the second and third generation is a settled church where we just enjoy for ourselves, it will die.

What an empowered gathered community is. The primary focus of the gathered community is to experience God in a real and powerful way.

What does that entail? Worship is at the very heart of that. We experience God's presence together in worship. This is why during COVID, when everything else shut down, we kept worship. We pulled many hairs trying to adjust to new technologies and ways just to keep the community together in worship. Everything else may go, but we will always worship God as a community.

Teaching of the Word is even more important now than ever. In a world with no God, a world that's suspicious of the church, where the Bible carries a huge stigma, how are we to be witnesses? Ironically, it is only by deeper and more critical engagement with the Word of God. I am a witness to the power of the Word. It literally changed my life. When I was lost and sort of aimless, it was critical engagement with Scripture that I began to understand myself, this world we're living in, and God. That is the testimony of people of faith.

Indeed, the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

I believe that only the Word of God has the power to change a person. This is why apart from worship, study of the Word is at the center of what we do. That's why at retreats, we spend more time in worship and reflection with the Word than on fellowship, as great as that is. It is the Word that binds us together.

Fellowship. This is a big thing. Let me reflect with you what fellowship looks like in an empowered gathered church. Fellowship is often a big factor. It's important. It's the reason many people stay or leave a church. Because we are social creatures who have a need for human connection. Because human relations are flesh and blood.

God gave us the gift of fellowship. It is a source of great blessing. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said this:

“The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.” (Bonhoeffer, Life Together)

But the danger is that fellowship becomes a possession, not a blessing through which we experience God. The purpose of fellowship in a church is for the empowering presence of God to be experienced in that fellowship.

Bonhoeffer also said this:

“Jesus Christ stands between the lover and the others he loves.” (Bonhoeffer, Life Together)

It is the love of Christ that binds us together, not direct love of the other. If it's just my love for the other person, that love is fragile. It can sour and turn to hate when we see their sins and conflict arises.

Fellowship is not for my needs to be fulfilled, but to be the presence of Christ for another. Christ fills my heart, and I share Christ in me with others. Christ in the other fills me in my fellowship with them. When we share with one another, it is as if we are sharing with Christ.

I become more Christ-like through my life of worship and transformation by the Word. I can then become Christ for others, and others in the gathered community can be Christ for me.

The best form of Christian fellowship is intercessory prayer. Praying for one another. When you pray for one another, you are bringing God to the center. It is God who stands at the center of that relationship. Relationship rooted in prayer is a listening relationship. You understand their heart by listening. When you pray for one another, you are praying by understanding their heart. Worship, the Word and spiritual fellowship: these things empower us to be the scattered church for an unsettled world.

These things enable us to be a dynamic gathered church.

Here is the final part of being an empowered gathered church: it is never a settled church.

The most unsettling thing for any community is change. Change in people. People who are different. New people who are different change the nature of the community, and that makes people very uncomfortable. The greatest temptation for the gathered community is to resist change. The condition for new people is to blend into the existing dynamic of the community.

The movement of the Spirit created great change in the Jewish community. You have to remember that the early church did not consider themselves anything but Jewish. They were all Jews. The question was: for new believers who were not Jews, did they have to assimilate and conform as Jews, or could the community change to welcome new people as they were?

St. Paul was emphatic that gentiles did not need to become Jews like them to be welcomed into the community.

This is what he said:

“There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:28-29)

If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's offspring. You don't need circumcision. Only Christ.

Circumcision was the primary marker of identity for Jews. This was a radical step. This was why Paul was attacked and persecuted so severely by fellow Jews who couldn't accept this change.

My friends, a gathered church must be an unsettled church. It cannot survive or thrive as a settled church. An empowered church is an unsettled church. We embrace being uncomfortable. We accept the awkwardness of change and newness. We rely only on the Holy Spirit and faith.

Our calling: be an empowered scattered community – that is the power to be a witness.

We are called to be an empowered scattered community. People feel very unsettled. People are so anxious and fearful. There are great forces of change rippling throughout the world: changes in technology, the economy, our climate. These changes make people feel very disempowered. Apokalypsis: revealing hearts of people. People react and lash out to this sense of disempowerment.

Many Christians feel disempowered because they feel so irrelevant. What can we do? What difference does it make? Especially when no one even wants to listen to us?

The early church was very insignificant. Paul's churches were tiny: they were small gatherings of 20 to 30 people. Meanwhile, this was the height of the Roman Empire. The powerful people jockeying for power, and great wars taking place.

The early church was not involved in any of these big events. They were not involved in the political debates. They were too busy simply being witnesses and sharing the good news. They shared good news with the losers of the empire. This is what St. Paul says:

“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.” (1 Corinthians 1:26)

The scattered church doesn't need worldly power. We only need God's power. We simply need to be witnesses to God's love and power.

To conclude this series of lectures:

We need empowerment to live life. That power for us comes from God. To receive that power, we need to be connected to God. Faith is the key to having the presence of God in our lives – whether you feel it or not. Faith is incubated in an unsettled state. We experience the power of God most fully in community – that is the gathered church. The gathered church must be empowered by the experience of God and be sent out as the scattered church to be witnesses to the world. That is our calling.

God will lead us. I believe that. Our response is to be a faithful part of the gathered church and wait for God to come upon you.

Discussion Questions:

1. How have you experienced the power of God in the church? What are some signs of the Spirit you see in our gathered church? What are some signs you see of a settled church?
2. How have you been empowered to be part of the scattered church? What are some challenges you face with being part of the scattered church? How can the gathered church help empower you to be a witness in today's context?

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Sermon TextSession 2: The Power of an Unsettled LifeWe are walking toward the mountain of God, but is not about us, it's about God who seeks you. It doesn’t matter which direction you are walking in, you are walking towards an encounter of God. That is a reassurance and that is the basis of our faith. That it doesn’t matter what we are doing, God is waiting, and expecting to encounter us.

Last night, we reflected on faith as the key to an empowered life. Faith is the assurance that God is present even when you don't feel it. Yes, belief that we are walking on right path whether aware of it or not. It is the belief that God is there, and that the presence of God is our power, and faith is the key. It's your superpower for life

When you have a good relationship with your parents, you know they love you. It doesn't have to be said or consciously thought about, you just know they do. And without realizing it, knowing that they love you unconditionally is a great comfort and strength for you. That is what faith is like.

Faith gives you a new set of eyes. It's like getting a pair of 3D glasses to see a new dimension. It opens up your eyes to see God's presence. When I see my sin, I also see God's forgiveness. When I'm worried, I feel comfort. When I'm confused, I feel peace. Faith is an incredible gift given to us.

This morning, I want to reflect on what this faith looks like, and the conditions in which it flourishes. I think that for many people, empowerment is to have everything under control. To be settled and on top of things. To be put together in every way: financially, socially, emotionally. It's to be settled in all these areas. To be calm and confident in that settledness.

The reality of life, though, is that so many times, life is very unsettling. There is always something weighing on our minds: money is a concern, jobs are a concern, the well-being of children, family members and friends, relationships that are not in a good place, conflicts with co-workers or friends.

Any time you feel like you have something under control, there's always something else that comes along and unsettles you. Even if your outer circumstances are peaceful and good, life itself is always changing and unsettling you. Many of you are transitioning stages in life; from school to adulthood, from career to retirement. All these things can be very unsettling.

If empowerment is to live a life free of unsettling moments, then no one can live an empowered life. To live an empowered life, you have to be empowered even when life is unsettling, because that is a reality of life.

But I think empowerment is more than just coping with unsettling moments. Empowerment doesn't just get you through to the other side where you're no longer unsettled. The stories of the Bible have a very different take on unsettling situations. All stories of the Bible take place in unsettled situations. They never take place in nice, serene situations, they reveal how God led them through very unsettling situations. But it's more than just that.

The basic pattern of stories in the Bible is this: people are called away from their settled life and toward an unsettled life.

In the Bible stories, the unsettled state is where true empowerment is found. It's not about how God took them out of unsettled situations, but about how God actually called them toward unsettled situations. The whole story of faith begins this way with Abraham:

Now the Lord said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)

God is calling Abraham away from his settled life and toward an unsettled life. No destination is specified, that's quite unsettling.

In fact, all stories in the Bible are like this: Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Ruth, Samuel, David, Esther, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul, the Samaritan woman at the well, and on and on. Each of them is a story about being called away from the familiar, settled life they know, into an unknown and unsettled life.

That's the story of St. Paul; he was very settled in his life as a Jew, he was at the very center of his society and established in his life. It was what anyone would consider a good life. This was how he describes that life:

Circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:5-6)

He checked off all the boxes of a settled, empowered life. He persecuted the church because they were unsettling his faith and way of life. But then something changed.

On the road to Damascus, he met Christ. After that encounter, his life changed, he turned away from his settled life and lived a very unsettled life. His whole life after this would be very unsettled.

When I realized this pattern, that all stories in the Bible are a calling away from the settled life toward an unsettled life, I wondered: why is this the case? Why does being unsettled seem like a precondition for an empowered life? Why was it almost necessary for people to be in unsettled situations to find true empowerment?

And that's when I realized: an unsettled state is where empowerment is found, because that's where faith is formed.

We reflected last night on how faith is the key to an empowered life. Faith gives you connection to the presence of God, even when you can't see it or feel it. The greatest incubator for that faith is in unsettled situations. In unsettled situations, what you lack most is control. You just don't have control over your situation. That's why you're unsettled in the first place.

There are many ways we can respond: We can hide or run away from our problem, try to control your situation and overcome it. Resign yourself to the situation and let it take over you, or turn to God in faith and trust.

We can always be a mix of these responses. At one point there may be one response, and at another, be a different response.

I was working at a securities law firm, and it was the most difficult year of my life. I had taken the job because I was so desperate to get a job. But the work itself was so against what I'm good at. My boss had it in for me. I think the only reason he kept me around was because he needed the help and didn't want to pay me severance. I was chained to my desk from 8am to 8pm, I felt like a slave. It was the hardest year of my life; how I was responded was avoiding my problems. I would party on weekends to forget about my miseries. Grit my teeth and try hard at work, I let myself be depressed. But this is also when I started to find my faith again. I had been away from church for a while, I would be praying on the streetcar, went to a big church during my lunchtime to pour out my soul. I then started attending church again, I even went to mass.

Life can be cycles of these responses. But unsettled situations creates an opening for faith. That's when things slowly started opening up. After one year, I decided to switch gears and go into criminal law. Rev. Kim heard about me going to mass, we met up – and started Tuesday Bible Study. I believe it was faith that slowly started opening new doors for me.

When an unsettled situation is beyond your control, when everything you try doesn't make a difference, there comes a point where your back is against the wall. There's nothing more you can do. That's when there's no choice but to turn to faith.

When everything is in your control, you don't see the need for faith. You feel empowered because you have things under control. But when things are not in your control, there is a ripe possibility for faith. Faith is not what you say with your lips. Faith is not what you do when things are going well. Faith reveals itself most clearly when things are not in your control, when you're desperate.

That was what Jesus saw in the Canaanite woman:

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon. But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us. He answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But she came and knelt before him, saying, Lord, help me. He answered, It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs. She said, Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered her, Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish. And her daughter was healed from that moment. (Matthew 15:21-28)

In her desperate moment, we see an unshakeable faith. Faith that won't let go. Faith that's not bothered by a rude response. Faith that won't accept social conventions. Faith that trusted that Jesus could do something. Faith that wouldn't accept no. Faith is our key to empowerment.

So I believe this is why God calls us toward unsettled situations. It's almost like God knows us too well God knows that if we remain so settled, we won't have faith. Our sense of empowerment will depend not on the strength of our character, but the good fortune of our circumstances. And that's not really empowerment at all – that's called having good luck. Yes, hard work on your part, but good luck with all the other factors that are beyond your control.

What does the process of going from settled to unsettled look like? The journey of faith begins with something that shakes you from a settled life or situation to an unsettled life or situation. Sometimes, an unsettled situation is thrust upon you that calls for decision, that moment reveals who you are.

Esther was a descendant of Jews who were deported to Babylon. She became the queen of the empire after the king took a long search to find the most beautiful spouse to be his queen. She was settled and comfortable in her position, but then, her cousin Mordecai insulted the king's military leader. He developed a hatred for Jews and made plans to kill them. Mordecai, hearing of this, came to Esther to ask her to do something, but if she approached the king without being invited, the penalty was death.

This is what Mordecai said in response:

Do not think that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this. (Esther 4:13-14)

Esther faced a grave moment of decision, this was her reply:

Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish. (Esther 4:16)

In her moment of decision, I see a courageous decision of faith. I pray that when such a grave crisis is thrust upon us, that we too can respond with such courageous faith as the situation calls for.

But it's not only circumstance that shakes you, sometimes nothing might be happening on the outside, but then God meets you. When God encounters you, it leaves you shaken. A real encounter with God is not merely some feel-good experience. An encounter with God is an encounter with your whole self, it changes you.

St. Paul was on his way to Damascus to arrest the followers of Jesus there. But on his way there, he experienced a dramatic encounter with Christ, a light from heaven flashed around him. This is what happened:

He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? He asked, Who are you, Lord? The reply came, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do. (Acts 9:4-6)

After this encounter, his life was completely transformed. Later on, this is how St. Paul describes his encounter with Christ:

For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin, for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:10-11)

St. Paul's encounter with Christ was a revelation. The word revelation in Greek is apokalypsis . That's where we get the word apocalypse from. The word revelation means: unveiling, uncovering, disclosure of something previously hidden. I think our image of apocalypse comes from the fact that this revelation often comes unannounced, or unexpectedly. It ruptures the normal flow of events and breaks in even violently.

The theologian Daniel Migliore describes revelation this way:

A revelation of this sort may humble or elate us, disturb or even shock us. The effect of such revelatory experiences may be dramatic, possibly changing the way we think about the world or the way we live our lives. (Daniel Migliore)

Paul's encounter with Christ was a revelation. He thought he was living a good life, but realized that he wasn't. His whole belief system crumbled, it had to be built back up.

An encounter with God is a calling to leave the settled life into an unsettled one. We examined Moses' encounter at the burning bush last night. Moses was living a settled life when God met him, he attended to sheep, he had a wife and kids. Life on the outside was very peaceful.

But when God met him, this is what he said to Moses:

Then the Lord said, I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. Now go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:7-10)

What a shake-up of a settled life!

Now go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. After living for 40 years in a peaceful, settled life, he was being called to go back to Egypt and face down a mighty power with nothing but a staff and faith.

This is what Daniel Migliore says:

Revelation is the disclosure of the character and purpose of God, and when it is received, it radically changes the lives of its recipients. (Migliore)

When God reveals himself, God reveals his character and purpose. God was the God who heard the cries of the Israelites. God's purpose was to liberate them from their suffering in bondage. When God's purpose was revealed to Moses, it changed him. Moses objected fiercely and hesitated with so many questions. But in the end, he accepted the call and his life was changed.

Why was Moses called? Was it just a random call that anyone could have received? The answer, as you may guess, is no.

When God encountered Moses, Moses was living a very settled life, but that outer peace masked an unsettled heart. Moses had a very unique and distinctive life. He was born during the time when the Pharaoh had all Hebrew boys killed. But Moses' mom was determined to save his life, so she put him in a basket and placed it in the Nile River. By chance, Pharaoh's daughter came upon the basket, was moved with pity, and brought him to be raised in the palace. So Moses essentially grew up as a prince of Egypt. But he must have been so confused about his identity growing up. He was a Hebrew by birth – part of the enslaved and inferior people, but raised as Egyptian royalty. He was an insider and outsider to both sides, but belonged to neither.

This confusion played out when he was a young man. He saw an Egyptian overlord abusing a Hebrew slave. In solidarity with the Hebrew, he killed the Egyptian. He thought this would gain favour among his fellow Hebrews, but instead, they resisted his act of solidarity. Report of his actions reached Pharaoh, and he had to run away.

He ran away to Midian, a land full of pastures and calm land. That's where he found his wife and had kids. But when his first son was born, it revealed the state of his heart:

She bore a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, I have been an alien residing in a foreign land. (Exodus 2:22)

You can feel the pain in his heart. He belonged nowhere, he didn't know who he was. Was he Egyptian, or was he Hebrew? What was he doing out in Midian? This was something that earlier second generation Koreans in Canada often felt. We were born or raised here, so we were Canadian, but we weren't always seen or treated as a normal Canadian. Identity was a big issue for many of us. I wasn't fully Korean, and I wasn't fully Canadian, it seemed like I belonged to neither.

Moses remained there for 40 years. He learned to be comfortable and settled, but his heart was not settled. This was when he met God. When you really meet God, God reveals his purpose in a way that uncovers what's in your heart. Your aches, pains, desires, and hopes, your joys, sorrows, good and bad experiences.

