Sermons

6th February 2022 (Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany) Title: Jesus’ call for Faith and Obedience (Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1–8 & Luke 5:1–11)                                                                                    By Heeyoung Lim In difficult circumstances, a young man Isaiah went to worship, saw the Lord, and had his life changed forever. God’s ministers called Seraphs are serving him and they are literally the “burning ones”. They appear only here in the Old Testament as members of God’s court. They covered their faces so they would not see the holiness of God. The prophet Isaiah stood in the divine council but identified himself with his people on earth who were unclean. Isaiah confessed that I am a man of unclean lips and dwell in the midst of a people’s sinfulness, and God accepted the prophet’s confession. (5). In today’s text, God took away his guilt and atoned for his sin, and the heat and holiness joined to prepare him to use those lips as God’s messenger. Isaiah was accepted to stand in God’s presence. When he heard God’s question, “Who will go for us?”, he volunteered, “Here am I. Send me!” Many people do not listen and cannot understand what God is saying, but God remains faithful and declares His word through His people. God called his prophet to confront a faithless king and declare judgment for the present but hope for the future. God’s people are called, cleansed, and commissioned. God calls people to be a part of His mission. God wants people to volunteer to go where he wants to send them. May we be able to respond to the voice of God calling like “Here am I. Send me!” God comes to us through Scripture and Christ. Isaiah’s experience shows both the unapproachable glory of God and how we might access God’s glory. God’s grace is achieved through not by the striving of God’s witnesses but by divine power, in the promise of renewal and the restoration at God’s appointed time. God’s promise can be expressed as holy seed, it will be blossomed and fruitful in faith. Even in our very incompetent to do what God asked, may we completely respond to God and mirror to the world in Christ. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus had witnessed their lives before calling disciples to a ministry of witness. Jesus’ eyes cuts through the din of pressing crowds and the lives and labours of common people. Jesus’ power also transforms the lives of those who hear and obey. Prior to Jesus’ call to Simon, James, and John, Jesus’ word brought the people to the lakeshore. His recent healing of the possessed man in Capernaum amazed the people and His reputation had spread rapidly and widely. When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” These are clearly hard words for Simon to hear after an unproductive night of fishing. Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Simon submits to the request as an act of obedience, and this tangible sign of obedience leads to miraculous results. God’s living word calls, pulls, and pushes people out. Simon and James and John could hardly believe their unexpected abundant catch through Jesus’ word from deep and empty waters. They were amazed and yet afraid. The word came to them and captured them. They left boats and nets and followed Jesus. Jesus’ living word cuts through our daily life with the gift of grace and freedom that enables one to leave old way to follow Jesus.  A sense of expectation accompanies Jesus’ command to set out the nets again. In accordance with some biblical commentaries, several types of fishing nets were used in those times, depending on conditions. The net Jesus tells them to let down is a trammel net, commonly used in night-time fishing. It was the wrong type to use in daytime, as its web could be easily avoided by the fish and would be visible to the fish in the daytime. Simon knows this; however, the fishers follow Jesus’ command. He simply says, “But at your word I will let down the nets.” Even when Jesus wanted them to do extra work in different means they never experienced before, they obeyed Jesus’ words and followed Him rather than arguing or showing off. The miraculous catch of fish that fishermen could not do with their skills was unexpected, and the means of catching was also different with tradition. Jesus responds with both assurance and commission. He said to His disciples, “do not be afraid” and “you will be catching people”. Jesus invites Simon and the others to join with Him in proclaiming the reign of God. Jesus has revealed his power through his teaching, his miracles, and his calling of disciples to follow him in his mission.  We are called to cast a net of God’s way of love, justice, and peace and gather all people into abundant life and God’s work. How do we respond to Jesus? May we expect to find Jesus at work revealing Himself in the midst of human need. Jesus is the source of all power. Let Him be the power source in every area of life. Jesus’ divine power and authority give us reason to follow Him in the new ways which human tradition cannot do.  Jesus’ power is much bigger than what we know and how we have always done it. Jesus invites Simon to cast those nets that he had just finished cleaning once more. Jesus’ call and word take us to much bigger place than our capabilities and our comfort zones through our faith and obedience. Do we still stay where we’re comfortable? God will

30th January 2022 (Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany) Title: Unless Motivated by Love (Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 1:4–10 & 1 Corinthians 13:1–13)                                                                                    By Heeyoung Lim According to Jeremiah 1:5, God had been at work in the life of Jeremiah before he was born. God formed him, knew him, set him apart, and appointed him to a particular service. God is involved in the forming and shaping of the people. God created Jeremiah to be a prophet or spokesman for Him.  However, Jeremiah protested that he was not able to speak, but he also felt that he was too young. He did not volunteer for God’s calling, but God refused to accept Jeremiah’s plea of inadequacy. He was almost drafted. God repeated his commission and command. Although Jeremiah feared persecution and ridicule throughout his career, he stayed true to his message, and trusted God’s promise. When God calls people, they often respond with excuses emphasizing their weaknesses rather than relying on His strength. One of main reasons people are slow to respond to God’s call is fear, but we can make a comparison of our inadequacies with God’s adequacy.  