Sermons

17th April 2022 (Easter Sunday) Title: Christ is Risen! (John 20:1–18 & Acts 10:34–43)                                                                                   By Heeyoung Lim Christ is risen! There are stories of people who died being restored to life in the Bible. In each case, the one who died lived again, but still faced death. The Resurrection we celebrate at Easter is testimony to Jesus the Christ who died, was raised, and will not die again. Acts 10:34–43 tells us about Peter’s witness to the God revealed in Christ. The gospel is universal, and God does not show favouritism. He invites people from every nation to trust in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation. The gospel makes salvation in Jesus available to anyone who believes in Him. Five times in Acts the apostles speak of witnessing the resurrection. People killed Jesus, but God raised him and showed his risen Son in public to certain chosen witnesses. This risen Lord sent Peter and disciples to testify that Jesus is God’s appointed judge of the living and the dead. Peter proclaimed that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name. This gospel of salvation was not a one-time event; rather God declared that whosoever may come and that will be the very essence of the gospel. In three other gospels, Mary Magdalene is accompanied by other women to the tomb. In John’s gospel 20, one woman alone comes to the tomb where the body of Jesus is. Mary comes while it is still “dark.” The time of Mary’s arrival may also be seen to mirror both the darkness of her despair and the depth of confusion. “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him”. (13) She grieves and weeps due to the disappearance of his body. We can feel the hurt and longing in a woman who loved a lost beloved.  Mary Magdalene goes alone to the tomb. In the first 11 verses, “tomb” occurs nine times. The scene is a place of death. From verse 12 on, the tomb is not mentioned. An empty tomb is replaced with the Risen Jesus. Peter and the disciple “whom Jesus loved” go to the tomb after hearing Mary’s witness. The minute the beloved disciple hears Mary’s news, he jumps up to see what has happened, arriving at the tomb before Peter. His actions seem perfectly understandable as he always represents the most appropriate way to respond to Jesus and stayed with Jesus all the way to the bitter end.  Peter’s reaction to Mary’s news about an open tomb was instant running to the tomb. We may make some guesses for this. Perhaps guilt motivates Peter to run out the door so that he can say he is sorry for denying Jesus after boasting about his loyalty, for not being present at the cross, for running away from the suffering moment. Or maybe Peter felt a hopeful curiosity. The empty tomb found by the disciples is a place with potential meaning not yet understood but Risen Christ will transform the disciples who run to it. Two disciples have raced to the tomb with curiosity or hope, but Mary has come to pay grief and homage to one she loved. The disciples see nothing within but empty wrappings and the leaves of one who left, but she sees not only the emptiness but the angels who give a message of Jesus’ presence when she looks in. Peter and John believed Mary’s word that someone had taken Jesus, but they returned home without staying outside the tomb unlike Mary. They found strips of linen and reacted with hesitation and uncertainty. Belief in resurrection does not come from an empty tomb itself, it comes in a restored relationship. When it comes to spiritual truth, may we be prepared to believe what we have not seen. I hope that we can know the difference between noticing something in God’s Word and perceiving it.  Mary remains at the tomb, outside. When she looks inside the tomb, grave clothes do not grab her attention. The tomb is no longer empty! There are “two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet”. When they ask her why she is crying, she persists in her assumption that a heist has occurred. Mary backs out of the tomb, turns around, and encounters a human figure. She thinks it is the “gardener”, but He is Risen Christ. Her assumption was wrong, but she went to the tomb, turned around from where she was, and finally encountered Risen Christ. In Christ, going, turning around, and encountering are necessary in our lives.  Jesus calls her by name: “Mary!” Now she is face to face with Jesus. We remember that when Jesus was teaching in Jerusalem before his death, he said, “I am the good shepherd,” who “calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (10:11). They follow him because they “know his voice” (10:4). Jesus called Mary by name for her to recognize Him. Jesus asks Mary, “Whom are you looking for?” Mary meets Risen Christ with great joy, and Jesus tells her to go to the others with a message. (17) Mary spreads the gospel, “I have seen the Lord!” Mary is the first witness to the Resurrection and an apostle as “one sent forth”. Mary was sent by the Risen Christ. The surprise of resurrection prepares disciples for surprising witnesses. Our story and experience in faith cannot be anchored in the past. Risen Christ calls her by name to announce to the disciples and by extension to all who would believe a new creation, resurrection, and an unimaginable future. The good news that she reports

15th April 2022 (Good Friday Service) Title: Jesus Dying on the Cross (Scripture Readings: John 19:17-30)                                                                                   By Heeyoung Lim Many of us have experienced a dying family, friend or relative. Many in our congregation are acquainted with grief. Today’s text brings our congregation together as we stand at the foot of the cross, suffer with our Saviour and friend Jesus, and see him draw his last breath. It is an opportunity to share the experience and to get strength from one another.  None of us would have done what Judas did. Betrayed Jesus? We can say “No”. Have we ever pushed someone in a similar way because of our own impatience and greed? Is there anything of Judas in us? None of us would have done what Peter did. He promised to follow Jesus to the grave and then denied him because a servant girl asked a question. Who knows what we would really do under the circumstances? Have you ever imagined Peter who sat in that chilly courtyard denying Jesus? Is there anything of Peter in us? None of us would have done what Caiaphas did. Have we never weighed a difficult situation and then chosen the lesser of two evils?  None of us would have done what Pilate did. He shuttled back and forth between Jesus and his accusers, hoping for an easy answer, and escaping responsibilities. How many times have we listened to the wrong voice when we knew what to do, just because the right thing was neither the easy thing nor the popular thing? None of us would have done what the chief priests did. They shouted out, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Then again, have we never been part of an angry crowd?  