Sermons

Scripture Readings:

Isaiah 49:1-7 &
1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 42: 1-9 & Acts 10:34-43

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 63:7-9 & Matthew 2:19-23

Scripture Reading:

Luke 2: 8–20

Scripture Readings: Romans 1:1–7 & Matthew 1:18–25)

Scripture Readings: Isaiah 35:1–10 & Matthew 11:2-11)

Scripture Readings: Isaiah 11:1–10 & Matthew 3:1-12)

27th November 2022 (Advent 1) Title: Stay Awake   (Scripture Reading: Isaiah 2:1–5 & Matthew 24:36–44)                                                                                        By Heeyoung Lim God’s ultimate plan is for all people to live in peace, worship him, and enjoy his holy presence. God leads us to learn to obey his ways. Isaiah and Micah both used the same call to worship from the Jerusalem temple to speak to God’s people. This would mean that God used the temple hymnody as a source for his inspired word. Praise the Lord for this season of Advent. The prophetic hope is that God’s word will become the world’s weapon. People will learn to live according to God’s ways. They will obey his teachings. Nations will come to Jerusalem, because they are attracted to Jerusalem by the God who lives there and the wisdom he gives there. They no longer have to fight to settle their differences. In Jerusalem, God will be the great mediator who will settle all human disputes without battle or military weapons. In Isaiah 2:3, many people shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountains of the Lord and worship in his temple.” However, this worship is not limited to the temple but shines forth in everyday life as people walk in the light of God’s word. As in verse 4, they will pound their swords and their spears into rakes and shovels; they will never make war or attack one another.  People should not dominate the world through military power. God wants them peace instead of battle. They could become the hope for the world if they obeyed God’s word, walked where He led them, and showed the world God’s way of life. Christ is our hope, and we are waiting for His coming. May we walk in the light of the Lord and become hope that shine the light of Christ. World peace depends on God’s actions and on our obedience to His words. War is not God’s plan for His people. In 2023, may we learn God’s ways and word more and work in God’s ways for peace in the world. May we Invite people of all races and nations and generations to join us in worshiping God. How wonderful it is to have so many good people in our church, and how glad we are that we learn many things from each other. However, everywhere we go temptation reaches out to our lives in the chaos and darkness of the world. Whenever we try to come closer to God, turning to Scripture and praying to God are necessary.  Today’s text reminds us that our only hope rests in God and what he does, not in us and what we do. All the work we do to live or help often brings worry and long hours of effort. What do we want in our lives?  The word Isaiah used was shalom which means peace, wholeness, fulfillment. We all need shalom, but we cannot achieve it by ourselves. May we accept it as God’s gift to us and praise Him for such a wonderful gift. Devotion to God and worshipping God bring His peace through God’s unexpected and hidden ways. May we find ourselves resting in God’s peace rather than resting on our achievements or something else. May we ask God to deliver us from self-centred life to the life of worship and peace that only he can give in the light of the Lord. Jesus’ disciples were equipped to know his return by the signs. The Messiah is certain to come, but we cannot know when he will come. This detail belonged to God. The fact that the time of Christ’s second coming is unknown motivates Jesus’ disciples to be ready for his return. The uncertain timing is a challenge and opportunity to his followers at the same time. Today’s gospel reading is also a warning to those who claim to know the time of Christ’s return. Such claims have been made for centuries, but the Messiah has still not come. If there are those who insist on the exact time of the second coming, they are all deceivers. In the Bible, many people ignored prophesies to God’s people to be obedient and Jesus’ teaching to believers to be always ready. The sinful people of that day were unprepared for God’s judgment. Their worldly lifestyle would have gone on without interruption if God had not brought the Flood. The people did not believe God’s words up to the day Noah entered the ark. They observed Noah and his sons building the ark and did not believe Noah’s testimony concerning God’s anger at their sin and the coming judgment. They did not recognize the warning until it was too late because they remained stubborn and ignorant. In verse 40 and 41, Jesus gave two examples of the two men working in the field and the two women grinding grain at the mill from the contemporary lifestyle of his day. The message contains that everyone needs to listen to these warnings. One of each pair was prepared because he or she listened to Jesus’ teachings, had watched for the signs, and had remained obedient. The other in each pair was unprepared because he or she ignored Jesus’ teaching and not lived according to His word. The message is, be prepared. Those who listen to Jesus’ warnings and watch for the signs would be saved. Those who ignore them would find sudden judgment before they could realize what and why was happening. History is filled with many horrible things, but we must be careful not to assume that these things mean the end is near. May we be discerning of false teachers whenever they convince and deceive believers.

