Sermons

19th September 2021 Pentecost 17 (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost) Title: True glory in Service to God (Scripture Reading: James 3:13-18, 4:7-8; Mark 9:30-37) By Heeyoung Lim As Christians, we often fail to recognize the presence of God and the meaning of His gifts, but we desire intimacy with God. We saw in verses 9-10 that Jesus talked about his death and resurrection and that the disciples did not understand his teaching. In verse 31-33, the scene shifts to a house, a confined area where avoidance is harder to get away with. Jesus does not let His disciples stay on the comfortable outside when they did not want to hear about suffering Messiah. Their comfort zone was a place where they lacked understanding of Jesus, and a place where they rejected Jesus’ words. This shows not only that the words of Christ give us hope and strength and the fact that He leads to take ourselves to our limits, step outside our comfort zones and go the extra mile to achieve greatness in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus begins to talk about the signs of his betrayal, death, and resurrection, but He explains nothing. When Jesus predicted His death, the disciples argued over who would be the greatest in His kingdom. They were still thinking of Jesus as a conquering Messiah. When Jesus asked the disciples what they had been arguing about among themselves, they remained silent. They ignored and denied what they hear for the second time. Jesus did not focus on their arguing about who was the greatest. Jesus called the twelve and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” (35) Jesus tells us that if we want to be first, we must be last. The theme of servanthood echoes throughout Mark’s Gospel. Jesus said that the greatest in the kingdom will be the person who serves. He stated again that human values are not necessarily kingdom values. Jesus took a little child and placed the child among them. “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Jesus Christ has become our servant. Jesus shows the preciousness of every human life in the sight of God, no matter how small, how insignificant. When have you been like the child whom Jesus embraced? I believe we can find comfort, aid, and security in Jesus’ arms by welcoming Jesus. When have you been brought to the true glory from the frustration and disappointment? 1 We are all in our weakness and vulnerability, but we will be warmly hugged by God. Brooks states, “To ‘welcome’ or ‘receive’ means ‘to be concerned about, to care for, to show kindness to.” To accept the outcasts and oppressed is a way of accepting God’s will. Who is the greatest? Greatness in the kingdom of God consists not of position or power but of ministry or service. In the ancient world children were precious to their parents, but they had no social status or value. They were considered among the lowest element in the society of that time. We have seen how Jesus treated the sick and outcast; we have seen how he treated women. Now we see His treatment of children. (36) Our commitment to Christ demands that we serve the weak and the outcasts of society as well as the powerful. May we welcome children and care for them as special members of our congregation. I pray we feel the peace of the Lord in Jesus’ arms and serve each other. Today’s text shows how little the disciples understand Jesus and his mission. We remind that the disciples had been talking about which one was the greatest instead of understanding Jesus or serving others. The pain and frustration that goes along with the loss of status and honour are perhaps akin to that experienced by the disciples of Jesus as they struggled both to hear and resist what He was saying. After all, they had seen miraculous things, they had been with the Lord, they had performed great deeds. I believe that there will be changes in our faith and lives that please God. May we be all on the way with Jesus. When we spend time with God, we can surrender our life agenda to him and ask how He would want us to live and serve. Jesus shows the disciples the source of their true glory and what is to be the Christian’s glory. When we are faced with trials, may we remember there is a deeper glory than what we can see in this world. I hope we can get in the habit of seeing things from an eternal perspective though we are on the earth. James encourages us to submit ourselves to God. James 3 reminds us of our need to demonstrate genuine wisdom. The Bible calls on all of us to show the presence of God’s wisdom in our lives by deeds of humility and goodness. Believers with true wisdom avoid envy and selfish ambition and produce peace and righteousness in Christ. The wrong response by false wisdom destroys unity, but the right response by true wisdom can contribute to peace. 2 James warned that people who had envy and selfish ambition could boast about it or deny the truth. Those who choose to deny the truth can end up rejecting the truth of the gospel. Selfish ambition and envy prove that a person is following the route of false wisdom that does not come down from heaven but is earthly or demonic. Unfortunately, we Christians are often guilty of using this twisted wisdom, but we can get in another habit of seeing eternal things from heaven even when we are faced with trials. God wants His people to control their tongues and to display true wisdom. He values humility, peace, and righteousness more than self-centred zeal and ambition. May we be

12th September 2021 Pentecost 16 (Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost) Our Responses to Jesus’ Identity (Scripture Reading: James 3:1-12; Mark 8:27-38) By Heeyoung Lim If the relationship develops, there are other insights to be gained. With further share and experience between relationships, an acquaintance may turn into a friend and a friend may become a life companion. But there are limits to how much we can know about another person. In everyone there are secrets and surprises of the heart and deed that will not be revealed or that cannot be discerned. In relationships between Jesus and disciples, the disciples’ knowledge of Jesus was growing and their understanding becoming greater. Jesus asks His disciples what they have heard about Him. Then Jesus questions the disciples about His identity. “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answers, “You are the Christ.” It seems that when Peter calls Jesus the Christ, he has the right title but the wrong understanding of what the title means for Jesus. When Jesus declares that he is going to suffer and be rejected and be killed, Peter does not want to hear about a suffering Messiah. He seems to be looking for a Messiah who will establish God’s kingdom with authority and power, and who will bring His followers glory and reward. Popular messianic hopes of that day awaited a militant character who would bring deliverance to the nation and freedom from Rome. Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone about this event. He knew the disciples did not have a full understanding of who the Messiah was or what he would suffer. (30) When Jesus spoke about his upcoming passion, death, and resurrection for the first time, Peter told Him to stop talking like that. However, Jesus told and corrected Peter, “Get away from me, you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” (33) Peter was thinking like everyone else. Jesus led Peter to be reconnected to discipleship by the correction. In Christ God enables us to find a way that is different from the way of the world, leads us to discern God’s will in our lives, and invites us to live by God’s wisdom that are not embodied in the normal course of human life. James 3:1-12 speaks of the power of the tongue for ill or good. The risks associated with the responsibility of speaking is found in Peter’s attempt to stop Jesus. The tongue is a small organ, but it can control and influence major events in life. Those who misuse the tongue receive God’s condemnation. (James 3:1) James warns against the chaos our tongue can cause. Verse 10 highlights the inconsistency of one mouth between praising and cursing. People are inconsistent if they bless God and then curse those made in God’s likeness at the same time. When they curse those whom, God has made, they are effectively cursing God. God tells us that such a double standard is outrageous, and this should not be. We have lots of opportunities to think about self-awareness, the degree about caution of speaking, and the possibility to cultivate of wisdom in our faith journey. Colossians 4:6 provides a conclusion about speech, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” In seeking to control our tongues we must admit to God our weakness, seek his help, and place relentless guard on our tongues. God’s grace can enable us to use our tongues and our words for blessing and encouraging others. (11) Fear of the Lord is the beginning of the wisdom. God wants His people to control their tongues and to display true wisdom. By nature, the tongue could serve as a divisive instrument of evil, by grace, the tongue can become an instrument of positive blessing. While Peter was not possessed by Satan, he was temporarily used as an instrument of Satan in this situation, even though he was the one who confessed Jesus as the Messiah. Because we are children of God who believe in Jesus, we do not belong to Satan, but we can be affected by it temporarily when we fall into temptation. May we always be awake in the Lord and follow Jesus. Jesus wants us to interest in the things of God and He leads us to accept His mission and demands for discipleship. In this passage, Jesus tells the listeners, what it means to be a true disciple of His. He tells everyone about the cost of being a follower of His. Jesus said to His disciples and the crowd, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” (34-35) The phrase “deny himself” implies that we must seek God’s will just like Jesus and submit our will to His. Take up his cross might have been an offensive statement to the listeners. Today’s text tells us that Jesus’ disciples are to take risks in serving, giving, and sacrificing for people and the world in the perspective of God’s wisdom which can be expressed as risky wisdom. By denying oneself, taking up one’s cross and following Jesus, a disciple acknowledges that he/she is submitting to Jesus’ authority. Taking up our cross is about a willingness to pay the price of following Jesus and living out the gospel. When people lose their lives by taking up the cross, they find life in Christ. Christian growth is a process. May we, Jesus’ disciples, follow Jesus through denying oneself, taking up one’s cross, and submitting to Jesus’ authority in our lives. We can answer Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?” We confess Him Christ, Messiah, Lord, Saviour, Master, Friend, Son of God, etc. Our experience of Jesus is all precious, but

5th September 2021 Pentecost 15 (Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost) God’s Restoration Plan (Scripture Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7; Mark 7:24-37) By Heeyoung Lim Happy Father’s Day! “The Season of Creation” has begun, which is defined as: “It is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. During the Season of Creation, we join our sisters and brothers in the ecumenical family in prayer and action for our common home.” It is an invitation to discipleship that faithfully seeks to partner with God in caring for God’s Creation. The international theme for the 2021 Season of Creation is “A home for all? Renewing the Oikos of God.” Oikos is the Greek word for “home,” or “household.” UCA President Rev Sharon Hollis has shared a message “We show our love of God by caring for the earth and by being passionate advocates for this broken, beautiful, scarred and glorious creation.” Care for creation is a spiritual and theological imperative embodied in Christ. God’s creation needs to be restored. Today’s text shows God’s restoration plans and actions. He shows his plan to redeem His holy people and His world and to heal all human weaknesses. Isaiah chapter 35 starts with brightness against the dark background of chapter 34. Even the most barren desert or wilderness will blossom with flowers in the day of salvation. Through the prophet Isaiah, God has given His people a word of hope that He will transform a barren wasteland. The land can be glad, and the desert shall rejoice because God reveals his glory. (Isaiah 35:1) God’s appearance would destroy the enemy but bring salvation to the people of God. Such salvation is not limited to a spiritual realm. God will heal all human hurts and restore justice to his world on his time schedule and in his ways. The prophet, Isaiah, was called to encourage the weak and feeble and to proclaim God’s Word. Their reason for fear would vanish. God’s purified people would pass over His highway, the Way of Holiness, and enter Zion in accordance with God’s word. Only the people whom God had redeemed from captivity would be allowed on the road. Although we are often isolated in COVID lockdown and captivated in uncertainty, I believe our Father God will lead us to the joyous journey safely and the joy will be everlasting. The day of redemption will come, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. The best was yet to come. I hope our life become a festival of praising God. May we praise God for every sign of His saving work in our lives rather than complaining about our weaknesses and feeling sorry for ourselves. God is on schedule to carry out His plan for the world. He saves His people to reveal His glory. God expects His people to be holy and His plan is to bring everlasting joy to His people. I hope we give our fears to God. May we trust God to know our plight