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

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

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

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

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