St Timothy Presbyterian Church in Toronto: Sermons

Acts 8:14-17

In Our Lives

2022 did not start off the way we wanted. Back in 2021, we were looking forward to a more normal life. A life where we could do more of what we wanted, with whomever we wanted, where we wanted, when we wanted.

Sadly, this has turned out not to be the case yet. The interesting thing is that the circumstances of this new year have been met with shrugs and resignation. The need to switch gears was familiar. It was no longer shocking or traumatic

We're not as affected on the outside. But when we peel back the layers, the ongoing nature of this pandemic has taken something from us. We don't feel the acute emotions of these changes like they did at first, but instead, we're starting not to feel much of anything now. Instead of shock and sadness, we feel more numbness. Many people just stare at their screens all day and walk around their house in a daze, mindlessly going through the routines of the day. Somehow, the sense of joy, awe, wonder and excitement of life has been taken away. It will take a long time afterward to process everything, but this is some of what I sense is going on.

If anything, the pandemic has shown us how little life is in our control. It has shown us that life can throw anything our way at any time. It'll often lead us to undesirable situations that we cannot escape. We don't want to be in this pandemic, but we cannot avoid or escape it.

Our lives are like this too. Each of us face things that make life difficult. There are difficult things we don't want to have, but we cannot simply escape them. The deeper I go into ministry, the more I realize that we all face unique challenges that make life difficult or weigh down on us. We may often ignore it, but it is there. This difficulty is an inescapable part of human life.

For me, the important question is how we respond to such difficult and unavoidable situations. Do these difficulties make us shrink?  Or are we able to overcome and rise above them? How we respond makes all the difference in the quality of our lives.

Over the course of this pandemic, we've seen many people shrink. Shrink their social circles. Shrink from communication with others. Shrink the excitement they feel.  Shrink the joy they experience. Shrink the size of their hearts. Shrink in their empathy and understanding. Shrink into their own little world.

When difficulties first hit us, we might feel confident to handle it. We feel that we can overcome them with our resilience. positive thinking and can-do attitude. But the longer these difficulties remain, the more they wear down on our souls. And as they wear down on us, they make us shrink.

Power to Overcome

What we need is the power to overcome and rise above our difficulties. Power to endure. Power to fight against numbness and apathy. Power to feel joy. Power to hope. Power to imagine new things. Power to transcend our difficulties and turn them into something beautiful.

We need this kind of power in our lives. Without it, our lives cannot flourish. Without it, we cannot remain whole.  Without it, life in this world simply drains away our vitality. We need a power that is greater than what we have.

This was the power that Jesus promised to his earliest followers.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

This was the last thing Jesus said to them before he ascended into heaven.  This was a promise that Jesus gave. That promise was fulfilled at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came, and filled with power, they began to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. People were drawn by the power of the message. The movement grew and poured out into Jerusalem.

They did indeed become witnesses in Judea and Samaria and beyond.  But you know the interesting thing? It was not by intentional plan and design. It's not like some mission efforts today, where there is very strategic and intentional planning to evangelize certain places. No, they became witnesses in these far-flung places by being scattered through persecution. Jesus' promise was fulfilled through intense suffering and hardship.

In the chapter before today's passage, Stephen was the first Christian martyr, stoned to death. After that event, Saul began going house to house, dragging people off to prison. This dangerous persecution caused followers to scatter. They scattered out into Judea, and then beyond to Samaria.

Philip and Samaria

Today's passage takes place in Samaria. Philip was one of the scattered Christians who ended up there. He went there not intentionally or by design. He went there because he was fleeing for his life. He was running away from danger and persecution in Jerusalem. But the amazing thing is that he did not shrink in fear. Instead, he began to proclaim the good news there! The people of Samaria experienced healing, miracles and great joy. Instead of shrinking, Philip had the power of the Spirit in him. Out of a tragic and dangerous situation, God's power was revealed.

The leaders back in Jerusalem heard about it and this became a great controversy. You see, the Samaritans were a despised people to the Jews. They were descendants of the northern kingdom of Israel. After King David and Solomon, the kingdom of Israel was divided into two kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. The northern kingdom of Israel was eventually taken over by Assyria. Their policy was to intermarry the local population with foreigners and thereby dilute the blood and culture of the defeated nations. The offspring of this policy resulted in the Samaritans. They were mixed breed people. They kept some of the basic beliefs of the Jewish people, but also adopted customs and norms from other countries. Their religion was a syncretic mix of ancient Israelite and foreign traditions. The Jews despised that. To them, the Samaritans were not kindred, but an abomination. Politically, when Judah later came under attack and faced great difficulty, the Samaritans sided against them. So there was bitter hatred between the Jews and Samaritans. When people from Galilee came down to Jerusalem, the easiest way to cut through Samaria. But they chose to go around Samaria and walk a few extra days, rather than go through Samaria. Samaria was an undesirable place filled with undesirable people.

For the church leaders in Jerusalem, this news of Samaria was making life difficult for them. The earliest Christians were all Jews. They were being persecuted by fellow Jews for abandoning Jewish laws and customs. They were looked upon with suspicion for not being Jewish enough. And news that Christians were preaching to Samaritans was making them look even more suspicious. So they decided to send two leaders of the church, Peter and John, to investigate.

It is remarkable that John was one of the two who went to Samaria. John was one of Jesus' original disciples. During Jesus' ministry, a Samaritan town had rejected Jesus. John responded with great fury toward them: Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? (Luke 9:54) His response was typical of Jewish attitudes toward the Samaritans. But here he was being sent down to Samaria.

The story shows that the power of the Spirit is not in our control. The Spirit goes where the Spirit goes. We do not choose when, where, how and to whom the Spirit manifests its power. And just because we have the Spirit does not mean that we control what happens in our lives.

But wherever the Spirit is, any situation, even a tragic one, can become a witness to God's great power. Philip went to Samaria for safety, but the Spirit had its own plans. For Peter and John, the Spirit changed their view of Samaritans as undesirable people to a people desired and loved by God. The undesirable place became a place of God's power.

The Spirit

This was how the Spirit led the early Christian movement. The Spirit lifted them up to go beyond their difficult circumstances. The Spirit opened up new paths out of their suffering.  Rather than shrinking, they became bigger. Rather than remaining defeated, they experienced new power.

This is what the Spirit did then, and this is what the Spirit does now. The Spirit gives us power to go beyond our present circumstances. The Spirit gives us power to experience true life no matter what is happening around us, and especially when things are difficult. This is why St. Paul said, When I am weak, I am strong. God's power is revealed in our weakest places and moments.

