St Timothy Presbyterian Church in Toronto: Sermons

Luke 20:27-38

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Eternally Alive

Last week, I encountered many news of death. In Seoul, , so many young people lost their lives. Senseless death. Also in India, too many people were on the bridge which was not ready to take people. And it collapsed. In Seoul, at least 150 people died. In India, at least 135 people died. While listening to these sad stories of death, I read today's passage. I saw a video of people in before the accident. They had no idea of death coming to them. They were smiling and walking as though it was another normal day in that crowd. They were walking like sardines. There was only one policeman who was shouting to people not to go into the narrow alley. His face was filled with concern for the safety of people. He was the only one who was shouting and warning people.

In today's passage, we hear a lot about being alive. It says we are alive. We are not dead, but alive.

Indeed they cannot die any more (Luke 20:36)

Being children of the resurrection (Luke 20:36)

Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive. (Luke 20:38)

Being Alive! How wonderful it is. We have the resurrection and we are eternally alive.

Sadducees

Sadducees did not believe this wonderful truth. In today's story, we hear the debate between Jesus and the Sadducees. Because they didn't believe in the resurrection, they attacked Jesus with a ridiculous story they made up. They tried to prove how senseless it was to believe in the resurrection. I understand that they could not accept the resurrection. It is hard to believe it. Still, many people don't believe in the resurrection.

Sadducees misunderstood about the resurrection. To them, the resurrection was simply the continuation of the life they had. It was just the lengthening of the life they had. So they thought that they would get married and have kids and live in the same way.

But Jesus said this to them.

Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. (Luke 20:34, 35)

To Jesus, the resurrection was not just the repetition or the lengthening of the life they had. To Jesus, the resurrection was the transformation. To Jesus, the resurrection, was the change. You were dead but now you are alive.

The Power of Resurrection

Yes we experience death every day. We all become older, weaker, and in the end, we will perish. That is the life we know and that is the life we see. We see a lot of deaths around us. Many people become weaker, getting sick and die. That is what we see in our daily life.

But when St. Paul met Christ, he saw something different. He experienced the power of resurrection. Not only was the resurrection happened to Jesus, the power of his resurrection was working within Paul. It was not just the miracle he experienced on the road to Damascus that changed him. It was the power of the resurrection he experienced that changed him. Now he saw something different in his life.

So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

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

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1)

This was what St. Paul experienced. He experienced something wonderfully different about his life. You don't just get older and weaker. You don't just perish. He realized that the life within him regenerated itself continuously. He realized that this was what it meant to be alive.

Being Alive

That was what Jesus said in today's passage.

Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive. (Luke 20:38)

God makes us alive. That is God we believe. In God, all of us are alive. Our souls will come alive. Our life will be awakened. Those who believe in God will not die.

This is what our Lord, Jesus said.

I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25, 26)

If there is no resurrection, we have no hope. Everything becomes meaningless and useless.

That was what St. Paul said.

If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:19)

If Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:14)

If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:17)

To St. Paul, the resurrection was the sure thing and everything. It was the very foundation of what he believed. Without the resurrection, everything would have fallen apart. His thoughts, his actions, his sacrifices, and his life. Because he believed in the resurrection, death could not overpower him any more.

That's why he was able to boldly proclaim to the death.

Death has been swallowed up in victory.

Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

In Christ, no more death! That was what Christ came to show us.

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

Nothing could take away life that was in Christ. Nothing could destroy life that was in Christ. Even death could not defeat life that was in Christ. That is being alive.

The Living Power

When you are connected with Christ, you are connected with the life force. The life force will move within you powerfully. The eternal life does not become a theory. The power of the eternal life will work within you.

Fear of death will slowly lose its grip on you. Victory of life will take over your life. You will see hope in the hopeless situation. You will see the light in the darkness. You will see power in desperate situation.

When you fall into the unbreakable chain of depression, slumps, and lack of confidence, let the power of resurrection work in your life. Be connected with Christ and taste the power of life hidden within him. That is what it means to be alive. You will come out of your personal slump.

We live in a difficult time. Economically it is not so good. Everything is so expensive but our economy is not any better. My brother told me that is called stagflation.

Personally you may face challenging times. But we can all come out of these slumps when we experience the power of resurrection. That is being alive. Sadducees never experienced the power of being alive. To them, the resurrection was just a ridiculous theory. For us, the resurrection is the living power. Be alive in Christ!

The post Being Alive appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Genesis 28:10-22

Trickster

Jacob was a cunning man. He was a trickster. Everything was negotiation for him. And negotiation for his own benefit.

He tricked his brother Esau. He tricked his father Isaac. He tricked his uncle Laban.

People don't change easily. I don't know whether their basic character ever changes much. It is true that their basic character may not change much but it can be not so damaging. It can be toned down.

When you look at today's passage, we can still see Jacob's old basic character.

If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. (Genesis 28:20, 21)

He put his condition even at this moment. It is almost like negotiating with God.

Jacob tricked his brother, Esau, and took away his birth right. Esau was angry and he was about to kill him. So Jacob had to run away from his home.

Spiritual Voices

Jacob was different from Esau. He was a domesticated man. Esau was a hunter. But Jacob stayed home mostly. He was a kind of mama boy. He cooked well and so he lured his brother with his porridge.

Esau lived in the wild. He was used to it. He was familiar with the life in the wild. But not Jacob. He never lived in the wild. Now, Jacob was all alone, in the wilderness. He must have been scared. He must have been very lonely. His future was uncertain and precarious.

That is when we often meet God in a real way. When we feel all alone, when we feel scared, God becomes real. God's promise becomes real. You hear God's voice much more clearly. When life is good, you are surrounded by too much noises. Noise of your own ambition, your own pleasure, and your own confidence. But when you go through hard times, these noises quiet down and you hear spiritual voices.

That was what Jacob heard. He heard spiritual voices.

This was what Jacob said.

Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it! (Genesis 28:16)

That desolate place, lonely place, scary place was the place where God was. He didn't realize it but now he saw it clearly.

So he said,

How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. (Genesis 28:17)

The miserable place became the gate of heaven.

