Sermons

17th January 2021 
Second Sunday After the Epiphany Title: Glorify God as Disciples (1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51) By Heeyoung Lim Today’s text is about learning to use the human body for the right intention and purpose. What is the body for? For the Lord! The Corinthians believed that they were free of all rules governing their behaviour and Corinth was stained with sin and soaked in a corrupt culture. Their dualistic notion that God would destroy the body but save the spirit led them to believe that sexual behaviour could not count as sin. AII things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12) Paul tried to teach them about the freedom to follow God and love others as Christians in this situation, and he insisted the freedom came from belonging to Christ like the mention of “you are not your own.” Belonging to Christ means we should orient our behaviour towards glorifying God, and everything we do needs to be beneficial in the Christian communities according to Paul. It is not principally to individuals, but to the fellow believers and faith communities of which we are part. God’s law is far much bigger and greater than that of humans, and God does not depend on satisfying the law. We are not attached to live only for life matters such as personal career, wealth, power, reputation, etc. These things are influential in our lives, but everything needs to be extended into a broader context such as community, social justice, and the kingdom of God. I think human life is well fitted when it is opened toward the larger reality of God and God’s glory, because life itself is within God’s plan. Today’s text contains my life confessions, one is “not all things are beneficial”, and the other is “I will not be dominated or enslaved by anything”. (12) In fact, our bodies are members of Christ that will not be destroyed but will experience resurrection as Christ was. (15) God raised Jesus and will raise us too. Anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him, and His body becomes “a temple of the Holy Spirit”. (17,19) Christian’s relationship with the Lord Jesus is not just spiritual, but also physical. There could be lots of temptations regarding our body in our society. God allows us Christian freedom, but we are put into the right relationship with God by grace in Christ anywhere and anytime. The whole church is also God’s new temple, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, which makes people into believers and helps them to live as such Christians and Christian communities. For you were bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body. (20) We are not our own, conversely, we are God’s. This is the reason why we live and die for him. Our lives are given by God and we are called to worship and glorify God. I hope we can commit to God so that His wisdom will lead and rule all our words and actions, and I believe we can live out the Gospel to glorify God in our existence. All the parts of our life belong to God, and we are “to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice”. (Rom. 12:1) One of the ways for glorifying God is to be responsible to God, we are the ones who love and worship God. We are in the house of God when we are with Jesus, and we can glorify God in our body. I hope we can all discover how to live the human life which brings glory to God. The story of the Gospel of John is not just about John, Peter, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael, it is about Jesus. Jesus here is deciding not just where to go next but whom to take with him. He is selecting followers.   Jesus invited Andrew and Peter to go to Galilee with him and Jesus “found” Philip and more. Philip followed Jesus straightaway, then told Nathanael Jesus finds Philip, and Philip finds Nathanael, and Philip makes the best possible invitation for spreading the Gospel, and he takes Nathanael (also called Bartholomew) directly to Jesus and says to Nathanael, “Come and see.” Gospel is basically passed person to person, and now we have more ways to spread Gospel in this media environment. Jesus calls many not just one, He calls our church and faith communities. In the middle of today’s text, there was Nathanael’s question: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”. (46) Nathanael is honest enough to express his amazement that God’s Messiah could come from an insignificant village. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” (47) Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” (48) Jesus knows everything and we are witnessing that Jesus calls us. He sees and knows us, and He can read our hearts as Jesus saw him under the fig tree, and He knew who he was and noticed him. Nathanael declared Jesus the Son of God and added, “You are the King of Israel.” (49) Jesus seems surprised since he responds and said, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?” What is our declaration? We do not know what exactly and suddenly transformed Nathaniel’s view of Jesus from doubting to great confession, but we know the epiphanies of Christ come to different people in such different ways. Epiphanies can be a transformation period through meetings and conversations with Jesus. May we be able to please our Lord through the transformation of faith and life. Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) Most of us are