We need the power of God's Spirit in our lives. All we need to do is simply ask. That is what Jesus said. So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:9-13)

Our lives are and will always be filled with many difficult, inescapable circumstances. We will face things in life that threaten to take away joy, hope and the excitement of living. Seek God's power! It will help us overcome these things.

Out of the Ashes

Rev. Kim is in London today to preach at London Korean Christian Church. That church is part of our presbytery. They've been around for 51 years. But because of the recent decisions of the denomination regarding human sexuality and same sex marri

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

The Work of the Spirit

After meeting Christ on the road to Damascus, St. Paul realized that he was not alone. He realized that the Spirit was with him. At that time, he knew well about the law but he didn't really know about the Spirit. He was foreign to the world of the Spirit. The whole world of the Spirit opened up for him. It was the Spirit who opened his eyes and when his eyes were open, he was able to see who Jesus really was.

That's why he said in his epistle to Corinthians,

no one can say Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3)

Believing in Jesus Christ, knowing Jesus, and understanding him – they are all the work of the Spirit. On our own, we cannot know Jesus. We cannot know God. Unless God reveals himself to us through the Spirit. In that sense what our brain can do is limited in terms of knowing God. Knowing Jesus is not cerebral activity. Knowing Jesus is not an intellectual process. It is totally a different process.

The Spirit is with us. The Spirit is given to us. The Spirit guides us to go beyond our personal limitations. The Spirit gives us more understanding than what we can acquire through our intellectual process. The Spirit opens our eyes so that we can see beyond our mundane daily living. The Spirit gives us deeper understanding of our reality. The Spirit helps us to understand the meaning and purpose of our daily living. With the Spirit, we can see amazing things in life. With the Spirit, life becomes interesting. Never boring and dull.

The Spirit empowers us so that we can handle challenges that are beyond our ability. The Spirit gives us hope in hopeless situations. The Spirit gives us new strength when there is no power left in us.  With the Spirit, we will soar like an eagle. The Spirit brings miracles and wonders. Life is full of wonders and amazement when the Spirit is with us.

The Spirit brings healing in our body, in our mind, and in our soul. When the Spirit is with us, our body finds its restoration and equilibrium. Our body becomes alive. When the Spirit is with us, our mind finds peace and calmness. Our mind finds quiet confidence. When the Spirit is with us, our soul becomes free from bondage. Our soul flies with freedom. That is what the Spirit does.

The Gifts of God

St. Paul called these things the gifts of God. I think he named it very well. The gifts of God. The Spirit brings God's special gifts to us. These gifts make our life beautiful.

There are many different boxes of gifts and one person does not possess them all. The Spirit distributes these different gifts to different people accordingly. But together we have them all. So in the community as a whole, we have all the gifts of the Spirit.

When we look at each person, each person is so unique. They all have very unique gifts. We should respect and honour each person's uniqueness. When we start seeing how the gifts of the Spirt work in each person in a unique way, we can respect and honour each person's unique existence. Each gift is beautiful and precious.

St. Paul lists some of those gifts.

To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)

Beautiful gifts!

But these are not an exhaustive list of gifts of the Spirit. St. Paul talks about different gifts in other letters. There are many, many different gifts. Gift of empathy, gift of hospitality, gift of generosity, gift of leadership, gift of organization, gift of sharp insights, gift of encouragement, gift of sharing the good news, gift of prayer, gift of music and praise, gift of giving inspiration. I am saying all these different gifts because I see them in all of you. These are the gifts I see in my own congregation.

Individually I do not have them all. But together as a community, we have them all.

The key is we have to use these gifts for each other.

That's why St. Paul said,

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:7)

Each gift is given for the common good.

We cannot be selfish about our gifts. We have to share our gifts for each other. Then we can benefit each other. We can edify each other through our gifts. But in return, we become edified through their gifts.

You may not have a gift of healing but others who have the gift of healing can bring healing to you. You may not have a gift of encouragement but others who have the gift of encouragement can comfort you and give encouragement. You may not have a gift of knowledge but others who have a gift of knowledge and insight can open your eyes.

So when we start sharing our gifts willingly for the common good, this community will become blessed to see the manifestations of all these gifts. In that way, we can go beyond ourselves. I cannot do it alone. But together we can do it.

Sharing Gifts

Then let us think about what we can do concretely.

First, we all need to be filled with the Spirit. How can we be filled with the Spirit? Simple! Ask! Simply ask God to give you the Spirit.

That was what Jesus said.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13)

Secondly, after you ask for being filled with the Spirit, you have to explore your unique gifts. Ask yourself. What are you good at? What do you feel compelled to do? What are you passionate about? What stands out in your life?

Believe that you are a very unique person. God made it that way. You are beautiful and precious as you are. Seeing who you are, the Spirit gave you specific and unique gifts to you. Find that. God knows you more than you know yourself. So he put certain gifts in you. Find that. It's like a treasure hunt.

How many gifts you have is not what's important. It is not about the quantity. The important thing is to find your own unique gift. Finding that unique gift is to find your own unique life. It can be a long process too It is all right. Don't arbitrarily choose what you see on the surface. Let the Spirit guide you and show you.

So ask to be filled with the Spirit. Then find your unique gift the Spirt gave you. Finally, once you find your own unique gift, use it for the common good. Don't keep it to yourself. Use it for others. If you use them, your gifts become sharpened. When you start using your gifts for others, you will find meaning and purpose in life. At times, yes, you will find it burdensome to live out your gifts but as a whole you will find deep joy in living out your gifts.

That is how we live an authentic life. That is how we think critically about our life.

When we start using our gifts for each other, this community will enjoy the gifts of God abundantly.

The post God’s Special Gifts appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Philippians 3:12-14

Getting lost

I believe that life should move forward. Our life should not be just circling around, going nowhere.

Once I got lost in the woods. For an hour, I walked and walked, thinking I was going somewhere. But I realized that I was circling around. I came back to the same place over and over again. That was scary.

Sometimes we feel that our life is circling around, going nowhere. I am sure that was what the Israelites felt when they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Feeling stuck, feeling that your life is circling around – that is a sense of helplessness and many people live with this sense of helplessness. They feel powerless to change anything. Everything seems to be already determined for them and there is nothing they can do to change anything. Helplessness and powerlessness. It is one of the most common symptoms of modern life. No sense of direction, no sense of purpose, no sense of fulfillment. Like the myth of Sisyphus, you push a boulder up a mountain, only to see it roll down again. Life of meaningless repetition with no change.

Some people say that it is a fact of life. They say that we cannot do anything about it. That's what life is. They give up expecting any changes. To me, that is a very unchristian and unspiritual attitude. Jesus clearly said our life can change. He compared our life with the kingdom of God that changes.