None of us would have done what the soldiers did. They mocked Jesus, dressed him in purple, and put a crown of thorns on his head. None of us would have nailed him to a cross, or gambled for his clothes, or pierced his side. Then again, good soldiers do what they are told to do. They are commended for it. Sometimes innocent people die because of that kind of wrongdoing.  None of us would have done what Mary did, would we? Stood there at the foot of the cross and watched a son’s life drain away? Or risked our lives like the disciple Jesus loved, by standing there with her? Some of us have watched as loved ones drew their last breath, painful as it was. Some of us have stayed by the bedside in that last hour. It is not hard to imagine the one who is dying saying to other family members, “Take good care of Mom.” Eventually we can say our good-byes. Jesus also needed to say goodbye to his mother on the cross. The real meaning of this story is that Jesus was caring for his mother and thus fulfilling the Old Testament commandment to “honour your father and your mother”. (Exod. 20:12) Though this is the first of the “seven last words” recorded by John, it is in fact a third in the recognized seven words. 1. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34) 2. “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43) 3. “Dear woman, here is your son” . . . “Here is your mother” (John 19:26-27) 4. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) 5. “I am thirsty” (John 19:28) 6. “It is finished” (John 19:30) 7. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46) “Dear woman, here is your son” & “Here is your mother” (26-27) Looking down Jesus said, “Woman, here is your son.” It means, “I am no longer your son. But then he said to the beloved disciple, “Here is your mother.” “Mother, I’m giving you a new son. Son, I’m giving you a new mother.” Jesus was forming a new family on the cross. Jesus said to His disciples before He completed His mission on earth. “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you,”  Jesus tells us on the cross at His moment of deepest grief, Jesus is calling us to live as if strangers are our brothers and sisters. Church is where we are gathered with first time strangers in Jesus’ name and called to look after brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus was telling His disciples about a new family on the cross and He wanted us to love and look after each other as a whole new church family.  Our families are a wonderful source of love and grace for us, but sometimes tragic stuff happens in our families. Mary suffered from the most painful moment watching her son of the cross. We may also see our suffering family members in our lives. May our suffering family and neighbours be recovered in the love of God. I hope we can remember that we have a new family in Christ looking after each other. Today is Good Friday. Are we standing at the foot of the cross? Maybe this is where we need to stand. We are not betraying Jesus, not denying him, not judging him, not condemning him, not rejecting him, not mocking him, not cursing him, and not killing him, but we are standing at the foot of the cross with others who love Jesus. May we put our arms around each other for comfort and strength. There are three last words of Jesus in John’s Gospel: “Woman, here is your son.” “[Son], here is your mother” (26); “I am thirsty” (28); and “It is finished” (30). John’s is the only Gospel that has

  10th April 2022 (Palm/Passion Sunday) Title: Jesus Rules by Serving (Scripture Readings: Luke 19:28–40 & Philippians 2:5–11) By Heeyoung Lim Lent has been a long journey. Now the long shadow of the cross and the footsteps of Jesus find us waiting at the gates of Jerusalem. Today is Palm Sunday, and the Passion Week will begin. Our journey is still not complete, and there is a deeper journey still to make. The greatest story is still to be told. Come let us gather at the gates of the triumphal entry praising Jesus. Today’s gospel reading recalls a triumphal entry into Jerusalem followed by suffering and death. But Jesus is not a passive victim. He acts with trust and obedience. Jesus speaks truth to those who wield violence and death and extends grace to sinners. He reveals self-sacrificial love even on the cross. Jesus has told them, “His identity and salvation will be revealed as the form of betrayal, death, and resurrection.” (Luke 9). He enters Jerusalem riding on the back of a donkey as in Zechariah 9:9; “Your king comes to you…humble and riding on a donkey” It was the messianic promise from the Old Testament. In Luke 19, the king sent two of his disciples on a mission: “Find a donkey that has never been ridden before and bring it to me. If you face questions, just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” So, the disciples brought the donkey to Jesus, threw their robes on it as a saddle, and set Jesus on it. In Korea, a Christian musician has described the donkey that carried Jesus on Palm Sunday in one of his songs. The lyrics go as follows; “Lord, I want to be that happy donkey. Untie me, O Lord, who is bound to worldly greed, to many sins and to my own self. Untie me, O Lord, and let me serve You. Let me live carrying You on my back, so that the world sees You rather than me. Lord, I want to be that happy donkey.” Do you want to be a happy donkey serving the Lord? The gospel tells us that people spread their cloaks on the road and crowds of disciples shout triumphantly because of the deeds of power they have witnessed along their journey with Jesus. The disciples also spread their robes on the street, signifying a royal procession. The crowd of disciples, indicating a group beyond the Twelve, joined the procession, praising God for all the miraculous signs Jesus had given. Those who followed Jesus into Jerusalem were living under the destructive power of the Roman empire. They praised Jesus with joy despite of all its risks and uncertainty because their hope is not in the temporary power of Rome, but rather in the endless, eternal power of God revealed in the life of Jesus. They praised Jesus as king, citing Psalm 118:26. Finally, Jesus’ glory was openly recognized. He came as God’s chosen king and showed that the hopes of Israel are being fulfilled. However, the crowds and the disciples were not ready for Jesus’ cross. Luke 19:38 saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” Jesus is the eternal king, the promised Messiah, who comes in the name of the Lord. They praised Jesus, but the religious leaders came to crucify Jesus, not