St Timothy Presbyterian Church in Toronto: Sermons

Luke 14:1-7-14

In or Out

In or Out? This is very important to so many people. Nobody wants to be out. Everybody wants to be in.

It is not a good feeling to be rejected. Everybody wants to be wanted and welcomed. Even among friends, we get hurt when we feel excluded.

One of the greatest headaches in planning the wedding is to decide who to invite and not only that – where to seat them. I think It was the same 2,000 years ago. That's why Jesus used a parable of a wedding banquet. Not only people want to be in but they want to be at the highest place.

Jesus said this, knowing what people wanted:

do not sit down at the place of honour (Luke 14:8)

People measure their worth by how well accepted they are. So people try so hard to be accepted. To feel important. To feel worthy.

If that is the measure of your worth, Jesus did not do very well. He was rejected, hated, abandoned, and killed. But Jesus never measured his worth by how well he was accepted. He taught us to do the same.

No Significance

In today's Scripture passage, Jesus said. Do not invite those who are popular, who are well accepted, who are powerful and who are rich. Invite those who cannot invite you back. Invite those who are not usually invited.

But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. (Luke 14:13)

Invite those who live their entire life, always rejected.

That was what Jesus did. He was a friend of tax collectors, sinners, and the sick. He was a friend of those who were socially alienated. His disciples were mostly fishermen. Not important people. Not highly regarded people in their society. They didn't have any social status. Jesus was their friend. And Jesus did his ministry with those who were not that significant in their society. They were nothing in the eyes of powerful people.

Jesus said,

Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance. (Luke 5:31, 32)

Jesus did not accept those who were already well accepted. But Jesus accepted those who were rejected.

God accepts us not because we are great, not because we do so well. God accepts us even though we have nothing to show for. God accepts us even when we are nobody significant.

Humility and Respect

Last Thursday, I visited a person at St. Joseph Health Centre. His wife called me to say a prayer for her husband since he is in a critical condition. Probably my last prayer for him. When I visited him, he was barely conscious. He had his eyes closed but not much response. I called his name and there was no response.

So I read Psalm 23 and told him that God accepts you not because you are good but because of his grace. Do you believe that? Do you accept God's grace? He was quiet and no response. And all of a sudden, he said, I believe. He passed away yesterday.

The way God accepts people teaches us how we should live.

Do you want to be around those who are popular, powerful, and well accepted? Or do you identify with those who are rejected and alienated? Do you want to take the spot light? Or do you want to give that spot light to others? Do you want people to listen to you? Or do you let others speak?

When we have the attitude of being considerate of those who are rejected and alienated, we will be able to build this community. But when everyone wants to be at the centre of attention, the community will not be able to stand.

Respect each other. Respect is a very important virtue of Christians. God respects us. We need to learn to respect others. Regardless of their social status, we need to learn to respect others. Don't judge them just because they are not like you. Don't judge them just because they don't share the same taste as you. Don't judge them just because they are different. Being different is not being deficient. Accept everyone with respect. Speak with respect. Treat others with respect.

That's what humility is. Be humble.

A Christian Virtue

Jesus said,

For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Luke 14:11)

Humble people cannot be rude. Humble people treat others with respect. Humble people do not judge others in the way they see the world. Humble people are willing to learn to see the world in the way others see the world. So they always grow. Their understanding becomes deeper and broader. Humble people are patient. Proud people always look down and so they cannot see what is above. Humble people always look up and so they can see what is above and go beyond themselves.

The desire of humble people is not to prove themselves. The desire of humble people is to learn and grow. That's why humble people are always open. They are confident enough to be able to see their own weaknesses and are willing to grow. Humble people don't need a spot light.

Humility is a Christian virtue.

Let Us Be Humble

When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble. (Proverbs 11:2)

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honour and life. (Proverbs 22:4)

Humility is not a low opinion of oneself or low self-esteem. It is quite the opposite. Humility is the ability to be able to see your strengths and weaknesses without having to brag about your strengths and hide your weaknesses.

Humility is the ability not to overly exalt yourself because of your strengths and not to be overly depressed about yourself because of your weaknesses. When you are humble, you don't have a strong desire to brag about yourself. You already have a pretty good idea of who you are and who you are not, and you don't need to prove yourself.

Let us be humble. The best way to be humble is to raise up others and compliment their accomplishments. When you are happy for others, you will learn to be humble. When you get to know God more deeply, you will become more humble.

Let us accept each other with humility.

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Luke 13:10-17

Bent Over

Today we see a woman who was bent over. She was unable to stand up straight. She lived like this for 18 years. Not an easy life.

Her life was crooked in a literal sense. She always had to see people sideways, from the corners of her eyes. She couldn't see people straight. Always a sideways glance. That was how she had to see the world.

Not only was she bent over physically but her existence became shrunk. It was all shrivelled up.

She came into the synagogue after Jesus started teaching. In other words, she was late coming for the worship. Maybe, she sneaked into the service after everyone was gone into the service, hoping that she wouldn't be noticed. She wanted to see this famous healer. Like the woman who touched Jesus' clothes in secret. She could never take for granted what most people took for granted. Even for worship, she could not come freely. Other people could come early and they even had their own seat but not this woman. She had to sneak in.

This disease did terrible things to her. It took away confidence, a sense of worth, and a sense of dignity. Actually it was not the disease that did terrible things to her; it was people, it was her society who did terrible things to her. People forced her to live in shame and embarrassment.

She might have had many other beautiful qualities as a person. But to people, she was only a bent over woman. Crooked woman! That became her identity.

But not to Jesus. To Jesus, she was a precious child of God, a daughter of Abraham. That meant she was a child of God's promise.

And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?'(Luke 13:16)

How often do we see others in that way? We don't really see people's beautiful qualities. We tend to paint a person by what is obviously visible and obviously negative. Whether by a physical appearance, or by a certain character, or a trait. In that way, people can be very prejudiced and judgmental.

Set Free

We are conditioned to see people and see the world in that way. As she had to see the world sideways, people are conditioned to see the world in only one way they know. And they think that their way is the only way and the best way. And they judge others who don't see the world in their way.

That was what the leader of the synagogue did. He wasn't happy that she was healed. When he saw that this woman who lived a hell like life for 18 years was healed, he wasn't happy. Simply because it happened on the Sabbath.

Listen to what he said.

There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day. (Luke 13:14)

He learned to see the world only in one way. He learned to see life only in one way. He learned to see Sabbath only in one way. And he judged Jesus because Jesus didn't see the world in the way he saw it. That's why he was upset. He didn't even realize how crooked his view was.

The purpose of Sabbath is to loose us from the bondage. Loosing us means to set us free from the hands that bind us

That was what Jesus said to this woman.

And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?'(Luke 13:16)

God set apart one day as a special day after creating everything. He set that day apart so that he could sanctify the creation he just created.

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Genesis 2:2, 3)

We all need healing. We all need to be sanctified.

The Right Spirit

You all deserve to live a good life not necessarily because you are good but because God wants you to live a good life. God did not let you come into this world to live a miserable life. God has blessed you and sanctified you so that you can live a good life. God gave us the Sabbath so that we can live a good life. That's why Jesus healed this woman on Sabbath. Jesus wanted her to live a good life. That's why he loosed her from her bondage on Sabbath. What's wrong with that?

