St Timothy Presbyterian Church in Toronto: Sermons

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The post Paul the Witness – Session 3 appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Mark 8:31-38

Accepting 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.

The post Live Your Life Boldly appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Accepting 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.

Listen to the recording here!

The post Paul the Witness – Session 2 appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Mark 1:9-15

In 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)

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,

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.

The post Belong Not to the World, but to God appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Listen to the recording here!

The post Paul the Witness – Session 1 appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Mark 9:2-11

To 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,

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.

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.

Isaiah 40:21-31

Living 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?

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.

Mark 1:21-28

Restorative 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.

Mark 1:14-20

What 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.