to praise Him. They asked Jesus to silence the disciples. Jesus quoted Habakkuk 2:11 and replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” If human voices were silent, nature would shout its praise. This is the moment for Jesus to receive praise. The king has come to save us. May we praise the Lord together in our daily life rather than just Sundays. In accordance with today’s text, Jesus is the expected messianic king who came to bring peace. God has sent the messianic king to bring peace that only heaven can establish and that cannot be denied on earth. The multitude’s praise and joy suddenly turn to great sorrow when Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, because even though the multitude sings of peace and glory in heaven, it fails to recognize the price of true peace. Jesus is their peace and the peace of the world, not any peace, but the peace that only He can give, and that peace cannot be found apart from the journey of cross. May we confess Jesus as king of our life and of the universe. God’s holiness and justice made the cross an absolute necessity. Events at the crucifixion happened as they did so “the scripture might be fulfilled” (v. 24). No fewer than twenty Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled within twenty-four hours at the time of our Lord’s death. Jesus fulfills what the prophets have said, and His acts and the events in his life fulfill what he has said. Kings serve by ruling, but Jesus rules by serving, even to the point of suffering and death. In Mark 10:45, speaking of Christ, declares: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The example of Jesus’ humility and service is well expressed in Philippians 2. Jesus is the supreme example of humility, love, and selflessness. When believers are united with Christ, they can have the same attitude of humility as Christ. Paul expresses the same thought in Ephesians 4:2: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Today’s text invites us to share this humble, selfless mindset of Christ in our lives. Jesus was willing to leave his high position in heaven temporarily and to give himself over to serving our needs. Although he set aside the rights and privileges of being God to save people, he remained God. (6) Jesus made himself nothing or emptied himself. (7) Jesus chose not to use some of his divine attributes during the

3rd April 2022 (Lent 5) Title: Gracious Ministries for the Lord (Scripture Readings: John 12:1–8 & Philippians 3:4–14)                                                                                   By Heeyoung Lim All four gospels tell a story of a woman anointing Jesus, but only John names this woman. Along with Mark and Matthew, John sets the scene in Bethany. The place is the site of the conspiracy of Jesus’ death, the place where Mary prepared for the Lord’s death through expensive perfume and devotion, and the place where the Lord was later ascended into heaven. When Jesus arrived at Bethany, a banquet was held for Jesus. It was a feast prepared by Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Lazarus died a while ago and was in a state of rotting, but now he is alive and having a lively feast. This scene shows that there is no need to despair over death. On the other hand, Jesus does not away from such a feast as He is approaching His Passion. His power to overcome death and be resurrected makes us not despair. John began with the story of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. He tells us we have come to the last week of the Lord’s life before the cross. John has spent nearly half of his Gospel narrative on events of that crisis-filled week. Through the John’s gospel we will see our Lord facing several crises such as crises of values, confrontation, timing, and faith.  In Luke 10:38–42, Jesus contrasts Mary’s doing of the “needful thing” with Martha’s distraction over her tasks. Along with Luke, John associates the woman’s action with an extravagant act of hospitality. However, Mary anointed Jesus while Martha served. The Greek verb translated as “served” means ministering. Service and ministry for the Lord have been done by both Mary and Martha here. Jesus is graciously ministered to by the actions of both women.  Mary was pointed out by Martha in Luke’s gospel and by Judas in John’s gospel. Pouring that expensive perfume on Jesus would have been difficult for others to empathize with. Judas immediately criticized sharply, but Jesus recognized Mary’s heart.  In John, as Mary generously anoints him, Jesus tells her critics, “Leave her alone.” & “You will not always have me.” Here is Jesus’ clear defence of this woman, and she was no longer attacked by others. Deuteronomy 15:11 commands care for the poor. Justice is a critical tradition Jesus inherits from his Jewish culture. John 12:8 does not reject that tradition, rather a central theme in John’s gospel is what “time” it is. It can be expressed as an approaching hour. Verse 8 contains Jesus’ assertion that Mary’s action was timely since His time draws short. The inevitable hour had come. John makes clear the market value of the nard of 300 denarii, and it is roughly equivalent to the yearly wage for a day labourer. But there are other values than the market. The opportune moment to minister to Jesus leads Mary to move outside of still-valued traditions and censure. It aims to engage in this highly relational and devotional act. What Mary does in ministering to Jesus is a gracious act and ministry beyond all else services and a path to prepare for Jesus’ cross. Mary who sat at the Lord’s feet did needful things for herself listening to the word of the Lord, but now, Mary, at the feet of Jesus, anoints for the Lord. And at the feet of Jesus, and at the table where He eats, Mary and Martha both minister to Jesus. God has had grace and given his Son Jesus on the cross for our sin, raised Jesus, declared us righteous and justified, adopted us as His children, and promised us resurrection and eternal life. The human part in all this, in faith, is to accept what God has done. There is abundance wherever He is present. Who are the recipients and providers of gracious ministries? We expect God’s new and gracious actions in our lives. We continue to hope and pray for God’s restorative grace. Paul personalizes the priority given to a relationship with Christ that empowers ministry. As for Paul, the things of the world are viewed as rubbish in comparison to gaining Christ. His eyes were on Christ. All that matters is his relationship with Christ. What had formerly been Paul’s sources of pride gives way to Paul’s source of hope. Everything now hinges on an ever-deepening relationship with the risen Christ. The Damascus Road experience transformed him. This changed Paul’s aim in life. He wanted