A Sacred Place

Depending on what we see, the place we live can either be a miserable place or a gate of heaven. It is not the place itself that is sacred. It is what you see in that place. When you see God's presence in the place you are, that place becomes a sacred place.

You can live a miserable life or a sacred life, depending on what you see in your life. Yong Mi told me that today's anthem was written by Bon Hoeffer, the German theologian who was martyred by Hitler. Even the prison became a sacred place for him when he felt the gentle powers.

By gentle powers lovingly surrounded

With patience we’ll endure, let come what may

God is with us at night and in the morning

And certainly on every future day.

Olivia, you chose a beautiful song. She chose this song and asked me whether it would be appropriate for the Anniversary. As soon as I heard the song, I felt that it was the right song. And later, when I found out that it was written by Bon Hoeffer, one of my favourite theologians, I started working on my sermon around this anthem. Thank you, Olivia, and choir.

Reformation Sunday

Today is our anniversary Sunday. It is also Reformation Sunday. Our anniversary always falls on the Reformation Sunday. Last 26 years, God has blessed us so much. 26 years is not a short time. Through many ups and downs, God has been with us. There have been so many faithful Christians who loved this church and served this church with a sacrificial attitude. Their sacrifices have fertilized the soil where life could grow.

That was what Jacob heard very clearly.

Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. (Genesis 28:15)

That was what kept Jacob strong. He was young, weak, and vulnerable.But he held unto this promise.

Whenever his life was tough and felt like giving up, he remembered the promise that God would be with him. He believed that God would never leave him until he had done what he had promised him.

Faith is to Follow

That is what faith is. Faith is to trust in God's promise. Faith is not to follow life circumstances. Faith is to follow God's promises.

Because he believed that God would bring him back home, in the end, he decided to come back home, even though his brother was still there. Risking his life, he decided to come back home.

He knew that God would protect him and open the door for him. And God did. Esau let Jacob come home.

God's promise is powerful.

God has begun a good work through this church. God will never abandon us. God will be with us. God will carry on what he wants to do through this church. When we know that God is with us, this place will become a sacred place.

This church will be carried on by those who trust in God's promises.  They will carry on what God started. Their sacrifices will fertilize the soil where new life can grow.

Back Home

It is not by our wisdom and by our strength that this church will accomplish what it is built for. It is by God's wisdom and God's power that this church will accomplish what God wants to accomplish.

To do that, God will use people who trust in God's promises.

I believe what Bon Hoeffer said.

By gentle powers lovingly surrounded

With patience we’ll endure, let come what may

God is with us at night and in the morning

And certainly on every future day.

Trust in God's promises for you. You will not perish. He will be with you throughout your life. God will accomplish what he wants through you. God will bring you back home.

The post Gentle Powers appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Joel 2:23-32

Joel’s Prophecy

We read Joel's prophecy today. Probably you never heard of the name Joel. Joel was a prophet in Israel. He lived near Jerusalem. We don't know exactly when he lived. But scholars estimate that he lived around 400 BC. Then, you can say he lived around the time Plato lived. Plato was born 427 BC.

At that time, Israel went through the agricultural disaster. Not only they didn't have much rain but they had locust problems. Locusts are grasshoppers. They can be quite harmful to agriculture. They ate up all the crops.

People starved to death. They were devastated. Their environment was beyond their control. They could do nothing with their own power. They felt powerless and helpless.

That's when God sent Joel.

Joel – It is a good name.

Joel – You have a good name.

Joel = Jehovah is (my) God.

When we go through devastation, when we feel helpless and hopeless, when we have no power left in us, when we see only darkness ahead of us, often God says, I am your God and you are my people.

And you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (Jeremiah 30:22)

I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. (Exodus 6:7)

Jehovah is my God

St. Paul talked about the whole creation suffering and its existence becoming futile in chapter 8 of Romans. The whole creation was groaning with the desire to be free from the bondage to decay, he said. And St. Paul has reminded us that we are God's people. More specifically, we are God's children.

it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:16)

When you go through hardships, when you feel all alone, when you have no confidence left in you, when you feel like you are nobody, don't forget that you are God's child. God never forgets you. When Israel saw no hope for their future, God sent Joel to remind them that Jehovah was their God.

You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame.(Joel 2:27)

God reminded them that when they could not do anything, God could do something.

O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. (Joel 2:23)

You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. (Joel 2:26)

When you go through hard times, don't forget this name. Joel. Jehovah is my God. There is nothing for you to worry about.

His Prophecy

When Jesus left and his disciples were all alone. They faced uncertain future. They saw threats all around them. They didn't have any power in them to fight against the oppression and threats. They just prayed. 120 people gathered together and desperately prayed. They were in devastation.

That was when God sent the Spirit and helped them remember the name Joel. The Spirit came down and filled the whole room. Tongues of fire came down from heaven. They started speaking in different languages.

A fantastic phenomena. They all wondered what this was all about. Some people accused them of being drunk.

But Peter saw something different. Peter remembered Joel. Jehovah is my God. Peter remembered Joe's prophecy. It was the Spirit who reminded him of this passage.

In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:17-21)

That was exactly what Joel prophesied. Not Moses, Not Elijah, Not Isaiah but Joel. God reminded Peter of the name, Joel, and his prophecy.

Remember Joel

That was exactly what the early Christians needed. When they were terrified with fear, when they felt totally powerless, God told them I am your God. There is nothing for you to worry about.

I will send you the Spirit. And the Spirit will give you the power. And with the power you receive, you can take any challenges in your life.

We all experienced something very strange. The first time in our history, we have locked down everything for so long. I have also become a victim of this virus. Mine wasn't a mild one. I suffered for many days. I lost smell. My life was interrupted. I had to cancel everything. Tuesday Bible study, Friday morning Bible study, Friday evening Bible study, even Sunday service I had to miss and do it in zoom.

Even preparing for this sermon was not easy because I couldn't really concentrate. When you cannot concentrate, it was hard to think and focus. And God gave me this name, Joel. I am your God. Jehovah is my God.

When life is tough, remember this name, Joel. When life is unbearable, remember that you are not forgotten. When life is so scary, remember that God is with you. Jehovah is your God. When you cannot do it, God can do it. When you cannot see it, God can see it.

