7th November 2021 Pentecost 24 (Twenty Fourth Sunday after Pentecost) Title: Giving and God’s Presence (Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 17:8-16; Mark 12:38-44) By Heeyoung Lim God told Elijah to go to Zarephath and directed a widow in that place to supply you with food. This was the heartland of Baal worship, but a remarkable place for the prophet of God to be protected. This is a place where the Lord’s power could be seen. The widow was suffering in times of drought and famine. This was hardly the place a person would look for help. In spite of the strangeness of this command and promise, Elijah obeyed. He asked her for a little water and a piece of bread. The woman was in between the demands of hospitality and her own desperate condition when Elijah requested it. She said to him, “I don’t have any bread, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” This was a bold request for a stranger to make, but it was followed by an even more remarkable promise: The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land. She went away and did as Elijah had told her. As a result of her trust, she experienced God’s supernatural provision, not just on that occasion but for an extended period. The prophet had learned to trust God, and he invited the woman to trust Him as well. They experienced God’s presence by giving and doing. The widow and her son became rely on the Provider, not the provision. In the process God revealed that He alone, and not Baal, was the Lord of all. God is our provider. The woman shows us courage that gives all to another. The spiritual courage is the capacity to stand for the Lord and sustained only as we are trained to know Him better and to trust Him more. It comes from commitment to the Word of God. Faith grows as we trust God’s word and see His faithfulness to his promises. The difficult places of life are God’s training ground, and the Lord trains us under His plan and providence. God is consistently faithful, meeting the need just in time every day. God is generous, giving, loving, forgiving, and gracious, and we are worshipping and trusting God. May we deepen our confidence in God’s power and have spiritual courage in the presence of God. In the first scene of today’s Mark’s gospel, Jesus taught and said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets.” Jesus warns against religious leaders who would make a show of how great they are. They sought to draw attention to themselves, and their attention was all external show, designed not to give honour to God but to attract it to themselves. They also acted out their attitudes of superiority by oppressing other people. Because of their great knowledge of the law, they should have done with compassion toward the vulnerable as they knew God did. What can we hear and feel when the two coins hit the bottom of treasury? How do we respond to those who cry out in need? She was not seen by the religious leaders, but she was seen by Jesus. They overlooked her, but Jesus looked at her and recognised the meaning of her giving when the poor woman throws two coins only. Jesus contrasts the greed of the scribes with a poor widow. In the second scene of today’s reading, the temple is a busy place and there are many events taking place. What does Jesus notice? What events do we give our attention to in our lives? Are our important events truly important in the eyes of Jesus? The widow was doing real action which is based on her faith while the religious leaders were doing empty ceremonies. God sees our actions even when people do not. In verse 40, they devour the property of widows, and make long prayers without meaning them. Some religious leaders exploited the poor woman’s property and then tried to show what they are praying without meaning. They misused their positions and exploited the poor rather than helping to care for them. The widow’s action is not only an example of faithful giving but also a demand for justice. Jesus contrasts the hypocritical teachers of the law with a woman who demonstrates true spirituality. Jesus did not condemn the people who put in large amounts of money. His intent was to show the disciples what true sacrifice is. She gave all she had to God and took the huge risk for the work of God. Jesus makes the point that this poor woman has given more than all the others who contributed to the treasury. Jesus draws attention to that which other might easily overlooked. God does not look on the amount of money a person gives, but on the attitude and heart a person has. If we are consumed and addicted by honour, power, money, social media, and beauty, they will leave us empty. I hope we can seek and have nutritious and healthy spiritual food rather than spiritual junk food. Spiritual courage for giving comes from God’s presence and words. Helping those in need, doing or giving something constructive with all of our resources, not just our money, will be a way to live by the gospel. Giving to God is an act of worship. Her giving and worship grab Jesus’ attention. In the eyes of God who sees the heart she has put in more than all the rest. God

31st October 2021 Pentecost 23 & Reformation Sunday (Twenty Third Sunday after Pentecost) Title: The Greatest Commandment (Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Mark 12:28-34) By Heeyoung Lim About Reformation Sunday & The Five Solas of Reformation 