But the leader of the synagogue could not see that because his minds were set in one way and he could not see any other way. Only thing he could think about Sabbath was not to work. Not on healing.

God wants to heal us. God wants to straighten our existence.

This was my inner voice on August 18.

It is God who gives you a right spirit. When God gives you the right spirit, your life can be straightened up. It is God who heals the crooked spirit that leads you to a crooked way. Ask God to give you the right spirit. Everything in your life will be straightened up.

Jesus gave her the right spirit. Jesus healed her. Jesus straighten up her life.

She had a crooked body but who was really crooked? The leader of the synagogue. She had the crooked body but he had a crooked mind.

The moment we think we don't need to be healed The moment we think we know it all The moment we think my way is the only way Our spirit will start deteriorating.

Confidence About God

The broken spirit, the humble desire to be healed – that straightens up our existence. You don't need to live a shrivelled existence any more. You can stand straight up. You can stand tall. New confidence will fill you up.

It is not confidence that insists on one's own way. It is not a blind confidence. It is not confidence you made for yourself.  You will become crooked with that kind of confidence. It is not confidence that comes from success. Rather it is confidence that comes from failure.

It is confidence in the midst of that brokenness. It is not confidence about you. It is confidence about God.

It is confidence Paul had.

When I am weak, I am strong. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Nothing in the world can destroy this kind of confidence. Ultimately, you can overcome any situation. Your life will be straightened up.

When people go through suffering, they may come out of suffering all right. But many of them develop a very crooked mind. The way they see people becomes crooked. It is because they try to overcome their suffering on their own. They don't experience the grace of God.

Let us not do that. When we go through suffering, let us seek God. Let us seek God's grace. We will come out of our suffering straightened, not crooked.

God will straighten our existence. We will see the glory of God.

That was what Isaiah saw.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 40:4, 5)

That's what God will do for us, and for this world.

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Hebrews 11:29-12:2

Through Faith

Today's passage is a familiar passage to all of us. It is a passage on FAITH. Hebrews writer paints a grand, sweeping picture of our so-called ancestors' of faith. We come across familiar events and names, like the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. We hear about the great and wonderful things that were done because of faith.

And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. (Hebrews 11:32-34)

These are triumphant and glorious moments. Achievements that are worth mentioning. Things we ourselves can't even dream of doing. Shutting the mouths of lions? As the Hebrews writer says, the list can go on and on.

A ‘Perfect’ Faith

We also hear about those who suffered greatly because of faith. Those who were persecuted, tortured, and even killed because of what they believed. Compared to the beautiful and glorious image that we just saw, Hebrews writer also gives us a dark, grim, and violent picture of what the ancestors experienced.

They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. (Hebrews 11:37-39)

When we see this, we can't help but admire the faith of those who came before us. They seem to have had what we'd call a perfect' faith. Great, strong, and unwavering faith. The kind of faith that we don't seem to see much today. We feel that way especially when we think about our parents' and grandparents' generations. The faith we have seem to pale in comparison to the faith that they had. I felt that when we made the documentary last year for our church's 25th anniversary. Our faith seems so small and insignificant next to theirs. We wonder if we could be the kind of witness that they were. We don't think we have that great and perfect faith. In that sense, we can feel both inspired and removed by a passage like this. What does this even mean for us (or me)?

Cultivating Hope

What we think of as perfect faith does not stand on its own. It does not come to us readymade. It is not only given to special people. That is what I realized. Faith never stands by itself, in isolation. Faith always exists in connection to something else. Behind what we see as perfect faith lies this something that we often do not notice. That is HOPE.

Let's look at how the Hebrews writer describes faith. We know this verse very well.

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

Do you see the connection? Without hope, faith is nothing. Our faith remains lifeless and empty. Hope is what BREAKS OPEN the seed of faith. Hope of what has not yet been realized is what FUELS and SHAPES our faith. The problem is not that we don't have enough faith; It is that we don't have enough hope. When hope dies, faith withers as well. In that sense, life of faith is about CULTIVATING HOPE. Not losing hope, but becoming more and more hopeful.

Genuine Hope

Hope doesn't always carry a good connotation. Some of us think of hope as kind of being weak. Sort of vague and flimsy in character. We use this expression: HOPE FOR THE BEST Some of us think hope and wishful thinking are the same. We liken it to cheap optimism. We don't see much difference between the two.

But I wonder if that really is hope. Does that kind of hope have any power? I don't think so. It doesn't give us any strength. It doesn't change us one bit. It only fosters an attitude of casual indifference. If it happens, it happens if it doesn't, oh well. Kind of apathy that masks our fear of experiencing more hurt and disappointment.

Genuine hope is real and powerful. It has the power to heal and move us forward. It has the power to snap us out of our complacency. It moves us to ACTION. Hope is not a theory or an intellectual musing. It brings a radical change within ourselves and in how we live our lives. It makes it possible for us to believe what we thought to be impossible.

Hope Against Hope

This is the hope that carried our ancestors in their journey. They weren't any more brilliant and special than we are. They were imperfect and ordinary people, just like us. But they were HOPEFUL people. No matter what kind of difficulties or hardship they faced, they did NOT lose their hope. St. Paul said in Romans that Abraham HOPED AGAINST HOPE. In fact, the suffering they experienced made the power of hope even more visible. They lived with this hopeful attitude to the very end. Hope made their faith perfect. Because of their hope, we are here today.

We should never underestimate the power of hope. Hope that PERFECTS our faith. Hope that inspires and encourages those around us. Hope that allows us to be witnesses of our faith.

There is another FLOW' event coming up. The purpose behind this event is to give the young people of our community to hear the stories of our older generation those who came before them. These stories are stories of faith. More importantly, what is deeply woven into these stories is HOPE. That is what you will be communicating. That is what our young people will ultimately take away. You may not say it explicitly, but they will feel it. That no matter how discouraging life might get at times, we can have hope. Hope of a BRIGHTER FUTURE ahead. Hope that GOD will NOT let any of our efforts go to waste. Your stories will give them strength, especially as they navigate through this post-pandemic time.

Endurance

But hope isn't only for the young. We all need it. Hebrews writer tells us

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1)

We are running a race. This metaphor often appears in the New Testament. Our life of faith as a race. We are not talking about a 100-meter sprint. It is more like a MARATHON. A lifelong marathon. To run a marathon, we need great stamina. To finish a marathon, we need ENDURANCE. Hope gives us the strength to endure. Without it, we cannot persevere. We will eventually give up.

There is so much darkness that we see around us. Where do we even begin? On top of what we have to deal with in our own lives, it often feels like it's more than we can bear. Everything we see seems like a good reason to give up. To abandon our faith. To dwell in our own cynicism. Dave Chappelle calls it the Age of Spin' the most difficult time in human history to live in. We are caving under the weight of darkness to a point that we are tempted to stop caring altogether.

Resurrection in Hope

We cannot stop hoping. We cannot fall into despair. It is not an option. Dostoevsky said: To live without Hope is to Cease to live. We must keep on hoping. Yes, it may seem foolish. We may not be able to explain why. But there is great wisdom in such foolishness. Jesus had every reason to give up all hope when he was dying on the cross. He was in what seemed like a hopeless situation. People mocked him because God did nothing. He looked totally abandoned by God. Yet he did not abandon his hope. He held onto his hope. It only strengthened his faith. It allowed him to surrender himself completely in God's hands.

Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. (Luke 23:46)

These are not the words of someone who has lost all hope. These are the words of someone who still has HOPE.

Without hope, there is no resurrection. Without hope, there is no tomorrow. Without hope, there is no future. We are not just a people of faith, but people of hope. We live by the power of God's promise. Promise of a brighter future when God will bring all things to fruition. St. Paul lived with this unwavering hope. It was the source of his joy in life. He proclaimed this hope boldly in his letter to the Philippians.

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

When we look back and see how God has been with us, that gives us hope for what is to come. Our hope gives us the confidence to confront the darkness of our present situation and cry out to God. That confidence is faith.

May we be the people of faith who hold firmly onto this hope as we continue to run the race of our life.

The post Behind Perfect Faith appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Luke 12:35-40

Providing Breakthrough

I want to reflect on the word breakthrough It gives me the image of breaking through an obstacle. Overcoming strong resistance. Our stories from the Bible are stories of breakthroughs. They don't take place when life is good. They arise when people's backs are to the wall.

When the Israelites fled from Egypt, the Pharaoh sent his chariots racing after them. The Israelites were cornered. The chariots were breathing down them on one side. On the other side was the Red Sea.

Despair and panic set in. There was no way out. But God provided the breakthrough they needed. God parted the Red Sea and created an opening for escape.

That is the theme of the Bible: God who provides the breakthrough and a way when there seems to be no other way.

Jesus came to a people who were desperate for a breakthrough. They were suffering under horrible conditions. All the joy of living had been sapped out. In Jesus they saw the opening of a breakthrough for their lives.

Alert and Waiting

Today's passage is a message for those who are waiting for a breakthrough in their lives.

We need breakthroughs in our lives. Our challenges are so persistent.

They never stop. Sometimes we don't even know what our challenges are. But somehow, we feel stuck. Our energy and joy get sapped.

One member I spoke to recently is suffering from a health condition. That person said to me: Reverend, I just want this to pass. How can I make this pass? I could hear the despair in their voice. I felt so helpless, because there was nothing I could do.

When our challenges seem so great, we want to give up. When there seems to be no solution, we want to throw in the towel. We want to forget. We want to run away. Our temptation is to give up on seeking the breakthrough to our problems and challenges.

Jesus said:

Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit. (Luke 12:35)

Be ready. Be alert. Just like the master that might come back at any moment, be ready for the breakthrough that can come at any moment.

Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes. (Luke 12:37)

Being alert means not giving up. It means being in touch with your problems and not burying them away. It means struggling with them. Bringing our needs to God in prayer every day. Asking God for the strength to endure.

If we had the power to solve all of our problems, then we wouldn't need any breakthroughs. We could just solve them logically. We need breakthroughs because our problems are greater than our own resources or power.

The Secret Ingredient

God promises to bring forth something new. That is God's promise to us. But we usually don't see this breakthrough when we want it. There is always a waiting period. The Israelites waited 40 years in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land. Abraham waited 25 years before getting a son. The exiles waited 75 years before they could return to Jerusalem.

The life of faith is more about waiting than experiencing the actual breakthroughs. In fact, we spend more time waiting rather than experiencing the actual breakthrough.

Waiting is not a passive thing. We don't just sit around doing nothing. To keep the house ready, the servants had to maintain it. They had to clean it daily. Have food at the ready each day. Keep it in good repair.

Waiting is preparation for the breakthrough. We don't know when this breakthrough will come. But we prepare as if it can come at any moment.

Jesus said this:

You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Luke 12:40)

The coming of the Son of Man was known to Jews as God breaking into history. The idea came about because life had gotten too hard. There was no way they could achieve a breakthrough on their own.

God himself had to intervene.

If we are not ready, we may miss the breakthrough that comes. The longer our problems remain with us, the easier it is to give up. We don't believe a breakthrough will come. We lose sight of the desired breakthrough. At the Pool of Bethsaida, Jesus came across a man who had been ill for 38 years.

When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, Do you want to be made well? The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me. (John 5:6-7)

Jesus asked a simple question: do you want to be made well? He was not ready to answer that simple question. He did not know what he wanted anymore. Instead of saying yes , he went on to list all the reasons why he couldn't be made well. He had fallen asleep in his despair. He did not see the breakthrough at hand.

Waiting for the breakthrough is the most important stage of faith. It is when faith becomes real. We say I will believe if I see it . Faith is not formed after the breakthrough. Faith is formed while waiting for the breakthrough. Waiting is the secret ingredient for faith.

Thorn

Something mysterious happens when we wait with faith. We think we're waiting for the breakthrough to our problems. But when you wait, when you really wait, you discover the real breakthrough.

St. Paul had a thorn in his side. We don't know exactly what it was.

But it was quite debilitating. So much that he prayed and prayed that it would be taken away from him.

a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-8)

Three was a symbolic number. It meant many times. It wasn't just a casual asking God three times. He prayed desperately about it. He waited and waited for his desired breakthrough. But in his waiting, he experienced a more profound breakthrough:

But he (Christ) said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

In his waiting he experienced the real breakthrough: that God's power was made perfect in weakness. In place of his weakness, God's power would sustain and carry him. The thorn itself was not removed. It continued to plague him. But he learned to live with it. He lived with a power that was more powerful than the power this thorn had over him. And with that power, he lived out his life with joy and passion.

Waiting produces the real breakthrough that we need. The breakthrough of experiencing the power that is greater than our problems. Feeling the assurance that we are ok and held in God's hands. Knowing that when we're tired and feel we can no longer carry on, that we can keep on keeping on. That when our souls are weary and heavy laden and we feel like giving up, that we can bring everything to God in prayer. To know that we have a friend in Jesus. To know that in God I can endure, persevere and carry on. That is the breakthrough we need.

The Harvest

Every great figure in the Bible experienced this breakthrough while waiting.

St. Paul experienced it. The apostles experienced it. They were crushed and defeated when their leader, Jesus, was crucified. But when they waited and prayed, the Holy Spirit came upon them and gave them new power.

Waiting is so difficult. We want to give up as we deal with problems that never seem to go away. Your problems may or may not go away. Our souls may continue to ache. But this may be the opportunity to discover God's greater power as you wait. God's power elevates us beyond our aches. I pray that all of us experience this power in our lives.

Jesus told this parable:

The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come. (Mark 4:26-29)

The harvest is the breakthrough. All we can do is scatter the seeds. Seeds of prayer. Seeds of hope. Seeds of desire. We plant, and we plant continuously. We never give up. We are always alert and ready. We water those seeds with worship, prayer, the Word of God, and the community of faith. And then we wait patiently for God's breakthrough.

Wait for God's breakthrough. Do not be discouraged. Do not give up. Wait for God's power. God will lift you up.