The post Joel appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Luke 18:1-8

God Answers

Jesus wants us to pray. Jesus want us to pray always. And Jesus wants us to pray and not to lose heart.

That is what this parable is all about. These three things are pillars of prayer life.

First, Jesus wants us to pray because God answers our prayer. Without this faith, our prayers become meaningless. Jesus himself believed that. He prayed whenever he had to make big decisions such as calling disciples and accepting his death in Gethsemane.

If we have faith that God answers our prayers, then we can pray to God. Jonah prayed to God. Elijah prayed to God. Jeremiah prayed to God. Moses prayed to God. Job prayed to God. Paul prayed to God. They all prayed to God because they believed that God would answer their prayers.

This is what Jesus said.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)

This is what Jeremiah said.

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. (Jeremiah 33:3)

Jesus had confidence in prayer. Jeremiah believed that there is mysterious power hidden in prayer.

Prayer is something you have to experience. Without experiencing that your prayers are answered, you can never know what prayer does to your life. You can never learn to enjoy prayer. We cannot understand the reality of prayer with our brain. You have to experience it. You have to experience how God answers your prayer. Then you will see the power of prayer.

That is the very first step of entering into the life of faith. God does not answer always in obvious ways. But as I look back, God answered my prayers and used my prayers to guide me and lead me.

I used to write prayers. When I go back to my prayers, I can see how God has used my prayers to guide me. At that time, it didn't even look like answers. I didn't even know that my prayers were answered at that time. But gave me the best answer in his own way. That is the first pillar.

Pray Always

Second, Jesus tells us to pray always. That was what St. Paul said too.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

He told us to pray without ceasing. Praying always means to make it as your lifestyle. In that sense, prayer is not your random activities. Prayer is a lifestyle. It is not that there is a time when you pray. It is rather that there is not a time when you don't pray.

Don't pray habitually but make prayer as a habit of your life. Live a prayerful life. Approach all your problems with a prayerful attitude. You do that not only because you believe that God answers your prayer but also because you believe that you do not have all the answers. Do you know how helpful it is to know that you don't have to have all the answers in life? It gives you tremendous peace and calmness.

We have this obsession that we have to take care of every problem. That stresses us out. But when you truly believe that you don't have to have all the answers, it gives you peace and calmness. That is what prayer does. Instead of worrying about things that you cannot solve, you know how to leave your life in God's good hands. You take a prayerful attitude to everything that you encounter.

Prayerful life is a life of peace and calm. Joy, prayer, and thanksgiving go together. When you live a prayerful life, your life will be filled with joy and thankfulness. What more do you ask for in life?

Do Not Lose Heart

Third, Jesus said to pray and do not lose heart. If you start living a prayerful life, you will experience many disappointments. People who don't live a prayerful life, don't know that. But when you pray, you get disappointed and disillusioned. You feel like giving up. You feel angry even with God. You feel that God is like the bad judge.

You get disappointed because you don't see God's movement in your life. Because you don't see any change. This is what Gideon said.

But sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Midian. (Judges 6:13)

He was disappointed because he didn't get answers from God.

St. Paul also prayed three times that his thorn may be removed but God didn't give him what he wanted.

We do not always get what we want. That's why we get disappointed and frustrated. We feel like giving up. All of us will have a moment of losing our heart.

So, to live a prayerful life, we have to know how to deal with our own disappointment. We have to learn not to lose our heart.

This is where faith comes in. It is not faith that God answers our prayer. It is not faith that we don't have to have all the answers. It is faith to totally surrender to God. Like the faith Jesus had in Gethsemane.

This is what the prophet Habakkuk said.

Though the fig tree does not blossom,

and no fruit is on the vines;

though the produce of the olive fails

and the fields yield no food;

though the flock is cut off from the fold

and there is no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will exult in the God of my salvation. (Habakkuk 3:17, 18)

You pray not just because you see the result. You pray even if you don't see the result. You trust in God's goodness. And we will never give up. We will never lose our heart.

Prayer is eschatological. Prayer sees the end. We believe that the end is in God's hands. In the end, God will answer our prayers.

Pray. Pray always. Pray and do not lose heart.

The post Three Pillars of Prayerful Life appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Luke 17:11-19

The Thankful Heart

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have gathered together this morning with a thankful heart for all the blessings God has bestowed upon us. We thank God for the family, friends, and the church. We thank God for providing what we need and more. We thank God for giving us peace and joy. We thank God for the wonderful life. There are so many things we are thankful for.

The other day, I went to London for the induction of the Rev. Son. On the way to London, we saw leaves changing their colour. We thank God for the beautiful nature we enjoy. We should take care of our natural environment.

More than anything else, we thank God FOR THE THANKFUL HEART we can have. The heart to be thankful – It is hard to have. Without a thankful heart, we cannot enjoy what we have. True joy comes not when you have the abundance but when you recognize your abundance. When you know how to appreciate the abundance you have, you will have the deep joy. True joy comes not when we are healthy but when we are able to appreciate the health we have.

The True Blessing

The true blessing is not the blessings themselves but when your eyes are open and recognize how blessed your life is. When you recognize that your life is a gift of God, that's when your blessings become true blessings. The power of salvation is released and can change you not when you have the salvation but when you deeply recognize the salvation you received. That is when your salvation is complete. If you take your salvation for granted, you won't experience the power of salvation.

In that sense, thankfulness completes everything. Thankfulness completes our joy. Thankfulness completes the blessings. Thankfulness completes the salvation we have. Thankfulness completes our life.

The Mercy of God

Only one person knew this secret in the passage we read today. He was a Samaritan. He was treated as the lowest of the lowest. Not only was he a leper but he was also a Samaritan who was despised at that time. 10 lepers were all healed by the mercy of Jesus. They all asked for Jesus' mercy and they got it.

Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! (Luke 17:13

They cried out for mercy and they got it!

God's mercy has no discrimination. God grants his mercy to all those who ask for it.

This is what Jesus said.

for he (God) makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:45)

10 lepers, they all received the mercy of God. We don't know what kind of people they were. We don't know whether they were good or not. They all received the mercy from God regardless of who they were. But only one of them returned to Jesus to thank him.