(Scripture, Faith, Grace, Christ Alone & To the Glory of God Alone) Reformation Sunday reminds of Luther’s and other reformers’ efforts in reforming ecclesial duty and responsibility. This day calls to remembrance the cost the poor have paid, the cost people were deceived at the hands of material greed with the name of indulgence. Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the Cathedral door in Wittenberg, Germany. His action sprang from his faith and theology. He began seeing a great truth of Scripture that had been lost to many in the church of that day and he realised and confirmed that we are saved by grace through faith declared righteous in God’s sight by Christ alone. Today’s Old Testament reading starts “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.” Strength in this passage refers not to a person’s physical strength, but to his/her intensity. The Lord invites us to “Hear” and “Love” God. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 constitute the core statement of faith. In this context, the command to hear implies “to listen closely for the purposes of obedience.” God wants people to be sincere in their faith and love. God’s commandments are not to be treated as a list of the acts we perform but as a description of who we are. It is more related to our whole “being” rather than our partial “doing” because God wants us to love Him with all that we are. His truth is to be placed upon the hearts of his people. (6) As today’s Bible verses, godly parents would impress God’s commandments upon the inner parts of children and each generation. God wants us to talk about His commandments when we sit, walk along, lie down, and get up. In Mark 12, one of the teachers of the law came and asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” By quoting the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Jesus emphasized that we must give our whole being to God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength when we love God. Jesus then quotes Leviticus 19:18, calling for love of neighbour as self. He is reciting a command from the law of Israel as an answer to a question. The question is “Which commandment in the law is number one?” He is emphasising the idea that what God really wants from us is to live our lives based on love and not based on strict obedience to a bunch of religious laws. Jesus brings these two commands together in a way that links love and justice. Why is Jesus giving us a command to love? The scribe answered wisely, “loving God and neighbours are more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” It reminds us of Amos 5, “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them.” (21-22) Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (34) It was meant to encourage the scribe to continue down this path he had described by himself. It may be the equivalent of Jesus’ “Follow me” statement. No one asked Jesus any more questions after this encounter. His enemies seem to be failed to trap Him. An honest seeker in Mark 12 was the only scribe who received a commendation from Jesus. This reminds us of that there are always individuals within any group who are open to the gospel and to God’s movement in their lives. Jesus will not turn away any person who seeks Him with sincerity. Jesus is giving us a command to love God and neighbours. To love God and neighbours is to be near to the kingdom of God. Love is something where there is always room for improvement. The fullness of love is always something that we hunger for but can never be enough. However, Christ’s love compels us to love God with all that we are and leads us to love others as we love ourselves. Are we loving God with all that we are? Will we love our neighbours by letting “justice roll down like waters,” as the book of Amos tells us to do? (24) May all of us aspire to grow in love. We are commanded to “Love” and “Listen”. We can surely respond to a command to love and listen because Christ’s command helps us keep striving to love. I believe that every move of love we make helps to accompany in God’s kingdom of love. Every step of love we take can be a way of reformation. Even our weak efforts at love become little signs of hope in the present and the future. Every single act of love in faith contributes to being a witness for the kingdom of God. I believe that these ritual expressions of love will grow in the fullness of love and become deeper, richer, and more meaningful as our lives and communities be filled with our growing love. For the scribe and all the characters in Mark’s Gospel, including the disciples, love is not complete until they see the cross of Jesus and the power of God. May we experience the full life of love of God and neighbour when Christ’s love embraces us. Then we will be in joyful obedience and take up our cross and follow Jesus with love. Today’s text invites us to focus on how our faith draws us into relationship with God and with each other. In John 14:21, Jesus says, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who

