St Timothy Presbyterian Church in Toronto: Sermons

Isaiah 49:1-7

Calling

It is wonderful to live with passion. It is also important to live with passion. Life and passion go together. Being alive means being passionate.

It is sad to see people merely exist but not being alive. It is sad to see so many people live without passion. They may coast along without serious problems but they lack passion in life.

Passion is a strong desire to live. Passionate living is living with clear knowledge of why you live. A mediocre lifestyle will not satisfy those who live with passion.

What gives us passion for life then? What gives you a strong desire and what gives you clear reason to live?

Calling. A sense of calling.

It is not just your desire that makes you passionate. You somehow discover that you are chosen. Chosen to do something or to be somebody. That is the sense of calling. Seeing your life as calling gives you passion.

This sense of calling will not come automatically. It is something that you discover. It is discovering that you are connected. Connected with something or somebody greater than you. You feel that you are not on your own in this gigantic universe. You discover that your life is not just a series of random events.

YOUR LIFE IS CONNECTED WITH A PURPOSE.

It is not necessarily about what you do in life. It is about you, the person. You are not necessarily called to do anything. You are called to be somebody. Of course, often who you are is connected with what you do.

What I am saying is, you don't have to change your career to do something or something like that. Your whole existence is connected with the calling. You are not alone. You are connected with God and the purpose God has for you. That purpose guides you and leads you in a certain direction. That is calling. And when that calling is clear, passion comes alive.

Connected

That was what Isaiah said about this servant's life.

The Lord called me before I was born,

while I was in my mother's womb he named me. (Isaiah 49:1)

Of course, he didn't know whether God called him or not before he was born. How could he know when he was not even born. He was saying that he discovered the deep connection between his life and God's calling. He realized that even before he was born, he was chosen. Almost predestined. That is our understanding of predestination. Predestination does not mean that your life is already decided but your life is deeply connected with God's calling.

Jeremiah said the same thing about his life.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

He discovered that his life was deeply connected with God's calling.

This connectedness gives us passion. Passion is more than doing what you want. Passion is more than living as you like it. You live your life as you are almost destined to live.

Burden

Of course, it is not always easy to accept that my life is called by God. We rather want to live as we like it. We don't like to feel burdened. We don't like to feel pressured.

We are not the only ones who feel that way. Even the servant in today's passage says that. The great prophet Jeremiah said that. Even the greatest prophet Moses said that.

The servant said this.

I have laboured in vain,

I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity (Isaiah 49:4)

Jeremiah said this.

Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy. (Jeremiah 49:6)

Moses kept saying to God. Send somebody else. I can't do it. I don't know how to speak. They are too strong for me to handle. I am too old. What you are asking me is too much for me to take.

Yes, accepting the calling is hard. To see our life in connection with God's calling is hard. We just want to limit our life to what we want to do. Anything beyond that is a burden. We have decided to make our life to be that way. We already put a boundary around us. No wonder it is hard to live with passion. You can live a passionate life when you realize that your life, and what you do is connected with a higher purpose, and deeper meaning.

Spirituality

You cannot live a passionate life no matter how great your hobby is, how luxurious your life is, how glorious your job is. You can live a passionate life when you realize that your life is deeply connected with a deeper purpose. That is how we human beings are created. That's why we can be spiritual.

We cannot be satisfied just because we are well fed and well protected. We are created to be too spiritual to be satisfied with that kind of things.

We pursue what is noble. We pursue what is worthwhile. We pursue what is meaningful.

Usually, what is noble, what is worthwhile, and what is meaningful is to do with serving others. In other words, our calling has very much to do with serving others.

That was what today's passage says about this servant.

I will give you as a light to the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)

His calling was not about him. His calling was about the salvation of others. Calling is not often about yourself. Calling is about helping others.

Then we realize that real passion is possible only when we desire to serve others. When we live our lives, serving only our needs, what good is it? It is living your life at the very elemental level. There is no admirable quality in it. For me, living a passionate life, serving others is much more fun and meaningful than living a life, serving only my needs.

Wonderful Power

When Jeremiah said, I am only a boy, God said this to Jeremiah.

Do not say, I am only a boy ;

for you shall go to all to whom I send you,

and you shall speak whatever I command you.

Do not be afraid of them,

for I am with you to deliver you,

says the Lord.'(Jeremiah 1:8)

He took away fear from him.

Yes, when you realize that your life is calling, God will remove fear from you. That is a wonderful thing that can happen to anybody. We all live with fear. But God will take away that fear.

That was what Jesus said to the disciples.

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)

This was what God said to Isaiah.

do not fear, for I am with you,

do not be afraid, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

Yes, he removes fear from us.

And he said this.

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me,

Now I have put my words in your mouth.

See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,

to pluck up and to pull down,

to destroy and to overthrow,

to build and to plant.'(Jeremiah 1:9-10)

He gave him the word to speak. God didn't expect Jeremiah to do things with his own power. God provided the power to him.

God did the same thing to Moses. God provided a staff to Moses. And through the staff, God showed his wonderful power.

After he calls you, God will do two things. God will remove fear from you. Then, God will give you the strength. You are not alone. God will be always with you by giving you the courage and the power. So that you can live out your calling.

That’s when we can live our life with passion.

The post Life with Passion appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Isaiah 42:1-9

Big Storms

Last week, Rev. Kim introduced the image of storms. Over the last few years, we experienced many storms.  We are slowly emerging from them, and we see many ruins. 2023 is the year to start rebuilding from the ruins.

There were big storms that we all faced. We faced circumstances we had never experienced before. Some of you also endured difficult individual storms. Death of loved ones. Failing health. Strained relationships. Some of these storms made life very challenging and difficult. Some of them made us feel very weak and vulnerable.

When just one storm hits us, we can endure it and wait it out. But when many storms come one after the other, it can take a toll on us. When we get battered by continuous storms, we lose heart. We lose vitality. We lose vigour. Instead of being positive, we can become more gloomy.

Isaiah’s Storm

When a very big storm totally destroys everything, where do we find the will to carry on? How do we find the desire and courage to pick up and rebuild? This was the issue that Isaiah faced. After Babylon came in and destroyed Israel, they lost everything. They lost their homes. They lost their land. They lost the institutions that gave them a sense of order and meaning. They were taken by force to a strange and foreign land. They were crushed. They were lost. They felt forgotten and abandoned by God. Many people lost heart and just wanted to survive without thinking. They didn't know what to rebuild, or how to go about rebuilding.

