St Timothy Presbyterian Church in Toronto: Sermons

Scripture Passage John 14:15-21 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Happy Mother’s Day! Once a year, we celebrate our mothers. Radiant and splendid. The lectionary gave us this passage today, and it is very relevant for today. Jesus said this to the disciples: I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. (John […]

Scripture Passage Psalm 27 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script We've been studying David at our Winter Fridays. The psalm we read today was written by him. Around 73 of the 150 psalms are attributed to David. That is almost half of the entire book. He was a talented poet. He had the sensitivity of an artist and the insight of a theologian. When I look at David's life, I see a common theme. It is that God was always with him. He lived his life with this understanding, in all circumstances. God was never separate from or outside the reality of his life. God was intimately involved in his life. We can see this at the beginning of today's psalm The LORD is my light and my salvation;whom shall I fear?The LORD is the stronghold of my life;of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1) Even in danger, David never lost his confidence. Knowing that God was with him gave him strength. It gave him the courage to face Goliath when no one else wanted to. It gave him the wisdom to spare Saul's life even when it was to his advantage. It made him the spiritual rock that he was. What does it mean to know that God is always with us? What did it mean for David? I asked myself that question. This is something that we hear often. But what is implied in that expression? To know that God is with us is to know that we are LOVED. There is no difference. They are very much connected. That we are loved reveals itself in the way God cares for us. Knowing this is the foundation of our faith. It is the source of our confidence in the midst of trouble. David knew that he was loved. It was not head knowledge. He experienced God's love surrounding him all throughout his life. Not only in his successes and victories, but especially in situations that seemed impossible and life-threatening. He was saved numerous times from Saul's attempts to kill him. He was pulled back from the frontlines just as he thought he had to go to war against his own people. When he was lost and unsure of what to do, David saw God's hand rescuing him like a ray of light piercing through the darkness. God's steadfast love became real to him in those moments. We don't know the exact context or background of today's psalm. It is obvious that he is in some kind of danger. People are against him and they want his life. Yet, he does not easily waver in his confidence. He knows that he is loved and God will take care of him. For he will hide me in his shelterin the day of trouble;he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;he will set me high on a rock. (Psalm 27:5) If my father and mother forsake me,the LORD will take me up. (Psalm 27:10) Whenever difficulties come, the first thing we do is panic. We become fearful. We lose perspective and get overwhelmed. We look for solutions to get rid of our problems quickly. We make rash and impulsive decisions. We end up complicating our situations even more. We feel more powerless and helpless than before. All this comes from believing that we are alone. That is why we ask ourselves, Why is this happening to me? We feel totally isolated. Is God really with me? In other words, we are asking Am I loved by God? That was Saul. He lived in constant fear. It stemmed from his belief that he was totally alone. Unlike David, God was not a part of his reality. Only himself. His life became all about him trying to deal with his problems. But it didn't better his situation. It only led him further and further into darkness. It ultimately destroyed him. In that sense, dealing with the challenges of life is not so much a question of what to do, but WHO WE ARE. It is not a matter of finding effective solutions, but our IDENTITY. When the storms come, what gets rattled is our sense of self. Everything else in our life feels shaky as a result. If our identity is firmly rooted, we can withstand the storm. If our identity is fragile, we will be knocked down by the storm. That is what our Hi-C students reflected on at their retreat last weekend. The theme was, Be Who You Are . To be a rock, we need to cultivate a healthy and strong identity. Adolescence is perhaps the most formative time for that. Cultivating a healthy sense of self begins with hearing who God says that we are. The first thing God tells us is that we are loved as Jesus heard at his baptism And a voice came from the heavens, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased. (Mark 1:11) We are not loved because of anything we have done. It is because that is who God is. God is love. We were loved even before we were born. Our very existence is the evidence of God's love. To know that we are loved is where everything starts. It is the bedrock of our life and identity. Do you know that you are loved? Do you believe that? Remind yourself daily of this truth. I AM LOVED. Every morning. During the day. At the end of the night. I think it can be a good spiritual practice for Lent. When we rest in God's love, the power of fear will lose its grip over us. It will no longer control or dictate the way we live. The most visible indication of the absence of love in our life is the presence of fear. From there comes hatred and anger, envy and jealousy. Where love is present, fear cannot exercise its power. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18) Whether you feel it or not, God's love always surrounds you. That will never change. There is never a moment when you are away or apart from God. His love will accompany you through all the stages of your life. David said Where can I go from your spirit?Or where can I flee from your presence?If I ascend to heaven, you are there;if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.If I take the wings of the morningand settle at the farthest limits of the sea,even there your hand shall lead me,and your right hand shall hold me fast. (Psalm 139:7-10) Hearing this, I also thought of what St. Paul said. Like David, he lived with the deep understanding that he was loved. He knew that nothing could separate him from God. No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39) UNCERTAINTY seems to be the word that captures the mood of today. Not that our life was more certain before. But what is happening around us seems to amplify the feeling of uncertainty even more. People are stressed and on edge. They are struggling not just financially, but mentally as well. They seem burdened and down. In some ways, this feels like the next big challenge that we are facing since the pandemic. How we choose to go through this period will be very important. Even though our circumstances may tell us otherwise, remember that you are loved. You don't have to do anything. First, simply rest in God's love. Find refuge in God. Be still and look to him. Be strong and courageous, as David said Wait for the LORD;be strong, and let your heart take courage;wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:14) You are not alone. God is always with you. God will stretch out his hand and deliver you. God's goodness will surround you and follow you. God will help you come out of the storm stronger than before. This is the time for us to be shaped into a ROCK. The post Know You Are Loved appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script When I think about people today, there's a word that comes to my mind: overwhelmed. I sense that people are just overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by the demands placed on them. Their time. Energy. Attention. It is true, our senses are overwhelmed, our brains are overwhelmed. We can't even sit still: our phones demand our attention. But I think there's a deeper force that leads people to feel overwhelmed. It's that the anchors people rely on are crumbling. In Canada, we're going through a huge change. For our entire lifetimes, the United States was our anchor. Our identity as Canadians was closely tied to the United States, whether we like it or not. We liked to say that we're not Americans, but even saying that reveals just how closely tied we were to them. They were our economic anchor. They were our security anchor. We could live safely, peacefully and prosperously because we had a strong, rich, friendly neighbour to the south. But all that has changed in just two months. Canada is very alone and vulnerable right now. We cannot rely exclusively on the United States for our economy. But it will take time to diversify our trading relationships. Even geographically we are isolated – the only neighbour we have is the United States. I have concerns about the future; I don't know what will happen. Today's passage is the final speech of Moses to the Israelites. It begins this way: When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you (Deuteronomy 26:1) They are still in the wilderness. In the wilderness, the Israelites had no anchor. Their only thing they knew before freedom was their life in slavery. That's why even though they were free in the wilderness, many times the people complained to Moses. They would say that at least in Egypt we had food to eat! In the wilderness, they had absolutely no anchors but God. They had to learn how to trust completely in God. They trusted God for everything: food, water, shelter and where to go. It took a whole generation. Over 40 years. The first generation all died in the wilderness. A new generation was born. But finally, by the end, they knew their anchor was God. They became God's people. Our identity is always in connection with something or someone else. I am not just Simon. Even my name is not from me – it was given to me by my parents. I am their son. I am Joonie and Abby's dad. I am a pastor of St. Timothy. I am always someone in relation to someone or something else. For me, the most important part of my identity is that I am a child of God. God is the unchanging anchor that I pin my identity to. That was the main outcome of the Israelites in the wilderness: they became God's people by pinning their identity to God. They and God became one. My friends, in these times, we feel no true anchor in this world. Anything can change. And that can be overwhelming. But we HAVE an unchanging anchor. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. God is steadfast, unchanging and forever faithful. That is who we pin our identity on. If your identity as God's child is clear, steadfast and unchanging, then you can get through ANYTHING in life! That's how important your identity is. You are a child of God. You are God's. If you know who you are, if you know whose you are, then you will withstand anything that comes your way. Moses' main concern was whether the people would maintain their identity. Their time in the wilderness was coming to an end. A whole generation had passed away, and a new one emerged. They would enter a new environment filled with new challenges. Would they remain attached to God, or would they attach themselves to other things? That was the great question and concern in Moses' mind. Who would they be? That's the question for us. In today's passage, Moses institutes spiritual practices so that people would maintain their identity as God's people. That is what today's passage is all about: how the people maintain their identity as the people of God in new and changing environments. Those practices are just as relevant for us today. When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess and you possess it and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.' (Deuteronomy 26:1-2) Moses instituted the first fruit offering. This is where we get our practice of tithing from. Give to God before you take anything for yourself What does this achieve? It affirms your connection to God. It acknowledges who gave you this fruit in the first place. You may have been the one to harvest the land, but it was God who gave you the land in the first place. There's an old Korean custom I learned growing up. When you start a new job, you give your first paycheque to your parents. It's an acknowledgement of their hard work and sacrifice to help you get to where you are. It's affirming your relationship with them. I think it's a beautiful custom. Giving your first fruit to God: that is affirming your identity as a child of God. That is something that was instilled deeply in the first generation. During COVID, when we could not meet in person, people would deliver their offering envelopes in person. When they miss a week at church, the next week they bring two weeks of offering. We need to learn from these things. Giving of your first fruit is a tangible, concrete expression of your relationship with God. When presenting the first fruit, the people were to say this: Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.' (Deuteronomy 26:1-2) After that, this was his instruction: When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, you shall make this response before the Lord your God: A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.' (Deuteronomy 26:4-10) While giving their offering, they remember all that God has done. Not just that, but especially how God came in their darkest moments and helped them. My friends, we are here because God has been with us. God has helped you. All of you have faced great challenges. Overcome great difficulties. Many of you still are dealing with great challenges. But God has been with you. God has brought you to this point. God is carrying you now. Sometimes when we look back, we don't know how we made it. But we realize that it was God who did. When I really look back, there were so many dark, difficult moments. I don't know why or how God helped me. But somehow, God did. I am so blessed now – I don't deserve any of them. When I think of how God has been with me, it brings tears to my eyes. In that sense, it is nothing to give the first fruits to God. Of course God deserves that first portion. God was everything when I was nothing. That's the attitude we bring to offering. By reciting the past, God once again becomes center in the present. You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 26:10) Our offering song was simple and beautiful. We fall down, we lay our crowns, at the feet of Jesus. We cry Holy Holy Holy is the lamb! That is our worship. With thanksgiving, we give to God and fall down in worship. That is what we do. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house. (Deuteronomy 26:11) After worship and thanksgiving, there is a celebration! Levites were the priests. Aliens are the strangers in their midst. So with the pastors and people from all over, we celebrate! That's what happens in our Fellowship Hall. I know it can seem intimidating to go into a hall full of people. It's hard for introverts. But from a spiritual perspective, our fellowship time is a great celebration of the God who has been with us. Everyone is a part of that celebration. These were practices that Moses left so that Israel could affirm its identity as God's children. This is not just a one-time thing. God has given us the gift of the Sabbath. A weekly rhythm of rest and making life blessed again. Sabbath is a day of rest. But rest is not doing nothing....

Scripture Passage Luke 9:28-36 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Today's passage gives us a wonderful scene. A glorious scene! While Jesus was praying, his face changed. His clothes became dazzling. Two dead people appeared. They were not just dead people. They were like pillars of the Old Testament. Moses represented the Law. Elijah represented the Prophet. So the Law and the Prophet, the core tradition of the Old Testament. What a glorious scene! It's a miracle. It was out-of-this-world experience. I need that these days. The reality is so harsh that I need something out of this world. The world we live in is a very difficult world. Especially for those who are weak and powerless, this world becomes more and more difficult to survive. Yesterday was 3.1. It is a special day for Koreans. They protested against Japanese occupation. The powerless fought against the powerful. Many Christians participated in this movement. But now the powerless has no place to stand. Our reality is harsh; I need fantasy. The Scripture tells us about a few wonderful out-of-this-world experiences people had. It is the intervention of God. It is God's way of entering into this world. It is God's special touch. On the road to Damascus, Paul had this intervention of God. He was going to arrest Christians, imprison them and kill them. He was exercising his power and authority on the weak and the vulnerable. But on the way, he experienced the bright light shining around him. And he heard Jesus talking to him. By then, Jesus was already dead. And Paul knew that. He heard the voice of Jesus telling him, Saul, Saul, (His Hebrew name) why do you persecute me? Why are you doing this to my powerless people? Persecuting those who are weak and vulnerable is persecuting me. Out-of-this-world experience! It happened to Isaiah too. He was in the temple. He described his experience in this way. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;the whole earth is full of his glory.' (Isaiah 6:1-3) Out-of-this-world Experience! Elijah also had this kind of experience. He (God) said, Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, What are you doing here, Elijah?' (1 Kings 19:11-13) Out of this world Experience! I discover one common thing of all those who had this wonderful glorious moment. They were all facing their harsh reality. They were all going through hard times before this happened. Isaiah was struggling with his own inadequacy and sinfulness, living in a sinful surroundings. This was what he said. Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts! (Isaiah 6:5) Elijah was so deeply depressed that he wanted to die. This was what he said. He asked that he might die: It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors. (1 Kings 19:4) Even in Jesus' case, this was what he said just before he experienced the transfiguration on the mountain. The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. (Luke 9:22) Jesus was facing his own death. Sometimes God intervenes in our life. God shows his grace in a special way. Not necessarily only through the forms of miracles and supernatural experiences. But there are times when God specially touches you, awakens you, and inspires you. These are glorious moments. This happens when you are going through difficult times. When life is difficult, God appears to you and makes his presence evident. God's presence empowers you, transforms you, and lets you experience glorious moment. But my friends, God gives you this wonderful experience not just to console you and comfort you but to PREPARE you. To prepare you to take the challenges ahead of you. God prepared Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles. How about Isaiah? After this experience, God said this. Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? (Isaiah 6:8) Isaiah said, Here am I; send me! (Isaiah 6:8) Elijah too. Elijah said this. I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away. (1 Kings 19:14) To Elijah, God said this. I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:18) And go and do what you have to do. God gives us this wonderful divine experience so that we are ready to take our challenges. When you carefully read today's passage, you see that the central message is not the divine experience but the central message is what was coming ahead. Let me read it for you. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:30, 31) What departure? Jesus' Death. The Cross. They were talking about Jesus' death. They were talking about what Jesus was about to do. The glorious moment you experience with God is to prepare you to deal with your harsh reality. Every Sunday, you come and worship God. It is a wonderful experience. Thank you all for making this worship service very special. But we should not just feel good about experiencing God's inspiration. This is to prepare you to deal with challenges you face every day from tomorrow. Tomorrow you have challenges ahead of you. There are problems you have to face. That was what Jesus did right after the transfiguration. The very next day, this happened. On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.' Jesus answered, You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.' While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God. (Luke 9:37-43) Yes, the very next day, Jesus had to deal with the darkness, the evil power, and the poor victims in his life. Tomorrow, from Monday, you have to deal with challenges in your life. Relationship problems. Health problems. Financial problems. Deal with evils around you. God will be with you. God will strengthen you. God will show you the power to deal with your challenges. There will be God's intervention. The post A Glorious Moment in Difficult Times appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Luke 6:27-38 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Jesus is our Lord. But Jesus was also a flesh and blood human being. His ministry took place among flesh and blood human beings. Jesus' message to them was that the kingdom of God was at hand. Something new was being born. What was the main point about the kingdom of God? Put simply, it was this: you are not merely a victim of your circumstances, but you are empowered to live a better way. Today's passage is the first lesson Jesus gives to his listeners. Love your enemies. Why did he begin with this? He was addressing a critical issue for his audience. His listeners were not people living comfortably, there for a good and entertaining lecture. They were desperate, poor, struggling peasants and commoners in the countryside and small villages. Life had become very difficult for commoners in Galilee. They were forced into debt. They lost their land. They were left behind economically, politically, socially. When things get difficult, the first thing to get affected is unity. The hardships they faced eroded the bonds that held them together. Their difficult circumstances made former friends enemies. Former neighbours adversaries. Hatred and mistreatment grew among people. They were victims of forces and decisions beyond their control. But Jesus is saying: don't be victims of your circumstances. If you react to hate; If you curse those who curse you; If you mistreat those who mistreat you; Aren't you merely a victim of your circumstances? You don't have control over their actions or behaviours. But you allow those behaviours to shape yours. The behaviours and actions of others take control over you. Offering your other cheek; Giving your shirt after they've already taken your coat; Are these signs of weakness? No. They are signs of an empowered person. One who is making their own choice. Jesus' message is that you have agency. You have the power to live a different way. You may not be able to change your circumstances, but you can change how you live. The kingdom of God is this: people who live a new way despite present circumstances. A new way defined by God's will that goes against present circumstances. Jesus came to show that a new way is possible. The kingdom of God is not something that takes place in the afterlife. It is something that is present now. Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed, nor will they say, Look, here it is!' or There it is!' For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you. (Luke 17:20-21) This is a radical message for life. You can live a different way from your circumstances or environment. I don't want to underestimate our circumstances. They have a huge effect on your life. Sometimes they are so difficult to deal with. I know some people are dealing with health issues. Others are dealing with financial challenges or finding a job. Others are very anxious by the political uncertainties in the world. Difficult circumstances instill fear, uncertainty, anxiety. Our circumstances are so powerful. They are powerful because they become so much larger than us. Last Sunday, our sanctuary was quite empty because of all the snow. We had no control over nature. We were at its mercy. Circumstances are like that. Because they are so large, they influence us deeply. They affect how you feel. How you think. But what Jesus is saying is that yes, they are powerful and real, but still, you do not need to become a slave to your circumstances. Human beings are very adaptable. We've learned to adapt and survive in all sorts of environments. It is an important skill. But if all you do is adapt and survive, then you will not be free. You will continue to be a slave to your circumstances. You will be absorbed by your circumstances. Sometimes, we need to fight against the circumstances and work to change them. When things are unfair or unjust, we should speak truth and resist. If your health is not great, then you should seek the best medical help and do everything you can to improve your health. But more important is your attitude and thinking. Do not let your circumstances dictate how you think, feel and behave. Circumstances will come and be beyond your control. But do not let them control your thinking. Don't just react to them with your emotions. If you do, then you are just a victim of your circumstances. The people listening to Jesus had adapted to the hostility around them. They began to think like those in a hostile environment. They began to feel like them. Talk like them. They all became part of that environment and perpetuated it. Jesus came to break that cycle. He came to break the grip that circumstances in this world have on you. Jesus came to bring freedom and the possibility of a new start. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17) Freedom to live the right way. Freedom to do the right thing. Freedom to live by the golden rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31) If you are not free, you cannot treat others as you would have them treat you. If you're not free, how you treat others will depend on how your circumstances are affecting you. You will not be consistent. Jesus came to bring freedom. But freedom comes with a cost. You have to struggle for it. You have to fight for it. Many Canadians are uneasy by all this talk about becoming the 51st state. I don't know how serious they are. But if they are, and we want to maintain our freedom and independence, it will come at a cost. St. Paul's core belief is that we have been rescued from the bondage of our sins. Sins no longer have dominion over us. We are free in Christ. But that freedom came at a cost. The cost of his life and blood on the cross. Jesus was not a victim of his circumstance. He lived an empowered life, filled with the Holy Spirit. He loved his enemies. He did good to those who hated him. He blessed those who cursed him. He prayed for those who mistreated him. He allowed himself to be hung on the cross. Those of us who follow Jesus are not mere victims of circumstance. We are empowered by his Spirit of freedom. We may not control our circumstances. We may have no say in what happens around us. But we will not let them have control over us. Today's passage reminds me of the Freedom Movement in the 1960's. Martin Luther King Jr articulated a new response to their situation: nonviolent resistance. In a society filled with hatred and violence, they resisted it with nonviolence. They met hatred with love. When they were struck, they offered the other cheek. The real power of the movement lay in the change that occurred in millions of black people across the country. They discovered that they were no longer mere victims of their circumstance. Before, they were mere victims of racism, hatred and evil. They lived in fear of violence and hatred. They allowed themselves to accept their inferior status. They allowed themselves to be treated with less dignity. But now they realized that they were not mere victims. They were somebodies. They had a say in how they lived. They could react differently to the hatred and violence of others. In responding to violence with nonviolence, they became an empowered people. The kingdom of God was alive among them. Their example inspired millions of people around the world. They fueled global movements for change and justice. We need that spirit to come alive today. We need empowered people who live differently than our environment and circumstances dictate. Our context today is very challenging. The issues are so much more complex. It's hard to know what's right from what's wrong. It's hard to know what to fight for, and what to fight against. It's easy to give up and withdraw from caring. Jesus gave us gift to be empowered: the gift of prayer. Prayer is our access and lifeline to the empowering Spirit of Jesus. When circumstances overwhelm us and drown us, prayer is the boat that keeps us above waters. Prayer gives us the strength we need to carry on our own path in the midst of difficult circumstances. Prayer keeps us from being passive victims of these complex and overwhelming circumstances. When circumstances threaten to overwhelm you; When they tire your spirit; Come to Jesus in prayer. He will grant you his Spirit to live an empowered life in the kingdom of God. The post Don’t Be A Victim, Be Empowered appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script When does a person deteriorate? What I means is When does a person become weak, frail, dark, and negative? When does a person become overly critical, not happy, gloomy, and feel hopeless? I think that happens when your thinking is deteriorated. The other day, I was talking with a person who just retired. I asked, How is your retired life? He said, Good. I do a lot of things. When I do a lot of things, I don't think about death too much. That was interesting, I thought when I heard it. But I think he is right. There is wisdom in what he said. If you think about death all the time, definitely, you will soon become deteriorated. I visit many people at the hospital. I realized that after they were diagnosed, they became much more quickly deteriorated. It is all to do with your thinking. That was what happened at the church in Corinth. When they first heard the message from St. Paul, they were ecstatic. They received the message of the good news. First time, they heard about the message of resurrection. When Paul preached that in Athens which is very close to Corinth, this was people's reaction. May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means. (Acts 17:19-20) Corinthian people also found it strange but soon they were able to receive the message of resurrection. When they believed the message, they experienced the power of the resurrection. They were filled with joy and eternal hope. But soon, their thinking became deteriorated. They focused more on day to day living. They worried about what to eat, what to wear. They worried about their businesses. They worried about their children. They worried about their own death. Their thinking became weak. When their thinking became weak, everything fell apart. There were sexual corruptions. They created factions and fought with each other. They became very divisive. They neglected the poor around them. Their spirituality became very self-focused. Their spiritual gifts made them proud and arrogant. When their thinking became weak, their life became dark. Morality, principles, spirituality – everything went down the drain. Ultimately, they doubted about their own resurrection. Their belief deteriorated. That was why Paul raised this question. Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:12) They didn't raise this doubt when they first received the message from St. Paul. That's why it was possible that the church was established in Corinth. But now some people at the church could not accept the resurrection. When their thinking became weak, their belief became frail. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the core belief that we Christians hold unto. If there is no belief in the resurrection, there is no Christianity. On resurrection, Christianity is established. If the cross were the end, then there is no point in believing. If the cross were the end, then the evil won. God is defeated by the evil, the darkness, and the death. There is no hope for us. The whole theology and all Christian thinking depend on the truth that there is resurrection. Death is not the end. There is resurrection after the death. Death did not win. Life defeated death. That's what we believe. Jesus exemplified what our destiny would be. He created the path to the eternal life for us. As God raised Jesus from the dead, he will raise us from the dead. People who were martyred died with the hope of resurrection. If there is no resurrection, their death is in vain. That was what St. Paul firmly reiterated in today's passage. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:13-14) All my life, I have been in ministry. All my life, I have preached about the resurrection. If there is no resurrection, I have lived all my life for nothing. I can feel what Paul was saying today. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19) Belief in the resurrection is tough. The resurrection is not something that you can prove theoretically or empirically. That is the nature of belief. Belief is different from knowing. Knowing is intellectually convinced or convicted. Belief is spiritually accepting the truth. Knowing is in your limited capacity. You can only know what you can intellectually understand. But belief is accepting what is much bigger than yourself. The good will win over the evil. The truth shall set you free. It's hard to believe these days but ultimately justice will prevail. That is all in the realm of belief. These are things you can accept only through your belief. There is no logical necessity that the good will win over the evil. But we believe that. And we live by that belief. Jesus said to Martha. I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25, 26) Jesus didn't say, Do you know this or do you understand this. Jesus said, Do you believe this? Because it is realm of belief. Belief is not about being intellectually convinced. Belief is accepting the world of truth that is much bigger than my world. Much bigger than what we can process with our intellectual understanding. So, I realized that belief is not something that I do with my brain but I practice to accept the truth that came to me. Belief is about practicing it. You practice to believe. Daily you practice to believe. After practicing it, see what happens. When your thinking deteriorates, your belief deteriorates. You become small. You become locked up in your own small world. Life – you have to live with belief, not with knowledge. When you live with belief, your life becomes bigger. You become a bigger person. If you are waiting for the tangible proof of resurrection, you will never get it. Don't even wait. How long are you gonna live in a limbo? You can accept the resurrection only through your belief. Then you will see that our world is full of resurrection. Every morning, you wake up, you see that the new day is the resurrection. Whenever you get defeated, you can overcome your failure and rise again. That is the resurrection. Even in your hopeless situation, you don't give up. You fight. You pursue what is ahead. That is the resurrection. It is a little long passage but I can see Paul's thinking about the resurrection quite well. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:10-14) That is the attitude of a person who believes in the resurrection. Don't let your thinking deteriorate. Be strong. Practice your belief. Think about the resurrection. Think about it all the time. Don't think about death; think about life. Steve Jobs said, Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Let me tell you a better way. Think about that you will be alive every day. Your day will be brightened up. The post Think About Being Alive Every Day appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Luke 5:1-11 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Life is about more than fish. Focus on God, not the fish. God will provide all that you need and unlock what you really want. Do you know what it is that you WANT? What if what you THINK you want is not REALLY what you want? We often confuse what we WANT with what we NEED. What we THINK we want is often really what we NEED. Because it's hard to get what we need, we think that's what we want. It's very hard to make money. Especially if you don't have much to begin with. Young people are having a hard time getting a job. It's getting harder and harder to keep a job. So yes, it takes a lot of work to get what we need. But when you get what you need, you're not satisfied. Getting what you NEED can never satisfy. Money, love, acceptance- these are things we need. Even pleasure and leisure – we need these things. Human beings are not animals meant to only work. But the things that we need cannot satisfy. We need something, so we get it, but then we're not satisfied. You need MORE than that. Only getting what you WANT can satisfy. Simon was a fisherman. He needed fish. That was his livelihood. The fact that he owned a boat meant that he had a fishing business. It was a hard business. That very night, he fished all night but caught nothing. Catching fish is what he thought he wanted. But Jesus came and told him to put his net out into deep water. He had fished all night and caught nothing, yet Jesus was telling him to go again. Simon was probably skeptical, but he listened to Jesus. The result was pretty crazy: When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. (Luke 5:6,7) It was the biggest catch of his life! He had more fish than he needed. But instead of being so happy, we see an interesting response. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus's knees, saying, Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man! (Luke 5:8) I am a sinful man! Simon received everything he thought he had wanted. But in that moment, he saw something clearly. He saw that his focus had been on fish, not God. Simon was a member of the synagogue. Every Sabbath he would have heard the Word being taught. For Jews, from the time they were born, they were imprinted with this commandment: Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) The most important commandment was to love God. It was to seep into their whole existence. It didn't come out of nowhere. It was forged from their experience in the wilderness. In the wilderness, there was nothing. No food, no water. But there, they experienced God's presence in a powerful way. God provided everything they needed. God sent manna from heaven. God sent quails for meat. God made water flow from the rock. In the wilderness, they learned to love God and trust God completely. God created human beings to live in relationship with him. God blessed Adam and Eve with everything in the Garden of Eden. We were to enjoy all this abundance in relationship with God. But sin began when they turned their focus away from God. When they lost trust in God. When they hid and turned away from God. Sin begins when we turn our orientation and focus to the things we NEED and AWAY from GOD. When we become preoccupied with what we need, we turn away from God. The worries and anxieties of what we need take over our thoughts. Sin is separation from God. When we put what we NEED at the centre, we separate ourselves from God. And in focusing on what we NEED, we lose touch with what we WANT. In the presence of Jesus, Simon saw how much he had turned away from loving God at centre. God knows what we need. He knows that we need money, food, clothing. Love, acceptance, and validation. God doesn't want us to be blind to our needs. We need to work hard. We need to use our brains that God gave us. But they cannot be our center. Our love, loyalty and devotion need to be to God alone. Our complete trust must be in God. Jesus said: Therefore do not worry, saying, What will we eat?' or What will we drink?' or What will we wear?' For it is the gentiles who seek all these things, and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33) Trust God. Love God first and with all your heart. And God will provide all that you need. That's what Peter experienced in the presence of Jesus. He saw how far he had gone away from God in his focus on fish. After Simon's confession, this is what Jesus said to him: Then Jesus said to Simon, Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people. (Luke 5:10) Jesus provided everything Simon needed. But now he unlocked what Simon really WANTED. What Simon wanted was not fish. Fish was merely what he needed to live. What he WANTED was a bigger purpose. A life that was drawn toward the divine will. A calling that connected him a bigger life. Jesus unlocked this deeper desire that had been HIDDEN. A deeper desire hidden and buried underneath his pursuit of fish. My friends, what do you really WANT? Have you been able to ask yourself that? Or have you been so focused on what you NEED? God wants to give you an abundant life. That is what Jesus came to give. God's desire is for you to live for what you WANT. When you're connected with God, you get in touch with what you WANT. God will take care of your needs. God will free you from your fear and preoccupation so you can live for what you WANT. Living for what you want – that is a life of joy, purpose, significance. That is a life worth living for! Simon Peter found that after meeting Jesus. Finding what he wanted was worth more than all the fish he could ask for. That's why he left everything – all of his fish – and followed Jesus. My friends, we need fish to live. I love fish. I've loved fish and chips since the time I was a child. I love mackerel ( ) and . I love sushi – sushi boats with sashimi and rolls, yum! I love salmon chirashi. I love McDonald's Filet-O-Fish. I love fish. But life is more than fish. Fish can satisfy my taste buds and appetite. But fish can never satisfy my soul. Only Jesus can. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35) We're living in a very unsettling time. Everyday there's something new. Most recently, we've had a scare with the tariffs. Something about this has shaken Canadians to the core. Donald Trump threatened to take away our fish. I thought we were friends! How are you doing me like that? You tryna take my fish? You may take all of my fish, but I gonna take some of yo fish. Keep yo hands off my fish! We ain't friends no more. We don't know what's in store. But more than ever, fix your eyes firmly on God. Stand more rooted on the solid rock of Jesus. Love God with all your heart and put all your trust in him. God will provide all the fish you need. God will reveal what you really want. God will lead you to green and abundant pastures. The post More Than Fish appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage1 Corinthians 13:1-13Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon ScriptLove never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:8)This phrase catches my eyes.There is so much in this passage. I can talk about so many things about love.But this phrase stands out for me.Love Never Ends.Love is eternal. The eternal quality is intrinsic in Love.But that's not what we experience about love in this world.People fall in love and easily fall out of love. Today they go crazy about each other and tomorrow they go separate ways.We don't experience the eternal quality of love.That's what celebrities always experience. People are crazy about them and they say how much they love them. But once their popularity goes down, nobody really cares for them.Loving your neighbours is what we have learned from our Lord Jesus.We try to practice that and we also expect that from our neighbours. But all of a sudden, they tell us that we have to pay 25% tariff.We feel betrayed. Once we were neighbours and now we feel like we are strangers.That is the kind of love we experience in this world.Today we are a friend, but tomorrow, we become a stranger.We don't experience the long lasting quality of love in this world. So, people don't trust love. They sing What's love got to do with it.Love we experience is a very momentary thing.It doesn't give us security and confidence. It is just feeling you feel for the moment.And it doesn't last too long.That's what feeling is. Feeling is never eternal.To many people, love is just feeling. It comes and goes. One day you feel very close. The next day you feel indifferent.But Paul boldly proclaims that love never ends.Everything else comes to an end. But love never ends.He said,But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. (1 Corinthians 13:8)But love we experience is a very small fraction of the true love that is eternal. We feel that love but only momentarily.Then what is love that never ends? Where does it come from?This was what John said.God is love. (1 John 4:16)God is love and love is God. That's where love comes from.We don't feel God but we feel love that is God. We don't experience God but we experience love that is God.Love is God's essential attribute. God is made up of love.So that's why John didn't say that God HAS love. He simply said God IS love.Love we experience is God's love.But only the fraction of it. Only momentarily. Even that momentary experience is heavenly bliss.Love is God's gift for us, for the humanity. This love created the world.When God's love is materialized, that is creation. The birth of a child is God's gift of love for the parents.The abundance we enjoy in our lives is God's gift of love. The breath that makes us alive is God's gift of love.This love sent his son to the world to save it.For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)Because we have love that never ends, we have no fear.We have dark time coming ahead of us. We are not clear how this relationship with US will affect us.But because we have love that never ends, we don't fear. It is time to pray for Canada.We should be united, not divided.Because we have love, we don't fear judgment. Because we have love, we are not afraid of death.So, John said,Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:17-19)The last sentence.We love because he first loved us.We don't have love on our own.The love we have is imperfect. The love we have is not complete.We love because God first loved us. We love because God gave us love.Love is God's greatest gift to us.Faith is also God's gift. Hope is also God's gift. But love is the greatest gift.And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)When you love, you participate in the most profound and marvellous realm, sphere of God's world. You enter into the most holy and sacred space.When you love, you enter into the eternity.When you love, you will be able to see the great mystery of God.Your eyes will be open and you will be able to see the true purpose and meaning of life.For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)My friends, let us enjoy God's greatest gift to us.This gift will enliven our lives. This gift of love will make our lives abundant and meaningful.If there is no love, everything will become useless and everything will end in nothing. Our life will end in nothing.That was what Paul eloquently articulated in the beginning.If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)What good is it if you are the most powerful person in the world? What good is it if you have everything people desire?If you have no love, it means nothing.When everything becomes nothing, the only thing that remains is love.Love never ends.And nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God. That was what Paul experienced.And that is the good news. Nothing can separate us from the love of God that never ends.Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)God loves you! He loves you eternally!Love others as God has loved you. That is how to live eternal life.The post Love Never Ends appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage1 Corinthians 12:12-31aWorship Video Worship Audio Sermon ScriptWhen St. Paul met Christ, he became a new person.So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being! (2 Corinthians 5:17)Yes, when we meet Christ, we become a new person.But St. Paul was not only talking about himself as a person. He was thinking beyond just himself.He was thinking about our existence as people.In Christ, our whole existence becomes new. How we live together is new.Today's passage that we read is a concrete metaphor for the new kind of community that is created in Christ.He describes it as a new humanity:For he (Christ) is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two (Ephesians 2:15-16)A new community, a new humanity – that is what we become in Christ.In this new community, everyone belongs.You are valued for who you are. You are treated with respect and honour. You are valued for the unique contributions you bring.Differences are valued and appreciated and embraced.This community belongs to everyone, and everyone belongs to it.It wasn't always this way for St. Paul.Before he met Christ, belonging meant something different.Belonging was an exclusive possession. Belonging was conditional on meeting the right requirements.Before he met Christ, he belonged to the chosen people of the Jews. This is how he described his belonging as a Jew:Circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:5-6)He belonged to the exclusive community of God's chosen people because he met the requirements.In the old way of thinking, there is a high barrier to entry for belonging. It is an exclusive club. It is a closed belonging.If you belong, then you're in. If not, then you're out.If you're on the inside, you get the benefits of belonging. If you're on the outside, you're left out.Everyone tries so hard to belong, because we need to belong somewhere to survive.Human beings need to belong.We need to belong to a company or organization that will provide a living. We need to belong to friend groups that meets our social needs. We need to belong to a family that provides love and support.But even when you belong, you don't necessarily have it easy.You have to continue to meet the requirements. If you start slipping on the basic requirements, then your standing becomes more tenuous.I see this in our kids sports teams.If you're a good performer, then all is good. You're valued for your personality. He's a funny guy, a great character.But all of that won't matter if you're not good and producing.In this kind of community, you belong to survive, not thrive.There is pressure. There is fear of losing your standing.In this kind of community, what's valued is what will make that community strong.It's not about you. It's not about the unique gifts that you can offer. It's whether you offer the right gifts that the group needs.Uniqueness and diversity of gifts don't matter. It's about having the right gifts. Offer the right gifts, then you belong.In this kind of community, there is a clear pecking order. Honour and respect are given in that order. There is a hierarchy of value.In this kind of community, belonging is often defined by who you're against.Sometimes, belonging means you don't really know what you're for, but you definitely know what you're against.You prove that you belong by how strongly you're against those who don't belong. The stronger you're against those who don't belong, the more you belong.For Paul, belonging to the Jews also meant opposing and persecuting the church. More zeal for persecuting them meant he belonged even more.All of this changed after he met Christ.After meeting Christ, his understanding of belonging changed.In Christ, belonging changed from closed belonging to open belonging.Whereas in the old world, belonging was closed and exclusive, in Christ, belonging is open and inclusive.All belong. All are sinners. All are forgiven. All are invited into the kingdom of God.It is not about having the right gifts, it is about discovering your unique gifts. Your unique gifts and personality are what will bless the group.Honour and respect are not given according to the pecking order. Rather, everyone, especially the weak, are given honour and respect.No one is considered dispensable.St. Paul saw this very clearly:The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect, whereas our more respectable members do not need this. (1 Corinthians 12:21-24)The end result of this kind of community is unity and harmony.But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31a)This is a very different kind of community than the one we see in the world.In the old world, exclusive belonging creates competition, rivalry and division. It stirs up jealousy, hatred and animosity.In the new humanity, no one is left behind. Everyone is cared for.What Paul is describing in today's passage is the church.Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27)The church is the body of Christ. The church is the new community, the new humanity.In this new humanity, we are one body comprised of many members; many members yet one body.We are unified as a community but only in our diversity, not through uniformity. We are diverse and different, yet unified as one.Everyone belongs and is welcome. There is enough room at the banqueting table for all that.God provides. We may have only five loaves and two fish, but God will provide an abundance for all.That is the nature of the new community in Christ.The people of Corinth found new life in Christ when Paul came and proclaimed the gospel.The church began with great joy and enthusiasm. But they were still living in the old world.The values and ways of the old world kept creeping into this new community.Paul was teaching them how to live as a new community in Christ.This is the church today: we live in the old world, but we live together as a new community, a new humanity that's not of the world.We live as a new community that's set apart from the old world.People of St. Timothy: you belong to the new humanity!Do you believe that?That is your calling, that is our mission.The church exists for mission. Our mission is to be the new humanity in this world.To live a new way that's different from the old way. To model a new way of treating one another. A new way of living with one another.You belong to this new humanity. You are the new creation.You have something valuable to contribute. Not necessarily by what you do, but by who you are.(Joy of discovering unique quirks and personalities of congregation)You don't need to be something other than who you are. There is no one who has nothing valuable to contribute.If the foot would say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. (1 Corinthians 12:15-16)If you're a foot, an ear, a hand or an eye, it doesn't matter.Each one of you is needed. Each one of you is a part of the body.But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members yet one body. (1 Corinthians 12:18-20)To be part of the new humanity, offer yourself for this community.Don't hide yourself.You will bless this community, and you will be blessed as you discover gifts you didn't know about.There are many demands these days that make commitment such a challenge. This world pulls us in so many different directions.It is so difficult to exist as a new community. The church is going against the ethos of the world.But the world needs the new community.But to be the new humanity in this world, we must continually be shaped into it. We must be shaped as Christ's body.That requires consistency.Consistency in worship. Consistency in being rooted in the Word and teachings of the Word. Consistency in practicing life as a new community.In our consistency, Christ will shape us and form us as a new community.This is why the Christian journey cannot take place apart from the community. It's a fallacy that you can cultivate faith on your own.</...

Scripture PassageIsaiah 62:1-5Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon ScriptGod never forsakes you. God never abandons you. God never deserts you.But, even though God never forsakes you, sometimes you feel forsaken, abandoned, and deserted.Even our Lord, Jesus, experienced the feeling of abandonment on the cross. He cried out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?St. Paul also experienced the feeling of abandonment.We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world right up to this moment. (1 Corinthians 4:13)That was what Israelites experienced when they lost their home. They experienced the abandonment when they were exiled.Korean people experienced this kind of abandonment when they lost their country. Many of your parents experienced that when they lived under Japanese occupation. They felt abandoned.When you lose everything, you feel forsaken.That was what Palestinians and also Israelites experienced last 15 months. They lost so much. They lost their loved ones.Finally there is a cease-fire agreement with a tinge of uncertainty. We need to pray for them.Also, this is what people in LA experience right now.They lost everything. They lost their homes. Many people do not have an insurance because the insurance company does not accept it because of frequent fire.Feeling of abandonment.(Last Sunday, elder Min told me that her friend lost her house and down the road, her son also lost his house. She gave elder Min money to treat our Wednesday Bible study.)I am sure people in southern Tibet feel the same way after the earthquake.Feeling of abandonment is what we experience in life.Your experiences may not be as dramatic as war, fire, and earthquake, but you experience different kinds of abandonment in your own way.When life is difficult, we feel lost. We feel that nobody really cares.The world is getting more and more selfish and self-centred.Me first has become our philosophy.We used to say me first is not a good attitude. Now it is our way of living. Very different from Jesus' teaching.We don't even know how to feel others' suffering and hardships. As long as nothing happens to me, everything else doesn't matter.When the world becomes selfish and self-centred, what will be the result?We get the feeling of abandonment. People will feel neglected, forsaken, and abandoned.We become an invisible man and woman, like the book invisible man by Ralph Ellison.Ralph Ellison said in the book, I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me. That is a big reason for us to go to Sioux Valley every year.Indigenous people in this country experienced the greatest abandonment.When their children were taken away against their wish, they felt so abandoned.Children also felt abandoned when they had to leave their homes and their parents and live in a foreign place.We just want to tell them that we care. You are not alone.That was what Gord Downie, the Tragically Hip’s frontman wanted to do. He wanted people to remember them. He wanted to tell them that they are not alone.That is why we are starting a new project with Cuba.They were isolated especially because of the US embargo. They were an island isolated from the rest of the world.They are not an island just physically; they are an island politically, economically, and psychologically.We want to go and see what is going on there. Because we care.Also, this year, we want to reach out to Evangel Hall who is doing the work for the homeless people in the city.We used to be heavily involved in the Evangel Hall mission but since Covid, we have lost touch with them. We want to renew our commitment to their work.Homeless people all felt abandoned. We used to go out on Boxing Day with sandwiches and went to homeless people on the street.Feeling of abandonment is probably the worst human emotion.When you are abandoned, you lose hope, joy, and motivation to live.When the Israelites were in exile, they lost the desire to sing.This is well captured in the psalm.By the rivers of Babylon there we sat down and there we weptwhen we remembered Zion.On the willows therewe hung up our harps.For there our captorsasked us for songs,and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion!'How could we sing the Lord's songin a foreign land?If I forget you, O Jerusalem,let my right hand wither!Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,if I do not remember you,if I do not set Jerusalemabove my highest joy. (Psalm 137:1-6)It captures the feeling of Israelites feeling abandoned in a foreign land.A famous Korean song, Arirang, captures the Han of Korean people.Han is a special Korean word which captures complex emotions of grief, anger, resentment, and regret.Han is what you have when you are abandoned.The word became a very important word for Korean theologians. .If you leave and forsake me, my own,Ere three miles you go, lame you'll have grown.It captures grief, anger, resentment, and everything when you feel abandoned. This song captures Han of Koreans.To Israelites who experienced abandonment, God gave these words.You shall no more be termed Forsaken,and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you,and your land shall be married. (Isaiah 62:4)In the world, you may experience abandonment. You may experience life's tragedies.You may experience rejection and alienation by the powerful evil system. You may experience hurt and pain by your loved ones, by your family, by your friends.Sometimes, you may feel like you are a motherless child.That was what indigenous children in residential schools felt. That was what many black sisters and brother felt in America. That was what many Tibetans felt under Chinese occupation.There are many old people who live in isolation. They feel useless and unwanted. They feel abandoned.But my friends, you are not alone. You will never be alone.God never forsakes you. God never abandons you. God never deserts you.God will lift you up. God will crown you with honor.This is what Isaiah said.You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. (Isaiah 62:3)God will wipe your tears. God will take away your shame.God will restore you. God will bring honor to you.You are like a precious child to God. Will God ever abandon his precious child? No. He won't.You are people of God's promise. You are in God's good hand.When you know this, you will not live any more feeling abandoned by the world.Even though the world may still treat you in that way, you will be strong.You know that you are a precious child of God and God honours you. So, you can handle the abandonment of the world.It's Ok not to be invited to the Inauguration of Trump like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Shou Chew.The post Not Forsaken appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage1 Peter 2:4-10Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon ScriptI hope that you are having a great start to 2025.Before we get too far into the new year, it's important to reflect on important things.What kind of person do you want to be in 2025?Let me share a great vision with you today: Be the rock that others stand on.Isn't that a great thing to aspire to? It's something we can all do.In 2025, we should strive to be a rock on which others stand.It brings such a nice image to me. Someone who is solid. Not easily shaken. Someone whom others can stand on.In Chevrolet truck commercials, they are built like a rock. The most dependable, longest lasting trucks on the road like a rock.We're not trucks, but we too should be dependable and lasting like a rock. Maybe good trucks, we can rely on.It's so hard to find people like that, isn't it? Whom can you really rely upon?But wouldn't it be so good to have people like a rock? People you can rely upon, depend on.I think the best kind of person we can be is to be a rock for others.When times are difficult, when things are turbulent, the best thing you can be is a rock that others can stand on. You will be a great blessing to others if you can be that.Jesus told Peter that he would be the rock.And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)Jesus said Peter would be the rock. But at that time, he was not the rock.When Jesus was captured by the authorities, he ran away. He deserted Jesus. He even denied knowing him.Peter was the most passionate disciple. He spent three years with Jesus. He loved him. He left everything to follow him.But at Jesus' most vulnerable moment, he was not the rock he needed.After Jesus was crucified, Peter was devastated by his flimsiness. He had been exposed for who he was: a coward who lacked courage.Jesus was gone. Everything he had given up came to nothing. In that moment, it seemed like his failure would haunt him for the rest of his life.But that didn't happen. Peter did eventually become the rock. What changed?After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to Peter. That encounter was described by John.When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my lambs. A second time he said to him, Simon son of John, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon son of John, do you love me? Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, Do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep.Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go. (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, Follow me. (John 21:15-19)Jesus forgave him. He gave him another chance.Even though he denied Jesus and ran away, he still believed in him. He still chose Peter to carry on what he started.That changed Peter. It transformed him. He became the rock of the church.How can you be the rock?Be someone who forgives and gives others a second chance.You're not blind to the flaws of others. But you can accept them. You don't define them by their flaws.You are the rock on which others can stand.This world is a merciless place. One mistake and the world piles on you. It shuns you. Cancels you. Destroys you.Can you be the safe rock on which others can stand? When everyone else has condemned them, be the safe harbour that shelters them from the world's judgment?Peter says in the passage today:Like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5)What is a spiritual house?It is a house of mercy. A house of grace.A house where people are not judged by their sins but given the chance to become someone new.A house where people who have been given a second chance gather together.Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:4-10)We are God's people. We are those who have received mercy. That is the church.Peter became the rock of this church. But the rock that Peter stood on was Jesus Christ.Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight. (1 Peter 2:4)Rev. Kim spoke last week about living life based on principle. That is how you be the rock.The greatest principle is love.Jesus lived his life with the principle of love.In all that he did, he loved God and he loved people. He healed others. He taught people.But the greatest love was shown on the cross.How?Through forgiveness.On the cross, Jesus bore the sins of others and forgave them.Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)On the cross, he forgave them. He forgave us. He gave us a second chance. He still believed in us.That is the power of the cross. The power to bear the sins of others.The power to forgive. The power to give a second chance.When you get hurt and disappointed, that hurt and disappointment can take on a life of their own.They grow in power. They take control of your thoughts and actions.Even if you want to be free from those emotions, it is so hard.The power of the cross releases you from the grip of hurt and disappointment.Instead of the power of anger or resentment, the cross gives you the power of forgiveness.Forgiving those who have hurt you, overlooking the sins they've inflicted on you, giving these people a second chance: that is the most difficult thing to do.It takes enormous power to overcome the desire for vengeance. To overcome the negative energy these emotions give you.Being able to forgive others, to still believe in them and give them another chance: that is the greatest spiritual superpower. That is what Christ showed on the cross.Jesus was the true human being. The one who reflected the image of God in all its fullness right on that cross.The blood of Jesus washes away our sins. But it also washes away the sins of others.It washes away the effect the sins of others leaves on your heart. It heals you from the damage and imprint they leave.That is the power of the blood of Jesus.That is the power that changed Peter. That is how become the rock.I had an old friend from university days. We went through many things together.A close and loyal friend but I could see some deep flaws. Especially when drinking. I would be the responsible one.But it got to point where I couldn’t do it anymore. I felt disrespected. So I cut him off.This is one of my real regrets. I wish I gave him another chance. It would have helped him. It would have blessed me.Peter asked Jesus this question:Then Peter came and said to him, Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times? Jesus said to him, Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22)Be a rock who is not shaken by the sins of others. Be a rock who doesn't crumble because you get hurt by others. Be a rock who can forgive and give another chance.You will change lives by being a rock.God will give you the power to forgive and give others another chance.In 2025, ask God to make you a rock.The post Be The Rock That Others Stand On appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage 1 Peter 2:4-10 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Happy New Year! May God's blessings be upon you and your family! God has been good in 2024. God will be also good in 2025. Let us trust God. Everything will work out for good. Even though there may be difficult times, God will give you the strength and the wisdom to deal with difficulties. Not only that, he will work out everything for good for you. This year's theme is Be the Rock. I would like to focus on two things. One: Being a Rock. Second: How to live as a Rock. In today's passage, Peter said this. like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5) He said, Let yourself be Being the Rock is about who you are, not about what you do. You are the Rock. Nothing can shake that away. That's who you are. God made you be the rock. Your understanding of who you are is the foundation on which you can build your life. If you think you are the rock, then you will live like the rock. You will have the firm foundation for your life. If you think you are chaff, then you will be easily scattered. That was what the Psalmist said. The whole book of psalms begins with the statement about two kinds of life. Life like the rock that is deeply rooted. And life like the chaff that is easily scattered. First, life like a rock They are like treesplanted (rooted) by streams of water,which yield their fruit in its season,and their leaves do not wither.In all that they do, they prosper. (Psalm 1:3) Life like chaff (they) are like chaff that the wind drives away. (Psalm 1:4) If your understanding of who you are is not clear, you cannot have an authentic existence. You cannot be firmly rooted. See – You can only be who you are. You don't have to pretend to be who you are not. Not only your identity, but your understanding of your identity is very important. Everything flows from your understanding of who you are. Don't let others tell you who you are. You don't need to be so concerned with what they say about you. Do they really know you? No, they don't. They judge you with their limited knowledge they have about you. And many times, their limited knowledge is filled with their own prejudices. Jesus did not let others dictate his life. He was rejected by people and that was Ok with him. Because he knew who he was. Peter knew about this very well and so he said. Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight (1 Peter 2:4) Chosen and precious in God's sight Rejection was a part of Jesus' life in this world. When he was born, there was no happy birthday Herod tried to kill him. Unfortunately, so many innocent babies were killed instead. He was rejected by Herod. During his life time, his life was full of rejections. They even accused Jesus of being demon possessed. The cross was the ultimate rejection of Jesus Christ. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. (John 1:11) So even if you feel rejected, not understood, and abandoned, don't ever doubt yourself. You are chosen and precious in God's sight. This is what Peter proclaimed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people (1 Peter 2:9) That's who you are. A chosen race. A royal priesthood. A holy nation. God's own people. To be honest, Peter himself was not like a rock. He was flaky and flimsy. He made a commitment that he could not keep. He denied Jesus even three times because he was scared of people's rejection. But Jesus chose him and told him that he would be the rock. He used to be Simon. But Jesus gave him a new name, Peter, which means the Rock. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:18, 19) What a wonderful proclamation about a person. Peter was not that great yet. He didn't have a solid understanding of who he was or who Jesus was. He didn't even know what he wanted. Right after Jesus' proclamation about Peter, there is a strange interaction between Jesus and Peter. From that time on, (after Jesus' proclamation of Peter) Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.' But he turned and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.' (Matthew 16:21-23) Can you believe it? Right after Jesus said that Peter would be the rock on which he would build his church and he would give him the key of authority, Jesus said this. You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things. (Matthew 16:23) That's life. There is no hero. There is no one who is so great that he or she is flawless. You are not that strong. You are not flawless. You are not a superman or a Wonder Woman. You are as flimsy and flaky as Peter was. When Jesus said to Simon, you will be the rock. What he meant was I WOULD MAKE YOU the rock. God will make YOU a rock on which God will build a beautiful life. Don't doubt yourself. No matter what people may say, you are a precious living stone. So, the first point is about your identity. The second point is about how to live as the Rock. You will face many difficult challenges in 2025 as you did in 2024. You may encounter storms in your life. Your circumstances may not be so kind to you. Don't be so easily influenced by your circumstances. When things are going well, you feel loved by God. You will be thankful. But when things are not going as well, you will doubt God’s love. You will be filled with fear. And you will do things that you shouldn't because of fear. We are going to study that soon in February. When you look at king Saul, the biggest problem he had was not that he was not smart or capable. His critical problem was that he let his circumstances absolutely influence him and dictate his decisions. He tried to deal with his situations with his own wisdom and strength. In the end, he went mad. Be a man and a woman of principle. You have to have principles if you want to live a good life. Principles you have are your backbone. That is the rock for you. They are the skeleton of your life. It's a life philosophy. Life is not just about doing well in your jobs and making money. Life is not just about enjoying good things in life. There has to be a life philosophy. The greatest principle that we hold is Love. Love God, love yourself, and love others. Always remember that. No matter how hard life may be, how challenging people may be, always remember this: LOVE. That's all you can do. In all circumstances, trust in God and simply practice your love. Always go back to that. Trust and Love. That's how you become the Rock. The post Be the Rock appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Colossians 3:12-17 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Last week, we talked about humility. I said, humility is not just accepting your weaknesses and shortcomings. Humility is trusting in God's power and looking to God in all your circumstances, even in an impossible situation. That was what Mary did when she said, Let it be so. Humble people always look to God in all circumstances and leave their situations in God's hand. That's why they experience the peace of God. Every problem, every challenge, every difficulty – They all leave it in God's hands instead of worrying about it. And God grants peace to those who are humble. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6, 7) Memory Card – today's passage too. Humble people are comfortable with themselves. Because they don't have to prove to the world how great they are. Because they don't have to control others as they wish. The opposite of humility is pride. Pride is the root of all our sins. It destroys peace within us. C. S. Lewis said, in his book, Mere Christianity According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil. All the great Christians in history warned us against pride. Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestants, all of them warned us against pride. Pride is poison to our soul. Proud people can never please God. God resists the proud. God opposes the proud,but gives grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5) Do you know why pride is so bad? Pride does not allow forgiveness. Proud people cannot forgive themselves either and also others. Pride and forgiveness don't go together. In today's passage, St. Paul advised us to do this. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Colossians 3:13) This – proud people cannot do. Pride dismantles our ability to receive and give forgiveness. That's why it is the greatest sin. It immobilizes the power to forgive. Our spiritual discipline is to turn pride into humility. In humility, we can receive true forgiveness. Our humility can kill our pride. The greatest message Jesus brought to this world is Forgiveness. The cross is all about forgiveness. He took our sins upon himself and forgave us. Isaiah saw that very clearly. But he was wounded for our transgressions,crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the punishment that made us whole,and by his bruises we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5) Jesus was humble to take on all that suffering. To let us go free, he took our punishment upon himself. THAT IS THE ULTIMATE FORM OF HUMILITY. Pride will never do that. Will never be able to do that. Forgiveness comes from this kind of humility. This is unthinkable in this ego-filled world. This is not possible in those who live their lives with the entitlement attitude. This world lost the ability to be compassionate, kind, meek, and patient which are hall marks of being a good Christian. Being a good human being. As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12) Jesus was humble and that's why he was able to take our punishment upon himself. He was meek and gentle. He took our burdens upon himself and now we can have true rest in Jesus. Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30) And this he told us to do. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15) Jesus had the power to forgive because he was humble. Jesus gave you the power to forgive. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. (John 20:22, 23) We are living in the world of division, separation, and animosity. People are polarized. There are so many hurts, pain, and sadness. We don't see peace around us. Hurt, anger, disappointment, and hatred – These are like poison. They poison our soul. They cause division, separation, violence, and many heartaches. We know how divided we are. We are divided by our cultures, races, ideologies, and politics. We are divided because we have hurt each other. We live in the broken and dysfunctional relationships. Let us put down our pride and clothe ourselves with humility. Let us bear one another. Let us be peace makers. Power can never bring peace. It brings more division, more fights, more violence, more sadness, and more victims. Humility brings peace to the world. Listen to the prayer of St. Francis. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:where there is hatred, let me sow love;where there is injury, pardon;where there is doubt, faith;where there is despair, hope;where there is darkness, light;where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seekto be consoled as to console,to be understood as to understand,to be loved as to love.For it is in giving that we receive,it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. We dream of the world where there is peace. That was what John saw. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more;mourning and crying and pain will be no more,for the first things have passed away. (Revelation 21:1, 4) Today is the last Sunday of 2024. Do not get stuck in your old baggage. Send away your anger, disappointment, hatred, and animosity. In humility, clothe yourself with love. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. (Colossians 3:14, 15) The post Humility and Forgiveness appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Luke 1:46-55 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Merry Christmas! We are celebrating today as Christmas Sunday even though it is the fourth Sunday of Advent. Today, we are celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. His birth changed the way we think about our life. His birth gave us hope. His birth showed God's desire for this world. What was God's desire for the world? What did God want us to do? What message did he want to get across through the birth of Jesus? I think that message is this. Be humble! That is the Christmas message this year. God became a human being. That is the message of being humble. The king became a servant. How much more humble can you get? St. Paul clearly understood this when he said this. though he was in the form of God,did not regard equality with Godas something to be exploited,but emptied himself,taking the form of a slave,being born in human likeness.And being found in human form,he humbled himselfand became obedient to the point of death even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8) Jesus – even though he was God, he humbled himself to be human – not only human but the form of a slave. He was not born in a royal family. He was not born to a powerful king. He was not born in rich and influential parents. He himself did not enjoy the privilege of the power of this world. He was not a partner in a big accounting company. He was not an investment banker. He was not an MP. He was not a doctor. He was not a lawyer. Pharisee, a scribe, a priest – they are the ones who held the high position in their society. Jesus was none of that. He was nobody in the eyes of the world. He was humble in every sense. His birth, his life, and his death – they all point to the humility. But the irony is: the humble Jesus revealed most clearly, the power of God. A very strange dynamic! He had no power but he changed the world. He defeated all the powers of this world. He destroyed the Roman kingdom. That is the power of humility. St. Paul talked about Jesus' humility and immediately after that he said this. This captures that power very clearly. Therefore God also highly exalted himand gave him the namethat is above every name,so that at the name of Jesusevery knee should bend,in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue should confessthat Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11) Everyone will worship him – That is what we do now. When St. Paul wrote this passage, he didn't see that yet. Jesus was not a world famous figure. The universal recognition of Jesus was not yet the historical reality. But somehow Paul saw that. It was his prophecy. Mary captured this sentiment very well when she found out that she had a baby. She expressed her own humility first. he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. (Luke 1:48) She was very conscious and aware of her humble status. Why me? I am nobody. I am just a poor peasant girl. Then the message came to her. He has shown strength with his arm;he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,and lifted up the lowly;he has filled the hungry with good things,and sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53) She was not just impregnated with a baby physically. She was impregnated with the message. She was impregnated with God's desire for the world. God's desire for the world is this. Be humble! Lack of humility brings disaster to you. Herod lacked humility and that's why he killed so many babies because of the birth of Jesus. He was scared because his kingship was threatened. People who built the Babel tower lacked humility and that's why they built the tower high. They were scared to be drowned from the flood. The king Saul lacked humility and that's why he tried to kill David. He was scared and threatened. Lack of humility is very much to do with your fear. Humility is the acknowledgment of God's power. It is not just the acknowledgment of your weaknesses. But it is the acknowledgment of God's power. So humility is always accompanied by trust in God. Even in impossible situations, even in helpless situations, we trust in God's power. The news of having a baby for a little girl was too much to take. Who can handle such a devastating news? That was an impossible situation. Mary could have wished that it was somebody else who was chosen to do what was given to her. And yet, at the end, she said, let it be so. I don't have power. I don't have power to run away. I don't have power to handle the scandal. I don't have power to control my future. I may be stoned to death. I may be rejected by Joseph. I may be kicked out from home. I have no power to control my situations. But let it be so. That's what humility is. In her humility, she recognized the power of God. That's why humility is powerful. Humility is not just seeing who you are. Humility is seeing what God can do. In humility, we trust God. In humility, we will experience the power of God as Mary experienced it. Because of her humility, Mary was able to go through even the most difficult time of seeing his son being crucified. Even after Jesus died, she did not give up. When 120 gathered together in Mark's upper room, Mary was there, praying with others. Because she believed in the power of God. Humble people don't give up. Humble people don't fear their impossible situations. Humble people always look to God. Humble people do not focus on their lowliness but on God's greatness. My friends, God wants us to be humble. Because God can only work through humble people. Through humble people, God's power is manifested. Through humble people, God's love is shared. Humble people will see that it is God who has exalted them, not themselves. That's why they have deep joy. They know clearly that salvation belongs to God, not to them. You don't have to save yourself. You don't have to worry about what is in store for you. You don't have to create a path for yourself. God saves you. God knows what you need. God takes care of your future. God creates a path for you. That is the Christmas message. Be humble and trust in God's power. The post Be Humble appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Luke 3:7-18 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script INTRODUCTION Do you know what you were born to do? Many people don’t. Some do &#8211; John the Baptist was one of them. What he was born to do was foretold even before his birth. Zechariah and Elizabeth &#8211; righteous but no children. Promise to [&#8230;]

Scripture Passage Luke 1:68-79 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script INTRODUCTION I enjoy buffets. There is a sequence, method. Purpose of first round: whet the appetite, get me going for the main courses and proteins. Luke is about Jesus – the main course. But Luke 1 is about things that take place before Jesus is born. The set-up to what God does through Jesus. Central character in chapter 1 is Zechariah. Today's passage – Benedictus. Last part of chapter 1. Chapter 1 begins with Zechariah and ends with him. Luke is communicating something important. Zechariah is a set-up story for the main course of Jesus. It's a substantial appetizer – so much good material. God has something amazing to say through story of Zechariah. MOVEMENT 1: ZECHARIAH'S ISSUE – BARRENNESS Luke's introduction of Zechariah and Elizabeth: In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. (Luke 1:5-6) Zechariah and wife Elizabeth descended from Aaron. Bloodline survived the whole history of Israel up to now. Faithful to that heritage, faithful to God. Righteous, blameless. But Luke introduces issue: But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years. (Luke 1:7) Barrenness. Whole future is in doubt. Rich past coming to an end. No future. God makes promise to Zechariah through angel: Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. (Luke 1:15) Not only that, but great purpose through this promise: Even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:15-17) Stories of barrenness are a common starting point for God's action. Abraham and Sarah. Hannah. God gives promise that addresses the barren situation. But something different in Luke's story of Zechariah: He goes silent upon receiving the promise. When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. (Luke 1:22) MOVEMENT 2: THE REAL ISSUE – ZECHARIAH'S SILENCE Zechariah became silent. An alternate title to this sermon was Zechariah's Silence . He remained silent until the prophecy we read as today's passage. What made him go silent, and what does this silence represent? Last thing that Zechariah said: How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years. (Luke 1:18) Angel's response: I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur. (Luke 1:19-20) Many scholars believe this is punishment for Zechariah's lack of belief. This may be true, but I believe there's a lot more here. When the angel communicated God's promise, it brought to the surface the pain he had been feeling for years. He stated the facts as he experienced it: I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years. These were irrefutable facts. These facts were his reality. The gap between that reality and God's promise was so vast. It was a wide chasm. There was nothing more that Zechariah and Elizabeth wanted than a child. In their younger years, they probably prayed very fervently for one. They probably kept hope for many years. But as each year went on, that hope slipped away. Their prayers probably stopped. They resigned themselves to the facts as they were. The promise reminded Zechariah of the wide chasm between what he really wanted and the reality he experienced. That gap was so painful. The pain silenced him. More than the pain, it was his loss of hope that silenced him. Hopeless pain makes one silent. The wide chasm between your heart's desire and facts that are the complete opposite leaks hope. The longer this chasm remains, the more hope dissipates. The chasm hangs in the air like a great weight. The weight squeezes out hope. It silences prayers and cries of the heart. Hopelessness renders you mute, silent and unable to move. It makes you resigned to reality as it is. Zechariah and Elizabeth resigned themselves to life as a barren couple. They remained faithful, righteous and blameless in their actions. But underneath those actions were empty hearts. They were empty of joy. Empty of purpose. They had no future to live for. I wonder how many people today live like this. No future to live for. No hope that fuels them. Human beings are born to dream. We're born with desires that are unique to our hearts. But the facts on the ground often make that desire seem impossible. At first, we hold on with hope. We try what we can. But in the end, we resign ourselves to reality as it is. We come to believe that this is as good as it gets. So we try to make the best of life as it is. We try to enjoy what we can. We forget about the pain of unfulfilled promises. The pain of the gap between promise and reality becomes more and more silent over time. Do you truly believe that your life right now is as good as it gets? Do you believe your situation is the final conclusion? MOVEMENT 3: GOD MOVES IN THE SILENT HOPELESSNESS Zechariah went home. We don't know what else we did. But the scene in chapter 1 shifts from Zechariah to other things. Luke makes clear that while Zechariah is silent in hopelessness, God is on the move. God makes Elizabeth conceive. God speaks to Mary that she will give birth to the Saviour of the world. Mary goes to visit Elizabeth, and Elizabeth's baby leaps in her womb. Things are happening. Finally, a son is born, and he is named John. Zechariah is able to speak again at this point. Luke's message is clear: even in our silent hopelessness, God is on the move. More accurately: it is especially in our silent hopelessness that God moves. While Zechariah was silent, God began his plan of salvation for the world. How many of you have experienced hopelessness, and somehow came out of it for reasons that had nothing to do with you? That has been my experience. Post-articling experience. Until then, charmed life. Things went well on the surface. But underneath, always a tightrope. Tricky balance between doing what I felt I needed to do, and what I really wanted to do. That tightrope broke, things came to a head. Not hired back – only one in my class. Darkness of next 8 months. Look back: period of silence. Nothing positive, no good lessons learned, no real growth. Just sheer silence and darkness. Didn't grit it out and fight my way out of it. How did I come out of it? Very random. Partner from old firm. No reason for her to really. Didn't solve things – many ordeals to come. But it stirred me out of the darkness. Put me back on my feet to get moving again. MOVEMENT 4: ADVENT AND LUKE 1 REAWAKEN HOPE Advent: beginning of new Church year. Meaning: arrival or coming. Lectionary passage for this season: Luke 1. Purpose: to stir the heart, reawaken the hope that has been lost. Appetizer: stirring up of hope, so we can wait eagerly for the main course – what God will do for you. As the people sat in darkness, they began to await the arrival of a Saviour. That happens in chapter 2 of Luke. When hope is stirred, it transforms the pain. From silent pain to pain that cries out. Pain retrieves its voice – it cries out to God. It seeks God. It waits for God. CONCLUSION: HEAR THE TENDER VOICE OF GOD IN THE NIGHT When the Israelites were exiled in Babylon, during their darkest time when all hope seemed lost, God pierced through the silence through the prophet Isaiah: Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:1-2) These are the opening words of Handel's Messiah. These words stirred up hope in the people. It made them open to what God might do. It made them look once again to God. During this Advent season, open your ears to the tender voice of God in the night. The final words of Zechariah are the final words of chapter 1 before Jesus is born: Because of the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:78-79) Press these words on your heart. Let them awaken hope in you. Lift up your heads and wait for what God is about to do for you. The post <a href="https://timothypc.com/podcast/s...

Scripture Passage John 18:33-37 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script I don't like the term, king or queen. The image of king or queen – it doesn't mean much to me. It rather gives me a negative image. Power, Privilege, Entitlement, Domination, and even Corruption. These are not the words I am not so attracted to. Especially when they use this term for Jesus whom I love, I feel uncomfortable. King is a political language. Isn't there a better word than king to describe Jesus? But when you read today's passage, Jesus clearly said he was the king. You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world (John 18:37) This statement is so strange. Because we all know that Jesus was never the king while he was on earth. He didn't become the king. He was simply a carpenter. And he became an itinerant preacher. Then he died as a criminal. Never the king. Why did he say that he was born to be a king. And for this he came into the world? That was exactly what they wanted Jesus to say. They wanted to frame Jesus by saying that he acted like he was a king. They wanted to charge him with a treason. It could be a very dangerous statement for Jesus. That was why the first question Pilate asked Jesus was this: Are you the King of the Jews? (John 18:33) The only real king to Pilate was Tiberius, the Roman Emperor. The most powerful man in the world at that time. That was the image of a king Pilate knew of. No Power, No King. Tiberius sacrificed everything to have the power. Including his wife. Tiberius had a wife whom he loved. He lived a happy life. But to be the emperor, he was forced to divorce his wife. Why? Because Tiberius was not his blood line of the previous emperor and he Octavius wanted to have his blood line in the next emperor. So Tiberius had to divorce his wife and marry Julia, the daughter of the first emperor. He wasn't happy about it. But he did it to be the emperor. He did it to have the power. That is the kind of king Pilate knew. Jesus did not look like a king to Pilate. He had no power in the eyes of Pilate. Just an innocent poor man who was caught up in the political turmoil. That's why after meeting Jesus, he said, he went out to the Jews again and told them, I find no case against him.' (John 18:38) Why did Jesus say that he was the king? Jesus' kingdom was different from Pilate's kingdom. Pilate's kingdom was defined by the power. Controlled by the power. Jesus' kingdom was not Pilate's kingdom. This was what Jesus said. My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here. (John 18:36) Jesus' kingdom is the kingdom of the truth. Jesus came to testify the truth. Jesus came to proclaim the truth. Jesus came to make us people of the truth. Because only the truth will set us free. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. (John 8:32) To Pilate, that was a foreign concept. So he asked Jesus, What is truth? (John 18:38) His question is this: What's the truth got to do with anything? The kingdom is all power; nothing but the power. The truth has nothing to do with the power. To have the power, lies are permitted. Sometimes, lies are much more effective and efficient. You can lie through your teeth if that gets you the power. I see that a lot these days. Truth can be inconvenient. That is very different from Jesus' idea of kingdom. In Jesus' kingdom, we are free. In his kingdom, Pilate was not free. Pilate met Jesus again. That comes out in chapter 19. He believed that Jesus was innocent for sure but the crowd shouted to crucify him. So, he came back to Jesus and asked him. Where are you from? (John 19:9) Jesus didn't answer this time. And he said, Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you? (John 19:10) THEN Jesus said, You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above. (John 19:11) Pilate did not have the power to release innocent Jesus. Jesus knew that clearly. Pilate wanted to free Jesus but he couldn't. He was not free to do what he believed. Only the truth can set you free. Not the power. Pilate lived in that kind of kingdom. The kingdom that doesn't make sense. The kingdom that benefits only those who are powerful and privileged. The kingdom where the powerless and the voiceless were ignored, rejected, and abandoned. The kingdom where the prejudices control human thinking. The kingdom where selfishness dictates and overpowers justice and humanity. The kingdom where there is no eternal life but only destruction in the end. That is not Jesus' kingdom. Jesus' kingdom is the kingdom where everyone is respected, honored, and loved. The kingdom where the truth dictates and the justice is upheld. The kingdom where humility takes priority over bragging and pride. The kingdom where there is eternal life. Jesus came to be like us. He denied even his divinity. He emptied all his power to be even like a servant. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death. Who lifted him up? Not Jesus. Who lifted him up? God lifted him up. Therefore God also highly exalted himand gave him the namethat is above every name,so that at the name of Jesusevery knee should bend,in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue should confessthat Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11) He became the king not in a palace through grand coronation. He became the king on the cross. Ironically it was done by Pilate. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.' Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not write, The King of the Jews , but, This man said, I am King of the Jews. ' Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.' (John 19:19-22) What kind of kingdom do you live in? The Kingdom of Power? Or The Kingdom of Truth? We are IN this world but we are NOT OF this world. Who is Jesus to you? I hope that Jesus is your king. I want to have Jesus kind of king. That is my true king. The post Who Is Jesus? appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage 1 Samuel 1:4-20 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script The sermon script is currently unavailable. We are sorry for the inconvenience! The post Waiting and Prayer appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Mark 13:1-8 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Nowadays we use GPS, before we used to look to the stars. Stars that orient you. The terrain changes, but you know where you're going. We have foundational things that anchor our lives and give direction. They give shape and direction to day to day life. We don't even have to really think. For me, it is my kids, church, family. Seasons, details change, but the general shape of my life doesn't. What happens when any of these things are taken away? There are foundational changes taking place in the congregation. Aging parents, looming loss of loved ones. Some are already grieving the loss of loved ones. Retirement and loss of anchor that gave shape to life for years and decades. Transition from school and anchored life to new routines. Your own health. If stars you relied on for direction were to disappear, you would feel lost, disoriented. We wouldn't know what to do or where to go. Likewise, when these things that anchor our lives change, we feel lost and disoriented. For Jews in Jesus' time, the Temple was the anchor of Jewish life. They had the Temple and they had the Law. The temple was the visible and tangible anchor. It set the routine for Jewish life. It was where God resided. Hence there was admiration. But Jesus was saying it will be destroyed. This was very concerning. The disciples wanted to know when this would happen. If something like this is going to happen, you want to know when and what the signs will be. You want to prepare. But Jesus doesn't say when. Instead, he gives warning. Then Jesus began to say to them, Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, I am he!' and they will lead many astray. (13:5-6) Why did he say this? When that anchor is gone, you feel lost. Being lost and not knowing where to go is an uneasy feeling. Staying still makes you feel vulnerable. Our tendency is to want to move and do something. When you are lost, that is when you're most vulnerable to being led astray. You're most vulnerable to listening to the wrong voices. Because you want to do something and will listen to someone who sounds convincing and confident. There are so many voices out there. I am off of social media because there are too many voices. Too many influencers, too many experts. Too many people trying to gain a following by saying I am he! or I am she! Everyone nowadays is an expert. Everyone has an opinion. Many people gain a following by tapping into people's fears and sense of being lost. They say follow me and everything will be alright. But many of these are false promises. Many of these leaders and influencers' true agenda is not to help you. It's to gain a following. It's more for themselves, not for you. Led astray: be deceived. Main deception: destination will be great, journey will be easy. Leave out the difficulties in that journey. Don't be led astray. When the stars you relied upon for direction disappear, you are tempted to just start moving. But if you get lost in the forest, that's the wrong thing to do. You feel like you're doing something by walking. You just end up walking in circles and you end up in the same place. If you're lost, you need to take time to be still. You need to attune yourself to other things in your surroundings. Before, all you needed to do was look at those stars you relied upon. But now you need to notice other things. Notice other stars in the sky. Notice the landscape around you. Become familiar with other things that can guide you: rivers, hills, rocks. Slowly, you will become familiar with the new landscape. There will be other things to guide you and give you direction. All of this is becoming in tune. Reflected on this on Friday. Need to be in tune, connected. With yourself: Be aware of how these changes are affecting you. Find space to process these changes. Give yourself room to mourn, think, reflect. Be in tune with your life: Be aware of changes that are happening. Notice what's going on in your life. These are all part of noticing things in the landscape that you didn't before. But most importantly, know which voice to listen to. Jesus called himself the good shepherd. This is what he says: The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers. (John 10:2-5) We need to be spiritually in tune. We need to learn to listen to the voice of God. It is not easy to do that. You are here in church today to listen to the Word of God. To hear what God has to say. Preparing sermons is so difficult because it's not about information or data. I am trying to be in tune with what God wants to say. To say words that our good shepherd wants to say to help you navigate this often treacherous terrain of life. Be in tune with yourself. Be in tune with your life. Be in tune with God. Then you will know which way to go. Jesus is our good shepherd because he cares for us. We follow him because we can trust him. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:11-15) All those people trying to gain your following? They are hired hands. They will abandon you at the first sign of trouble to save their own skin. Jesus is the good shepherd. He cares for you. He lays his life down for you. Foundational changes are not easy to deal with. Wars, famines, earthquakes: these are things that shake up the foundations of life. They disrupt the routines of life. They are scary. We cannot avoid them. That is what Jesus is saying. These changes are a part of life. But what he also says is that they are not the end. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. (Mark 13:7) Painful and scary as they may be, rather than destroying you, these changes will be the beginning of something new. Jesus tells us not to be alarmed. When your foundations are shaken, he will guide you through these things. Like sheep, we will have to go through treacherous terrain. To get to pastures, they have to travel across rocky ledges and high mountains. There are all sorts of dangers along the way. The journey is not easy. That's why it's often a slow journey. So that you don't fall off a cliff. To tenderly navigate you through dangerous paths. Sheep follow their shepherd's voice. They trust the shepherd. They don't panic, but calmly travel along the path laid out by the shepherd. When big changes come, don't be led astray. Be in tune with yourself, with your life, and most importantly, with God. Big changes will continue to come, but everything will be alright. The post Everything's Gonna Be Alright appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Mark 12:38-44 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script When life is not on your terms, how do you respond? That's an important question we must ask ourselves. It has implications for your life and those around you. We all try to do our best to make a good life. We understand the rules of the game and work hard to do well within them. But sometimes, even if you follow all the rules, things don't turn out the way you expect. Sometimes, life is not on your terms. No one likes that. No one wants to lose control over the terms of your life. Jesus makes a contrast between the rich people and the poor widow. He sees the rich people put in large sums of money into the treasury. He then sees the poor widow put in two copper coins. He says this in response to what he saw: Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. (Mark 12:43-44) Jesus is not criticizing the rich people. But he's pointing out a crucial difference between the rich people and the poor widow. What was that difference? The rich people lived life by their own terms. Life was in their control. Yes, they gave large sums, but it was on their terms. That money came from their surplus. Life was in their control. The poor widow, on the other hand, did not live life on her own terms. All she had was two copper coins. That amounts to 1/32 of a day's wage. In today's minimum wage, that would come out to about $5. You can barely buy a cheeseburger from McDonald's with that amount. No one would choose to have so little to live on. Life for the poor widow was not on her terms. Not all widows were poor in Jesus' time. Some were wealthy. They were allowed to own property. But they were nonetheless very vulnerable. If they didn't have a wealthy or powerful family to protect them, they were susceptible to abuse and exploitation. Widows and orphans were the most vulnerable people. This is why the Law paid special attention to them. It provided special protection for widows and orphans. James says this about the perfect religion: Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:27) As the early church began to grow, the first issue was how to take care of the widows in their community. The community and the religious system built around the Law was supposed to protect vulnerable people like widows. But in reality, the system was often broken. They were victims of the community that was supposed to take care of them. Religious leaders often took advantage of widows for their own gain. Experts in the Law often used their knowledge to cheat or take more from widows. This is what Jesus was implying when he criticizes the scribes: 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 honor at banquets! They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation. (Luke 12:38-40) The poor widow was likely the victim of this abuse. Life was not on her own terms. She could barely survive day to day. Life was precarious and uncertain. Life today feels like that for many people. Very precarious. Very uncertain. It used to be that if you did all the right things, things would turn out okay. If you studied hard enough, you would get a good, steady job. That job would allow you to afford a house. You could then live a good middle class life. That situation is harder and harder to come by. Getting a good job is so competitive now. Even if you do get a good job, they're often not steady like they used to be. There is constant pressure. More work is contract or gig based. So there's less stability and predictability. Even if you do get a good job, owning a home is out of reach for so many people. Everything is so expensive. Our dollar doesn't go as far so we feel more poor. Eating out seems like a luxury. Life is less and less on your own terms. When life is not on your own terms, it creates uneasiness. It creates frustration. When things seem out of control, it makes you anxious. It creates fear. Fear is the most primal emotion for human beings. It activates our brain the fastest. It propels us to move fast (Joonie as toddler getting chased by dog). It helps us survive. But if fear is not managed, it can morph into other things. Fear can become anger. Fear breeds suspicion. Anger and suspicion lead you to look for people to blame. Fear divides. It points the finger at others for the difficulties you face. It creates walls so that you can feel safe. The world is absorbing the result of the US election this past week. Donald Trump won because he was able to tap into the sense that things are out of control. He was able to convince people that with him as President, they will be able to once again live life on their own terms. Whether that is true, or whether it creates more chaos and division, we will have to see. Fear takes on a life of its own. It's a natural emotion but it can create so many problems. This is why so much of the Bible addresses fear. Whenever God speaks to people in the Bible, the first words are often do not fear or do not be afraid . The first thing God does is bring peace to ease your fear. When things seem out of control, the most important thing is to experience peace. The poor widow's life was not on her terms. Life was not in her control. But what she did was remarkable. She gave everything she had to God. She didn't cling onto the two coins she had. She put in everything she had. In other words, she surrendered herself completely to God. She placed her total trust in God. For her survival. For her life. We don't know anything about this poor widow, but we see her faith. Not just a meek faith, but a tenacious faith. A faith that believes and fights against all odds. It's remarkable! That is what she put into the treasury – her tenacious faith and trust in God. The rich people didn't put in faith. They put in their surplus on their own terms. Faith is not on our own terms. That's what we learned on Friday at our Bible study. Faith is not on your own terms. It is on God's terms. To have faith is to live by God's terms. It is to place yourself in surrender to God's terms. That's how Jesus lived. He lived completely by God's terms. Accepting the cross was his complete surrender to God's terms. That is what the widow did. Surrendering yourself is not easy. Faith doesn't shield you from life's problems. So it brings testing. The problems make you doubt God's presence. They shake your trust in God. They tempt you to take matters into your own hands. I'm sure the poor widow was afraid and worried about how she would survive. Tomorrow was uncertain. Where would her money and bread come from? But she had a relentless, tenacious faith. A faith that would not be deterred. No matter what my situation is, I will give to God. Whatever my situation, I will trust in God. That's how she was able to give even her last penny. Life was not on her terms, but she gave everything to God. The poor widow gave all she had because giving was baked into who she was. No matter what her situation, she would give to God. Worship was a habit built into her. Trusting God was baked into her. It's what gave her a tenacious faith. Worship is a habit. Every week, worship needs to be a habit. A habit where you come and give everything to God: your fears, your worries, your anxieties, your money, your future. Where you hear what God has to say to you. Through the discipline and habit of worship, you will build a tenacious faith that withstands what life throws at you. This is what James says: My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4) My friends, build up a tenacious faith. When your faith is tested, persevere. When life is not on your terms, don't let fear and anxiety take over your life. Rather, bring everything to God in prayer. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) When life is not going your way, when life is not on your terms, give everything to God. God will give you a tenacious faith. God's peace will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. God will take care of you. The post When Life Is Not on Your Terms appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Mark 12:28-34 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script When I was in University, Mother Teresa once came to U of T to speak. It was outdoor and so many people came. Like Zacchaeus, I tried to go near to the front and so I could see her. With excitement, I was waiting for her. And finally she came out. She was small and her face was full of wrinkles. But she had a charisma. She came to the mic and she started speaking. All she said was, love God and love your neighbour. That was exactly what Jesus said. People saw Jesus' miracles. They saw how profound he was when he argued with Pharisees and Sadducees. Chapter 12 of Mark – various groups of people came to Jesus and challenged him. They were so called important people. First, Pharisees came and asked about whether to give taxes to the emperor or not. Then, Sadducees came and asked about the resurrection. They all asked these questions not because they were really interested in what Jesus had to say but they wanted to trap him. Jesus was not trapped. He answered each one wisely. His answer was profound. Today's Scripture passage deals with the third question. But this question was different from other two questions. The question came from one of the scribes. Another important group. He saw the interaction between Jesus and Pharisees and Sadducees. He saw how wisely Jesus dealt with their trick questions. Now he was genuinely interested in what Jesus had to say. Mark records it this way. One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, Which commandment is the first of all?' (Mark 12:28) He really wanted to know what Jesus had to say about the commandments. At that time, for them, the commandments were everything. They lived for the commandments, they lived by the commandments. Commandments were their life. So his question can be rephrased in this way. What is the most important about life? What is life all about? What is the ultimate meaning and purpose of life? That was what he was asking. Jesus' answer was very simple. Love your God and love your neighbours. Like what Mother Teresa said. Everything else is the commentary of how to do it. There was a famous teacher in Israel. His name was Hillel. His grandson was Gamaliel who was St. Paul's teacher. He said this. What is hateful to you, do not to your neighbour. That is the whole Torah, while the rest is the commentary thereof; go and learn it. Love is the greatest thing. Love is the ultimate purpose one can pursue. Make money to love. Work hard to love. Get educated to love. What else is there? God created us to love. When God created the world, every time, he said, it was good. Then God said, Let there be light'; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. (Genesis 1:3, 4) God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:10) Every day, he achieved the masterpiece of his creation. And he said, it was good. But only once, he said it wasn't good. That was when God saw Adam being alone. Then the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.' (Genesis 2:18) He created Eve. It was not that he only created another human being. He created love that binds them together. Adam felt love for the first time. Now he knew what love was. We can see that in his confession. This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. (Genesis 2:23) God created love for them and Adam felt it. But soon, when they committed sin, he lost the ability to love. The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate. (Genesis 3:12) No more bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This woman you gave me. Separation. He separated himself from the woman. That is what sin does. Separates. Love unites and confesses you are bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. Jesus came to restore love that was originally given at creation. Love. That was what Jesus told them to do. Restore love that was lost. It doesn't matter what you do with commandments. If there is no love, none of them is useless. Everything else is merely the commentary of love. That is what is the most important. The scribe now clearly understood what Jesus meant. this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. (Mark 12:33) That's why Jesus said about the scribe: When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God.' (Mark 12:34) And Mark ends the story with this. After that no one dared to ask him any question. (Mark 12:34) They were all struck by the truth. No one dared to add anything to it. That is it! The conclusion and the finality. No more frivolous arguments. The problem Jesus saw – THEY LOST THE ABILITY TO LOVE. In that way, they were dysfunctional. This world lost the ability to love. In that way, this world is dysfunctional. We have to restore the ability to love. How do we do that? Go back to God. Not for religious reasons. Not for piety. Go back to God who created love. And experience God's love. Learn about God's love. Ask God to give you love as he gave it to Adam. The whole purpose of Jesus coming into the world was to restore the love that was lost. This was what John said. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16) Through Jesus Christ, we have to restore love. When we don't find love, we are lost. God loves you. Receive that love. When you find God, you find love. Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:7, 8) You are not alone. It is not good to be alone. You have God with you and you have sisters and brothers who care for you. Nothing can separate you to be isolated. This was what Paul said. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39) When love is restored within you, you are no more an island. You don't need to live like an island. But that is the feeling we feel sometimes. That feeling was well captured in the song of Paul Simon, I am a rock. A winter’s dayIn a deep and dark DecemberI am aloneGazing from my window to the streets belowOn a freshly fallen silent shroud of snowI am a rock I am an island I’ve built wallsA fortress deep and mightyThat none may penetrateI have no need of friendship, friendship causes painIt’s laughter and it’s loving I disdainI am a rock I am an island Don’t talk of loveWell I’ve heard the word beforeIt’s sleeping in my memoryI won’t disturb the slumber of feelings that have diedIf I never loved I never would have criedI am a rock I am an island I have my booksAnd my poetry to protect meI am shielded in my armorHiding in my room safe within my wombI touch no one and no one touches meI am a rock I am an islandAnd a rock feels no painAnd an island never cries Jesus came to restore love within us. Jesus came to tell us that you are not a rock. You are not an island. I am with you, Jesus says. Let your love within you be restored. It's like a match stick. It has all the potential to set a fire. All you need is to strike it to the surface. (I got the imagery from the podcast Tom sent me.) Yes, you have potential fire of love. You need to kindle it. Let your love within you be kindled. The post Restore Love That Is Lost appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Mark 10:46-52 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Happy anniversary! Today is the 28th anniversary of this church. Once a year, we remember how faithful God has been to this church. Another year, God has been with us. God has been with our children. God has been with our youth and young adults. God has been with all of you. On this anniversary, it is good to remember God and give thanks. God has given us a Word from the gospel of Mark for us today. On this anniversary Sunday, let us hear what God has to say to us. The whole gospel of Mark is about the journey Jesus takes from Galilee to Jerusalem. Along the way, Jesus calls his disciples. He teaches and he heals people. Others begin to follow. While he teaches and heals, the destination is always Jerusalem and the cross. The passage today begins with Jesus and the crowd in Jericho. Jericho is the last stop on the way to Jerusalem. It begins with a scene of Jesus, his disciples and a large crowd departing from Jericho. You can envision the large crowd. They are leaving with a spirit of anticipation. They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. (Mark 10:32) There was excitement, there was fear, there's a buzz in the air. But as they are departing, the camera shifts to the roadside. We see a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, on the side of the road. The story shifts to him. Who was this man? What was he doing there? We know nothing about him except that he was a blind beggar. It means that he was utterly dependent on the mercy of others. He could not survive without help from others. He knew he needed help. When Jesus was near, something stirred up deep within him. This is what he cried out: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! (Mark 10:47) Even after people told him to be quiet, he shouted even louder. Son of David, have mercy on me! Nothing could stop him. Mark took a detour in the story of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem to tell this story about Bartimaeus. Why did he do that? It was very intentional. He is trying to say something very important by inserting this story. Mark wanted to say something important about discipleship. This story illustrates the very heart of discipleship. That heart is this statement: Lord, have mercy on me! Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, help me. Help me, for I am unable to help myself. Help me, because I need you. Recognizing that we need help is the beginning of discipleship. It's the cry that brings us into God's presence. Without a heart that desperately needs God, there is no faith. There is no discipleship. Jesus healed Bartimaeus. This changed him. Instead of going on his way, he followed Jesus on THE way. Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. (Mark 10:52) Tradition says that he became a leader in the church. His story became a powerful testimony to the power of Jesus. Imagine the impact that his testimony had! It became a powerful witness to what God does. He would never forget what God had done for him. The story of Bartimaeus is not only his. It is ours as well. His testimony is our testimony. I was blind but now can see! I was lost but now am found! The details of your story are unique. But you are here in this church today because of one simple fact: God has been with you when you needed him. God heard your cry. God has saved me. That is our testimony. You are a powerful testimony of what God has done. Your life is a powerful testimony to who God is. Do you believe that? What is the church? The church is an assembly of witnesses to what God has done in our lives. The story of Bartimaeus is our story. Whether you are new or old to this community, you are a powerful witness to God's presence in your life. On this church anniversary, we remember what God has done for us. I see the powerful witness of what God has done in all of your stories. You have faced so many challenges. Overcoming doubts and insecurity. Dealing with challenging situations. Facing many uncertainties. Battling anxiety and depression and worries. But God heard your cries. God has made you well. Many of you are still struggling with challenges. You're still fragile and vulnerable. Yes, we are still broken, but filled with grace. That grace has become our strength to carry on. Our weakness has become the window for God's strength to shine through. Every week we come to church, we come to say Lord, help me , and Lord, thank you . On anniversaries, you look back. You smile at the good memories. You reflect on the challenges. You have gratitude. You renew your commitment. You look forward to what lies ahead. On this anniversary, we remember God's mercy on us. Like Jesus' movement, this church began as a small group of people. It was just Rev. Kim and a small group of people, no more than 40 in total, from children to adults. But they had a vision to create a good, healthy church. A church built on the Word. A church that would cultivate faith in the next generation. Over 28 years, many people have been touched by God in and through this community. Many prayers have been prayed with the simple cry of Lord, have mercy on me! Many prayers have been answered. God has been faithful to the people of St. Timothy. I mentioned on Friday at our Bible study how we're like a blue zone for our oldest members in the KSM. Some of them are 90 and above, but still taking the TTC to come to Bible study and finding so much meaning in them. They are healthy because they are filled with the Spirit of God. This church has given them meaning and anchor in their lives. In our ESM, a whole generation has grown up in this church – our young adults as the first generation to be born and raised here. Many of them have experienced the love and faithfulness of God in and through this community. Our children are growing up so beautifully under the grace of God, and I know God will be there for them when they too cry out. No one knows what the future holds. Many uncertainties and challenges lie ahead. It is so hard to be a church and do ministry in this day and age. But as we look back on how faithful God has been, we are confident with faith as we look ahead. We may not know exactly how God will lead us, but the Word today makes clear what our focus and direction is. Like the crowd following Jesus, we are on our way to Jerusalem, toward the cross. That much is clear. But we do not remain comfortable in the crowd, aloof to those on the side of the road. The crowd was annoyed by Bartimaeus. They wanted him to be quiet so they could go on their way uninterrupted. But Jesus stopped. He listened. He called out for Bartimaeus. We are the presence of Jesus for those sitting in darkness by the road. We are called to hear their cries. We are to be the presence of Jesus that stops and calls out to them. We are to offer the Word of God that heals and makes well. We are to invite them to join us on the way of following Jesus. Always, our cry is Lord, have mercy on me! We are people who remember the mercy God has on us. We are always broken people who are led by the grace of God. We are a worshiping community that comes together every week in gratitude for God's grace. God who has shown mercy will continue to do so. Happy anniversary, St. Timothy! May God lead us again for the year ahead. The post Lord, Have Mercy on Me! appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Mark 10:35-45 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Jesus summarizes the purpose of his life: For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45) He came to restore the essence of life. We are at our best when we put others first. Life comes alive and flourishes when we do that. This applies to all of your relationships. Whether it's your marriage, friendships, workplace, community or geopolitics. US President John F Kennedy had a famous line: Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. Joonie played house league baseball this past summer. He had a great experience. Because coaches were willing to offer their time for the kids. All busy (with their work and family lives) but put in time to develop the kids. Summer was so much fun. Joonie had fun and improved so much that they put him on a rep team. Joonie's cousin also played house league baseball, but had a terrible experience. Because no one was willing to serve as coaches. Practices, games, useless. Church thrives because people willing to serve. Thanksgiving lunch. Fall Fridays (food prep, praise team, clean up, etc). Praise team, teachers, etc. When people are willing to serve and put the interests of others at centre, life thrives. When people don't, life diminishes. Today's story begins with James and John's request to sit at Jesus' right hand and left hand in glory. It sounds so selfish and greedy! Why would they ask that? But I take a more sympathetic view of them. James and John were among the very first disciples to follow Jesus. This is how their journey began: As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (Mark 1:19-20) They just followed Jesus! They dropped everything to follow him. They didn't ask any questions. How remarkable! They remind me of Abraham. Like Abraham, they didn't ask questions, they didn't try to find out more, they didn't equivocate. They simply followed. That is faith! They followed Jesus when he was unknown. When he was still a nobody. There was great risk in what they were doing, because no one knew Jesus and what would happen. I admire what James and John did. James Choe and John Chung were our first elders in the ESM. Their willingness to serve paved the way for many others to serve as elders. I admire James and John! More people need to be willing to serve and put the interests of others. That was not James and John's issue. So what was their issue? They were there from the very beginning. They were part of Jesus' inner circle. Fidel Castro and Mao Zedong: leaders of Cuba and China. Remarkable how they came to power. Small guerilla forces starting in a tiny section of the country. But somehow survived, went on March and gathered momentum and power on their journey toward the capital against all odds. I think the disciples were feeling something similar. Those who were with them from the very beginning got into positions of power. They jockeyed for positions closest to the leaders. You see similar dynamic at play here. James and John's were among first disciples. They were always part of Jesus' inner circle. But when you think of disciples, who's the most famous disciple that comes to mind? Peter! Peter was the first. He was always the most prominent. Even being called, Peter was the first. As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And Jesus said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people. And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (Mark your 1:16-20) James and John were renamed by Jesus as Sons of Thunder. No one else was given a new name – except one: Simon &gt; Peter. Wherever they went, they were overshadowed by Peter. This must have got to them. It must have made them insecure and uneasy of where they stood. Jesus' calling to think of others took a back seat as their I became insecure. The I started to take centre stage. When people mutually put each other first, life is beautiful. Life flourishes. Problems begin when the I begins to take over. We often put our I at the centre because we're afraid of losing ourselves. We're insecure. We want to preserve ourselves. I think this is what happened to James and John. A strange thing happens: the more you put the I at the centre, the less secure the I is. It is less at peace. More insecure. More anxious. More concerned about how others respond to you. The I gets set off more easily and gets in the way. Putting I at centre becomes contagious. Other disciples upset because they too wanted to be at centre. I that feels unworthy. That too becomes a barrier. In any relationship, the I becomes the barrier to true connection. It becomes the barrier to truly serving the other. It becomes the barrier to harmony and community. It gets in the way of a flourishing life. For life to come alive, the I has to take a back seat. Jesus did that. His I took a back seat. Even when he could see what was going to happen to him, he was calm, confident and resolute. We see this right before our passage today: They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the gentiles; they will mock him and spit upon him and flog him and kill him, and after three days he will rise again. (Mark 10:32-34) Jesus was not a doormat. He carried on with God's will, even when he knew what lay ahead. How was he able to put God's will and others ahead of his I ? He gave his I to God. Completely entrusted his I to God. You see this most clearly on the cross. On cross, everyone had abandoned him. He even felt abandoned by God. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? But even there, entrusted his I to God. Into your hands I commend my spirit. Following Jesus is to give your I to him and follow him. That's what it means to deny yourself. Denying yourself is not being a doormat and losing who you are. It's giving your I completely to God. You give your I to God so that it no longer drives your life. When your I is not at the centre, you are free. You can see God's will more clearly. You are led by God's wisdom. You can put needs of others first without being afraid of losing yourself . When you give your I to God, you become truly yourself. My friends, give your I to God. God will take care of you. God will provide your I what it needs. That should be part of your regular prayer and spiritual life. Give your I to God. Find peace in God's presence. Hear God's affirmation. Entrust your I in God's merciful hands. Jesus entrusted himself completely to God, even to death on the cross. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,who, though he existed in the form of God,    did not regard equality with God    as something to be grasped,but emptied himself,    taking the form of a slave,    assuming human likeness.And being found in appearance as a human,    he humbled himself    and became obedient to the point of death     even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8) But God exalted him. Therefore God exalted him even more highly    and gave him the name    that is above every other name,so that at the name given to Jesus    every knee should bend,    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue should confess    that Jesus Christ is Lord,    to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11) That is what God will do for you too. God will protect you. God will crown you with glory. God will make your life around you will thrive. You will be a blessing. The post Give Your I to God appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Matthew 6:25-33 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Happy Thanksgiving! As soon as I walk into my house, I see this sign: Be Thankful! Whenever I come in, I see that and remind myself to be thankful. We often forget to be thankful. Being thankful is not a natural thing to do. We have to constantly remind ourselves. Be thankful because God takes care of you. No matter what you may go through, God will take care of you. No matter how big the challenges may be, there is no challenge too big for you to overcome with God's help. So there is nothing for you to worry about. You will be all right because God takes care of you. God will provide you with everything that you need. That is what our Lord Jesus teaches us in today's passage. Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. (Matthew 6:25) God will take care of you and so don't worry about anything. You are in God's good hands. And yet we worry. Worrying is ingrained in our existence. We are so used to worrying that if there is nothing to worry about, we feel strange. And we feel anxious. Why is there nothing to worry about? So we worry about having nothing to worry about. Worrying is our second nature. It is in our DNA. It is easy to tell other people not to worry. And we tell them that a lot. But when it comes to ourselves, it is very hard not to worry. My friends, worrying is a negative energy. It has a negative effect on you. Worry is about something that didn't happen yet but it deceives us to think that it is happening right now. We take what's in the future and bring it to the present and we suffer. Not very wise. Corrie Ten Boom, the Christian who helped Jews by hiding them from Germans said, Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. Study says that 90% or more of what people worry about never happens. They say the average person has three to four worries per day, and 91% of those are false alarms. To those who worry, this is not a good news. Even if there is 1%, we worry. But there is a 9% chance of our worries coming true? Worry does not have power to change the outcome. Worry does not make our situations any better. Dalai Lama said, If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever. Jesus knew that very well. And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? (Matthew 6:27) Not only worry is useless but it is also harmful. It paralyzes us. It brings us down. It makes us less effective in dealing with our life. Worry is not just about our future. It is not just about calculating danger that may come to you. Worry is also created by our bad experiences in the past. Hurricane Milton swept through Florida, causing so much damages and taking away lives. 2.9 million homes and businesses were in the dark. These people experienced terrible loss. Dangers and threats may be gone in a few weeks. But dangers and threats did not end at the storm. They are carved in their minds. So next time when they see rain, they will worry that another storm may come. Both your future and your past create anxiety within you. And this anxiety takes away smile from the present. So how do we deal with worries? What should be our attitude? First, as Jesus said, know that it is useless. Don't use it. Golfers know very well. When you see water, you worry that you may put your ball into the water and you remind yourself not to do that. And you put it into the water. Not only is it useless, it is harmful. Worry can hurt your self-confidence, your relationship, your performance, and your well-being. Second, don't feel so bad about worrying. Don't make a big deal out of it. We all worry. It is not just you. We all do. So don't blame yourself when you worry. But don't let worries control you. Whatever you worry about, it didn't happen yet. If it happened, you would not worry. You worry it might happen. Don't act as though it already happened. That is letting worry control you. Third, calm yourself down and exercise your faith. To me, that is the key. God will help you. Believe that God will help you. Change the belief system. Rewire your brain with faith in God. St. Paul gave us many precious lessons. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6) Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6, 7) Memorize these passages and recite them whenever worries trouble you. My previous church bought a manse and they asked us to live there for a while. When I went to the house, I saw a little container at the front door. So I opened it and there was a piece of Torah. The previous owner must have been a Jewish person. They practiced what God taught them. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) Exercise your faith. Exercise your meditation. Exercise your prayer. What are you focusing on every day? Where is your mind? If you focus on your problems, you can never defeat worries. That’s what Jesus said at the end. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) Focus on doing what is good. Focus on God and his will. Worries will fly away. You will be able to find peace. Giving thanks for me is to focus on God. Whenever I give thanks, I think about God and his grace. God has been so good. I don't deserve all the good things that I enjoy every day. My life is too imperfect to deserve this kind of abundance. And yet God has been good to me. As we reflect last week, what am I that the almighty God is mindful of me. When we live a life of thanksgiving, worries disappear. If you worry, do something about it. Do your best with what you can do. What you cannot do, leave it in God's hands. God will help you. And for you, DO NOT WORRY, BE THANKFUL. The post Do Not Worry, Be Thankful! appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Psalm 8 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script It is a beautiful psalm. It starts with this. How majestic is your name in all the earth! And it ends with this. How majestic is your name in all the earth! Where was he when he wrote this psalm? Was he in front of Grand Canyon or Rocky Mountain or Mount Everest? Probably Not! But definitely he discovered the majestic world God created. And he saw the majestic power of God. I shared with you once. I used to take young people every year to Algonquin. At one point more than 30 people. We had a night hike. We went through the woods. It was pitch dark. We couldn't see anything. Even a person right in front of me, I couldn't see. And then we came to an opening. All of a sudden, the sky opened up and we were surrounded by millions of stars. So bright and majestic. Nobody spoke. We were just there in complete silence. That was what David experienced. He was in darkness. His life was in darkness. He couldn't see anything hopeful. He was so surrounded by his problems. Enemies were all around him ready to attack. Today's psalm is Psalm 8. When you read psalms that lead up to Psalm 8, they all deal with David's darkness and his problems. When you read from Psalm 2 to Psalm 7, you see David's problems. Why do the nations conspire,and the peoples plot in vain? (Psalm 2:1) O Lord, how many are my foes!Many are rising against me; (Psalm 3:1) How long, you people, shall my honour suffer shame?How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? (Psalm 4:2) For there is no truth in their mouths;their hearts are destruction;their throats are open graves;they flatter with their tongues. (Psalm 5:9) Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.My soul also is struck with terror,while you, O Lord how long? (Psalm 6:2, 3) O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,or like a lion they will tear me apart;they will drag me away, with no one to rescue. (Psalm 7:1, 2) David was in deep darkness, in deep trouble. He was in danger. He was surrounded by enemies. There was no way out. His life was so dark that he couldn't see any light. He saw no hope. But when you look at Psalm 8, he came to an opening from this complete darkness and experienced God who created this beautiful world. So he started this psalm with this. How majestic is your name in all the earth! There are times when we feel small. There are times when we are bombarded with so many problems. There are times when we are surrounded by complete darkness. No hope, no light, and no way out. We all feel that way sometimes. That's why Simon and Garfunkel's song, Bridge Over Troubled Water captured so many young people's hearts at that time, who were disillusioned by so many things including the assassination of JFK and Martin Luther King Jr., and the war in Vietnam. When you’re wearyFeeling smallWhen tears are in your eyesI will dry them allI’m on your sideOh, when times get roughAnd friends just can’t be found He wrote this song while hearing the gospel song over and over again, Oh Mary, Don't you weep. That's why there is a gospel flavour. He said, I have no idea where it came from. It just flowed through him. That's why somebody said this song was written by Paul Simon and God. We all experience sometimes that we are weary, feeling small. That is when we experience our own frailty, weakness, finitude, and helplessness. We don't like it. We want to feel powerful. We want to feel invincible. We want to believe that we are capable. That is why we like super hero's movies. When I was young, I didn't grow up with Marvel series. Captain America. Iron Man. The Incredible Hulk. Thor. These weren't around in my time. I had Bruce Lee. But the effect was the same. After watching Bruce Lee's movies like Enter the Dragon , I felt like I could fight anyone. 10, 20 people, I felt that I could fight off as long as I have a pair of nunchucks. I liked that feeling. Feeling powerful! But that's not our reality. Many times, we feel powerless. Tremper Longman, an OT scholar, commenting on Abraham, said, Being human is not being safe, or comfortable.Being human is being uncertain, being on the way to an unknown place. Yes, that is what being human is. We are faced with many challenges and often we feel that we don't have strength. We don't have any idea of how to deal with these challenges. We feel we are not smart enough, strong enough. Finitude, Fallibility, and ultimate dependence – that's who we are. These are structural to our existence, James Luther Mays said. We often forget that. We often pretend that we are not. We often deny that. Then we face our own failures and our own weaknesses and the problem is we don't know what to do. David didn't know what to do either. That's why he wrote Psalms. That's why he let out through poems and prayers. When he didn't know what to do, he turned to God. And there he found his solution. When he turned to God, David experienced God in a new way. It's like coming out of the dark woods and seeing the bright sky filled with stars. He realized that he was very small and very insignificant and yet the almighty God was mindful of him. The almighty God did not forget him. The one who created this whole universe cared for such an insignificant person like him. This was what he said. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,the moon and the stars that you have established;what are human beings that you are mindful of them,mortals that you care for them? (Psalm 8:3, 4) He felt so small and yet God who created heaven and earth was thinking about him. He was almost invisible compared to the majestic world God created and yet he was so visible to God. Not only was he important to God, God honoured him with the crown of glory. Yet you have made them a little lower than God,and crowned them with glory and honour. (Psalm 8:5) He discovered about himself. He discovered who he was. He realized that he was not just an insignificant dirt but that he was a precious jewel, honoured with the crown of glory. He discovered this when he felt small. That's mystery. When you feel small, often that is when God appears to you. And crowns you with his glory. That is when God becomes real. That is when you become healed and restored. When you feel small, faith becomes a powerful tool for you. Until then, you don't know how powerful faith is. But when you feel so helpless and hopeless, you know the significance of your faith. And that faith will bring you out of your darkness. And that faith will give you honour. The post When You Feel Small appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage James 5:13-20 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script The prayer of faith is powerful and effective. That's what I want to reflect on today. Today's passage begins with this sentence: Are any among you suffering? They should pray. (James 5:13) If you have the answers for your problems and challenges, then you don't need prayer. You can figure it out. But there are times when you can't figure it out. There are challenges that are beyond your capabilities. The prayer of faith happens when you know you need God. The Canaanite woman came to Jesus, begging him to heal her sick daughter. Jesus said that he had come only to save the lost sheep of Israel. She persisted in asking for his help. This is what happened: He answered, It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs. She said, Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. (Matthew 15:26-27) She was desperate. She would not give up. She knew she needed Jesus' help and would take even the crumbs he offered. That is the prayer of faith. Jesus was moved by her faith and healed her daughter. When you don't have the strength to carry on. When you are at your wits end. When things are beyond your capabilities. Turn to God in prayer. The prayer of faith opens up your heart to God. It lifts up the cries of your heart to God. When your heart is immersed in prayer, something mysterious happens. Your circumstances are no different after that prayer. Nothing has changed. But something in you has changed. Where before the prayer you felt weak, now you feel strength. Where before you felt despair and hopelessness, now somehow you are able to carry on. The prayer of faith brings you into God's presence, and that presence strengthens you. That has been my experience. That is what St. Paul discovered. That is why he was able to say: For whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10) The prayer of faith is powerful and effective. I pray that you may discover this power of prayer when you are feeling weak and hopeless. But there are times when your strength is so gone that you cannot even bring yourself to prayer. James says this in today's passage: Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up. (James 5:14-15) The prayer of faith is not only something you do. It is something you receive from others. When you are too weak to pray for yourself, you have the community that prays over you. This is the essence of a spiritual community. The prayer of faith will give strength to one who has none. It will give faith to one who is lacking in faith. In that way, the prayer of faith is a gift not just for yourself but for the community. When you cannot pray for yourself, turn to this community of faith. You are not alone. Turn to your elders and ask them to pray over you. This is why we have elders. They are called and ordained to pray over you when you cannot pray for yourself. Elders: that is your role above all others. Love them, be connected with them to know when to pray over them. We receive the prayer of faith when we cannot pray for ourselves. It is also something we give to others. One of the joys in ministry is doing pastoral visits. I learn so much about people's lives. Towards the end, I always ask what I can pray for. I cannot do anything for them. But the most important thing I can do is pray for them. Prayer is a gift for us to give to one another. It is not only elders and ministers who are able to do that. That is something we can all give to one another. Prayer is a gift for the community. Praying for one another brings God's presence near. Jesus said this: For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. (Matthew 18:20) When we pray for and over one another, Jesus is right there with us. The weight of the world is heavy. Sometimes it is too much to bear. So many people bear that burden all by themselves. But we shouldn't have to. That is not God's will. God gave us this community to bear one another's burdens. God gave us the gift of prayer. I am so thankful for our youth ministry. It is such a precious ministry. We have such strong young adults in our church because of the foundations laid during their youth. Retreats are powerful, formative times for them. That's why we place such importance on them. And the singular most powerful part of retreats are the moments when people pray for each other. They share their burdens and they invoke God's presence on each other. God is truly there as they pray. But the gift of prayer is not only for youth. I pray that this church can be a place where people's burdens are lifted through prayers we offer for one another. The prayer of faith is powerful and effective. The prayer of faith gives you strength when you have none. It is a gift we can offer to one another. The prayer of faith is powerful and effective in another way: it brings about God's will for peace, healing and reconciliation. This is how St. Paul articulates God's will: For he (Christ) is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. (Ephesians 2:14-16) That is why Christ came. To break down the dividing walls. To create in himself one new humanity. To reconcile us to God and put to death hostility. The will of God seems so far off from the reality we see in the world. The conflict in the Middle East is escalating as we speak. There is so much hostility to immigrants and migrants in the United States that's also spilling over into Canada. All around us, we sense hostility. A friend of mine who returned to Toronto from LA recently asked, Why are people so mean here? What can bring about God's will for peace and reconciliation? James says this: Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. (James 5:16) God's will for peace will happen in communities bound together by prayer. Prayer and confession go hand in hand. We confess our sins to each other and we invoke God's power in prayer to bind us together. We invite God's supernatural power to overcome divisions, heal the animosities and hurts in our hearts, and make us one in our differences. Only prayer has the power to do this. I experienced the power of prayer in Sioux Valley. Sharing is very important. Sharing your heart creates the opening. But that is just the setup. THE most powerful impact of that trip was praying with them. Prayer is what gave them strength. As we mark this year's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we can't do anything to change the past. But we seek healing for the present that will create a new path for the future. Healing will happen in spiritual communities built on prayer. Prayer will bind hearts together and give new vision for the way forward. The prayer of faith is powerful and effective. When you have no strength, turn to God. When you cannot pray, turn to others to pray for you. When your heart is filled with hostility, let prayer heal you and bring reconciliation. The post The Prayer of Faith is Powerful and Effective appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage James 3:13-4:3, 7-8 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Today's passage begins with this question: Who is wise and understanding among you? Everyone on the internet and social media has something wise to say. Everyone's an expert. But who is truly wise among us? The Scripture says this: Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. (James 3:13) A good life is rooted in wisdom. We need wisdom to live a good life. But the passage today talks about two different kinds of wisdom. Depending on which wisdom you have, your life will be very different. There are two wisdoms, two paths. There is wisdom that comes from above, and wisdom that is from below. Wisdom that comes from God, and wisdom of the world. The passage says this about the wisdom of the world: But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and lie about the truth. This is not wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. (James 3:14-15) This wisdom of this world uses smarts to make yourself look good. It tries to display your own importance to others. But it does so in a way that masks the truth. It masks what really lies underneath: bitter envy and selfish ambition. Digging deeper, envy and selfish ambition are really manifestations of fear. Fear at your core that you are not good enough. You are not enough. What you have is not enough. That insecurity gets triggered very easily. If something good happens to someone, instead of being happy for them, you are filled with envy because it makes you feel even more insecure. When you boil it down, the goal for wisdom of the world is to keep up with or have more than the next person. When you're driven by these things, the result is clear: For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. (James 3:16) So many of the world's evils stem from envy and selfish ambition. We see this right from the beginning. Adam and Eve gave birth to Cain and Abel. God approved of Abel's offering but not Cain's. Cain was filled with envy and rage, so he committed the first murder by killing his brother. The Greek word translated as disorder also means unstable, restless and unsettled. When your heart is insecure, the heart is unstable. It is not at peace. That disorder bleeds into your life. It bleeds into your relationships. It bleeds into your families and communities. Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? (James 4:1) This world leaves you unsettled. It leaves you always feeling there's more you need to do and be. We use the world's wisdom to feel at peace. But even if you've succeeded in creating the desired circumstances, the heart is still not at peace. The world constantly fuels your insecurity by saying you're not enough. After I graduated from university, my first full-time job was in marketing at a global consumer packaged goods company. They know the consumer better than they know themselves. They know how to tap into your beliefs and make you feel that you're not complete unless they buy your product. Ads reinforce the message that you're lacking until you buy it. That was twenty years ago. It's even worse now. The whole business model for smartphones and social media is to fuel your insecurity and feed off of it. The wisdom of the world does not bring peace to the insecurity in your heart. It is very different from the wisdom from above. The passage says this: But the wisdom from above is first pure (James 3:17) In what way is it pure? The wisdom from above is pure of envy and selfish ambition. It is pure of insecurity and feelings of nothingness. It is pure of desire and cravings for things that stem from fear and insecurity. When your heart is pure from these fears and insecurities, you experience peace. The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. (James 3:17) When you have the wisdom from above, you're no longer driven by fears and insecurities. Your heart is at peace. You can see and think clearly. You can be more generous. You can be led by the right motivations. There is a difference between ambition and selfish ambition. Ambition itself is good. The desire to succeed is energy and an engine that propels you. There's a famous book in the world of business titled Good to Great . It talks about companies that went from good to great in a lasting way. The main finding is that its leaders have great ambition. But that ambition is directed toward the success of their company. By directing their energy toward the success of their company, they also achieve great personal success. But that personal success is a result of their service to the success of the company. We know many of these companies today, but we don't know the leaders behind them. That's what makes these companies great. I think that's the key to success for all of you too. I want all of you to be ambitious. But be ambitious for something beyond yourself. I want all of you to strive for excellence in what you do. But do that so that you can contribute your absolute best for the people you serve. I want you all to be very successful. But I want your success to be a result of being ambitious for the company you work for, the community you serve, the people you love. You will find that success when your heart is set free from fear. Wisdom from above brings peace. Peace in your heart. Peace in your communities. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:18) Do you want to make a difference in this world? Then seek out the wisdom from above. Become a spiritual person. You will bring peace to those around you. You will bear good fruit in your life. The wisdom of the world is acquired by your effort. It becomes your possession. It becomes your property that you use to elevate yourself. But the wisdom from above cannot be acquired by your effort. It cannot be your possession. The wisdom from above is a gift given by God. The passage today tells us these things: Submit yourselves therefore to God Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:7-8) Submit yourself to God. Submit all of your insecurities, cravings and fears of your heart to God. Let go of the false things your heart is pursuing out of fear. Let God purify your heart. Then draw near to God. God will draw near to you. Seek the wisdom that comes from God. Ask for it. Pray for it. King David wrote this psalm: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?    And who shall stand in his holy place?Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,    who do not lift up their souls to what is false    and do not swear deceitfully.They will receive blessing from the Lord    and vindication from the God of their salvation.Such is the company of those who seek him,    who seek the face of the God of Jacob. (Psalm 24:3-6) With clean hands and pure hearts, we seek the wisdom of God. We no longer lift up our souls to what is false. We no longer lie to ourselves. Two wisdoms, two paths. Seek the wisdom that brings peace. You will live a good life that bears good fruit. The post Two Wisdoms, Two Paths appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage James 3:1-12 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Language is God's precious gift for human beings. Because we have language, we can communicate with each other. We can express our sorrow, our joy, our dreams, our appreciation, and our love. How wonderful it is to be able to do that. My sister came from Korea in August. She doesn't speak much English. My nephew Peter and Annie invited her for lunch. Annie's mother came out too. She doesn't speak English at all – Only Chinese. My sister only speaks Korean and Annie's mother speaks only Chinese. So, they just sat there for the whole time not being able to speak at all. Just look at each other with smile. And just eat. That's how I survived when I first came to Canada. I was 19 when I came to Canada. I couldn't speak a word of English. In the bus, people talked to me and I could not understand a word of what they said. If they smiled, I smiled. If they were serious, I was serious. But I didn't know what they were saying. Sometimes I get responses from people about the Inner Voice they received. Somehow the words touched and moved them on that particular day. Simple words lifted them up. Some time ago, I received an email about the sermon that is on our website. It is somebody I don't know. He happened to come to our website and listened to the sermon. That particular sermon deeply touched him. He just came out of prison and tried to live a new life. He said it was hard to do that in this cruel world. He said the words I spoke helped him tremendously. So, he wanted to thank me. The sermon title was Dignity in the midst of Humiliation. Because we have the language, we can experience life more fully. Our relationships can be deeper. We can express how we feel to each other. I am sure you all have books, or poems that have affected you profoundly. God created the world with his word. Jesus is the Word that became flesh. The language is the greatest gift that God gave to us. But at the same time, because we have the language, we can hurt each other. We can harm each other. Our tongue is small but what it can do is enormous. James said the tongue is a fire. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. (James 3;5, 6) He saw the danger of our tongue. The most beautiful gift God gave to us can be the most dangerous weapon that can destroy people. People use the words to curse each other. When we are angry, we are searching for the word that can hurt the most. Also our tongue is very delicate and very difficult to control. James knew this characteristic of the tongue when he said, but no one can tame the tongue a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8) He said because it is so difficult to control your tongue, if you don't make mistakes in speaking, you are perfect. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. (James 3:2) So, it is very important for us to think about our tongue and use it wisely so that God's most beautiful gift can be used to edify our life and enrich it. Don't let God's most beautiful gift be used as a weapon that destroys not only yourself but also others. Let your tongue be an instrument to lift you up and inspire and encourage others not to discourage, disempower, and destroy others. That is how God wants you to use your tongue. Your spirituality is very much to do with the way you use your tongue. I would like to say three things briefly. 1. Don't use your tongue to manipulate others. That's not why God gave us this beautiful gift. God gave us this gift to express your love for others, show your appreciation of others, to praise God, and thank God. Not to manipulate others. When you use your tongue to manipulate others, God's most beautiful gift becomes ugly. Japanese says that we have three faces. The first face is the face you show to the world. Your public face. The second face is the face you show to your family and close friends. The third face is the face you never show to anyone. People use language so that they can hide their true self. People use language to present a false image about themselves and manipulate people's opinions of themselves. They don't care who they really are; they care more about how others see who they are. Don't use words to manipulate others. Don't use words to get away with difficult situations. When you use words to manipulate others or your situations, your words become cheap; Deceptive, Empty, Insincere, Unreal. That leads us to our second point. 2. Speak from your heart. Don't say empty words. Say what is in your heart. Be connected to your soul and speak what's in your soul. Speak who you are. Say what you really mean. Your words will be connected to you and they will have the power. Jesus never said empty words. Jesus always spoke from his heart. When you speak from the heart, people will become connected to what you say. Because what you say is who you are. There is no discrepancy between who you are and what you say. Your words become authentic, genuine, sincere, real, and truthful. Jesus gave us an interesting parable. A father had two sons. He told them to go out and work in the vineyard. The first one said no but went out any way. The second one said, yes, I will go, sir. But didn't go. He just said yes, to get away with the situation. Empty words have no power. Words by themselves are nothing. There is no energy. Saying always right thing is not what's important. Saying what is in your heart is what is important. What you say and who you are should not be disconnected. Don't separate who you are and what you say. Speak who you are. When you know what's in your heart, then you can speak clearly, with passion, and energy. So many people don't know what they are talking about because they don't know their heart. Take the journey of examining your heart. When you speak from the heart, you can be connected with others. Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. (Plato) When you speak from the heart, you become connected. 3. Know when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak. Speaking from the heart does not mean speaking from your emotion. When you speak from emotion, sometimes emotion takes over you and you will say things you will regret later. Because you will speak without knowing when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak. For example, when you are really angry, often the anger consumes you and you say what you will regret. Your emotion of anger takes you over and you cannot know when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak. Know your heart and speak from the heart. You will know when to speak and when to be silent. You will know what you need to say. And you will speak with care and love. Develop the skills of knowing when to speak, what to speak, and how to speak. That is a spiritual discipline. When you are able to do that, you will become perfect as James said. It is a very high level of spirituality a human being can achieve. The post Language – Gift, not Weapon appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage James 2:1-10, 14-17 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Faith is complete trust in God. It is your heart's loyalty to God and God alone. Faith begins when you recognize your need for God. Faith was a powerful presence in the lives of second generation Koreans because we needed God. We needed something the world wasn't giving – love, acceptance and a community. But as time goes on and life's challenges continue to come, faith gets tested. Instead of trusting God through tough times, many people start looking elsewhere for help. That's when faith begins to die. This was the issue that James' community faced. They used to be a tight community in Jerusalem. They discovered the good news of Jesus Christ. That faith gave them life. But persecution scattered them away from Jerusalem. They became immigrants in the diaspora. Out in the diaspora, they were poor. They were oppressed and taken advantage of by rich and powerful people. They were a minority with a strange faith and belief. They saw that the rich and powerful people had all the advantages in life. Their faith became shaken. Instead of looking to God in their difficult circumstances, they looked to the rich and powerful for some advantage. James used this example to illustrate the issue: For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, Have a seat here in a good place, please, while to the one who is poor you say, Stand there, or, Sit by my footstool, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:2-4) The world we live in honours the winners. We show favour to those with money, position, access and resources. We try to be around them and benefit from them. The poor are seen as the losers in life. They have nothing to offer us. We judge them and have negative views of them. The best they can do is stay out of the way and be invisible. Jesus saw the poor in a different way. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5) In the kingdom of God, the poor are honoured. They are the inheritors of the kingdom. That's what Jesus said. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. (Luke 6:20) Is it because God loves them more? No – it is because they are rich in faith. Which is the key requirement to enter the kingdom of God. The poor know that help doesn't come from the world. The world is not kind to them. They are more ready to hear the good news of God. Their hearts are ready to turn to God. This is how they are rich in faith. I experienced this richness of faith at Sioux Valley. In Sioux Valley, the adults we met are not thinking about how much money they'll make. They're grieving over the death of loved ones. They're worried whether the youth will make it through another day. They're worried about the effects of drugs and addictions in their community. They're dealing with all kinds of issues in their families. They know they are powerless against these overwhelming forces. Their hearts are much more open and ready for faith. They are ready to hear about a God who is for them and on their side. An interesting thing happened to us. As we listened to their stories and prayed for them, we were the ones who shed tears. Our hearts were broken and affected. Their openness to faith increased ours. Jesus knew this truth: WE NEED THE POOR FOR OUR SALVATION. It's not that the poor need us. We need the poor. This is why the kingdom of God belongs to them. At Sioux Valley, all the surface level things we're so preoccupied with here melted away. We got down to the raw realness of life. We tasted life. I think they were the missionaries for us more than we were for them. Connecting with those who suffer strips away the superficial and materialistic things. You cannot talk about your money and how you spend it. You need to connect at a deeper human level of what they're going through. That brings healing to your soul. It makes you whole. It makes you richer than any amount of money can. Jesus knew this secret of what we really need. Faith brings healing to the community. James was the brother of Jesus. He wasn't one of his disciples, and didn't follow him while he was alive. But somehow, James retained the teachings of Jesus. He saw the implications of Jesus' teachings for how people live. As the community turned away from faith, he saw what that was doing to the community. He saw clearly the ethical implications of faith that is alive or dead. That's why his nickname was James the Just. When faith is alive, this is the kind of community that faith creates: If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well. (James 2:8) The kingdom of God is defined by the royal rule. Jesus expanded the definition of neighbour in the Good Samaritan parable. Our neighbour is not those just like us. The neighbour is the one in need. The neighbour is the poor among us. The neighbour is the stranger in our midst. The one left on the road to die, the one discarded by the rest of society. In the kingdom of God, no one is left behind. When faith is alive, the community of faith is ruled by compassion, mercy and grace. But for this to come about, our hearts need to be totally committed to God. Jesus said this about rich people: Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. (Matthew 19:23-24) Is this because God loves them less? No. It is because it is so hard for a rich person to have faith in God and place their utmost trust in God. They trust in their own resources more than God. They live by the values of this world. Faith is our heart's desperate need for God. The world of wealth and power draw our hearts away from God. Faith in God is challenged at every corner. For people of faith, everyday is a battle for our hearts. It is warfare for the the allegiance and loyalty of our hearts. For those of us living in a society of abundance, it is so easy to turn our hearts away from God. Jesus said this: No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:24) There is no middle ground. Your heart belongs to God, or it belongs to this world. We live in this world, but we not be of it. We must equip ourselves for battle. Every day, you must strengthen your hearts' allegiance to God. There are two things we must do: 1. Make Church a mandatory rhythm of your life The world will always make demands of your time. As a parent, I am really struggling as my kids begin to play more sports. There is no consideration whatsoever to people's faith. God gave the Sabbath so that we would not be enslaved to the world's demands. Every Sunday: make worship a fixed part of your life for yourself and your family. Re-dedicate your life to God. Confess your sins and set your heart right with God once again. Hear the Word of God, and let that shape you. Worship is like a detoxification from everything you've absorbed in the world. Letting worship become a casual thing is the first step to losing the battle for your heart to the world. 2. Seek out the poor and those who are marginalized Don't just hang out with those like you. Intentionally seek out those who are different. Those who are poor. Those who are suffering. It won't just happen casually. Our society is too stratified and divided for this to happen naturally. You have to make intentional effort to make this happen. Block out time for you to serve or volunteer in a setting that serves the poor. We are looking for opportunities at Willowridge community with St. Philip's Lutheran Church. That will open your eyes and strengthen your faith. I have a heavy heart for the second generation of Korean-Canadian immigrants. So many who once felt close to God have left the church. Their hearts have been drawn away from God and into the world. I pray for them. For those of us who still cling onto God, trying to have faith in this world that pulls us away from God, keep pressing on. Make church and unshakeable rhythm of your life. Seek out the poor. Your faith will come alive and your life will be filled with purpose and meaning. The post Give Your Heart to God, Not Money appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage James 1:17-27 Worship Video Worship Audio Listen!Rev. In Kee Kimshare Social: jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#facebook-player-share-42377').sharrre({ share: { facebook: true }, urlCurl: 'https://timothypc.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/rainmaker/library/external/genesis-simple-share/assets/js/sharrre/sharrre.php', enableHover: false, enableTracking: true, disableCount: true, buttons: { }, click: function(api, options){ api.simulateClick(); api.openPopup('facebook'); } }); $('#googleplus-player-share-42377').sharrre({ share: { googlePlus: true }, urlCurl: 'https://timothypc.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/rainmaker/library/external/genesis-simple-share/assets/js/sharrre/sharrre.php', enableHover: false, enableTracking: true, buttons: { }, click: function(api, options){ api.simulateClick(); api.openPopup('googlePlus'); } }); $('#linkedin-player-share-42377').sharrre({ share: { linkedin: true }, urlCurl: 'https://timothypc.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/rainmaker/library/external/genesis-simple-share/assets/js/sharrre/sharrre.php', enableHover: false, enableTracking: true, buttons: { }, click: function(api, options){ api.simulateClick(); api.openPopup('linkedin'); } }); $('#twitter-player-share-42377').sharrre({ share: { twitter: true }, urlCurl: 'https://timothypc.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/rainmaker/library/external/genesis-simple-share/assets/js/sharrre/sharrre.php', enableHover: false, enableTracking: true, buttons: { }, click: function(api, options){ api.simulateClick(); api.openPopup('twitter'); } }); }); Link: Embed: https://timothypc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/listen.mp3 Download Audio Subscribe Sermon Script James tells us today this very important lesson. let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger (James 1:19) This should be our life lesson. This teaching should govern our life. When we don't listen, when we are too quick to speak, and too quick to anger, we face all kinds of problems. We will regret what we said. We will hurt others. Our relationships will be strained. Listening is so important. It is the forgotten art of our spiritual discipline. We need to restore the beautiful art of listening. Listening requires a lot of practice. It doesn't come automatically. Because listening is not mere hearing of sounds. We all hear sounds but listening is more than that. That's why Jesus said this. Let anyone with ears to hear listen! (Mark 4:9) We all have ears but we don't listen. Because listening is more than hearing with your ears. Beethoven completely lost his hearing when he was about 44 or 45. After he lost his hearing, he stopped social interactions with people. It was too painful for him to do that. No performance. No public appearances. He left the city and went to the countryside. He saw the beautiful nature and even though he could not hear any sound such as birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the river flowing, he was able to listen to the nature much better than when he was able to hear with his ears. There, he wrote his famous Symphony #6, often called Pastoral Symphony. So, listening is more than hearing sounds with your ears. Beethoven listened with his imagination. He listened with the heart of music. He was able to listen much more clearly without hearing sounds. Sometimes sounds hinder your listening rather than helping. When we hear too many sounds, we cannot really listen to what we were supposed to listen. So, we need silence to listen. Sometimes, I can listen the best early in the morning. Because everything is so quiet. Usually, I don't turn on any music while I am driving. I just want to be quiet. Then I can listen. These two words are composed of same alphabets. L-I-S-T-E-N S-I-L-E-N-T Silencing ourselves – being where there is no noise – that is the best way to be able to really listen to the inner voice. Don't constantly fill up your silence with sounds. People are nervous when there is silence. They feel anxious with the void and the emptiness. Silence represents the void and the emptiness and so they are uncomfortable with silence. Be comfortable with silence, you may be surprised at what you might listen. Actually silence yourself – that is the best way to prepare yourself to listen. Silence not only noise but silence your anger and prejudice. Silence your worries and fear. Psalmist said. Be still, and know that I am God! (Psalm 46:10) Prejudgment in your mind really hinders and blocks you from true listening. We often filter what we want to hear with prejudgment. We choose to hear what we want to hear. Not only that, we hear in our own way because of our prejudice. Our listening is selective. The rich and the powerful – we listen to them. We want to listen to them. But the poor and the weak – we often don't care to listen to them. So, many powerless people don't feel heard. They have to shout for people to hear. But Jesus heard them. Jesus listened to those who were weak and vulnerable. Jesus heard their outcries. God listens to those who are weak and suffering from injustice. When Israelites were suffering under the powerful Egyptians, God heard their outcries. After a long time the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery, and cried out. Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Exodus 2:23, 24) When Hagar was kicked out with her son Ishmael into the desert, God listened to Ishmael. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, Do not let me look on the death of the child.' And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy (Genesis 21:16, 17) God listens to those who are weak and suffering from injustice. Listening is the best gift you can give to others. When you listen with the total attention, you make people valued. Listening means you care. Listening takes energy. When I listen to people for counselling, after that, I get really drained. For a while, I can't do anything. Listening is at the core of our spiritual discipline. Prayer is not speaking to God. But mostly it is listening to God. You think sermon is about speaking. No, there are several hours of listening. Then I speak what I heard. A speaking part is only 15-20 min. But the listening part is several hours. I want to briefly say three things about what listening does for us. 1. Listening gives you understanding. When you are able to listen to others without prejudice, your understanding gets deeper. When you put down your prejudices about a person and just listen to him/her with empathetic ears, you will be able to understand the person better. When you listen to yourself, you will have a better understanding of yourself. When you listen to what God says in the Bible, you will be able to understand God much better. I said, listening is much more than hearing sounds. Listening to God is the same. It is not about hearing voices. When you hear voices, you better see a doctor. Take your time and listen to your life. You will have a better understanding of your life. You will become wiser. 2. Listening not only gives you understanding but also it brings transformation. When you are able to listen, it changes you. When you listen to the story of those who are suffering, you change. When you are able to listen to God, you change. When Elijah felt he was all alone, he listened to God. God said, Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:18) He overcame his own depression. Before, he said, kill me. I can't go on. Now he was transformed. Jesus said, you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. Listening and understanding give you freedom. 3. Listening brings about unity. When our relationship is strained, the first that goes is communication. We don't listen to each other. In marriage relationship, when the relationship is not right, they don't listen to each other. They give up listening to each other. They don't want to listen. Love is not romantic feelings. Love is n...