20th November 2022  (Christ the King Sunday) Title: Reign of Christ  (Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 23:1–6 & Luke 23:33–43)                                                                                    By Heeyoung Lim Grace and peace to you all. Today is Christ the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday. It brings us full circle in the liturgical year. It means Today is the last Sunday of the church calendar. Next week, we will begin again in Advent, preparing for the birth of the Christ child. In today’s texts, Jeremiah indicts leaders for not only failing to gather the people but scattering them. However, there is a message of hope in Jeremiah 23. The Lord promises to choose leaders who will care for scattered people like real shepherds. He declares that He will place new shepherds who will lead in accordance with God’s heart. He continues to declare that God’s people will no longer be afraid or terrified, not will any be missing. As in Jeremiah 23, the people scattered by the wrongdoing of their leaders will be brought back under the oversight of God as Shepherd. In Jeremiah, the term “shepherd” means “king”, and the prophet Jeremiah refers to God as a shepherd. God will gather the scattered sheep from exile and provide a new ruler according to God’s plan. In verse 6, The Lord says, “As long as he is king, Israel will have peace and Judah will live in safety.” The name of this king will be called, “The Lord our Righteous Saviour.” The king will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.  God’s promise does not stop at bringing back the scattered ones and putting in place new leaders who will serve the people. This is beyond the past or present; it is a word of restoration that looks forward to the future and belongs to God. Today’s text takes us from what humans have messed up to what God is able to accomplish. The promise of God comes even in our tough times. God’s word of promise re-creates the people’s trust in God. His word is the word of hope and restoration. Jeremiah 23 speaks as to both what God will do in the future and to what God is doing here and now. It is accomplished through the Servant-King and Good Shepherd Jesus. We are able to see Jeremiah’s expectations for a righteous king here, and the king cares for all the people as a good shepherd. May we live with the Lord as our king and model what Micah’s call “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Christ is our king.  As our world struggles with war, famine, heat wave, flood, bushfire, and many kinds of tragedies, how do we consider our call to live as God’s people? We long for God’s abundance and blessings in our lives, but we are suffering from something unexpected or difficult. What are our responses to the underlying issues of poverty, health, hunger, violence, and power? How do we get in on God’s restorative justice? The reign of Christ is the reign of peace. Living under Christ’s reign means we are called to model Christ’s example to love God and neighbour. We are also called to work toward justice and God’s restoration for all people. In Luke, while the religious leaders worked to destroy life, Jesus worked to save it. As Jesus prayed for forgiveness, the Roman soldiers mocked Jesus, took his clothes and casted lots for them. We can see that the word Psalm 22:18 was fulfilled in this act. God knew his Son would die, suffering for the sins of the world (Isa. 53). The crowd and soldiers continued mocking and testing until Jesus died on the cross. Jesus’ chosen disciples had fled the area in fear while He was on the cross. He watched those who mocked him and crucified him and asked the Father to forgive them. (v. 34) Jesus is shown asking God’s forgiveness for his persecutors. He poured out grace on those who executed him. Jesus’ forgiveness and grace broke through darkness, ridicule, and even death, showing that he is the King of peace and love. In Luke 22, the people gathered and called for Jesus’ crucifixion. In today’s text, they became bystanders and part of the audience even in front of Jesus’ death. (35) In addition, they challenged Jesus to prove his kingship and to save himself. However, Jesus refused to save himself, he provided salvation for the world. Jesus was not the political messiah people wanted; He was the suffering Servant Messiah who saved others by dying on the cross with life giving love.  “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom” (v. 42) The repentant thief wanted to be remembered when Jesus entered his kingdom. The thief did not have to wait even one day, because Jesus’ response was immediate. He did not know all the truth about Jesus, but he had faith to ask to be part of what Jesus was up to. His faith and confession just before his death secured him a place with Jesus. He would be part of Jesus’ kingdom in paradise. Jesus did nothing to deserve a criminal’s death, but He died on the cross so that we might be part of his kingdom. Jesus showed compassion and grace even on the cross. Salvation and eternal life are God’s gifts given through Jesus who died on the cross. Christ’s promise to the thief extends to all who believe in him. When we acknowledge our sin and seek his salvation, Jesus responds with a word for today. May we experience life in Christ’s kingdom today by believing in him. Living word of Christ will lead us in all circumstances and let us