Somehow, in this bleak setting, Isaiah heard God's voice. He heard words of soothing and comfort:

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for her sins. (Isaiah 40:1-2)

He heard assurance that they were not forgotten by God:

But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off . (Isaiah 41:8-9)

He heard words of affirmation that God still loved them:

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. (Isaiah 43:1)

He heard assurance that they would not be left alone:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2)

Isaiah's heart was revived by God's words of comfort and reassurance. In Israel's darkest hour, his hope was rekindled. That's why he was a prophet. He was able to offer words of comfort and hope to a crushed people.

Mispat

With this new hope, he saw a vision. God would send someone. A servant, chosen by God, given power with his spirit. That servant was given a mission:

He will bring forth justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)

The original Hebrew word for justice is mispat. Mispat is not a mere legal remedy. It is not about merely making wrongs right. It is making all things right. More than a definition, the word evokes more of an image. An image of restoring God's order of compassionate well-being. Bringing about God's true way and intended order. Of healing. Wholeness.

Mispat. This was the servant's mission. It was not just a nice idea. It was a promise that God made.

He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice (mispat) on the earth. (Isaiah 42:4)

God's servant will not be stopped. He will be faithfully persistent. But God's mispat will not be achieved by force. It will not be coerced. It is not violent.

A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. (Isaiah 42:3)

Sometimes when we are desperate, it doesn't matter who we hurt in order to get what we need. Sometimes, when we are so hurt, we don't notice the hurt we inflict on others. Sometimes the desire to undo wrongs and injustice leads us to commit the same wrongs on others who are even weaker than us. Our desiring often tramples over those who are weakest and most vulnerable. But this Servant will cause no further harm to those who are hurting. Instead, he will bring God's mispat and peace to all.

The vision of the Servant gave hope to Isaiah and his people. It gave them hope in a new kind of world, where even weak and defeated people like them could live and flourish. It gave them a vision of the kind of world they could rebuild from their ruins. This vision revived their hearts.

Many years later, a small group of Jews came to identify their leader with this servant – that leader was Jesus Christ. They were heavily influenced by Isaiah's words and imagery, and they interpreted the life of Jesus through them. Jesus himself saw his life through the words and images of Isaiah.

After John the Baptist was imprisoned, his disciples came to ask Jesus if he was the Messiah:

Are you the one to come, or are we to wait for another? Jesus answered them, Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. (Matthew 11:3)

These were all words and images from Isaiah. Jesus did what Isaiah said the chosen servant would do. Jesus was this chosen servant of God who came to bring mispat.

Through the Cross

Isaiah says:

He will not cry out or lift up his voice or make it heard in the street. (Isaiah 42:2)

There is a time for us to cry out and make our voices heard in the streets. When George Floyd was killed, it was a time for people to cry out and lift up their voices for justice. There is a time to march in the streets to protest against injustice. To stand in solidarity with those who are hurting. Jesus spoke harshly against those who inflicted hardship on others. He turned over the tables at the Temple. He was scathing in his criticism of religious leaders. But there is also a time to be tender and walk softly. He welcomed little children. He was compassionate to the outcasts. He dined with sinners. He was most gentle toward the fragile and vulnerable.

He did not cry out or fight back when he began to be persecuted. He did not use his power to defend himself. He did not rally people to his side. Instead, he accepted the humiliation of the cross. He accepted suffering on the cross. It was the ultimate form of non-violence. It sounds weak. It sounds passive. But somehow through that cross, we are healed. Through the cross, we are mended. Through the cross, we are made whole.

Time to Restore

Jesus may not have lifted up his voice, but he did not grow faint. He was killed, but not crushed. He rose again. His Spirit continues to bring mispat to people, to us.

The storms we faced damaged many things: our sense of normalcy, our routines, our sense of stability and security. But most importantly, they damaged our hearts. All the strange behaviours we've seen, all the anger and frustration we've witnessed, all the loneliness and isolation we feel, flow from damaged hearts.

It is time to rebuild and heal our damaged hearts. It is time for God's mispat to bring wholeness to our hearts. The world is crying out for it. There has been enough shouting but not enough listening. Enough tearing down but not enough building up. Enough anger and resentment but not enough forgiveness. Enough desire for vengeance but not enough for reconciliation. The fabric of our families, friendships and communities have been frayed and torn. It is time to restore and rebuild. It is time for tenderness and gentleness. It is time to strengthen the faint and discouraged hearts.

Jesus came to restore us. He came to give us peace.

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

If your heart is troubled or afraid, I pray that you may receive the peace of Jesus. The work of Jesus will not be done until his peace is established over all the earth. This year we are going back to the basics: Knowing Christ. As we get to know Christ more, I pray that your hearts may be restored in him.

In 2023, let us not be afraid. Let us not lose courage. May our hearts be strengthened. And may we walk in the strength of the Lord.

The post Strengthen the Faint Heart appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Colossians 2:2-3

Aftermath

Happy New Year!

It is wonderful to have the first day of the new year, worshipping God. What better way is there than starting the first day, praising God and thanking God?

God has been good to us in 2022. We thank God for that. We have come here with a thankful heart. As God has been good to us in 2022, he will also be good to us in 2023. For those who love God, all things work out for good.

As I look back last few years, I realize that we went through a lot. I feel like a big storm passed by. There were times when I felt very unsure about the future, not only the future of our world, but also the future of the church in general. 1.1 million Americans lost their lives because of Covid. Closing down the church? I could never imagine that and I have never experienced that. But we were very close to that. Do you remember? There was a time when only five people were allowed in the sanctuary. We were lucky to have something called zoom. But after a while, I felt that zoom service would not really give us the worship experience. I was concerned.

I cannot say it is over but now the storm is slowly passing by. But I see its aftermath. It left us in ruins. It caused a lot of damages. Not just to our physical body but to our mind and our spirit.

People are deeply affected. I see a lot of strange behaviours. For example, there have been many incidents at the subway. A woman was deliberately targeted and set on fire. An 85 year old woman was punched in the face and knocked out. A woman was pushed into the coming train. People who were waiting for the bus at the platform, were stabbed and one person died. We have never seen this.

Our relationships also have changed. It is not the same anymore. Many relationships have fallen apart. It damaged the sense of community.

2023 is the year we have to repair the ruins that the storm has brought. We need to repair our mind. We need to repair our body. We need to repair our relationships. We need to repair our community. We need to repair our faith.