10th January 2021 
BAPTISM OF THE LORD (FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY) Title: The Baptism of Jesus in The Blessed Trinity (Genesis 1:1-5; Mark 1:4-11) By Heeyoung Lim Today’s scripture is the very first chapter of the Bible, as God is the Creator of this world. (Genesis 1:1) God said, “let there be light, and there was light”. (3) Light and water from Genesis 1 reminds us of the eternity in which God dwells within. God’s creation brought order from chaos, emptiness, and darkness, and it has continued to fertility and fullness in the great plan of God. (2) As sufferings and struggles are all around us, the lights come up instead of going down, because we live in the light of God’s word. We can practice the great lightness of being that separates night and day. God also brings the healing of the waters in our lives. (5) Things came to life whenever God spoke, God’s words are enough to make things come to life in a way that God is pleased. (3) God said, “very Good!” after the creation. God may not always do what we want, but He always does his work for us on time just like His creation. Jesus has a connection back to the waters of creation when he is later baptized in heaven-opening event. He does what God did in the beginning and reopens the world and recreates us in our present lives. (5) I believe Today and 2021 will be a renewal day and year in heaven-opening event by the power of God’s recreation. In Mark 1, Jesus trusts the power of God to keep on creating order out of chaos when he steps down into the waters of the Jordan descending from above with the Holy Spirit. Mark is the earliest and shortest of the Gospels, and it is written for Gentile readers, especially Romans. Mark opened his Gospel by confessing that Jesus was the Son of God. (1) Mark presents Jesus as the ultimate servant, and he emphasizes what Jesus was doing rather than what he was saying. It clearly shows Christ as a servant of action, and more than half of miracles of all thirty-five written miracles have been introduced in the Gospel of Mark. One of key messages of Mark is 10:45. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” In the background of today’s passage, John’s preaching of a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was highly unusual for a Jew, because Jews thought that only Gentile need to be baptised when they convert to Judaism. John criticized the people for guessing to be righteous just because they were children of Abraham. We know people would be rejected if they do not bear fruits of repentance. (4, Matthew 3:7-12) The baptism by John was a baptism of repentance, and it is about repentance and forgiveness. Israel was being asked to turn away from its disobedience and to start anew by turning toward the coming Messiah, Jesus. They would be forgiven from their sins and would experience God’s grace through Jesus. (4) John was getting people ready as a messenger. Today’s Scripture invites us to bear fruit of repentance by turning away from something bad and turning in a new direction that God is pleased. It is time to acknowledge our disobedience and rebellion toward God first if we have, and need to confess our sins The location of the baptism was the Jordan River, which was several miles outside Jerusalem. (5) Do we walk our own several miles for faith? The road to God is not that far, but there would be a time to walk in a long distance for a long time. Where is our Jordan River? It can be the time and space of baptism. John made it clear that he was the servant of the coming Servant, and his task was to prepare the way and then got out of the way. (7) “I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8).  There are big differences between the John’s baptism of sinners and the baptism of the sinless Jesus, and a sharp contrast between the ministry of John and of Jesus. What happened to Jesus at his baptism? There was the affirmation of the Spirit of God and God’s voice. Jesus saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. Mark seems to suggest that only Jesus saw the heavens open and the Spirit descend. (10) The word “torn open” is used again in Mark 15:38 indicating a connection between the baptism and crucifixion. Jesus’s baptism is connected to all his ministry. John’s “wilderness” is where the voice cries for Jesus, but Jesus’ wilderness is where he is thrown by the spirit to be tempted, goes to pray (12, 35) and where he feeds the hungry. (Mark 6:31) As Jesus arises from the waters of the Jordan, he sees “the heavens torn apart.” The Spirit and a voice descend in the moment of the baptism of the Lord. (10–11) “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10) God speaks to Jesus and expresses His love and joy, and Jesus looks to the heavens and the voice calls out in love. (11) There was a divine voice that calls Jesus “Son” and “Beloved” and Mark describes the Spirit “descending like a dove” on Jesus. This is the same voice that speaks over each of us in our baptisms and continuous faith journey. What a wonderful and beautiful scene! What a remarkable beginning regarding Jesus’ ministry! In Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit has the central role. Here is the blessed Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are also in the blessed Trinity, and we can hear the voice “My son and daughter” and “Beloved” from God, and the