and to have a plan to deliver us. Mark wanted to emphasize the mission and inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s plan of salvation. The gospel of God’s love and His kingdom are not limited to Israel, it is open to all people. When Jesus was looking for a place to rest with His disciples as well as to escape the persecution of the religious leaders who were always following Him, a Gentile woman sought Him. (24) She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. Mark shows the cultural and gender boundaries that existed between Jesus and the woman. The Gentiles and the Jews had not always treated each other kindly, and there was a gender issue too because men dominated women during this time. Also, a rabbi or teacher was not supposed to have any direct contact with a woman. However, the Syrophoenician woman’s desperate need of her daughter and faith in God’s goodness caused her to humble herself before Jesus and risk crossing all these barriers. (25) She had a strong faith that refused to believe she was excluded and said to Jesus, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” She pleads on be half of one who is vulnerable and suffering. This shows she has persevering faith in God’s grace and goodness. The barriers of race, culture, and gender are surface issues. Then Jesus told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. This woman’s faith must have pleased and surprised Jesus. When true healing on the inside is necessary in our lives, only the gospel can cross these barriers to bring such healing. Jesus teaches that our relationship with God is based on a sincere faith that transcends all barriers. Then some people brought to Jesus a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and Jesus looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” or “Be opened!” At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak plainly. Jesus demonstrates the grace and goodness of God through the healing of a deaf man. Jesus even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak. His word ends the individual’s separation from sound, from community, and from communication. Our healing Jesus wants our ears and mouth to be opened. Only Jesus can restore us to the position and purpose for which God created us. Jesus lay down his life for the whole world and all people. There were no exceptions, no favourites, and no discrimination in His salvation. In Jesus Christ, God is reconciling the whole world to Godself and to each other. It doesn’t matter who we are, or what our life experience is, or what our cultural background might be. We are all embraced in God’s generous love, and all welcomed into the one precious group rather than individuals in

29th August 2021 Pentecost 14 (Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost) Hearing and Doing God’s Word (Scripture Reading: James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1- 8) By Heeyoung Lim We are on a journey of faith and mission together walking with Jesus. In today’s world, especially COVID situation, we are often isolated and under lockdown. Jesus is leading us into new ways of being church through God’s Word. I hope we can show the gospel in practical ways, and I pray our church will be more caring, welcoming, loving, and spiritually alive congregation even in this difficult new environment. James encourages us to take a leap of faith in trusting God to lead us to endure trials and to overcome temptations. He began by addressing them as “my beloved brothers”, and then challenged them to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. This is hard work, especially for those who are quick to judge and impatient with others. A person with perseverance holds up under pressure and looks at God in all circumstances. James is keenly aware of the power of human speech both to build up and to destroy and concerned about anger which is an emotion that can be destructive. The commands refer both to our relationships to one another and to God. We cannot hear God if we remain distracted with resentment or hatred. Today’s text warns against pretending instead of listening, deceiving instead of obeying, and talking instead of serving. (James 1:17-27) The command to be quick to listen requires for an eagerness to hear and obey God’s Word. (19) God wants His people to triumph over their trials and to live in obedience to his commandments. May we obey God’s Word whenever we hear it and separate ourselves from sin. We try to obey God’s word, but there would be gap between what we say and what we do in our lives and differences between our faith and actions in our faith journey. Today’s passage invites us to encounter faithful action and persistence. May we continue our faith journey in God’s reign by thinking of the connections between hearing God’s word and doing it. Our relationship with God is the context for faithful living and the set for genuine responses. It is the reason for speaking and acting. The Letter of James expresses the belief that God is the giver of all and all good has its source in our God. “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (17) Our loving relationship with God is based on God’s deep and unchanging love for us. The letter of James invites us to reflect on following God’s word and receive the implanted word which may refer to the good news about Jesus. (21) It tells us, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (22) It challenges us to do more than listen to God’s word and invites us to believe that God loves us unconditionally and eternally. Our acts of love and generosity reflect our faith that every gift comes from God. The gospel can be described as a living seed rooted into the human heart at regeneration. Although the gospel powerfully influences in the human heart, it grows by obeying it and renewing their commitment to the Lord. The gospel has power because it actively provides a chance to transform individuals into committed disciples of Jesus. In Mark chapter 7, Mark points out that the gospel is a matter of the heart and highlights the emptiness of religious performance. The religious leaders discovered that Jesus’ disciples did not wash their hands before eating. They were upset because Jesus’ disciples were not following the “rules” for ceremonial washings that added to the law and handed down from generation to generation. (3) They were asking Jesus, “Why do your disciples not walk according to traditions of elders?” (5) Jesus gave them the answer by quoting from Isaiah 29:13. He called the religious leaders hypocrites and said, “This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” (6, 8) He continued to tell them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand.” Jesus responded by differentiating between the commandment of God and the tradition of the elders. The observance of religious rites does not produce “righteousness” in a person. Doing religious