Scripture Passage Ephesians 6:10-20 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Life is more than our actions. Yes, our actions are important. Our decisions are important. We need to take responsibility for our own actions and our decisions. Don't blame others for your own life. There is no use to blame other people or your circumstances. That doesn't do any good. That just makes us feel bad. It is ultimately your decisions and your actions that shape your life. Today is Education Sunday and also Graduation Sunday. We recognize those who are graduating. Congratulations! One chapter of your life is over. And a new chapter begins. So we call it commencement. A new beginning. Your decisions and your actions are very important in beginning a new chapter of your life. What school to go to? Who to meet? What do you want to study? What kind of job? What do you want to do with your life? These are all very important questions you have to seriously ask yourself. You need to spend a lot of time in thinking about these questions when you start a new chapter. Because they will shape your future. You have to pray hard to make good decisions. Don't make hasty decisions. Don't follow others mindlessly. Make good decisions. Choose good actions. That was how St. Paul lived his life. He believed that his decisions and his actions would shape who he was. He wanted to be the best person he could be. He wanted to live a good life. So, he chose a good path. He chose a path of the life of a Pharisee. Being a Pharisee meant something noble. A good upright life. Pharisees were elites of that society. He also chose the best teacher he could find. Gamaliel. Gamaliel was one of the most famous teachers during his time. Meeting a good teacher is very important. So all the teachers – thank you for your service. St. Paul got the best education available to him. He also chose good actions for himself. He set a high moral standard for himself. His actions were noble and admirable. He said he was blameless as far as the law was concerned. Who could dare to say that? But when he met Christ, he realized that life was more than his actions and his decisions. He realized that he could not control his life only with his actions and decisions. He realized that life was a battle. A battle against challenges, problems, and darkness. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12) It is a battle against the systemic evil that controls our society. Prejudice. Greed. Selfishness. Indifference. The battle is not necessarily against certain people. It is against this negative power built-in in our system. No matter how much you try to live your life with good actions and good decisions, this negative power does not leave you alone. It makes you helpless and powerless. After meeting Christ, he became real about himself. He realized that he was enslaved by this negative spirit. He never knew that before. But through Christ, he could see clearly how enslaved he was. In that enslavement, his actions and decisions were made in blindness. He lived in this blindness. Through Christ, his eyes were open and he could see clearly how enslaved and how blind he was. This was what he confessed. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. (Romans 7:15) It shows very clearly that he was not as free as he thought. If St. Paul was not as free as he thought, how much more that is the case for all of us. So life does not depend only on your actions and decisions. You need to first spiritually prepare yourself so that you can make good decisions and follow good actions. So St. Paul said to put on the whole armour of God today. He used the military language. Armour, breastplate, shield, helmet, and the sword – These were all military words for a Roman soldier. He used the military language because he saw life as a battle. A battle against this dark, negative energy that fills the whole cosmos. Yes, life is a battle. A battle against the negative energy that strikes you down and makes you dark. You need to be spiritually equipped. My friends, I would like to say three things that you can prepare yourself spiritually. 1. Live a life of principle. Don't make decisions only by calculating what's beneficial for you. Fasten the belt of truth around your waist. Know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Seek God's righteousness, everything else will be added unto you. Put on the breastplate of righteousness. See what principle you are following. Life is more than money. Life is more than selfish gain. Life is not just about what's in it for me. Follow the principle always. You won't be easily shaken and tempted. A principle is more important than profits. Guard yourself with the truth. Be a principle-oriented person. 2. Have faith. Take the shield of faith. Life is challenging. All kinds of challenges will come to you. They are like flaming arrows. What you need is the shield of faith. These challenges will make you feel weak. They make you fall. They take away confidence from you and you will want to give up. It is faith that gives you the strength to go on. Even in the worst circumstance, if you have faith, you can come out of it stronger and taller. Sometimes, you may see no future. That is when you need faith. If you see the future, you don't need faith. When you cannot see anything, that is when your faith comes in. You will be able to see with the eyes of faith what you cannot see with your physical eyes. 3. Be the good news. Don't just share the good news. Be the good news. To those who are in sorrow, be the comforting presence. That is being the good news. To those who need friends, be their friends. That is being the good news. To those who are struggling with their own failures. Comfort them and embrace them with gentle and warm arms. That is being the good news. To those who are unjustly treated. Stand with them to uphold the justice. To those tyrants who abuse their evil power to oppress others. Confront them. Resist the evil. That is being the good news. Be the good news. Be spiritually equipped. Then your actions and decisions will shape your life in a beautiful way. The post More Than Actions appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14 Worship Video Worship Audio Be WiseRev. Dave Leeshare Social: jQuery(document).ready(function($) { $('#facebook-player-share-42327').sharrre({ share: { facebook: true }, urlCurl: 'https://timothypc.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/rainmaker/library/external/genesis-simple-share/assets/js/sharrre/sharrre.php', enableHover: false, enableTracking: true, disableCount: true, buttons: { }, click: function(api, options){ api.simulateClick(); api.openPopup('facebook'); } }); $('#googleplus-player-share-42327').sharrre({ share: { googlePlus: true }, urlCurl: 'https://timothypc.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/rainmaker/library/external/genesis-simple-share/assets/js/sharrre/sharrre.php', enableHover: false, enableTracking: true, buttons: { }, click: function(api, options){ api.simulateClick(); api.openPopup('googlePlus'); } }); $('#linkedin-player-share-42327').sharrre({ share: { linkedin: true }, urlCurl: 'https://timothypc.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/rainmaker/library/external/genesis-simple-share/assets/js/sharrre/sharrre.php', enableHover: false, enableTracking: true, buttons: { }, click: function(api, options){ api.simulateClick(); api.openPopup('linkedin'); } }); $('#twitter-player-share-42327').sharrre({ share: { twitter: true }, urlCurl: 'https://timothypc.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/rainmaker/library/external/genesis-simple-share/assets/js/sharrre/sharrre.php', enableHover: false, enableTracking: true, buttons: { }, click: function(api, options){ api.simulateClick(); api.openPopup('twitter'); } }); }); Link: Embed: https://timothypc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/bewise.mp3 Download Audio Subscribe Sermon Script It is difficult for us to recognize that we just do not know. I'm not talking about not knowing some kind of information. I'm referring to not knowing what we should do or where we should go. Rather than saying I don't know, we want to say I know . We want to feel like we've got all the answers. We want to seem like we are all put together and sure of what we are doing and where we are going. If we do say that we don't know, it is usually to avoid talking about the issue altogether. No amount of books we read, the advice we receive, or the planning we do can drive out the unease of not knowing. It never goes away, no matter what life stage we are in. I know that many of our students struggle with that. The same goes for our university, college graduates. We also have those who are navigating the challenges of being first-time parents, or left with an empty nest. There are some that are either in or preparing for their retirement. And the last thing we want is to acknowledge that we are lost. If not to others, then at least to ourselves. In today's passage, we see that Solomon was in a similar situation. He was the son of David the greatest king of Israel. He was set to follow in his father's footsteps after he passed. Imagine the pressure and the anxiety. He had enormous shoes to fill. This was what he said about himself And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. (1 Kings 3:7) Solomon described himself as a little child'. He wasn't being literal. He was young at the time. But he was not a child. Yet he compared himself to a little child who doesn't know what he should do or where he should go. In a time of loneliness, confusion and vulnerability, Solomon did not hide. Instead, he was honest and transparent before God. He simply acknowledged that he was lost, anxious and afraid. I don't know where to start. I don't know who to trust. Solomon saw that he needed wisdom. So, this was what he asked from God Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil, for who can govern this great people of yours? (1 Kings 3:9) Here, mind' can also be understood as the heart'. The very centre of a human being. The word understanding' also means listening'. In that sense, Solomon wasn't asking for stronger rational and intellectual capabilities. He was asking for the ability to listen. To listen and seek God's will in every situation. Solomon sought what was spiritual. Being wise doesn't mean knowing' more. In this day and age, we know more than we have ever before. Being wise has to do with understanding that we do not know all there is to know and that is okay. Wendell Berry, the American writer, said It may be that when we no longer know what to do,we have come to our real workand when we no longer know which way to go,we have begun our real journey. We don't need to feel ashamed that we don't know everything. Why should we? We are only human. We are only a little child in need of guidance and care. The more we try to pretend otherwise, the more we will be unable to see what we need to see and hear what we need to hear. We will remain trapped in our small world. We will never be able to see beyond ourselves. Our mind will be so full of our own voices that nothing else will be able to speak into it. Not even God. The key that unlocks the world of spiritual wisdom is humility. Being humble does not mean putting ourselves down. Being humble means to see ourselves as we are, and to see God as who God is. Our humility comes from recognizing that it is not we, but God who leads and guides our every step. It wasn't Solomon's innate ability or experience that made him wise. It was his humility. And it pleased God to bless him. I now do according to your word. Indeed, I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you, and no one like you shall arise after you. (1 Kings 3:12) Indeed, there was no one like Solomon before or after. If his father was the greatest king of Israel, Solomon was known as the wisest king of Israel. He entrusted every situation in God's hands. God gave him the wisdom he needed. People saw something unique and authentic about Solomon and his leadership. All Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to execute justice. (1 Kings 3:28) We've been enjoying a time of rest, play and rejuvenation this summer. Summer is also a time of transition and preparation. New school year is on the horizon. Even our ministers are preparing for the new season. Everything will be back in full swing before we know it. I pray that we take this time to be wise in our living. To reflect on where we are at the moment. To acknowledge our uncertainties, doubts, and worries. And more importantly, to seek and listen to God who cares for us and knows the way we should go. We heard it during today's special music The matchless wisdom of his waysthat mark the path of righteousnesshis word a lamp unto my feet,his spirit teaching and guiding me. How we got to be where we are and who we are today is a mystery. It is purely by God's grace. In many ways, we still feel like a helpless little child. We are discerning and figuring it out as we go, with God's help. God is opening doors and creating new paths we didn't expect. Be wise, my friends. When we are wise, we experience peace and freedom. We are no longer driven by our need to be in control. When we are peaceful and free, that is when we start taking ownership of our life. We can envision and live into our future while leaving it all in God's hands. That is the journey of faith. Walking each day and every step in trust. Embracing the unknown yet hopeful future that lies ahead. Being able to say with confidence, I don't know but that is okay.

Scripture Passage Ephesians 4:25-5:2 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children (Ephesians 5:1) Be imitators of God. What does this mean? We often think of imitation as copying or mimicking someone. But when Paul says be imitators, he means more than that. It concerns not just our behaviour, but our entire existence. Being imitators of God means to REFLECT THE IMAGE OF GOD that is within us. It has to do with living the way we were made to live. We are made in the image of God, who is love. John said that clearly Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8) We are made to love and to live in love. That, I believe, is the essence of Christian anthropology. It is our basic and fundamental disposition. Love is what we experience when we first enter this world. As children, we freely receive and give love to others. Yet somehow as we get older, we seem to lose that capacity to love. The disappointments and hurts we experience along the way harden our hearts. We close up, withdraw, and become selective about to whom we will show our love. We constantly hold back even though we know very well that when we love, that is when we are most alive. We know how to be nice', but not love. In other words, we learn to BURY the image of God within us. Last week, Rev. Simon briefly shared about the youths in Sioux Valley. The children are very receptive and responsive to love. The youths not as much. They are more closed off, guarded, and evasive. It takes more time and effort to get past the hard exterior. Some of our young people had a difficult time with that. On the final day, as a wrap-up activity, our counsellors had the youths do the warm-and-fuzzy's together. Even to get all of them to sit at a table was a challenge. It was clear that some of them didn't like the others. You saw the resentment in their eyes. We told them to write a positive note of affirmation and encouragement to each other. Thankfully, all of them did it without a complaint. Some couldn't even wait to look inside the bag. After we finished, I asked the youths why we did something like this. One of them said, to be nice and kind? I said, That's good. Then I shared what I'm reflecting with you today. That we are all made in the image of God. That means, we are all perfectly capable of showing our love and care to one another. But we can only do that as long as we learn to let go and not hold back that part of ourselves from others. The notes we wrote to each other were visible reminders of that. I encouraged them to do that for each other even after the camp. To be honest, I didn't plan on saying that. I just felt moved in that moment to share it with them. I felt God laid that message upon my heart. Because at the end of the day, what does it all come down to? What ultimately counts in the end? It is love. Without love, life becomes cold and unbearable. There are no second chances. Community becomes divided and broken. There is no possibility of meaningful change. When love is absent, everything falls apart. Yet, the irony is that we often resist this kind of message. Conceptually, we know it matters, but we remain skeptical. We think to uphold love like that is too idealistic. We conclude by saying it is just too difficult to love people. They are too stubborn, contradictory, and unpredictable. What is the alternative, then? Hate? Indifference? Even indifference is a form of hate. What would be the implications of living such a life? My friends, the message of love embedded in our gospel is not meant for only certain people of a specific community. It is a message for all of us. We all need to reclaim the image of God and be imitators of God in our own life. That is what Jesus came to do. He came to restore the image of God within us through his love. He showed concretely what it means to love others. Love is being completely for the other person. For our sake, he went all the way to the cross. Through his death and resurrection, he tore down the HOSTILITY that divided us with God, and with each other. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. (Ephesians 2:14-16) Because of Christ, we are now free to love as he loved us. That means we are now able to CHOOSE. We are no longer ruled by the power of hostility. We are given the power to love. That is why right after calling us to be imitators of God, St. Paul said and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2) Much of today's passage may sound like a list of moral acts we should carry out somehow. Don't speak falsehood, but the truth. Don't sin while you are angry. Don't steal, but share and do honest work. Don't tear down people with words, but build them up. Put away all bitterness, and be kind to others. But these are not merely disconnected, individual acts. As if we can pick and choose what we will do. Rather, they are all anchored together by the last two verses. They are manifestations of walking in love. They are what happens when each one of us are concerned with the good and well-being of those around us. Where the imitators of God are gathered, there is the CHURCH. Church is more than a collective of friends and families. Church is an eclectic gathering of broken people who strive to be imitators of God in a genuine and authentic way. Church is where the commandment of love is not just uttered in words, but practiced in truth and action. It is where the presence of Christ is felt in a real way. Jesus said that. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. (Matthew 18:20) This was my experience of the mission trip in a nutshell. This year, we had a few members from the London Church join us. Simon and I had some concerns in the beginning because the two teams didn't have many opportunities to get to know each other. Much to our surprise, the two churches got along very well all throughout the trip. There was always the willingness to understand, serve, and look out for one another that instilled a sense of unity in the team. It wasn't all smooth sailing, though. Any mission trip is an intense experience. Being in a high-intensity environment, everything is heightened. With the unexpected changes and challenges we had to deal with this year, in our committee, there were some subtle tensions at one point. In the situation that we were in, we could've been cold or reactive. But rather than letting it negatively affect the unity of the team, we learned to discuss and work it out, no matter how difficult it was. What is love if not that? It brought greater understanding between the members. In our journey together, let us be imitators of God. Reflect the image of God within you by walking in love. Don't bury it and grieve the Spirit who brings people together. Let it SHINE. This is our calling as the body of Christ. To forgive, understand, and persevere with others. There is no other alternative. As God is always for us, we should always be for each other. When the image of God shines brightly, we live out our calling to be his witness in the world. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16) The post Be Imitators of God appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage 2 Corinthians 5:17 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script The essence of the gospel is about change. Once I am in Christ, I am a new creation. The old has passed, the new has come. The person I am today is not the person I will be tomorrow. That is good news. In Christ, there is always the possibility of a new beginning. But many times, that change is not easy. We just came back from Sioux Valley yesterday. Thank you for your prayers and support. Sioux Valley is located in the southwest area of Manitoba. This year, seven members from London Korean Christian Church joined our team of twenty-seven, to make a total of thirty-four people. It was the second trip there for our church members. Joon Song and Sarah Park from the KSM went for many years, from 2002 to 2015 with their old church. Last year, we went for the first time. We had a great experience last year. We formed great bonds. But a whole year had passed. We weren't sure what it was going to be like this year. Would they remember us? This year, no one knew we were coming. So as soon as we arrived on Monday, we unpacked, had dinner, and immediately went out to knock door to door. When people opened the door, we introduced ourselves as the Koreans from Toronto, and that we were back. We were pleasantly surprised to see that many people remembered us! Their faces relaxed and they became friendly. Tuesday was our first day of programming. Over 100 people showed up – from kids all the way to adults. The seeds of love we planted last year bore some fruits of change. We recognized many of the kids – they had grown up so much! Things were off to a great start. But then we received some bad news: the main hall that we were using had to be vacated for a funeral on Thursday. So that meant we had to leave the hall by 3pm the following day, Wednesday. They asked us where we would stay. We were shocked! We said we don't have any other place to stay. They felt really bad and offered us a smaller space at their community center. But we had to move everything over to the community centre and the church, because the community center wasn't large enough by itself. Our kitchen team had to pack all the kitchen stuff and food. Our drivers and team members had to transport everything to the community center and the church. The kids and youth had their program in the hot non-air conditioned church on Wednesday. On Thursday they had to go outside to the park all afternoon where it was so hot. Meanwhile, everyone else had to re-pack everything to go back to the hall. It was very tiring. Some of our young people became sick. It seemed like a message from God saying that change doesn't come easily. The path to real change is never easy or smooth. Our challenges were so small compared to the challenges that people in Sioux Valley face. Everyday seems to bring new challenges for them. The very first day we were there, one of our close friends from Sioux Valley shared how her nephew just died last week from a car accident. He was a respected teacher at the Sioux Valley school. He knew the history and traditions of his people. And now they lost a respected role model for the youth. Our worship service that day became a space of mourning for her and she broke down during our prayer time. One of the boys who came was found to have lice in his hair. For the sake of the other children and our mission team members, I had to send him home. I felt so bad, because he had been having such a good time. He was playing and smiling. When I broke the news to him, I was expecting disappointment. But instead, all he said was ok with no reaction. That surprised me. He was around the same age as Joonie. If I had to send Joonie home when he was having the time of his life, he would have protested and been very upset. But this boy expressed no such thing. It made me wonder what he had gone through to have no expectation. It's almost like he expected nothing of life. At such a young age, he had faced one disappointment after another, to the point where he no longer expected anything of life. Another young man I met last year had a powerful spiritual experience last year. The message and prayers really hit him. I was very happy to see him again, and he joined our worship service. During that service, I got to speak with him at length. He too is going through so many struggles and challenges. He's trying to keep things together in his family. He's been one of the few to be on the straight and narrow path. He said that all of his peers his age succumbed to drug addictions or suicides, that not many were left. These are only a few stories. In our surroundings, these stories would be wild exceptions. But I'm not exaggerating in saying that these stories are everyone's stories in the community. It's not a large community – there are around 1400 people living on the reserve, and another 1400 who live outside of the reserve. And for those who live on or off the reserve, these stories run through every individual and family. Underneath these endless stories of despair, addictions, abandonment and death is the sense that their lives don't matter. That no one cares for them. Their hearts are broken and shattered. Even when they try to mend their hearts, more things are thrown at them that keeps their hearts broken. Do you know what the most significant result of a broken heart is? It's conflict and division in the community ( ). When your heart has been shattered by violence, you don't know how to love others. There is a lot of conflict and division in the community. For KSM: conflict and division in our community. This is the result of centuries of colonial policies that broke down the most important part of one's life – the family. Families were shattered and broken by residential schools and forced adoption of indigenous children into other families. They taught them that who they are is bad and that they don't matter. With the people of our KSM: what would have happened if Japan had stayed in power? One reason so many kids and youth came to us is because there are no other programs or camps for them in the community. When community leaders do try and organize something, it doesn't work out because no one attends. If one group comes, then those who don't like them won't come. Leaders are divided and in factions ( ). Families don't like other families. Even the Christians there are divided and don't get along with each other. Change can only come if the community comes together. If the community works together to figure out what to do about drugs and addictions. About the despair young people feel. That change can come only when people's hearts are healed. The change they need is healing that will bring their community together. My heart was heavy the whole time I was there. I wondered how change could come when there is such weight on everyone's hearts. Even going to school from junior high on up is such an ordeal. Kids have to wake up at 6am to get the bus to go into Brandon (half an hour away). Then they get bused back to school. It's hard enough for parents in our church to wake our kids up. At least we have parents to wake you up. But if your family doesn't care what you do, what motivation do they have? Only the power of God can heal hearts and bring change. That's the only conclusion I have. I don't know how, but only God can bring change through the power of love. One of our prayers for this trip was that we begin to make relationships with leaders in the community who are trying to help. Last year, we only built relationships with the children and families who came to us. There are leaders who care very deeply. Elders who worry about the youth. We wanted to connect with them. God opened up doors to new relationships. A few of us met the drug addiction workers in the community. I met the executive assistant of the Sioux Valley school in Brandon. One lady works for the family services department. She was so impressed by what we're doing. What we're doing is exactly what she was hoping to see in the community. So she first gave us hundreds of water bottles and juice boxes. She then said next year that her organization will give us $5000 for us to run and expand what we do there. These are the small ways that God is planting seeds for change. One burden on my heart from this trip is for the youth of Sioux Valley. That's the group that all the leaders and elders of the community feel the heaviest weight for. Right from the first evening there, our friend Dallas beckoned me over. She was with Rev. Dave and another two elders in the community. She said we need you to send Pastor Dave to be our full-time youth pastor in Sioux Valley . My prayer request is for a pastor, a shepherd, who can be there week in, week out with the youth of Sioux Valley. There were a group of guys who came in and out throughout the week. They look kind of intimidating. But on the last night, when everyone formed a circle to sing our last song, I made everyone, including them, join the circle. I prayed for them and hugged them. I told them that I want them to take good care of themselves over the next year, and that I want to see them again next year. I beg...