Revelation is discovering a coherent pattern to all of these random events in your life. That revelation is your calling. It's a weaving together of all these things that make up who you are. There was no one else who could have received this particular calling. Who else knew the Egyptians as an insider? Who else knew how they thought and lived? The pain and confusion he experienced and lived with became the energy and fuel that God used for his good purpose of liberating his people

God has good desires for this world, and specific desires for you to do good. God wants to bring all of you to bear in a way that only you can. Each of you here is a unique blessing to this community. No one else can bring what you bring in terms of who you are. You are God's unique gift to this world.

But to fully unlock your uniqueness, it requires a journey of leaving behind a settled life into an unsettled life. What shape this takes is unique for each of you. Not all of you are required to make a dramatic career change, or support a spouse who does – although some of you might. But it is a journey into the unknown based solely on faith. It is a call into an unsettled state of being.

Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt with amazing deeds of power, but after they escaped Egypt, they spent 40 years in the wilderness. Moses' time of action was very short, most of his 40 years in leadership was in the wilderness. He never got to go into the Promised Land. It was almost anti-climactic after the amazing things they did while escaping from Egypt.

The wilderness was an unsettling time of waiting. They often grumbled, they were fearful and anxious. They even wanted to go back to Egypt, they were impatient.

But this is where they developed faith. They witnessed God's miraculous provision of manna and water . For 40 years, they lived off of what God provided each day. They saw God's presence in the pillar of cloud that led them by day, and the pillar of fire that watched over them at night. In their unsettled time in the wilderness, God became so real. In the wilderness at Mount Sinai, they formed a new identity as the people of God when they entered into a covenant with him.

They lived an unsettled life. They didn't get anywhere, that whole generation lived and died in the wilderness. But they are seen as most blessed generation ever. Generations after would find inspiration from their experience. They are the most blessed because they found faith. Faith that made God so real. They found power in their unsettled life.

The life of following Jesus is to live an unsettled life. The disciples left their nets and followed him. They had no idea where they were going, only the promise that they would fish for people. The life of discipleship is a life of permanent tension.

This was Jesus' last prayer:

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. (John 17: 14-16)

We are in the world but not of it. We are always unsettled, never too comfortable. Always unsettled, always turning to God in faith. If you're too comfortable and there's nothing driving you toward God, perhaps it could be a sign that something is off. That something is hidden and waiting to be uncovered.

Some of you have lived in an unsettling situation for a long time. There is real suffering that comes from it. I don't want to minimize it. But think of how this has affected your faith, in your desparation, you've had nowhere else to turn. God has become so real for you. The suffering is hard, but you have been blessed because you found God

St. Paul said this:

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-4)

Your suffering produces faith when you turn to God in prayer. That faith is your superpower for life. It will open your heart for God's love to be poured into.

Life will always be unsettling, whether you want it or not, but when these moments come, don't hide or run away from it. Turn to God in faith. Let your unsettled situation unlock the power of faith in your life

Reflection Questions:

1. Feeling unsettled makes us anxious. We have learned to run away from it or ignore it. Take some time to reflect on anything that is making you feel unsettled. What is unsettling you? How have you been dealing with it?
2. Faith consists of waiting and the moment of decision. God reveals what time it is. What time in your life is it – is it time to wait, or time to decide? What is it that you are waiting for? Or what is the decision in front of you? Do you need more patience, courage, or both? What else do you need from God?

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Scripture PassagePsalm 23

Worship Video & Worship AudioDue to technical difficulties, the Worship Video & Worship Audio are unavailable this week. Sorry for this inconvenience!

Sermon ScriptToday's psalm is psalm of King David. This is perhaps most famous psalm from the Bible.

It's so beautiful.

It has given peace and comfort to so many people throughout the ages. It still does.

The Lord is my shepherd. It's such a famous line. A comforting line.

I shall not want. With God as my shepherd, I will truly lack nothing.

How comforting that is. What peace that gives us.

In all of your striving, you can rest in the knowledge that God is your shepherd and will provide everything you need.

David came up with such beautiful imagery because he had intimate knowledge of what a shepherd did.

Before he became famous, he was a shepherd.

In his settled life, he tended to his family's sheep while his older brothers were off at war.

He took his flock beside still waters. He warded off creatures trying to eat them. He knew the peace of still waters.

These experiences became images he drew upon later in life. Because later in life, his life was very unsettled.

The prophet Samuel came to his town and anointed him as the future king of Israel. The problem is, there was already a king of Israel – Saul, the first king and monarch of Israel.

To be anointed king of Israel when one already exists is a politically seditious act.

This anointing thrust him into an unsettled life. But he lived out an empowered life with confidence in God.

With that confidence, he took on Goliath when no one else would, and he conquered him. Just a boy compared to this giant and armed only with five smooth stones and unshakeable faith, he killed the enemy's champion.

That made him a hero to his people, but struck the ire of King Saul. He became a marked man.

As David's exploits grew, so did Saul's fury and mistrust. Saul began plotting against David.

It got to the point where David had to flee. He had to survive with support from villagers wherever he went.

He was a fugitive for years, eking out survival while remaining in hiding.

When King Saul finally died, he was crowned King of Israel.

But his life didn't get any easier. There were so many problems.

Political factions he had to deal with. Loyalists to Saul he had to contend with.

He had many sons with different wives and women. There was competition among them.

One of his sons raped a half-sister. That half-sister's brother, Absalom, was filled with rage. He demanded Justice from his father, David.

David, having a soft heart for his sons, couldn't give that justice. So Absalom took matters into own hands and killed his half brother.

He was young, strong and handsome. He began to amass power for himself. He challenged his father and forced him to flee from Jerusalem.

Absalom was eventually killed in battle as David fought back. But David was devastated by this loss and never fully healed.

David sinned and sought forgiveness. He was full of life. But that full life contained more than its fair share of sorrows. He loved, he lost.

He was a man after God's own heart.

His greatest dream was to build a temple for God.

He began plans for it but couldn't do it, because his whole reign was spent in wars and battles to defend and expand his kingdom.

This is the life context in which he wrote the most beautiful and famous psalm.

He did not write it in peaceful and settled circumstances. He wrote it in the midst of many troubles and stresses.

He faced so many challenges in life. He was not a pure man.

But through all of this, he found rest. He found rest in the goodness of God.

His experience of God’s goodness sustained him and empowered him through all of his ordeals and trials in life.

My friends, life in this world is so difficult.

All our days we are faced with trials and worries, fears and anxieties. Every day we have new things to contend with.

Jesus was filled with worry for his disciples as he prepared to leave them.

This was part of his final prayer:

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. (John 17:14-16)

Living in this world is hard enough. But for followers of Jesus, we have the added burden of living in this world in a state of permanent tension.

We live in this world and have to survive in it, but we don't belong to it. We belong to the world of God. We try to live according to the values and ways of God's world.

Living in this world brings its own troubles. But trying to live in it while being of a different world is even more difficult.

That is why our Lord was crucified. His way of life could not survive in this world.

We are sent as a scattered church into a world that does not love us. It is a hard journey.

Which is why we need the empowerment we've reflected on this weekend.

What we need in all our toils is rest. Our rest is in the goodness of God.

God who leads us beside still waters and restores our souls. God who fills our cup and lets it overflow. God who protects us in the darkest valley.

We have our God who gives us this rest so we can be sent back out into the world.

Jesus did not send us out unequipped. He sent us out with peace.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

After Jesus was crucified, the disciples hid behind locked doors. They were scared and didn't know what to do.

Many times we feel like hiding behind locked doors because we don't know what to do.

That's when Jesus appeared to them

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you. After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:19-22)

Jesus does not send us out alone.

He sends us out with peace and the power of the Holy Spirit. That peace is our rest.

Peace is not the absence of troubles.

Peace is the power to live with our troubles and not be overcome by them
It is the ability to trust in God to shepherd us through all our troubles with faith and trust.

Peace is finding rest in the goodness of God.

God had given us this gathered church. He has given it so we can find rest in this world. To be empowered and sent out with peace in our hearts.

I love this community of faith. I love each of you. Some of you I know better than others.

But you are all my brothers and sisters in Christ.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this weekend. It has been a great joy to be called as a pastor for you.

God's goodness led me through all of my own difficulties and challenges in life to bring me to this blessed place of ministry.

I have been so filled and blessed with God's goodness and mercy through this ministry.

You are my family. My spiritual family.

I understand what Jesus said when his mother and brothers were looking for him.

Who are my mother and my brothers? And looking at those who sat around him, he said, Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. (Mark 8:33-34)

Every day, every week, I pray for you. I feel God's burning desire and love for you.

You are God's precious children.

God loves you. God does not send you out into the world alone. God sends you out with his Spirit.

God will be with you. God will take care of you.

May this community be a place of rest and blessing for you so that you can go out as empowered people.

May you always find rest in the goodness of God.

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Scripture Passage2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWhat did St. Paul discover after meeting Christ?

Pause!

There are many things he discovered.

He discovered new things about himself. He realized that he was a sinner.

He discovered that he had an inner conflict within him. Even hypocrisy.

He discovered that he had lived with a wrong conviction. Peace and conviction he had were all made up and they were not based on true understanding.

Yes, he discovered all these.

BUT I THINK,

The greatest discovery he had was the discovery that HE WAS NOT ALONE.

He didn't have to do everything by himself.

He realized that everything in life did not depend on him. He didn't have to figure out everything for himself.

When you realize that you are all alone – You have to do everything – And nobody can help you and nobody can do anything for you. That makes you feel pretty lonely.

Before he met Christ, he lived with a tremendous pressure to live up to the ideal he set up for himself.

He had to be a good Pharisee. A good son. A good leader. A good Jew.

He had to constantly prove to himself how good he was, how capable he was, and how faithful he was.

That's what God wanted, he thought. Believing in God meant being good, being strong, and being capable.

Not only to himself, but also to God, he had to prove himself. That's a tremendous pressure.

He was very self-centred in that way.

It is self-centredness in a strange way. Not in a selfish way.

He wasn't selfish. But in the sense that everything was about him. And everything depended on him.

He had to figure out everything for his life. His future, his career, his behaviour, and his faith.

With his own strength, he had to protect himself, his family, his country, his religion. Even God he had to protect.

That's why he wanted to go and arrest Christians because they were contaminating the pure Jewish faith, destroying the tradition and the law.

But after meeting Christ, he realized how wrong he was. How self-centred he was.

He realized how oppressed he was. He didn't realize the pressure he put upon himself.

He was chained to his expectations for himself. He was in bondage.

Bondage not to things like drinking, smoking, gambling and doing drugs. Bondage not to being pressured by external power.

But bondage to himself.

That's why he talked so much about freedom after meeting Christ. Because he experienced freedom.

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

That yoke of slavery was himself. The real freedom was the freedom from himself.

Freedom from his expectations. Freedom from the pressure he put on himself. That's what Galatians is all about.

He was enslaved to his own expectation for himself. To his own power. To his own righteousness.

Everything he had to do it on his own. He thought that everything depended on him.

My friends, life is too heavy to hold it with your own two hands.

But we constantly put pressure on ourselves. We still live with this illusion that everything depends on us.

But in Christ, he found freedom. What gave him this freedom?

This was what he said.

this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)

He discovered the extraordinary power that belongs to God, not to himself. That discovery gave him the freedom.

That discovery shattered the illusion that everything depended on him, his ability, and his righteousness.

He also discovered that he was only a clay jar.

But you know what? That was Ok. Being only a clay jar was Ok.

That used to scare him so much.

He never wanted to be only clay jars. He wanted to be an important vessel.

He had to be an important instrument. He had to be somebody important.

This was what he said.

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: (I am) circumcised on the eighth day,
(I am) a member of the people of Israel, (I am) of the tribe of Benjamin, (I am) a Hebrew born of Hebrews;
as to the law, (I am) a Pharisee; as to zeal, (I am) a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, (I am) blameless. (Philippians 3:4-6)

It was all about I am and I am.

That enslaved him. That created fear in him.

Self-centredness does that. It enslaves you.

When you start thinking everything depends on you, the only thing that remains is worries and anxiety. That will enslave you.

You are enslaved to your expectations.

For example, you go golfing. The first 5 holes you get par, par, par. And your friend tells you that you are hitting even. After that, bogey, double bogey, and triple bogey.

You're enslaved to your own expectations and your muscles tighten up. You can not really live up to your expectations.

To prove that I am capable, he had to reduce life to a manageable size.

He never experienced the majestic, grand, and magnificent scope of life.

He had to make life small so that he could control. His thinking was narrow.

But after meeting Christ, he went to the ends of the earth.

He experienced much bigger life. He was able to do much greater things than he ever imagined.

Saul of Tarsus became St. Paul, the Apostle.

That's what we are studying in KSM on Wednesdays.

The biggest idolatry he had was himself. Self-Idolatry.

That is what modern people fall into now. Self-Idolatry. It enslaves you.

It imprisons you in a small world you created. It robs you of the joy of living and enjoying life. It makes you focus on all about you all the time.

THAT'S TIRING.

It takes away from you the ability to be able to see people around you, and the world.

After meeting Christ, St. Paul found freedom and he said this.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:19, 20)

I is dead.

That means he is free from his ego. He is not enslaved to his weaknesses. Or the fear of his weaknesses.

The world constantly tells you that you are not good enough because of your race, because of your gender, because of your shortcomings.

Don't succumb to these negative pressures. Don't try to prove to the world how great you are. Don't try to make friends with those who make you feel miserable.

It's Ok to be a clay jar.

It's Ok to be different from them. It's Ok not to have so much money and so much fame.

St. Paul even said,

We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day. (1 Corinthians 4:13)

You know what?

You may be clay jars but within you, there is treasure. You are clay jars WITH treasure.

You have the extraordinary power that belongs to God.

You can make changes not because you are great. Even though you are a clay jar, you can make changes because of the extraordinary power that you have.

So even in circumstances that you cannot handle with your own power, you can survive and even thrive.

That was what St. Paul said.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8, 9)

Everything depends on you?

No, everything doesn't depend on you. No, life is not just about you.

God gives you the extraordinary power.

Be saved from self-idolatry. Be healed from self-idolatry.

The extraordinary power kicks in when you are healed from self-idolatry.

In Paul's language, when you die to yourself, the extraordinary power starts working in your life.

Experience the extraordinary power that comes from God. It is the power that raised Jesus from the dead.

When Jesus could not do anything, this power did something wonderful.

When you cannot do anything, this power will do something wonderful.

When you encounter very difficult situations, be calm.

Don't be shrunk. Don't run away. Don't give up.

Wait and see how the extraordinary power is working out for you.

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Scripture PassageRomans 8:12-17

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptLiving an Empowered Life

Our time here on earth is short. With the time we have, I believe it's important to live an empowered life.

I believe that is God's desire for us.

These were Jesus' last words to his disciples:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. (Acts 1:8)

It was a promise of empowerment.

After St. Paul met Christ, his life changed. He lived an empowered life.

For him too, the source of this power was clear: the Spirit of God.

There was a clear contrast between an empowered life and a disempowered life.

This is how he describes it:

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:5-6)

To set your mind on the things of the flesh is a disempowered life. To set it on the Spirit is life and peace – an empowered life.

Things of the Flesh

We need to know what the difference is between flesh and Spirit.

St. Paul did not mean literal flesh. He meant things that relate to our earthly existence. Things we need to live, like: Money. Health. Job. Reputation.

We need them to live, but they are temporary and perishable. When we die, all of that goes away.

Setting our minds on these things is not an empowered life. But that's easier said than done.

We know that these earthly things are temporary. But they affect us on such a deep level because these are the things that make up so much of our daily lives.

When you don't have these things, or your situation is shaky, it makes you feel vulnerable and insecure.

Your experience of lacking these earthly things can rock your sense of safety and fill your heart with fear.

Money struggles may come and go. Health challenges may come and go. But the fear they produce remains.

The things of the flesh may be temporary, but their effects on our hearts can be permanent.

They make your heart fearful. That fear saps power from your life.

The Solution to Fear

We think the solution to overcoming that fear is to improve or get rid of the circumstances that produced the fear. So we set our minds on these things of the flesh.

But that is setting your mind on the wrong things.

To set your mind on the things of flesh does not lead to life and peace.

Yes, your circumstances might be better. But your heart remains the same. It remains a prisoner of fear.

Focusing only on creating good circumstances is not the path to an empowered life.

But so much of our time and energy is focused on that. Because that is what we see.

We are not only flesh. We are not only physical creatures who eat and reproduce.

We are also spirit. We are spiritual beings who have a consciousness and desire for meaning.

Just like your body, your spirit must be tended to and nourished. If you neglect it, it will be malnourished and shrivel up. It won't come alive.

When your circumstances are good, then you have the pleasure of those circumstances. Pleasure is good. But pleasure is like dessert.

I love dessert. After a great meal, it is a delightful way to end it. But that's just what good circumstances and pleasure are – dessert. If you have it, that's great!