3rd January 2021 Second Sunday After Christmas New Journey in God’s Plan and Action (Psalm 147:12-20; Ephesians 1:3–14) By Heeyoung Lim Happy New Year! I pray we can continue to worship and gather in a COVID-less environment in 2021. As we begin a new year together, may the light of Christ fill our life this whole year. Many of us think of New Year’s Resolutions looking back the past, and plan something good for new year. We can have some questions to ourselves regarding our faith too. For instance, how much time will I spend in prayer, praise, and God’s Word? How my spiritual life will be? Do we expect God will do a new thing for individuals and communities? What is our priority? How it is possible for a person to begin again? The ”new thing” would be better, bigger, greater, and mightier than what we expect in us and our church. New Year’s celebrations provide a bit of excitement trusting God’s plan. Psalm 147 starts and concludes “Praise the Lord!” I hope “Praise the Lord” will be our beginning and the end in 2021. “The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love” (11) The Lord strengthens and protects His people, and He bless their children generation to generation and guards them against the surrounding nations who have endangered them. (12) The people are at peace with one another because God makes peace in our borders. This is God’s grace, and this harmony is from God. (14) All the world is at God’s command, and God’s spoken Word and written Word are all important and powerful. (15) God’s Word is the greatest blessing to us, and obeying it is our greatest response to God. (19) Praise the LORD is the last verse of this Psalm, and God’s people are rightly grateful. Psalm 147 is classified as a Community Hymn, and it is a call to worship as well as a reminder of why we should praise to God. This text also invites to glorify God. There was praise for God’s protection in the text, and it can be called a new exodus or new healing and settling by God’s shalom. We also have our own reason to praise God, and all worship is centred in God who he is and what he has done. (19) Many people would pay for sports, music, and dancing lessons regarding their hobbies if they are affordable. Those lessons would make more vivid life possible for us and for our children. It takes time and can be extended to our work life, but instruction is always necessary. There are many frustrations of installing and using new media and apps in a changeable society. We had to adjust or learn many things such as isolation, wearing masks, and using Zoom. How grateful we are when someone explains clearly and shows us by example how to use the media or apps as we do not know how to do something. God provides us with instruction and directions through His living words for salvation in God’s Plan, and Jesus explains clearly and shows by example how to live out faithfully until the very end before God. How thankful we are when Jesus died on the cross for all of us, and how delightful we are as we have chosen and adopted by God as God’s family. Ephesians is a letter about living together in human differences. Many of Paul’s letters open with thanksgiving for the faith or spiritual gifts of the recipient community. Ephesians includes both a thanksgiving for the community and for God’s action (1:3-23). We have received the blessing of being chosen by God and adopted by him as his spiritual children. We have been chosen for relationship with God in the love, power, and initiative of God. (14) “God chose and adopted us to be saved as God’s children, but He does not choose those who will not be saved
Nobody has been excluded for salvation in God’s love. “God desire all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1Thimothy 2:4) In Today’s Scripture, diverse communities and people are more highlighted than individual believers regarding God’s relationship. God has gifted the community with his blessings in the heavenly places where God is with us and God’s work is shown through Christ. We are weak and shaken, but God wants us to be holy and blameless before God in love together. Our sins are forgiven in him as we believe in Jesus as our Saviour. This does not mean that true Christians never sin, it means our sin is paid for by the death of Christ on the cross. We can be holy and blameless in God’s sight as we are in Jesus. (4) I hope we will all be standing before God holy and blameless when the Lord’s day will come. God gave us blessings to be freed and redeemed from our sins, and He led us into His spiritual family. That is to bring praise to God for grace-filled blessing and his salvation, and it needs to be continued until Christ’s return or the last moment of our life on earth. (12, 14) God is praised in the Today’s scripture for having chosen us as God’s children and adopted the church as God’s own people. The adoption of churches and communities by God is also a blessing and it is an action plan by God. (10,11) In Ephesians 1:5-6, both the goals and the means of God’s planed actions are graciously presented through Jesus. This was accomplished according to God’s delightful will, and the dual goals of God’s plan were adopting us and praising God. (5,6) God made us his children, and it pleased him. God graciously presents his blessing on us so that we would praise God’s grace-filled glory. I hope and pray our appreciation and praise toward God will be soared in our lives in 2021. We