Both prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah received God’s divine touch, but God had a different purpose for each. God touched Isaiah’s mouth for cleansing. He was a man with a consciousness of unclean lips. God touched Jeremiah’s mouth for empowering. He was a person with a consciousness of inadequate lips. When God calls people to His service, He equips them for God’s work and the kingdom of God.  God called Jeremiah first to uproot and to destroy. Then, He called him also to build and to plant. Those who serve God sometimes must tear down what needs to be removed before they can build and plant the new. All work for the Lord consists of a twofold aspect of positive and negative. Those who declare God’s Word can expect opposition as Jesus experienced rejection.  God is aware of what is going on in His world and how people are responding to His message. He wants us not to do what is in opposition to God’s ways. May we consider our lives in light of God’s knowing and having a purpose for persons. God promises to be with His servants who obediently serve Him. May we rely on the Lord’s promise that He is with us. In today’s text, Paul strongly insisted that wonderful gifts from the Spirit of God are without value unless they are accompanied with the greatest gift of love.  Paul compared love to the spiritual gifts the Corinthians valued highly. Even if people are speaking in tongues of angels, such an extraordinary gift would profit nothing without love. Without love it would be nothing, even if someone was supposed to have the gift of prophecy or knew every divine secret. Paul spoke of a special ability to trust and believe God to do great miracles and the gift of faith as the ability to move mountains. However, even this dramatic ability would amount to nothing without love for others. Even beneficial acts like giving whole possessions to the poor would profit someone nothing if a person did not do it out of love. In Matthew 22, Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself.” Paul followed Jesus. It is no wonder Paul argued that without love for others all spiritual gifts are worthless. Paul focused on love between brothers and sisters in Christ. What is love? Today’s text invites us to know and practice love. “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things.” These fourteen characteristics of love also apply to many other human relations.  It signifies forbearance, slowness to repay for offenses. God is patient because he does not immediately punish those who offend him. God’s patience slows down the judgment process and opens the way for reprieve from punishment altogether. Patience bears with an offense, but indifference ignores it altogether. Patience has a more temporal focus, while kindness refers to the way a person treats others.  In general, kindness is soft and gentle, but it is not weak. it sometimes takes the form of a strong way if there is a goal for bringing a good result, defending someone, and obeying God’s will. Jesus’ own life showed such a careful and powerful kindness, and Paul who followed Jesus demonstrated this as he dealt kindly, but firmly, with the Corinthians. Love does not envy or boast. To envy is not to display the love of Christ, who gave up all for the sake of others. Love is not rude or self-seeking. Jesus showed the greatest expression of putting others’ benefit above His own through His life-giving sacrifice and humbleness. Love is not easily angered. Those who love others are slow to anger, but there are times when anger is appropriate. Jesus became angry when he saw people’s hardness of heart and the money changers in the temple (Mark 3 & John 2). Paul himself who followed Jesus became also angry when he saw the idols of Athens. (Acts 17) We should never allow ourselves to become indifferent to the suffering of others or to the honour of God. Love keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres. Wisdom is required to know when and how

23rd January 2022 (Third Sunday after the Epiphany) Title: God’s Word and Spiritual Renewal (Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 8:1–3, 5–6, 8–10 & Luke 4:14–21) By Heeyoung Lim Spiritual renewal and vitality do not occur apart from God’s Word. It convicts of sin, affirms grace, and reveals the will of God. Ezra’s commission was to restructure the Jewish community under God’s word. People gathered to hear the word of God delivered through Ezra. All the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law, and they all stood up when Ezra opened the book. Nehemiah 8 enables the exiles who returned to Jerusalem to not only read but also to understand. Such teaching relies on the attentive hearing of the people. Deuteronomy 31 commanded the Israelites to gather once every seven years for the reading of the law. Verse 12 says, “so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law” Ezra may have had this in mind when the people assembled. The assembly was composed of men and women and all who were able to understand, including children. God wants us to read, listen, learn, and obey His word. Ezra read the law aloud from dawn till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, and the time involved was from five to seven hours. His decision to read the law at this location implied that the Word of God was more valuable than the altar or its sacrifices, that the law was greater than the temple. In a demonstration of respect for the reading of God’s Word, the people all stood up. In verse 6, Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” The raising of hands signified worship and dependence on God. The double “Amen,” which means “it is so,” reinforced the people’s agreements and obedience with the adoration Ezra offered. May we listen carefully to the word of God and respond with Amen. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. It represented humility before a sovereign and expressed once again the people’s devotion and respect. In the power of living God’s word, all the people had been weeping as they listened to the word of God. 1 In verse 10, the people were told by Nehemiah, go, and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. He said to them, “This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” While the reading of the law produced genuine repentance, holy days were meant as celebrations of God’s love and mercy. Our worship is a time to give our most precious things to God such as prayer, praise, confession, love, and ourselves. Repentance may follow during worship, and it is also precious, but God made this holy day to be celebrated as a day full of joy. Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe collaborated for God’s work. They instructed the people to enjoy a feast and to eat the best they had. In addition, they were to share with others. It was a day for rejoicing in God’s mercy and goodness, not for weeping. May we enjoy worship as a feast and celebrate this holy day. Ezra concluded, “do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” We cannot know God’s will and character without reading His word. May we devote time to read the Bible carefully and thoroughly and go deeply into their meaning so that we will be challenged by its beauty and truth through Bible reading. God desires that all people should know Him and do His will. God’s Word deserves honour and obedience. Great joy comes from obedience to God. May we remember the joy of the Lord is our strength and obey whatever we learn through Bible reading, study, or listening. Luke is telling us of the Holy Spirit’s involvement in the life of Jesus as He steps forth in public ministry. On the earth, Jesus is dependent upon His God for life, faith, and mission. Jesus begins his teaching by reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Isa. 61:1ff. Luke 4:21) These words were about the description of the Messiah who was to come. The messianic ministry description was already familiar to the synagogue worshipers and was reinterpreted before their eyes. When Jesus rolls the scroll, returns it to the attendant, and sits down. “The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him” (20). Then Jesus speaks from his place of sitting: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” 2 The Spirit gives direction in all ministries for God. God’s ministry focuses on those whom the world ignores. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises. Jesus has unequalled authority in his ministry and teaching. Jesus is saying that his life work will be to heal the broken-hearted, announce the release of prisoners, recover sight to the blind, and announce the graceful year of the Lord (14–19). He is the one that they have been waiting for all of their lives. When Jesus reads Isaiah 61:1–2 in the synagogue in Nazareth, He declares that His ministry in the Spirit as Messiah of God calls Him to be an agent of love and grace to the oppressed and needy. His message will bring much needed healing among the people, and He has come to announce the year of forgiveness, the acceptable year. Our Lord stood in front of the hometown crowd and started His early ministry, proclaiming liberation, freedom, and salvation in the Jubilee year

16th January 2022 (Second Sunday after the Epiphany) Title: God’s Abundant Love and Spiritual Gifts (Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1–11 & John 2:1–11) By Heeyoung Lim In what ways does God continue to bring abundance into the world today? In what ways does Jesus’ life and ministry reveal God’s abundance to us? In John 2:1–11, Jesus’ ministry gains public awareness at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. There was His mother, Mary who seems to already know and trust in the works of Jesus. When the wine gave out, and the host got in trouble, Mary called on Jesus to help. She trusts Jesus’ ability to respond to this need and leads others to experience such trust too. She tells the servants: “Do whatever He tells you.” This story emerges as a strong witness to Mary’s faith and trust, and the servants experience Jesus’ ability and work when they obey His words. When Jesus said, “Fill the jars with water”, servants “filled to the brim.” Those servants were obedient to the word of the Lord and showed faithful obedience. Through the turning of the water into wine, Jesus is revealed. This miracle speaks of God bringing abundance into follower’s obedience and activities. God’s glory is revealed, and the disciples believe in Jesus. What is truly amazing in this story is the abundance of wine Jesus offers at the wedding party, and this story emerges as a strong witness to Mary’s faith and trust. Jesus provides the best wine at the end of the feast. Wedding celebrations in Bible times lasted several days with much food, drink, music, and fellowship, and hospitality was foremost. Jesus provided all participants with the best hospitality when the wine was gone. This would have been unheard of at that time. It is a reversal of worldly expectations. The steward is confused about the origin of the wine, but the servants who obeyed Jesus’ word and had drawn the water know the work of Jesus and experience His miracle. An impossible miracle happened, and the servants who obeyed the Lord knew that Jesus had done it. Jesus’ life and ministry reveal God’s abundance to us too. When was the time when we experienced God’s 1 abundance in our life? It can be all different, but we should always remember and give thanks for the abundant love and grace that God has bestowed upon us. As an expression of gratitude, we should never overlook an opportunity for service, ministry, and work to others through our lives. Jesus clearly understood and obeyed that his purpose on earth was to bring glory to the Father and to save people. Weddings or family celebrations can be opportunities for families to glorify God and witness their faith. In celebrations or gatherings, Jesus must be the focus of our lives. Weddings and gatherings create opportunities for service to God, and the master of the banquet and gatherings is Jesus. I believe that we can glorify God in our lives through our faith and obedience. On our special and precious days, I hope that we will all be able to take our Lord as the master and glorify God. Let us think about how Jesus has revealed His glory in us. May we glorify God in all aspects of our lives, including public worship and public parties. In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul touched spiritual gifts in the church and the value of the gifts. He explained the role of the gifts of the Spirit with the value of diverse gifts in the worship of God. The Corinthians’ pagan background made them susceptible to being misled by supernatural manifestations. In this situation, Paul mentioned identifying the Spirit and the unity and diversity of the Spirit’s manifestations. The gifts of the Spirit are manifold, and each is important in the worship of God and the ministry of the church. There are different kinds of gifts, service, and working. Yet, each variety is associated with the same Spirit, the same Lord, or the same God. We do receive