The First Button

To repair anything, we need to go back to the basic. Going back to the very basic is the wisest thing to do. When your life becomes complicated, difficult to handle, when things don't work out as well as you wish, when everything you do turns out to be not so good, go back to the basic. Start from the basic.

There is a Korean saying. Button up the first button in a right place. Go back to the first button. Go back to the basic. When the basic is set right, everything else will find its place.

Our basic is Christ. Our basic is our relationship with Christ. We have to ask ourselves. What is my relationship with Christ like? Where is God in my life?

How well do you know Christ? How important is Christ in your life?

Who is Christ to you?

To St. Paul, Christ was everything. He said to live is Christ.

For to me, living is Christ, (Philippians 1:21)

To him, the most important thing is to know Christ and to have Christ.

Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, (Philippians 3:7-9)

Because of Christ, everything changed for him. His thinking changed. His perspectives changed. His relationship with God changed. His whole life changed.

In Christ, he found the treasures of life. Wasn't that what Jesus said about the kingdom of God?

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44)

He found the treasure hidden in Christ. He found the kingdom of God.

That was what he said in today's Scripture.

in whom (Christ) are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:3)

He believed that in Christ, true wisdom of life is hidden. I believe that too. The deeper we know Christ, the more profound wisdom will be revealed to us. The deeper joy we will be able to experience.

God’s Mystery

This year's theme is Knowing Christ. It is going back to the basic. We are going to reflect on Christ. As we go through this journey, Christ will reveal the treasures of wisdom hidden in him. That wisdom is what we need to live a good life.

2023 will be an exciting year.

You will discover God's mystery as we reflect on Christ together.

St. Paul said Christ was God's mystery.

so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself. (Colossians 2:2)

Yes, Christ is God's mystery. In Christ, the secret of life is hidden. In Christ, the secret of happiness is hidden. In Christ, the secret of God is hidden.

Danish philosopher and theologian, Soren Kierkegaard said,

Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.

How true that is!

And someone also said,

Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived.

Yes, life is mystery to be lived. We have to experience the mystery of life. This year's journey will be a journey of unveiling the mystery hidden in Christ.

That's why it is exciting to face the new year. God's mystery will be revealed to you.

We cannot explain everything about life. We don't need to. We don't need to figure out our life to live a good life. Take the mystery of life as it is and live it. You have problems? God will show you the way out. Don't worry about your problems. Experience the mystery of how your problems are taken care of. Why don't you pray? Prayer is a key to open the mystery of life. Revive the prayer life. It is wonderful to pray.

Knowing Christ

St. Paul said.

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Experience the wonders of life and see how your life unravels itself. Your dreams and visions will come true because of Christ. Christ will empower you so that you can arise from the troubles you face.

With Christ, your life will change. With Christ, you will change. With Christ, slowly you will become free from those that bind you. No more fear. No more bondage. You will be free in Christ.

Knowing Christ is not cerebral exercise. Knowing Christ is to experience his power. Knowing Christ is to become like him. When you know Christ, your life will be different. Full of joy, full of dreams, full of surprises, and full of life. That's what life is. You will have life back with Christ.

The post Knowing Christ appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Matthew 1:18-25

Comfort

An English Actress Imelda Staunton said,

You can only do your best. That's all you can do. And if it isn't good enough, it isn't good enough.

It sounds comforting. It sounds like a wise advice. What else can you do? You can do your best and just have to live with what is not good enough.

But it is hard to accept that. Today is the World Cup final. All the teams did their best. But when their best was not enough, they felt so sad and disappointed. Many of them cried like children. When our best is not good enough, it is hard to swallow.

But sometimes I wonder, Did I really do my best? Doing our best is a very subjective statement. Often, it is a convenient way of explaining away of not going further when we could. It is a comfortable excuse to close the door for new possibilities. It is rational justification for accepting the status quo and doing nothing about it.

I hope that we don't use doing our best as a coverup for our laziness and our fear.

Doing His Best

Today, we see a very good man. His name was Joseph. We have different gospels telling different stories of Jesus' birth. Luke was very much focused on Mary and what she went through. We see her dilemma, her struggle, and her experience. Matthew sheds light on Joseph and what he went through.

He had a woman whom he was engaged to. I am sure he was excited to have a new life with her. He was looking forward to marrying her.

But one day, he found out that she was pregnant. He knew that it wasn't his baby because they didn't have that kind of relationship yet. He didn't sleep with her yet.

His heart was crushed. He was disappointed and probably very angry. He felt betrayed. He could have exposed her to public shame. That could create a very bad situation for Mary. Not only would she receive public shame, she could have been stoned to death.

But Joseph was a good man. He didn't want to harm Mary in any way. He swallowed his disappointment and anger. His best was to dismiss her quietly.

Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. (Matthew 1:19)

That was doing his best, he thought. BUT HIS BEST WAS NOT GOD'S BEST. To show that his best was not God's best, God sent an angel to him.

This was what the angel told him in his dream.

Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.(Matthew 1:20, 21)

What was happening was nobody's mistake. It wasn't Mary's fault either. It was all in God's plan.

All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet. (Matthew 1:22)

We have been reflecting on Isaiah's dream. It was another one of Isaiah's dreams.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

That was what Matthew quoted in today's passage with the explanation of Immanuel.

Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means, God is with us.' (Matthew 1:23)

Surprisingly, Joseph accepted that his best was not enough. But not only that. He accepted that his best was not God's best. This was Joseph's faith.

When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:24, 25)

Joseph did not use doing his best as an excuse to take an easy way out. Joseph accepted what God wanted to do. Joseph accepted God's deeper plan for him and for his child and for the world. That was his faith.

Wait for God

That is what is beautiful about life. Our best is not everything. Our best is not the end. When our best is over, then God's best takes over. We should leave a room for God's best. Don't close the door at your best. Be ready to accept what God will do when you can't do anything about it.

Life is not all about what we do. Our life is very much about what God does. That's why in an impossible situations, we still hope. That's why in our suffering, we still rejoice.

Doing your best is important. Yes, once you do your best and your best is not enough, you have to accept the result. Don't blame yourself. Don't live with guilt. But don't close the door. That is when you wait for God's direction.

Don't give up. Wait for God. God will show you the way.

Bigger Things

Reading and understanding God's way is more important than doing your best. Thing is: If you do your best, God will show you his way. If you don't do your best, God waits until you do your best. But if you do your best, then God will show you God's best. God will show you wonderful things in your life. You will see that life is full of miracles.

Joseph experienced the miracle of having a baby who would save people from their sins. If he remained at doing his best and closed the door, he would not have experienced this wonderful miracle.