But without the main course, dessert is just empty calories. Too much dessert, and you feel sick. You need the main course.

The main course is food that feeds your spirit. Food that makes your heart come alive.

We've been too focused on making and eating dessert. We haven't fed our hearts with the main course.

This is the reason people don't feel passion for life. Why people feel no meaning or purpose in life.

They are not driven by the real desires of their heart. They are driven instead by fear.

Their hearts remain locked away in fear. It remains buried.

The Spirit Sets Us Free

So many people don't know what their heart truly desires. That is a sad reality of our modern life.

For St. Paul, it was clear what the main course is: the Spirit of God.

The Spirit is not something we can touch or see. The Spirit is present in your heart.

When the Spirit is connected with your heart, the Spirit revives it.

The heart heals. The heart gains new insight. The heart grows.

Most importantly: the Spirit gives you power to break free from the fear that imprisons your heart.

The empowerment of the Spirit is the power to set your spirit free from fear.

This is the freedom that St. Paul experienced:

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there the heart is set free (2 Corinthians 3:17)

A heart set free to soar. To dance. To desire.

I don't own a dog, but I've seen dogs unleashed at the park. They are free. They become who they really are – dogs.

An empowered life is having a spirit that is set free from fear.

It is not about your circumstances. Whatever your circumstances, a strong spirit will give you empowerment.

That is the kind of empowered life that St. Paul lived:

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13)

That is an empowered life.

Let the Spirit make your spirit strong, and you will live an empowered life.

This is the most important thing in life.

A strong spirit will get you through any and all circumstances.

It doesn't mean that fear doesn't exist. But it no longer has a hold on you.

Say Yes!

You want to know what an empowered life looks like?

It is a life of saying Yes!

Yes to life. Yes to my present circumstances, even difficult ones. Yes to helping others. Yes to sacrificing your comfort. Yes to what is asked of me.

No, or maybe, is the response of a disempowered life. No is the answer of fear.

When your spirit is set free from fear, it is free to say yes!

Do you want to be free?

Then practice saying yes. Let that be your spiritual practice and discipline.

Say yes, especially when you feel afraid, uncomfortable, or inconvenienced. That is the time to say yes.

Saying yes will make your heart come alive.

It will stir up fear in your heart. But it will increase your faith and trust in God.

It will open up doors and paths you never imagined. It will heal you.

You will discover what your heart desires. It will create a new shape for your life.

You will live out your calling when you live a life of saying yes.

Saying yes is a blessed life. Blessings for you and blessings for others.

Saying yes is the sign of an empowered life.

When you are afraid, uncomfortable or inconvenienced, say yes.

When you are at the fork in the road, pray for courage. Pray for a bigger heart. Pray for faith.

God will set your spirit free and give you the power to say yes.

All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

God brought you into this world to live an empowered life. God loves you so much that he sent Jesus to rescue your heart and set you free.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)

Jesus has set us free!

Let your heart be set free.

Let it soar. Let it dance. Let it persevere through your challenges with faith. Let it be strong.

Let it say yes!

The post Set Your Spirit Free! appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageActs 2:1-21

Worship Video & Worship AudioDue to technical difficulties, the Worship Video & Worship Audio are unavailable this week. Sorry for this inconvenience!

Sermon ScriptThe Spirit Upon the Devout Jews

After Jesus rose from the dead, it gave the disciples hope. Easter showed the power of life over death.

The only thing was, they didn't know what to do with this hope.

Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. He promised that he would send the Spirit to them.

The Spirit would lead the way. The Spirit would also give them power, and they would be witnesses to that power.

This is what he said:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

This is the theme verse for us this year. It's what I'll be reflecting on more deeply at the retreat.

Today's passage is the story of what happened when the Spirit came upon them.

The Spirit came upon them in a powerful way. The Church was born.

The Spirit comes like a rushing wind.

Tongues of fire come upon each person, and they begin speaking in other languages. Many people witness this amazing phenomenon.

The scene is quite dramatic:

Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs (Acts 2:5, 9-10)

The author of Acts didn't spill all of this ink for nothing. This scene is the key that unlocks the meaning of this experience.

There were devout Jews born and raised in all corners of the known world. They were diaspora Jews.

All Jews used to live in one homeland in Palestine. But over the course of history, they were scattered across the known world.

They spoke the language and understood the cultures of the places they were raised in.

They were like many of us, whose ancestors are from places like Korea, Italy, Jamaica and elsewhere, but who have lived in Canada.

Yet, as devout Jews, they did not completely feel like they belonged in their surroundings. They struggled with what it meant to be a Jew living among non-Jews.

So they came to Jerusalem to be connected with their people in their ancestral homeland. But even in Jerusalem, they were different.

Everyone there spoke Aramaic. Their culture was different. They didn't feel completely at home in Jerusalem either.

They were in between two worlds without really belonging to either one. This must have been very unsettling.

But look at the disciples and first followers of Jesus as well. They were all from Galilee. Which was like the rural country.

People in Jerusalem could tell their Galilean dialect right away. They stood out and were not settled in Jerusalem either.

What we see is the Spirit bringing these unsettled people together.

That is the real meaning of this event: the Spirit powerfully bringing together unsettled people, united in their vast differences.

Brought Together

This was the first Church. A Church of diverse, unsettled people.

This event at Pentecost has captured the imaginations of Christians throughout the centuries.

It was an experience and a phenomenon never seen before. It was a powerful spiritual experience.

Many people want to replicate this kind of powerful experience.

Many Christian movements focus on having the same kind of experience that these people had on Pentecost.

The focus is on the experience.

But this is where proper understanding of Scripture is important.

More important than the experience is the question that the witnesses to this experience asked:

All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean? (Acts 2:12)

What does this mean? – that is the important question.

When the Spirit comes upon you, it can be a powerful experience. It is wonderful to experience that if God chooses.

But understanding is more important than experience. More important is what the Spirit is doing.

It's not about the phenomenon of speaking in tongues.

It is about the Spirit powerfully bringing together these diverse, unsettled people into a new community.

That's the real meaning of Pentecost.

The Power of Language

The Spirit used language to bring people together. Each person heard of God's deeds of power in their own language.

Language is a means of communication. It helps you relate to others.

Once during a Young Families get-together, when Nolan and Hayoon (children of St. Tim's community) were much younger, Hayoon kept speaking Korean to Nolan but Nolan couldn't understand her. A bit frustrated, he finally exclaimed: I don't understand your language!

Yes, language helps you connect, and the Spirit used language.

But this is not a story about language or speaking in tongues.

It is about the power of the Spirit to unite.

Language was merely the tool that the Spirit used to bring people together.

In fact, language does not always bring together.

You can speak the same language as someone else, but still not understand that person. You may speak the same language but feel like you're speaking a different language.

Language can also be used as a tool of power.

The minority has to use the language of the majority. The powerful party can erase the language of the conquered.

Language can divide and fracture relationships.

This was the policy of our country with respect to indigenous peoples. Through residential schools, they tried to erase their language, erase their identity. To kill the Indian in them.

Connecting at the Heart

Connection is about more than spoken language. It's about understanding. Connecting at the heart.

This is what the Spirit was doing at Pentecost.

They became a new community that transcended differences in language. They became a new community bound together by the power of the Spirit.

Diaspora Jews had to conform and speak the dominant Aramaic language. But now they were hearing of God's deeds in their own languages.

They were being connected in their hearts.

When you are filled with the Spirit, you receive power to bind together.

Power to overcome differences. Power to understand. Power to speak the language of the other. Power to connect, heal and reconcile.

This is the true miracle of Pentecost. This is God's desire and will for human beings.

The Canadian government and churches erased much of the language of our indigenous peoples.

When we go to Sioux Valley this summer, we may not speak the language of the Dakota people who live there.

But when we go, our desire is to connect at the level of hearts.

Despite our differences, we go with faith that the Spirit will powerfully bind our hearts together. We witnessed some of this last year, and we prayerfully ask the Spirit to lead us again.

A Movement Guided By the Spirit

God has a burning desire to bring together.

The Spirit didn't come gently. It came like the rush of a violent wind.

God's desire is intense.

That is what St. Paul discovered after he met Christ.

There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

People are anxious with all the change that's happening. This anxiety is making people angry and tearing us apart.

People don't know where to turn to for answers. Many people don't trust traditional, institutional religions anymore. This includes the Church.

If anything, people are turned off by the institutional Church. There have been too many sins, too many harms done. That too, is a part of our history that we can't or shouldn't erase.

In times like this, we need to go back to our origins – our essence.

The Church is not an institution. It's not a religion. It's a movement of the Spirit.

A powerful movement that binds together.

Pentecost teaches us that God is an active agent.

God is not a passive spectator watching from a distance. God is involved. God is on the move.

You don't need to seize control of your situation. Don't fall into that temptation.

Do what the first followers did: wait and pray for the Spirit to come upon you. The Spirit will lead you in a powerful way.

In your families, among friends and in your communities, don't be someone who tears apart.

Be someone who binds together. The Spirit will give you this power.

The post The Spirit Binds Together appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJohn 17:6-19

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptJesus’ Last Prayer

What we read was Jesus' last prayer before he died.

Jesus sensed that his death was coming near. His situation was getting worse and more dangerous.

This all happened because he raised Lazarus from the dead. After raising Lazarus, Jesus became very popular and so many people followed him.

This wasn't good for Jesus. Jewish leaders were threatened by Jesus.

Jesus' influence became bigger and bigger and he became more powerful. This didn't sit right with the leaders who had the power during Jesus' time.

So they decided to get rid of Jesus. We see that in chapter 11.

In chapter 12, we see Mary pouring her perfume on Jesus' feet to prepare his death.

And in chapter 13, before Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, he said this.

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. (John 13:1)

Death was all around Jesus. Death was the inevitable reality Jesus had to face.

Then we see Jesus' last prayer in chapter 17. After this prayer, Jesus was arrested.

Full of Love

This is a beautiful prayer.

Not just the content of what Jesus said but Jesus' heart.

He was facing his own death. His death was imminent. He was facing his own critical moment.

And yet, his thoughts were so focused on his disciples. He was talking about nothing else but the disciples.

Help them not to fall into the temptation of the world. Even though they may be hated by the world, strengthen them so that they may overcome the troubles they may face.

Help them O God so that they clearly understand that they belong to you, not to the world. Protect them from the evil one. Sanctify them with your truth.

It's all about the disciples. Nothing about himself. He only worried about his disciples. Their well being.

Isn't that what love is?

If you love somebody, you think about that person before you think about yourself. That's what love is.

That was what St. Paul said.

Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:4, 5)

Then Paul talked about the mind of Jesus.

(He) who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death
even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)

Emptying oneself – yes, that is love. Unless you empty yourself, you cannot love.

That is what love is. You empty yourself and leave space in your heart for others.

If you are full of your own agendas, full of your own thoughts, and your wants, you can never love anyone.

If you do everything on your terms, then, you can never love others.

We reflected on Jesus' love last week. His love was sacrificing himself for his friends.

What we see in Jesus' last prayer is his love. That's what I see.

The Heart of Parents

That is what our parents did and do. They always worry about their children.

Are they doing Ok? – Korean parents always worry about their children not eating properly. Maybe it has to do with their poor upbringing. Eating well was important.

We cannot imagine parents who lost their children. Who will ever understand their agony? I can't imagine how the young couple would cope with their pain?

Manivannan and Jawahar who lost their parents and their child in highway 401 crash in Whitby in the course of a police chase.

They said this.

His small toys and clothes remain spread around our home, and we have no courage in us to even enter our home which is filled with our only son's memories. My parents had arrived in Canada only two days before the tragedy.

There is a Korean saying: When parents die, you bury them in the ground. But when your children die, you bury them in your heart.

After family gatherings, my wife always worries about children. Sometimes, she said they don't look good.

Not because there is any problem. But it is just a mother’s worries. If there is any holiness in worries, it is mother's worries.

Parents always think about their children before they think about themselves. That is the heart of parents. That should be the heart of parents.

As I reflected last week, the first people babies encounter in this world are their parents. The first experience they have is love from their parents.

Especially, mother's love is special. Mother's love makes us who we are.

The Aching Heart

In parents' heart, there is . It is a special Korean language. It literally means lump – it is an emotional lump – emotional baggage.

It is the aching heart. When they see children, their heart aches. When the children suffer, the parents suffer more.

One day, my son took us out to get delicious food. After lunch, he was going back to his work and I watched him walk away.

To me, he looked so sad. I started to worry if he was doing okay in his cold, competitive work environment.

Jesus showed very well the aching heart of parents by telling us the story of the prodigal son.

The father was waiting and waiting for his son who took everything from him and wasted it.

The elder brother was angry and did not join the party. The father had an aching heart for the elder son too.

If you have no love, there is nothing to worry about. There will be no aching heart.

But parents always worry.

Jesus told us not to worry about anything but parents' worry, even Jesus cannot stop.

They are worries that come from love.

It is an automatic thing. I would like to call it the holy burden.

Loving with Parents’ Heart

Now we parents have to turn those worries into prayer.

Even our children, we have to leave them in God's hands. As Jesus left his disciples in God's hands, we should leave our children in God's hands.

When parents pray, it has the power. Because it comes from love. It comes from their desperation.

I didn't have much interaction with my father. He passed away when I was 18 years old.

My father was busy but I was also a teenager and had no interest in interacting with my parents. So I didn't have a deep relationship with him.

But my mother – I started the immigrant life with my mother. She was my immigrant partner. Including my brother.

She never told me to do this or that. She was always gentle. But through her quietness, I learned so much about life.

You don't have to be a parent to have parents’ heart. Jesus' heart was parents' heart.

As our parents loved us, let us love one another with parents' heart.

Appreciate your parents' love. Show them your appreciation.

The post Even In the Last Prayer appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJohn 15:9-17

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptThe Last Commandment

Love one another. This is the last commandment Jesus taught us.

It is the last commandment, the greatest commandment, and the most important commandment.

When you put together everything Jesus did, said, and taught, the ultimate conclusion is this: LOVE.

So Jesus said this conclusively.

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

What is the meaning of the word, commandment?

It doesn't mean having obligation to do what you don't want to do.

It means what is the most important in your life. What makes your life life. The reason for you to live.

The reason for you to live is to love. The ultimate purpose of life is to love.

Love is the most important thing in life.

That's why St. Paul said at the end of his famous chapter on love.

And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

That was his conclusion too.

Do you believe that?

Love Makes Us Happy

Also, love gives you happiness. When you are in love, you are happy.

People who are in love have a big smile on their faces. Because they are joyful. They are happy.

That was what Jesus said today.

I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:11)

The reason Jesus came to the world was to make you happy.

He came to love you and tell you how much God loves you so that you may become happy.

Love makes joy come alive. Love makes you happy.

Do you believe that?

Then if we believe that love is the most important thing in life and love makes you happy, how come I don't see love much around me?

I see a lot of hatred and anger. I see indifference. People don't seem to care. But not love.

Maybe we say we believe that but don't truly believe that in our heart? Maybe we don't have conviction in that?

Created in the Image of Love

Christians believe that love is the most important thing in life and love makes us happy.

Because our Lord Jesus said so. Because we are also convicted in our heart as the truth. Because we have also experienced that ourselves in life.

When God created us, God put love within us.

When love is the most important thing, wouldn't God put that in our heart?

It is more important than eyes, ears, arms, and legs. It is more important than stomach, intestines, liver, and kidney.

When God put all those things within us, wouldn't God put love which is the most important within us?

Yes, God put love within us when he created us. God created us in the image of God and the image of God is love.

This was what John said.

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)

Because we have love, we can be connected with God. Because God is love.

God put love within us so that we can relate to God. Also so that we can relate to each other and relate to the creation.

This was what the first human being said about Eve.

This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. (Genesis 2:23)

Growing to Love

We have love almost like an instinct.

I could see that last week. Teddy and Nicole's baby, Cody, had a complication.

I received a text on Wednesday from Nicole, asking for prayer. Fortunately, Cody is Ok and he came home.

I know the feeling of Nicole and Teddy because Yong Mi and I went through a similar situation. I saw the love of parents.

Babies will grow with parents' love.

They are the first people they see when they are born. That is the first world they encounter. The first thing they experience is love.

Love makes you grow. Love makes you a complete human adult.

Being an adult doesn't mean now you are 18. It means to become a person who can fully love.

That was Paul's idea of love and being an adult.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. (1 Corinthians 13:11)

He said this in his famous love chapter.

When you are able to fully love, you put an end to childish ways and become an adult.

Teach your children love. There is nothing more important than that.

When they learn to love, they will survive in any situation. They will be strong.

You are strong not when you have muscles. You are strong when you are able to persevere through extreme situations.

When you have love, you will have that strength.

Rekindling Our Love

The reason we cannot see much love around us is because the love within us is damaged.