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. (Luke 17:15, 16)

They were all healed but only one of them knew how to appreciate the healing he received. Not only was he blessed with healing but he was blessed to recognize that everything good comes from God. That gave him the everlasting joy and peace. He not only experienced the power of mercy at that moment but he experienced the goodness of God. That's why he praised God with a loud voice.

He had more than healing. He experienced more than healing. He discovered God's mercy and the goodness of God. Now he could live his life with this thankfulness. He received the thankful heart. Now he knew that there would be God's mercy in all circumstances. That was greater than the healing he received.

That's why Jesus said this to him.

Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well. (Luke 17:19)

That is a strange expression. He was already made well. But Jesus said his faith had made him well. So, he was not just talking about the healing from leprosy he received. He meant his faith had made his whole life well.

His thankfulness completed his healing. His thankfulness completed his salvation. That's what thankfulness does. It completes everything. It completes joy. It completes blessings. It completes salvation.

Faith

This thankfulness comes from faith. Jesus said to him that HIS FAITH had made him well. Jesus saw his faith. Because of his faith, he returned to Jesus and thanked him. Because of his faith, he praised God.

He had faith that everything good comes from God. Yes, everything good comes from God. I pray that you all live with this faith. Even when you are struggling with your darkness, I hope that you have this faith. This faith will bring you out of your darkness and lead you into the light. Even when you are sick, I hope that you have this faith. This faith will bring you out of your sickness and lead you into healing.

When we have faith that everything good comes from God, then we can be thankful in all circumstances. That was what St. Paul taught us to do.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

We give thanks in all circumstances because in all circumstances, God is good.

This faith is not what you feel. This faith is what you hold unto. In bad circumstances, you cannot have good feeling. But even in bad circumstances, you can hold unto this faith. This faith is the power to overcome all your circumstances.

Thanksgiving

When you have the faith which has the power to overcome all your circumstances, then you can be thankful in all circumstances. We should have this power, while living in this world. We need this power. Life is not easy. It can be difficult. If we are not careful, we can be quite damaged. We can become quite fearful, unhappy, cynical, and critical. We need power to overcome all our circumstances. That power comes from our faith that everything good comes from God.

God will complete everything in your life. Be thankful and wait and see how God completes everything in your life. In God's time, he will make everything beautiful. That's what we believe. That's why we are thankful today.

We are thankful on a rainy day, because God will bring sunshine in his time. We are thankful on a stormy day, because God will bring the calm. We are thankful on a sad day, because God will bring laughter.

We are thankful in a precarious time, because God will be with us and protect us. Let us live with thankful heart.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Luke 17:5-10

The Nature of Discipleship

Today's passage is a difficult one. Right away, we're not comfortable with the language of slaves and masters. Jesus' story about the slave seems harsh. What is Jesus saying? Is he saying that we should treat those who work for us harshly? Is he saying that everyone in inferior positions should just keep their heads down and do as they're told?

We shouldn't generalize this to apply to every situation. It's not a license for bosses to abuse and exploit their employees. It doesn't mean you should just accept any treatment from your bosses or superiors.

In today's story, Jesus is talking to his disciples. He is talking about the nature of discipleship. He is telling them what their attitude should be when they serve others.

This is what he said:

Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!' (Luke 17:9-10)

He is telling his disciples that when you serve, don't think that you're something special. Don't expect gratitude or recognition. Just do what you need to do because that's what you should do. Serve simply for the sake of serving, because that is what you should do. We have done only what we ought to have done!

This is how Jesus lived his life. It was how he saw himself, and it was what he did.

For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve… (Mark 10:45)

Jesus did not serve others to make himself feel more special. He did not seek recognition or appreciation. He simply served. He lifted others up.  His service was humble. He tried to teach his disciples to serve in the same way.

Near the end of his life, this what he did and said:

Jesus got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him… After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. (John 13:3-5, 12-14)

The disciples had so much to learn about humble service. They all wanted recognition. They wanted to feel special for serving others. They argued among themselves who was the greatest. They wanted to enjoy the status of being alongside Jesus. They asked Jesus if they could be at his right hand and left hand in glory.

Serving

Jesus was completely different. He didn't seek any benefit from others. He didn't weigh or calculate who was worth his time and who was not. He just did what he believed he ought to do. He simply served. When I look at his life, he lived the most beautiful kind of life. I think that a life serving others is the most beautiful way to live life.

At some level, we all wish we could be that way too. If it was easy, I think we all would. The fact is, serving others is not easy. When we serve, people don't appreciate it. They don't respond to what we do. Many times, people just don't care. If anything, you end up getting criticism and complaints. So we start to ask, why am I doing this?

Life is busy enough trying to stay afloat. There is very little time and energy left after taking care of my responsibilities. Why should I spend what little is left over to serve others when no one even appreciates it?

The easy thing to do is to forget about serving and just live for myself. The world is full of ways to enjoy and live for yourself. The pleasures of life are endless. The whole economy caters to our pleasures. We can literally spend our whole lives pursuing pleasure. I mean, it's great to enjoy life's pleasures. God has given us wonderful ways to enjoy life. But we drown in a sea of pleasure and we can't get out.

Sometimes, we serve out of duty and obligation. I think it's better to do this than do nothing at all. But there is a danger when you serve only out of duty and obligation. The danger is self-righteousness. When duty and obligation are the driving forces of your actions, self-righteousness is a great trap. It inflates your sense of worth. You begin to think you are special. Self-righteousness demands affirmation and gratitude from others.

It demands praise and recognition.

Serving should bridge relationships and restore the gap between people. That is what Jesus did. By serving others, Jesus restored their place in the community. Those who had been outcasted, he healed and brought back in.

The Antidote to Self-Righteousness

But when self-righteousness is at the root of your service, it does not bring together, it divides and separates. It separates you and creates distance from those you're serving. You elevate yourself by putting yourself above others. You elevate yourself by putting others down. It creates distance. Self-righteousness is not humble. Self-righteousness makes you a smaller person with a small heart.

The antidote to self-righteousness is love. When love is the root of service, it does not require praise and affirmation from others. Love serves simply for the sake of serving. Serving becomes the extension of love. Serving is love in action. Jesus served out of love.