spiritual gifts as God sees fit according to His grace. Spiritual gifts are primarily for the common good and the purpose of building up faith communities. The spiritual states of our fellow believers affect us personally because we are members of one another. We are all lovely church family and spiritual friends. May we be spiritual friends, family, and teachers to each other. If we do not use the spiritual gifts God has given us for the common good of the community, those precious gifts can be misused. We need to look for ways to use our gifts in the service of the church and encourage others to do so as well. We must not take spiritual pride or 2 feel superior in our spiritual gifts. On the other hand, we must not feel inferior if our spiritual gifts are not as impressive as the gifts of others. There are noticeable or inconspicuous spiritual gifts, but nothing is more important or less important. May we actively pursue spiritual gifts rather than earthly desires. As God’s people, we live with abundant love and spiritual gifts that stand in contrast to the world’s realities. Although some kinds of spiritual gifts, services, and works go unnoticed in human eyes, God sees and pleases them, and it benefits the church. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are varieties of service, but the same Lord. There are many kinds of working, but the same God at work. (4-6) All spiritual gifts are all important to the church because they come from the Holy Spirit. Each one in the church has received different gifts, not because of differences in qualifications or circumstances, but according to only the standard the Spirit determines. Paul listed nine manifestations of spiritual gifts: Message of wisdom, message of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. All gifts are given for the

9th January 2022 (Baptism of Jesus) Title: God Is with Us (Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:1–7 & Luke 3:15-17, 21-22)                                                                                    By Heeyoung Lim Isaiah indicates promises of redemption for Israel in a creative way. Today’s words are God’s words of salvation for people who were in exile. The passage begins with a reference to creation and immediately moves to language of redemption.  Although we often associate God the creator with power, sovereignty, and providence, and God the saviour with love, grace, and mercy. On the other hand, creation is a deeply loving act of God, redemption is an event of great sovereign power as well. The creating and saving acts of God are intimately linked in God’s relationship with creation. God recreates the world that is apart from God and restores the broken harmony that results from sin. Creation and redemption flow from the gracious essence of God.  The God who had created Israel would redeem her from captivity. What is captivating us? What are we captive to? God listed the most dangerous barriers they would face on their journey and promised to overcome them. One of these was walking through fire without being burned. In accordance with today’s words, even passing through water and fire cannot hurt the people, rather, these elements were used by God to purify people and their powers in those times. Verse 2 tells us, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” Even living in exile, Israel had no reason to be afraid. God was ready to do whatever was necessary to bring all His people from their places of exile. Even powerful nations of the day serve God’s redemptive purpose.  God had placed His name on them because they were His sons and daughters. Isaiah assures that no matter what – fire or flood, wind or storm, relationship distress or broken heart, war or famine, COVID-19 or omicron, illness or difficulties, depression or frustration – God is with us. Israel could count on the LORD, their Saviour who had delivered Israel from Egypt. As in Isaiah 43:4, God said to His people “You are mine; you are precious in my sight and honoured and I love you” God plans to redeem and protect them because He loves them. We are God’s Precious children because God loves us. We have no reasons for fear because God is with us and will be with us forever.  It is easy to feel alone and fear in life’s inevitable difficult times, but we have no reason to be afraid because God is with us. God created, formed, and rescued us, and today’s words are given to people who face difficulties. God will recreate and restore us as He created and restored people for His glory. May we all live for the glory of God and experience the restoration God provides.  Where do we belong to? What makes us worthy? God’s gracious love. We often look for the answers in the wrong places. However, God speaks to us, “I am the LORD your God, your Saviour, do not be afraid, and you are mine.” We are God’s precious being. In verse 7, He continues to speak to us, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” All creation and all people are the result of God’s love. God’s saving acts are meant for all people. May we all sit at a table in the kingdom of God. Today’s text has words of comfort and hope. God’s words of comfort and restoration are greater than people’s situations. May we find answers, comfort, and hope from God’s words.  This passage is paired with Luke’s description of Jesus’ baptism in terms of becoming God’s children. In Luke 3, John the Baptist knew his role and baptized with water, seeking repentance and cleansing from sin. He knew that he was weak and insignificant in face of the coming One, Messiah who was mightier and more powerful. One greater than John is coming with the baptism of the Spirit and fire to bring judgment and salvation to the world. Christ’s ministry was to bring salvation and the Holy Spirit to people who believe in Jesus and to bring judgment on those who refused to repent and believe in Him. In the waters of baptism, God seals God’s love for us, no matter what we might have done and what might happen. In the waters of our baptism, God gives evidence of what God says to Jesus in Luke 3:22. The voice from heaven blesses “You are my child, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” In Jesus’ baptism through John the Baptist, God draws near and rejoices in him. The beginning of Jesus’ ministry is marked by his baptism. As in verse 21, when all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. At the place where Jesus was baptized, the voice of God was heard, and the Holy Spirit was with Him. Today’s readings remind us to listen for God in words of hope and encouragement, and in the Holy Spirit’s work in our communities. May each individual and our faith community please God through abiding in our Lord, in God’s word, and in the Holy Spirit in 2022. Where do we hear God’s voice in our life? In the Holy Spirit, God’s voice speaks to us in prayer, in worship, and in loving actions, and in all who thirst for justice. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and renews us. The comforting and hopeful words of Isaiah 43 are a passage we need to return to over and over, just as we need to be reminded of our baptisms. God’s words and the love of Christ