My friends, life is wonderful. Life is more than doing your best. Life is more than being good.

Jesus' birth is the greatest miracle. God becoming a human being is the greatest miracle. It was not something we human beings could create by doing our best. It was possible only by God's doing.

During this Christmas season, pray and wait. Are there things that you just cannot resolve or achieve? Do you feel that doing your best is not enough? Are you sad? Are you discouraged? Are you even angry?

Pray and wait and see what God is doing in your life. You may be able to see much bigger things in life.

The post Our Best is Not God’s Best appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:8-14

A Special Christmas

It is wonderful to celebrate Christmas together. It is special to have Christmas on Sunday. Every 7 years or so, Christmas falls on Sunday.

Christmas is a special day for many people. Christmas brightens up December. It brings joy to all of us. May God's peace and joy fill you all. Your presence here brightens up this Christmas.

Christmas is not a celebration of the few privileged. Christmas is a celebration of everybody regardless of who you are. Jesus Christ was born for all of us, especially for those who cannot help themselves.

The First to Hear

God revealed the message of Christmas to the shepherds. When we think about shepherds, we have this romantic image. But in reality, the shepherds were not necessarily romantic people who lived a romantic life.

They lived a nomadic life, but not necessarily a romantic life. They were not considered as highly respected people in Jesus' time. They often attacked the lonely travelers. Many of them were robbers. They were disqualified from being legal witnesses.

But they were the first ones who heard the message of Christmas.

The message of Christmas was this:

I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10, 11)

God used those who are disqualified from being legal witnesses to be the witnesses of the birth of Jesus Christ. It was totally unexpected. The shepherds did not expect any of this. They thought it would be another boring night. But all of a sudden, the dark field was brightened up by the light of the glory of God. They heard the beautiful praise.

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours! (Luke 2:14)

The glory filled the field. The glory filled the heart of those shepherds. They experienced the glory of God. Their life was not the same any more.

People who experience the glory of God – Their life changes forever.

The shepherds didn't do anything. It was all God's doing.

His Power in Our Lives

Last week, we reflected on Joseph and we realized that our best is not God's best. Life is not all about what we do. Life is very much about what God does. We see that very clearly in today's passage.

Shepherds were just there, doing what they had been doing all their lives. Nothing special they did on that day. And God brought glory to them. It was God who brought glory to them. That was how God brought his glory to the world. Our life has to be filled with God's glory.

What is God's glory? God's glory is GOD'S POWER MANIFESTING ITSELF IN OUR LIVES.

So, God's glory brings us victory. That's what God's glory is. This power becomes light and the light brings victory over darkness. This power becomes justice and God's justice brings victory over injustice. This power becomes joy and the joy brings victory over sadness.

The light will shine on you and defeat the darkness. Isaiah saw that.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has

John saw that in Jesus.

In him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of all people. (John 1:4)

Be Filled with God’s Glory

On this Christmas Day, the glory of God may fill all of you and your family. The power of God may manifest itself to you and to your family. May the light of God chase away all darkness, all sadness, and all conflicts. May God's peace and joy fill all your homes.

That's what Christmas is. I said this year, Christmas falls on Sunday. Usually, on Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now today, we celebrate both the birth and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Jesus' birth brought glory to us and this power of God's glory defeated the power of death. God's glory will never depart you. God's glory will always go along with you. With God's glory, everything will be all right. There is nothing for you to worry about. God's glory will raise you from the death. Now God's glory wraps you around and you are surrounded by God's glory.

John saw Christmas in this way.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory (John 1:14)

Life is full of glory. That's why life is full of surprises. Be witnesses to God's glory as shepherds were witnesses.

They were the ones who told Mary and Joseph about what they saw. Mary kept that in her heart.

But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)

Without God's glory, life is too harsh, too dark, too bland, and too sad. Now with God's glory, our life is filled with joy, peace, hope, and love. Jesus made that possible.

May the Christmas glory bless all of you.

Glory, glory, Hallelujah!

Merry Christmas!

The post Christmas Glory appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

James 5:7-10

Moving Forward

No matter how good life is at the moment, it is never complete. As long as we live, there is still more to live for. As long as I have breath, my work is not yet done.

This is how St. Paul lived. He did not remain comfortable or complacent in the present. He continually strained toward what lay ahead.

Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have laid hold of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 3:12-13)

The expectation of what lay ahead fueled St. Paul. The expectation of something better, something more complete than the present. If we don't have expectations, something we're striving for, we're not really living. We just exist mindlessly day after day. Life has to move forward. If we stay still, we're dead.

Even though we are wired to want more or expect more, we experience many disappointments. I am never the person I want to be. I keep making mistakes. No matter what I do, things are never quite right. No matter how hard I try, things just don't change.

After a while, we are tempted to give up and lower our expectations. I see so many people living with lowered expectations. They just accept whatever life gives them.

Losing Expectations

This is the issue that James is addressing in today's passage. When his community first met Christ, they received the good news with joy. The good news for them was that Christ would come again. Christ coming again meant that God would come and make all things right. No one knew exactly what this would look like. But somehow, God would come and restore the world as it should be. There would be no more suffering. No more injustice. No more hard struggle that others take advantage of.

The idea of Christ coming again raised expectations that life would get better soon. It gave energy and strength to endure difficulties. But over the years, nothing really changed. Their lives remained just as difficult as when they first received Christ. They became disappointed and disillusioned. They began to lose their expectation that God would come and make things right.

James is telling them to not lose heart.

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. (James 5:7, 8)

Strengthen your hearts. Do not lose heart. Do not lose faith.

Struggle

The foundation of hope is faith.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is belief in the thing you hope for. Without faith, there is no hope. Without faith, hope is merely wishful thinking. For hope to have any power, you need to believe it will happen. In that sense, faith and hope are deeply connected. Hope is what you expect or desire. Faith is the belief that it can happen.

We need dreams and hopes to fuel our lives. But we need faith to keep those hopes and dreams alive. No dreams, no life. No faith, no dreams. St. Paul lived his whole life believing that God would fulfill his promises. Toward the end of his life, this is what he said:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Keeping the faith was like a fight and arduous race. Faith is not faith because it's easy. Faith is faith because it's a struggle. Faith cannot exist without struggle. One can struggle without faith, but one cannot have faith without struggle.

God promised Abraham that he would have a son, but for many years nothing happened. He struggled to keep believing in that promise. He wavered in his belief at times. It was tested many times before the promise finally came true. But by the end of his life, his faith was secure. We call him Father Abraham because he is the father of faith.