The reason we cannot serve like Jesus is because our love is so small. Because our love is so small, we cannot serve just for the sake of serving. Because we don't have love, we need affirmation, positive response and results to drive us. They become our fuel.

The disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith.

Increase our faith!

They said this when they saw just how small their faith was. This was also the response of the man whose son was sick. When he asked Jesus to heal his son, Jesus said that anything is possible for those who believe. In response, he said this:

I believe; help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24)

The journey of faith begins when we see how small our faith is. That recognition is the necessary precondition to genuine faith. It is humble awareness of the reality of my lack of faith. In the same manner, the beginning of learning to serve others is to recognize how small our love is.

Vastness of Love

I think many of us know how small our love is. Humble awareness is not the issue – we're too aware! But we make that an excuse to do nothing. We don't believe we're equipped or adequate enough to serve others. We don't believe we have the heart to serve.

Giving up is not the answer. When we see our inadequacy, we want to run away. Don't run away.

Just like how the disciples proclaimed, increase our faith! , our cry must be increase our love! . I see how small my love is. Increase my love! I've made this an excuse to do nothing. Increase my love! I have become self-righteous. Increase my love! Instead of serving, I have striven for praise and affirmation. Increase my love!

Genuine spiritual life is to experience the overwhelming vastness of God's love. It is to see how small our love is compared to the infinite size of God's love. Spirituality is an encounter with that much bigger love and being drawn into that greater orbit of God's love. It is to be taken into a world that is much greater than the one I presently live in. This is what St.Paul experienced on the road to Damascus. He had been driven by self-righteousness. He elevated himself by pressing others down. But when he met Christ, he saw how small his love was, and how great God’s love was. His blinders of self-righteousness fell off and he entered God's much greater world of love. With this love, he ran the race serving others.

The love we have is so small. But the good news is that just like the tiny mustard seed, God takes our small love and multiplies it. In faith, we give that tiny little love we have in our hearts and give it to God. God takes it, waters it, makes it grow, and lets it flourish. We don't even notice it. As it grows, service naturally flows out of us.

Love and Multiply

Jesus shared a parable about the time of judgment. He tells the righteous to stand at his right hand, because they fed him when he was hungry, gave water when he was thirsty, welcomed him when he was a stranger, visited him in prison and took care of him when he was sick. The righteous responded this way:

Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? (Matthew 25:37-39)

They did not even know they were serving. The love in their hearts just spilled out naturally into their everyday lives. Serving others became like breathing.

From love comes a life of service. Our prayer should always be: Take whatever small love I have, oh Lord, and multiply it. Seek this love. Pray for it. Cry out for it. Then our lives will become rich and abundant.

There is a lot of hurt around us. We remember the indigenous children who were taken away from their families. We remember those suffering from mental health challenges and isolation. We remember those struggling under financial strain. We remember those suffering with illness.

Live a beautiful life of serving others. Make room in your life with love. Oh Lord, increase our love!

The post Increase Our Love! appe...

Luke 16:19-31

Blessed Are The Poor

Why did the rich man go to hell and the poor man go to heaven? Was it because he was rich that he went to hell? Do the rich go to hell and the poor go to heaven? I don't think it is right to come up with this conclusion. We cannot generalize the ultimate fate of the rich and the poor from this passage.

But it is true that the Scripture speaks quite a lot in favour of the poor. Especially in Luke.

From the beginning of his gospel, he started with that.

Listen to Mary's song, Magnificat:

He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:53)

Then Jesus' inauguration speech:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. (Luke 4:18)

Then Jesus: Sermon on the Plain

It is Beatitude in Luke.

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. (Luke 6:20)

In Matthew's version, he said, Blessed are the poor in spirit but Luke simply said, Blessed are the poor.

But he was harsh on the rich.

Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. (Luke 18:25)

Is it because Jesus did not like the rich? I don't think so. But definitely he did not favour the rich over the poor. Not like what we see so much in the world we live in.

Temptations and Recognitions

Jesus was harsh on the rich because it is hard to be both rich and spiritual. Jesus didn't want us to fall into temptation by wanting to be rich. Money can bring so many temptations.

St. Paul had the same warning for us.

But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. (1 Timothy 6:9)

When you are rich, you think you are self-sufficient. And this attitude of being self-sufficient doesn't go well with the spirituality.

At the bottom of spirituality, there is a recognition that we are not self-sufficient. There is a recognition that I need others and I need God. There is a recognition that I am broken and vulnerable. There is a recognition that I don't know the way and show me the path I need to take. There is a recognition that I am scared and please help me. There is a recognition that I am in darkness and lead me to the light.

All these recognitions are preconditions for cultivating spirituality. Without these recognitions, our spirituality becomes merely a religious decoration.

You don't need to teach these things to the poor. They already have all of them. They live with those recognitions every day.

But to the rich, these things do not come automatically. That need is not there. So it is hard to be spiritual. That does not mean that you cannot do it. But it is hard.

If you are rich, why would you want these recognitions? You are very comfortable with your situations, yourself, and your ability. Unless you encounter some tragedies, you won't necessarily recognize these things about yourself.

The Blind Man

One of our ESM members sent an email to pastors and at the end, he said.

The “Inner Voice” has been so helpful as I start each morning reading the email and a prayer.

He is struggling with his issue right now.

But generally if you are rich and if you are comfortable with your situations, it's hard to think about these things. God's word does not speak so personally and powerfully. You hear God's word with your brain, not with your heart, not with your gut.

One of the worst things that our riches do to us: It makes us become blind. You become so focused on you, on your security, and your pleasure. You become self-absorbed that you become blind to everything else. You become blind to others around you. You become blind to those who are suffering. You become blind to who you really are and what you really need. You become so self-indulgent that you cannot see anything else. You live in the bubble of false security.

There is a very good drama. If you have time, you should watch it. It is called – Hunting of Wild Boar. I won't spoil it. It is about how their lives are all tangled up because of money. They don't even know where it all started. Life becomes more and more tangled.

When you look at today's story, the rich man was so self-indulgent that he couldn't see anything else but pleasing himself.

There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. (Luke 16:19)

Right after this verse, Jesus said this.