Change is Possible

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. (Matthew 13:31, 32)

Change is possible even if we have faith the size of a mustard seed.

He said to them, Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there , and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.' (Matthew 17:20)

The problem is not in the fact that there can be no change in life but that we don't have faith even the size of a mustard seed.

Yes, I agree that sometimes we have to accept our situations. We can't just complain about our situations and live constantly in dissatisfaction and anger. But accepting our situation does not mean just sitting around, doing nothing.

We can always change. We can always become better. We can always move forward. Yes, change is hard. Real change is rare. We see a lot of pseudo changes. We don't see real changes around us. So I understand that people are skeptical about change.

But my friend, God is with us. With God, change is possible. God is the agent of change. God always creates. God always renews. God always restores. In other words, God always changes. Changes us, changes our life, changes the world. That's how God wants us to live, making changes. God wants us to go beyond where we are.

The Heavenly Call

We heard St. Paul's beautiful words about change today.

I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

His life was not just sitting where he was. He was pressing on. Korean translation is interesting – . Running towards the goal. He didn't stay where he was. He pursued towards the goal. Nobody forced him to do so. He found his self-worth. He realized that he was worth so much more than he could just settle for. That's why he pursued to become better. His life was too precious to just waste it away.

You have to remember that he didn't write Philippians when his life was going well.

You know, when things are going well, it is easy to be positive. We feel like we can do anything. We can have a very positive attitude about making changes. We feel empowered.

But when things are not going very well, it is hard to push ourselves. We just want to dig a hole and hide. Never come out of the hole.

Paul's situation was not that great. When he wrote these words in Philippians, he was in prison. Not only was he in prison, his fellow believers attacked him and spread false rumours about Paul. But Paul did not dig a hole and hide. He pressed on. He didn't focus on his gloomy reality and sat there in self-pity. He pressed on towards the goal.

How could he do that?

What was pulling his life?

What enabled him to press on?

He had a strong sense of calling about his life. He saw his life as calling.

I press on towards the goal for the prize of THE HEAVENLY CALL of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

It's like his sense of purpose and meaning. That kept him going. To him, calling was his purpose of existence.

That was what Nietzsche said:

He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how. (Nietzsche)

A why to live for is calling.

When you have a strong sense of calling, you will not easily give up. You will pursue. Because the moment you stop pursuing, you stop living. The moment you give up trying to become better, you might as well be dead.

Calling is not a static concept. You may not be able to articulate what your calling is right away. That's Ok. When you don't give up and constantly pursue your passion, your calling becomes clearer. You realize that there is a theme in your life. You realize that your life is moving in a certain direction.

That was what St. Paul realized too.

Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own (Philippians 3:12)

St. Paul also admitted that the search for his calling was not finished. He is in the process of finding it and living it out.

Leave the Past Behind

ANOTHER THING that helped him pursue his goal was this.

this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. (Philippians 3:13)

He was able to let go of his past. forgetting what lies behind Often, we cannot go forward because our past holds us back. Our old habits. Our old pattern that has shaped and moulded us. Fear of letting go of the old.

Joybell, a writer – she said this.

We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don’t have something better.

C. JoyBell C.

We cannot easily forget what lies behind. It is not an easy task. Our past constantly comes up and haunts us. We realize that we don't have power not only to change our past but also to forget it. It sounds good to forget our past and move on. But that is one of the most difficult things for us to do. We say that our past is a good teacher. But we realize our past is more of a ghost that haunts us than a good teacher that teaches us.

We need God's help. We need God's forgiveness. Somebody said forgiveness cannot change our past but it can change our future. We need to be able to leave our past in God's hands. That is faith. When Paul said, forgetting what lies behind , it is his faith speaking, not his will.

Daily we need to let go of our day in God's hands. We have to realize that our life is in God's hands. Then we can face tomorrow's challenges. This has to be a daily routine. At the end of the day, let go of what happened on that day in God's hands. And refocus on the calling of God and face tomorrow.

God will break down our old habits and mould us into a new self. Then we can go beyond.

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

Colossians 3:12-17

The Last Sunday

Today is the last Sunday of 2021. In a few days, we will enter into 2022. It was another year that wasn't easy. We expected that the crisis of Corona Virus would be over this year and go back to normal life. But the virus will not go away easily. We got the highest number of Covid infection since the beginning of this pandemic on Christmas Eve. Yesterday, it went over 10,000. I feel like this crisis is just beginning again.

Also as a pastor, it wasn't an easy year. Because of the decision of the Presbyterian Church in Canada regarding the homosexual marriage and ordination, I saw many people struggling with the decision, especially the KSM congregation. Some people left the church. Even though they are here, they are not like before. They seem distant from the church.

As a pastor, I know that this is an important issue but I don't believe that it is an issue that should divide the church and people's relationships. I don't think it has decisive effect on our spiritual growth and spiritual life. There may be people who have different opinions on this matter. But I don't believe that whatever we think should be a reason for us not to be able to coexist. We can respect each other's opinions and live in harmony. That was the spirit of the General Assembly's decision.

I may have more open attitude towards this issue than some of you, but that does not mean that my preaching and teaching have been away from the Scripture. I have tried to be faithful to the teachings of the Scripture and will continue to do that. Personally, I read many books and encounter many opinions on various issues, but I don't teach and preach anything without carefully examining it. I select what to teach carefully so that it is beneficial for all of you and it is Scripturally sound. I believe that is my responsibility and my calling. I have preached and taught for last 30 years at this church but I can confidently say that I gave my whole heart to study the Scripture, understand it and teach what is the best for you.

I hope that our hearts may not be divided because of this issue. I hope that we can all work together, respecting each other.

Peace of Christ

St. Paul said today.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15)

St. Paul said we are all called in the one body. I pray that the peace of Christ may rule in our heart. It shouldn't be anger or hatred that rule in our heart. It has to be the peace of Christ. And it is the peace of Christ that unites us. God clothed us with holy characters.

As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

Compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience – that is what God clothed us with. We should not take off these clothes. When we take off these clothes, anger, hatred, and darkness will flood in and fill our heart with negative emotions. God clothed us with these good qualities so that he may protect us from evil desires.

Even when times are difficult, we should be kind and gentle. We should be always humble. And we should practice our patience. This is what believers do.

Of course, we all fail once in a while. We make mistakes. We sometimes take off clothes God clothed us with. But we should clothe ourselves back again with God's good characters.

Forgive One Another

St. Paul said again.

Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3:13, 14)

He said, forgive each other. When you forgive each other, then reconciliation is possible. If we have the attitude of self-righteousness, reconciliation is not possible. Behind every broken relationship, there is hurt, pain, disappointment, and misunderstanding. We do that to each other many times without really knowing what we are doing. It's not because we want to hurt others intentionally. Sometimes we just do and we don't know that we do. We all need to forgive each other and experience the joy of forgiveness.

I see a lot of broken relationships around me. During this Covid time, I have counselled more people than before. It saddens me. How much they must have gone through during that process.

When we are willing to forgive each other, I believe that our relationships will get better. Forgiveness is something weak people cannot do. Only strong people can forgive. But that doesn't mean that  forgiveness comes from a sense of superiority. The strength that I am talking about is the strength that comes from humility. It is the confidence that comes from the experience of being forgiven yourself. When we experience that forgiveness ourselves, we can forgive others.

That is the kind of forgiveness Jesus showed us. The more you feel indebted, the deeper appreciation you have about the forgiveness you received. With that appreciation, we forgive others too. Isn't that what Jesus taught us in his prayer?

forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Love Above All

Then St. Paul said, clothe ourselves with love above all.

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3:14)

Love binds everything together in perfect harmony. Without love, nothing we do will bring about perfect harmony. When there is love, we will be able to see the perfect harmony.

Jesus came to teach us that love. He practiced that love and lived out that love. By doing that, he showed us what love was. We are his people who know that love. Only that love makes our life perfect.

Love is not easy. Love can be painful. But only love can defeat darkness. When love is gone from us, the beauty of life will be gone. When love is restored, our life will be restored. And joy of life will be restored.

I just reflect on a few things for us to remind ourselves before the new year. Let us take off clothes that have become tainted and old. Let us clothe ourselves with the new clothes. One thing good about knowing Christ is to know that our past cannot define our future.

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)

Become New

In 2021, we have experienced many regrets, pain, and failures. Now we can lay them down before Jesus' feet. In Christ, we can become new.

May God give you a new clothes in the new year. Let us rise again.

St. Paul's last words.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:16, 17)

Let us live like this.

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Luke 1:46-55

Who was Mary?

During this Advent season, I did Advent series on Luke's understanding of Jesus' birth. To Luke, Mary was the central figure in the story of Jesus' birth. Mary was a very interesting person. She was born and grew up in a small town, called Nazareth. Nazareth was so small that it was not even mentioned in the Old Testament. Maybe a few hundred people at most. She was a peasant, poor and very low in her social status.

One day, she had this divine moment. An angel came to her. The Angel's name was Gabriel. The meaning of angel is messenger. The angel gave her the message of God and the message was that she would give birth to a son.

Mary was only a teenager. We have HiC with us today. Can you imagine that you would receive this kind of message? How would you feel? Scared. Won't you be? Of course you would be scared.

It is a good news to all of us. We sing, Joy to the world . But not to Mary. It wasn't a simple good news to her. It was a devastating news. The implication was too horrible to even think about it. If the angel told her that you would have a new land or a new house, then it is obviously a good news. But to a teenage girl, you say you will be pregnant! How can it be a good news? In what way? She resisted too. I don't know a man. How can I be pregnant?

But in the end, after hearing everything the angel said, what Mary said was totally shocking.

Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word. (Luke 1:38)

How could a young girl respond like that? Even Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, could not do that. He was not only an adult but also a priest. He had a wife, Elizabeth, even though they were both old. When the angel told him that his wife would have a baby, he couldn't believe. He had nothing to lose when Mary had everything to lose. There was no devastating consequence for Zechariah and Elizabeth. And they knew very well that their ancestors Abraham and Sarah were in the same situation as they were and they had a baby. But there was no incident of a virgin having a baby. Zechariah would not have been in scandal even if they had a baby. But still he could not accept the message of the same angel.

Yes, Mary was a young peasant girl, but she was not just a young girl. She was a poet. She was a theologian. She was a prophet. And she was a revolutionary.

Magnificat

Today's reading is called Magnificat, Mary's song. She prophesied what the child in her womb would do. She knew exactly what Jesus was about to do.

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53)

That was very similar to what Jesus said before he started his ministry. Jesus quoted what Isaiah said in his prophecy. What Jesus said was all in Mary's song. This was what Jesus quoted.

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 let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. (Luke 4:18, 19)

Mary knew this. Her song was filled with quotations from the Old Testament. Psalms 22, 44, 103 and many others. There is an allusion to Samuel's mother, Hannah's song. In other words, Mary knew the Scripture inside out. She was not just an ordinary farm girl.

Her thinking was revolutionary. All the Israelites were under the oppression of the powerful people, like Roman emperor and Herod the king. They experienced the abuse daily from the powerful people, from the rich people, especially as a poor peasant. She dreamed that someday, God will lift up people like her. She gave this dream speech in her song. God will scatter the proud. God will bring down the powerful. God will send the rich away empty.

It was a revolutionary thinking. No wonder her song was banned being sung or read in India under British rule. Also, in the 1980's, it was banned in Guatemala when the military took over the government and illegally arrested the farmers, tortured them, raped them, and killed them. She was not just an ordinary peasant girl. She was very devoted and her consciousness was fully awakened.

For Good Reason

God did not randomly choose anybody. God chose a very specific person for Jesus' birth. It was not just physical birth that was important. The whole process of accepting the message of God, giving birth, and raising Jesus – The whole process was very spiritual and very difficult. You know what Jesus' birth brought turmoil in the world. You know how the Son of God would suffer and die. Mary saw all that. Mary was at the cross, seeing her son dying like that. Luke records that Mary was there when the early Christians gathered together and prayed after Jesus ascended into heaven. Without her faith, Mary could not have handled all that. This whole thing would not have been possible. God chose Mary specificially, even though it was a very unusual choice. God could have chosen a married woman who would have no problem giving birth and doing this discreetly. It would have been socially much more acceptable. But God didn't. God chose Mary, a specific person, even though the choice was not easy to be carried out and very inconvenient.

God never does things accidentally. God never does things mindlessly. God is different from us. Behind what God does, there is always a good reason. Mary was ready to take on God's calling. Mary was ready to take this impossible task. Mary was willing to take any risk that would come to her.

Indeed, she fulfilled God's purpose for her and for this world.

When she was struggling with this shocking news, the angel told her,

For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

Yes, she did what was impossible.

When Mary had to deal with her impossible situation, she didn't panic. She didn't try to deal with the situation, thinking what would be the best for her. What did she do? She praised God. Her song was her coping mechanism. Try that in your life. When you deal with life situation which is beyond your power, praise God. You will experience the power of praise. That will help you focus on God, not on you and your problems. You will find the wisdom.