activities on the outside does not mean being Christian on the inside. Jesus teaches that our relationship to God is not based on religious formality but sincere faith in Him. Jesus made it clear there was a big difference between human traditions and God’s commands. True worship must come from the heart. They were concerned about surface piety and purity, while Jesus was concerned about internal purity. Jesus teaches that the purity of a person is not determined by external actions but an internal heart attitude. He invites us to live out gospel from our heart. The power of God not only sustains us but also strengthens us to overcome barriers in our life. In today’s text, we see Jesus, the sacrificial servant, setting people free through the gospel’s power. Every barrier can be overcome by the gospel’s power and Jesus transcends all barriers such as racial difference, or religious traditionalism. He has come to set us free. Religious acts do not produce personal holiness. Our faith is pleasing to God and seeks His grace. Religious legalism can lead us away from God. We can ask the Lord to make our worship of Him meaningful rather than mechanical. God wants to communicate with us, and He wants to hear our prayers. May we search ourselves to see if we have any prejudices about race, culture, gender, or people. We can ask God to help us look at people as Jesus sees them. May

22nd August 2021 Pentecost 13 (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost) Put on The Whole Armor of God (Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 8:22-30, Ephesians 6:10 – 20) By Heeyoung Lim The earth is the LORD’s and while humanity has been entrusted with care of God’s creation. We are only stewards, not owners. The earth itself is a witness to the glory of God and the Lordship of Christ, but it suffers from many things that are normally linked with human sin and fault. In addition to the difficult situation of COVID-19, there are so many difficulties such as violence, wildfires and earthquakes occurring all over the world, and the world is being destroyed and torn by human induced climate change and selfish and greedy people’s mistakes. I hope we can make a better future by saving energy and water, tree planting, using environmentally friendly products, and living in harmony with creation. God commands us to look after and protect whole creation in accordance with God’s word. I hope we can have our own stories and actions for our environment and sustainability and participate in God’s work. Every effort must be undergirded with prayer. David was promised that someone from his house would a dwelling place for God. 1 Kings 8 tells of the fulfillment of that promise and emphasizes that the temple is a place of prayer. Solomon stands before the people in public prayer and opens the temple as a place of prayer for all people. At the centre of all prayer is a conviction about God. God’s presence is not limited to any physical place, but He graciously reveals Himself in special ways in His house. That is why biblical prayer begins with adoration of God. Our prayer needs to be based on what God has chosen to reveal about Himself and what He has spoken to us, not on what we like to think or imagine about Him. (1 Kings 8:22) God is never far away, and the presence of God equips our faithful lives. Today’s Ephesian text gives advice on how to live the new Christian life and Christian spiritual warfare. (Ephesians 6:10-20) Christians faced daily harassment, discrimination, and suppression by their neighbours and the authorities at that time because Christianity was illegal until A.D. 313. Christians must go through transformation while they grow spiritually. They must shed old selves and licentious lifestyle and put on their new selves of godly righteousness and holiness. (4:22–24) Christian 1 individuals, families, and communities become exemplary, living in love, forgiveness, and thankfulness. In this spiritual warfare with sin and evil, God in Christ through the Spirit supplies to Christian’s power and strength, and Christians are “to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power”. (6:10) Christian life in the predominantly pagan world became challenges to the “Ephesians.” One of the major challenges that early Christians experienced in their transformation was about power. We must prepare ourselves inwardly for the outer struggle. The outer struggle against the injustice and powers will test our inner resolve. God never ceases to offer new opportunities to grow and deepen our sense of commitment in faith community. Our inner heart and resolve might be tested or shaken while we are struggling against injustice and powers. However, suffering and struggling can be parts of the process of faith development where spiritual growth occurs and can be ways of deepening into a mature faith. Fighting and the victory in the spiritual warfare may be opportunities for spiritual growth where followers of Jesus stay alert to evil, pray and love, influence one another’s growth, and look after one another. God’s unconditional love and spiritual resources are found among us and in nature. His love and spiritual power enable us to stand firm and endure in tough times. These spiritual resources are “truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, and faith” that are found in the human-divine relationships and in the natural environment. (14-16) Spiritual resources are expressed in music, arts, and through our lives. Expressions of spiritual resources can be seen in the care of world and nature, in acts of love and justice among the people, and in the compassion and commitment of faith communities. It is very inter-relational and helps in spiritual growth. Today’s text invites us to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. God wants us to put on the whole armor of God, specifically, “stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (14-17) The weapons are mainly defensive, equipping us to withstand attack. The belt, the breastplate, the shoes, the shield, and the helmet are all to enable us to remain safe under attack. As we can see from the fact that 2 the sword is an offensive weapon, this passage does not just suggest passive resistance. Paul is challenging his readers to take the fight to the enemy. The Bible tells us to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The best weapon we can use against our enemies in spiritual warfare and life fields is the Word of God. There may be attacks of doubt, despair, and temptation in our lives, but faith in Jesus as Lord of the Resurrection will protect us and the Word of God will give us all victory. We do not wrestle against human, but against the forces and authorities, against rulers of darkness and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (12) We do not have to fight each other because humans are not our enemies, they are our neighbours we need to love.