When we are hurt, we are not just hurt but the love within us gets damaged.

We become hardened. We become incapable of receiving love and giving love.

Jesus came to heal the damaged love within us. Jesus came to rekindle the love within us.

Love heals. Jesus' love heals.

Jesus expressed his love in this way.

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. (John 15:13)

Jesus showed love that laid down his life for a friend. He showed the ultimate form of love.

He sacrificed himself for love. That love flowed out of the cross. The love that flowed out of the cross flowed into us.

That love heals us. Our diseases, our hurt, pain, suffering, worries, doubt, anxiety, and darkness – love heals them all.

Our hardened heart will become soft. We could not receive love before. Now we can.

We could not freely give love. Now we can.

A Way of Life

Love is not something you feel. Many people think of love as feeling. But that is not true.

Feeling comes and goes. But love does not. If love is a feeling, no one can love forever.

(Baek Hyun-woo) did not just feel for (Hong Hae-in). He took the bullet for her. (Korean drama – Queen of Tears)

Love is neither feeling nor action.

There are times when you cannot do anything. But that does not mean you cannot love.

Love is the way we live our life. Love is something within us.

Love is the way we interact with others, other people, the world, and God.

Since it is the way we live our life, we should practice. We need to practice to receive love from God.

Meditate on God always and carve in your heart how much God loves you. That is a practice.

You have to practice to love so that love within you grows. You cannot learn a full marathon overnight. You cannot learn to love like Paul overnight.

Empty yourself and build others up. That is a practice.

Don't let your hurt damage the love within you. Turn it into compassion: Suffering love.

Learn to understand others. There is no love without deep understanding.

Thick, Nhat Hanh said,

Without understanding, love can't be true love. We must look deeply in order to see and understand the needs, aspirations, and suffering of the one we love.

Practice it so that love within you becomes healed and stronger.

Practice it so that love within you freely flows out of you.

The post God Planted Love Within Us appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageActs 8:26-40

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptThe Way of the Spirit

Jesus described the Spirit in this way. We are familiar with this verse.

The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. (John 3:8)

The Spirit is like the wind. We can hear the sound of it. We can even feel it.

But we can't control or predict its movement. It blows where it chooses.

We may not like hearing this.

We like to be in control. We like what is logical and predictable. We like to live our lives on our own terms.

What Jesus says about the Spirit seems to tell us otherwise.

The Spirit does not move the way we want. That doesn't mean it moves arbitrarily either.

Notice how Jesus said, it blows where it chooses . It moves with its own purpose and intent.

He even said to Peter after the resurrection

Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go. (John 21:18)

We may not know exactly what the Spirit is thinking all the time. But the Spirit always moves according to God's will.

Jesus revealed what that is to the disciples.

It is our theme verse for the year

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

The Spirit does not remain insular. It doesn't stay in one place.

The Spirit always moves outwards. From our immediate circle to the neighbouring communities, and to the ends of the earth.

The Spirit moves in such a way so that God's blessing and the gift of new life can be experienced by all people, not just some.

It fulfills the promise which God originally gave to Abraham, the forefather of our faith.

I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)

With Clear Direction

In order for the Spirit to continue doing its work in this world, God calls us to do one thing.

It is uncomplicated and simple in theory. But it can be challenging and difficult in actual practice.

That is, to GO WHERE THE SPIRIT LEADS.

That is how the early church started. That is how the good news of the resurrection spread.

It wasn't necessarily the acts of the apostles. It was the acts of the Spirit, and the people who went wherever the Spirit led them.

In today's passage, we read the story of Philip. This isn't Philip the Apostle, but Philip the Evangelist. He was one of the Seven who were chosen to care for the poor in the early church community.

Philip lived his life going where the Spirit led him. He didn't think twice. He simply went. He trusted in the way of the Spirit.

Then the angel of the Lord said to Philip, Get up and go toward the south (Acts 8:26)

So he got up and went. (Acts 8:27)

Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go over to this chariot and join it. (Acts 8:29)

So Philip ran up to it (Acts 8:30)

Each time, the Spirit directs Philip's steps. It almost seems too simple and straightforward to be true.

But I believe that is how the Spirit works. It is absolutely CLEAR when it calls. Like the wind when it blows.

Because it comes knocking on our hearts. It pulls us in a certain direction. It is so clear that it frightens us at times.

So, rather than going where the Spirit leads, we turn away from it. We let the voice of fear and doubt dominate our hearts. We come up with clever justifications on why we can't go.

I'm not ready yet I have other plans Other people can do it We complicate what is so simple and straightforward.

The Spirit Takes us Beyond

When I first sensed my call to ministry, I was so anxious and afraid that I didn't address it for about two years.

I had this deep conviction that I was to live my life for others. That conviction was answered in the form of calling to ministry.

But it came at the most unexpected and inconvenient time. I was afraid to make such a drastic change to my life.

Then one day, I had this vision while I was praying.

I was alone in a house on an island. I was floating through this particular area in the house.

When I looked to my right, I caught a view of this vast, beautiful ocean through the window.

I remember thinking, I wonder what it's like to be out on those waters

Even though I wanted to go and see it for myself, I didn't go out. Actually, I couldn't. I was too scared.

The experience kept on repeating itself. I found myself circling the same spot, over and over again.

The Spirit always wants to take us beyond our small world of familiarity and certainty.

The Spirit wants to lead us into the world of the unknown, where there is SURPRISE, CONNECTION, and TRANSFORMATION.

That is what happened to Philip.

He just went where the Spirit led him. Because of that, he became connected with an Ethiopian eunuch.

Through his help, the eunuch's life was totally changed. The eunuch even wanted to be baptized!

When we go where the Spirit leads, we experience wonderful things. Things we never planned or expected.

We see the Spirit working in concrete yet mysterious ways. People come together. Lives are changed.

We see the Spirit opening new doors.

The moment I decided to go into ministry, I began to see the Spirit open doors, one by one. It all happened quickly and effortlessly.

The Spirit connected me to Simon at Knox. Through Simon, I first heard about St. Tim's.

The Spirit then led me to this community, while I was looking for a place to serve during my studies.

It was through this community that I met people whom I would have never met otherwise. That includes Rev. Kim, whose spiritual mentorship and guidance have shaped me into the pastor I am today.

Now, after seven years, I sense the Spirit leading me once again. Not someplace else though. But here.

Intertwined with the Calling at St. Tim’s

I feel called to remain where I am. I feel called to continue serving this community.

Now in a slightly different capacity. As a minister of Word and Sacrament.

On paper, it may not seem like a logical decision. Someone on the Search Committee asked me, When you could've gone anywhere you wanted, why here?

That is a mystery even to me.

But I see how God has been working in this community. I see a story that is unfolding.

I see how God is calling us to go beyond and be his witnesses. Not just in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. But to the ends of the earth.

To be faithful to our roots as a Korean-immigrant church, yet still grow to be a culturally diverse community of faith. I see this community stretching, growing, and blossoming, bit by bit.

I feel called to participate in this unfolding narrative at St. Tim's. To continue journeying with you through this story.

In that sense, my calling is not just personal. It is deeply intertwined with the calling of this community.

It is interesting to see how Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian ends.

Luke describes it like this

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more and went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:39)

Don't worry, I won't vanish all of a sudden. I'm pointing to this verse for a different reason.

It reminds me that it is the Spirit who leads, not me. So, I don't need to worry.

I simply need to go and be faithful. And I will be faithful until the end.

May we go where the Spirit leads us, no matter what. I pray that we can commit to this journey together.

The Spirit will provide us with what we need. The Spirit will give us wisdom and boldness. The Spirit will guide our every step.

Through us, the Spirit will work wonders. I believe that.

The post Go Where the Spirit Leads appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageActs 4:5-12

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptThe Work of the Spirit

What happened to the Christians after their leader, Jesus, died?

Usually when a leader dies, the movement loses its power and slowly dies away.

That's why they killed Jesus. They wanted to kill the movement by killing its leader.

But it wasn't so with the Christian movement.

After Jesus died, the movement got stronger and bigger. It spread much more powerfully.

Jesus basically stayed in Palestine during his lifetime. He moved up and down from Galilee to Jerusalem.

But after Jesus died, the movement spread to all over from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

And it changed the Roman Empire. It spread to the whole world.

What was the reason? What was the driving force?

It was the Holy Spirit.

We cannot explain this phenomena without including the work of the Spirit in its formula.

They received the Holy Spirit. And with the power of the Holy Spirit, they were able to do more powerful works than Jesus, their leader did.

A new momentum erupted when they received the Spirit. That was what Jesus wanted.

This was what Jesus said while he was alive.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate (the Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)

Jesus released the Spirit to them.

And Jesus said,

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)

The Disciple Who Was Different

During Jesus' lifetime, the disciples were weak.

They didn't have much faith. They had no courage. They were quite ignorant and incapable.

So, Jesus often told them: O men of little faith. How long must I stay with you? Why don't you understand this?

Jesus was quite frustrated with them.

They always doubted. They always sought their own glory. They were always filled with fear. They were full of themselves and yet very weak.

But today, Peter was different. Peter was bold.

Listen.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said (Acts 4:8)

With boldness and courage, he said,

let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. (Acts 4:10)

He didn't doubt; he believed. He was filled with the Spirit.

He was standing in front of Sanhedrin, the highest court, the court that decided to crucify Jesus.

Death was before his eyes. And yet he was calm and confident.

That was the same Peter who denied Jesus three times. Never mind the Sanhedrin. He was scared of a little girl.

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him and said, You also were with Jesus the Galilean.' But he denied it before all of them, saying, I do not know what you are talking about.' (Matthew 26:69-70)

A very different person you see today.

It is the same Peter. But he was very different.

A person can change.

What changed him?

The Spirit.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:8)

Changed Through The Spirit

A person can change only through the Holy Spirit.

The early Christians received the Spirit and they were filled with the Spirit. The concrete sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit was boldness and courage.

They were able to overcome the fear within them. They weren't scared of anything. Even death could not intimidate them, never mind the powerful kings and authorities.

When death could not intimidate them, nothing in the world could intimidate them.

THAT IS THE POWER.

Listen to what Peter and John said. A little later in the same chapter.

But Peter and John answered them, Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge. (Acts 4:19)

They feared God but not people. That was what our Lord Jesus taught us.

Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

They were bold not because they were able to psych themselves up, but because they were filled with the Spirit.

It's not what you do but it is what the Spirit does.

A clear sign of the working of the Spirit is to help you overcome fear in your life. You can even embrace the fear of death.

Stephen, the first Christian martyr, died with this boldness.

When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. (Acts 7:54-55)

It was not just Stephen.

When the early Christians received the Spirit, they all overcame their fear. They boldly proclaimed the power of Jesus.

Stronger Than Fear

This is very important to all of us as Christians living in this world.

Don't live with fear. Don't live with doubt.

Suzy Kassem, Egyptian-American writer said.

Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.

Don't be scared of failures. Try again. Have a fighting spirit.

I came across an article of a baseball coach . He is a coach for LG. When you go to baseball stadium, there is this sign in front of LG Locker-room.

Fear and Hesitation are our greatest enemies.

He asked for that sign.

LG team was a good team but they could never overcome crisis situation. Once they encounter crises, they collapsed.

He realized that it was to do with fear. He asked his team to play Running baseball. Even if you die, you run offensively.

He made his team steal bases and he got 166 stolen bases, the highest in the league. But also, 101 times he failed in stolen bases. So only 62.2% of success.

People criticized the effectiveness of his strategy.

He said. Stealing bases is not my goal. My goal is to cultivate the spirit of challenge, a fighting spirit and make the team dare instead of taking a safe route.

The team won 86 games and they won 42 games by flipping the game in the end.

When they were able to overcome their fear, they were able to deal with crises.

Being safe is not everything.

I read a blog of this woman.

This was what she said.

Though I could have chosen a leisurely path of retirement, I instead made the decision to reinvent myself as a painter, a teacher, and a motivator for others.

Don't give up because of fear.

Dare to live. Dare to challenge. Dare to live out the full potential.

Live out the calling.

This was what Isaiah said.

Do not fear, for I am with you,
do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

Psalmist challenged himself.

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

God called you and God filled you with the Spirit so that you may live boldly, proclaiming the power of Jesus in your life.

The post Peter Was Bold appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJohn 14:1-7, Matthew 7:14-21

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWe thank our guest speaker, Rev. Dr. Ernest van Eck, for sharing the Word with us this past Sunday.

The sermon script is unavailable for this week. Sorry for the inconvenience!

The post He Is the Way to a True Life appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageActs 4:32-35

Worship Video & AudioSorry for the inconvenience! Due to technical difficulties, the Worship Video & Audio are unavailable for this week.

Sermon ScriptA Life of Giving

Why do you come to church?

To give; Not to receive.

You come to church to give. That is what church is all about.

You come to church because you want to give. Give your time, give your talents, give your money, and give your kindness.

The church is founded on Jesus. Jesus' life is founded on giving.

Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2)

the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

After Jesus died, the Holy Spirit fell on believers and created a community with them. That is the church.

When people who received the Spirit gathered together, what did they do? They gave.

They gave all they had and shared with others. We see that in today's Scripture passage.

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. (Acts 4:32)

The power they had was the power to give.

They gave everything they had as their Lord, Jesus Christ gave everything he had.

Living a Christian life is adopting a life of giving.

It is not just about memorizing certain doctrines of what we believe. It is not just about enjoying the good feeling of one's personal piety. It is not just about feeling good about ourselves.

It is about giving.

The first thing that is created in you when you receive the Holy Spirit is the desire to give. You experience this new desire. The desire to give.

You find the joy of giving. Giving is not duty anymore. Giving gives you tremendous joy.

It becomes your new lifestyle. It is a very strange change but that change happens when you receive the Holy Spirit.

The Blessing of Giving

We don't live anymore with scarcity mindset. In this competitive world, many people have developed the scarcity mindset.

If I don't win, then I lose everything that I have. If I give away what I have, then I lose myself. I need to hold on tightly to what I have.

That is fear. Fear of not having enough. Fear of losing what we have. Fear of having to hold on.

But faith is different. Faith defeats the fear of not having enough. Through the eyes of faith, we see that we have more than enough.

Faith defeats the fear of having to hold on. Through the eyes of faith, we see that we can let go.

Joyful life, abundant life is not like a reservoir where you store the water. It is like a channel where water constantly flows in and flows out.

There are two bodies of water in Israel. One is Galilee. The other is the Dead Sea.

The Sea of Galilee is fresh water. But because it is big, they called it sea. Most of the water comes from Jordan river and goes out to Jordan river. Constantly flows in and flows out.

But the Dead Sea is different. Water comes in but never flows out. It just stays there. No life there. Very salty.

I went in and it was a strange feeling. I just floated. Very salty.

When you live a life of giving, your life becomes refreshed. As much as you give, you realize that you receive more. God blesses you with what you need.

This is what Jesus said.

give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back. (Luke 6:38)

Your life will be a channel of God's blessings. You receive and you give. That is a rhythm of a good life.

More Than Enough

God always blesses you and that is more than enough. We should always live with this attitude. What God gives us is more than enough.

When we live with this attitude, we can live happily in any circumstances. When God gives you more than before – You say thank you. God gives you less than before- You still say it is more than enough.

Because it is.

Wasn't that St. Paul's attitude?

Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)

We should always say to ourselves that what we have is more than enough.

I don't have to beg others to have more. Because I have more than enough.

I don't have to manipulate my situation to have more. Because I have more than enough.

When we live with this attitude, it is much easier to give.

Blessing with Abundance

There are people who say, I will wait to give until I have more. That's not how giving works.

If you don't give when you have little, you won't give when you have much. Giving is not about how much you have.

That's why Jesus praised the widow's offering.

He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.' (Luke 21:1-4)

Giving is about your heart. Deep in your heart, if you believe that what you have is more than enough, then you can give.

It is faith that tells me that what I have is more than enough. Life of giving is life of faith. God loves those who live with this kind of attitude.

This is what Paul said, quoting Jesus.

It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)

Happiness comes from giving not from receiving. If you are in the position of giving, you are living a very happy life.

Abundance is not about how much you have. Abundance is about how much you share.

The early Christian community lived a blessed life. They didn't have a scarcity mentality. They lived an abundant life. A blessed life.

The definition of blessing is: Being blessed to Bless.

That was the principle of blessing God taught Abraham, the beginning of Christian faith.

I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. (Genesis 12:2)

Be a blessing!

The post More Than Enough appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture Passage1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptThe Stone is Rolled Away

Happy Easter! Welcome all of you!

May the Spirit of Easter bless you with new life!

On this day, we are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is risen!

Death could not engulf him. Death could not imprison him. Death could not lock him behind the stone. The stone is rolled away.

What does death do to us?

It not only kills our physical body but it creates fear within us.