And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. (Luke 16:20, 21)

He feasted sumptuously every day but he didn't even see a poor man right at his gate. He wasn't even aware of his presence.

That's what the riches may do to you. All you care about becomes how to please yourself. As though, that is the purpose of life. As though, it can give you true satisfaction.

That was what happened to the rich man. He went to hell not because he was rich but because his riches ruined his spirit. He didn't even know what he really needed.

In the end, his eyes opened and he was able to see what he needed to see. But it was too late. Finally when his bubbles were burst and when his eyes were open, he was able to see his brothers and the horrible fate his brothers would face. He wanted to help them. That's very nice.

He asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers to warn them. And Abraham said this truth. If the riches make them so blind that they cannot even hear God's word, nothing will be able to open their eyes.

So true.

Be Generous

Let us reflect on our lives. Not many of us are so rich. But we all want wealth. We want to be comfortable. We want security. We want to live well financially. There is nothing wrong with that.

As I said last week, God gave us money so that we could live a good and abundant life. But ask yourself whether your financial wellbeing has become your priority? Ask yourself whether you have become blind to everything else. Ask yourself whether you have become so self-indulgent that you don't see people who are suffering around you.

Then money did not do good to you. Money took away your spirituality. Whether you are actually self-sufficient or not, self-sufficiency has become your god. It has become your golden calf.

That is a sure way of losing your spirituality. Nothing will give you true satisfaction. Joy will slowly disappear from you.

Don't make riches blind you but help you. Be rich not only to yourself but to others and also to God.

I talked about the rich fool last week. He had ample goods laid up for many years. He had his security insured. Now, he said to himself, relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you.

Then at the end, Jesus said,

So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God. (Luke 12:21)

Be thankful for what you have. Do not worry so much about your security. God will take care of you. Let money be your servant, not your master. Don't spend all your money for yourself. Be generous.

The post Why Is It Difficult for the Rich to Be Spiritual appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Luke 16:1-13

Due to technical difficulties, the Worship Video is unavailable for this sermon.

One Clear Message

It is a very difficult parable. We are not sure what the message is. We are not sure what message Jesus wanted to get across through this parable. There is no obvious connection between the parable and Jesus' concluding message at the end.

Let us start with Jesus' message at the end.

We hear two messages

Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. (Luke 16:10)

No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth (Mammon). (Luke 16:13)

But we are not sure how these two messages are related to the parable Jesus gave us.

But there is one clear message.

That is,

Money and living a Christian life are directly connected. To live a good Christian life, we have to have a clear understanding about money.

Enrich and Destroy

Money is good but it is dangerous. Money can enrich our lives but at the same time, money can totally destroy our lives and others.

God gave us money so that our life can be sustained. Not only to sustain our life but also to enrich our lives, God gave us money. God wants us to enjoy a good and abundant life. Money can do that for you.

I said, GOD GAVE US MONEY. It is God who gave it to us to use it. So it is God's. That is what we believe about money. Like the manager in the parable, we are only a manager who manages God's money.

The manager was given the authority to take care of the money. DURING THAT TIME, the economic system was different from now. There was no such thing as fee or payment. The owner set a certain amount to be collected and whatever the manager collected beyond what the owner wanted, it was his income. That was how tax collectors collected the tax. (Joseph Fitzmyer)

So if the owner wants to get $50 from this olive oil, you sell it for whatever price. Let's say $55. Then you get $5. That's your income. It's like commission.

The manager could enjoy a good and abundant life, by being honest and by being fair. But he was greedy. That greed brought him a disaster. He was about to lose everything he enjoyed. The master told hime that he would be fired.

Money is good but it is dangerous, I said. Money can enrich our lives but at the same time, money can totally destroy our lives, I said.

Greed

When this GREED takes over, money is not any more good. Money will not enrich our lives, but it will destroy our lives. When God gave us money to bless our life, he put a warning label and that label is

DO NOT BE GREEDY

The Scripture clearly warns us,

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. (1 Timothy 6:10)

The love of money – that is greed. It is a root of all kinds of evil. It not only destroys your faith but it will also bring so much pain.

Money cannot be mammon. The root word for mammon is money, wealth, profit but also it means to place trust in. The same root word for Amen – let it be so.

Picture of Mammon

Jesus said,

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Luke 16:13 KJV)

Don't put your trust in money. Put your trust in God. When you look at US currency, this is inscribed.

IN GOD, WE TRUST

It is like a warning label. We shouldn't put our trust in money, but in God.

When we put our trust in money, our greed will take over. When greed takes over our life, money can do harm. There is nothing as powerful as money. That's why money is so attractive. That's why Jesus compared serving God with serving money.

The True Value

The manager in the parable was greedy. He abused master's money. He also ripped off people too. Instead of properly charging them, he overcharged them to increase his profit. So when his scam was found out, he started reducing the debt people owed to the master.

The person who owed 100 jugs of olive oil owed 50 jugs of oil to the master but the manager charged 100 jugs. He collected 50 jugs, which was, 100% profit. But when he was about to be fired, he let go of his portion, not just some of it but his entire income, so that he could get a favour from people once he got fired.

By the inevitable situation, he had to be honest and share with others. He was forced to share. He let go of his greed and shared. For his survival. That's why the master commended him for what he did. He learned to share.

This is a very important lesson about money. When greed takes over, you want to take and take. When you have that kind of attitude about money, money will do a lot of harm. It will destroy who you are. It will make you a very unhappy person. You will lose friends, your family, and your life.

Money is given to you so that you can live a good life. But if greed takes over, it will not give you a good life any more.

You have to learn to share your money. Yes, you have to learn to earn and save money. Yes, you have to learn how to spend money. But the most important thing is, you have to learn how to share what you have.

When you start sharing money, you will see the true value of money. Money becomes a gift and a blessing rather than a curse. Don't let greed ruin what can be good. It is life's secret about money.

Happiness Through Sharing

As you share what you have with others, you will become a bigger person. That's how you become bigger. Not when you grab it for yourself but when you share it with others. You become abundant when you share, not when you have it for yourself. That was what Jesus taught us in a few chapters before today's story.

Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. (Luke 12:15)

Then Jesus gave a parable about a rich fool who stored his riches in his barn. He said, I have a lot in my barn.  Relax, eat, drink, be merry. God said, your life is demanded tonight.