27th December, First Sunday After Christmas Jesus and Blessing in a Faith Community (Isaiah 61:10 – 62:3 & Luke 2:22-40) By Heeyoung Lim Welcome to the first Sunday of the Christmas Day! There are two speakers, the prophet (Isaiah 61:10-11; 62:1-3) and God (61:8-9) in Isaiah 61 and 62, which is related the restoration of Zion. The prophet’s mission is central to Zion’s redemption. The people of Zion will rebuild and repair ruins, not only will the city of Zion be renewed, but it will also once again indicate God’s glory. The God of Isaiah promised a great U-turn of circumstances. The speaker has been changed from God to anointed messenger Isaiah in the form of praise. “I will not be quite until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch” (Isaiah 62:1) There were differences and gaps between promise toward Zion and reality of Jerusalem, but people and history meet the fulfillment of God’s promises as we encountered Jesus, the long-awaited Saviour of the world. The mission given to Isaiah is still needed today, while Christians look forward to Christ’s Second Advent (coming of the Lord) God uses devoted people to reveal his heavenly purposes to provide salvation and redemption for his people and for all the world. It is also presented in Luke 2. Obediently, Mary and Joseph followed all the Jewish customs based on God’s Old Testament and they dutifully took Jesus to Jerusalem for the purification rituals to dedicate him to God as their firstborn. There was the Presentation of Jesus at the temple. (Luke 2:22) Simeon was righteous and devout waiting for God’s divine consolation. He was God-fearing person and took God’s promises seriously. (25) He was in God’s expectations and lived in a right relationship with God. In his daily walk with God, he was led by the Holy Spirit, and he waited obediently for God to keep his promise. (25) Simeon had seen God’s salvation Named Jesus as Mary and Joseph entered the temple with Jesus, and he gave them a blessing they did not expect. (27) The first blessing was praising God, but second blessing was about “fall and rising of many”. (34) In Simeon’s first blessing, Jesus is God’s salvation and a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to people in Israel.” It was spoken to God reminding the fulfillment of God’s promises. (32) Mary and Joseph were amazed when they heard the blessing, but there was an unexpected blessing regarding the fall and rise too. Simeon spoke only to Mary. Jesus suffered and died, and then was raised to glory like the fall and rise blessing. We may just fall and rise, but it should not be constant falling, there would be the rising stage in Jesus. Simeon waited for God to comfort Israel. Jesus is the comfort and consolation for which Israel waited. God’s promise was that Jesus would come before Simeon died. Simeon has waited all his life for this child, and now he can die in peace calmly and confidently. He was far from making the soul despair and he is in an experience of God’s presence and he was simply a dedicated servant of God. Anna was a prophetess, one with great age and experience, having been married seven years and widowed eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. (38) Her life was uneventful, and her gaze was focused on only God’s salvation. She approached the baby Jesus just as Simeon returned him to his parents and recognized what God was doing in the baby Jesus and gave thanks. (36) Anna then turned to other worshipers and spoke her prophetic words about the child Jesus to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (36) Simeon and Anna have waited a lifetime for perfect peace and meeting Jesus, and the blessings became a new beginning of faith Journey for Joseph and Mary as first-time parents in reminding all parents of the responsibilities. Joseph and Mary were in some uncomfortable situations during their journey, they struggled to get to Bethlehem for the census while there was no room at the inn. Joseph stood by helpless and poor, watching Mary give birth next to animals, but a stable has been prepared by God. It was not earthly blessings. Joseph and Mary witnessed shepherds and others worship him after the divine child’s arrival in the world and took the roles and walked even in the limitations of parents’ social location. They have also experienced the fall and rise under God’s protection. They are given a divine mission to complete in their human flesh as parents, but God had fulfilled his promise, and the salvation is not a human act, it is God’s salvation. The story of Simeon and his interaction with the holy family reminds us of what we communicate and interact in our church. We can also think Anna was with the wisdom of age, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and a lifetime spent in the temple, and Anna’s coming forward to Jesus reminds us to come closer to people, and her testimony to the other believers and people gives a challenge to testify and spread Gospel. In addition, there was life-long waiting and prayer from Simeon and Anna, and the emotional and spiritual investment in the child Jesus have been done in a temple. There were praising God and blessings for others from the elderly who also need to be respected and loved by others. Jesus is son of his parents and Son of God. He is good news, Saviour, Messiah, the Lord, and the fulfillment of God’s promised redemption, cause of amazement and wonder. However, the human Jesus grew in the ways that all children do, each step of growth preparing him to fulfill God’s eternal mission. (39) We can bless each other like Simeon and tell everyone the good news that God has shared with