Another name for death is FEAR. Whenever people think about death, they can see fear. Nothing else. Only Fear!

Death not only locks away the dead by closing the door of the tomb with a large stone, death also imprisons the living with the stone of fear.

That stone keeps us in the dark.

We are too fearful to go beyond where we are. We are too fearful to experience something new. We are too fearful to face our own true self.

The stone blocks our way.

NOW THAT STONE IS ROLLED AWAY.

Our Fear is Overcome

Jesus told people to remove the stone when he raised dead Lazarus.

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, Take away the stone.' (John 11:38, 39)

In the same way, the stone was taken away – Rolled away from Jesus' tomb.

Mark described it in this way.

And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?' When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. (Mark 16:1-4)

The stone was rolled away. The stone was removed.

This meant more than a physical block being removed for the resurrected Christ.

The resurrected Christ did not need the removal of the physical block to get out. And yet the stone was rolled away.

Pause.

This gives us a symbolic image of freedom. Freedom from death and freedom from the fear of death.

The fear is rolled away. The fear is removed.

This is what the resurrection is all about.

Resurrection is not just about the dead coming alive. Resurrection is about our fear being overcome.

You don't have to live any more with the fear created by death. You don't have to look at life always with fear.

When fear is overcome, you can see your reality much more clearly. Your reality becomes brighter.

When you are locked away behind the stone, everything looks gloomy. Everything looks uncertain.

When the stone is rolled away, you become free. Free to move forward with confidence. Free to dare to live with courage.

That's the new reality.

Jesus Redefined Death

Listen to St. Paul's confession.

Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?'
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:54-56)

Do you see fear in this statement?

Fear could not play a central role in Paul's life after meeting Christ. He was able to confront death with courage.

Where is your victory? Where is your sting? Death, you cannot intimidate me any more. Death, you cannot control me with fear any more.

That was how Jesus confronted death. He didn't see death something he had to avoid at all costs. He didn't see death as finality or total destruction.

Rather, he saw death as bearing fruit. Isn't it amazing?

He redefined death.

This was what Jesus said, talking about his own death.

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24)

A very interesting perspective about death. Death is not just destruction. Death can even bring much fruit.

Jesus' death had profound impact on us. God used Jesus' death to bring freedom to all of us. That is the good news.

You can see the summary of good news in verse 3 and 4.

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4)

Paul was saying that Jesus' death was not destruction or finality. Jesus' death brought us the freedom from sins.

Freedom from the fear of punishment for our sins. Jesus' death and resurrection removed fear within us.

When you believe in Jesus Christ, fear vanishes.

Fear was the greatest damage death brought to our souls and it is the greatest weapon of death.

Now that fear is destroyed. You are healed from fear. Now we don't have to see ourselves with fear.

We don't have to see ourselves only as the one who is full of contradictions, shortcomings, and weaknesses. We don't have to see ourselves as sinners who deserve to be punished.

When that fear is removed, we can see ourselves through the eyes of grace.

Empowered by the Grace of God

That was what Paul saw.

He was an angry man. He was a self-righteous man. He was a violent man.

He thought he was a good man. But he realized that he was not a good man.

His anger, his self-righteousness, violence, and hatred engulfed him. He lived out his fear.

But when that fear was gone, he could see himself differently.

This was what he said about himself.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

I am who I am by God's grace. In other words, I see myself through the eyes of God's grace, not through the eyes of fear.

He found his true self. He was lost but now he is found.

The stone is rolled away. The fear is taken away. He was empowered.

This was what he said after he found himself.

I worked harder than any of them though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

When fear disappears, wonderful things can happen to you.

You will be able to see what you didn't see before. You will have the empowerment which you didn't have before. You will experience the victory of life.

This was what Jesus said.

I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!' (John 16:33)

When the fear is gone, you will be able to conquer the world. Conquering the world not in the sense of dominating the weak and the powerless.

But in the sense of overcoming the darkness, injustice, evil, and hatred. You will become the best version of yourself.

The stone is rolled away. Now you are free.

Live boldly. That's what resurrection is. Removal of Fear!

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Scripture PassageIsaiah 50:4-9

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptDoing Good for Others

Isaiah was a prophet in Babylon. He was part of the exiles who were deported from Jerusalem. He ministered to the exiles. He ministered to people who were weary.

God gave Isaiah a gift.

The Lord God has given me a trained tongue, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. (Isaiah 50:4)

Isaiah's gift was to give strength to the weary exiles with a word. A word to sustain them. To keep them going.

I believe that we are all created to do good. We are all given something to help others.

I believe that our ultimate purpose on this earth is to do good for others.

The spiritual journey connects you with the good that God has given you to help others.

We hope that others will receive what we have to give. We hope they will be thankful and appreciative.

Seeing people appreciate our goodness is like fuel that keeps us going. We want affirmation for the good we do.

But somehow, that's not always the case.

Doubt Over the Bad

My good intentions are not always received well. Sometimes they're misunderstood.

People can receive what I do badly. Instead of the good I'm trying to do, they only see the bad.

We are all a mixture of good and bad. I'm not perfect. I try to do good, but sometimes it gets distorted by the bad in me. It taints the good I want to do.

All of this is part of who we are.

But people see the bad. They judge you based on the bad.

They're eager to point out your flaws. They let you know how bad you are.

When others only see the bad and not the good you want to do, you wonder what's the point of trying to do good.

Doubt creeps in.

This is the dilemma Isaiah was facing.

He spoke the word God gave to sustain the weary. But it wasn't well received.

The more he spoke what God said, the more people rejected it. He was tempted to stop listening.

But that is not what he did.

The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I did not turn backward. (Isaiah 50:5)

He could just stay quiet and not stir up any reaction. But he did not shut off his ear. He did not turn backward. He persisted in doing good.

Conviction in What You Do

What are you living for? Where does your conviction come from? Are you driven by the need for approval from others?

Or are you driven by your deepest convictions about what is good? Are you living out your convictions and doing your best to do good?

Isaiah was convicted by the rightness of what he was doing. It was unshakeable.

That conviction came from his deep connection with God.

Morning by morning he wakens – wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. (Isaiah 50:4)

Every day, he listened to what God was saying.

God made clear what Isaiah had to do. God gave him the words to speak.

When you know what you have to do, and that conviction comes from God, nothing can shake you.

Even if others reject you, you can stand firm in what you have to do.

A New Vision for Humanity

Many scholars believe Isaiah was not speaking about himself. He was speaking of a servant. They don't know exactly who this servant was.

This Servant was more of an ideal. An ideal of a new humanity.

In exile, Isaiah saw a new vision for a new humanity. His experience in exile changed how he saw things.

He experienced how difficult life was for the weak. How weary life was for the poor. He saw the stark contrast between the rich and poor, strong and weak.

In this situation, God gave Isaiah a new vision for humanity. A humanity driven by goodness.

This is what he saw:

The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them. (Isaiah 11:6)

No more wars. No more domination over the weak by the strong. Only goodness.

The Servant embodied this new vision of humanity.

A humanity that did not react to hate. A humanity that broke the cycle of anger and violence. A humanity in which goodness would triumph over evil.

This Servant would carry on goodness and even absorb the hate of others.

I gave my back to those who struck me and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. (Isaiah 50:6)

No vengeance. No hate. No bitterness.

Only confidence. Only resoluteness. Only goodness.

The exiles would overcome their weakness not through power but by resolute goodness. That was the way of salvation for all peoples.

They were to be a light for all peoples by living the way of goodness.

This vision captured the imagination of Jews.

But for 600 years, it was only in their imagination. For 600 years, they struggled with this vision in a world driven by power.

But 600 years later, followers of Jesus connected the vision of this Servant with the life of Jesus.

Jesus lived out the goodness of God.

Somehow, the good that Jesus did stirred up a fierce reaction against him.

People opposed him. Despised him. Attacked him.

But he did not react to hate. He did not hide from rejection.

He simply did what he had to do. He absorbed their hate and rejection on the cross.

Passion Week

Today is Passion Sunday. It is the beginning of the Passion Week. It is the week in which Jesus absorbed the rejection and hate of the world.

But right to the end, Jesus did what he had to do. He trusted God. He trusted God's goodness.

Jesus' confidence was vindicated.

Hate and evil killed Jesus, but God raised him from the dead. Hatred and evil could not overcome goodness.

That is the faith we live with. That is why we celebrate Easter.

Easter is the most important day for us because God's goodness is vindicated.

It gives us assurance that we too can live lives of goodness and prevail.

Evil and hatred may seem to win right now, but God's goodness will prevail.

In God’s Goodness

My friends, look at your own lives. You have all been through your own challenges. You've had to overcome obstacles.

But God's goodness prevails in your life. You are here because God's goodness has prevailed.

God's goodness has sustained you, lifted you up, and given you grace. You are all here today because of God's goodness.

I get so inspired listening to stories of what you've had to overcome. You are living witnesses to the goodness of God in your lives.

The goodness of God is all around you. And it is within you.

Despite all the sins that are part of you, there is good that God has created in you. Good that you are to share with the world.

We are all sinners. But God's goodness is greater than your sin.

Our fight today is the fight for goodness.

People turn to power because of fear. Their fear makes them mean and angry. People don't want to stick their necks out.

But we remain on the side of goodness. We fight for goodness.

Don't turn away from good. Fight the good fight of faith. Do good. Listen carefully to what God is telling you to do. Then go and do it.

No matter what others say or do. Be confident in God's goodness.

God will be with you. God will vindicate you. God's goodness will prevail in your life.

The post Fight for Goodness appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageJohn 12:20-33

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptA Time for Everything

Jesus' life was very different from our life.

We do not really know what time it is. Jesus knew exactly what time it was.

Ecclesiastes teaches us this wisdom.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-5)

We do not know what time it is. And we don't care actually what time it is.

We do not know whether it is the time to tear or the time to sew, the time to keep silence or the time to speak.

Up to this point, Jesus kept saying to people:

My hour has not yet come.

But in the passage we read today, finally, Jesus said:

The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. (John 12:23)

In other words, Jesus knew exactly what time it was.

Up to this point, Jesus performed 7 miracles in John. That's why chapters 1-12 are called the Book of Signs. And the last miracle was to raise Lazarus from the dead.

But after today's story, Jesus didn't perform any miracles.

He knew that it was not the time for him to do miracles. It was the time to quietly accept what was about to happen.

He knew it was not the time for him to hold onto his life but the time to let go.

Why did he stop doing miracles and just accept what was about to happen to him?

Because he knew what was happening was beyond his control. He knew that time came.

Jesus Knew the Time

When he decided to raise the dead Lazarus, which was his last miracle, he knew that this wouldn't be good. It wasn't good politically for him.

Already, the religious leaders did not like that so many people followed Jesus. And raising Lazarus from the dead would make more people follow him.

That did not sit well with the religious leaders.

Jesus knew that. He saw it right.

Right after raising Lazarus, this was what the religious leaders said.

So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.' So from that day on they planned to put him to death. (John 11:47, 48, 53)

Not only they tried to kill Jesus but also even Lazarus.

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. (John 12:9-11)

Today's passage comes right after this. So Jesus knew that by raising Lazarus, he would get into trouble and his situation would be out of his control.

So he chose to let go. In his mind, he had this determination like Esther.

If I perish, I perish.

Choosing to Let Go

Letting go is accepting what is happening right now and leaving it in God's hands, instead of worrying about it.

To let go, you have to have trust. You have to have faith.

Letting go is not easy. Even for Jesus, it was not easy.

This was what Jesus said.

Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say Father, save me from this hour ? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name. (John 12:27, 28)

Jesus wanted to raise Lazarus even though this would brought him a lot of troubles.

It would create a situation where he had no control. But he did it because it was the right thing to do.

So Jesus did it and left the situation in God's hands. That is letting go.

Do your best to live out God's calling and after that, leave your life in God's hands. Do what is right and after that, leave your future in God's hands. That is what it is to let go.

My friends, you have to learn to let go. Letting go is the secret of living a happy life.

People suffer so much agony because they cannot let go.

They cannot let go of those who hurt them. They cannot let go of their painful past. They cannot let go of fear they have. They cannot let go of worries and anxieties.

They hold onto all these things within them. These things torment them.

This was what St. Paul taught us to to.

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Don't worry about anything but let your requests be made known to God. That is letting go.

Then what happens?

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

Why do you hold unto garbages within you. You have to let go. Don't try to control what you cannot control. Don't carry all the burdens within you.

Let go of your burdens.

Live Your Eternal Life

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

If you don't let go and hold unto them, then you will be rotten away. Your life energy will be drained from you. You will live your life with dark clouds over you constantly.

If you cannot let go, you will die. If you let go, you will live.

This was what Jesus said.

Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:25)

Here, love and hate are not literally love and hate. Jesus meant it as attachment and detachment.

If you attach to things in your life, not being able to let go, you will lose your life.

But if you are able to let go by detaching yourself from things that you cannot control, you will live. Keep it for eternal life.

Letting go is releasing all the negative things such as doubt, worry, fear, anger, disappointment, and so on. You can do that only with faith in God.

When you let go, you are creating space in your heart to embrace new challenges and new opportunities. You can move on with your life.

My friends, let go. One by one, let go. Christian journey is the journey of letting go.

What we need to practice every day is the practice of letting go. That is what discipleship is all about.

Let go of your small world. Let go of the walls you created to protect yourself. Let God. And see what happens in your life.

Even though the earthly Jesus performed many miracles, the real power came on the cross when he let go of himself.

When he let go of his life to the cross, the real power of resurrection was released.

That is the power of letting go.

When you let go of your greed, when you let go of your worries and anxieties, when you let go of your fear and anger, when you let go of trying to control yourself, when you let go of wanting to be in charge of your life, you will experience the power that comes from above, not from you.

That is the power of life. That power will make you alive.

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Scripture PassageJohn 3:14-21

Worship Video & AudioSorry for the inconvenience! Due to technical difficulties, the Worship Video & Audio are unavailable for this week.

Sermon ScriptThe Gift of Eternal Life

The gospel of John is the gospel of life. John saw clearly that God's will for the world is to have life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

God loves this world so much. It is God's precious creation.

Yes, this world that has so many problems. A world that is full of wars, greed, and hate. A world that is in peril because of what we've done. A world that many people have lost hope in.

Yet God loves this world. God's desire is for us to have eternal life.

Eternal life is not just life that lasts forever. It is also about the quality of eternity we experience now.

Eternal life is a life that is full and overflowing in the present moment.

This is what Jesus said:

Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38)

Eternal life is an overflowing, abundant life, now and in the future.

But clearly there is something missing.

Something is drying up this flow of living water. Something is diminishing the abundance of life.

Something is seriously wrong. Serious enough that God had to send his only Son so that we can have life.

What is taking away life to the point where God had to send his only Son?

This is what Jesus says:

And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. (John 3:19-20)

Hiding Our Sins

The problem is that people love the darkness. They hide their sins. They don't want to be exposed. They fear condemnation.

This fear is understandable. The world is a harsh place. It defines people by their sins.

People are merciless when your sins are exposed. Reputations and lives get ruined.

People will judge you and condemn you for your wrongdoings. To avoid condemnation, we hide our sins.

When you hide your sins, you can't see life clearly. You don't see how sin affects you.

Sin distorts you. It distorts how you see other people. It distorts how you interpret things that happen. It distorts how you respond to people and situations.

This distortion manifests in ways that affect others. When you hide your sins, you don't see how they affect others.

The thing with sin is that we don't choose whether to sin. It's just a part of who we are and what we do.

It is like the air we breathe. We cannot escape it. We breathe in sin, and we exhale sin.

The world we live in is an endless cycle of sin. The more you hide your sins, the more blind you are to the fact that you are a victim to sin and its distortions.

When you hide your sins, you are not truthful about who you are and the role you play in the endless cycle of sin.

You present a false self. Meanwhile, the sin is very real. It kills your spirit. It dries up the living water inside of you.

When you see your own sin clearly, you begin to see the effect it has on you. You begin to see the effect it has on your life.

When you see your sin clearly, it opens up the possibility of living an authentic life.

Looking Directly at Our Sins

John begins today's passage by mentioning Moses:

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. (John 3:14)

The Israelites were stuck in the wilderness for a long time. They grew impatient.

They complained against God and Moses. They detested even the food that God provided.

So God sent poisonous snakes that bit the Israelites and killed them.

They confessed their sin to Moses and asked him to plead with God to take away the snakes.

This is what happened:

And the Lord said to Moses, Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live. So Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it upon a pole, and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. (Numbers 21:8-9)

God did not take away the poisonous snakes.

Rather, the people had to look directly at the cause of their deaths. They had to look directly at their sins.

God did not take away the snakes, but he nullified the effect of their poison. It would no longer kill them.

Jesus says:

But those who do what is true come to the light. (John 3:21)

God sent Jesus to shine a light on who you really are.