The post Waiting for Breakthrough appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Luke 12:13-21

The Fool

Jesus called the rich man a fool. Why was he foolish? He didn't call him a bad man or an evil man, but a foolish man. His land produced abundantly. He worked hard. He did not cheat anyone. He did not exploit others to do so. He was a person that many of us would respect. When the land produced more than his barns could store, he did what any prudent investor would do. He tore down the old barns and built up bigger ones. Then he wanted to relax and enjoy life. Didn't he deserve to enjoy the fruits of his labour? Some of you are nearing retirement, and you're making sure that there is indeed enough stored up to enjoy for many years to come. I don't think there's anything foolish in that.

It is not the fact that he was rich, or the fact that he wanted to enjoy the wealth he had accumulated that made him foolish. Working hard, being successful, and wanting to enjoy the fruits of those labours is not foolish. Many of you have had to work very hard to support yourself and your families. It is not an easy thing to do. Jesus was pointing to something deeper. What made the rich man foolish was that he thought enjoying his accumulated wealth was the ultimate measure of life. That there was nothing more to life than that.

Isn't that what many people believe about life? Make money. Relax, eat, drink and be merry. Yes, money enables us to do that. And it is an amazing thing to do this. Human beings need to relax. We need to enjoy food and drink with friends and family. That's what summer picnics, holiday gatherings and barbeques are all about. This is the kind of fellowship we missed so dearly when things were locked down during the peak of the pandemic, and those are times we hope to never go back to.

The Great Folly

The man was not foolish because he enjoyed the good life that money brought him. He was foolish because he believed that his money made other problems go away. Money certainly makes many things in life easier. It can solve many problems and make things go more smoothly. You'll be able to do more things for your body and health. You'll be able to have a better house. Better education. More access to things that will enhance your skills and abilities. If you have enough money, you should be very thankful and feel blessed. But money cannot solve all of life's problems. Money will improve your outer circumstances, but it cannot improve the matters of your soul – your inner being. That was the great folly of the rich man. This is what he says:

Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. (Luke 12:19)

He is telling his soul to relax because of the wealth he had stored up. What folly! The soul is the seat of the person. It is the innermost being of the person. He was foolish because he was equating his outer circumstances with his inner person. His wealth somehow made him an expert in the soul. That shows spiritual arrogance.

We may say that money can't buy happiness. But our actions prove otherwise. We believe that if we have an abundance of money, then we shouldn't complain about anything else. That we should be thankful. That all should be well. It's as though having money should make our souls well. Money has replaced God as the healer of our souls. Money has replaced God as the destination the soul strives for.

Sick Souls

We sing the song: As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you. But in reality, this world has made our souls long after the things that money can buy. No wonder our souls are sick! Our souls have been going after the wrong thing. We've been feeding our souls the wrong medicine. The body needs the food that money can buy, but our souls need God and the spiritual things that flow from God. Money can make our lives much easier and more comfortable, but it can never give rest for our souls. So yes, it is good to enjoy our abundance, but let us never fool ourselves into thinking that it will give rest for our souls. St. Augustine wrote this:

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You. (St. Augustine)

Only God can bring us rest for our souls. A famous hymn starts like this:

When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well with my soul

What prompted the writer to write these powerful words? This hymn was written by Horatio Spatford. He had been a successful lawyer and businessman in Chicago. But tragedy and trauma hit his life. His four-year old son died. Then the great Chicago Fire of 1871 ruined him financially. Things only got worse with an economic downturn two years later. He sent the rest of his family ahead to England to be with family while he stayed behind to deal with his failing business matters. En route, the ship sunk, and all four of his daughters died, leaving only his wife as the remaining survivor of his family. Broke, broken, faced with tragedy and loss, he wrote it is well with my soul . It was only God who made his soul well. What a powerful testimony to the one who makes our souls well.

Souls Unattended

The rich man was foolish because he equated the fullness of his life with the fullness of his bank account. He didn't understand the depths of the human heart. Our hearts are complex. This is why spiritual life is so mysterious, so deep, so fascinating. We can never boil down the state of our souls to the state of our finances. In the finance world especially, you are literally judged by the numbers you produce and the compensation you receive. But our souls can never be reduced to a bottom line.  We don't know who we are because we've allowed ourselves to be defined by the visible metrics of our money and possessions. You are a complex individual with a unique history, experiences, personality and talents. No one can replicate who you are. And God said that this is good. God does not reduce us to a number on a balance sheet. We are God's precious creation. Don't be foolish like the rich man who equated his life with his wealth.

The second reason the rich man was foolish is because it was all about him. Take a look at what he says:

What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' (Luke 12:17-19)

It is all I and my . In other words, the sole purpose of his wealth was to enjoy it for himself. There is something funny that money does to us. If we are not careful, money makes us more self-indulgent and selfish. It becomes easy to keep enjoying the good things money can afford. Life becomes a busy race of spending and enjoying that money. It gets easier and easier to be comfortable with the lifestyle that money affords and not think of others. It separates you from those who don't have money, because they can't afford the kind of life you can. Your social circles change to those of similar means. The life that money brings makes us forget about those in need. The busier we get with enjoying the life that money allows, it becomes easier to leave our souls unattended.

The Path to Blessing

Jesus provides a warning in this passage:

Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed (Luke 12:15)

If we are not careful, money can make us very selfish. We have to always be on guard to see what effect money is having on us.

Wealth and abundance are blessings. God looks favourably upon blessings. When God called Abraham to be the father of a chosen people, he begins with a promise to bless him. God said this to Abraham:

I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Genesis 12:2-3)

God did bless Abraham tremendously. He became a very rich man. But the purpose of blessing is not to hoard it selfishly. Blessings are meant to be shared. Not only did Abraham become rich; wherever he went, others around him did well too.

God wants to bless our lives. God wants our lives to be abundant. But God also wants to bless others through our abundance, and to bless us through the abundance of others. We are meant to live in circles of mutual blessing. The path to blessing is not through our greed. Greed generates energy, but it is not an energy that blesses others. Greed makes us feel like we never have enough. Greed is full of fear and keeps us small. Greed makes us selfish. Sharing and giving bring great blessings. The path to blessing is knowing that God provides all that I need, and therefore feeling free to share with and give to others what God has provided.

Giving and Sharing

God gives us what we need, and often more than that. We should be thankful for having what we need. Any more than that should be shared with others. Instead of greed, pray to God for your daily bread. Give thanks each day for what God has provided for you that day. The Israelites in the wilderness had no food or water. There was no land to grow food. So they learned to rely completely on God. God sent them manna each morning. Each morning, they gathered only what they needed for that day. Anything beyond that would rot. We should take and use only what we need. Anything beyond that is meant to be shared.

In sharing with others, a ...

Luke 11:1-13

Thirst

We all know that prayer is important. Without prayer, our spiritual life will become dry. With prayer, we will be able to overcome our worries and anxieties. Through prayer, our faith will grow and we can live a more meaningful and confident life.

Prayer is so important and so good. God gave us this precious gift to take care of us.

Then what is prayer? Many people think of prayer merely as one of religious activities. To them, prayer is simply what they do.

When we look at prayer simply as what we do, we won't be able to see the fruit of our prayers. Prayer is not just what we do or what we say. Just because you are not articulate, that doesn't mean that you don't know how to pray. Prayer is for everyone. Prayer is not limited to just few devout people. Anyone can pray. You can get so much help through your prayer.

TO ME, PRAYER IS DESIRE. Prayer is my soul's desire. It is my desire to know God. It is my desire to live.