Jesus said:

If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20)

Faith has the power to move mountains. Faith keeps our hopes alive. Faith overcomes disappointment. Faith keeps on believing even when there is no reason to. Faith is the most precious and powerful gift because it keeps us going when nothing else does. We should ask for this faith more than anything else. We need belief that our hopes will come true.

Our Eschatology

The most basic, foundational Christian hope is that ultimately, God will make all things right. That is our eschatology – theology of end things and final destiny. If you truly believe this, then this hope gives you power for life. You don't need to worry – because God will make all things right. You don't need to fear – because God will make all things right. Your own hopes and expectations may not come to pass, but that's alright, because God will make all things right. You can be free to dream and strive toward your expectations – because whatever happens, God will make all things right.

We give up our expectations because we lose belief that they will be fulfilled. We are cynical and jaded because we don't believe. Anger at our circumstances is really a reaction against our loss of belief that things will get better.

What do you really want in your life? What does God want for you?  We avoid such questions and we've stopped dreaming because deep down we've lost belief. Our dreams are not dead. They are merely dormant, buried underneath because of our lack of faith. They are waiting to be unlocked by faith. My friends, I believe that the struggle for faith is the spiritual battle of our lives. The currents that kill belief are so strong. We get swept along by these currents of unbelief, pessimism, cynicism. But, my friends, I don't want to merely be a victim of these currents. I want to fight and keep hope with the power of faith.

One That Keeps The Faith

Long time ago when I visited BC, we watched sockeye salmon trying to get back to their birthplace to lay eggs. Out on the west coast, they are born in rivers and lakes high up in the mountains. After they're born, they make their way down to the sea. They live there for a few years. If they're not eaten by other predators or caught by humans for sushi, they begin an arduous journey back to where they were born. They have to enter the river against the current. They have to jump over rocks and make it all the way up to the high lakes where they were born. It is the fight of their lives. You see fish soaring in the air to make it to the next level. They crash their bodies against the rocks and the rushing water. Their bodies get torn up and even their eyes get ripped out. But they don't give up.

Watching this in person was so inspiring and filled me with awe. Everyone there was vocally rooting for them and cheering when they made it to the next level. People were even crying. There was something so beautiful about their struggle and their all consuming effort. Many of them don't make it and get swept back downriver by the tide. But those who do make it enter the calmer rivers and lakes. They lay their eggs there and then die. All of that arduous struggle and effort end with the birth of new life. It's beautiful.

You know what a beautiful life is? One that keeps the faith. One that refuses to stop believing. It's not about how great our dreams and expectations are. Everyone's hopes and expectations are unique. What is most beautiful is not the size of your dreams, but the amount of fight you have to keep believing in them. Faith that believes against all the odds.

Mary was just a teenage girl. She had no power, status or position. God revealed the most unimaginable vision to her – that she would give birth to the Saviour of the world. Almost anyone would have thought that such a vision is ridiculous. But not Mary. She had deep faith. She believed. Her response was so profound yet simple:

Let it be with me according to your word. (Luke 1:38)

Our response to the dreams that God plants in us should be with such faith. The greatest temptation is to give up belief that our expectations and hopes can come true. It is so easy to give into this temptation because our experience in this world makes it so hard to believe. But let us not give in. James says this:

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

Fight The Good Fight

Keep the faith, and you will receive the crown of life. You will truly live. Yes, I often get discouraged in life. When my problems don't go away no matter how hard I try, I get down. When things stay the same no matter what I do, I get discouraged. My faith starts to waver. I start to lose hope. But I don't want to live life without hope! I want to fight to keep on believing! Until my dying days, until my final breath – I want to fight the good fight, I want to run that race, and I want to keep the faith.

Advent is the season of expectation. We wait in expectation for the coming of Christ, for God to make all things right. Right now, things are not alright. But still, in the darkest time of the year when the days are shortest and nights are long, we rekindle our belief that God will make all things right.

What is the deepest desire and longing of your heart? Place ...

Isaiah 11:1-10

A Beautiful Dream

We reflected on the beautiful dream of Isaiah last week.

They shall beat their swords into ploughshares,

and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)

It is a beautiful dream. Prophets are prophets not because they have the ability to foresee what will happen in the future, not because they are able to speak a strong moral message, but because they are able to dream when nobody can dare to dream. They are able to see the vision nobody can imagine. They have prophetic dreams and prophetic visions.

Today, we hear another beautiful dream of Isaiah.

The wolf shall live with the lamb,

the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the lion and the fatling together,

and a little child shall lead them.

The cow and the bear shall graze,

their young shall lie down together;

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,

and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. (Isaiah 11:6-8)

Another beautiful dream and vision of living in peace and harmony. His world was filled with hostility, greed, and selfishness, and yet he was able to dream the world of peace and harmony.

He also said that this dream would be fulfilled by this mysterious person. We don't know exactly whom he was referring to.

A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse (father of David),

and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,

the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the spirit of counsel and might,

the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-3)

This person will bring the world of peace.

How precious this message is. How relevant this message is for us after almost 3,000 years later.

It is a dream of living together without hurting each other. We dream of a life where we can live together joyfully without hurting each other.

The wolf will not hurt the lamb. The leopard will not hurt the kid. The lion will not hurt the calf. The bear will not hurt the cow.

They will all get along together. They will enjoy each other. The child shall play over the hole of the snake and will not get hurt. They feel safe. I dream of this world.

The Dividing Wall

Living in peace and harmony is such a blessing. You don't see many people do that. It is rare to see people living like that. I see so much hurt, and so much pain. We hurt each other, not intentionally always. But through insensitivity, through indifference, through carelessness, we hurt each other.

Instead of getting along with each other, I see dividedness. Parents and children are divided. Family is divided. Friends are divided. Nations are divided.

I think the culprit is the HOSTILITY. There is hostility within us. When we have this hostility, peace is not possible. When we have the hostility, we will hurt each other. As a result, we become divided.

Jesus came to put an end to this hostility. The hostility brought so much pain to this world. They destroy themselves and each other. Jesus came to break down the wall that divides us so that we can experience and enjoy the peace.

For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. (Ephesians 2:14)

The dividing wall, St. Paul said, is the HOSTILITY. We put a wall against each other and against God. We don't trust each other. We are ready to pick a fight. We become enemies. Why? Why so angry? Why so much hatred? Why fight with each other? Jesus came to help us to be awake and to see what we are doing.