How much you have doesn't tell you who you are. How much you share tells you who you are.

If you learn to share with small things, then you can share bigger things.

This is the greatest lesson you can teach your children. If you teach them this lesson, you are blessing them with life's secret of happiness.

There are so many unhappy people because they are selfish. There are so many unhappy people because they are greedy. There are so many happy people who give. There are so many happy people who know how to share life's good gifts.

Yes, you cannot buy happiness with money. But you can have happiness by sharing. If that is buying happiness with money, then I believe that you can buy happiness with money.

Money is given to you to bless you. But not when you take it with greed but when you take it with gratitude and share it.

Be concrete about how you will share what you have. Make it as your lifestyle.

The post The Beauty of Sharing appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Exodus 32:7-14

Stiff-Necked

In his conversation with Moses, God refers to the Israelites in a peculiar way. He calls them a STIFF-NECKED people.

The Lord said to Moses, I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. (Exodus 32:9)

This term comes from an agricultural setting. It was used for animals that would IGNORE the farmer's tug at the reins to turn in a certain direction and instead go where it wanted to go. It refers to an attitude of our mind. If a person was described as being stiff-necked, it meant that they were STUBBORN and REBELLIOUS.

In what way was the Israelites stiff-necked? From the context of the passage, it's not so apparent. All they did was to make the golden calf. They didn't make it for no reason. They were afraid. Moses went up to the mountain to speak to God, but showed no sign of coming back. They started to get worried. The longer he was away, they became more impatient. They wondered, Did Moses abandon us? Did God abandon us? Their frustration soon reached its peak.

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. (Exodus 32:1)

The Israelites did what seemed best to them. We can only wait so long. They had no idea what else to do. So they made the golden calf. They needed some kind of assurance that they'd be okay. At least the calf was VISIBLE and TANGIBLE.

The Wilderness

It wasn't the making of the golden calf that made them stiff-necked in God's sight. The calf was no god'. It had no power to do anything. It was what they did with the calf that made them stubborn and rebellious in God's eyes. They WORSHIPED it. They used it as an ANTIDOTE for their fear. Fear of uncertainty; Fear of not knowing their next steps; Fear of survival. The calf gave them a false sense of control and security. It was their means of coping with the wilderness. They were no longer concerned with God or what he had to say to them. With the calf, they only listened to themselves. What grieved and angered God was their REFUSAL to LISTEN.

Yes wilderness is a difficult place. We don't choose it willingly. We prefer to avoid it as much as we can. It is a place of CHANGE and TRANSITION where nothing seems certain. Everything is in flux. We are given no guarantee as to when we will come out of it.

We are experiencing the wilderness now. September is usually a time of change and transition. Some of us are heading back to school. Some of us are in-between jobs. Some of us are transitioning into the next stage of our lives. This week alone, we witnessed two major events that were unexpected and unsettling for many: tragedy in Saskatchewan, and the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. We are also seeing how the state of economy will affect us financially in the near future. It is an anxious and challenging time to be in. We don't know exactly what to do or how we ought to be.

Refusing to Listen

When we experience uncertainty, we CLOSE UP. We become RIGID. We stick to what we know. We resort to what is easy, logical, and predictable. We become reactive and controlling. In other words, we REFUSE to LISTEN. We stop engaging with our lives. Sometimes, we aren't even aware of how stubborn we are.

Refusing to listen is never the solution for our wilderness. That's what the Israelites learned. They thought they knew their way around. But their stubborn refusal to listen led them circling the desert for 40 YEARS. It was during those 40 years that they learned how to listen. How to DEPEND on God who knows their way.

Listening has to be cultivated. It is a DISCIPLINE. To truly listen, is difficult. It requires us to slow down. It makes us set aside what we are doing. It forces us to PAY ATTENTION. In that sense, listening is SPIRITUAL. That's why it's hard for us to listen. It's too tiring to do it well. We find ourselves too BUSY and DIVIDED in our daily life. But as long as we have the desire within us, we can cultivate our listening.

That's what the Hi-C students experienced at the retreat. They learned how to listen. On the first day, I took their phones away. Some were NOT happy about it. Their one and only safety net was taken from them. They had nothing to hide behind. They had no one but themselves and each other. They had no choice but to ENGAGE.

They looked lost for the first day or two. But they soon started paying attention. They became more IN TUNE and CONNECTED with their surroundings, with each other, and with themselves. Even during worship, they looked more FOCUSED than before. In the span of 3 days alone, I noticed them change. They had more ENERGY. They became more ALIVE. By the last day, they didn't even ask for their phones. Even though they faced an uncertain future, especially coming out of the pandemic, they came back with a renewed CONFIDENCE and DIRECTION for their lives. I heard that one student told his parents that he really felt God's power' at the retreat. It all came from LISTENING.

Directing Our Steps

When we listen, we OPEN UP. We take a step into the world of the unknown. In the unknown, we wait for God to SPEAK into our lives. Through PRAYER, we listen. Through PREACHING, we listen. Through the EVENTS and INTERACTIONS in our lives, we listen. Some of the summer interns have started doing the Daily Examen together. Discerning God's presence and direction in our lives. With listening comes NEW discovery and realization. All these things shape the way we understand our life. God speaks through them to DIRECT our steps.

The human mind plans the way, but the LORD directs the steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

Wilderness is where we seek God. Seeking God leads to listening to God. That's what Jesus did each morning. As difficult as it might be to hear through all the noise and distractions, God is always speaking into our lives. God wants to lead and guide us in the right way. No matter how stiff-necked we might have been, God still chooses to speak to us.

That's the God we see in today's passage. God whose MERCY is greater than his anger. It's not that God arbitrarily changed his mind. God's mercy was always there. THAT itself is God's unchanging character. That is the God whom Moses met. GRACIOUS and MERCIFUL God. God said this to Moses later on

But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; see, my angel shall go in front of you. (Exodus 32:34)

No matter how lost we may feel, let us not be afraid. Let us not be consumed by our fears and worries. Instead, let us seek God and listen. God has led us to where we are. God will lead us to where we need to go. God gave us his Spirit in our hearts. The Spirit is our INNER COMPASS. Through the Spirit, God makes his will known to us. God speaks to us like he spoke to Moses like a friend. That's what Jesus taught us.