2nd January 2022 (Second Sunday after Christmas) Title: Spiritual Blessings in Christ (Scripture Reading: Isaiah 60:1-3 & Ephesians 1:3 -14)                                                                                    By Heeyoung Lim Happy New Year! Today is the second Sunday after Christmas, and 6th January is Epiphany. It is more than celebrating the wise ones’ visit to the child Jesus. The light of God’s glory invites each one of us on a pilgrimage road. How was the journey of the wise ones a pilgrimage? How might we plan a day-long or a year-long pilgrimage? May we plan and travel a day-long or a year-long pilgrimage on our faith journey, either alone or in community, as wise men traveled a great distance to discover what the “star sign” might reveal and to meet a newborn king, Jesus. The wise men understood the newborn child as a divine gift to be worshiped and honoured. The special star light led the wise ones to discover the birth of a new hope, a gift to the world, and the light of the world. Isaiah 60: 1-3 invites us to the light of God’s glory and God’s restoration. God’s people had returned to their city and had tried to rebuild it and the temple, but something was missing. Their hopes and dreams had not been brought to reality, and despair and frustration were deepened. The prophet’s words reassured his people and called them to attention. God was going to act for them. The darkness of despair and defeat would cover the earth, but God would shine his glory upon them, so that the light of his glory would attract the nations to Jerusalem. God will glorify his people by bringing them back to His house of worship. That light described in Isaiah 60 will attract people from far and near, and God will restore His people to righteous living and glorious worship. God no longer shows anger but compassion to his people and lets Jerusalem to receive foreign delegations who have come to worship Him. God shows that He is their Saviour and Redeemer. Righteousness and peace will replace violence and destruction. God wants to bring peace to His people so that all sorrow will vanish. He wants His people to be a light to all peoples of the world. God maintains sovereign control over all the nations of the earth. His people will in the light of God’s glory and be filled with rejoicing and praising in accordance with God’s word.  Today’s text at the start of this New Year begins with a blessing “Blessed be God.” In Ephesians 1: 3-14, God the Father is to be praised because God is God, and He has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ. We have been chosen and adopted by God to be His spiritual children. God’s love and word make us holy and blameless in his sight. His decision to do salvation for us grew out of God’s grace which he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. God the Son redeemed us, forgave us of our sins, enlightened us to know His will, and has given us an eternal inheritance. Because we have believed in and received Jesus as our Saviour, all our sins are forgiven in Him. It means our sin is paid for by the death of Christ. In addition, God the Spirit sealed us, made us secure in Christ, and led to our redemption. Because of all God has done for us, we can see ourselves as someone very significant. God graciously bestows grace on us so that we would praise God’s grace-filled glory. May we appreciate the fact that we belong to the family of God and praise God’s glorious grace.   In the Bible, God predestines or chooses us in Christ, but He does not choose those who will not be saved. That is, the door of salvation is open for everyone, and God waits for everyone’s salvation. The promises God made were already extended to a larger population and are still opened to those who are not believers. Some verses seem to tell us about human freedom and responsibility, and we can see many kinds of refusals against faith or salvation.  However, we have received the blessing of being chosen by God, adopted by Him as his spiritual children, claimed as God’s possession, and marked by the Holy Spirit. May we be grateful that God has forgiven our sin and given us spiritual blessings. As Christians and Jesus’ disciples, we can pray for people who are believers or not believers because God hears us and waits for them. We do not know what will be happening this year, but may we live and rest in God’s love, which is expressed in His offer of salvation. May we humbly ready to be used by God, allowing Him to accomplish His will through us as the wise men responded to the king with great joy and devotion. In 2022, I hope we can tell someone else the experience we had when God became our personal Saviour and Redeemer. May we seize opportunities to share our faith and love in Christ with others, exercising wisdom in reaching out toward those who are not believers. God wants us to arise and shine in our family, communities, and the world. He wants His people to be a light to all people of the world. May we share the light of Christ in the world. I believe our light will be shined in Christ more and more in 2022. People everywhere seek illumination or a light to see, but may we be the necessary light that can lead towards Jesus, and our light shine forth in the world so that more people can be the children of God.  I hope we