Scripture Passage John 5:1-9 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script The Hebrew word Bethzatha means House of Mercy . Many ill, blind, lame and paralyzed people gathered around the pool called Bethzatha hoping to receive mercy. The pool was inside the Sheep Gate. The Sheep Gate and the pool inside it remind me of Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. (Psalm 23:1-3) Inside the Sheep Gate, they wanted to be healed. They wanted to be restored. They wanted mercy. But the pool was anything but a place of mercy. This is what the man said when Jesus approached him: Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am making my way someone else steps down ahead of me. (John 5:8) There was no one to help him. Everyone was looking after themselves. A place meant for healing became a place without mercy. People believed that when the water in the pool was stirred up, they would be healed if they went into it. So all sorts of people gathered by the pool, waiting for it to be stirred up. Getting into that pool became the goal, the thing people chased after. What is the stirred water for you? What do you think will make you well? What's missing in your life that will make it better? Is it good health? Is it money? Is it popularity and the praise of others? Will these things truly make you well? All of these things might help. They definitely make life easier. But can they restore your soul and make you well? We put so much effort into these things. We chase our own version of the stirred water. Obtaining your stirred water doesn't make you a bad person. The problem is that your blind pursuit of it contributes to a merciless world. This is the problem that the ill man in this passage faced. Anytime the water stirred up, there was a stampede. Everyone was fixated on getting into that stirred water. Only the fittest and fastest could get in. The ill man was left behind as everyone else rushed to get in. The ill man shared everyone's belief that he could get well only by getting into the pool. But because he couldn't get into the pool, he met Jesus. If he was able to get in, he would not have met Jesus. That is such wonderful grace! Jesus saw the man. Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time (John 5:6) Until this time, no one even really saw him. He was just part of the background. Jesus saw him and made him well with the power of his words: stand up, pick up your mat and walk! Jesus restored mercy by the pool of Bethzatha. Our sin is not indifference. Our sin is chasing after the stirred water. That chase makes us blind to the need of others. Indifference is the result. Our sin is making the stirred water an idol. A replacement and substitute for God. Idolatry was the first commandment that God gave to the Israelites. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God. (Exodus 20:3-5) We've made the blind pursuit of stirred water our idol. The stirred water is the thing you believe will make you better. But like the stirred water for the ill man, it is elusive and out of your grasp. There's always more money to be made. Better health to achieve. More approval or acceptance to gain. That pursuit makes this world a less merciful place. It leaves no room for the needs of others. There's no time to stop and help the person in need. Jesus went to Jerusalem for a festival. He could have gone anywhere in Jerusalem. He could have attended some nice exhibits. Enjoyed time with friends and family. But he chose to go to the Sheep Gate. The Sheep Gate was a wretched place. It was not a happy place. It's a place people wanted to leave as soon as they could. But he chose to go to that most wretched place. And there, he approached the man who was always left behind. He went to the least among the least. In that most wretched place, the least among them experienced mercy. In that most wretched place, grace and truth were present in Jesus. My friends, when you're in that most wretched place, don't chase the stirring water. Don't create false idols. Seek Jesus. Hear him knocking at your door. Hear his voice asking if you want to be made well. Receive the grace and healing that only Jesus can give. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Our souls are made well only in him. As I was preparing this sermon, I realized that it is exactly five years since I got ordained as a minister. Five years. They've flown by. We had a wonderful ordination of Rev. Dave just last month. I still remember mine. It was one of the happiest days of my life. It was such a joy because I was able to be ordained in this church. I am so thankful for this church, this community. It was this church that welcomed me back into faith. It was the place I was able to wrestle with my own calling. Many of you were there when I shared the testimony of my calling. It was the place I experienced so much joy in my ministry as a youth pastor. It's a place I've met so many wonderful people. All of you whose support I feel through prayers and your service. During the dark days of COVID, many of you pulled together to keep our community strong. I appreciate everything this community is. I am so thankful for it. I know that many of you appreciate it too. I hear many comments like I love this community . I appreciate it . But as I reflected, I realized something: the community can become the stirred water that we chase after. We can fall in love with the community and forget about God. The community can become an idol that replaces God. Instead of seeking God, we seek after the comfort of the community. I must confess and ask whether I too have been complicit in making the community the center over God. My friends, the community is a gift from God. It's the place we experience the grace of God. But it cannot replace God. Ministry has been very challenging. In the midst of joy have been many difficult moments. When I look back on the most wretched times, the community helped, but ultimately it is God who helped me. It is Jesus who took me out from the miry depths and made me well. Certainly, God used people in the community to help. An encouraging word. An act of kindness. But only Jesus restores your soul and makes you well. In the next five years of ministry, I want to make Jesus the center. I want this church to be the living Body of Christ. I want this church to be a place where people come to Jesus to be healed. To get to know him and his teachings. I want the Word of God to be central in who we are and what we do. I want this church to be a true house of mercy. Bethzatha was a place where sick people gathered. We are all sick people in need of healing. We are sinners who need forgiveness. I want this church to be a place where sinners come to seek mercy from Jesus. A place where we experience the grace and mercy of Jesus. A place where we see the suffering and needs of others. A place where Jesus lives in us and where we can be the presence of Jesus for one another. Repent and turn away from chasing stirred water. Turn toward and seek Jesus. In everything you do, seek Jesus. He will make you well. The post House of Mercy appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Psalm 23 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved psalms of all psalms. It is the most quoted and memorized OT Scripture. Many people wrote songs about this psalm. Whenever we hear this psalm, we feel good. I feel good because it tells me that I am not alone. I read this Psalm at the burial service. To die means to be alone. The body will be buried and people all leave the site. But we are not alone even in our death. I have a shepherd. The shepherd is always with me. I am like a sheep. Many times, I feel lost. I don't know what to do and I don't know where to go. Sometimes, we feel all alone. Especially, when we go through suffering, we feel all alone. But God is my shepherd. He tells me that I am not alone. He tells me that he is with me. That was what God told Isaiah. Do not fear, for I am with you,   do not be afraid, for I am your God;I will strengthen you, I will help you,   I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10) What was Jesus' last word while he was on earth? It is the last verse of the gospel of Matthew. I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20) Psalm 23 is the psalm King David wrote. He himself was the shepherd when he was a boy. He knew what to do to take care of the sheep. He knew very well that the sheep would not be able to survive without him, the shepherd. The shepherd was very important in the life of sheep. The shepherd did so much for the sheep. David knew that very well. Finding green pastures was not easy. Near home, sheep already ate all the grass. So, they had to travel many days to find green pastures. That was not an easy journey. They carried big knives so that they can make paths by cutting weeds so that sheep could pass through. They had to protect sheep from wild animals; snakes in the field, lions, and wolves. Sometimes they had to fight with them, risking their lives. David knew exactly what shepherds had to do to take care of the sheep. Then he realized that his God was his shepherd. When he thought about God, that image came to him very strongly. The Lord is my shepherd. (Psalm 23:1) Then he said, I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1) I don't need anything else. I don't lack anything. All I need is God being my shepherd. That was David's experience. That was his confession. Sheep did not need to create a path. Sheep did not need to find green pastures. Sheep did not protect themselves from wild animals. It is the shepherd who creates a path. It is the shepherd who finds green pastures. It is the shepherd who protects the sheep from wild animals. David's life was not easy. Nothing came to him easily. Life did not come to him on a silver platter. He had to fight about everything. When Samuel was looking for a king, he came to Jesse's house. Because God told him to go there. He asked Jesse: Bring your sons to me. But Jesse, David's father, did not even show David to Samuel. He even sent him away to take care of the sheep while his brothers had an important meeting with the prophet Samuel. Because he didn't consider David as an important person. He didn't think of him as a king material. His father did not even recognize his existence. Samuel had to probe into the father to see whether there was another son. David was so good to king Saul but Saul constantly persecuted David because Saul was jealous and was threatened by David. He even tried to kill him. So David had to live as a fugitive in another country. But in all of his life experiences, he firmly believed that he was not alone. God was with him as his shepherd. He believed; God would guide his life. God would protect him from enemies. God would provide him with his goodness. We can see this very clearly in this psalm. He makes me lie down in green pastures;he leads me beside still waters;   he restores my soul.He leads me in right paths   for his name's sake. (Psalm 23:2, 3) You prepare a table before me   in the presence of my enemies. (Psalm 23:5) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me   all the days of my life, (Psalm 23:6) Even when he fought Goliath, he was confident because he believed that God was his shepherd and he would be with him. When he tried to get permission to fight Goliath from Saul, he shared his experiences when he was a shepherd. But David said to Saul, Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.' (1 Samuel 17:34-36) He related his confidence to his experience of being a shepherd. He learned this confidence by having been a shepherd. Like David saved his sheep from a lion and a bear, God will save Israel from this ungodly man. His image of God was clearly the image of a shepherd. He strongly believed that God was his shepherd. Goliath, seeing David, insulted him, saying, Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. (1 Samuel 17:43) But this was what David said to Goliath. You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (1 Samuel 17:45) All his life David believed that he was not alone. Always, God was his shepherd. He didn't need anything else. Yes, my friends, you are not alone. God is your shepherd. You don't need anything else. You may face challenges in life. You may face dark times. You may face even crises. But remember God is your shepherd. This was what Jesus said. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14, 15) Jesus knows what you need. Jesus knows that you are sometimes lost. Jesus knows your worries and fear. But as your good shepherd, he will provide you with what you need. He will show you the way out. He will give you peace and confidence. He takes care of you, risking his life. Even when you face the most difficult time in your life, Jesus your shepherd never leaves you. Hired hands run away when they see dangers. But our Lord, the good Shepherd sacrifices his own life to protect the sheep. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,   I fear no evil;for you are with me;   your rod and your staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4) You are sheep in the good hands of the Shepherd. The post I Lack Nothing appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Mark 6:14-29 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script What is a good life? What is the kind of life that's worth living? I think that a good life is to do what is right in every situation. To be driven by an inner sense of truth and what is good. Rather than by what is advantageous or beneficial for me. I think a good life is to seek the good of others in every situation. Not just my own benefit and advantage. These things are all part of being a disciple of Jesus. In that sense, being a disciple of Jesus is the most beautiful life. It is a life that bears fruit. It makes a difference in the lives of others. It seeks to do what's right and just. Discipleship is about making room for God and others. This is what Jesus said about discipleship: If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34) Denying yourself is to remove yourself from the centre. Following Jesus is to live like he did. Serving others. Putting the needs of others above his own. Even accepting the rejection and suffering that may come from such a life. Jesus also said this: For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. (Mark 8:35) If you lose yourself for the sake of Christ and others, you will find yourself. That is the true secret of discipleship. But that's not an easy journey. It doesn't come naturally. The most natural thing is to put yourself at the center. And to seek what's most advantageous for you in each situation. Discipleship is the journey of change to become more and more like Jesus, who was able to put others before himself and do what's right in every situation. Today's story of Herod is a warning about the pitfalls to discipleship. Herod arrested John because his criticism threatened Herod's power. But a strange thing happened: his wife hated John and wanted to kill him, but Herod became drawn to him. He protected John. Somehow, the words of John spoke to him. When he (Herod) heard him (John), he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. (Mark 6:20) The words of John challenged Herod. They made him pause and examine himself. They were difficult words, but he liked listening to him. It was like his soul began to experience some healing. But Herod lived in the world of power and politics. His attention was divided. The birthday banquet he put on was not merely a happy birthday celebration. It was a political power play. He invited all the powerful people who helped keep him in power. The party was to secure his standing and power. It was to show that he was in charge. His own self-indulgence and hubris led him to make the impulsive declaration to grant any wish to his daughter. She requested John's head. Herod was deeply grieved by the request. You see the cruelty of the world he lived in. It was nothing to kill someone and bring their head. This was the world Herod lived in. Herod was didn't want to kill the person who was leading him to greater truth. But in this tense situation, his reputation and power were at stake. All eyes were on him when his daughter made the request. When it came to preserving his own power or the life of an innocent man, he did not hesitate. The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. (Mark 6:26-28) Cold and calculating self-preservation won out over truth and justice. It was no contest. Mark has an important warning for us about the life of discipleship. The greatest pitfall to discipleship is a divided heart. You may love God. You may desire to do the right thing. But when your heart is divided, the needs of the situation and your self-preservation take priority over your inner sense of what is right and just. The right thing to do was to save the life of an innocent and righteous man. But to preserve his power, the innocent man became expendable. Truth and righteousness were secondary. That's the world we live in right now. People react to the needs of the situation. Whatever is advantageous for them, they do, regardless of the effects it may have on others. All ideals and principles have gone out the window. People are not driven by what is right and just. There is no putting the needs of others above yourself. It's simply take care of me and my family, and let everyone else take care of themselves. This is not the kind of world I want to live in. It's not the world I want for my children. It's not the world I want them to continue. There has to be a better way to live. That better way was shown through the cross. Jesus lived the right way. He did not calculate. He loved and did the right thing to the very end, even at the cost of his life. What might have been different for Herod? If he allowed John's word and message to sink in, he may have changed. John became famous as a truth teller. He was a strange man who lived in the desert, wore camel's hair and ate locusts. But he led many people to repent and turn their lives around because he spoke powerful words of truth. I believe the only thing that can change a person is the Word of God. That's what I believe. That's been my own experience. It's not good enough simply to want to change. Only the truth of God's Word has the power to change you. To change, God's Word has to be planted deep in your heart and be given the time and space to grow. In some ways, because of his power, Herod had the advantage of a private audience with John. It was like having his own personal Bible studies with him! What an opportunity this was! And he squandered it because his heart was divided. God's Word cannot take root in a divided heart. Jesus told the parable of the sower. The sower sows the word. The seed, which is the word, falls on all kinds of soil. One of them is a seed that falls among thorns. This is what he says about them: And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. (Mark 4:18-19) I believe this articulates our lives today. That's the persecution we face today. We hear the word and even appreciate it, but the word is choked out by all the cares and desires of the world. There is no room and space for the word to grow. To take root. To yield its fruit. The fruit of the Word is an enlarged heart. A heart that has room for others. A heart led by truth. The life of discipleship must be nurtured and nourished by the Word. That can only happen in an undivided heart. My friends, the reality of life is that our attention is always divided. Everyone demands our attention. Our kids, our friends, our technologies. My mind is always racing because there are so many things to think about. Our attention might be divided, but our hearts must not be. Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the Bible. Do you know what it's about? It's all about meditating on God's word, and letting that word guide you. Here's just a sample from the beginning of it: Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Happy are those who seek his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong but walk in his ways. You have commanded that your precepts be kept diligently. O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! (Psalm 119:1-5) He then goes on to talk about young people: How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments. I treasure your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you. (Psalm 119:9-11) It's a beautiful psalm. It was my favourite psalm while I was growing up. I recommend that everyone read it. Treasure it. Imprint it on your heart. Being blameless or pure is not about being sinless or morally faultless. It is about keeping your heart undivided. Seeking God's will and word with all of your heart. Letting God's truth soak into your heart so that God's truth, not the situation, may drive your life. Make this psalmist's prayer your own: Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name. (Psalm 86:11) Pray for an undivided heart that seeks God and God's will. Your life will bear beautiful fruit. You will experience great joy. The post The Greatest Pitfall to Discipleship appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Mark 6:1-13 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script We think we know – that is the problem. We think we see – that is the problem. Jesus saw that as the problem, If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, We see , your sin remains. (John 9:41) We think we see – that makes us blind. We think we know – that makes us ignorant. The moment you think you know, your knowledge stops. Why? Because your limited knowledge stops the process of attaining the fuller understanding. You think you already know. Why would you explore further? That was what the people in Nazareth did. Jesus came back to his home town. You see. Jesus was born in Nazareth but he did a lot of his ministry in Capernaum, which was about 50 Km away from Nazareth. It was the hometown of Matthew, Simon Peter, and his brother, Andrew, John, and James, sons of Zebedee. Now he came back home and preached in a synagogue. People of Nazareth heard him and they were amazed. I think they were shocked by his wisdom and the way he taught. He had authority in his teaching. Not just in his tone but Jesus knew what he was talking about. That was the same response he got when he taught in Capernaum. They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Mark 1:21, 22) That was the kind of response he got in Nazareth too. They responded in this way. Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! (Mark 6:2) They were shocked and were very impressed. But the reaction was different in Nazareth. Jesus became famous in Capernaum but not in Nazareth. This was what happened in Nazareth. Immediately after they spoke about their amazement, they said this. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?' And they took offence at him. (Mark 6:3) They took offence at him. Their prejudice was kicked in and controlled their thinking. They thought they knew Jesus. Did they really know him? Was their knowledge of Jesus correct or complete? Would they have known that this Jesus they thought they knew would be a person the whole world, not just Galileans, will know for next 2,000 years? Would they have known that this Jesus they thought they knew would influence billions of people in the world and shape the way they think about life? The moment they thought they knew Jesus, their knowledge about Jesus stopped. Because it stayed at their limited understanding. From that point on, their prejudice controlled and guided their thinking. Not true knowledge of Jesus. They stopped learning and understanding who Jesus was. They were entrapped in their own prejudice. Their understanding of Jesus was so limited and so wrong and yet they held unto it as though it was the truth. They even took offence at Jesus. So Jesus could not do many miracles in his hometown. That's sad. Their prejudice hindered the power of God being released. This was how Mark described the situation, And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. (Mark 6:5) It was not that Jesus did not have the power. It was because their prejudice blinded them and entrapped them, and so, the power of God could not work in them. Their knowledge stopped. Their understanding stopped. Their faith stopped. That is not how faith works. Faith is not memorizing doctrines you already know and regurgitate it constantly. Faith is not about strongly holding unto whatever is acceptable, comfortable to you, and verifiable. That was the kind of faith Paul had before he met Christ. His faith was about holding unto the law and keeping the law, and protecting the law. Through his faith, he even tried to protect God. That's why he arrested and killed Christians. Because he believed that they were destroying God. Christians were not destroying God. They destroyed Paul's prejudice. That was what he was scared. Paul was not protecting God. He was protecting his own prejudice. He didn't realize that faith was not about holding unto right statements, right doctrines, and right theories but it was about the power that releases God's grace. He didn't realize that. Only after meeting Christ, he saw that. Only after his prejudices were shattered, he was able to see what he could not see before. Only after something like a scale fell off from his eyes, he could see what he was supposed to see. His experience on the road to Damascus was nothing but his prejudice being demolished. After the Damascus experience, Paul realized that faith has the power to defeat the power of darkness. It has the power to forgive sins. It has the power to heal the broken hearted. It has the power to raise the dead. When you have faith, your understanding does not stop. Your understanding gets deeper and deeper. Never stops. Your understanding goes beyond yourself. Your understanding does not get stuck in your own knowledge. More than anything else, faith releases God's grace. Through God's grace, the way you see yourself changes. Once St. Paul had this supernatural experience. He called it going to the third heaven. It was not the experience he could articulate with his knowledge. All he could say was I don't know. This was what he said. I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows (2 Corinthians 12:2, 3) But immediately after that experience, he received this thorn which tormented him. This thorn made him weak. Miserable. So he prayed that this thorn be removed. He wanted to be strong. Who doesn't want to be strong? But this thorn made him weak. But God did not remove his thorns. He did not become strong. This was what God gave. My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Instead of removing thorns, he released God's grace. Instead of making him strong, God let him experience God's strength through his weakness. So St. Paul confessed, Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10) That is the power of grace. Through faith, grace is released to you, and through the power of grace, even your weaknesses become your strength. Your prejudice not only stops your knowledge but it also blocks you from having faith. That's why people of Nazareth, even though they were amazed at Jesus' teaching, could not have faith. Jesus' teaching could not bring about the power of God in them. They were rather offended. Jesus was amazed at the power of prejudice too. This was what Jesus said. And he was amazed at their unbelief. (Mark 6:6) My friends, if you are filled with prejudices, you will never grow. You will never have faith. You will never have understanding. You will never experience the power of God in your life. Christian journey is not about covering yourself with layers of prejudices but about uncovering one layer after another. And you will be filled with God's wonders. The post Prejudices Block the Flow of Grace appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script I thank God for everything that I have. All I have comes from God. Good health, good food, good family, good church, and good life – they all come from God. In that sense, I will say life is a gift. I see life as a gift. Jesus gave us a very interesting story. Through this story, he makes a very important point. There was an owner of a vineyard. Early in the morning he went out and saw people not working. He told them to come to his vineyard and work. And at noon, he went out again and found some people again. He told them to come and work. Even one hour before, he went out and there were still people who didn't have work. So he called them to come to his vineyard and work. At the end of the day, he paid them, starting from people who came one hour before. Surprisingly, he gave them one denarion, which was one day's full wage. They worked only one hour. Later, he paid the people who came early in the morning and paid the same one denarion, which was the full wage. People who came in the morning were upset. I understand why they were upset. I would be upset too. But one thing was clear. For people who came one hour before, one denarion was the gift. They went home recognizing that life is a gift. How do you see your life? Do you see it as a gift? If you are able to see your life as a gift, that's wonderful. Not many people do that. It is not easy to see life as a gift. The abundance we enjoy is a gift. It is a gift of grace. St. Paul said in the next chapter. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8) Don't turn gifts into possessions. There is a difference between gifts and possessions. If it is a gift, you share it with others. If it is a possession, you own it. You keep it to yourself. We don't own anything. Everything flows from God. And returns to God. Life we have in this world is God's gift. When that life is over, it returns to God. We don't own life. The life we enjoy is God's gift. Let me read 2 Corinthians 9:8 again. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8) You may share abundantly in every good work. That is the conclusion. When you consider life as a gift, that's what you do. You share it with others. You share your talents. You share your money. You share your time. That is what St. Paul said in the beginning of today's passage. Now as you excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. (2 Corinthians 8:7) Corinthian church was a rich church. Compared to the church in Philippi, they were quite well off. But they were not as generous as the church in Philippi. Northern part is Macedonia. And the southern part is Achaia. The church in Philippi belonged to Macedonia and the church in Corinth belonged to Achaia. Achaia was much more affluent than Macedonia. But it was the church in Philippi which was much more generous. People in Philippi understood the truth that life is a gift. People in Corinth did not yet understand this truth. So St. Paul had to teach them about generous giving. People in Corinth consider themselves spiritual, faithful, and wise. But they didn't yet know how to share. Read verse 7 again. You see that kind of tone in Paul's message. Now as you excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. (2 Corinthians 8:7) They thought they had good faith, and good knowledge of God. They thought they were good Christians and yet they didn't know the secret of seeing their life as a gift. So they didn't know how to share. Even spiritual gifts – they consider them as possessions rather than as gifts. When you read Paul's first letter to them, he mentioned the problem in the Corinthian church. They were fighting with each other for the gifts they had. They were fighting about whose gift is greater. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? (1 Corinthians 12:29, 30) They were divided by the spiritual gifts they had. They turned the gifts of the Spirit into their personal possessions. They were fighting with each other about who is greater. Whose gift is greater. That's why St. Paul said, To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:7) There are just different gifts. They are not your personal possessions. God gives you gifts for the common good. So, St. Paul said at the end of chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians, But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:31) Then in chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians, he wrote the most famous chapter on love. If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3) Love is the best gift. The best gift is love. Love, if it is not shared, what is it? Love is love when it is shared. In the same way, a gift is a gift when it is shared. When it is not shared, it is only a possession. When early Christians received the Holy Spirit, they experienced the abundance. They experienced that life was the gift. So what did they do? This was what they did. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. (Acts 2:44, 45) They shared. They experienced that life was a gift and so they shared what they had with each other. That's what the Spirit does to us. It helps us understand that life is a gift. When you see life as a gift, then your life becomes abundant. Because you share. When you start sharing, life becomes beautiful. Everything becomes beautiful. There is a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. Our choir sang this song a few times. All things bright and beautiful,all creatures great and small,all things wise and wonderful,the Lord God made them all.Each little flow’r that opens,each little bird that sings,He made their glowing colors,He made their tiny wings.The cold wind in the winter,the pleasant summer sun,the ripe fruits in the garden:He made them every one.He gave us eyes to see them,and lips that we might tellhow great is God Almighty,who has made all things well. Jesus showed the ultimate example of how to live your life as a gift. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9) That is what we believe about Jesus. That is what we believe about our life. The post Life Is a Gift appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Mark 4:35-41 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Life is not in your control. That is the basic truth in life. Jesus led the disciples into the boat to cross over to the other side. But a great storm came upon them. Our life is like that. We need to get into the boat to get to the other side. But storms can come at any moment. You cannot control when they come, or whether they come. Storms are powerful forces. They can be overwhelming. You are so small compared to the big storm. You are helpless in it. You can only try to withstand it and come out of it alive. Storms create havoc and difficulty. But most of the time, they come and go. If you can withstand that storm, it will pass and calm will come. Storms are powerful, but most of the time, they're temporary. Storms may come and go, but their effects can remain. The real power of the storm is the fear it leaves in your heart. That's the issue Jesus focuses on when he asks this question: Why are you afraid? (Mark 4:40) At the retreat, I shared the story of my year at the small law firm. It was the year from hell. Being yelled at by my boss on a regular basis. Being chained to the desk 12 hours a day. After I quit that job, I started my criminal law practice. I rented an office in the basement of a law chambers. My landlord was a lawyer. When he walked by my office, I would tense up and get stressed out. He was not my boss. I was paying HIM rent. I was no longer at my old job. But the effects of that stormy year were still with me. The greatest power of storms is the fear it leaves in your heart. Storms are powerful. The storm overpowered the disciples. But Jesus had even greater power. That's what Mark wants to show. Jesus had power to still the storm. Often, our circumstances themselves become the storm. Financial difficulty becomes the storm. Bad health. A difficult and strained relationship. These storms make us anxious, fearful and overwhelmed. But Jesus is more powerful than those storms. Jesus doesn't necessarily take those circumstances away. But he nullifies the power of these storms. He makes it so that those circumstances are no longer a storm. Those same circumstances may exist, but they're no longer a storm. It is calm water. How amazing that is! That is the power of Jesus. Maybe financial difficulties are still there. Maybe you're still in poor health. But they are no longer storms. They no longer have power to strike fear in your heart. You can live with it. It no longer overpowers you or strikes fear in your heart. You can face it with great calmness. When you have no more fear, you're free. That's when you can really live your life. You can live your life the way you're supposed to. Be driven by bigger purpose and dreams. Let love and passion drive you. Living without fear is the best life to live. A life connected with Christ is a powerful life that's free from fear. You have the power of Christ that stills storms. The storms become calm and have no more effect on you. What a gift! What a treasure. That is what St. Paul discovered in Christ. That is why knowing Christ became the most precious to him: I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him… I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:8, 10) To know Christ is to know his power. Faith is trust in the power of Christ. That faith gives you peace. With that faith, you can withstand the storms of life and not become fearful. This is why faith is a gift. I've come to realize that you never know what your faith really is until you encounter your own storms in life. Faith is not what you say or think it is. Faith is how you respond to storms that overwhelm you and make you feel helpless. The disciples left everything to follow Jesus. They were so inspired by his teachings, healings and miracles. But when the storms came and overwhelmed them, they didn't have faith. They were just like us. But the good news is that today's story is not about your faith. It's about what Jesus does. The disciples did not yet have faith. But what they did do was call out to Jesus. They didn't just call out, they woke him up. They woke him up and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? (Mark 4:38) Jesus responded: And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Be silent! Be still! Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. (Mark 4:38) It's not about your faith. It's about what God does. Jesus, do you not care? The answer is a resounding yes , I do. God is merciful. God hears your cry. God is awake to your calling out. I lift up my eyes to the hills from where will my help come?My help comes from the Lord,who made heaven and earth.He will not let your foot be moved;he who keeps you will not slumber.He who keeps Israelwill neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:1-4) Whether or not you have faith is not the issue here. When the storms hit you, cry out to God. You do not need strong faith right away. You simply need to cry out to God when you feel powerless and overwhelmed. Don't try to figure things out on your own. Don't turn away from God. Cry out to God. God will hear you and respond. The disciples witnessed the great power of Jesus. The one who stilled the storm. This was their response: And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? (Mark 4:41) When you experience the great power of God in your life, you will be filled with great awe. That is the beginning of faith. Yesterday we had the funeral for Jacob. It was a difficult funeral. Jacob was so young. He still had so much life to live. So many things to experience. Our hearts break for Marie and their children. But we reflected how it's not the length of life we live but the quality of life we live. Jacob lived a good quality of life. He lived it fully. Our time on earth is short. If we can stretch it out longer, that's a blessing. More than the length, it's about the quality of life we live while we have life. And that life is to live free from fear. The disciples did not have faith at first. But by the end, they had faith. That faith freed them from fear. They lived boldly. That faith became the seed for our faith As you experience the power of God in your life, your faith will grow. God will grow your faith into a mighty source of strength that can withstand any storm without fear. That is what God will do. But right now, even if you don't have faith, take heart that God hears your cry. When storms come into your life, cry out to God. Let Jesus do powerful things in your life. The post Call On the One Who Calms the Storm appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Psalm 42 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Welcoming Happy Father’s Day. Also on this day, St. Tim had a joint Picnic traditionally. It is time for Korean-speaking congregation and English-speaking congregation to celebrate our oneness by having worship together and sharing a meal together. We thank God for giving us this wonderful [&#8230;]