St. Paul said,

For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, (Romans 5:10)

He died as a result of our hostility and animosity. But he was not just a victim of our hostility. As he died on the cross, our hostility also died with him. Jesus' death had the power to destroy our hostility. That is the power of love. Jesus embraced our hostility. Jesus suffered our hostility not as a powerless victim but as a loving friend.

Love Overcomes

John described his love in this way.

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. (John 15:13)

Jesus also said.

You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43, 44)

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? (Matthew 5:46, 47)

He redefined what love is. Love is not feeling good. Love melts down the hostility. The power of love is stronger than the power of hostility.

Jimi Hendrix said a very interesting statement.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.

He said it right. Jesus lost all his power on the cross. But the power of his love was at its peak on the cross. The only way to take out our hostility is TO LOVE AND TO BE LOVED. Do not hold the hostility within you. Do not hold grudge against each other. It will torment you and eat you up.

Cleanse the Poison

Hostility comes from fear, the fear of losing yourself. It is a way of defending yourself. But when the hostility takes hold of you, instead of defending you, it will slowly eat you up. You will react to every situation with anger. You will find no peace. You will find no peace in yourself. You will find no peace in the relationship.

My friends, You are not on your own. You don't have to defend yourself all by yourself. You have God who loves you and will defend you. You have family, you have friends who love you.

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offences. (Proverbs 10:12)

Don't let the hostility poison your soul. Don't be an angry person. It will fill you with the negative energy. It is very tiring to live with this negative energy. Don't let hostility control you.

Accept the love of Jesus Christ who shed blood for you on the cross. That blood will cleanse the poison of hostility. When we truly accept the love of Jesus Christ who died on the cross, then our hostility will be melted away. The only thing that melts down the hostility within us is LOVE.

The post Love Melts Away Hostility appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Isaiah 2:1-5

Expressing Visions

People always live with dreams and visions. No matter how difficult life may be, they always come up with dreams and visions. We are built that way. We are built to be dreamers. Without dreams and visions, we cannot survive. No Dream, No Life

Look around us. People express their dreams and visions through their art, through their songs, and through their speeches.

John Lennon sang he was a dreamer in his song, Imagine.

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you’ll join us

And the world will be as one.

The other day, I watched Michael Jackson's video, Heal the world.

Heal the world

Make it a better place

For you and for me, and the entire human race

Create a world with no fear

Together we cry happy tears

See the nations turn their swords into plowshares

Michael Jackson quoted from the prophet Isaiah.

They all dreamt about the world where there is no more fight, no more war, no more violence, and no more hatred.

That was Isaiah's dream. He expressed his dream through his prophecy.

He said,

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,

and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)

You will see the sculpture in front of the UN building in New York. (Russian Sculptor) It is ironic that it was a gift from the USSR in 1959.

What Prophets Do

Isaiah did not have this dream when his world was peaceful. His world was devastating. His people deserted God. Foreign invasion was imminent. He foresaw the terrible fate of his people. He saw the imminent threat of war. Many people would be killed.

Indeed what he foresaw happened. There were invasions and people were killed, temple destroyed, and people were taken captivity. They witnessed the horrible reality of war.

Isaiah saw all that. Isaiah also saw corruption in his people. Isaiah saw selfishness of people. They didn't honour God; they just lived as they wanted. God did not like how they lived. God did not want their offerings. God would not answer their prayers, Isaiah said. He talked about all this in the chapter 1 of his book.

The ox knows its owner,

and the donkey its master's crib;

but Israel does not know,

my people do not understand. (Isaiah 1:3)

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?

says the Lord;

I have had enough of burnt-offerings of rams

and the fat of fed beasts;

I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

or of lambs, or of goats.(Isaiah 1:11)

When you stretch out your hands,

I will hide my eyes from you;

even though you make many prayers,

I will not listen (Isaiah 1:15)

He gave them a moral message.

learn to do good;

seek justice,

rescue the oppressed,

defend the orphan,

plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:17)

He saw the devastation. He saw the destruction. He saw the corruption of his people.

BUT MY FRIENDS, ISAIAH WAS A PROPHET NOT BECAUSE HE SAW THE MORAL CORRUPTION, OR FORESAW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THEM, OR GAVE THEM A STRONG MORAL MESSAGE.

Isaiah was a prophet because he was able to dream dreams for the new world even in that desperate situation. He had a vision of what God would do. That's what prophets do. They dream.

We Must Dream

He had this dream and vision so vividly, he said like this.

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:1)

He didn't say I heard the word. He said I saw the word. His dreams and vision were so powerful that he used the visual language rather than the auditory language.

Even though he saw the corruption and terrible sins of people, Isaiah had this dream.

though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be like snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

Even though he foresaw that the war was coming, he said this.

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,

and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)

It is important to live with dreams and visions. It is not just important. It is must. If we cannot dream dreams, we die. No dream, no life.

There is a Mexican artist. His name is Pedro Reyes. He did two projects: the first one – Palas for Pistolas. (Shovels for Guns) He made a series of TV ads and radio announcements to exchange firearms for vouchers and electric appliances. He received 1527 guns and he melted and remoulded into 1,527 gardening tools. The second project was Disarm. He received 6,700 confiscated guns and turned into musical instruments. And these instruments were used in a performance in 2012 at the Mexico City.

You may say it did not make a huge change, but through this, the artist expressed his dream. He didn't give up dreaming for the world where there is no gun violence. It had a symbolic message. Turning guns that bring death into gardening tools that bring life. Turning guns that bring death into songs that give people joy.

A Gathering of Dreams

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. We are celebrating the coming of Jesus. When Jesus comes again, he will bring a new world to us. We live with that dream. That is our vision.

John saw that vision.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. (Revelation 21:1)

See, the home of God is among mortals.

He will dwell with them;

they will be his peoples,

and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more;

mourning and crying and pain will be no more,

for the first things have passed away. (John 21:3, 4)

Let us dream dreams.

That was what the prophet Joel prophesied. A few weeks ago, we meditated on his name, right? The Lord is my God.

He said, when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we will dream.

I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

your old men shall dream dreams,

and your young men shall see visions. (Joel 2:28)

That was the beginning of the church. On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit came down upon them and Peter quoted this passage.

The church is built on dreams and visions. The church is a gathering of people who have dreams and visions.

Do not lose your dreams. Your dream is your prayer.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

That was what St. Paul said.

Just the other day, at the World Cup opening ceremony, of BTS sang a song about the dreamer.