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (Psalm 42:1, 2)

This is what prayer is. Longing, Thirsting. The Psalmist knew very well what prayer was. The more desire you have for God, the stronger your prayer becomes.

This desire should be pure and beautiful. You don't need to brag about yourself. You don't need to show off yourself. You don't need to display yourself. You just need to pour out what's in your heart in as the simplest way as possible. That's what prayer is.

Outpouring Desire

In that sense, the prayer of a tax collector was a better prayer than the prayer of a Pharisee.

The Pharisee prayed like this.

The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income. (Luke 18:11, 12)

But the tax collector prayed like this.

But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner! (Luke 18:13)

Who poured out his heart? It was the tax collector. In that sense, the prayer of the tax collector was a better prayer than the prayer of the Pharisee. It was much shorter and simpler. But he said what was in his heart.

Jesus at the end said this.

I tell you, this man (tax collector) went down to his home justified rather than the other (Luke 18:14)

The disciples saw Jesus' prayer, and they saw something different from the ritualistic prayer that they were used to. They saw Jesus pouring out his heart to God. It was beautiful. So they wanted to learn how to pray.

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray (Luke 11:1)

Outpouring of our desire before God – that is prayer. Our desire is invisible. But when it is expressed, it becomes prayer. Prayer is the visible form of the invisible desire.

Desperation

There is DESPERATENESS in prayer.

Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, (Luke 11:5)

He went to his friend at midnight – How desperate he must have been to go to his friends' house at midnight, knowing that it was an imposition on your friend. Jesus showed the desperateness of prayer through this story.

Prayer is not just our desire; it is our desperate desire. We pray, because we are desperate. We are so desperate that we cannot give up.

Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. (Luke 11:9)

The actual meaning of the sentence is,

Ask and keep on asking

Search and keep on searching

Knock and keep on knocking

That is what desperate people do. They don't give up. They are persistent. Because they have no other option.

Desperate Prayers

Last Thursday, I went to Danielle's wedding rehearsal. Danielle's father asked me how my daughter was. He was a former member of TKPC where I used to work. He remembered the whole church praying for her. My daughter Grace was a miracle baby. The doctor said she had only 10% chance to live when she was born. I basically lived in a chapel at the Women's College hospital. My prayer at that time was pure desperateness. My desperate desire. I had no other option.

That is what prayer is. You want to learn to pray? The first thing you need to learn is to cultivate this desperate desire. This desire is pure and beautiful. Our basic human desire is expressed.

I want to be healed. I want this suffering to go away. I want my child to survive. I want to live.

Last week, I got a phone call from a member who felt desperate about her daughter. I prayed for her and her daughter. And another person called. She desperately asked me to pray for her. I prayed for them. I pray that God may answer their desperate prayers.

And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me ' (Matthew 26:39)

We see Jesus' pure desperate desire. He wanted to live. He didn't think about anything else. His desperate desire was expressed purely as it was.

God listened to this desire. God raised him from the dead.

For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.  (Luke 11:10)

God Listens

God listens to our desire. If you ask, you will receive. If you search, you will find. If you knock, the door will be opened. But before you ask, you search, and you knock, there has to be desperate desire. God hears what's in your heart.

God does not listen to what we say. Elijah asked God to kill him. He was tired of running away. He was tired of living in fear. So, he asked God to kill him.

It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life (1 Kings 19:4)

God did not hear what Elijah said. God heard the deep seated desire of Elijah. God gave him food and the strength.

God listens to this desire. This desire is beautiful and precious. When you have this desire, your prayer is already half done. You just simply have to express that. Without this desire, thousands of words will mean nothing.

This desire will move God. This desire will make us live. This desire will transform us.

Pour out your heart to God. Express your deepest desire to God. You don't need to be anybody great, noble, and admirable. Be like a baby. You can pour out even your raw desire. God knows how to listen to your heart.

You will be able to experience that your desire is fulfilled.

The post Prayer Is Soul’s Desire appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Luke 10:38-42

Misunderstood

One of the most misunderstood and unappreciated people in the Bible is Martha. We often hear, Don't be like Martha. I would like to focus on Martha today.

We should thank people like Martha. Because there are people like Martha, our life becomes so easy. They know how to take care of you. They are hard working people. They are very detail minded and action-oriented people. They have a gift of hospitality. Serving is what they do. And they are very good at it.

That's why Jesus went to Martha's house so often. That was the place where Jesus was able to rest after many days of stressful life.

Jesus lived a stressful life. Demand from people, confrontation with those who hated him, hearing all the unfounded criticisms, false rumours. All these things, Jesus had to deal with almost on a daily basis. So, he needed a place where he could simply rest, not having to think about these things. That place was Martha's house. And it was Martha who took care of Jesus and his disciples.

Martha was the eldest among three siblings. Mary and Lazarus were her younger sister and younger brother. Their father probably died early and left a good fortune. They had a big house to accommodate many people. Mary: Perfume – tens of thousand dollars. As the eldest, she took care of the household. She used her wealth to serve others. She blessed her community with her wealth.

She was good at what she did. She was a very capable person. She was generous and giving.

An Open Book

In terms of her personality, she was direct and to the point. She didn't like to beat around the bush. She was like Peter. Direct – even to the point of being blunt.

When her brother Lazarus died, Jesus was delayed. He didn't come on time. When she saw Jesus, this was what she said.

Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. (John 11:21)

She was direct. She was basically rebuking Jesus, Why were you so late?

If you came earlier, my brother would have lived.

Even in today's passage, Martha was very direct to Jesus.

Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.' (Luke 10:40)

She might have been direct and blunt but she had no hidden agenda.

She was an open book.

Jesus and Martha

Jesus knew Martha very well. That's why he did not get offended. Jesus didn't mind at all. Jesus called her, Martha, Martha, That is a very affectionate way of calling Martha.

Jesus loved Martha and her family.

Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus (John 11:5)

John didn't say Mary and her sister. He said Martha and her sister. John knew that Martha was the central figure. Martha had a very intimate relationship with Jesus where she could talk to Jesus in that way. Martha was just being Martha in front of Jesus. She didn't have to be somebody else. Jesus let her be.

It is not that Martha treated Jesus in a rude way. Not at all. She had deep respect for him and had great faith in him.

When Jesus said that he was the resurrection and life, this was what she said.

Jesus said to her, 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?' She said to him, Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.'(John 11:25-27)

Martha was a wonderful disciple of Jesus. She was a very capable disciple. Jesus trusted her and depended on her and found good rest whenever he needed it.

One Thing

BUT THERE WAS ONE THING SHE OVERLOOKED. She was able to take care of many things and she did very well but she overlooked one thing. That was to UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS WENT THROUGH. When Jesus visited Martha and Mary this time, Jesus wanted to talk to Martha and Mary. He wasn't interested in eating. He wanted to talk to them. Mary knew that. So she sat at the feet of Jesus and listened.

Mary had a keen sense of knowing what others are going through. Do you remember? When Jesus had raised Lazarus, they all gathered together to celebrate the rising of Lazarus. No one was thinking about death, especially, Jesus' death.

