St Timothy Presbyterian Church in Toronto: Sermons

Acts 8:26-40

The 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.

Acts 4:5-12

The 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.

John 14:1-7, Matthew 7:14-21

We 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.

Acts 4:32-35

Sorry for the inconvenience! Due to technical difficulties, the Worship Video & Audio are unavailable for this week.

A 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.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

The 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.

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!

The post Stone Rolled Away appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Isaiah 50:4-9

Doing 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.

John 12:20-33

A 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 togethera 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.

The post Let Go appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

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John 3:14-21

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The 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.

The post Defined by Love, Not Sin appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

John 2:13-22

What 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.

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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