15th August 2021 Pentecost 12 (Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost) Give Thanks to God in The Name of Jesus Christ (Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 3:3-14, Ephesians 5:15 – 20) By Heeyoung Lim After David’s death, the role of leadership passes to his son, Solomon. Intimate relationship with God is required to lead the people of God. He sought relationship with God by going to worship. This was not a private ceremony but a national act of worship with the massive number of sacrifices such as a thousand burnt offerings. Solomon, as a king, made the Lord a priority. In response to Solomon’s worship, the Lord appeared to him in a dream with an amazing offer: Ask for whatever you want me to give you. (1 Kings 3:4) It was a divine revelation and God’s offer was a remarkable generosity. Solomon’s response was a mixture of gratitude and humility because he focused on God and his own weakness. He felt incompetent because he does not know how to carry out his duties. He faced a responsibility that overwhelmed him and realized himself the king of the people God has chosen. He made a request that brought pleasure to the heart of God: Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people. He wants to provide good leadership with a posture of servant leadership for God’s people. Solomon is very much aware of his own inadequacies as far as serving in the role of king. He asks for the ability to fulfill the role of governing God’s people well. He does not ask for wealth or power, he asks for wisdom that he might lead the people in accordance with God’s desires. His hope pleases God so that God gives him even the riches and honour he did not ask for. God provides beyond our expectations or even deserving. We are called to serve God and community with God’s wisdom. May we be equipped with God’s wisdom. A theologian, Dora says, “We need to seek wisdom and equip ourselves to build communities in which every person is valued; where the reality of justice and peace is experienced by all; where the vulnerable are protected, where power is used for the good of all.” It can be our wishes and prayer topics. Today’s text continues our lives are to be lived in constant imitation of God and explores what it means to have wisdom in our lives. It draws the distinction between wisdom and foolishness. How do we discern what is wise and what is foolish in the choices we face? It is not always easy to live a transformed life even when we want to because the world is filled with dangers and deceptions. We can get tripped up by people and temptation without even being aware of risks. Therefore, we must be fervently in our efforts to stop committing evil sins. We must be very careful to live our life rooted in God’s wisdom, for our own wisdom is biased and limited. God wants us to live in accordance with His words and to use our time wisely. The time we are given is not our own, it is God-given. We are often not good at time management. When I was a Uni-student, I tried a time audit for myself for 4 months. I was shocked by the differences between the plan and actual use whenever I reviewed how I spent my time. However, through that experience, I was able to see how much I was wasting my time in vain, reflect how much I trying to seek God, and change into a person who can use my time a little better. Having turned away from the old self to the new, Christians are called to being of the body of Christ. Verse 17 says, “not get drunk with wine … but be filled with the Spirit”. Unwise behaviour harms the body of Christ, and it wastes the precious time left before Christ comes again. Paul tells us about how to commune with God, how to live for Him, and how to serve and obey Him. He contrasts between how the god of Ephesus is served and how the God of heaven is served. (18) We can discern God’s will and serve Him faithfully by being filled with the Holy Spirit. In Acts, in the miraculous instances of the filling of the Spirit which resulted in speaking in tongues and other extraordinary activities. In Ephesians 5:18, when we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, it has no extraordinary events occurring with it. “Be filled” in this verse means directed, influenced, and governed by the Holy Spirit. The second half of this passage emphasizes living wisely with giving thanks to God and speaking to others with music from the spirit. “Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (19-20) It describes that there are three characteristics of the person filled with the Holy Spirit, which are the way of speaking, importance of music, and attitude of gratitude. Paul urges his listeners to be “singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts” (19) True worship begins in one’s heart and the centre of one’s being. God delights to respond to our prayers that come from the bottom of our hearts. The Scripture tells us that thanksgiving is a way of shifting toward the will of God or opening to God’s guidance. The attitude and practice of thanksgiving in worship and life keep our mind and direction to God. Praising God is our privilege and responsibility at the same time. God is the only one who deserves our praise, but today the Bible tells us to respond to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. This list indicates that singing is an important part of worship in our community of faith.