I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. (John 15:15)

The Next Step

We don't have to see the whole picture beforehand. In a way, it's better that we don't see the whole picture. We would be too overwhelmed! All we need to see is our NEXT STEP. Being content with seeing only the next step is leaving our life in God's hands. Someone shared with me recently: I know that's what I should do, but it's so hard! God will show us the next step. We just need to wait and listen. We will find God's mercy. That is what prayer was for St. Macarius. He was an Egyptian monk (a desert' father). He chose the wilderness. He learned the essence of prayer in the wilderness.

Some brothers asked Macarius, How should we pray?' He said, There is no need to talk much in prayer. Reach out your hands often, and say, Lord have mercy on me, as you will and as you know. But if conflict troubles you, say, Lord, help me. He knows what is best for us, and has mercy.'

God's mercy is what softens us from our stiff-necked ways. When we experience God's helping hand every step of the way, we will learn to depend on his mercy more and more. We will be able to navigate through any wilderness of our lives.

The post Seek God and Listen appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Jeremiah 18:1-11

Shaped and Molded

Being shaped and molded – that's how we become who we are. We are constantly being molded and shaped. Many times, we don't even know how we have come where we are. It just happened. Or we just let it happen. We are not aware of how we have become the kind of person we are.

Yes, we were born to be a certain kind of person. I have 5 grandchildren but they are all so different. They were all born differently. Genetically, we have been shaped in a certain way. A lot of our diseases are genetic. Our certain personalities were given at our birth.

Look at Jacob in the Bible. He was born to be a fighter.

Afterwards his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. (Genesis 25:26)

He wanted to come out ahead of his brother. That character brought him a lot of troubles. His character led him to trick his brother to get the birthright. He even tricked his father to get the birthright and ultimately this led him to have to run away from his home.

But what shaped us is not just a genetic coding. We are not genetically predetermined, I am saying.

Someone said this and it makes sense

Various options are pencilled in by our genes, and our life experiences determine which get inked.

We have been shaped by the way we have responded to our situations too.

You can see that in Jacob. He became the kind of person he was because of his circumstances. Nothing came easily for him. Nothing came on a silver platter. He had to fight to get it. Even his wife, he had to fight to get her. He had to fight to get the riches he deserved.

This shaped Jacob to be the person he was. Fighter. Sometimes sly and cunning. But he knew how to fight to win.

This applies to us too. You were born to be a kind of person you are. This is how I was born. Whether you like it or not, you can do nothing about it. You can blame your parents all you want, but there is nothing much you can do.

Also, you cannot do anything about how you have been shaped. It's already your past. Your circumstances have shaped you to be a kind of person you are. You cannot do anything about the kind of person you have become.

Change

But the good news is that you can always change. That is the Christian message. We can always change. We can always get better. That's what I believe. That is what freedom is.

Do you believe what St. Paul said?

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

If I apply this passage to what I am saying, it is like this.

I can change through him who strengthens me.

You can change. It doesn't matter how old you are. It doesn't matter how capable you are. It doesn't matter what your circumstances may be.

You can always change. You can always be better. You can always be the person you want to be.

If you don't like the person you have become, you can always change. That is a Christian attitude.

Let us not be stuck in where we are. Let us not think that there is nothing much we can do.

There is an old gospel song.

Change my heart, O God,

Make it ever true;

Change my heart, O God,

May I be like you.

You are the Potter,

I am the clay;

Mold me and make me,

This is what I pray.

Free From the Burden

Everything starts with the change of our heart. It is not our circumstances that have shaped us. It is how we have responded to our circumstances. How we respond has a lot to do with our heart. So, when our heart changes, our response to our circumstances will change too.

God gave us freedom. Freedom is not to do whatever you want. Freedom is the power to change. Freedom is to overcome our helplessness. Freedom is to go beyond where we are.

Yes, genetic force is strong. Yes, our environmental force is strong. But I believe that your freedom is stronger. I believe that your confidence is stronger.

Jacob was born to be a fighter. His circumstances made him a fighter. At the end, he even fought God and tried to win. He wrestled with God. But this time, it was different. In the course of trying to fight God, he changed. Jacob became Israel. Israel means God prevails.

We are not helpless with our situations. We are not helpless with what we are born with. We are free to overcome our situations and be the person we want to be. The power to do that. That is the freedom.

God is the potter and we are the clay. God knows what we need. God knows what we desire. God knows the struggles we have.

God works with us to mold us and shape us. If you keep going back to your helplessness and do nothing about it, then even God cannot do anything about you.

Believing in your own power and believing in the power of God are very different. Your heart condition will be very different. Believing in your own power often leads you to devastation. But believing in the power of God leads you always to hope. Those two are very different. You will be molded very differently. If you trust in your own power, it gives you too much pressure. It gives yourself too much burden. You become bound to yourself.

But if you believe in the power of God, you become free from the pressure. Free from the burden.

Repentance

You are in a much better position to be molded and shaped by positive things. Being shaped by love and hope is much more powerful than being shaped by fear and devastation.

What the disciples learned from Jesus for three years was the power of God. Not just the power of miracles. But they experienced the power of truth from Jesus' teaching. At the end, they experienced the power of resurrection. That molded and shaped their thinking, their views of their life, and their heart.

Isaiah saw this power of God too.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary;

his understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the faint,

and strengthens the powerless.

Even youths will faint and be weary,

and the young will fall exhausted;

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 40:28-31)

All we need is repentance. Repentance is not feeling bad. Repentance is to do something about ourselves and our life, exercising our freedom, instead of letting ourselves helplessly conditioned and shaped. Repentance is your decision not to let yourself be shaped and molded by your circumstances. Repentance is our decision to be shaped and fashioned by the power of God. Repentance is changing from trusting in your own power to trusting in God's power. Repentance is letting ourselves in the potter's hands so that we can be molded and shaped.

You are only a clay. Maybe a broken clay. But when this clay is given to the potter's good hands, it becomes a beautiful vessel.

That was the image St. Paul had.

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)

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