But somehow Mary knew that something serious, something dark was coming. So she wanted to prepare for that. That's why she broke her perfume and anointed Jesus' feet. And Jesus was surprised too. He knew that she was preparing for his burial. Jesus too wondered how she knew.

Mary had this keen sense of knowing when others had no idea. In today's story too, Mary knew exactly what Jesus needed. Jesus wanted them to listen to him.

Martha missed that. But don't ever think that Jesus disapproved Martha in any way. Jesus loved Martha. Jesus appreciated Martha. If you are like Martha, don't ever try to change yourself.

Come and Listen

Martha was like a rock on whom people can depend. Even Jesus. Martha held her family and the community together with her leadership. She was honest, direct, capable, hard-working, open, and transparent. She had all the beautiful qualities as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

But even strong people like Martha can break. They can be tired and drained. They can be exhausted and feel unappreciated. They can be also burned out.

They don't need to stop being Martha. They just need to come to Jesus and listen.

Jesus knew what Martha was going through. All this time, Martha served Jesus and gave him a place where he could rest. NOW JESUS IS SAYING TO MARTHA, IT IS YOUR TURN TO REST. Come and listen. I will give you rest.

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

We all need that time of rest. We also live a very busy life. We get a lot of stresses. Sometimes we feel tired and exhausted.

That is when we should stop doing what we do for a while. And just come to Jesus and enjoy his presence. Enjoy listening to him.

We don't always have to be productive. We don't always have to be capable. We don't always have to be in charge. We don't always have to take care of others.

We need time to just let go and enjoy things in life. Instead of always worrying about what we have to do, we need to be taken care of. And God will take care of us.

True Rest

I read a book called, Rest , by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. He is a visiting Scholar at Stanford University.

He said this.

Work and rest are not polar opposites Rest is not work's adversary. Rest is work's partner. They complement and complete each other. Further, you cannot work well without resting well.

I think he saw it right. Work and rest work together, not against each other. We think about how to do well in our work but we don't think about how to rest well. Learn how to rest well and that will help you work.

Resting well does not mean just playing. Resting well is finding confidence that you will be all right.

Find rest my soul

In Christ alone

Know His power

In quietness and trust

That is true rest. Martha needed that. We all need that.

The post About Martha appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Luke 10:25-37

Loving Your Neighbour

Many fields of work depend on what you know in your head. They require your intellect and knowledge. But life cannot be lived by a textbook. Faith is not about the knowledge in my head. It is about what is in my heart.

The lawyer in today's story didn't know this. When he asked the question: What must I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 10:25) – he knew the right answer. He was able to boil down the 613 commandments in the Law to the two most essential laws: loving God and loving neighbour. He knew the right answer in his head. But he didn't grasp what this really meant or looked like in life.

When he asks the question: Who is my neighbour? – he is trying to define who a neighbour is so that he knows whom he is required to love and whom he doesn't have to. He missed the heart of God's intention in this law. Loving your neighbour is not about loving those who meet this definition, and not loving those who don't. The heart of this command is to take care of those who need help around you. That is the essence of this law. You don't choose whom to help, but you help those you come across who need help.

Jesus uses the example of the priest and Levite. They are religious leaders. They know the law. You might expect them to know the right thing to do in this situation. But when they saw the man half dead on the road, they passed by on the other side. They may have had reasons to do this. They may have been afraid of their own safety. It might have gone against their religious requirements of purity. Whatever the reasons, they were not moved to action. This man was not their neighbour.

The Samaritan, however, was moved with compassion for the man on the road. He was the person you would least expect to do so. Samaritans were considered religiously deviant. They were of mixed descent – they were like half Jews. They kept many aspects of the common Jewish faith, but they also mixed in elements from other religions. They were impure, both biologically and religiously. But Jesus shows this man to be the one who loved his neighbour. He was the one in tune with eternal life.

The Need Decides

A neighbour, according to God's law, is not someone we define or choose. It is not someone we decide to include in our circle or not. A neighbour is someone whom we come across that needs our help. We do not decide who our neighbour is; the need decides. When that need comes our way, there is really only one of two responses: we pass by on the other side, or we are moved with compassion to help.

I'm not talking about tackling the greatest challenges facing the world. I'm talking about everyday encounters that call for compassion and help. When someone needs our help, are we moved with compassion to do something, or do we pass by on the other side?

There are many reasons we may pass by on the other side. But the question to ask is this: when the need comes, is your heart moved with compassion? Or is your heart numb? How you respond to the need around you reflects the spiritual condition of your heart. If we are honest, life in the world has made our hearts numb. We are inundated and saturated with images of suffering. The demands on our emotional energy are so high. We're just so busy with our own lives. It becomes too much for our senses to bear. The easiest thing to do is to turn our hearts off. We mentally pass by on the other side to the suffering around us.

The Right Neighbour

It is so much easier to choose and define who our neighbours are. Once we define who our neighbour is, then yes, we can love our neighbour. I can operate within this sphere. This is what I can control and do. I find safe refuge among the neighbours I choose. I find comfort and enjoyment there. If I belong to a group of neighbours, then I am fortunate. But what about those who don't belong? When I choose who my neighbours are, boundaries are drawn. People are in or out of my boundaries. Those who are in, I love. Those who are out, I don't. Those who are in the boundaries enjoy the love of that community, those who are not, don't.

If we all live like that, the world becomes one of haves and have-nots when it comes to neighbours. Those who have neighbours and those who don't. Those who have good support for life. Those who don't. The good support of neighbours will be exclusive to those within it. Those who don't have this will suffer on their own. They will want what others have. They will grow resentful from being rejected. Resentment will fuel animosity. It will blow over into conflict. Those who do have will seek to defend themselves against those who are not neighbours and further distance the non-neighbours.

Is it really possible to live in a world where we can all be neighbours to one another, just like the Samaritan was for the man on the road? Is this just too idealistic in thinking? I used to be an avid fan of the show Walking Dead . The outer premise is about the zombie apocalypse, but the show is really about how people respond to adversity. To survive, they must band together with others. In other words, they need to find the right neighbours. But whom can they trust? When they trust, someone violates that trust and hurts the group. But without trust in the community, it becomes anarchy and survival becomes difficult. There is a constant inner conflict among the main characters to be a community that welcomes those in need, while trying to protect themselves from those who would harm them. They fight to preserve their humanity in a world that has lost it (both literally and figuratively), and to be the kind of people they desire to be without succumbing to their worst instincts.

Wishful Thinking

Yes, this world is a hard place to be a good neighbour. It seems like wishful thinking. It IS wishful thinking. But this is God's wishful thinking. God's hopeful thinking. God's heart has always been with those who don't have neighbours. Those who are left to suffer on their own. Throughout the whole Bible, God is the God who welcomes the stranger and alien. It is for these people that God made the command to love your neighbour. This was the essence of Jesus' ministry. This is how he saw himself as he read from Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. (Luke 4:18-19)

Jesus did his ministry among those who were not deemed worthy to be neighbours. To not be worthy of love. The irony is that those who deemed them not worthy to be neighbours were religious leaders. This was their response during his ministry:

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him (Jesus). And the Pharisees and scribes were grumbling and saying, This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.' (Luke 15:1-2)

For religious leaders, moral purity and having good neighbours became more important than compassion. It was more important to avoid bad neighbours than showing mercy. To eat with sinners and be with them would be to taint their purity. And so they separated themselves from those deemed sinners. For Jesus, it is clear what is more important. Compassion and mercy always triumph over moral purity. Jesus went to and ate with those deemed unacceptable.  Jesus was a neighbour to the neighbourless.