8th August 2021 Pentecost 11 (Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost) Walk in The Love of Christ (Scripture Reading: Psalm 130, Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2) By Heeyoung Lim Psalm 130 is a hymn that records the unknown psalmist’s confession of sin and God’s pardoning grace. This penitential psalm is for worshippers who are already justified by faith and have received forgiveness of their sins. Out of the depths of severe distress, the psalmist cried out to God and waits for the Lord. He confessed his sins, seeking forgiveness from God, and he encouraged others to do the same. When we have unconfessed sin in our lives, God waits for us to seek His grace and forgiveness. The writer cried to God, “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?” Nobody can stand if the Lord keeps a record. The psalmist’s source of discouragement came from sin within rather than from outside. (Psalms 130:1) When desperation filled his heart, he pleads with urgency. True repentance is accompanied by always has a sincerity, brokenness, and remorse. His cry for mercy is a confession of sin, seeking forgiveness from God. The psalmist continues, “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word, I put my hope.” (Psalm 130: 5) He waits for full restoration and trusts in God’s word which promises blessings. He waited for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning. (6) Psalm 130 invites us to put our hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption. (7) I believe that God’s people live and rest in his unconditional love and divine peace. We trust in God’s unbreakable covenant and hope based upon the immutable love of God. God is not absent in our despair. May we repent, be patient and remain confident in the love of God. May God’s steadfast love be upon you. May we never do anything to grieve God, for we love God. Therefore, let us turn from the things that grieve and towards things that bring God joy. Today’s second text leads us to focus on serving and pleasing Christ. Ephesians 4:25 begins by exhorting us to stop lying and instead make truth telling a habit of life. We should not deceive one another; rather by speaking the truth, we keep unity in the body as members of the one body. We may not always be able to keep from getting angry, but we strive not sin when we do. When we do get angry, we must be extra careful to not harm others and deal with it before the day is through. If we are not able to control and manage the anger, it may give the devil an opportunity to gain control over our attitudes and relationships. It can be a foothold that leads to greater anger and more sin. (26-27) Christians are not to steal, which is a timeless and universal value. We work and serve instead of stealing from the Lord and others. We live and work to worship, love, and serve Christ. The Bible describes God’s expectations for our lives. God’s work must be done God’s way through us. We are to live in such a way that our lives will be so distinctive, that neighbours and co-workers will want to know why. Verse 29 says, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” (29) We are to speak only words that build up and encourage others. Words of a mature Christian seek to help those who listen. The unity of the body of Christ may be preserved and enhanced through our response and obedience. This is not to say we can never say anything negative. There are times when we must talk about unpleasant things, particularly in solving problems with others. All find it necessary at times, to tell the truth or offer advice even if it is unpleasant. Whether we are solving a problem or not, our intent is always to build up, not tear down, to unify, not divide. (30) Today’s text tells us that each of us must rid ourselves of six sins: bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (31) Rather we should be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (32) We are to put on three virtues: kindness, compassion, and forgiveness, for Jesus showed us the love and forgiveness, modelled for us by Christ. God’s commands will bring challenges, but they remind us of the amazing possibilities for those who have been re-created in Christ, brought into the church, and called to live out the gospel. When we live together in the love and forgiveness of Christ, the church will be built up, people will become holy, and Christ’s body will be unified. God’s love and forgiveness transform us to live life to its fullness as the Body of Christ. The Bible calls the church to transform its culture into that of the kingdom of God. It is just more than just getting along and doing something; it is being the Body of Christ. The church is to be motivated and governed by God’s love and witness to the love of Christ. I believe that our church will be a place of living love where Christ’s love rules. Paul reminds us to follow God’s example and walk in the way of love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. (5:1-2) In today’s world there is an emphasis on achieving goals quickly. Many people like to do things quickly and can take short cuts, but our faith journey as followers of Jesus does work step by step. The theologian Martin Luther said, “This life, therefore, is not godliness but the process of becoming godly, not health but getting well, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not now what we shall be, but we are on the way. The process is not yet finished, but

1st August 2021 Pentecost 10 (Tenth Sunday after Pentecost) Unity in The Body of Christ (Scripture Reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15, Ephesians 4:1-16) By Heeyoung Lim The whole Israel community grumbled against Moses and Aaron during their journey because of the lack of food. The Israelites exaggerated their current difficulties and even overstated and distorted how well they fared in Egypt. They forgot God’s grace of salvation and did not trust in God. However, God said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites.” (9) Moses directed Aaron to gather the community to come before the Lord, who had heard their grumbling. While Aaron was addressing the community, the glory of the Lord appeared toward the desert in a cloud. The Lord’s response to this grumbling would be to give them meat in the evening and bread in the morning. The Lord told Moses that he would miraculously provide for the Israelites by raining down bread from heaven and that they were to gather it according to His order. God would also provide meat for them in the evening (13). Moses reminded them that the complaints were not to Moses and Aaron, but to God. In demonstrating His power to create out of nothing, the Lord revealed Himself as the Lord their God. God continually said to Moses, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning, you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.” The Lord commanded and Moses directed the people to gather as much as they needed per day for each member of the household. The Lord our God hears our prayers and even grumbling, there are God’s guidance and rule we need to follow even when He cares for each of us. Sometimes morning manna and evening quail seem to be hidden or ceased in our lives, but