25th December, Christmas Service Glory to God in the Birth of Jesus (Luke 2:8-20) By Heeyoung Lim Merry Christmas! Jesus is born! Peace be with you! Jesus came to be with us as our Saviour. Jesus is the promised Messiah and Saviour who brings salvation to people from all classes, races, and nations of the world. His role as Saviour was proclaimed before his birth. We are grateful Jesus’ salvation is intended for all people. There were the Saviour’s Earthly Birth and Heavenly Mission. The story of the shepherds and angels is set at dark and quiet night. Then, suddenly light and singing in the dark and quiet. The first words from angels were “Do not be afraid.” The angel choir brings good news of joy for all people. But the fear comes first, and then the shepherds listen to the song of Good News. Light from the dark and singing from the quite are gifts sent by God. The shepherds heard Good News and experienced God’s grace. When did you hear Good News for the first time? How did you respond to the Good News? Specific time, place, and ways regarding conversion would be all different in accordance with our character, personality, and our faith. There would be gradual conversion, sudden conversion, and crisis conversion, and so on. God’s ways and His timing are also different according to individuals. Many people cannot point the born-again moment when our heart was carried into the presence of Christ. However, all the fear we had were in and out, and the turning point in our lives is not the end, but it is simply a new beginning. God’s glorious angel terrified the shepherds, but quickly brought them reassurance: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (10-11) Gospel provokes joy which is the inward feeling of happiness instead of fear. Joy comes to all people, and it comes from God’s gift. In Bethlehem, shepherds were nothing more than the ordinary. They would watch their flocks by night. One of the biggest surprises of Christmas is that shepherds were first to know about the coming of Jesus! God’s messenger could have gone to anyone, but chose the Shepherds, who became the first listener when God had the biggest news of all when they were simply at work. God visited the shepherds through sending angels and lifted them to first witness to his salvation. It happened when shepherds were counting the sheep constantly and looking after them. Shepherds were in love and care, and they responded in worship and praise. Telling the ordinary people first was important. It means that Jesus did not just come to the rich and the high even though the baby in the manger was God himself with all power and all authority under heaven. He came to the poor and the helpless, the sick and the lonely. Most of us could probably be identified as an ordinary person like the shepherds in the field. I believe we share the privilege of hearing the Good News and encountering the living Christ with others even though we are still battle fields. An angelic chorus burst on the scene, confirming the Good News, and singing heavenly praise to God. God revealed his glory, so that the shepherds could recognize. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” (14) God gains glory and people find peace through hearing Good News and praising God. Angelic presence does not last forever, and angels leave. After the angel’s appearance what do the shepherds do? They made an immediate decision to go to Bethlehem to see what angels told them. They wanted to be a part of the work God was doing in this world, they saw God’s work in the face of a baby lying in a manger. I believe we are all already included in God’s awesome work of salvation and immediate decision is necessary for God’s work instead of delaying or holding back. That is one of reasons of joy and moving forward. Shepherds found in a manger the Saviour, the Messiah, the Lord himself. Baby Jesus was in the feeding place. This baby is resting in a manger on the night of his birth. (14) It can be connected to table where community gather around. And after going to the stable and finding the baby wrapped in a manger, what do the shepherds do? They go home praising God for all they have seen and heard. (20) We can go into the world glorifying and praising God because we encountered Jesus. I hope and pray all we can run to Jesus and spread the Gospel so that we can share the words of glory and praise with others. I am confident many of us would like to live singing praise to God and passing on important news to the people around you. This Christmas I hope we can do as those ordinary shepherds did and keep on praising God so others may hear about the birth of Jesus. We are all witnesses to God’s coming into the world as Jesus Christ our Savior. The Good News of great joy that is for all people, and I hope we can extend the ministry of our church to all people whom Jesus came to save. We can expect to find God at work in places where people would never think and live each day in obedience so God can use us when his time comes. I am sure God is with us always if there are congregants who are crying to the Lord especially among our church members in many reasons. And I believe Jesus is with us all the time for all individuals and families who are struggling with grief, depression, loneliness, and illness. Only God can count and