Without being truthful about who you are, you cannot live an abundant life. It will only be a false life.

When you come to the light, your sins are exposed. Who you are and what you've done is seen clearly in the light.

But Jesus did not come to condemn us or judge us. He did not come to define us by our sins.

Defined by Love

The light does not only reveal your sins. It illuminates the deeper love of God.

Jesus' journey culminated in the cross. When you look upon the cross, you see our sins on that cross.

Jesus took our sins upon himself as he hung on the cross. The cross is meaningless if you don't see your sins there.

But hidden in the cross is the deeper love of God.

Love that is more powerful than sin and death. Love that overcomes them. Love that creates new life.

At the cross, we are no longer defined by sin. We are defined by love.

That is why we look to the cross as our symbol.

God sent Jesus into the world to redefine who we are. We cannot see the love of God without seeing our sins.

But we are no longer defined by sin. We are defined by God's love.

Sin is always with us. We cannot escape it. But sin no longer has power over you.

Relationships become more difficult the closer you get to them.

They are more difficult because they see your flaws and sins more clearly. They will point that out. And it hurts.

Conflict arises because we want to hide our sins or resist being defined by them.

My friends, don't worry any more about what others say you are, even those closest to you. Accept their truth-saying, don't hide it or deny it.

But believe that you are more than your flaws.

Faith is believing that I am defined by God's love, not my sin.

Faith is trust and belief that even if the whole world condemns me for my sins, I am not defined by them. Even if I have hurt or harmed others, I am not defined by that.

That is a hard thing to do in this world. When you see your sins clearly, it is hard to believe that.

But that is why God sent Jesus to this world. Jesus died for you so that you can have new life defined by his love.

With Transformed Sight

When you see your sins so clearly, but see God's greater love and mercy, the only result is humility. Awe. Gratitude. And grace.

Grace transforms you.

You can still see the sins of others. If anything, as you see your own sins, you begin to see the sins of others more clearly too.

But just like yourself, you no longer define them by their sins. You look at them with grace.

Instead of condemnation and judgment, there is more understanding, compassion and empathy.

(Danushkah Wickramasinghe – no retaliation, no anger. Empathy for accused)

What a man. He sees the heart of God. I pray for him.

This world doesn't need more vengeance. It doesn't need more condemnation.

It needs more grace. It needs more understanding.

That is why God sent his only Son.

Walk in God's light. Accept his grace and mercy.

Be a giver of life by bringing grace and mercy into this world with God's love.

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Scripture PassageJohn 2:13-22

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWhat We Worship

Jesus came to the temple and he was very sad. As a matter of fact, he was very angry.

You don't see this kind of Jesus a lot in the gospel. He even prayed for the forgiveness of those who wanted to kill him.

But this time he was very angry. That means it mattered a lot to him.

Worship wasn't there in the temple. They didn't worship God. They worshipped money.

He said,

He told those who were selling the doves, Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a market-place!' (John 2:16)

Selling the doves itself was not the problem.

At that time, a part of their worship was to give a sacrifice. And they used animals like lambs, goats, and doves.

Some people came from far away. So it was hard for them to carry the animals all the way to the temple to give a sacrifice. So they bought doves at the temple to give a sacrifice.

That itself was not the problem.

The problem was – they were more interested in selling the doves than worshipping God. They turned the temple into a market place.

God wasn't in their heart. Money was in their heart. That is the idolatry.

Jesus warned us about this idolatry.

No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:24)

In the temple, this was happening. They cared about money more than God.

Worshipping Money

Money is important. Yes. We need money. It is essential for us to survive.

Money matters a lot to us. Money gives us stress. Money makes us worry. Money creates fear within us.

Because it is so important. Because without it, we cannot survive.

There are three important things in life:

1. Money.
2. Time.
3. Food.

These are important things but because they are so important that they can be also the greatest temptation for us.

So we have to know how to deal with them.

Jewish people had the wisdom to deal with these things. About money, they controlled it by giving a tithe. About time, they controlled it by keeping the sabbath holy. About food, they controlled it by having a dietary rule.

The greatest of these three temptations is money. That was why Jesus singled out the danger of worshipping money.

When money is more important than God, the worship loses its significance. Not only it becomes meaningless but also the worship becomes corrupted.

Worship becomes a tool to satisfy you. Worship becomes very self-centred. Worship becomes entertainment.

Your heart will not be ready to give a proper worship.

Complete Surrendering

What is worship?

Worship is not about what you do. Worship is about giving your heart to God.

We don't just give offering to God. We give ourselves as a living sacrifice. We become a sacrifice.

We don't just give a sacrifice. We become a sacrifice.

That was what St. Paul said,

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)

Give your bodies as a living sacrifice

That is what spiritual worship is. But what does that mean?

It means complete surrendering. When we come to worship, we completely surrender ourselves to God.

Complete surrendering also means complete trust in God.

You let go of yourself. You let go of your worries. You let go of your fear. You let go of your greed.

You just let go of yourself. Complete surrendering.

Jesus taught us about letting go.

This is what Jesus said right after he talked about not being able to serve two masters: God and Mammon.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, What will we eat? or What will we drink? or What will we wear? For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (Matthew 6:25-32)

God will take care of us.

God will provide us with what we need. God will give us clothes. God will give us food. God will give us a place to live.

Let go of your worries. Let go and let God. Have a trust in God.

Jesus came to give us the abundance.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

Abundance does not mean to have a lot of material. It doesn't mean to have abundant wealth.

It means the abundance of your heart. It means deep and total satisfaction.

That was what St. Paul experienced.

Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)

When you completely surrender yourself in God, then you are ready to worship God.

In fact, that is what worship is. Complete Surrender. Worship is nothing other than completely surrender.

That worship will be acceptable to God. Pleasing to God.

Restoring Worship, Restoring Joy

Then you will be able to discern the will of God. Having a good worship and discerning the will of God are connected.

That's why St. Paul talked about discerning the will of God right after he talked about giving your body as a living sacrifice.

They are connected. True worship gives you a sense of abundance but it also sharpens you.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

My friends, God will take care of you. With thanksgiving, worship God with pure heart.

To John, this was so important.

That's why he put the story of cleansing the temple right in the beginning. All synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) put the story of cleansing the temple at the very end of their story.

According to the gospel John, cleansing the temple and turning water into wine – these two things were what Jesus did first in his public ministry.

It's all in chapter 2. Turning water into wine means restoring the joy. Cleansing the temple means restoring the worship.

They are connected: joy and worship. When the worship is restored in your life, joy will be restored.

So good worship gives you a sense of abundance, sharpens you to be able to discern the will of God, and fills you with joy.

You can live an abundant, joyful and happy life.

You will not live a life of enslavement in darkness. You will live a life of freedom.

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Scripture PassageMark 8:31-38

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptAccepting the Path of Suffering

Peter was Jesus' first disciple. He was the closest to Jesus. But he rebukes Peter in the most serious way:

Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things. (Mark 8:33)

This is a serious rebuke.

Satan means adversary. The one who is against God. Jesus is accusing Peter of going against God.

How was Peter going against God? By trying to block Jesus' suffering.

Peter wanted to avoid suffering. But Jesus openly walked toward suffering.

This is what he said:

The Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31)

To set your mind on divine things is to accept suffering. To set your mind on human things is to avoid suffering.

Jesus was not looking for suffering. He was not trying to get rejected or killed. He was simply trying to do what he came to do.

This is what he came to do:

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

He came to give life.

But he knew that in this sinful world, he would be rejected. He knew what the result would be.

Even so, Jesus chose to live the life he was supposed to live. He accepted suffering, rejection and death.

This is Jesus' call for those who follow him:

If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)

Don't be concerned about yourself. Do the will of God. Focus on what it is you're supposed to do. Don't try to avoid suffering. In fact, take up the suffering that will come as a result.

Jesus' call of discipleship goes to the core of how we live our life.

Driven by Fear of Suffering

Do you live life to avoid suffering? Or do you live the life that you're supposed to live, even if it brings great difficulty and suffering?

Is your mind set on divine things or human things?

When I reflect on how we live our lives today, people are not driven by their beliefs and convictions.

They are driven by the fear of suffering. This fear drives all thinking, decision-making and actions.

They don't know what they believe. They don’t know what they want in life.

They just want to avoid suffering. Avoiding suffering has become the prime motive.

Fear of suffering may produce a good life on the outside.

It can help you survive. It can help you become comfortable. You can enjoy the pleasures of life.

But fear of suffering holds you back from life.

It holds you back from committing yourself. It holds you back from getting involved. It holds you back, because you are afraid of losing yourself.

Fear of suffering produces a deeper suffering that is not visible on the outside.

The Russian author Dostoevsky said this:

Hell is the suffering of being unable to love. (Dostoevsky)

Fear of suffering squeezes love out.

My friends, what is life without love? That is hell.

The Path of Love

Love is what makes life come alive. Without love, life is flat, dull and meaningless.

Love does not hold back. Love goes all in. Love is all-in.

Love makes sacrifices. Love suffers. The heart aches because of love. Love is painful.

But love is what makes life come alive.

Calling is love that takes on a unique shape for your life.

It is love that is drawn to some greater purpose. It's like a magnetic force that pulls all of you toward that purpose.

Jesus' calling is for us to follow this path of love that takes a unique shape in your life.

But Jesus has a deep insight: following this path of love WILL bring about suffering.

People won't understand you. They will question you. There will be so many challenges and obstacles. It will require sacrifice. It will bring suffering. There is no way around it.

My son is playing a lot of hockey these days. He thinks he can become an NHL player.

To become a professional hockey player, you need to make huge sacrifices. You cannot have a well-rounded, balanced life. Hockey has to be your life.

To live out your calling, there is no balance. Love goes all-in. All-in to the point of sacrificing your comfort, convenience and even well-being.

It requires accepting the suffering and hardship that will come for the sake of the greater purpose of what you're living for.

To overcome our fear of suffering, we need to reflect on our approach to it.

Yes, suffering can damage you. The most damaging suffering is suffering that is inflicted upon you. The suffering you have no choice in receiving.

Boy in London. That boy will have to live with the consequences of this tragedy that was inflicted upon him.

We can become victims of suffering that is thrust upon us.

Your thinking becomes damaged. Your emotions become damaged. Your outlook on life becomes damaged.

The memory of this suffering drives the fear of suffering.

God's Power in Our Weakness

But suffering does not have to destroy you. It can be a source of power and purpose.

Immigrant life was so hard. It was full of suffering. But that suffering also gave immigrants purpose. It gave them drive. It gave them the motivation to work from 7am until midnight.

More than that, suffering also produced faith.

Suffering created the church. Suffering laid a beautiful foundation for the next generation.

Suffering in love produces sacrifice that bears fruit.

Suffering can make us weak. It shatters our confidence. It weakens our resolve.

But God's power is hidden in our weakness.

The cross was a symbol of people's weakness. It was a visible reminder of how weak people were against the world's power.

Jesus took on that weakness on the cross.

But instead of being defeated by suffering, God revealed his power through Jesus' weakness on the cross. God took this symbol of weakness and made it his strength.

God's power is made perfect in weakness.

That is what St. Paul discovered.

Because God's power is perfect in weakness, we are strong when we are weak. We find God's power in our suffering.

When we experience this power in our suffering, we don't need to fear it anymore. It gives us the strength to face any suffering that comes our way.

St. Paul went so far as to even boast about his sufferings.

So I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Suffering is never easy, but it is not something to fear. With faith, we can live our life boldly and accept the suffering that will come. We can take on suffering with faith that we will experience God's power.

Don't run away from suffering and miss out on life. Live your life boldly! Go all-in for a good purpose.

Our church is run by those who serve and sacrifice their time and energy. To keep the church going, we elect and ordain elders. Eldership is a calling. Meeting with Rev. Kim: said eldership requires sacrifice.

Sacrifice yourself for a good purpose. For something bigger than just yourself.

Trust in God's power. Then you will find yourself.

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Scripture PassageMark 1:9-15

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptIn a World We Do Not Belong

Today is the first Sunday of Lent. As of last Wednesday which was Ash Wednesday, the season of Lent began.

During the season of Lent, we reflect on Jesus' suffering. We reflect on the meaning of the cross.

What is the meaning of Jesus' suffering? What is the meaning of the cross?

We hear a lot about Jesus' suffering. We have heard it so much that we don't even think about its meaning. We just take it as a fact.

There is one thing Jesus' suffering tells us clearly. That is about the world we live in.

Jesus was not a friend of this world. As a matter of fact, the world hated him. That was what his suffering and his cross were all about.

The world hated him period. The world rejected him. The world made him a criminal. The world spat at him, mocked him, and crucified him.

I am not just talking about the Roman world or Jewish world. I am talking about the world as a whole, including the world we live in.

Jesus showed us he did not belong to the world. And tells us: WE DO NOT BELONG TO THE WORLD.

In his last prayer before he left the world, he prayed like this.

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. (John 17:14-16)

God loves us and sees us as his precious daughter and son. But the world does not love us and see us as its beloved child.

No! The world sees us as its slave. The world wants to use us as its slave. You are merely a small, dispensable screw in a gigantic machine.

When you do well what the world wants you to do, the world loves you. The world embraces you. The world becomes your best friend.

But when you cannot do or don't want to do what the world expects from you, the world hates you. The world rejects you. The world becomes your worst enemy.

The Kingdom You Belong To

There are two ways the world controls you: ABSORPTION AND ALIENATION.

The world wants to absorb you so that you can do what the world wants you to do. But if the world cannot absorb you, it alienates you so that you are not in the way.

That was what happened to Jesus.

It was not because Jesus did not know how to survive in this world. It was not because he didn't have the power and influence to succeed in this world.

Jesus had so many followers and he could manage them well and use them for his purpose. He had Charisma. It was not that he didn't know how to survive in this world.

But Jesus didn't play the game this world wanted him to play.

Jesus didn't want to be a puppet of this world. Jesus did not fall into the temptation, the lure, and the manipulation of this world.

Rather Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God. The alternative world.

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news. (Mark 1:15)

What is Jesus saying?

He is saying that the kingdom of this world is not your kingdom. The kingdom of God has come to you. You belong to the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of this world.

Repent – change your thinking. Don't think that you belong to the world. You belong to God.

Knowing You Are a Child of God

Believe in the good news – the good news that you are a child of God, not a slave of this world. That was what the heaven declared right from the beginning of Jesus' ministry.

And a voice came from heaven, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.' (Mark 1:11)

God in heaven affirmed to Jesus that you are my child. You belong to me. The world may reject you but you are mine.

Jesus clearly knew whom he belonged to.

Know whom you belong to. Know who you are.

Knowing that you are a child of God is not a cerebral concept. It is not just a conceptual understanding or a rational or willful decision.

At his baptism, the Spirit came down on Jesus. It descended on Jesus like a dove. A very gentle dove.

Then all of a sudden the Spirit was not like a gentle dove any more when you look at the next verse.

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. (Mark 1:12)

Here the phrase drove him out – Ekbollow. Later, Mark uses the same word when Jesus drove out unclean spirits. Powerful and violent action.

Through Tests and Temptations

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness and there he was tempted.

What was the temptation all about? It was all about the fact that Jesus was the Son of God.

Mark doesn't describe the details of the temptation but when you read Matthew and Luke, you can see more clearly the nature of the temptation.

If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. (Matthew 4:3)
If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down (Matthew 4:6)

All about questioning whether Jesus was the Son of God.

No If . He was the Son of God. Not If .

Knowing that you are a child of God is not a conceptual acceptance or rational decision.

You will be tested in life. You will be tempted. Only through your faith, you can understand and accept that you are a child of God.

At the end, Satan showed his true motive.

SERVE ME. That is what the world wants from you. Be my servant. You are not my precious child. Just be my slave. I will use you until you are useful. After that, you are dispensable.

All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me. (Matthew 4:9)

This was what Jesus said to Satan.

Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him. (Matthew 4:10)

My friends, don't try so hard to be accepted by this world. Don't be so sad because you did not make it to the top of this world.

When you are rejected, don't feel so bad because Jesus was first rejected.

If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you. (John 15:18, 19)

You may be in the world but you do not belong to the world.

You are God's precious child.

God will give you the power. God will give you the authority. God will take care of your needs. God will give you the eternal victory.

During this Lent, you will face many temptations, but be strong in your understanding that you are the precious child of God.

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Scripture PassageMark 9:2-11

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptTo Experience Dreams

February is Black History Month. It celebrates the achievements of black people throughout our history.

More than just their achievements, it celebrates the dreams that survived and overcame the harsh realities of racism and oppression.

Perhaps the most famous figure in black history is Martin Luther King Jr. He is famous for the I Have a Dream speech he gave in 1963. The speech evoked the hopes of universal fellowship among all people.

With soaring words, people were elevated and taken up into this beautiful dream of the Beloved Community.