What Mary Taught Us

We thank Mary for showing us a good example of how to live. We thank Mary for carrying out what was impossible. We thank Mary for letting God break into our world to save us and liberate us. She was the door through which God broke into the world. She didn't think about what others might think of her. She just focused on God, and God alone. The message Mary wanted to communicate was clear in her song. God will scatter the proud. God will bring down the powerful from their thrones, and lift up the lowly. God will fill the hungry with good things, and send the rich away empty. It seems impossible but God will do it through people like Mary. Let us all be people like Mary.

That is the message she got when she had Jesus in her womb. So that is the Christmas message for all of us. Let us remember this message and live out this message. Let us remember that God lifts up the lowly. God fills the hungry with good things. Let us be the church that takes care of the weak and vulnerable. Let us be mindful of those who are less fortunate than us. Let us be the voice for the voiceless.

Bonhoeffer called the Magnificat

the most passionate, the wildest, one might even say the most revolutionary hymn ever sung.

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Zephanaiah 3:14-20

Joy

Joy is one of the most important qualities that make our life meaningful and worth living. Life is to be enjoyed. How else do you live your life? If there is no joy in life, why do we live? You don't want to just sustain your life, you want to live fully tasting and enjoy the treasure of your life. We may not be able to extend our life span too much. I know, living a healthy life is important. But we won't be able to extend our life span too much. What is important is living our every moment to the fullest with a sense of joy and happiness. How well you live is more important than how long you live.

The quality of life is not just about what you do or what you have. It is about who you are and how you feel about yourself and your life. Are you comfortable with yourself? Do you feel good about your life? What you feel in every moment of your life, that matters.

The Joy of Jesus

Jesus saw people in his time and he was very sad because they weren't very happy. This was what Jesus said.

But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another,

We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

   we wailed, and you did not mourn.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon ; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners! (Matthew 11:16-19)

They couldn't feel anything about their life. They could not dance with those who were happy. They could not weep with those who were sad. Their emotions dried up. They felt numb. They were just filled with a lot of negative emotions. They saw John who neither eat nor drank and they said, He has a demon. They saw Jesus who enjoyed his life eating and drinking and they said that he was a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners. They weren't very happy.

That's not how God wants us to live. God wants us to enjoy our life.

Rejoice or Joy is the word you see everywhere in the Bible. Both in the New Testament and the Old Testament.

Joy is also very much a Christmas theme.

When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, he said,

Do not be afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. (Luke 2:10)

Even unborn John the Baptist leaped with joy in his mother's womb. This was what Elizabeth, John's mother, said.

For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. (Luke 1:44)

When three wise men saw the star, they rejoiced.

When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. (Matthew 2:10)

And of course, you all know the famous phrase from St. Paul.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

Living With Joy

Living with joy is God's desire for all of us. God designed us to live with joy. That's what life is. LIVING WITH JOY. The reason we cannot do it is because we are somehow damaged. Our spirit is damaged. That's why God sent us Jesus Christ. Jesus came to repair us who live with the damaged self and restore our joy. Jesus himself really enjoyed his life. Jesus came to deliver us from things that take away joy from us. Sin, hatred, fights, and wars – They are all around us. Fear, worries, doubts, disappointment – That's what we experience every day. All these things take away joy from us.

Zephaniah spoke to Israelites.

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;

   shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

   O daughter Jerusalem! (Zephaniah 3:14)

The Israelites brought darkness upon them because of their corruption. They followed their own idols, their own desire. They followed their own greed. They didn't pay attention to what God desired, which was justice and love for the weak and the vulnerable. They ignored God's desire.

In the end, all they experienced was unhappiness, fear, and disaster. They felt helpless. They wanted to feel the joy but they didn't know how. It came to a point where they felt condemned.

To these people, Zephaniah proclaimed.

The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, (Zephaniah 3:15)

He also said,

The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. (Zephaniah 3:15)

Yes, we have made many mistakes. We ourselves have brought disaster to our lives. In the process, we have lost the joy of life. We have become filled with guilt, worries, and fear. Even if we want, we cannot go back and fix our life. That's not how life works. We cannot simply undo what has been already done. That's why so many people live with regrets, guilt, and helplessness. I wish that our life so far was a test run and we can now live a real life. But we can't.

But you know what. What we cannot do, God did for us. Zephaniah said that God took away the judgements against us. God gave us a new life, a new chance to start again. A clean slate. We don't need to live with regrets, guilt, and helplessness. We don't need to live feeling condemned.

A New Life

A chance to start a new life. That's what gives us joy. Our past mistakes cannot define our life. They teach us but they don't define us.

When we come to God with humble repentance, God always accepts us, forgives us, and gives us a new chance. We know clearly what took away joy from us. Our selfishness, our greed, our pride, our anger and hatred – these things took away joy from us. We don't want to repeat that kind of life again. We want to live differently and we can.

We want to live life that gives us joy. What gives you joy? When you buy a new clothes, a new car, and a new house? Yes. It gives us a good feeling but a good feeling is not joy that I am talking about. A good feeling does not last.

We are joyful when we know for sure that we can always start a new life. It doesn't matter what path we have walked so far, we can start a new life when we come to God with humble repentance. This new life is not about having more and doing more. It is about enjoying life's beautiful gifts. Family, friends, seeing children playing, delicious food we eat, laughter we share, love we feel, peace we have, a new day every day – these are all beautiful gifts of God. They are the gifts of God that give us joy. In that sense, joy is God's gift. Recognizing the beauty of life and deeply appreciating it revive the joy within us.

God’s Joy

In today's passage, we see God's joy.

The Lord, your God, is in your midst,

   a warrior who gives victory;

he will rejoice over you with gladness,

   he will renew you in his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

When God sees us live with joy, God is more joyful than us. Zephaniah said, he will exult over us with loud singing. The prophet gives us this metaphor of God singing with a loud voice.

We can see the father who receives the prodigal son with open arms.

But the father said to his slaves, Quickly, bring out a robe the best one and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to celebrate But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found. (Luke 15:22-24, 32)

We can see the shepherd who finds the lost sheep and comes home with joy.

Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. (Luke 15:4-6)

God rejoices with us when we find the joy of finding a new life. May the spirit of Christmas restore joy within us. May we experience joy starting a new life. May your every moment be filled with joy.

Christmas is a beginning of a new era. With the birth of Jesus, a new era began. Let us start a new life with joy.

The post New Life With Joy appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Malachi 3:1-4

Faithfulness

Today I would like to reflect on faithfulness.

Faithfulness is a way of life, and it is the best way to live. There is something wonderful about faithfulness, that makes life more beautiful. A faithful person is loyal, committed and unwavering, even and especially when things get very difficult.  Faithfulness brings about deep relationships and community. Faithfulness is enduring.