26th December 2021 (First Sunday after Christmas) Title: Growing in God’s Word and Wisdom (Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:12–17 & Luke 2:41-52)                                                                                     By Heeyoung Lim Yesterday was Christmas day, but now is the first day of Season after Christmas among 12 days until Epiphany. When we look back a year or COVID related two years, what did we experience? Some people refuse to look back on their journey and give themselves credit for the gains they have made.  In today’s story, told only by Luke, we hear about Jesus around the age of 12. In Luke 2:41–52, Jesus’ family becomes disconnected from their son and overwhelmed with all the worry and fear that brings. When they eventually found Jesus in the temple, they were amazed because Jesus related to God and enjoyed the time of sharing God’s word. His mother said, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried, and we have been searching for you!” Jesus answered, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I would be in my Father’s house?” Disconnection often brings anxiety and depression into our lives, but we need a time of solitude before God to truly connect with God. We all have experienced anxiety, depression, and loneliness amidst many difficulties that have continued throughout the year, but even these disconnection times will be a way to deepen our relationship with God and enrich our relationships with people. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus’ parents did not look back on the way home. They were busy looking ahead and walking for a long time without Jesus. 12-year-old Jesus’ earthly growth was preparing him for heavenly mission. At the temple he showed he was more than ready. While his parents absorbed in preparations for the journey, they did not notice the missing child in the crowd. When people feel that they have a shared responsibility, they sometimes fail to take care of someone or something, and they pass the responsibility on to others. What was their priority? What is our priority?  Sometimes you and I lose Jesus just like Mary and Joseph. We get so busy in our daily routine that we never give him a thought. Then, one day we realize that he is gone out of our lives. Would you know what we need to do when that happens? We need to go back to the place we left Him. That is where we will find Jesus, right there waiting for us. Today, the last Sunday of 2021, may we look back on whether we are walking with Jesus in our hard and busy daily life. Jesus is the promised Messiah and Saviour who brings salvation to all people, and His role as Saviour was proclaimed before his birth. Jesus’ salvation, however, does not come automatically. People retain the freedom to accept or reject him. Jesus’ salvation was accomplished because a human baby or boy faithfully accomplished the growth tasks of a child to enter a heavenly mission. Jesus became wise, and he grew strong. God was pleased with him and so were the people. (52) In what ways have you grown in God’s word and wisdom this year? Colossians 3:12–17 speaks of God’s chosen holy and beloved those who live in harmony with God and with each other. Today’s text introduces rules for holy living such as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience and leads us to be thankful in our lives. (12) Attributes of real connection with God seem to be these five virtues. How does practicing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience help you feel closer to God? How does it bring you joy? Verse 12 invites us to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We are all loved by God, and God wants us to love each other and grow in faith. Verse 14 tells us, “Over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” May we put on love over all virtues. May we live each day in obedience so that God can use us when His time comes. I hope we can tell others the good news that God has shared with us more in 2022. Verse15 tells us, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” We are called to be thankful.   Each one of us is part of the body of Christ, and we were chosen to live together in peace. I believe that the peace that comes from Christ control our thoughts. Let us obey the message about Christ completely fill our lives, while we use all our wisdom given by God. With thankful hearts, may we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God and share blessings and encouragements more each other next year.  When life seems overwhelming, or when sorrow seeks to overtake us, how are we able to find joy within that? During this Christmas season, we are invited to join in God’s word to praise God and rest in the joy of God’s presence in the birth of Emmanuel, God with us. Especially, finding Jesus and seeking God’s will would be our joy. May we walk with Jesus even when we are busy or focus on something.   We are called to model ourselves on Jesus. Modelling ourselves on Jesus does not mean we aim for to be perfect and then despair and beat ourselves up for failing to reach that standard. Jesus started from a baby weak and helpless on the earth. We follow Jesus on the journey of growth. Our journey has its ups and downs, its obstacles and its catchups. Sometimes we pick

25th December 2021 (Christmas Day) Title: Christ the Lord, The True Light of the World (Scripture Reading: John1:1-14)                                                                                     By Heeyoung Lim We give thanks for the light of hope, peace, joy, and love. Our hope in Christ shines on. The peace of Christ lights our way. His peace is not weak, it is strong and unafraid. His Joy is persistent and unpredictable. The Joy of Christ brightens our lives in so many ways. The love of Christ comforts and challenges. Today we lit the Christ candle as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The darkness is working so hard in the world, but Christ’s light is working harder through us. Jesus is the true light of the World.  Christmas Day is a celebration of the light of Christ coming into our world. Today we sing of the light which breaks open the darkness and lights up the whole world. For the light of Christ gives us hope in the dark times in our lives. Jesus reveals life and light. Eternal life and heavenly light come to those who trust Jesus and are born again from above. (6) John introduces Jesus to his readers as the Word of God, the Son of God, and the Lamb of God. John 1 tells us that “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” In other words, God himself came to be one of us. He came to live with us. He came to provide us the gift of becoming children of God. May we appreciate Jesus lives among us with full of glory and grace and truth. The Incarnated Word as the mediator of revelation and reconciliation lives among us. The child born for us will rule with endless peace and justice for everyone. In today’s text, we find the purpose of the coming of Christ. “O Come, All Ye Faithful” is one of the well-known songs of Christmas. In its first three verses it tells the story of Christ’s birth with triumphant joy. And in the fourth verse, the deep mystery is described as in John1. We sing with hope, for we live in dark times. This is verse 7 we sang at the beginning, “Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing” this lyric reminds us that God himself has come to be one of us. When we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate the mystery that God has become one of us so that he could save us from our sins and death, giving us new life as the children of God. And as the song’s refrain invites us to sing, “O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!” May we sing and adore Jesus as our Lord in our daily life. We are living totally different life after we believe in Jesus. All of this was possible because Jesus came to this earth for us. His incarnation made us to born again.  