This is how the Holy Spirit leads the church in Acts as well. Mission and evangelism were not things that people planned and strategized about. They were led by the Holy Spirit through their circumstances. Through persecution, the earliest Christians became scattered. They scattered to areas like Samaria and among Gentiles, to those deemed outside the boundaries of whom God loved. In their new places, the Spirit led them to love the previously unloveable. This is how the church grew in its earliest days. I believe this is how the Spirit is trying to lead the church today too.

Muscles of Compassion

Being a neighbour is not something we strategize and plan with our brains. It is something the Spirit leads us to. We don't need to wrack our brains and think of how we can be good neighbours. Simply live your life, and along the way, God will present opportunities for you to be compassionate. When these opportunities present themselves, simply be faithful to that opportunity. See it, and be moved to action. The very definition of compassion is com and passion – suffering with. Without intentionally planning it, you will always have opportunities to suffer with others. The retreat was a beautiful experience of sharing our lives together. Together, you suffered with the pain of others as you shared. It was not something you planned out intentionally, but once you were there, you were open and a faithful to that time of sharing. Just live your life and be faithful to the opportunities that God presents to you.

Compassion is not something that we get just because we want it. Compassion is a spiritual discipline. It is a quality that is developed through practice. The practice of serving and being present to others. Through serving others, you learn compassion. You build the muscles for it. It often comes very painfully.

This past week we began our summer camp. 15 counsellors answered the call to serve. They didn't have to do this. Yes, for many it was initially a job, but even if that's the case, this job became an opportunity to love the kids who would come. I told them that our only agenda for this camp is to love the children as they are. We may not have the most polished programs, but our secret weapon is love. That's nice in theory, but once the camp began, the hard realities of loving children became apparent. Not only are they kids, they're kids who have not had socialization like this outside of school because of the pandemic. After the first day alone, the counsellors were exhausted, physically and mentally. On Tuesday it rained all day, so they were stuck inside all day with stir crazy kids. Many of them wondered if they could last 4 weeks of this. Some even said they never want to have kids of their own. They didn't know how to handle kids not listening to them. They learned quickly that it's very hard to love kids who don't seem to love and respect you. But over the week, they adapted and adjusted their mindsets. They are learning in a real way what loving someone, especially children, is all about. They are building muscles for compassion. I think this is a precious opportunity to build them.

Community and Compassion

The Samaritan did not take care of the man all by himself. After taking him to the inn, he had his own business to take care of. He asked the innkeeper to take care of the man while he was gone, and that he would cover any additional expenses on his return. In other words, it took a community to take care of the man in need.

Yes, it takes a community to live out compassion. We're not called to carry the load all by ourselves. Many of the counsellors shared how they were able to get through the week because of the support from fellow counsellors. When some felt no more strength or energy to carry on, their peers stepped into help. When some were lacking in certain areas, others complemented them with their own gifts. They raised each other up. And together they were able to get through the week and love the kids.

It takes a community to show mercy to those in need. One of the pillars of our church mission statement is to be a compassionate community. Yes, we are compassionate together. We are compassionate to one another and practice that with one another. And together we reach out to those in need of help. I pray that we may do more of this as life continues to emerge from the shell of the pandemic.

Be Moved With Compassion

From the passage today, we learn that spiritual maturity is not knowing the right things or having the right beliefs. It is not about religious piety and devotion. Those are good things, but they are just means to spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity is having a heart that is moved with compassion. It is having a heart that is awakened by the suffering of another. It is a heart that is moved not only for my own people, but a heart of compassion that runs across boundaries to any human being I encounter who needs my help.

This is the kind of compassion we need in the world today. Young people, while you're figuring out your careers and callings, always make room to serve others. Build up your muscles for compassion. Those who are older and nearing retirement: retirement is just retirement from your job. It is not retirement from serving and having compassion for others. It's retirement from a career of earning a living into a new calling of service and compassion. Yes, enjoy your life. But be free to serve with compassion. Know that God still has plans to bring people your way, to care for with your love and wisdom.

The prophet Micah said this:

He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

Do this, and you will live.

Jesus answered the lawyer's question on how to inherit eternal life. See the needs of those around you. Be moved with compassion. Let us build up our muscles of compassion by serving those who need it.

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Galatians 6:7-9

Life’s Simple Truth

Life is about sowing and reaping. If you sow what is good, you will reap what is good. If you sow what is not so good, you will reap disaster. If you sow potato, you will reap potato. If you sow tomato, you will reap tomato. From pear tree, you cannot expect apples.

That was what Jesus said.

You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. (Matthew 7:16-18)

It is life's simple truth.

That was what St. Paul said in today's passage.

If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. (Galatians 6:8)

It's like you have the flesh and the Spirit within you. They are like fields. If you sow to the field of the flesh, you will reap corruption. But if you sow to the field of the Spirit, you will reap eternal life.

He said, your own flesh. He did not mean your body or your bodily desire. Your own flesh means your sinful desires. That's how St. Paul uses the word, Flesh. If you follow your sinful desires, you will reap corruption.

Don't follow hatred, anger, jealousy, greed, guilt, selfishness, and self-righteousness. You will become very unhappy. They will take away joy out of you.

Sowing to the Spirit

Sow to the Spirit. Cultivate your spiritual life. Sow what is good. Trust, Forgive, Humility, Love, Hope, and do what is good – these are all sowing to the Spirit.

Your life will change. You will be filled with joy. Your life will be full of meaningfulness. Everything you do, you will find tremendous joy in it. Life becomes worth living.

Be in touch with the Spirit. Understand how the Spirit guides you. When you are in tune with the Spirit, you will be able to see the guidance of the Spirit. Follow that.

Don't expect the result when you don't put in any effort. Don't build your life on luck or fortune. Don't expect a healthy body when you don't eat good food, when you don't exercise, and when you abuse your body.

In the same way, don't expect to be spiritual when you don't do anything to sow to the Spirit.

So if you want to be spiritual, then do something about it. Don't deceive yourself, thinking that you can be spiritual, doing nothing.

St. Paul said this.

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. (Galatians 6:7)

I want to reap the eternal life. I want to understand the eternal life. I want to feel the eternal life. I want to have the assurance of the eternal life.

I don't want to know the eternal life as a vague theory or formula. If you believe in Jesus, you have the eternal life. That is true, but I don't want to know it as a formula. I want to taste it, feel it, and live it. Then I have to sow to the Spirit. Because St. Paul said so. If you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life.

Sow in Tears

Sowing to the Spirit is a DISCIPLINE. Sowing to the Spirit can be a hard practice. But you will see the good result.

As I said at the retreat, YoYoMa who is probably one of the greatest cellist now still practices scales every day. When I see elite athletes, I am inspired because they do things so smoothly and easily. But behind it, there was hard labour and many tears for their failures. You don't become elite athletes just like that. They all have routines. They control what they eat. They discipline themselves to have a good sleep. They know that they will reap what they sow.