God wants us to see and concentrate on the grace and gifts instead of the desert we are experiencing. God asks us to live ‘todays’ to the fullest, trusting Him for our ‘tomorrows’. If we have not prayed and sought God’s wisdom for the trials we are facing, we may grumble and complain first instead of blessings and encouragements. There is no satisfaction and peace in disobedience, but there is security and appreciation in obedience. Unrealistic expectations and exceeding greedy almost always lead to complaining when something does not go our way. Little steps of faith bring larger steps of faith and our steps run towards the fullest of Christ. In today’s second reading, Paul describes himself as a prisoner for the Lord and urges Ephesians to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they have been called. (Ephesians 4:1) Paul was physically in prison when he wrote Ephesians, but he had been living in freedom. He was OK because he had given up his freedom to follow Christ. We are not in prison, but we partly experience half freedom just like lockdown. There are many restrictions we should follow for our health and safety during lockdown. Just as athletes who participated in the Olympics sprint to win prizes, we need to do our best in our life and faith. Athletes who participate in Olympic Games may aim to win medals or to elevate the names of their countries as national representatives. May we be also one of national representatives of the kingdom of God. The goal of the race of faith can be the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (13) Here are some Bible verses about life for the Lord. It is not only about the prize and competition, but also about Christian’s lifestyles and rules. “And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules.” (2 Timothy 2:5) “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24) “And let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1) Paul said, “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call” (2-4) We are called to do all, but it is not easy. For instance, it was not a piece of humility, but all humility. Patience is believing God’s timetable is good, no matter what it is. Somethings we want do not always come quickly. We can say that patience is one of characteristics of mature people. When we remember that the Lord is our God, it helps us be patient. Especially Paul calls for unity in the third verse and spends the next thirteen verses elaborating on it. The unity exists in Christ and is maintained by the Spirit. We can live in unity with one another since we are spiritually united in Christ with all other Christians. God wants us to live holy lives, put behind us the sins of the past, and live a Christian lifestyle that reflects the values of Christ. Each of us received a spiritual gift by the grace of God. That grace has not been apportioned the same. Each is different, it is not people’s choice. Rather Christ has chosen what and how to give grace to each member. It is not about discrimination or favouritism; it is about difference and choice that come from God’s way. Verse 7 and 11 tell us about the relationship between the call to unity and the spiritual gifts Christ has given us. Spiritual gifts are at the heart of Christ’s strategy for building his church. The gifts are given for the church and its ministries. This is for equipping the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

25th July 2021 Pentecost 9 (Ninth Sunday after Pentecost) Jesus’ Love and Care (Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21, John 6: 1 – 21) By Heeyoung Lim I’ve had the experience of feeling better and working efficiently by only changing my desk to a position I can see out the window during this lockdown. Just like small changes can make a positive change in our lives, there are times when our life and faith need renovation or construction. I sincerely hope that a change of life and faith that pleases God can follow during these arduous times. We do not need to have room in our heart where hidden sins are kept, and sinful desires are grown. I believe that we become obedient to God’s words when Jesus is dwelling in every corner of our life through our faith. Paul’s kneeling posture before God contrasts to common practice of standing to pray and represents humility and godly worship. (Ephesians 3:15) Our Father God hears and answers our prayers. Paul’s four prayer topics are inner spiritual strength, deep faith, abundant love (love of Christ), and God’s fullness. (16-21) Inner spiritual strength is not about positive thinking or mental renewing. God is the giver of spiritual growth and insight. It is important to ask God to increase our spiritual growth. The promise of salvation is not the end on our faith journey. It means that our faith needs to be grown and deepen. Faith that rests on only the promise of salvation can easily lead to spiritual stagnation. Paul prayed for deep faith. Mature believers are strengthened by the Holy Spirit and filled with the fullness of God. They also comprehend the abundance of God’s love and grace. We need to search the love of God until love becomes the roots of our existence. May we pray continuously that the Lord would strengthen us with power through His Spirit in our inner being, that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith, that we would experience the love of Christ, and be filled to the fullness of God. God should receive eternal glory for what he has done for us. God is glorified through our sincere response; His family, the church, is the centrepiece of God’s work in the world today. Paul’s prayer is full of hope for spiritual blessings and faith growth, and his praise is grounded in gratitude for the power at work within us that can accomplish abundantly more than we can ask. (21) Beyond our small hopes and imaginations, God is at work, fulfilling His plans. The strengthening of our inner person by the Holy Spirit allows us to let Christ be at our heart. When Christ occupies our heart, we can live with confidence in His love and care. Whenever we remember His love and care, we are able to love others with the love of Christ. The sense of being loved gives us the ability to relate to and love others, so we can experience with others the love of God. This ability to know God’s love leads to the fullness of God in us. That is Paul’s prayer for us. (19) We can participate in His kingdom on earth because Christ’s life, power, love, and His presence inhabit us. God’s presence with us sustains us in all circumstances, but we often forget the abundance we have, and we frequently misuse that. Today’s text shows us the ways in which Jesus provides for us, and the ways that cooperate with His abundant blessings. John 6 tells us two miracles: the feeding of the 5000 and Jesus’ walking on the water. We remember that God fed Israel during their wilderness wanderings with ‘manna’ which was bread from heaven. (Exodus 16) It was provided by God because the people were complaining. John 6 opens with the feeding story which is told in all four gospels. Philip and Andrew did not know what to do when they need food for the 5000, but Andrew brought and introduced a boy with the bread and fish to Jesus. We can never tell