to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. To know Christ meant much more relational and depth than just knowing about Him in his mind. To know Christ in this way meant he was ready to share in Christ’s sufferings, even if that meant sharing his death. His goal is to win the prize for which God had called him in Christ Jesus. This is the driving force that moves him forward through his gracious ministries in Christ. Paul’s longing to share with Christ comes through strongly in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” We have not attained completion as a Christian but press on toward maturity in Christ. He had not “arrived.” Not yet mature, he was still very much in the race of the Christian life. He had to deal with his sinful body and was aware of the need for further spiritual growth. He is willing to press on as he had not attained the intense knowledge of Christ that he desired and had not become all that Christ wanted him to be. A fact of the Christian life is that the more we mature the more we realize

27th March 2022 (Lent 4) Title: Welcoming Grace & Lost and Found (Scripture Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:16–21 & Luke 15:1–3, 11b–32)                                                                                   By Heeyoung Lim Jesus had described heaven as a banquet for the poor, crippled, blind, and lame. He had told the rich banquet hosts to invite such people to their feasts, not seeking repayment. Such people wanted to hear more and to see what Jesus would do for them. Meanwhile, the religious experts also maintained their watch, hoping to trap Jesus. Chapter 15 begins with a complaint made by the religious leaders regarding Jesus’ willingness to welcome and eat with sinners. Jesus attracts sinners who need salvation, but religious leaders are too self-righteous to associate with sinners. Jesus associated with sinners because he knew they recognized their need of salvation and would respond, bringing joy to heaven. God and His people pay attention to the lost or sinners, seeking to find the lost and bringing them to Jesus. God waits patiently and lovingly for people to return to Him. Sinners followed Jesus eagerly. Self-righteous religious leaders constantly blamed Jesus for having fellowship with such sinners. Finally, Jesus told three stories to show what it means to be lost and how a loving Father waits for the sinner to come home and be saved. God’s love restores sinners to the right relationship with Him. In today’s text, Jesus turned to the family setting for his concluding parable to illustrate why he associated sinners. A younger son demanded his share of the estate and got it. There is no indication of why he wanted it or why the father so quickly gave it to him. The younger brother’s portion was only a third of the estate if the entire estate were divided. By law, the older brother got a double portion (Deut. 21:17).  The younger son wanted to be on his own. He distanced himself as far as possible from the family. He also took up a new lifestyle. Untrained in money matters, he quickly had many expenses and no income. The result came quickly, then a famine hit the land. No one had food or work. He found a job and fed pigs in a pigpen, but he was starving. “And I am about to die from hunger,” he said. “I will go back to Daddy and tell him I have sinned against him and against heaven.” After his mind went to work again, he could quit his riotous living and come home. No longer are we using animals or objects to talk about the lost. People are lost here.  In verse 20, focus shifts from son to father. Son is on the move, and his father is still standing and waiting to see his son. It is certainly not given that a sinner will repent. However, the son had repented and returned. What would fill the father’s heart? The old legs started churning, arms stretched out, and lips reached for a kiss. The family conflict was over and forgotten. Even in the joyful welcome, he repeated the plea he had rehearsed. However, now it is a special party time! The son must be properly dressed for the party. Servants dashed off as they were commissioned to get the best robe, a ring, and sandals. Other servants ran to the kitchen to prepare the menu the father ordered. How could the father act like this? Did he not know what the son had done? He was lost, and the lost sheep is back. Certainly, a lost and found son is worth much more than a coin or a sheep. This is one of the pictures of the Father in heaven. He does celebrate when the lost are found and when sinners repent. We can feel the compassion and love he shows. Why does Jesus associate with sinners? Because heaven loves them and waits patiently for them to return and repent so the celebration can begin. While the younger son is welcomed by the father who had waited for him through anxious days and months, he is discarded by his older brother in a jealous rage. His older brother who had spent his time working and being dutiful says to his father, “this son of yours”, but the father responds, “this brother of yours.” Life and faith are not about just doing the right thing but about being in relationships that are real, good, and capable of bearing hurt and being put back together again. There was reconciliation, love, and restoration between the father and the lost son. It is a call for warm hearts and deep emotions, and an insight into the passion of God. Everything has become new in the love of God.  “Listen a minute, my beloved son,” his father replied. “You are with me forever. I can count on you. Everything I now have will go to you. Your younger brother was dead, but now he is alive right here with us. Come celebrate with heaven.” The father invites him to the joyful party, but the elder brother does not respond.  In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul’s ministry was compelled by the display of Christ’s love on the cross. Paul had been united to Christ in his death and resurrection, and thus had been inwardly renewed and regenerated. The apostle truly was a new creation. In this changed state, he began to look at people differently. He saw believers as new creations in Christ and unbelievers as people in need of Christ. This dramatic change was a work of God in his heart.  He repeated the Greek terms for “reconcile” and “reconciliation” five times throughout today’s text. Reconciliation is the establishment of harmony and peace between enemies. People are reconciled when mutual love binds them together. God