13th November 2022 (Pentecost 23 & Remembrance Day)  Title: God is creating with His infinite possibilities (Scripture Readings: Isaiah 65:17–25 & Luke 21:5–9)                                                                                      By Heeyoung Lim  Today’s text invites us toward the Reign of Christ and Advent when we prepare to welcome the Messiah who came to us to embody God’s creating work and saving love and the infinite possibilities of “new heavens and new earth”. As we move toward the end of the church year, we long a renewed world healed by God’s love and justice for all people and all Creation. Most scholars believe Isaiah 65:17–25 was written after the people of Judah returned from exile in Babylon. Their return was not as triumphant as they had hoped. Their homeland was destroyed and had to be rebuilt with so many risks. The prophet speaks to those facing the task of rebuilding Jerusalem. He speaks God’s word of hope that God will not remember Israel’s disobedience. The word remember in scripture means bringing a past event into the present with all costs. Just as God will not bring past transgressions into the present, the people are called to leave behind the fear and anguish of exile and embrace God’s infinite possibilities of “new heavens and a new earth” (v. 17).  As in verse 18, God is creating “new heavens and a new earth.” May we be glad and rejoice forever in what God is creating. The new creation would differ greatly from the old one, being dominated by joy instead of sadness. The joy would be shared by God and by people. In God’s new creation, sadness will vanish, and weeping will be replaced by joy and peace. God’s people are participants in this new Creation. This new Creation is described as a place where God’s people will live and enjoy meaningful lives in a close relationship with God. These messages reverse situations of human distress and difficulties and speak a word of God’s ultimate Justice and infinite love to all who have suffered. God’s living words influence our daily lives, and His people participate in this new Creation. The work of creation involves human participation now and in the future. Each of God’s faithful people would enjoy the works of their hands. Even though Isaiah 11:18 declares that on God’s “holy mountain” the serpent and humankind will live in harmony, here the prophet suggests that God is limiting His creature from the beginning of this new Creation. In Genesis 3:14, the serpent is “cursed” for its part in the disobedience of Adam and Eve, but in this region of the Middle East, serpents were symbols of wisdom and fertility. What signs do we observe of “new heavens and new earth” in our lives?  What does it mean to live into this vision and help shape it?  In today’s text, labour would be rewarded, every newborn would escape the sudden disaster, and curses would disappear. Every generation would be blessed by God. God’s people find joy in signs of God’s new creation. May we find joy as a new creation in Christ.  In the time of Jesus, the Jews praised the beauty and wonder of their temple. They depended on fortresses for protection, or they were interested in beautiful architecture. Herod had built and decorated the temple with a huge amount of white marble stones and silver and gold gates and doors. However, Jesus said, “The time is coming when not one of them will be left in place. He repeated his warning that the temple would be completely destroyed, and Jesus’ followers asked when this would happen. They wanted to know what signs would warn them.  Jesus was not the only one who promised signs for the future. In those times, many teachers insisted on having more knowledge than Jesus did, and false messiahs wanted people to follow them as God’s Messiah. Deceivers will always try to gain glory and power by pointing to false signs of the last times. Jesus who called people to “follow me” but now says, “Do not follow them.” The one we should follow is Jesus. In the following words, there are many signs Jesus mentioned, and they take place before Christ returns. Every generation has its wars or signs, but those are not the end, and they take place before the end comes. Christ has given us the signs so that we can pray and get ready for His second coming and the kingdom of God. In verse 18 and 19, Jesus promised that we will be saved by faith, and we will win life if we stand firm. May we lean on Jesus in all circumstances rather than depending on worldly values for protection from the sinful world. Christ will return in glory, and he expects His people to be ready for His return. May we pray that God will give us strength and protection in the fears, uncertainty, and chaos we are experiencing. We do not know when Christ will come again, but signs of the times will help us realize the end is near so we can prepare for Jesus’ return. May we be alert to what is happening and be prepared to stand firm as a faithful and true follower. I believe that God gives us strength and protection for our daily lives and the last days.  Luke 21:5–19 offers a vision, with enough trouble, loss, and sadness to make the strongest person shake with fear. When the gospel of Luke was written, the temple and Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Romans. God, loving and mighty creator, speaks His word into our weary world and makes all things new. May we live in the harmony God makes and leads. We are called to live