what He is going to do with it, but we can respond through what we have. We are called to respond to Jesus’ work among us and extend His abundant gifts to others. What are our five loaves and two fishes? If Jesus involves in and touches something we have, everything is possible in Christ. The smallest would transfer to the biggest in Jesus’ hands, and our normal story would transform to God’s miracle. We will be witnesses of Jesus’ miracle and God’s abundance whenever Jesus touches our own loaves and fishes. Jesus not only fed the crowd, but also saved them just as God led and fed the people in the desert. He echoes the miracle of the Exodus when God parted the waters of the Red Sea. God provides more than we need – food, healing, blessing, grace, faith, and salvation. Jesus has not come to be people’s king who will give them what they want. He is the only way to the Father and the only source of spiritual food. I believe that God will move us safely to next destination in the middle of our faith journey. His disciples were more than halfway across when they saw Jesus walking on the water. Jesus knew their problems with faith and fear. The disciples in the boat were felt God’s powerful presence when Jesus walked on the water. Jesus told them not to be afraid while they were frightened. He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” (20) “Then they glad to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” We do not know the next destination or the name of land we are going, but we will be joyful if we invite and follow Jesus all the time. Jesus comes to the disciples, across the waves, walking on the sea. He speaks to them and

18th July 2021 Pentecost 8 (Eighth Sunday after Pentecost) One in Christ (Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56) By Heeyoung Lim Ephesians 2:11-22 continues the theme of unity, with an emphasis on peace between two different groups. In verse 11, Paul contrasts the Gentiles’ hopeless condition before salvation with the Jews. The Ephesian church has experienced friction between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Hostility and hatred towards each other created a wall of separation between them, but Christ abolished the wall by making them one before Him. In Christ both Jew and Gentile have been united with God and each other. God wants us to be at peace with one another; He wants us to be reconciled to each other. To tell another of our saving experience is to tell of God’s grace in Christ that brought us eternal salvation. Any boasting words from our mouth should speak about Christ and the gospel, not about us. Life separated from Christ is death, no matter what it may seem to be now. If you want hope for eternality, accept Christ’s salvation, serving in love. You cannot be joined to Christ and separated in hate and mistrust from other people. (22) God did not leave the Gentiles in their hopeless condition but showed mercy and love. Christ abolished the distinction between Jew and Gentile. All people are now considered the same before God. His death on the cross made this wonderful thing possible. (13) What is the relationship between salvation by grace and being created for good works? Salvation comes only through God’s mercy in Christ and the believers do good works in response to God’s mercy. Christ is the one who gives us peace with God, for He himself is our peace. God wants peace to be both horizontal and vertical, between individuals and groups. He wants us to be at peace with one another; and He wants us to be reconciled to each other, to be at peace with Him. (14) Today’s story is about spiritual union between the two. We are brought near to God by the blood of Christ and made one with others. (13-18) I believe we are part of God’s holy temple. (19-22) What does it mean to dwell in God? God lives in you through the Holy Spirit and Christ joins all believers together in God’s peace and love. We can describe the difference between our life in Christ and before Christ. We are living in the place where God dwells as well as a threatened world. We all sometimes want to get away from it all, to retreat to a peaceful and quiet place, and shut out the busy world. What do you do? I love listening to music and reading a book. In between today’s verse we have the feeding of the 5000. The Lectionary handles the feeding miracle next week, so that we are given just the few verses which precede the feeding and summary of activities which follows both the feeding and Jesus walking on water. Mark 6:30-34 begins with the return of the twelve from their mission. In verse 7-13, they were sent out to heal and to teach and have returned. Verse 31 tells that “Many were coming and going, and they had no time to eat.” The disciples were again besieged by people, went through the countryside, telling everyone that Jesus was present. They became so busy that they do not even have enough time to eat. This overload of pressure has affected them deeply, both physically and spiritually. That is why Jesus took His disciples away to a deserted spot. Jesus knew what ministry felt like to heal people, to preach from town to town with crowds following Him. He knew what it was like to get caught up in God’s work rather than caring for daily needs. He had compassion for the disciples and encouraged them to come away from the crowds to get some rest. (30) They got into a boat and sought to reach a quiet place, however too many people saw them leave. (32) Jesus felt compassion for the people, viewing them as sheep without a shepherd. No animal is as dependent upon a shepherd as a sheep. Without the shepherd to lead, sheep wander aimlessly and get lost, even die of thirst. Without the shepherd, wolves can devour the sheep. Jesus viewed the people as helpless sheep. He led them and pointed them to the kingdom of God. Herod and other religious leaders however were lost. Jesus continued preaching, teaching, and healing the crowds because of His compassion and love. In the last part of today’s text, news of Jesus’ previous miracle brought those with sick out to Him. Jesus revealed himself as a true shepherd through teaching, feeding, leading, preaching, and healing. He provided divine hospitality. In verse 56, all who touched Him were healed, but his ministry did not end here. Jesus and His disciple’s ministry will be much longer and harder. As we know, Jesus saw the needy people as sheep without a shepherd. He did not treat them as an interruption. He offered God’s love and healed them. Jesus is our good shepherd; He will lead us in all aspects of life. May we be alert and open to opportunities to love and serve the Good shepherd. However, it is important for us to see here that Jesus encouraged His disciples to stop and care for themselves. Jesus also encourages us to care for ourselves. Why do we keep busy when we need to stop and rest? Why do we choose not to rest at times? By not resting, we may be in danger of burnout. Was it to call the people to repentance and live God’s ways of love, peace, and justice? There would be valuable motivations and various reasons for the Lord and others. Do we emotionally and repeatedly feel ups and downs in COVID-19 pandemic? During our current lockdown, we really need good