20th March 2022 (Lent 3) Title: Open Invitation & One More Chance (Scripture Readings: Isaiah 55:1-9 & Luke 13:1-9)                                                                                   By Heeyoung Lim In Isaiah 55, God calls people to return to Him and find comfort, peace, and compassion in his eternal covenant of blessing. The fruit God’s word produces is the fruit He plans. People cannot put conditions on God’s word and make him act the way they think. They must be willing to be a part of His plan. (6) The goodness of God invites all to its feast, opens hearts to reconciliation, gives healing, and brings second chances. Do we feel its grace, seek healing, and turn to God with deep belonging? Both the book of Isaiah and the Season of Lent are about journeys. Loss of home and temple to a powerful army and being carried into exile had devastated Israel’s faith. Isaiah offers the hope of a journey home to Jerusalem for the exiles in Babylon. Lent recalls the journey made by Jesus and the disciples to Jerusalem and the cross. Both journeys rely on radical trust in God. Both Isaiah and Luke anticipate a new thing that will be done by God and bring deliverance.  The wisdom tradition in Judaism focuses on ways to live that open a person to the goodness of God. God’s grace provides the foundation for that wisdom. Thus, Isaiah 55 depicts such wisdom in the image of a feast that is free to all who seek its goodness. Today’s text testifies key elements of God’s character. God is generous and gracious. The invitation to this table and its gifts is open to all and without cost. God is near and does not hide from us. Verse 6 assures us that the Holy One can be found, but God remains mysterious. God’s love, mercy, and grace far exceed our ability to imagine and control. We are called to the feast of such gracious relationships. The expectation of our response in faith to such an invitation is revealed in the imperative verbs of this text: Listen. Come. See. Seek. Forsake. Return. The free and open invitation to God’s grace beckons us to these responses, which do not earn the grace offered, but rather live out its call. This theme of call and response also links Isaiah once more with Lent. For Christian discipleship also consists of trust: trust that embraces God’s graces and is lived out in the actions of our lives. In Isaiah, as in the gospels, God makes the first move. The invitation to table, to journey, and to trust is offered freely. Today’s readings invite us to listen and seek, to come and see, to forsake and return. God promises a restoration and renewal beyond our previous condition. While we may not be able to see the possibility or understand the way, God’s word will accomplish its purpose. In accordance with today’s gospel reading, dedication to God’s mission begins with repentance from sin for every person. In Luke 13:2-3, In commenting on the death of the Galileans in the temple and the eighteen people at Siloam, Jesus raises the connection between sin and suffering. “Is this punishment for sin? Do persecution and death prove the victim to be a greater sinner than those who do not suffer?” In 13:4-5, “when eighteen people died in an accident on the tower there, were these the worst sinners in Jerusalem, punished for their horrible sin?” Jesus clearly rejects that suffering is a punishment for sin. He tells them, “Of course not!” Jesus firmly refutes any suggestion that the victims were being punished. When their interpretation about two disasters was entirely wrong, Jesus did not want them to create a hierarchy of sin and make others greater sinners than ourselves. Everyone has sinned, and all deserve to die, but Jesus’ invitation for salvation is open to all people. The expressions for sin in verse 2 and 4 differ in their native meaning. One means that we have done something that has been off target, while the other means that we have not done what we all owe. In one sense we are all in debt to life. We came into it at the peril of someone else’ s life, and we would never have survived without the care of those who loved us. Jesus called on his followers for total dedication, and he demonstrated this to them in Jerusalem.  In 13:6-9, the warning concludes with a parable about a fig tree given one last year to be productive. A man went out to his vineyard to get figs to eat. He found a tree but no figs. Three years looking for figs on the tree, but never any figs. “Cut it down. It’s taking up valuable space and soil. Plant something productive there.” Jesus himself could be seen as the vineyard-owner. He has been coming to the Lord’s garden, seeking the fruit through his ministry. Maybe Jesus is the gardener too, the servant who is now trying to dig around and put on manure, to inject life and health into the old plant before everything is over. “One more chance, please,” begged the man who kept the vineyard and had come to love his trees. “Let me try everything possible for this one year. If we have no success, then you can cut it down.” Luke 13:1–9 focuses on Jesus’ call to return to God. That call itself trusts God will be open to such turning and be gracious in response. The patience of the gardener in the passage’s closing parable speaks to the character of God’s goodness. Such goodness is revealed not only in attitude, but also in action.  God’s grace takes form in God’s actions. During the Season of Lent,

6th March 2022 (Lent1) Title: Relying on Scripture & Experiencing Jesus (Scripture Readings: Romans 10:8-13 & Luke 4:1-13) By Heeyoung Lim Romans 10:8 tells us, “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.” Verses 9-11 deal with the word of faith. The word of faith is a message which is a compressed summary of the gospel. It is the message that a person must receive to become a Christian. What the heart believes, the mouth confesses. If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. We often think of the heart as the seat of emotions, but it refers to the “seat physical, spiritual, and mental life” (Danker); in short, the whole, integrated self. Verse 12 claims there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, but there are many people who put exclusive clauses into their faith and life. Verse 13 tells us that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Anyone who believes and confesses Christ can be saved. The gospel must be sent and proclaimed for people to be saved. “All” are included; “no one” is excluded. No one is hopeless. If one confesses, believes, and trusts, one can be transformed by a spiritual renewal. Paul announces that the transforming word of salvation is near us, even in us (8). Verses 12 -13 declare that if we call upon the Lord, we will be saved from our sin. If, with our entire beings, we confess and believe, we will no longer be shamed by the residue of our sin, but rather will be enlivened, forgiven, renewed, and enriched. Furthermore, the whole world is invited to join in being raised from the ashes of sin into the radiant presence of God. God’s grace is more persistent than obstinacy and disobedience. To experience God’s saving presence, we must believe in our hearts and confess with our lips. A bounty of spiritual giftsaccompanies God’s presence. All this is of God as an act of grace. In Luke 4:1–13, when we meet Jesus in the wilderness, we find ourselves in the desert and learn from Jesus’ experience whom to trust. In such wilderness places we can choose whom to serve and equip with God’s word. May we choose wisely in Christ and equip with His word. After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness. There Satan tempted Him to reject the Father’s plan for his ministry. Jesus passed earthly testing by the devil triumphing over Satan’s 1 temptations. His first stop was the desert, a place of isolation and desolation. Jesus followed the Spirit in faith. The stay proved long and arduous, forty days without family, friends, fellowship, or food. Only a devil ventured into the desert with Jesus. Jesus faced the tempting adversary for 40 days with no physical resources. He had to depend on spiritual strength. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit, but he was hungry for food. The first test was about serving ourselves, the second test was about serving the devil, and the third test was about making God serve us. The devil’s challenges to Jesus are not to do bad things. The first, to turn a stone into a loaf of bread, would relieve his hunger after the long fast. Bread is good, but not sufficient to do Jesus’ mission. Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.” All Jesus’ answers start “It is written or said.” He said to the devil’s second test, “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.” However, the devil used God’s word at the third test, and it starts “It is written.” Satan just twisted God’s word, omitted some part of Psalm 91, and used it differently. Jesus answered to the devil’s twisted word, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Jesus showed that worship belongs to God and overcame that crisis with the Word of God and the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Before the temptations, Jesus fasted to devote to God’s work and His presence rather than devote time to satisfying His personal needs. Ministry and devotion took top priority over physical hunger and self- satisfaction. Jesus’ time in the wilderness is a time of testing. Facing the devil is certainly the time to face God as intensely as possible at the same time. Israel wandered forty years in the wilderness and disobeyed God, but Jesus stayed forty days in the wilderness in complete obedience to God. Verse 13 tells us, “When the devil had finished all this temptation, he left him until an opportune time.” When it comes to demon timing, Satan is not constantly on the job with us. He comes and goes. He strikes when we are most vulnerable. Then he goes on to other pursuits. However, the devil’s continued temptation is fruitless against a person who has been strengthened by previous rejections of temptation. The devil tempts all of God’s people, but Scripture is the best weapon against temptation. God wants to give them experience in relying on Scripture and experiencing Him rather than on human qualifications, methods, and abilities. 2 Jesus’ responses show His faithfulness to God and set the stage for His ministry and sacrifice. His obedience accompanies persecution, misunderstanding, and the cross. Many followers of Jesus wanted Him to free Israel, to restore an earthly kingdom marked by honour and glory. It would have required Him to say no to the salvation and love for people that are the marks of his death and resurrection. To say yes to God, the cross and suffering were required to Jesus. However, Jesus is not separated from God’s love, and the Holy Spirit fills Him, even in the moment of encounter with the devil. The Holy Spirit was with Jesus all the way from the trial period in the wilderness to

27th February 2022 (Transfiguration of Jesus) Title: Listen to Him (Scripture Readings: Exodus 34:29–35 & Luke 9:28–36)                                                                                   By Heeyoung Lim Moses obeyed God’s command to climb the mountain, where he would receive further directions from God. Once there, the Lord came down in the cloud, passed by Moses, and proclaimed His name, the LORD. God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. While God wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets, Moses kept his place. Moses did not eat bread or drink water for a long time to receive God’s word, but God filled his body and mind with His word. As he descended from the mountain, his face glowed. No doubt Moses gained encouragement just speaking with God face-to-face. But Moses was much more encouraged when he confirmed that God is personal rather than impersonal like false deities of surrounding nations. Moses’ new discovery about God he served has been updated through God’s words and encounter with Him. Equipped with this new discovery of the knowledge of God, Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. Moses wanted to go forth with the presence of the covenant God, who demonstrated His love by forgiving their sins and chose them as his inheritance. Moses felt God’s presence. Moses’ face shines with the reflected glory of God after receiving the Ten Commandments. He wears a veil when he delivers the commandments to the people of Israel because this radiance frightens them. Moses’ direct encounter with Yahweh caused his face to become radiant, and the people withdrew from him in fear. But Moses calmed them and did put on a veil when he spoke with them after being in God’s presence.  But when he entered God’s presence, he did not have a veil. He experienced God’s glory without a veil, and the beholding of God’s glory became a glorious privilege that new believers would enjoy. May we be blessed people who spend time with God, seek God’s presence, and see and enjoy God’s glory. As a theologian Karl Barth reminds us, “the one who makes us radiant. We ourselves cannot put on bright faces. But neither can we prevent them from shining. Looking up to him, our faces shine.” The glow comes from time alone with God. Moses and the people were able to change from fear and misunderstanding to acceptance and cooperation through God’s word.  