It was a high point in his life, and it was a high point for the nation. It was a mountaintop experience.

On the mountaintop of today's passage, the disciples experienced something like this, something almost indescribable with words.

Jesus was transfigured. His appearance was transformed and elevated into something glorious beyond measure.

It was literally what you would call a mountaintop experience. Mark does his best to describe this experience:

And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling bright, such as no one on earth could brighten them. (Mark 9:2-3)

What the disciples experienced on the mountain was a glimpse of a glorious future, when Christ comes again. They saw Jesus in all his resplendent glory.

It was a glimpse when all of God's dreams for the world would be fulfilled.

We need moments like that in life.

Moments of transcendence and elevation. Moments of clear vision.

They allow us to see and experience something different. We see a beautiful vision for life.

Martin Luther King Jr's gift was to elevate people's spirits so that they could see and feel the dream he was envisioning.

We need dreams. We need vision. They give us purpose. They give us meaning. They show us what life can be and what it should be.

They pull us out of the small world of our own problems and worries into a much bigger one that has greater purpose and meaning.

Your problems and worries take a back seat. They're still there, and you still have to deal with them, but they can't dominate you when you have powerful dreams that drive you.

Such is the power of dreams and visions.

When millions of black people all over America bought into the dream, their own personal problems and worries became absorbed by the greater cause of helping others.

Suffering Before Glory

To have dreams is beautiful. But those dreams collide with the reality of everyday life.

Martin Luther King Jr's dream collided with reality. Racism was too entrenched. Hatred was too strong. The problems of the country were too complex.

People began to lose faith in his vision. His philosophy of nonviolence seemed out of date compared to the violence they received from all the hate around them.

The dream was on shaky ground when it was finally shattered by a bullet. That bullet took his life and shattered the hearts of the nation.

But more importantly, it shattered the dream.

After the disciples' glorious experience, Jesus said something very puzzling:

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. (Mark 9:9)

Why did he say this? They had just witnessed something glorious and out of this world. Why hold off on sharing this glorious experience?

Before they had that experience on the mountain, this is what Jesus did:

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31)

They were to hold off on sharing their glorious experience because Jesus first had to experience the cross.

Before glory comes the cross. Before dreams are realized in their glory, they must go through suffering and struggle. But after that struggle and suffering will come glory.

Living Without Dreams

Martin Luther King Jr's dream might be shattered, but it must not die.

When dreams die, life has no purpose.

Without dreams, life is dreary and mundane. Without dreams, all that's left to pursue is comfort, convenience and pleasure.

I think that's what's happened in the world. People stopped dreaming. They lost faith in anything. They lost faith in dreaming itself.

Without anything to dream in, all that's left is the pursuit of comfort, convenience and pleasure.

Dreams don't come out of nowhere. They are formed in community.

The dreams of Martin Luther King Jr took root in the segregated black community of the South. They were the dreams of that community.

He was the right person at the right time with the gifts to articulate those dreams. He became the representative and articulator of those dreams.

Dreams are formed in community, and dreams bring the community together.

With no dreams, there's no community. With no community, there are no dreams.

This is where we find ourselves today. There is no community. Everyone is out there doing their own thing. You do you.

We have more comfort and convenience than ever, but ever less solidarity. Our comfort and convenience has isolated us from one another, as we each prioritize and pursue our own comfort and convenience.

This is not a good way to live.

We need dreams that arise from the community. We need community built around inspiring dreams.

Visions Given in Community

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the followers of Jesus were alone. They were uncertain of what lay ahead.

They weren't sure what would happen to Jesus' dreams for the kingdom of God.

But they didn't disband and go their own ways. They remained together. They waited and prayed.

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon them. They began speaking in tongues.

Something new was happening. They discovered new dreams and visions.

This is how Peter describes it:

In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams. (Acts 2:17)

He was quoting the prophet Joel.

When the Spirit was poured upon them, they received a new vision to be witnesses of God's grace in Jesus Christ. These dreams became their power and driving force.

The world may not be a place that generates dreams. But when we come together in faith and stay together in worship and prayer, the Spirit gives us new dreams and visions.

Yesterday we had a new members' lunch. We heard stories from each person about how they came to our church.

It was amazing to hear all these stories. People from different places and walks of life. People who otherwise would have never met each other. God brought them here.

Rev. Kim reflected that our identity as a church is not static. It is a dynamic identity.

As new people come, the identity of the church shifts and changes. New visions form.

There is no new member and old member, we are all members in this body of Christ. We could feel the presence of the Spirit giving us new dreams.

The world may kill our dreams, but we are not of this world.

We live life in the Spirit of God. When we gather in the Spirit, God gives us new dreams.

With Strength from The Church

When we are one in Spirit, the world cannot kill our dreams. It may damage and attack them, but new dreams rise again.

Slavery was a cruel institution. It dehumanized black people and made them property.

The one thing they did allow them to have was church. In black churches, they came together to pray, sing and hear the word of good news.

Churches were their mountaintop where they could see and experience the glory of the Lord.

Those experiences gave them dreams for a better future. They gave them not only strength to endure, but joy through the pain.

Toward the end of Martin Luther King Jr's life, the challenges became almost unbearable.

But he was raised by the community of faith in the black church. The strength of that community kept his dream alive.

This is what he said the night before he was killed:

Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really 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!
And so I’m happy, tonight.
I’m not worried about anything.
I’m not fearing any man!
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!

The Church is where we gather to experience the glory of the Lord.

The Church is not an institution. The Church is an incubator of God's dreams for the world. The Church is the community formed around these dreams.

When we gather faithfully in worship, prayer and fellowship, the Church is a foretaste of the eternal kingdom to come while we're here on earth.

Churches are struggling. So many people have left faith and the church.

But I still believe in God's church. I still believe in God's dreams for this world.

I still believe that God has the power to lift us out of our hopeless situation and give us new dreams and visions.

I pray that your heart may be revived with new visions for your life. I pray that this church may be a place where you experience grace, transcendence, and new dreams given to us by the Spirit.

The post The Dream Must Not Die appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageIsaiah 40:21-31

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptLiving With Power

Last week, we talked about the authority of life. The authority of life is the empowerment of life.

This week, I am going to talk about a similar theme. I think the Spirit is guiding us into that theme.

This year's theme is Be A Witness. To make us a witness, God gives us the message about the power and the authority.

To be a witness, you will have to have power. Only with power, you can be a bold witness.

That's why Luke said in his book, Acts.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

Before he told them to be a witness, Jesus told them to receive power first.

Living as a witness is living with power.

That was how the early Christians lived. They were bold. They lived with power and authority. That power and authority did not come from them.

They didn't have anything. No position in their society, no money, and no powerful connection. They were in the marginalized minority.

Their power and authority came from the Spirit. It was not the power that belonged to them. It was the power that was given to them.

Even though they were weak in every way, they had the power.

St. Paul became a witness after he experienced this kind of power.

but he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

You can be confident ALWAYS in any circumstance when you have the power that comes from outside, not from you.

The power that comes from you can help you only when you are strong. When you are weak, that power disappears.

But the power that comes from God is always with you regardless of the condition you may be in.

Paul knew the secret of this power.

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:7-10)

The extraordinary power belongs to God not to you. That kind of power gives us confidence in all kinds of situations.

In Our Waiting

We have to have this kind of power. We have to wait for this kind of power.

Isaiah cried out.

but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

Isaiah was talking about the power that comes from God.

Those who wait for the Lord will have new strength. They shall mount up like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.

There are times when we feel tired. There are times when we feel like giving up. There are times when our circumstances are unbearable. There are times when we feel so small.

That was what the Israelites experienced in captivity. As they were taken in captivity, they lost all their dreams. They were losing hope in God. They started thinking that God could not do anything for them.

Isaiah saw that in people. Isaiah saw that they were losing passion for God.

They started becoming inward looking. They ran away into their own small world. They were not captivated only by their enemies. They became captives in their own small world.

When Job lost everything, his friends came to him.

They came to comfort him but they didn't really comfort him. Rather they took away Job's last hope.

Job's last hope was God's recognition of his own righteousness. His friends took that away from Job.

They tried to prove to Job that he must have done something wrong. When Job saw no hope left for him, he caved into his small miserable world.

What did God do in the end?

This was what God said to Job.

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone?
(Job 38:1-6)

What is God doing here? He is bringing Job out of his small world and letting him see the bigger world.

Living with Renewed Strength

When we have problems, we often cave into our own small world. That small world is filled with problems, self-pity, anger, disappointment, and fear. In that small world, you lose yourself.

Israelites were the same. Instead of seeing the bigger world, they fell into their own small world of misery and captivity.

That is what colonization does to us. It makes us feel small. It prohibits us from having a big dream. As you become a victim of colonization, you become captivated in your own small world.

Racism is not just about discrimination you experience. Racism makes you feel small. You cannot see a bigger world.

We should live with dreams. We should live with a noble purpose of life.

Life is not just about living comfortably and safely. Life is about living what we were born to do.

I told you this quote before.

A ship in a harbour is safe but that is not what ships are built for.

Early Christians lived as witnesses.

The more persecutions they received, the more actively they proclaimed the good news. They didn't cave in. They survived very difficult circumstances. They were strong.

That is to live with the power.

Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.

Power to Live with Faith

In that word wait , we see faith and hope.

Because you believe, because you have hope, you wait. When you wait with faith and hope, you will receive the power to live.

Examples are Last Wednesday. 6.25 War: One mother brought 5 children to escape from North. Faith. Another person: Faith of our mothers – amazing.

Yes, that is the power of faith.

When you have faith, you don't give up even when your circumstances tell you to give up.

When you have faith, you see the future even when your present tells you there is no future.

When you have faith, you can sing in the rain.

No matter what happens to me, if I have faith, I can rise again. Because through faith, I will have the power that doesn't come from me but given by God.

Living with that kind of power is itself being a witness.

You don't have to go to Dundas Square and shout out to believe in Jesus.

When you overcome your personal hardships and weaknesses through the power given to you, you already became the witness of Jesus Christ.

Look to God. Don't look to yourself. Wait for God. Don't be a prisoner in your own small world.

God will do wonderful things through you. That is to become a witness.

The post The Power to Be a Witness appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageMark 1:21-28

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptRestorative Authority

Mark wanted to show right from the beginning that Jesus had the authority. That was important to Mark. He wanted to get across this message.

This Jesus of Nazareth was not merely a village preacher. He was the man with the authority.

After baptism, temptation, and calling of disciples, the first thing Mark recorded was what we read today.

Mark wanted to show that Jesus had the power over darkness. He had power over the evil spirit.

That was Mark's witness. He saw that kind of power in Jesus. That is who Jesus is. Jesus has the power to defeat the evil of this world.

This poor man was tortured by the evil spirit. He could not be what he was supposed to be. He could not live his full potential.

Something more powerful than him controlled him. That was not what he wanted but the evil spirit controlled him.

We are not exactly like him. We won't necessarily identify with this man. But, in fact, we are very much like him.

We are not as free as we think. We are tortured by the negative spirit often. We don't want to feel that way but we do. Darkness hovers over us and this darkness leads us into despair and anxiety.

We cannot be what we are supposed to be. We cannot live our full potential. We are not living the best version of ourselves. Something else controls us.

It's not that we are hungry. It's not that we don't have a place to live. It's not that we don't have clothes to wear.

And yet, we feel empty even though we are not hungry. We feel naked even though we have lots of clothes.

We have many worries even though we have everything. We constantly live in fear.

I don't think doing well in our career will help us. I don't think having more money will help us. I don't think having more time will help us.

It is our internal problem. Since it is our internal problem, we cannot solve it externally by doing something.

Our biggest problem is that we don't have the AUTHORITY over our life. We don't feel the empowerment to live as we wish.

Jesus took out the evil spirit out of him. Jesus freed him from the power that enslaved him. People saw the authority of Jesus Christ.

They said,

What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. (Mark 1:27)

They saw the authority working through Jesus. With that authority, Jesus restored the authority in that man.

That is what Jesus does to us. Jesus restores authority within us.

Living in God’s Image

You are beautiful. You are wonderfully made. Last week, we reflected on that through Rev. Simon Park's sermon.

For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth. (Psalm 139:13-15)

We are created in God's image. But we lost the image of God.

You heard about unmarked graves they found in old residential schools.

We were all shocked when they found so many unmarked graves at the residential schools. They found 215 unmarked graves at Kamloops residential school.

Many of them were taken away from their parents against their wishes and their parents' wishes. That was not what they wanted. That was not what their parents wanted. But they took them away anyway.

Some of them never returned home but no explanation. Now they know. They were buried.

In the name of assimilation and Christianization, they destroyed their language, their culture, and their identity. They destroyed the image of God in them.

That is what the evil power does. Destroying the image of God within us.

Jesus came to restore the image of God. Jesus came to give back to us the authority that makes us who we are supposed to be.

Jesus had the power to do that. His teaching was filled with authority.

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Mark 1:21, 22)

Jesus had the authority and with that authority, he healed the man totally bounded by the evil spirit. By healing him, Jesus gave him back the authority he deserved.

Authority to live with the image of God. Authority to live as a child of God.

True Authority

But interestingly, this is not the end of the message of Mark. Mark's story is developed in a strange way.

Mark had a secret in his story. Mark wanted to reveal the mystery of the gospel. The secret of the gospel.

In the beginning, Mark showed that Jesus had the authority to defeat the power of darkness. But only in the beginning, Mark described Jesus' power.

As the story progressed, Jesus didn't do this kind of miracles any more. Even when he performed a miracle, he told people to be quiet. Don't tell people about it.

Jesus was quiet. Often he talked about his own death. Peter even rebuked Jesus for that.

And ultimately his life ended with the cross, Mark said. Jesus emptied his authority and gave himself to darkness.

Mark wanted to show a radically new understanding of the authority. In Mark's understanding, the true authority did not come from power. The authority was not revealed in the act of casting out demons.

The true authority was manifested in Jesus delivering himself into death. The authority of taking up the cross.

Where did this authority come from?

It came from Jesus' love for us.

The ultimate power that can destroy the power of darkness is love. Mark understood that message.

That was what Jesus chose to do. He let go of his power and authority. He chose the cross. That was the authority of love.

Live with Love

Love is the most powerful authority that can chase away darkness and the evil power not just once but forever.

Only love can truly restore the image of God. You cannot solve your problem by having more power.

Find love in your life. Discover the love of God. Be filled with love. Love will cast out fear.

And when you have love, you will find the new authority of your life. With the authority of love, restore others' authority. Restore the image of God in others.

Authority of love will overcome the power of death and bring about the resurrection.

The post Authority of Love appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageMark 1:14-20

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWhat He Sees

When Jesus met his first disciples, it was an ordinary day.

This is how Mark describes it:

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea – for they were fishermen As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. (Mark 1:16, 19)

It was an ordinary day for Simon, Andrew, James and John.

They were just doing what folks had done for generations. Their parents had fished. Their parents had fished. They were fishing.

They were simply doing their jobs and feeding their families. They probably did not see much beyond what they were doing now.

But Jesus saw something very different.

He did not see just fishermen. He saw who they would become. What Jesus saw in them, they would never have imagined for themselves.

Jesus sees you.

But he doesn't only see who you are today. He sees who you can become. He sees what you can do.

He sees the potential and possibility in you. He sees things in you that you cannot see for yourself. Isn't that amazing?

Jesus called his disciples:

Follow me and I will make you fish for people. (Mark 1:17)

The disciples thought the extent of their role in life was to catch fish and feed their families. But Jesus was calling them to more.

He was calling them to fish for people. To be a blessing to more people. Jesus was calling them.

Calling is not about finding your passion. It is not about pursuing what you want to do.

Calling is being pulled beyond who you are today to become someone bigger.

Calling is being transformed into a bigger person so that you can bless others.

Jesus did not see uneducated, unsophisticated fishermen. He saw people who would lead others to God with great power.

Jesus sees the potential and possibility in you. He sees gifts that you have not discovered that can be used to bless others.

Learning to Grow Beyond Yourself

The problem is how we see ourselves. We only see who we are today. We see our limits.

I'm not rich. I'm not powerful. I'm not capable. Who I am, and what I have, is not much. The best I can do is to take care of myself and my family.

We see our limitations so clearly. Everywhere we go, we are reminded of our limitations and shortcomings.

There is always someone smarter than me. More attractive than me. More capable than me.

When we compare ourselves to others, we always feel so small. What could I possibly contribute when there are people who are so much better than me?

Our limitations define us. They stop us from doing more. From being more. And we settle to live life within those limitations.

Within those limitations, we stay in our own small world. We don't grow beyond that. We get very comfortable in it.

Being comfortable is nice. I can't wait to go on our vacation down south – the first time since Covid. I can't wait to lie down on a beach chair with my drink and be comfortable.