Advent 4, 20th December 2020 The Inbreaking and the Favoured in God’s Love. Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:26-38 By Heeyoung Lim Christmas is nearly here! Our Advent wait is nearly over! On this 4th Sunday in Advent, we lit the candle of LOVE. Soon Christmas day will arrive. We are challenged to reveal that same LOVE as we live out our faith here. We thank God for a love beyond our human understanding and await the birth of God’s LOVE this Christmas. We are still in a COVID affected unstable world. How can we go back to the stable? We can stay stable in a manger of stable. Now, just before Christmas, we can get back to the basics of our faith which is God’s unconditional love freely given and received in a changing, uncertain world. There are famous scenes such as angels, shepherds, wise men and stars in the Christmas stories, and Today’s gospel is more focused on Mary’s story regarding the Jesus’ incarnation. However, all the Christmas related topics need to indicate Jesus. As we celebrate the birth of the Christ child in the stable of Bethlehem where Jesus’ inbreaking incarnation happened and the inbreaking is still happening to us. Where is our spiritual stable and Bethlehem? Can we all invite and welcome Jesus in our inner stable today? As we are getting back to the centre of our faith and back to the core of what we believe, the distance with Jesus will be closer and closer. God fulfills his promises, and He often accomplishes his will in unusual and unexpected ways. God’s promise that Jesus will “sit on the throne of David” fulfils the covenant in 2 Samuel 7:1-11 and reveals God’s faithfulness from the prophetic quote. The angel visits a young woman named Mary. The angel Gabriel represents of the presence of God. The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.” Mary is the favoured by God and she has experienced God’s undeserved grace in a special way. This does not change who Mary is, but she became a special instrument whom God chose to use in his gracious plan of salvation. Mary is elected to a particular purpose in which she wholeheartedly participates, but she is not sinless. (The favoured is not about favouritism.) The favoured by God is a blessing, but it does not mean she is “worthy of praise. The grace Mary received was God’s presence with her. However, the highly favoured becomes sometimes the greatly troubled in this world. The appearance of divine messenger like an angel would be powerful and enough to stir up her thoughts. The heavenly messenger understood her troubled mind, so the angel said to Mary “The Lord is with you” and “Do not be afraid”. The angel’s message did not ease Mary’s confused mind immediately, because confusion reigned, and questions aroused. She had never received such a greeting! What are our obstacles in a blessed event from God? Our spiritual blindness? The habit of saying “No thanks” to God? We are sometimes not ready to receive even greetings, blessings, the favoured by God, and we often misunderstand about God’s plan and will when the ways we face are totally different with ours even in a blessed event. There was a divine birth announcement for a baby named Jesus and Son of God in the Bible. Mary is described as favoured and perplexed, and depicted as the model Christian believer when she questions, believes, and submits to her vocation. God’s messenger had the answer to the confused Mary. The Holy Spirit will come upon Mary, enabling her to do and be more than she could by herself. The angel informed this child would be born through the Holy Spirit and a special miracle of God. (35) Both Mary and Elizabeth were in the divine miracle. In humble submission, Mary was now ready to serve God and follow his will. (38) Both agreed to do what God required. With his mission accomplished, the angel left. Mary was responding to God’s command in absolute obedience. God was at work again in wonderful ways. God’s grace removes all fear, and He does the impossible. Then and now! God will surround her completely with his sovereign power. God’s love will always care for us whenever God takes the initiative because God is love. Mary is the “blessed one” who is called by God to bear the Christ child, the “servant of the Lord” who desires that God’s will come to achievement through her. (38) There were voices from an angel in the presence of God, those were “Do not be afraid”, and “you have found favour with God”, and “nothing is impossible with God.” We can hear the voices when we are anxious, sad and in darkness. Mary’s response to Gabriel’s remarkable announcement of the coming birth of Christ were “Here I am, and I am the servant of the Lord”. Mary’s obedience is neither optional nor forced. She has no choice but to submit to God’s will. Mary acts freely when she offers herself as a servant of the Lord. (38) We are being called to be used by God, our existence and responses need to be before God. I hope all we can say ‘Here I am, and I am the servant of the Lord’ before God. In addition to inviting us to think about who we are and what we do in relation to God and God’s work, this passage challenges us to be reoriented by what the incarnation tells us about Jesus. The inbreaking of Jesus changed our whole life in God’s love. God is giving us the salvation and continuous love through the inbreaking of the holy, the favour of God, and being with us. The holy being came into a particular time and place (v. 26), sent by God to a particular person and community (v. 27). We cannot anticipate the ways that God will