Faithfulness is the word used very often to describe God throughout the Bible. God is faithful to his people, even when they have turned against God and done wrong. God continually forgives, takes care of, comforts, and pursues his people. God is faithful.

Faithfulness grows out of love. Faithfulness is the steadfast living out of love through any circumstance. That is how people experienced God throughout the Bible. This is how we experience God too, when we look back on our lives with faith. Because of God's steadfast love and faithfulness, we experience salvation.

Jesus was the ultimate example of faithfulness.  Jesus was faithful to God and to loving others.  When he got persecuted, rejected and abandoned; even when he was crucified, Jesus was faithful. Because of Jesus' faithfulness, we are saved.

When we are surrounded by faithful people, we find comfort in it. We feel comfortable, assured and solid. Faithful people bring about trust. Faithful people bless those around them.

Faithful living is how we should live life. It's the most beautiful way to live life.

In This World

But we know that life in this world often lacks this kind of faithfulness. Our own lives lack it.  We live in a world driven not by faithfulness, but by seeking the greatest advantage in each situation.  We are not constant in our commitment, but shift according to the circumstance. We often believe that those who get ahead in life are those who take advantage of each situation and take care of themselves first. Being faithful seems futile or naive.

Living in a faithless world affects us. It makes us more cynical. More jaded. When we see others looking only after their own interests, we too start thinking we should just take care of ourselves first.

Living in such a world affects our faith. God doesn't seem present in this kind of world. Faith seems kind of naive and doesn't make sense.  We can't see how God is faithful, when everyone else is unfaithful. When faithfulness is not present, there is cynicism and cold-heartedness.

Malachi’s Story

This was the situation that Malachi was addressing.  The fathers and grandfathers of his audience were those who had come back to Jerusalem and Judah to rebuild the Temple after living in exile in Babylon for 75 years.  They came back with great hope and expectation of restoring the Temple and the former glory of Israel. But more than a generation had passed since that hopeful return, and the Temple wasn't rebuilt. It still lay in shabby ruins. Not only that, Jerusalem and the land surrounding it remained but a small province of the mighty Persian empire.  They didn't have their own independence or autonomy, let alone any of their former glory. The generation that Malachi spoke to lived in a world in which they were small and insignificant. They were surrounded by a much larger world driven by power. They saw those with power using it for their own advantage. They lived in a world not of faithfulness, but one where everyone looked out after their own interests.

They knew about the God of their ancestors, but that God seemed distant and irrelevant to them. Malachi begins with God's declaration of love, but they question it.

I have loved you, says the Lord. But you say, How have you loved us? (Malachi 1:2)

They were cynical when it came to God. This is what they said:

It is vain to serve God. What do we profit by keeping his command or by going about as mourners before the Lord of hosts? Now we count the arrogant happy; evildoers not only prosper, but when they put God to the test they escape. (Malachi 3:14-15)

In their jadedness, they had no passion for life, and they saw no point in things. When it came to worshipping God, they were half-hearted and faithless.

What a weariness this is, you say, and sniff at me, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. (Malachi 1:13)

Not only with God, but with other people too, they were faithless.

Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors? (Malachi 2:10-11)

They had become a faithless generation. This faithlessness affected their life together. It broke down their sense of community. It eroded warmth and goodwill for one another.  It took away joy and passion for life.

The psalmist describes two kinds of life: one that is faithful, and one that is not. He describes the faithful life like this:

They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. (Psalm 1:3)

Deep Roots

Faithful people are like trees planted by streams of water. They are solid. They yield fruit. Their lives are prosperous. Not necessarily or only materially, but also in relationships, in community, in joy and fullness of life.

Faithful people have deep roots. They are deeply rooted in their relationships with others. They are deeply rooted in their communities. They are deeply rooted wherever they spend their time. They are trusted and trustworthy people who are reliable and dependable. They are there not only in good times, but especially when times are tough.

Faithful people have deep roots because they have cultivated those roots consistently and continuously over a long period of time. Over time, those roots have grown deep and strong. That large tree can no longer easily be shaken, even by mighty winds and storms.

The psalmist describes unfaithful people as chaff. They have no root, but are driven by the wind. If the wind blows one way, they go that way. If the wind blows another way, they go that other way. People who are not faithful cannot be relied upon, because you never know which way they will go from one moment to the next. You can't trust them, because they are not consistent. People who are not faithful have no roots and are swayed by the circumstance or their feelings.

We don't like people like that, and we don't want to be this kind of person, but when we look around us, it's hard not to be. Our whole modern world is centered around personal convenience. Everything is there for my own convenience and pleasure. It's all about what I want and feel like at that moment. If I want to do something now, then I do it. If I don't, then I don't.  If something becomes too difficult or unpleasant, or if we get hurt and disappointed, we can easily walk away. Our freedom has become the freedom to be flaky with our commitments and avoid difficulty. Convenience has become the enemy of faithfulness. The life centred on convenience is like chaff: it has no roots and blows wherever the wind does. Cultivating faithfulness in a world centred on convenience is so difficult.

Bleak Situation

The possibilities for faithful living seemed bleak in Malachi's world. In fact, that bleakness would remain for a long time. Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. He was the last of Israel's prophets. After Malachi, it was like God went silent for about 400 years, until John the Baptist and then Jesus appeared on the scene. For 400 years, people would live in a world marked by faithlessness.

But in the midst of this bleak situation, Malachi spoke the words of today's passage that remain with us today.

For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.  (Malachi 3:2-3)

Malachi is talking of a time when offerings to God will be presented in righteousness. Righteousness is another way of saying faithfulness. Abraham was regarded as righteous because of his faith in God and his faithfulness in trusting God. Jesus was the Righteous One because of his faithfulness to God. The present may have been a time of faithlessness, but there would be a time when people were faithful. For Malachi, God will be pleased when we become faithful people.

Malachi compares the process of becoming faithful to a refiner's fire. There's a story about a group of women who studied this very passage. Out of curiosity, one of the women decided to go to a silversmith to observe the refining process. She observed the silversmith holding the silver right in the middle of burning flames. He told her that the only way to purify silver was to hold it in the middle of the fire so that all the impurities are burned away. Remembering that it was God who did the refining in the verse, she asked the silversmith if it was important for him to stay there the entire time the silver was being refined, or if he could walk away and come back later. The silversmith told her that he not only had to stay there, he had to keep his eyes on the silver every second, because if it was left in the flames even a moment too long, it would be damaged. Intrigued, the woman ask...

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Early Christians

I am very curious about what the early Christians were like. What did they feel? What really opened their eyes to see their life in a radically new way? What did they discover that they didn't know before? What gave them the strength to go on in spite of all those persecutions?