Look who we are, we are the dreamers

We make it happen, 'cause we believe it

Look who we are, we are the dreamers

We make it happen 'cause we can see it

Early Christians recited to each other: Maranatha. It means Come O Lord. That kept them strong.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here,

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

The post No Dream, No Life appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Psalm 46

Sitting Still

Be still and know that I am God.

How comforting this is! However, it is hard to be still. There is a war going on in Europe right now. It affects every body. It affects our life. But there is also a war within us. The world is in turmoil. And we are in turmoil. The storms are out there and the storms are within us. Even if we are SITTING STILL, we are not still. We are struggling with internal turmoil, uneasiness, worries and anxiety.

I realized people don't want to sit still. When they sit still, all the negative thoughts come up from within and we don't like it. We don't want to face the turmoil within us. So we distract ourselves, doing all kinds of things. We make ourselves busy.

It's not that you don't have time to be still. You don't want to do that because it is not a pleasant experience. And now you DON'T EVEN KNOW how to be still. We are scared of facing our own insecurities, our own darkness, and our own inadequateness. It is better to feel good than facing these unpleasant realities.

What Kind of Faith

So, being still is hard to do, I realized. To be still, you need faith. What kind of faith? The faith the psalmist expressed in the beginning.

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,

though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Psalm 46:1-3)

We heard this passage a lot right after 911 in 2001 The whole world was shocked. US experienced tremendous turmoil and chaos. We saw the power of evil and darkness invading our personal life.

Martin Luther, the reformer, also saw the power of evil and darkness oppressing people. So he wrote a hymn inspired by this Psalm around 1527 and 1529.

A Mighty Fortress.

A mighty fortress is our God,

a bulwark (a Defensive Wall) never failing;

our helper he, amid the flood

of mortal ills prevailing.

And though this world, with devils filled,

should threaten to undo us,

we will not fear, for God has willed

his truth to triumph through us.

In the midst of turmoil, overwhelming power of evil, THEY BELIEVED THE POWER OF GOD. They saw the very present help in trouble.

We see wars around us but we believe in the power of God.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;

he burns the shields with fire. (Psalm 46:9)

To be still, we need to have this faith. We need to trust God even though mountains shake and waters roar. God is our help in our trouble.

Rest

The world does not teach you how to be still. The world teaches you to be productive. We are moulded and shaped to be PRODUCTIVE but we are not nurtured to be still. The world teaches you how to be effective, productive, and capable. But the world does not teach you how to be still.

The world wants us to become like machines. But we are not a machine. We are not a robot. These days, the world also recognizes the importance of being still, so they emphasize on training your mind, mindfulness exercise, and how to focus. But the ultimate goal is to make you more productive and efficient.

Byung Chul Han, who is a Korean-born professor of philosophy and Cultural studies in Germany said this.

Sabbath rest does not follow creation; it brings creation to completion.

He says that God made Sabbath, the day of rest, not because he had nothing to do. He created Sabbath to COMPLETE the work of creation.

It is a similar idea of Abraham Heschel, a Jewish scholar, who wrote the book Sabbath. He said, Sabbath does not exist for 6 days but 6 days for Sabbath. We need to restore the importance of Sabbath in our lives. We need to establish the theology and the lifestyle of Sabbath.

Rest is the completion of our life.

Another Korean scholar at Standford University, Alex Soojung Kim Pang said this.

We think of rest as simply the absence of work, not as something that stands on its own or has its own qualities.

He is saying that rest is not merely a negative space in a life defined by toil and ambition and accomplishment.

If your work is your self, when you cease to work, you cease to exist.

Rest is not work's adversary. Rest is work's partner.

They all emphasize the importance of rest. Rest is completion of everything we do.

The Eternal Rest

That is how we Christians see death. Hearing the death of his friend, Lazarus, Jesus said this.

Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him. (John 11:11)

Sleep is a short death and death is a longer sleep.

When we finish our life here on earth, what completes our life is the rest, the eternal rest.

Linda, Ken, and Wain's mother passed away last Tuesday. I went there on Monday to have the final worship with her. She passed away the next day. She lived a good life and went into the eternal rest. Her life has achieved completion.

Calm Water

Rest is not just being mindless, numb, and switching yourself off. Rest is not just physically taking a break. Rest is being still. Rest is to give your whole self in God's hands. To be still, you need faith. How important it is and how much people struggle because they cannot really be still and have a true rest. They can't sleep. They are struggling because of worries and anxiety. There is no peace in their minds. No matter how much they play, they don't have this wonderful peace.

Jesus said this.

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Coming to Jesus is the act of faith. You cannot just come to Jesus. You need faith to come to Jesus.

That is how John saw.

Everything that the Father gives me will COME TO ME, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away (John 6:37)

No one can COME TO ME unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day (John 6:44)

When you come to Jesus, Jesus will give you rest. Then you can be still. You will know that God is there to help you. You will know that God is your refuge and strength, and a very present help in trouble.

The mountains may shake and tremble and the waters may roar and foam, but you will be able to be still. These angry waters will become calm and become a river whose streams make glad the city of God.

Verse 4 is a very interesting verse.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High. (Psalm 46:4)

There is no river in Jerusalem. And yet the Psalmist said that there is a river. It is a spiritual imagination.

In your life, there may be angry waters that roar and foam, but they will become calm and become a river whose streams make you glad.

Be still and know that I am God.

The post Be Still and Rest appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Isaiah 65:17-25

A Possible World

Isaiah's vision is very beautiful. Who doesn't want a world like the one Isaiah describes? But it can sound too good to be true. I struggled so much with this sermon. For over a month I read so many things and took so many notes. But nothing stuck.

I realized that it's because I don't think anyone really believes in such a possible world any more. There is too much that leaves people disillusioned, cynical and jaded. When the pandemic first hit, there was so much hope that people might change, that our society and world might change. We were all in it together. We wanted to build back better.

But what we see now is so different. In fact, it's almost the complete opposite of Isaiah's vision. The world we see is not a joy, its people are not a delight. There is weeping in so many places. Cries of distress are around us. There are many places where infants live but a few days. So many people do not live to old age. Many people build houses for others to inhabit. Plant only for another to eat. Many young people nowadays don't want to bring children into this world. The lions of this world do not lie with lambs but rather devour them.

How can we believe that the kind of world Isaiah describes is possible? How can I speak about it without seeming out of touch with reality?

Without Desire

I started to reflect on the purpose of dreams and visions. Why do people have dreams and visions? What purpose do they fulfill? The closest modern example I could think of was Martin Luther King Jr's I Have a Dream speech. I reflected on what that speech did. The speech evoked people's desire for a better world.