In Christ, may we reform our spiritual life through communication and willingness to change. I believe that it will encourage trust and enable ways of being accountable to the Holy One and to one another. Just as God was at work in leading Israel through the wilderness after the exodus, God is present in and working through Jesus. Jesus took his three closest followers with him up a mountain. Peter, John, and James witness Jesus’ transfiguration on a mountaintop. Jesus turned aside to pray and taught prayer by example. As Jesus is praying, Moses and the prophet Elijah appear with him. While he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. (29) As Jesus was transformed, he was joined by Moses and Elijah, also in great splendour. This is a vibrant revelation of God’s power in Christ. God’s glory and light shine in Jesus’ transfiguration. The disciples almost missed the greatest moment of revelation in Jesus’ earthly ministry prior to the cross. While Moses and Elijah appear at the mountaintop, Peter, John, and James find themselves overwhelmed with sleep. Eventually, they awoke and saw clearly that Jesus belonged in the company of the two. Peter suggests that they build three booths, one each for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Luke notes that Peter suggested but really did not understand its full point. Commitment to Jesus is not to build a sacred place. It is related to a mission that never lets a follower remain in one place. It is not about building tabernacles; it is about following Jesus to the cross. As Peter is speaking, a fog covers them. The transfiguration ends as the disciples hear the divine voice from the cloud. A cloud led the disciples away from the Mount of Transfiguration and to Mount Calvary. The cloud enclosed the disciples so they could no longer see the glory but could be assured that God was present among them. They are terrified when a voice from the cloud announces that Jesus is the chosen one and commands the disciples to listen to Him. (35) When the fog lifts, Jesus is alone again with the disciples.  How are we hearing God’s powerful and comforting message into foggy and confusing times? How can we “listen to Him” and invite others to do the same? What do we hear in these foggy times? They saw His glory, and Jesus had said he would return in glory. Later he would enter his glory after his suffering on the cross. This is glory that belongs to the heavenly realm.  Thus, the three disciples got a preview of the reigning King before He fully entered his glory. Jesus completes God’s plan of redemption and salvation by being the suffering servant. To do this, Jesus had to face the cross rather than seek the throne his followers expected. God’s presence offers us a glimpse of the resurrection promise. What was spoken to Jesus at the river of baptism is now proclaimed on the mountaintop of transfiguration, “This is my Son, the Chosen; listen to Him. What voices do we need to block out if we are to listen to the Son? To what voices should we listen instead? What about the voices of those in trouble or distress, voices that

20th February 2022 (Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany) Title: Living and Loving as Disciples (Scripture Readings: Genesis 45:3–11, 15 & Luke 6:27–38)                                                                                   By Heeyoung Lim The urgent pleas by Judah on behalf of Benjamin and his father caused Joseph to move on emotionally. Joseph said to them, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living? I am the one you sold into Egypt.” In an act filled with great emotion, Joseph finally reveals his identity to his brothers. Joseph wanted his brothers to know who he was. His brothers were terrified at his presence because of their brutal treatment of him. However, Joseph said nothing about his treatment by his brothers twenty-two years before.  Joseph reframes their experience by seeing the God of liberation at work. He realized that it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of them. He stated four times that God was behind the events of his life. Joseph also revealed to his brothers the knowledge he had that the present famine would last for another five years.  Joseph believed that God had overruled their evil plan to guarantee that the family of Israel would survive. He urged them to bring their father Jacob back with them and to make plans to live in Egypt. Joseph embraced first his brother Benjamin and then all the brothers, kissed and wept over his brothers as he offered mercy to reset their relationship. Afterward his brothers talked with him, and Joseph explained his unbelievable journey of the last twenty-two years. Joseph sets himself and his brothers free with forgiveness and mercy refusing to be imprisoned by hatred and bitterness. He chooses to live by different standards, values, an alternative way of being. Joseph knew people well enough to realize that there is a difference between repentance and remorse. He exercised great patience and discernment with his brothers. But once he knew their heart, he revealed himself and experienced a joyful reconciliation. Believing God’s Word will come true can help us be patient with the circumstances of life. I believe that reconciliation is possible when people are willing to confess, forgive, and be forgiven in Christ. May we experience a joyful reconciliation in our relationships and communities. God has a plan for all of us as He had special plans for Joseph and His people.  Jesus also has plans and recipes for the disciple’s life. In Luke 6, Jesus’ words call for much more than silent endurance waiting for eternal reward. Jesus invites His disciples to repay hate with love, cursing with blessing, and exclusion with intercessory prayer. Most people have their own family and close friends, and they naturally love them. However, Jesus leads us not to pick whom to love and invites to love everyone. In addition, He tells us to do good to everyone, even the worst enemy who has put us in the persecuted, impoverished condition we are in. Jesus teaches disciples that it’s not enough to love what is easy to love. Love for others, especially those who oppose us is life’s guiding principle in accordance with today’s text.  Verse 35 says, “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” These words are given to the disciples, not for the general crowd, and it seems to be difficult to put into practice. However, Jesus continually leads His followers to greater depths of compassion and higher visions of love and inclusion. God expects from us good fruit that is shown in obedience to Him and love for others. May we love every person and receive great reward from God.  We must move forward deeper, higher, wider and love as God loves as a gift freely given, regardless of the worthiness or response. As in verse 36, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” is a call to see and reflect our own vulnerability and mutual need for forgiveness, healing, and restoration. He pushes us to move to the next stage of spiritual maturity. Even in our vulnerability, we find holiness together. Holiness can be described as wholeness God has created and allowed, and it needs to accompany divine love. Jesus relates to the wisdom of the day and interprets God’s command-ments for His time. Jesus understood scripture developmentally. Jesus’ words on the Plain set high standards, but Jesus is not asking us to be perfect on our own. Sometimes the path to holiness, the way to offer mercy, is not by what we do but by what we do not do.  