For example, what changed St. Paul and gave him this conviction? He was fine as he was as a faithful Jew. He had all the privileges he could enjoy in his life. He had enough money. He had enough clout. He was well accepted and respected. He was a good man, as good as any human beings could be before God. He even boldly said that he was blameless as to goodness under the law. What changed him? What made him so excited about his new life and Jesus that he would give his life for?

I was thinking about it. I think it is LOVE. He discovered love. God he knew, before Jesus Christ, was God of law. He knew God who gave commandments. But Jesus taught him that the greatest commandment of all was love. He knew God of fear. But through Jesus Christ, he discovered the God of love.

St Paul

What we read today is Paul's concluding prayer for the church in Thessalonica. The first Thessalonians is the earliest letter of St. Paul and it is the earliest document of all New Testament books. So if you order the New Testament by the order of what was written first, it would have been before Matthew. So, we can read Paul's earliest thought.

There he said this.

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

Love was what St. Paul found and everything else became secondary. He heard Jesus' message correctly. Because Jesus said loving God and loving your neighbour is the greatest commandment.

That was exactly what he said.

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

He said all these important things like understanding of all mysteries and all knowledge, prophetic powers, even faith that removes mountains, the sacrifice of all your possessions, even of your life, they are nothing if there is no love. He said love is the greatest thing. That was what he discovered. Love made all the difference for Paul. God's love was what made salvation possible. God's love defeated the power of darkness and the power of death. God's love was what made everything alive and connected us to God in inseparable unity.

He said,

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

He said, I am convinced It came to him as conviction. It was what he discovered. This discovery came to him so powerfully that it became the core of what he believed. God's love made us inseparable from God.

Discovery of God's love is the greatest discovery. It is hard to see love because we experience so many things that are not love. They blind our eyes from seeing love. Rejection, alienation, hatred, failures, self-condemnation, judgement, and abuses. These things blind our eyes and so we cannot see love. We live in darkness. We live condemned. We live in loneliness.

Love in its Purest form

We need to DISCOVER LOVE. When we discover love in its purest form, that is God. That's why John said,

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, FOR GOD IS LOVE. (1 John 4:7, 8)

Jesus' death on the cross describes the unfathomable love of God for us. There is no greater love than that, Jesus said.

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. (John 15:12, 13)

Once we discover this love, we get enormous energy and strength. It is the strength that overcomes our fear. That was what propelled the early Christians. That was what propelled St. Paul.

Why do we live powerlessly? Why do we have no passion and no energy? Because we live in fear. We don't live in love but in fear. The word that is opposite of love is not hatred. It is fear.

That's why John said,

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. (1 John 4:18)

Advent

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent means in Latin. We are waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus. Jesus came to love us. Jesus brought love to us.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

What we are waiting for is love. What we are celebrating is love. What makes this church Christian church is love. What makes us Christians is love.

We are all sinners. We have lots of faults. St. Paul misunderstood about himself. He thought he was good. But he was not. That was what he discovered. Only when he saw his faults, he was able to discover God's love that covered his sins. St. Peter experienced the same thing. He thought he was a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. He said he would follow him to death. But when he denied Jesus three times, he realized he was not only weak but he was wicked.

So he said,

Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

Yes, love covers a multitude of sins. Pride will not get rid of sins. It may help you hide it but will not help you get rid of it. Only when we discover God's love, our sins will be blotted out. We need to let down our pride and, in that place, we should put love. When we let down our pride and fill that place with love, we will experience our burdens being lifted up. We will experience true holiness.

That was what St. Paul said right after asking the Lord to make them increase and abound in love.

And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)

Love makes us blameless. During this Christmas season, let us discover love. Let us focus on love. Let us experience how much God loves us. And let us discover love by practicing love to the people around us. That love will make us holy.

The post Discover Love appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

2 Samuel 23:1-7

Leadership

Leadership is very important in our lives. It doesn't matter what we do, we are all leaders. Leadership is not limited to certain people who have important positions. Leadership is needed for everyone. If you are a parent, you need leadership over your children. At work, you need leadership. We also need leadership over our life. We cannot let our life be influenced helplessly by our external circumstances. To live a good life, we need to have good leadership over our life.

You don't need to be perfect to be a good leader. Leaders have shortcomings too. No one is perfect and flawless. Trying to be perfect may be even hindrance to good leadership. You can be easily discouraged. Or you may try to become somebody you are not. Trying to emulate a certain leader will not make you a good leader. Everyone is unique and therefore every leadership is unique.

Leaders don't have to be always at the forefront and take control. Leaders don't have to be always assertive and demanding. Leaders don't need to have a domineering, take-charge charismatic personality. Each person's unique individuality will shape that person's unique leadership. Leadership is about who you are. You don't have to be somebody you are not to be a good leader. We need to be faithful to who we are to be a good leader.

But that does not mean that we get stuck in being who we are. God accepts us as we are but God does not leave us there. God always challenges us, changes us, and transforms us. So, being a good leader is not just being who we are. It starts from there but it does not end there.

Acceptance

Accepting who I am means to have courage to become who I can be. Accepting who I am means to go beyond our weaknesses and shortcomings. Accepting who I am means I am ready to deal with my own weaknesses and shortcomings. Accepting who I am means to have CONFIDENCE in who I am in spite of my weaknesses.

This confidence is a very important quality in leadership. And this confidence does not come from us but it comes from God. King David had this confidence. That was David's characteristic. He had confidence in himself not because he trusted his own abilities but he trusted God. He was by no means perfect and yet his imperfection did not let him down because he knew that God was with him.

He wanted to build a temple for God but God did not let him build a temple for God. And David knew why. This was what he said.

David said to Solomon, My son, I had planned to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood in my sight on the earth. (1 Chronicles 22:7, 8)

Was David angry because of that? Was David discouraged? Did he doubt about himself? No. He knew his own weaknesses and shortcomings. But he never doubted God's love for him. He knew why God did not want him to build the temple for him. But he didn't stop there. He prepared everything so that his son, Solomon could build the temple for God. Solomon's temple was beautiful. Historically in Israel, there were three temples and Solomon's temple was the most beautiful one.

David knew his own weaknesses and shortcomings but they did not let him down. He was not stuck in his weaknesses. He didn't doubt about himself. He believed in God. He believed in God who accepted him with all his weaknesses. He believed in God who loved him unconditionally. That's why he didn't shrink in spite of his shortcomings.

What we read today is David's last words. After many experiences of his life, this was what he said as a conclusion of his life. We all need to have our last words. What will be your last words that summarize your life?