24th October 2021 Pentecost 22 (Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost) Title: Eyes of Faith (Scripture Reading: Job 42:1-6, Mark 10:46-52) By Heeyoung Lim Truly we need God’s mercy and grace. & Peace be with you. God speaks to Job of matters beyond his understanding. Job’s suffering remains an unanswered situation, but the encounter with God transforms and Job moves forward in faith. He now sees with new eyes of faith. He recognized God’s sovereignty and retracted his own sin. In the whirlwind, Job’s faith is wide open as he responds to God. (Job 42) He refocused on God’s intimacy and reaffirmed God’s supremacy. Job said, “But now I have met you face to face. So now I am ashamed of myself.” He knew he was spiritually poor. Job knew that he didn’t know everything, so he knew he needed God’s grace and mercy. In Job 42:2-5, Job confessed, “I know that you can do all things”, and he confided, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” with deepening repentance. Job had been experienced with a deeper realization of God’s wisdom, power, and care through his suffering and trial. What his eyes had seen of God seems to refer to spiritual insight rather than physical vision. Job’s understanding of God’s awesome character is much greater than before his suffering began. Job was in agonizing trial, but he was always in God’s providential care at the same time, and his spiritual gain outweighed his temporal and physical loss. Job repents of his arrogance, acknowledges God’s sovereignty, and he renews sight of God. Is our heart quick to repent when God points out our sin through His words? Today’s text invites us to refocus on a personal and abiding relationship with God and a communion in which we are to grow closer to God. Are we growing in our knowledge of God? After today’s Old Testament reading, God rebukes Job’s three friends in anger, ordering them to give a burnt sacrifice and directing Job to pray for them. God said to Job’s friends, “My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly.” God restores to Job the great abundance of health, children, and possessions that he had before his tragedy. Broken and humbled Job repents of his view of God and restores his three friends back to God, and he is abundantly blessed by God with more than he had before. May God completely restore and abundantly bless you in your lives. The cure of two blind men is positioned at the beginning and end of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem between Mark 8 and 10. The two cures play a symbolic role to overcome the spiritual blindness of the disciples regarding Jesus’ identity and mission. In Mark 10, Bartimaeus was expressing faith in Jesus and begged for mercy. He began to shout, “Jesus, have mercy on me!” He calls out and comes to Jesus. Some people tried to stop Bartimaeus from seeking Jesus, but he shouted more for Jesus to have mercy on him. He had both hope and persistence. His persistence finds its reward in verse 49, a verse that is not only a story of healing, but also a story of calling. Jesus calls him. “Call him over!” We must not hinder anyone from coming to Christ because of our words or actions, because Jesus is calling us to walk with Him. In verse 36, Jesus asked James and John: what do you want me to do for you? Where they saw only self-interest, Bartimaeus sees hope in Faith when Jesus asked him the same question. Who is seeking to cure the spiritual blindness of his disciples? The disciples want status and privilege while Bartimaeus sees with the eyes of faith and says, ““Let me see again.” Jesus told him, “Your faith has made you well.” This means, “You may go. Your eyes are healed because of your faith.” The blind man regains eyesight through his faith and Jesus’ healing power, but the story does not end with this healing. In Mark’s story Bartimaeus can see Jesus in a way that others do not. He is willing to immediately follow Jesus on the way with sight restored rather than going away. When Jesus first asked what he wanted, Bartimaeus did not hesitate to tell Jesus that he wanted to see. He was expressing faith in the one who could help him, the expected Messiah, and he begged for mercy. He had eyes of faith. He has precious inner sight and insight about who Jesus is. Bartimaeus knows what he needs and believes that Jesus is the one who can deliver. What do you want Christ to do for you? In today’s text, Bartimaeus appears as a disciple that cast away his only valuable belonging. According to a theologian, Luis, ” Whereas the miracle starts with Bartimaeus “sitting on the side of the road” (46), it ends with the new disciple “walking, following Jesus on the road” (52) What do we need to throw aside to follow Jesus with faith wide open? Are we ready to follow Jesus immediately without any hesitation when He asks us to follow? The thirst for faith and the Word can be expressed as spiritual poverty that gives us the capacity to believe when we cannot see. It is what drives us to search out deeper, hidden truths about God. It turns us into a spiritual beggar. When we do listen to God, we will gain a deeper understanding, an in-sight, and a knowing without seeing. The man was healed physically and saved spiritually, and he followed Jesus on the way and moved from beggar to disciple. The blind beggar becomes a model of discipleship and faith. Jesus calls us to the new way of life and faith opens our eyes to see Jesus and His work in our lives. In the kingdom of God, even the one