It articulated the desire for change and a better world. And then I realized: without desire for change, this speech would be meaningless and just empty words. If people were not hungering for change, the speech would have no power. The speech had power because it tapped into a deep longing for change. Dreams and visions have power when they connect with a deep desire and hunger for change. Without desire for change, dreams and visions have no power.

And so it dawned on me: the reason I couldn't come up with any meaningful message from this vision is because I feel a crisis of desire. Everywhere I look, people's flickers of hope for change always seem to get snuffed out. Optimism turns into jaded cynicism. I've met so many people who were once on fire for their particular passion. Years later, when I look in their eyes, that fire has been snuffed out. Somehow, this world snuffs out desire and hope for change. It's gotten to the point where I feel like our young people don't even have the chance to desire change in the world. Even before they can form any desire, it's taken away from them. It's like the parable of the sower, where some seed fell on the path and the birds came and ate them up before they could even go into the ground.

We see no vision and no hunger for real change. People just want to adapt and get by in the world as it is. Life is so busy just staying afloat in the world as it is. Keeping our head above water in the world as it is. There is no room to imagine a world as it should be.

Repentance and Caring

John the Baptist's role was to prepare the way for Jesus. His role was prophesied by Isaiah:

A voice cries out:

In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;

make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3)

His main message was repentance. His ministry was baptism for the repentance for the forgiveness of sins. What were they repenting from? What sins were they turning away from?

And the crowds asked him, What then should we do ? In reply he said to them, Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise. Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, Teacher, what should we do? He said to them, Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you. Soldiers also asked him, And we, what should we do? He said to them, Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages. (Luke 3:10-14)

What should we do? Was the question. John the Baptist's response can be summarized in one word: CARE! Care about those around you. Care about those who are in need. Care about those who are more vulnerable. Care and act on that care.

Their sins were not caring. Turning a blind eye to those in need around them. Being numb to the needs of others.

Repentance is not becoming some morally upright person. Or a holy person. Repentance is caring. Caring prepares us for God in our lives.

And that makes so much sense to me. Caring awakens our hearts. Caring makes you notice people around you. In our Session meetings, we always talk about pastoral care, and how to care for our members. Each of you should know that our Elders are always praying for you! We are cultivating a leadership of care. That is why we have our monthly pastoral care groups. So we can learn to care more for one another. Caring prepares us to follow Jesus.

The Essence of Jesus

Being a Christian means following Jesus. It means being in a relationship with him. The more we are in a relationship with someone, we become more and more shaped by that person. The deeper our relationship with Jesus is, we become shaped by him and more and more like him. The essence of Jesus was care. He cared for people. That was what he did.

To be a Christian shaped by Christ is to care. You can say all the right things, display the greatest piety, know all the doctrines about Christ and faith. But if you don't care about people, you are not one who is shaped by Christ. I'm sorry to say that, but that's really what it comes down to.

You know what else it means to be in a relationship with Jesus and follow him? It means to learn how to suffer like he did.

If anyone want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)

What do you think it means to take up your cross? It means to take up the path of suffering. To Jesus, this is the only path to life.

For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:24)

Once St. Paul met Christ, his greatest desire was to be close to Christ and be like him, even in his suffering.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death. (Philippians 3:10)

Suffering is not just a bad event or incident. It is not merely bad circumstances in life. The suffering Jesus went through was much deeper than that. The suffering he experienced was a heavy pain of seeing people not understand what he was trying to do. Not only that, they were so opposed to everything good he was trying to do. He saw that their blindness and numbness to his teaching and message was just hurting them. He carried this weight of their ignorance.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! (Matthew 23:37)

He suffered from increasing isolation and abandonment as people turned against him. And ultimately, he suffered from the greatest abandonment – from God himself as he hung on the cross. His suffering stemmed from his care for the world. From his love for the world. He suffered because he loved the world.

Suffering Love

Many parents can understand this kind of suffering. The greatest suffering parents experience is when they see their children suffer. Nothing makes their hearts ache. They would rather take that suffering upon themselves than see their children suffer. They suffer because of their love. It is a suffering love. Love that suffers is the greatest and highest love. That is why many second gens get so emotional when we think of our parents. They loved us in such a sacrificial way.

The Christian spiritual journey is to develop the heart of suffering love that Jesus had. Our destination as followers of Christ is to have a heart that bleeds for the suffering of this world, for the suffering of those around us. To have a love that aches and groans for the world.

The crisis of our modern, affluent world is the crisis of care. Somehow, in the midst of our busy everyday lives, in the midst of our work and pleasure, we have grown so numb. We are so numb that we don't even notice people! Many young people don't even notice or look up if you're in the same room as them. It sometimes feels as if you don't exist. But it's not only them. We all live this way. At the Hi-C retreat, Pastor Dave did simple concrete exercises like looking the other person in the eye and acknowledging their presence. We are trying to teach basic skills as a human being.

Suffering love desires change. Suffering love wants to make things better. Isaiah had this deep desire for change. He was broken by all the injustice and suffering he saw around him.

Faith and Love

But not only that. He had faith. He had faith that God would make all things right. He wasn't blind to the situation around him, but he believed in the greater power of God that was at work. Somehow he saw that God was at work in the midst of a bleak situation.

See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. (Isaiah 40:10)

He saw the mighty powers of his day. The Jews had no choice. They lived under the power and decisions of the mighty powers. But still he believed that God would outlast any of them. And he was right. Empires and people that seemed so powerful in their time have all faded. But the word of God has remained.

The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:7)

He was convinced that God would prevail.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-13)

Isaiah was right. We are still here, thousands of years later, proclaiming the power of God's Word to change hearts and change this world. This faith leads us to hinge everything on the Word of God. I believe that a small group of people studying the Word every week is ultimately more powerful than all the plans crafted by powerful and people.

Isaiah had faith in God, and he had a suffering love for his people. Faith and love opened his heart for God's vision. It was a vision rooted in conviction that God was doing something new.

Faith and love produce hope. And hope gives us a powerful vision for life. That is what gave Isaiah this vision.

God is always doing something new.

Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:18-19)

We don't need to be overwhelmed by the problems of the world. God is at work and doing something new. All we need to do is repent. Repent from our indifference, our self-centredness, our numbness. Ask God to break open your heart to care. Have faith in God. God will give you a beautiful vision for your life and this world.

The post Isaiah’s Vision appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.