David said,

For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. Will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? (2 Samuel 23:5)

David trusted in God and his promise. That was how he overcame his weaknesses. His weaknesses could not paralyze him anymore. He was confident in spite of his weaknesses.

Being Comfortable

In leadership, having confidence is crucial. Once we lose confidence, we lose everything. David was so confident that he didn't need people's approval. His family had prejudice against him. When Samuel came to the house of David, he was looking for a candidate for a king. Jesse didn't even show David to Samuel. He told him to go and take care of the sheep while he and his sons were doing an important business with Samuel. That didn't bother David. He had the inner confidence. Even when he encountered Goliath, a much more powerful man than himself, he wasn't scared. He had confidence. This was what he said.

But David said to the Philistine, You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (1 Samuel 17:45)

When we have this kind of confidence, we will be very COMFORTABLE with ourselves. When you are comfortable with yourself, you can make others comfortable. Not many people are comfortable with themselves. They live out their insecurity. The way our insecurity expresses itself is very different from person to person. Some people pretend to be strong. Some people become timid. Some people become overly critical. Some people become very sensitive. These are all different faces of our insecurity. But confident people are comfortable with themselves, even with their weaknesses.

Being comfortable with yourself does not mean you become cocky. When your confidence comes from your own skills and experiences, you may become conceited. It wasn't like that with David. He always lived with the fear of God.

David said,

One who rules over people justly, ruling in the fear of God is like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land. (2 Samuel 23:3, 4)

He was always mindful of God's justice. Doing what was good and just for others was important to him. Even though Saul was trying to kill David because of his jealousy, David did not retaliate against him. He did not want to hurt somebody whom God anointed as the king. He wanted to do what was good for Saul and also for Israel. He believed God's justice. He wanted to do God's justice not his personal revenge. Ultimately, he saw God's justice and also God's goodness.

Spiritual leadership is the leadership of justice for all. We need leaders who care for others. That is what the spiritual leadership is all about.

In Our Lives

Today we are ordaining 4 elders. God has chosen you to be leaders of this congregation. All of you felt inadequate and hesitated. But you have overcome your own reluctance and responded to God's call. Thank you for that. We pray that God provide you with strength and wisdom. Have confidence in God not just your ability. God will guide you and show you the way. As David's life was blessed, our life will be like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning.

The post Be Confident appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Hebrews 10:19-25

Worship

I want to talk about worship today. Worship is the most important thing for Christians. Since it is important, we do it every week. Many of you are very faithful to attending the worship service every week because it is very important to you.

I believe that making worship as the priority of your life is the wisdom. When we make the worship at the centre of our lives, everything else will fall into its place. We will find a balance in life. We will find order in life.

We are creatures we confess. We did not create ourselves. God created us. Then it is a right thing to do for creatures to worship the creator. That is the natural order. So, making worship at the centre of our lives is to find the order in our lives. When your life is chaotic, when you are not sure where your life is going, don't panic. Come back to the heart of worship and make worship as priority of your life again. You will find the order in your life.

Worship is not what you do only on Sunday at the church. Worship is not about what you do. Worship is the mode of our existence. Worship is our life. What does it mean to have religion? It means you give your whole life. That is what religion is. When people say, Oh I do that religiously what does this mean? It means you give your whole thing. That's what religion is. Worship is not limited by time and space. That was what Jesus taught the Samaritan woman.

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4: 23, 24)

God is spirit and the spirit is not limited by space and time. True worship is not about WHERE AND WHEN you worship. True worship starts from here, the heart. The worship begins not at 12; it begins when your heart is ready.

The Right Heart

That does not mean what we do on Sunday is not important. It is important but behind what we do, there has to be a right heart. What is the right heart, I was thinking. It is a heart of HUMBLE GRATITUDE. That is the heart of worship. We are all sinners and we are not even worthy to call God's name and worship him. And yet Jesus cleansed our sins and purified us. That's why we can enter the sanctuary with confidence. That was what the Hebrew writer said in today's passage.

since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19, 22)

We have evil thoughts and selfish desire. But God purified us by forgiving us. That is why we have humble gratitude, and with the humble gratitude, we worship God. That is what true worship is. God does not accept what we do for him. God accepts our brokenness. That's what God sees.

Proskuneo

In Greek, the word worship is proskuneo. Pros = Towards Kuneo = Kiss

You can see an image of a person approaching Jesus, kneeling down and kissing his feet.

This was exactly the image of a woman in Luke.

She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. (Luke 7:38)

That is the image of worship. We see an attitude of humble gratitude. We see her brokenness. In worship there has to be an ABUNDANT SENSE OF GRATITUDE for God's overflowing grace.

When we look at our lives, we can only confess, O Lord, it is your grace and nothing else. I am who I am by your grace. My life that I enjoy now is because of your grace. When we see the grace of God working in our lives, our heart is then ready to worship God. Then everything that we do becomes worshipful. Our praise, our prayers, receiving God's words, our offering we do all these things in a worshipful manner.

When we see the fullness of the grace of God working in our lives, our worship will not be limited on Sunday at this place. Wherever we are, that place and time will become a place and a time for worship. How much more meaningful your worship will be when you get together with sisters and brothers at the same time and the same place and worship God. It is good to worship God alone. But when we do it together, it is much more powerful.

Seeking God

Worship is not a spiritual entertainment where you just feel good. Worship is not just to observe. It is seeking God.

When you seek God with humble gratitude, you will find God because God will reveal himself to those who seek.

That was what the prophet Jeremiah said.

Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord (Jeremiah 29:12-14)

So seeking is important. Seeking with humble gratitude. Worship is not observing; worship is seeking.

Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, when St. Augustine was converted, said this prayer

O God, teach me to seek you, and reveal yourself to me when I seek you. For I cannot seek you unless you first teach me, nor find you unless you first reveal yourself to me. Let me see you in longing and long for you in seeking. Let me find you in love, and love you in finding.

God reveals himself to those who seek him. If you seek God with humble gratitude, you will meet God. That's what happens in the worship.

Cleansing happens. Purification happens. We feel the divine presence. We find our true self. That was what happened to Isaiah. He was in the temple and encountered the divine presence. When he encountered the divine presence, this was what he said.

And I said: Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts! (Isaiah 6:5)

After finding himself, healing came.

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

True Worship

That's what happens in the true worship. When we seek God with humble gratitude, we find our true self and we experience God's healing. Then we find our calling for life.

We change through the worship. We become free through the worship. We become strong through the worship. We find life's calling through the worship.

Worship is not for our benefits. It is only for God. And yet, as the result of worship, we change. We become blessed. There will be healing – Deep healing. People will become transformed. Their eyes will open.

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