Light is defined by the shadows that surround it. Every parent knows that a newborn infant will face both happiness and difficulties as the child grows up. When God send Jesus to us, He knew the Son’s future suffering on the cross. Incarnation does not only include happiness, but also God’s heart-breaking sorrow. However, Christmas day is a day of hope and salvation. Today we celebrate the birth of a baby born in a manger. We join our voices with the company of angels, shepherds, and wise men. Today we declare this baby to be the light of the world, the true light that enlightens everyone, the light that the darkness cannot overcome. We have struggled with darkness in our world for a long time because we hunger for Christ’s light. This is the light which promises the salvation of the world. And if we can live in the light, then we will find ourselves as children of God. And if we follow the light, then we will walk with Jesus as his disciples. As followers of Jesus, we keep holding up the light of Christ and the hope that brings. And if we refuse to let the darkness take over, then the light will grow brighter, and the darkness will move away a bit further. We need to shine our light of faith and hope, no matter how small. It is amazing how even a little bit of light can really light up the darkness. Even threats and force cannot stop the people who sing songs of freedom, hoping for the light to come. Jesus Christ is the heart of the gospel. For all who receive Jesus, believing in Him as the true light of the world, He gives “the right to become children of God.” May we all be brightening the dark world with the light of Christ as children of God and disciples of Jesus.  Thanks be to God! Amen. (Ref. Bible, commentaries, theological books, UCA materials) 

12th December 2021 (Advent 3) Title: Rejoice in the Lord  (Scripture Reading: Zephaniah 3:14–20 & Philippians 4:4–7)                                                                                       By Heeyoung Lim In Zephaniah 1:4, God had fought against Judah and now He will save and defend them. Believers do not need to fear because the LORD, the King of Israel, is with them. 3:14–20 rejoices in the hope of Jerusalem’s restoration through the One who will gather Israel. Zephaniah is calling the people of Jerusalem “daughter” and renewing his love for them (14, 17). How does God bring us home or destination in this season of preparation and waiting?  Today’s text includes God’s exaltation of the suffering and the outcast. God’s presence protects and rejoices. God shows us the fulfillment of God’s promises in the journey of Advent through prophets. Christ’s presence and blessing will bring inexpressible joy and absolute security to His people in accordance with God’s words. As the joy candle is lit, may we give thanks for our gladness, remember all who are in sorrow, and care for them. As a result of social injustice, the oppressed are fearful, while the powerful are corrupt and reject divine correction. In Zephaniah 3, the ways in which God will deal with the oppressors have been described for those who have suffered at their unjust hands: “I will deal with all your oppressors and save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth” (3:19) God’s promises are being achieved for protecting and lifting the lowly, the suffering, and the oppressed. We find an unfolding of God’s promises in many places throughout the biblical narratives such as the prophetic word, the coming of Jesus, and the kingdom of God. The prophetic word through Zephaniah affirms that some of God’s purposes are to make injustice right, to heal the shame that results from oppression. In the exaltation of the humble and lowly, Zephaniah finds both a divine rejection of the abuses of power and a divine promise to protect the weak and the outcast. In verse 15 and 17, the prophet affirms that God is with the people and will continue to be in them. God’s presence protects His people from harm and God rejoices with them. The people will live without fear, trusting that God saves them from disaster and all kinds of attack. However, God’s presence does more than remove threats. A theologian Jennifer said, “His presence among the people is animating, in that God rejoices with them, renews them, and exults over them.” I believe that God frees and strengthens us by being present among us and God’s presence heals and leads us to lean into God’s promises. In dwelling among the people, God makes real the promised future of peace and joy. This is a hopeful message that will encourage the faithful on this Third Sunday of Advent. As the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus nears, we are challenged to remember God’s living promise to protect and exalt the lowly. This is the time in which the prophetic word, the coming of the Messiah, and the shape of the kingdom of God are derived and embodied. It is also the place in which the character of God is revealed. Biblical thought and the tendency of obeying God’s word understands hope as the expectation of a good future which rests on God’s promise. A good future itself is not our ultimate goal, but we can look to Jesus as our hope and expect even in the dark times and difficult trials. May we praise the Lord for the promise of our glorious future with Christ. However, when we are in the middle of sorrow, despair, and suffering, we often do not recognize the work of God. Why can we not live in joy? When we forget the gladness of salvation and God’s unconditional love, we will be living without joy. What are we doing where it seems there is no better place? How can we deal with dark times? How can we help suffering families and grieving people?  In these complicated circumstances, Philippians 4 invites us to be joyful in the Lord. Gospel joy is always shared joy. When Paul calls on the church to rejoice, in those times, Christians were being hunted, persecuted, and killed in Rome. During persecution and fear, Paul simply points to the promise and recalls the peace of God that passes all understanding.  “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (4-7)  In 4:4–7 Paul powerfully exhorts his Philippian friends to rejoice. Happiness from contemporary social discourse is something that is pursued, and it is tied up in the pursuit, but rejoicing in the Lord comes even in the face of trials and suffering. As in verse 5, may our gentleness or Christlikeness be known to everyone.  In accordance with these Bible verses, we can rejoice in the Lord and this word is a command. Joy Brings Patience, and prayer is the answer to anxiety, but our joy cannot be complete without peace. Paul’s advice to his readers to counter the anxiety of their lives with prayer is not just a simple alternative designed to hide or avoid the fear and uncertainty of their daily existence. This is a call to take those anxieties to God in prayer and allow God to reform us.  And joy Brings Peace. Peace is not simply the absence of

5th December 2021 (Advent 2) Title: Prepare the Way of the Lord! (Scripture Reading: Luke 3:1-6; Philippians 1: 3-11)                                                                                       By Heeyoung Lim We usually clean our house every time we invite a guest, but Advent is a time to purify ourselves and await the coming of the Lord. Advent offers the church the opportunity to remind of Christ’s coming and prepare in faith. At home people are cleaning, getting out their Christmas decorations, purchasing gifts, hosting, and attending parties, and simply getting ready for Christmas. However, John demands that we get ready for Jesus. Advent is a time to prepare to welcome Jesus and not simply our invited Christmas guests.  God’s salvation is available for every person, not just a chosen few. God’s invitation for salvation reaches out both men and women, poor and rich, Gentiles and Jews. This Advent Sunday is a great time for us to be reminded of that. A key theological theme in Luke is that God’s invitation toward salvation is for all people. In Luke 3 John the Baptist prepares the way for the coming of the Messiah by calling on people to repent from their sins. Forgiveness of sins comes only through repentance that involves a change of lifestyle, not just a momentary feeling or statement.  Today’s text invites us to confess our sins, repent, and ask God for forgiveness. Repentance is sometimes accompanied by discomfort and heart-breaking moments, but it is a time of being cared for by the word of the Lord in our relationship with God, and it is a time of joy and peace that the Lord has given us. We can ask God to show us the changes repentance should bring in our daily life. May we change our life in the ways God shows us through words, prayers, and praises. God sent the message to John, not in Rome, not in Jerusalem, but out in the wilderness. John prepared for his ministry and proclaimed his message in the wilderness. It is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. Isaiah 40:3–5 was a word to the exiles in Babylon and it brought comfort to the people of Israel who were in their time of oppression. The oppressed and the least will be comforted with God’s rescue because God had not forgotten them and would not neglect them. Isaiah called all people to prepare for the Lord by making crooked paths straight, lifting up valleys, and making rough places plain. Luke uses Isaiah’s words to show the continuity between the ministries of John and of Jesus: John’s coming was not only predicted, but his message was the good news, for his message of repentance was the one that prepares the way for the Lord. John’s challenge is to repent and prepare. True repentance means to change one’s mind, turn around, reorient oneself. Luke 3 calls all people to turn to God, to seek God’s forgiveness, and to prepare the way of the Lord. How to prepare the way for the Lord? I believe that we can prepare the way for the Lord through being peacemaker and doing true repentance.  In addition, as in Isaiah 40, the way for the Lord would be prepared by making crooked paths straight, lifting up valleys, and making rough places plain. All of these can be connected to making peace. This week we live in the prophetic message that makes twisted paths straight, lifts valleys, and makes rough places plain to prepare for the Lord. God is consistent, sticks to his purposes, fulfills his word, and then brings new fulfillment for new generations and times. For John’s generation, salvation came in the similar setting as for the exiles who were in the wilderness. However, it came in a new way. People did not have to cross the dry desert, they had to cross the line of self-centred religious pride. Even now, God allows and leads us to cross our hurdles of our faith and life. The appearance of the wilderness and the things we need to overcome through repentance are constantly changing, but the fact that the truth is proclaimed in the wilderness and that we are living in preparation for the coming of the Lord does not change. In Luke 3:1–6 John the Baptist implores those gathered people to remove any obstacles that are hindering openness to the renewed ways of peace and justice that God has promised to reveal through the child to come. John was the messenger of change and prepared the way for the Lord.  In Philippians 1, Paul expressed his gratitude to God every time he remembers the church. God brings grace and peace to his church, and those are possible only from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Bill Lawrence, a theologian, once said, “Happiness is based on happenings, but joy comes from relationships.” A relationship with Christ is necessary to achieve fruit in the Christian life. The Philippian Christians had supported his efforts and participated in the gospel since they had trusted Christ as their Saviour during Paul’s ministries. The partnership through active participation in the gospel caused Paul’s joy. (5) Being partners in the gospel of Christ will bring joy in our lives. Especially, love is a primary characteristic of Christlikeness, and God is the witness of Paul’s love for Philippians. (8)  Paul expressed his love Jesus showed, prayed for love and faith growth of Philippians, and continued to pray for discernment of what is best. (10) Christian love must be rooted in wisdom from God’s Word if we are to love both God and people in greater ways. We are to base our decisions on Scripture so that the best way is selected. When these are observed in our lives, we can be pure