But only being comfortable doesn't lead to growth. If you are not growing, you stagnate. Stagnation is the recipe for death. Whether physical death or existential death.

We need to grow. The best way to grow is by serving others. When you serve others, you are forced to grow.

Human relations are the most difficult. You confront someone totally different from yourself.

You have to learn how to understand them. Communicate with them. Connect with them. You have to grow to learn how to do that.

The other day I had lunch with a young adult. She's struggling with her work right now because of her boss.

The work itself is not that inspiring, but she can live with it. But it's the people aspect that makes it difficult.

The boss was probably good at this job, or good at getting noticed. But he's not good with people.

He doesn't know how to relate or communicate. Or make people feel valued and heard. And that makes life so difficult for those who work with him.

We have to grow so that we can be a blessing to those around us, not a source of burden.

A Journey of Transformation

Let me suggest two concrete ways you can be a blessing to others.

First: learn how to see people and notice them.

Especially those who are less popular or influential. Train your eyes to see them. Notice how they're doing.

Secondly: learn to see beyond what you see on the surface.

Don't just see their flaws and limitations. Learn to recognize gifts they might not recognize in themselves. Learn to see their potential.

Learn how to share this with them. You will see what kind of effect that has on them.

Notice them and see what's special about them. You will be a blessing to those people.

To do that, you need to grow.

When you follow Jesus, you begin a journey of transformation so that you can bless others. Jesus gives you the power to change.

We've all heard that Jesus died for my sins. That our sins are forgiven. What does this mean?

It means that Jesus no longer sees your limitations. He doesn't define you by them.

You are free from past mistakes. Free from guilt. Free from greed. Free from fear. We are free from the shackles of our limitations.

Believing in Jesus and following him is allowing him to make us into the people we are supposed to be.

The worst thing you can do is to limit how you see yourself. That is a great sin!

It prevents change. It prevents growth. It prevents you from becoming the person God created you to be.

Following Jesus is a journey of trust. You place your trust in him to lead you, change you and give you the power you need to go beyond your limitations.

We don't know where we're headed when we follow Jesus. We simply trust him and go where he leads.

More Than You Are

My friends, do not limit yourself. God sees you. God sees what is possible in you.

God loves you so much and created you so beautifully. Your life is a beautiful gift to this world.

That is what the psalmist recognized.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me. For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! (Psalm 139:1, 13-17)

You have been fearfully and wonderfully made. You are more than who you are today.

The disciples would never have seen themselves as more than fishermen. But Jesus did. And that changed everything.

Because of what Jesus saw in them, they left their nets and followed him. They transformed from timid, fearful fishermen to become the pillars of a new movement.

They carried on Jesus' ministry after he left the earth. They received the Holy Spirit and did much more than Jesus himself did.

All because Jesus saw and called them. What a beautiful life it is to follow Jesus!

I am a witness to God's wonderful power and grace. I have seen God do so many amazing things in my life, and in so many of you.

You are a blessing to this community, and you have the potential to be a blessing to so many others as well. God will continue to do many amazing things in all of you and this church.

Follow Jesus. He will make you a blessing for this world.

The post Jesus Sees You appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture Passage1 Samuel 3:1-20

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptOur Voices of Logic

Today's story is about what happens when God speaks. These are the first words God said to Samuel:

See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. (1 Samuel 3:11)

When God speaks, God is about to do something. When God speaks, everything is about to change.

Hearing God speak is something that sounds very foreign to modern ears. We don't know what that is, or what it looks like.

The voices we do hear are the voices of logic and reason. With logic, we have learned how to survive in this world. Logic helps us understand the world, analyze it and adapt to it.

The other day, I was speaking to someone who works at the head office of McDonald's. To us, they're simply selling Big Macs.

But behind the scenes, the best and brightest minds use all of their logic to analyze mountains of data, see patterns, and come up with ways to sell even more Big Macs.

They know us better than we know ourselves! I was so fascinated by what goes into the business of selling Big Macs.

Logic has done wonders for our lives. There is an important place for it.

But logic alone is not everything.

Logic can help us survive, but logic cannot bring fulfillment to our lives.

It comes up with solutions based on the facts and data available to it. It is dependent on those facts and data.

Logic cannot understand mysteries of life that go beyond facts and data.

It cannot anticipate a future different from what already exists. It cannot imagine a future independent of the facts and data that exist now.

Speaking to Our Hearts

When God speaks, he speaks of things that logic cannot understand. What God is about to do does not depend on what exists now. God creates something new out of nothing.

Most of us know that there is more to life than logic. We know that only living logically does not bring happiness.

No matter how logical our choices and decisions have been, we still feel something is missing. We feel that in our hearts.

The funny thing is, instead of listening to the heart to see what's missing, we use logic to try and figure out how to fill the empty space in our heart!

God does not speak to us through our logic. God speaks to the place that can imagine something new and different from what exists now.

That place is the heart. God speaks to the heart.

The heart is what notices that something is missing. Even when logic has covered all the bases, it is the heart that says maybe everything is not right.

Logic tries to snuff out the heart. It says the heart is not rational. It says the heart is silly. It says Trust in me, because I have all the answers.

But my friends, when you hear a little voice from the heart trying to say something, stop.

Stop and listen. God may be trying to speak to you!

It is a mystery how and why God chooses to speak to us.

Many people believe in some sort of higher being, but not many people believe that this higher being chooses to speak to us in a personal way.

Somehow, starting with Abraham, a small group of people experienced God speaking to them in a real and personal way.

The psalmist expresses his wonder this way:

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are humans that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? (Psalm 8:3-4)

This is the God who continues to speak to us today.

Simply Have Openness

There is no criteria for whom God chooses to speak to. You don't need to already be in a relationship with God.

Samuel did not know God when God spoke to him.

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. (1 Samuel 3:7)

Samuel served in the temple since he was a little boy. He learned a lot about God from Eli, but he did not know God.

Many of you have come to church for a long time. You've learned a lot about God, but you may not have met God yet. And that's okay.

Samuel did not yet know God, but when I look at him, I see a heart that is open and receptive. Five times in this passage, his response was Here I am !

Here I am. This is a very special term in the Bible. The term indicates a posture of openness. A posture of trust and surrender.

Samuel had this spirit of openness. At first, he didn't know who was calling him, but each time he responded with the openness of here I am!

He trusted Eli's direction to ask God to speak: Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening! . With that openness he heard God speak, and he listened.

When we hear a voice in our heart calling out to us, how many of us actually take the time to stop and listen!

God chooses when to speak. But when he does, you will hear him only if your heart is attentive and you listen with the spirit of Here I am .

When we pray, we pray with a heart of openness. We listen with our hearts to what God may say to us.

What is Hidden in Our Hearts

How do you know you're hearing the voice of God and not your own? How do you distinguish between God's voice and the many other voices that have infiltrated the heart?

When God speaks, God doesn't merely confirm what you already know. It's not just another good piece of information.

When God speaks, it's not just a nice word that makes you feel good and you go on your way. No, my friends.

When God speaks – when God actually speaks to you in your heart – what God says can be utterly surprising, shocking and disturbing.

When Samuel heard God's words, he was shocked. He was afraid. He was afraid to tell Eli about his fate.

Eli had taken in Samuel as a young boy and taught him everything. He was appreciative of Eli and didn't want bad things to happen to him. God's words were deeply disturbing to Samuel.

When God speaks, it uncovers something hidden in the heart. What God said to Samuel was not something random out of left field.

What God said disclosed something that had been deep in Samuel's heart.

Samuel was born after great difficulty. His mother, Hannah, had been barren for a long time and couldn't conceive.

She prayed and prayed and finally bore Samuel. She was so thankful that she dedicated Samuel to grow up in the temple.

His life was dedicated to God. But what he saw growing up in the temple was the opposite of that.

Eli's sons were the priests of the temple.

They were so corrupt. They became rich by taking from the sacrifices offered to God. They slept with the women who served the temple.

Eli was powerless to stop his sons. They paid no heed to him. He gave in to the corruption of his sons.

Samuel loved Eli, but must have been bothered by the conduct of his sons. There was probably a lot of confusion.

But he was a boy and didn't know what to make of it. So his unease and confusion became hidden in his heart.

When God speaks, God discloses what is hidden in your heart. But he does so with new insight.

Something New For Us

God brings a new revelation to what's in your heart. God uncovers what has always been there, but now you see it clearly and understand it in a new way.

This new revelation can be utterly surprising, unexpected and disturbing.

Your instinct might be to resist what God reveals. The implications of this new insight and revelation are too heavy.

That's why Jonah tried to run away when he heard God's call to go to Nineveh. He went on a boat and went the opposite direction.

It's why I avoided answering God's call to ministry for 20 years.

When God speaks, it can be shocking, surprising and disturbing. But when God speaks, God is opening the door to something new, something profound, something unexpected.

When God spoke to Samuel, he was preparing him to become the leader of Israel through a time of great change. Samuel became the leader who anointed the first kings of Israel.

When God speaks and we listen, we know that we are not alone. We know that God is with us, and that changes everything.

Samuel became a man of authority after this experience of connecting with God.

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. (1 Samuel 3:19)

When God speaks, God is preparing to do something you have never imagined. Something good. Something to bless you and others.

When you feel a tugging or nagging in your heart, don't ignore it. Don't go running immediately to logic.

Pay attention to it. Pray about it. Ask God to speak. This may be a sign that God is about to do something new in your life.

Listen for God's voice. Seek the counsel of others in the faith community.

Samuel was blessed to have Eli who supported him, even when what Samuel heard foretold his doom.

When the angel told Mary the news that she would bear a Son who would become the Saviour of the world, she was deeply disturbed. It was shocking news.

But ultimately, she responded with the same faith as Samuel:

Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word. (Luke 1:38)

Because of her faith, we have the blessing of her Son, Jesus Christ. Because this young girl and the young boy Samuel listened to God, God did amazing things through them.

When God speaks to you, don't be too scared. Trust God and respond with the openness they had: Here I am.

The post When God Speaks appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture PassageActs 1:8

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptSharing Our Experiences

Early Christians had wonderful experiences.

They never had this kind of experience before in their lives. Jesus had a profound impact on them.

First time, they felt they were so full of life. They realized how beautiful life was. They felt so positive about their lives. God became so real to them.

The important thing is – They didn't keep their experiences to themselves. They shared. They shared their experiences with others.

That is what BEING A WITNESS is all about. Sharing what you experienced with others.

When good things happen, you want to share with others, don't you?

They were all witnesses to good things that happened to them. They saw clearly what God was doing in their lives and for the world. They saw that the new world had come and they proclaimed boldly the arrival of this new world.

You have to understand how difficult it was for Christianity to survive.

Christianity was not a big religion. A very small number of people. And they were not necessarily elites; they were ordinary people.

Around them, there were a lot of sophisticated ideas, systems, and religions.

Like Greek philosophy. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Stoics, and so on. A very solid religious establishment like Judaism. A powerful and sophisticated political system like Romans.

Christianity – A very new movement. It didn't have political power, financial power, cultural power or religious power.

How did the Christianity survive?

How did it break through the thick walls of opposition and persecutions? How did it overpower the big ideas that were present and became a dominant idea next several hundred years?

It completely depended on WITNESSES – WITNESSES of those who experienced the power of God through Jesus Christ.

Through their witnesses, Christianity was able to break through all kinds of barriers and walls and persecutions not only to survive but also to sweep through the whole world.

That itself is the greatest miracle to me and that was what happened historically. The history is its proof.

It wasn't what they experienced that changed the world. It was their witnesses that changed the world.

Being A Witness

Early Christians boldly witnessed to what they experienced. That was the power of the Spirit.

St. Paul was one good example.

On the road to Damascus, Paul had a wonderful experience of meeting Christ. His eyes were open.

His worldview changed. His understanding of God changed. His attitude towards the law changed. His understanding of righteousness changed. His whole outlook of life changed.

After that experience, he didn't keep it to himself. He shared what he experienced with people.

The whole story of the Acts of Apostles is about Paul's life of being a witness. We are going to study that in February.

Being a witness was not always easy to Paul. He was persecuted. He was hated. He was imprisoned. People tried to kill him.

But he didn't stop being a witness. That is the power of the Spirit.

He received a wonderful life message and he wanted to let others know. Church was established and Christianity was firmly rooted by his witnesses.

His life was a witness to God's grace he experienced. He said, I am who I am by God's grace. His life was a witness to freedom he enjoyed.

In Christ, he said we are free.

Sometimes I hear this kind of statement. Oh, I should behave myself because they know that I am a Christian.

That is not being a witness. That is putting up a false image.

Be yourself. Be authentic. Be real.

Being a witness is not to show how great you are. Being a witness is not to show how good you are.

Being a witness means to show how God has been so good to you in spite of your shortcomings.

It means to show how confident you can be in God's power even though you don't have your own personal power.

You can share how you can be free from your obsession about your own survival. You can share how you can overcome your own difficult circumstances with grace.

By being with those who are lonely, alienated, and abandoned, you are witnessing to Jesus' teaching.

By rejoicing with those who rejoice and crying with those who cry, you become a witness to God's presence.

Being a witness means to be humble and yet confident, to be gentle and yet firm, to be loving and yet courageous to be able to say what should be said.

This is what St. Paul said.

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:7-10)

That is being a witness.

You have this treasure in clay jars. The extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from you. You witness that to others.

Your Humble Calling

My friends, you are a witness of Jesus Christ.

Christ has done so much for you. God has blessed you in so many ways.

Don't keep your precious experiences to yourself.

Share them with others. Be a witness to what Jesus has done for you.

YOUR CALLING IS NOT TO GO OUT AND CHANGE THE WORLD.

Your calling is simply to be a witness. It is God who will change the world, not you.

But God will use your life to change the world.

Being a witness is not always talking about it. Being a witness is not a verbal exercise. You are a witness of Jesus Christ through your life.

Be authentic. Be honest. Be who you are. Be real. That is the first thing you have to do.

Then be a warm presence in this very cold, calculating, competitive, and cruel world.

St. Paul said you are a fragrance of God. Yes, you are a fragrance of God. Be a good, sweet fragrance.

Your presence matters. Your presence can help so many people. You have to ask yourself what kind of presence you will be.

A Spiritual Presence for Others

The world we live in is very hostile.

The world we live in is not a friendly place. Power controls the world. Not love. Selfishness and greed control the world. Not sacrifice and goodness.

Be a friend in this hostile world.

Practice love in the power hungry world. Care for others in this selfish and greedy world.

That is being a witness.

There are so many people who suffer in the world.

Your presence matters. Be a spiritual presence in the world.

The other day, I visited a person at North York General with the Rev. Chung. She just found out that she had a pancreatic cancer.

I didn't do much. I was just there. She thanked us so much. My presence was spiritual presence for her.

A few weeks ago, a young man died. And many of our church members helped the funeral through organizing and through music.

Your presence was spiritual presence for the family. You were witnesses.

Be with those who are sad. Be with those who feel lost. Be a warm and sweet presence. People need to experience that.

What kind of presence are you? Are you cold and rude? Be kind. If people greet you, greet them. In the elevator, I try to tell them, have a good day.

Be always positive no matter what circumstances you may be in.

Don't be selfish; be generous.

Don't be self-centred; be concerned with others. Don't live out your fear; be courageous.

Don't hang out with the powerful and the popular; reach out to those who are invisible. Be in solidarity with the weak and the vulnerable.

Live your life as a witness. You will experience the power of life.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

The post Be a Witness appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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Scripture Passage2 Corinthians 5:17

Worship VideoWorship AudioSermon ScriptWith a Faith-Driven Attitude

Today is the last day of 2023. In a few hours, we will welcome 2024.

How meaningful it is to come on the last day and worship together, thanking God for everything he did for us this year.

This year was special. Christmas Eve was on Sunday. And the last day of this year is on Sunday. So it was very meaningful.

On this last day, let us think about change.

It is quite appropriate to think about change before we take the new year. People make new resolutions for the new year. That is a commitment to change.

I talked about change last week already by reflecting on Mary.

Jesus brought a new era, a new beginning. And Mary was impregnated with the new beginning in her body.

That wasn't easy for Mary. It was a scary experience. But Mary listened. She didn't close her ears.

She listened to her heart because God speaks to our heart. In her listening, she heard very clearly and loudly that nothing was impossible with God.

Yes, nothing is impossible with God.

Take the new year with that attitude.

That is to prepare yourself mentally and spiritually. Plan it. Make resolutions. Dream dreams.

BUT BELIEVE THAT NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.

Change is always hard. Never easy. Change always makes you uncomfortable.

That's why you have to have this attitude that nothing is impossible with God.

This attitude comes from your faith. So having faith is good. It gives you a positive attitude towards life.

Inevitable Change

Changes happen to you in three ways.

First, change just happens.

It just happens every day, every moment. It is nothing to do with you or nothing to do what you do. You have no choice but to take it.