Advent 3 13th December 2020 (Isaiah 61:1-11; Like 1:46-55) By Heeyoung Lim Gladness and Praise in God’s Garden The God in whom we rejoice, prepares our hearts for the coming of the Lord. We light the candle of joy on the 3rd Sunday of Advent. We are glad indeed, to be together in the House of the Lord! I hope God will fill us to overflow with the joy of the Lord, and our hearts will be filled with laughter. Light and joy flashed from God’s words. Two couples looked forward to the birth of their first child. A hint of fear and wonder tingles the expectancy and excitement. Mary’s faith displayed itself in praise, Mary praised God for his great acts for her. Her praise included two actions: giving glory to God and rejoicing in the presence and actions of God. The Lord had looked down on Mary with loving care. Knowing the low socioeconomic status in which she was embedded in. God had placed her in a state of blessing, because of Jesus. She did nothing to earn or deserve this, but the almighty God had caused it with his mighty acts. (Luke 1:46) He reaches down in mercy, finding in each generation people who worship him. He also pays careful, loving attention to the humble, raising them up to new people of importance (50) Loving salvation for an undeserving people, and God does what he promises (54) God gave her a song of praise, and Mary was willing to bear the disgrace to become God’s instrument of grace. (56) In Isaiah 61:1-11, God sends his messenger to bring good news and help to all those in need who are in the post-exilic community. In Isaiah 61: 1-2, God’s salvation is related to good news, healing, liberty, and comfort. We can hear good news when we are poor, and we can hear words of freedom when we are captive or when we are addicted to something. In addition, we will be released from what binds us when we are kind of prisoners, and we receive comfort given by God when we are mournful. Our hearts will be also healed by the Lord when we are broken-hearted. Where is God’s transformation revealed today? In our whole life, the house of the Lord, our homes, workplaces, communities, and this precious place with the name of Leighmoor, where Jesus offers blessing for all. I believe God will be pleased more through our transformed life in Jesus. The message from Isaiah is imaged both as a restored city and as an abundant garden (4, 11) The world will see what God has done for Israel in the past and will know they are a people whom the Lord has blessed. (9) That is, Isaiah’s vision is not an empty promise. It cannot be described as the pie in the sky. There is a similar expression in Korea, too. It is expressed as the bread (rice cake) in the picture. However, God’s deliverance is real. God saved people in all of the past, present and future, and God’s salvation is here with us now. All we are invited to participate in God’s salvation through Jesus. That is our true joy, and it will be experienced by others who still do not know Jesus in the future. The good news for God’s salvation and deliverance is for everyone. The anointed is to deliver good news to the oppressed, to wrap for healing the broken hearts, to declare liberty for the captives and an opening so the imprisoned may find release. The anointed cannot avoid vulnerability or rejection by continuous preaching and divine service. God’s anointed must confront the perpetrators and sources of oppression, marginalization, hopelessness, and despair. They lived with shame and disgrace, and they were devastated. They experienced downfall and abandonment by God, but the prophet Isaiah told them and tells us that God’s presence is real. The scripture reveals God’s special treatment and care for the lowest, and the weakest. The words spoken are full of promise. It is not a temporary promise, it is an everlasting covenant. From verses 8 to 11, the topics of justice, hope, anticipation, deliverance, and blessing are spoken to the people. It was a promise and a reminder that God has not forgotten them. Isaiah 61:10: I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness the prophet begins to give praise for what God is going to do. They will dress in a fashion that indicates their rejoicing in God’s faithful act of deliverance. (10) God restores his people to righteous living and glorious worship because the Lord loves justice, and He will let the people wear the robe of righteousness. (10) God will glorify his people by bringing them back to his house of worship. We cannot overlook the fact that many people are feeling oppressed, broken-hearted, captive, or imprisoned in some way today, and some of them are wondering when and how God’s transformation will take place in our lives. We may have a feeling about God’s silence when we are facing difficulties and sufferings. What do you do when that disappointment happens? There would be many things to do such as seeking, praying, and waiting! Advent is a time of waiting and preparation for God to transform the world through Jesus Christ. Isaiah’s words tell us that the transform is not to be an empty hope but a sure promise, because the promise for recovery is already given and will be given by God. The restoration for God’s people was God’s mission and His desire for salvation. That is why salvation is related to mission and our response. Where and how mission will happen in our lives. There would be lots of unexpected losses in our lives, but God will provide for us and will redeem our losses. In addition, a restored