As we strive to grow into the people God imagines us to be, as we follow the commandments and the way of Jesus, let us remember that what we will become is more beautiful than what we can imagine because it is God who has created us. We should not be arrogant, but we must not limit ourselves when God is keeping and leading us in His way at the same time. May we be more merciful and holy in God’s image. How many enemies do we have in our lives? How many people insulted or mistreated people’s lives without reasons? Of course, we must fight against evil in our society with the power and wisdom that God gives us and try to let God’s justice flow into this land we are in. However, our desires for mission and social justice should be based on our faith and love. We do not need to focus on other’s misbehaves or our painful situations we face.  In today’s text, the question is not how they are behaving but how much we are loving. I hope

13th February 2022 (Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany) Title: Jesus’ Blessings and A Great Reward (Scripture Readings: Jeremiah 17:5–10 & Luke 6:17–26) By Heeyoung Lim In Jeremiah 17 verses 5–8, the prophet declares that trust in God distinguishes those who are truly pious and happy from those who are not. Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. The pious frequently do not enjoy discernible reward on the earth, for the priority they place on God. The challenge of this text is to make it resonate with hearers who may be living faithful but still difficult lives. The last two verses of this passage deal with the human heart and piety. The prophet emphasizes that the roots of sin are deeper than bad actions. Sin is a matter of the heart, and the human heart is often worse than we are willing to fathom. Sin is a heartfelt turn from God, just as piety is an equally heartfelt turn to God. The importance of the heart is a prominent theme in the book of Jeremiah. According to Edwards, godliness in the heart has as direct a relation to practice, as a fountain has to a stream, or as the luminous nature of the sun has to beams sent forth, or as a life has to breathing, or the beating of the pulse, or any other vital act. Christian practice or a holy life is a great and distinguishing sign of true and saving grace. Some people too easily excuse bad actions. However, this passage tells that our actions reflect our loyalties and loves perhaps more than we would like to admit. Today’s text tells us, “I the LORD test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.” Are we ready for God to test our minds and search our hearts? How do we hear this on the personal level and in terms of our faith? There are the unfinished parts of ourselves. At times we are all tempted or tested. It was God’s word that called Jeremiah back to the reality of his world when Jeremiah was tempted regarding a life without worries and challenges. We all get called back to face the reality of our world and our need to be honest about ourselves. Jeremiah’s vision meant accepting the challenges of change, with faith ortrust in the God who sees deep within our hearts. May we remember not only God’s love in Christ Jesus, but the message that God searches our hearts. If God searches the heart, it means God is with us. The God who would test the heart was not to be feared, but only to be trusted. In times 1 of great change and transition, though, it is not always easy to remain faithful. In Luke 6:12-16, Jesus goes up a mountain to pray and stays all night. The next morning, he calls the disciples together and chooses twelve to be apostles. The healing begins immediately, evil spirits come out of people, and Jesus’ word brings healing. The power of Jesus must not be overlooked, but even Jesus prayed before the selection of disciples and His ministries on the earth. Prayer should precede all of life’s decisions. May we pray every day and especially before every decision we face. In verses 17-26, as Jesus and His disciples come down the mountain, a great number of healing-seeking crowds are waiting for Jesus because they want to hear Jesus’ word and be healed of their diseases. In this group, there are other disciples, Jews and Gentiles come from all over the regions. Jesus turns to the disciples and says, “Blessed are you.” Jesus used the word ‘you’ in each statement because the crowds at that time were individuals living in difficult circumstances. The phrase “blessed are” (NRSV) is translated in other Bible versions as “God will bless,” “Happy are,” and “You’re blessed when.” “Blessed” does not simply describe a state of happiness. Rather, it refers in a theological sense to ones standing before God. Likewise, the woes, though not as sharp as the pronouncements against the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23, are prophetic. Luke’s use of such warnings indicates that he was familiar with adding a prophetic challenge, as compared to Matthew 5 spiritualized words of comfort. Today’s text identifies the characteristics of God’s kingdom members who receive God’s blessing. His blessings rest on the poor, the hungry, those who mourn, those who are persecuted. While Matthew 5 has eight or nine Beatitudes, Luke 6 has four blessings and followed by four woes. The poor are contrasted with the rich, the hungry are contrasted with the full, the weeping are contrasted with the laughing, and the hated and marginalized are contrasted with venerated false prophets. The unhappy poor possess the kingdom of God. The hungry will find satisfaction. Jesus will create new conditions and give laughter for those who weep. Even when loyalty to Jesus may bring persecution and suffering in the world, may we be happy in Christ and jump for joy in heaven. Jesus turned human need into human contentment. 2 Jesus’ message to those who would follow as disciples is one of amazing promise. For many in that crowd, these words may have seemed full of justice and mercy. For others, they may have seemed a harsh judgment, because Jesus speaks of the great reversal of human understanding that we encounter in the reign of God. In verse 23, Jesus said to His disciples and people, “Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven.” It means a present reward in “heaven” as understood in the reversal of the social, economic, and political conditions of the poor, hungry, downcast, and marginalized. Yet for Luke, these beatitudes and woes are not to be interpreted as a type of endorsement of suffering and persecution for the sake of a heavenly