17th October 2021 Pentecost 21 (Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost) Title: Creator and Creation (Scripture Reading: Job 38:1-7; Hebrews 5:7-10) By Heeyoung Lim Job is a person who underwent a profound “dark night of the soul” without apparent reason. He was blameless and upright, but his life with his family was destroyed. Chaos displaced order: sadness came up instead of joy; despair overwhelmed hope; anger overcame his peace; sickness banished his health. His close friends became part of the problem, for they blamed his troubles on his sin or his fault. Tragedy strikes and chaos comes knocking at his door. Job loses everything due to heavenly deal between God and Satan. Job knew that he has not sinned or disobeyed God and still he suffers, but he felt it was all God’s doing and he wanted some answers that made sense. Why do bad things happen to good people? What is the reason for Job’s suffering? This question has increased vigorous discussion among Job and his friends during the previous thirty-seven chapters. However, the multiple voices from Satan, Job’s friends, and his wife give way to God when God takes the stage in chapter 38. Meanwhile, suspense has been building as Job keeps asking God to answer his complaint. It was about justice and the absence of God during Job’s suffering. Job has challenged God. In his suffering, he seeks some answers and some vindication. His words were derived from a false perspective about the positions of God and man. He had confused the truth about who God is. He forgot the truth that God was the Creator and he was the creation. When Job takes his case to God, God meets him face to face and questions him. God suddenly broke His long silence and spoke to Job in anger. The LORD answered Job out of the storm; it was a divine encounter in a fierce whirlwind. Whenever God speaks in the Bible, the attention shifts. God’s answer to Job’s dark night of the soul is to challenge him with the wonder and amazement of the universe. His answer to Job is no solution, rather, it consists of questions. God never explains why Job has suffered as he has, but God humbles Job by asking him questions about His creation and He turns Job’s attention away from his own situation and circumstances towards God’s majesty, wisdom, and power. God does not correct Job or teach him a lesson but dazzles him with the divine glory. God stretches Job’s imagination to ponder His majestic creation. Just as verses 4-7 outline Job’s absence from the creation of the world, verses 8-11 testify to Job’s absence in the establishment of the seas. Job is learning his place in the universe before God. He is assured of God’s presence, and this resolves Job’s problems on a different level. God creates, controls, and rules over the world. After a time of profound questions, Job proclaims his faith in God. Psalm 104:1 sings, “O Lord my God, you are very great.” We can imagine Job is singing this Psalm that describes the majesty and wondrous deeds of God in creation. When have you experienced the presence of God? When have we found ourselves singing with the realization that no matter what, God is God? The sovereignty of God is expressed through the wonder of creation. May we praise God as our creator whenever we see or look after God’s creation. We rejoice in the works of God in our daily lives. We live within the limits of human knowledge and unresolved questions, but we are called to trust God and look after God’s creation. May we only hold on to God and care for each other and God’s creation with trust and hope. The wisdom and love Jesus revealed on the cross came in remaining faithful to God and trusting God’s way. May we look to Jesus’ example of obedience in suffering and give Jesus our full obedience and attention in God’s plan. God is our Creator and Jesus is our Saviour. May we come to Jesus for the strength to overcome our weakness and we be in search of relationship and intimacy with God. It does not mean that we believe in Jesus because of our problem solving, it is because we are God’s creation and Jesus’ disciples. The righteous or God’s people should not lose sight of the exalted position that God occupies. God redeems people who are in trouble, sustains them through the wilderness, and brings them into the promised land. God acts through history, in fulfillment of promises made long before to a particular people, with whom God enters covenant relationship. God works through our story, fulfills His promises in our lives. Creation and redemption are inextricably linked. God so loved people and the world. God invites us to protect His creation. Our planet is in danger, the causes of this problem seem to lie in the lack of awareness and action. Many people across the world, however, do not save energy and water, many of them do not recycle their waste and send everything to landfill. People therefore are generally unaware of the importance of saving resources and recycling their refuse. Some people are not interested in climate change and climate action even though our planet is in danger due to human induced problems. Despite our pain and loss, God’s creation will support and sustain. Our role is to recognise God’s work, not just in the exceptional moments, but on a regular basis in our lives. It must be done not only by word and explanation, but by action and experience in the presence of God. May we recognise God’s work, participate in helping people who are in unwanted suffering, and protect our planet by bold climate action each and every day. If there had been no book of Job in the Bible, it would have been more difficult for us to understand the suffering and pain that the righteous

WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? Gospel of Mark 10: 17-31 Homily by Geoff Serpell Whether you like it or not most of us have reached that lofty pinnacle through the prices of real estate going through the roof. The home Jan and I live in is worthless for rate valuation, but the site has escalated from $1500 which I paid around 1958 to be valued at $1.1k today. The improvements, that is the house, workshop and doghouse will all be demolished on our demise, so they are valued at zero. As a family during the second world war, we were quite poor. Whilst Dad was posted away in the RAAF, Mum, sister, and I lived behind a shop front in Surrey Hills where Mum taught violin to pupils to cover the cost of bread on our table each day. Pocket money was scarce as a kid. On a few visits to grandma who lived in Sale, Gippsland, my sister and I would scout around the town paddocks collecting empty beer bottles, which recycled would earn us four pennies for every dozen. It was a thirsty town during and just after the War, so we earned enough to buy fishing tackle and ice blocks. Millionaires’ we kids were, well, for a few days anyway. Gifted a beach house to live in at Sandringham by our grandparents, Mum and Dad got by, but the luxuries did not come easily and then only by inheritance when the Sale grandmother died. So, at this stage I had better remind you just how privileged we then were and now are. As members of the first world, we have shelter and clothing and running water and medical care and superannuation and books and furniture and many other possessions, even an electric bike. You need no reminder that many people around the world have little or none of these things. I should urge you to think about how you could help other people share in this privilege. This would be a reasonable thing to do. However, I am not a reasonable person, and we are not reasonable people. We are disciples of Jesus, a most unreasonable man, who views the world in topsy-turvy terms and tries to show us the world through his eyes. He did it again in today’s gospel reading, A man who owned many fields and other possessions came up to Jesus and asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus looked at him, & loved him, and said, “Go sell what you own, give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When the man heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving. Maybe he went and sulked in his grand old house, called in the accountant, and checked through his rental books. Maybe he made himself a stiff coffee: the story does not say so. Instead, we are told that Jesus turned to his disciples and said:” How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God”. Notice what Jesus did not say. He did not describe the wealthy landowner as privileged. He didn’t tell him to be grateful, and to find ways to share in this privilege. Instead, he told him to get rid of his wealth, because only then would he be free to follow Jesus. When Jesu said this, his disciples were perplexed. We all know how privileged the rich are, we are. We all know that we are blessed. How can it be difficult for us to enter the kingdom? Maybe riches do prevent us from entering the kingdom, or the culture of God. We can forget just how interconnected and dependent we all are, Wealth insulates us from knowing our need of others and our need of God. Wealth gives us the illusion of control over our lives, and of our futures. It makes it hard to learn to trust in God’s provision. Wealth can make us blind to the needs of others and blunts our compassion. As we grow older, and hopefully wiser, we realize that wearing a $3,000 or $30.00 watch, makes no difference as they both tell the same time. Whether we carry a $300 or $30.0 wallet or handbag, the amount of money inside is the same. Whether we drink a bottle of $300 or $10 wine, the hangover is the same. Whether the house we live in is 300 or 3000 sq metres, loneliness is the same. You will realize, your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. Whether you fly first, business or economy class, you all land at the same time. We need to educate our children to be happy, not rich. When they grow up, they will know the value of things, not the price. You are loved when you are born and loved when you die. In between, you must manage. The six best doctors in the world are: – Sunlight, rest, exercise, diet, self-confidence, and friends. So, maintain them in all stages of life and enjoy a healthy life. We can be insulated from other’s needs, being complacent, comfortable, and secure. When approached it is easy to direct the needy to government or welfare or to lifelines. God demands that we feed the hungry, clothe the naked and love each other. This in real and material ways. A friend from the Victorian Welsh choir sent me something I have treasured and now share with you. It is a story of a wealthy man and his son who loved to collect rare works of art. In the collection were included masters from all round the world. Making a long story short, the son was called up for duty in Vietnam where he died saving the life of a fellow soldier. This soldier later knocked on the mate’s father’s door and handed him a picture he had painted of the wealthy man’s son. This