Hello Faith Pals, I have included my last sermon/service, and an item from Bill Pugh about angels. News: Alan has had some good news.  The cancer cells have not been found in his organs, or in his lymph nodes, but they seem to be hiding in his bones.  His oncologist will be speaking to Peter Mac re further tests to see if Alan is suitable for targeted radiation therapy.  If this is not possible, other options will be considered. Myrtle is to have surgery next year for her heart problems. She has a number of important tests lined up for early in the new year. Lex: on the mend, slowly recovering from heart surgery. Oh, it has reached that stage…which is good…because it means Heeyoung will be starting next week, and you will then have a permanent minister…but sad because I will miss you, you have found your way into my heart, even during this time of lockdown! Oh I had so much I wanted to say, but it won’t come out right.  You are so wonderful and even though I have got to know you via the phone and the internet-that was sufficient for me to realize, and feel, the love from this church community.  I will miss your laughter, your patience, your faith, your compassion…you are true pilgrims. When I began, I thought I’d be caring for you through visits and Sunday worship.  Well, we do worship differently now (and we have learned that this is okay too-we can still worship and pray when we are physically absent from the church building). I feel cheated that I haven’t  had the opportunity to meet most of you in your homes, see your photographs etc.  BUT I think we have coped quite well.  The most important thing during lockdown was to keep each other safe…and you did that…without complaining.  Well done, thy good and faithful servants!  I have tried my best…if I have neglected anyone, I am truly sorry. I have tried to keep your spirits up.  We have laughed, shared favourite books/films/music/Scripture etc.  You have put up with Kermit the frog, angels, my haiku, and my many ramblings. I never got to ask you what cartoon character you are most like, or would most like to be.  I think I am most like Grover, the furry blue monster from Sesame Streetwho just wants to love everyone, and comfort them.  Thank you for allowing me to love you. I want to share a story, that I shared with several people yesterday: The Seven Wonders of the World, author unknown ‘Junior high school students in Chicago were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes: 1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids 2. The Taj Mahal in India 3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona 4. The Panama Canal 5. The Empire State Building 6. St. Peter’s Basilica 7. China’s Great Wall While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn’t turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, “Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.” The teacher said, “Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.” The girl hesitated, then read, “I think the Seven Wonders of the World are: 1. to touch… 2. to taste… 3. to see… 4. to hear… (She hesitated a little, and then added…) 5. to feel… 6. to laugh… 7. and to love. The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop. May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful – and we don’t have to travel anywhere special to experience them. Enjoy your gifts!’ When I conclude, I will tackle those boxes and mess in the lounge-I need room to put on the Christmas tree.  Did I tell you I love Christmas?  I am sure I have! I have two books that I need to finish writing, one with a deadline that is looming, the other two years away (but time does go fast…faster as we get older). Thank you for your care, love, and prayers for me, and also those for David.  If surgery happens in February, we will remain in isolation/lockdown until May because of his suppressed immune system. I wanted to conclude with something profound. Oh you lovely band of faithful pilgrims, with pure hearts, and an ability to see God’s amazing world…I thought I would conclude with this quote.  It isn’t one from the Bible, indeed the spiritual teacher was not a Christian…but it sums up our calling: We are here helping each other through life, and beside us is our friend and Saviour. Wallow in God’s goodness, embrace God’s love.  Know you are NEVER alone, for Christ walks beside you-indeed you carry his name, ‘Christian.’ ‘Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God…for God is love.’ -1 John 4: 7 May you and Heeyoung be a community of love, a church filled with joy, with a thirst for compassion, and justice. Blessings and love, you remain in my prayers, and in my heart, Barbara Virus-free. www.avg.com