Haruki Murakami, a Japanese writer has his daily routine. He wakes up at 4 in the morning and writes. He does that every day.

He said.

The repetition itself becomes the important thing; it's a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind.

Nothing comes easily. What you sow, you reap.

Sow a good thought, you will reap a good act.

Sow a good act, you will reap a good habit.

Sow a good habit, you will reap a good character.

Sow a good character, you will reap a good destiny.

That was what one old English novelist Charles Reade said.

Sow a good seed, you will reap a good fruit.

This is what St. Paul said in his letter to Philippians.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Sowing can be painful. So when you sow, you sow in tears but there will be a time when you will reap with joy.

God Will Bring Good Fruits

Psalmist eloquently said this truth.

May those who sow in tears

reap with shouts of joy.

Those who go out weeping,

bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy,

carrying their sheaves. (Psalm 126:5, 6)

Lastly, you may sometimes wonder whether your good work will come to fruition.

There is a servant who comes out in Isaiah. God said to him this,

You are my servant,

Israel, in whom I will be glorified. (Isaiah 49:3)

Then the servant said this,

But I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity. (Isaiah 49:4)

Sometimes we wonder that too. We feel like we have laboured in vain. We see no fruit even though we put so much into it.

When you feel like that, go back to the basic. You will reap what you sow. Believe that. You do your best, but leave the result in God's hands. God will make sure that your good works will not be wasted. God will do that.

St. Paul said in today's passage.

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

This is what St. Paul said to the congregation in Corinth.

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6, 7)

It is God who brings out the result.

This is a radical statement.

St. Paul goes further to emphasize that it is God who will bring the result. Even when we sow bad seeds, God will bring good fruits. He emphasizes that it is God who brings the final product. That is what the resurrection is like.

Listen to what he says about the resurrection.

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)

We thank God for raising good fruit even when we have sown bad seeds.

The post Sow In Tears, Reap With Joy appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Galatians 5:1, 13-15

Reflect on Freedom

What is freedom? Last two days, we have reflected on Going beyond through Simon's lectures.

Going Beyond the Life that Controls Us

Going Beyond our Broken Places

The Power to Go Beyond

Thank you, Simon, for guiding us with rich materials for us to reflect on.

Let us reflect on freedom this morning.

This is what St. Paul said in today's passage.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence (Galatians 5:13)

Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence. We can see that in Paul's mind, freedom is not to do whatever you want. Freedom is not about self-indulgence. Eat whatever you want to eat. Say whatever you feel like saying. Do whatever suits you. In Paul's mind, that is not freedom.

In the beginning of this chapter, St. Paul said,

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

Stand Firm: Yes, that is what freedom does. It is the power to stand firm. Freedom to me is the power. It is the power to go beyond not to be bound to my wishes and desires. It is the power to leave behind what holds us back and takes off to the unknown. It is the power to overcome our own fear and weaknesses, take challenges and go beyond where we are. It is the power to live freely the life that is truly worthwhile without reducing it because of fear.

Fear and Empowerment

No one is FEARLESS. Fearlessness is not what is required to live a courageous life. Everyone has fear.

Especially when you are called to do what is beyond your ability, you have this fear. Because you have to go beyond your comfort zone.

When Jeremiah was called by God, this was what he said.

Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy. (Jeremiah 1:6)

When challenges come to us, we look for ways to escape. We come up with reasons. But these reasons are only excuses.

I am only a boy. – that was Jeremiah's excuse.

God did not say, Oh, I understand. Go and live as only a boy. That was not what God did.

This was what God said to him.

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 (Jeremiah 1:7, 8)

GOD DID NOT LET HIM LIVE OUT HIS FEAR.

When God called Moses, Moses did the same thing.

O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.(Exodus 4:10)

I have never been eloquent – that was Moses' excuse.

But God did not let Moses to live out his insecurity.

This was what God said.

Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak. (Exodus 4:12)

When God called Isaiah, the same thing.

Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5)

I am a man of unclean lips – that was Isaiah's excuse.

God did not let Isaiah live out his spiritual inadequacy.

God did this to Isaiah.

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.'(Isaiah 6:6, 7)

Then God asked,

Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? (Isaiah 6:8)

Then Isaiah said,

Here am I; send me! (Isaiah 6:8)

You see a pattern here. No one is fearless. When they received a challenge to go beyond their comfort zone, they all feared. And they came up with good reasons not to take the challenge. Excuses. They wanted to get away.

But God did not let them live out their fear. God reassured them. God empowered them. WHEN THEY HAD THAT EMPOWERMENT, THEY EXPERIENCED FREEDOM. The power to go beyond their own weaknesses, shortcomings, inadequacy, and insecurity.

Beyond Yourself

That power – that is freedom. In that sense, freedom is not to do whatever you want. Doing what you desire. But the real freedom is to go beyond yourself, not just to please your insatiable desires.

Many times, the greatest bondage is ourselves. We are the ones who limit ourselves. We are the ones who restrict ourselves. We are the ones who hold us back. We become our own shackles that bind us.

For the rocket to go beyond our earth, it requires explosive power. But when you go out in the universe, you can see the earth in a clearer view from outside. You see the whole picture and also see how beautiful it is.

The power that fires off the rocket from the earth atmosphere – that is the freedom. It is the freedom to fire you off from yourself so that you can go beyond yourself. You can see yourself from outside. You can see the whole picture of who you are and also you will see how beautiful you are. Then you can see not only yourself but also others and their beauty. How beautiful the life of freedom is.

Narcissism is a trap. Narcissism is dark power that makes us be bondage to ourselves. Narcissism is the opposite power of the power of freedom.

That's why Jesus said. You want to follow me? First deny yourself. Be free from your own narcissism. Experience the power of freedom.

That was what St. Paul experienced. He had fallen into narcissism of his own righteousness. He thought he was pretty righteous. He thought his righteousness separated himself from others. But he didn't realize that that was only his narcissism. It was all about I, I, I. He thought that his righteousness would save him.

But when he met Christ, he was free from his self-idolatry.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. (Galatians 2:19, 20)

He is saying that his narcissism has been crucified. He no longer lives with his power. He lives by the power Christ gave him.

The Power of Resurrection

That was how all those people overcame themselves. Jeremiah, Moses, and Isaiah. They experienced the power of God that helped them to go beyond themselves. They overcame their fear, their insecurity, and their spiritual inadequacy by the power of God not by their fearlessness. When they experienced the power of God, they experienced freedom.

It is a bit long quotation. But listen carefully and see what's going on in Paul's mind. It is a confession of a man who experienced the true freedom in Christ.

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

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, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:4-11)

It is the power of resurrection that frees us not only from the fear of physical death but from the fear of losing ourselves. This is the power that inspired many people to die in their struggle to pursue freedom rather than to live without freedom.

Break the Chain 

My friends, now you go down and you may face many challenges. Don't let your fear handle your challenges. Be free in Christ. You can be creative.

You need to practice every day to be free. YoYo Ma, probably the greatest cellist, still does scale every day.

Engage with new ideas. Try something new. Don't be stuck in the old pattern. Unstuck yourself. Don't be afraid of failure. Failure is a necessary step of growing up. Failures can be your great teacher if you are free. Break the chain that binds you. Go forward and go beyond.

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