Scripture Passage Proverbs 8:22-31 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Wisdom in the Darkness In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1, 2) This is a familiar image we have about creation. Before God created the heavens and the earth, there was nothing but a formless void and darkness. Empty and dark: That was what was like before creation. But today's passage tells us something else. There was something else, something more than emptiness and darkness. There was wisdom. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. (Proverbs 8:23) This I' is the Wisdom. When you read the whole chapter, you will see that. There was wisdom right from the beginning before the creation of the world. Wisdom has been all along in this world. The world was created by this wisdom and therefore, the world is permeated with wisdom. So wisdom is all around you. Pursuing Wisdom You know what! Happiness is finding this wisdom that is in the world. Our journey is a journey to find this wisdom. Pursue this wisdom and find this wisdom. That will make you happy. We call human beings Homo sapiens in Latin. It means wise human. Yes, that's who we are. We are creatures that are imbued with wisdom. We are characterized by wisdom. We are creatures that are made to pursue this wisdom. We need to search for it to live a meaningful life. Proverbs said, seek it (wisdom) like silver, and search for it (wisdom) as for hidden treasures. Then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:4, 5) When you pursue wisdom, it will ultimately take you to the knowledge of God. What You Need to Hear Life is complex. People are complex. To deal with complexity of life, we need wisdom. To understand the depth of life, we need wisdom. To have deeper joy of life, we need wisdom. To live a meaningful life, we need wisdom. When you have wisdom, not only it helps you but you can also help so many people with the wisdom you have. The community that is filled with wise people is the blessed community. One thing great about wisdom is – you cannot abuse it or misuse it or have it too much. Money – if you have too much, it can corrupt you. Intelligence – you can misuse it for bad things or you can use it to make fun of those who are less smart than you and take advantage of them. But wisdom – you can never abuse it or misuse it or have it too much. It is always good for you. So in that sense, wisdom is not just intelligence or knowledge. Just because you know the Bible a lot, it doesn't mean that you will become wise. There are thousands of good advices in the Bible but what is the advice you need to hear right now at this point of your life? Knowing that is the wisdom. We all know the famous Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. The wisdom is to know whether your situation is what you can change or what you cannot change. Without wisdom, a good advice cannot be a good advice. If you have wisdom, so many good teachings in the Bible will benefit you tremendously. Those words will become like treasures. But if you don't have wisdom, the Bible can be a dangerous book. You cannot just randomly choose a passage in the Bible and follow it. Long time ago, I heard this story. It's kind of a funny made-up story. It's funny but it gives us an important lesson. There was a person who was struggling to deal with his complex problems. He didn't know what to do with his life. So he wanted to get wisdom from the Bible. But he didn't know how to read the Bible or what to look for. So he just opened the Bible with closed eyes and whatever came to his eyes, he read it. It was this. Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he (Judas) went and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:5) No, this is not it. So, he tried again. And this he got this passage. Do quickly what you are going to do. (John 13:27) You cannot just choose advices randomly from the Bible. You have to know exactly what you NEED to hear, not what you WANT to hear. That's wisdom. Knowing the Difference The writer of Ecclesiastes said this, (There is) a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:6, 7) Knowing whether it is a time to seek or a time to lose, a time to keep or a time to throw away, a time to tear or a time to sew, a time to keep silence or a time to speak – that is the wisdom. It is really hard to know what time it is. We all know so many good advices but to know what is really needed is hard. So when it comes to wisdom, we have to be quite humble. Humility is to know that we are not that wise. Many wise people said in the past said that knowing that you are not wise is actually being wise. The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. Socrates Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's own ignorance. Confucius A fool who recognizes his own ignorance is thereby in fact a wise man. Buddha The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool. – Shakespeare We need to be humble and that is the beginning of wisdom. So the writer of Proverbs tells us, When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2) Humility Last week, after the sermon, a KSM elder came to me and thanked me for the message. And he said I am not really sure these days whether I am really aware of the Spirit who is crying out within me. It is hard to feel the presence of the Spirit when things are going well, he said. Recognizing one's own lack of spirituality is the first step of being spiritual, I thought. But humility is not just recognizing one's own foolishness. That is only the beginning step. Knowing our own lack of wisdom, we should ask God to give us wisdom. That was what James taught us. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5) So we realize that wisdom is not something you can acquire. It is God's gift. When we ask God for the wisdom we need, God will give us the wisdom. Be humble but actively seek wisdom. God will give us the wisdom we need. Be in touch with God, God will open the door for you. Bring Light to the Darkness Last week was the Pentecost. Pentecost is the celebration of the coming of the Spirit. The Spirit is with you. Not only the Spirit prays for you with sigh too deep for words as we reflected last week. The Spirit will guide you into the right path. That right path is the path of wisdom. This is what Jesus said. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. (John 14:26) The Spirit teaches us and guides us into the right path. Jesus also said, When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say. (Luke 12:11, 12) Do not worry about what to do and what to say. Be in touch with the Spirit. The Spirit will show you what to do and what to say. Knowing exactly what to do and what to say – That is wisdom. You are Homo sapiens – wise human. Be a wise human. Jesus taught us this. See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16) The world we live can be dark and evil. Be innocent like doves. But be wise as serpents. You will be able to overcome evil with good. You will bring light to the darkness. The post Homo Sapiens – Wise Human appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Romans 8:14-17 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script A Strong Anchor It is important to have an anchor in life. What is the anchor? The anchor is what holds us together no matter how strong the wind may be. A boat with a strong anchor will not be drifted away even though there is a strong wind. In the same way, when we have a strong anchor in life, we will not be drifted away when life's storms hit us. Last week, I received very difficult phone calls from all kinds of people. A person who just discovered she had cancer. A person whose marriage almost ended. A person who has a serious issue with her child. It all happened in one week. Life is not easy. Our circumstances are not always good and stable. I prayed for them. Do you know what I prayed for? Of course, I prayed for their problems to be resolved. But I also I prayed that they may have a strong anchor. I don't know how they are gonna handle all these problems they are facing right now. I felt for them. They need an anchor. What is the anchor in your life? What is one thing that holds your life together? For me, the anchor that holds my life together is the fact that I am a child of God. Whenever I face problems, I remind myself that I am a child of God. Yes, that is our anchor. You are a precious daughter of God. You are a precious son of God. Abba God will never give up his children like no parents will give up their child. That was what Isaiah saw. But Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.' Can a woman forget her nursing-child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. (Isaiah 49:14, 15) God will never forget his precious child. That was what St. Paul realized in his life. When we cry, Abba! Father!' it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are CHILDREN OF GOD (Romans 8:15, 16) Abba is an Aramaic word and it means father. When you call father in a very intimate way, you use Abba. It's like daddy, , Papa. But it's more than that. Only three times, you see this expression in the New Testament. Here, and Galatians, and Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane in Mark. He said, Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.' (Mark 14:36) So it is an intimate way of calling a father but not a childish way of calling a father. Behind calling God as Abba, there is deep spirituality of total dependence. It is like a helpless child calling out her parents, totally depending on them. That was how Jesus used Abba. He had his own wishes but he left his life totally in God's hands. The Spirit Cries Out It is a desperate child calling out the father. St. Paul used this expression. When we CRY Abba Father.'(Romans 8:15) It's like crying out from suffering, crying out for God's helping hands. There is somebody TO WHOM we can cry out. You know what? When we cry out, the SPIRIT also CRIES OUT for us. You are not alone. The Spirit is with you. Recognizing that the Spirit is with you is the beginning of spiritual life. The Spirit cries out with you when you cry out. A little later in the same chapter, Paul talks about what the Spirit does more specifically within you He said this. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26, 27) The Spirit cries out when you cry out. When we feel helpless, the Spirit helps us. When we don't know how to pray, the Spirit prays for us. WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRAY - this does not mean that we don't know mechanically how to pray. It means we are so deeply saddened, so overwhelmed by our problems, so helpless that we don't even know how to pray. When we see no way out, when the darkness is too dark, and when we see no future, so we don't even know where to start, that is when we don't know how to pray. That is what St. Paul is talking about. Life With The Spirit When we have no strength left in us even to pray, the only thing that comes out of our mouth is sigh. Karl Marx was not very favourable with the religion. He said that religion is the opium of the people. But he also said right after that, religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature. Yes, he saw it right. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature. Sometimes what comes out of our mouth is not prayer but only sigh. You know what? The Spirit feels our sigh and the Spirit prays for us with sighs too deep for words. The Spirit feels as we feel because we are God's precious child. That's what the parents do. They feel the pain their children feel. The Spirit says, I hear you. I hear your sigh. That's what the Spirit does: the affirmation that we are the child of God. When the Spirit came down on Jesus, that was what the Spirit did. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.'(Mark 1:10, 11) This was the anchor of Jesus' life. Whenever he went through difficult times, Jesus held unto that. That was what Satan tried to take away from Jesus. Satan tried to tempt Jesus to question about his anchor. Right after the baptism, right after the Spirit declared that he was the Son of God, Jesus went through temptation in the wilderness. What was Satan's temptation all about? It was not about temptations that we think about. The temptation was about Jesus' identity as the Son of God. This was how Satan began, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. (Matthew 4:3) If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down (Matthew 4:6) But Jesus never let his anchor go. Jesus held unto it. Jesus was very clear about who he was. You have the same Spirit Jesus had. The very same Spirit declares you that you are God's precious child. There is nothing for you to worry about. You will not be abandoned. You will not be like orphans. You will not be alone. That was what Jesus promised. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned. (John 14:17, 18) Jesus left the Spirit with you and the Spirit is with you and within you. The Spirit tells us that we are not alone. That is what spiritual life is all about. It is life with the Spirit. Suffer With Christ Be aware of the Spirit around you. Be aware of the Spirit within you. Be in touch with the Spirit. Jesus, even though he was the Son of God, he was not exempted from suffering. He went through suffering. You know what the greatest suffering is? It is the suffering of abandonment. That was what he experienced on the cross. He cried out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He felt that abandonment. But God never abandoned him. God raised him from the dead. When you go through suffering, you feel that you are abandoned. That is what suffering does. Suffering makes us feel very alone. Jesus must have felt that too. But you are not alone. The Spirit is with you. When you suffer with Christ, you will be glorified with Christ. in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:17) When you pray, be in the Spirit. When you cannot even pray, don't worry about it. The Spirit will help you and pray for you and show you things that you cannot even think of. I would like to read you yesterday's Inner Voice again. Prayer is not what you say. Prayer is being in the Spirit. Train yourself to be in the Spirit. You will be shaped and formed by the Spirit. The Spirit will give you peace that the world cannot give. Confidence and courage will arise from within. You will have the wisdom to see your situation in a spiritual way. Everything within you will come alive. The post You Are Not Alone appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Acts 16:16-34 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Culture in Christianity When you go to Europe, you will see so many beautiful churches and cathedrals. Their culture has been totally rooted and entrenched in Christianity. So many famous artists produced their master pieces with Christian ideas. So many genius musicians composed beautiful music with Christian themes. So many brilliant writers wrote wonderful books about spiritual ideas Jesus taught. Christianity has influenced the whole Europe. Politics, culture, art, architecture, and lifestyle. Do you know where it all started? It was at Philippi. It all began from Philippi. We read the story today. This story was the beginning of European mission. Philippi was the first city in Europe to receive Jesus' teaching through Paul. The entrance gate for the Europe mission. It was Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy who started the mission to Europe. The very first European Christian was a woman and her name was Lydia. She was a business woman. Paul did not plan to go to Philippi originally. He had somewhere else in mind. But the Spirit prohibited him from going to a place he wanted to go. And instead, the Spirit sent him to Philippi. In fact, Paul was sick and he couldn't go where he wanted to go. He had to go to Troas because there were hospitals. And there he met Luke. He was a doctor and also he was the author of this book, Acts. From there, Luke joined Paul to go to Philippi. That's why Luke is using the word we . Because he was there too. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. (Acts 16:11, 12) Luke stayed on in Philippi and Paul went to Thessalonica. Luke used they instead of we . After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. (Acts 17:1) Luke saw all this as the work of the Holy Spirit. That was how Luke saw his life. There may be visible reasons why we did this or did not do that in our lives. Why you chose to go to that school. Why you chose that job. You may have human reasons to do that. Obvious, Visible Reasons! But behind it all, there is the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul was sick and that's why he couldn't go where he wanted to go but instead, he went to Troas. But Luke saw it as the Spirit blocking him from going to where he wanted to go and sent him instead to Troas. That's why Paul went to Philippi and Luke joined him. I agree with the way Luke saw what was going on in his life. The Work of The Spirit Behind what we do, there is the Holy Spirit who is working. We don't understand everything but in retrospect, we will be able to see some of it, not all of it. St. Paul had the same attitude. St. Paul believed that the Holy Spirit was working behind what he was doing. That is the power. That gave Paul joy. Knowing that the Holy Spirit was working behind him gave him joy. He had this joy when he was at Philippi. Whenever he was thinking about people at Philippi, he was filled with this joy. Later when he wrote a letter, thinking about people at Philippi, this was what he said. I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:3-6) Paul never imagined what he was doing at Philippi would be the beginning of occupying the whole Europe. A small thing he started became so big. Paul didn't know that what he was doing was that important. But he had confidence that the one who began a good work among them would bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. That is the power of the work of the Spirit That was exactly what Jesus said. He said therefore, What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.'(Luke 13:18-19) He believed that behind everything he did, there was God and he would make everything beautiful. This belief gave Paul joy. Singing in the Darkness Mission at Philippi wasn't easy in the beginning. The first thing that happened to Paul was injustice, flogging, and imprisonment. He experienced racism there. Anti-semitism. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews (Acts 16:20) He was arrested unjustly and flogged unlawfully. He was probably whipped 39 lashes. In other letters, Paul said he was whipped 5 times of 39 lashes. A typical whip had several strands of leather and at the end, there was either a bone or metal attatched. So you don't get just bruises but your skin becomes ripped apart. They were half-dead after the flogging. Then Paul and Silas were thrown into the innermost cell. The darkest part of the prison. In the basement. No light and it was pitch dark. Paul could have wondered or questioned. The Spirit blocked me from going where I wanted to go. And he sent me here to die? When life is hard, we ask this question. When life seems unfair, we ask this question. He could have wondered and questioned but he didn't. What did Paul and Silas do? They prayed and sang hymns to God. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. (Acts 16:25) What gave them this joy? They were singing in the darkness. Negative spirit didn't control them. A song in the darkness is the perfect song. Joy in the midst of suffering is the perfect joy. We may live with human joy. It is great to have it. But when the storm comes, it will drive away the human joy we have. Like last Saturday, storm blew away many trees and branches all over the place. I got flat tires too because of debris. When the storms of life hit us, human joy will be blown away. But joy the Spirit gives us will withstand the storms of life. Not only will it withstand, but it will become perfect. With that joy, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God. Their singing must have been beautiful. It was midnight. At night, sound travels further. Everything was so quiet. Other prisoners were all sleeping. They could have said, Shut up. But what did they do? About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. (Acts 16:25) They were listening. It must have been beautiful and comforting. It must have been music to their ears, not noise. Sing when you are sad. Sing when you are down. Sing when you are hurting. Do you have that joy? To Paul, joy was not just a good feeling. It was the power, the power to move forward. It is the power to defeat the evil. The imprisonment could not take this power away from him. Joy is a big thing for Paul. He wrote this to the Christians at Philippi. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4, 6-7) God will lift you up. God will give you the strength to move on. We are very saddened by what happened in Texas. I was angry. I pray that God may give the grieving families the peace, which surpasses all understanding. Can we sing in the darkness? Yes, we can. When there is, within us, joy God gives us, we can. The post Singing In the Darkness appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage John 5:1-9 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Beth-zatha Beth-zatha! Its meaning is house of mercy. But it wasn't really a merciful place. The pool had the reputation of healing people. That's why there were a lot of sick people. In these lay many invalids blind, lame, and paralysed. (John 5:3) Once in a while, an angel would come to the pool and stir up the water and if you went into the pool when the water was stirred up, you would be healed. But there was a condition. Only the first person who entered into the pool when the water was stirred up, would be healed. Imagine what would happen when the water was stirred up. Imagine how they lived their lives there. How they had treated each other every day. They could not be friends. They were competitors. It was not a merciful place. Only the best of the best could benefit the healing. Only one person who was the fastest could get the reward of healing. Is that mercy? Mercy – It is hard to understand the concept because we don't see it often around us. You deserve what you get – that is much more around us and more understandable. If you work hard, you will get a reward. If you are the best, you deserve the honour. If you are bad, you should get punished. We all live in Beth-zatha. To be healed, you have to be the best. To be happy, you have to be the best. To be loved, you have to be the best. The Best This creates tremendous pressure, stress, disappointment, anger, and hopelessness. We can see this hopelessness in the man who had been sick for 38 years. 38 years is a long time. It is how long Israelites wandered in the wilderness. And the length of time we had travelled from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation of warriors had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn concerning them. (Deuteronomy 2:14) For 38 years, this man lived with the mentality of Beth-zatha. He continuously repeated to himself that he could never be the best. That meant he could never be healed. And he could never be happy. He was obsessed with being the best or the fastest. So, when Jesus asked this very simple question, he couldn't answer him. Jesus asked him, Do you want to be made well? It is a strange question to the man who had been sick for 38 years. Of course, he wanted to be made well. But this man could not even answer this simple question of Jesus. He couldn't say, Yes, I want to be made well. Instead he said, Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me. (John 5:7) In his mind, he was thinking, What is the use of wanting to be made well? I cannot beat others. I can't be the best. I cannot go into the pool before other people. He didn't understand the concept of mercy. To him, being made well meant being the best. That's all. There was nothing else. And he could not be the best. Ask yourself. Do you have to be the best to be happy? Do you have to be the best to be healed? Mercy From God Sometimes, we think of our faith in that way too. We think faith is the condition for God's love. Didn't God love us even before we believed in him? Faith is not our condition for God's love but our response to God's UNCONDITIONAL love. Why does God love me when I haven't done anything that deserves that love? That is the beginning of having faith. That was what Paul discovered. Pure mercy of God. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6) But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Unless we understand God's mercy, we won't understand the joy of life. Joy of life does not come from being the best. THAT'S AN ILLUSION. Joy of life comes from experiencing this mercy. This mercy comes from God. When we live day by day, experiencing the mercies of people, and mercies of life, you become very happy. Our life is full of mercy. Salvation comes from experiencing the mercy of God and mercy of life. This is what Jesus said. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. (Luke 6:32-35) Then at the end, he said this. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36) He said that life is full of mercy. Good life is life of being merciful. Jesus wants us to live a merciful life. As you have received the mercy from God, be merciful to each other. Remember God’s Mercy This man who had been sick for 38 years experienced Jesus' mercy. He didn't have to be the best. He didn't have to go into the pool first. Jesus didn't help him to go into the pool first. Jesus did not help him to be the best. Jesus simply told him, Stand up, take your mat and walk. (John 5:8) This man was not a perfect ideal person who deserved healing. He didn't have faith in Jesus. He lived with disappointment and hopelessness. He lived in his own world of illusion, wanting to be the best. When he was in trouble, he turned blame on Jesus. After he was healed, the Jews challenged him. It is the sabbath. Why do you carry the mat? Then he said this. The man who made me well said to me, Take up your mat and walk. (John 5:11) So, they asked him, Who is the man who said to you, Take it up and walk ?' Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was (John 5:12, 13) He didn't even know who healed him. When Jesus came back to him and finally he knew who healed him, then he reported to the authority that it was Jesus, knowing that Jesus would be in trouble. He was self-centred and he was ungrateful. And yet Jesus healed him. That's mercy. Not because the man deserved the healing but because Jesus wanted to help. We are who we are by God's mercy. Let us never forget that. Live your life always remembering God's mercy. That is what faith is. That is what Christian life is all about. This man didn't seem to understand Jesus' mercy. So Jesus came to him again and said, See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you. (John 5:14) Forgetting God's mercy is sin. Remember God's mercy and be merciful to each other. I pray that our life is full of mercy. The post Life Is Full of Mercy appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Acts 11:1-18 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script What Peter Saw It is a very interesting story and a weird story. Many of you may not even understand what the issue is here. What's with these animals and eating them? Why was Peter so reluctant to eat them? There are a lot of questions to be answered. It is hard to make sense of this story unless you understand the culture of that time, 2000 years ago. But I won't go there. Peter was praying and he had this weird experience. I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. (Acts 11:5-6) I don't know exactly how Peter saw this. Was it a dream? Did he fall asleep while praying? Or did he have some kind of supernatural vision? We don't know. But that was what he saw. Not only he saw this wonderful vision but he also heard a voice and the voice said to Peter, Get up, Peter; kill and eat. (Acts 11:7) Peter protested, By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth. (Acts 11:8) Peter was very reluctant. Because all his life he believed that these foods were unclean and so he didn't eat them. But the voice told him to eat. This voice was supposed to be the voice of God. That was hard to take for Peter. The voice not only told Peter to eat it but it also said, What God has made clean, you must not call profane. (Acts 11:9) This happened three times. So it was quite clear to Peter. It wasn't what Peter misheard. It was a clear message. Peter’s Prayer One thing I learn about what prayer does from this story. Prayer does not affirm what you are thinking. Prayer changes what you are thinking. Many people use prayer to give themselves absolute affirmation for what they already want and what they already know. To them, prayer is affirmation of who they are, what they believe, and what they firmly hold unto. Through prayer, they don't change. They become more of their old self. But Peter's prayer was not like that. In prayer, Peter's old belief was challenged. What he believed about what was clean and what was not clean was challenged. His attitude, his perspective, and his belief were all changed because of his prayer. Because he met God who was greater than himself. That is what true prayer is like. If prayer is simply to affirm what you already know and what you already believe, then it can be dangerous. What was just your personal opinions before prayer becomes divinely ordained absolute truth after prayer. Your personal opinions become God's will through prayer. That's dangerous. Peter's prayer was very different from that kind of prayer. Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane was the same. What Jesus wanted was not affirmed. What he wanted was not granted. Jesus knew clearly the difference between his personal desire and God's desire for him. That's spiritual maturity. St. Paul's prayer was like that too. Once St. Paul prayed because he had thorn in his flesh. We don't know exactly what that thorn was. But it tormented him. It hindered not only his ministry but also his life. He prayed to God three times. Again three times. He prayed that God might remove these thorns. But God didn't. What he wanted, he didn't get through prayer. He knew clearly what he wanted and what God wanted. That is spiritual maturity. Affirmation and Spirituality God did not remove the thorns but instead, God gave him this great insight. My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) I know we have this tremendous desire to be affirmed. That desire is our idol. We have to be right. We have to be correct. We have to be righteous. We have to be considered as good and perfect. People will do anything to prove this. Of course, people's context will be very different and so in a different context, people will use different ways to affirm that they are great. In the job, going up the ladder will affirm who you are. In a religious circle, being kind and being good will affirm who you are. In an academic field, being smart will affirm who you are. Being spiritual does not necessarily affirm who you are in that way. When you are spiritual, instead of being affirmed, often you will encounter your own prejudice and narrow mindedness. You encounter your own limitedness. You are exposed to your raw self when you are spiritual. God exposes you in this way not to let you down, not to criticize you and make you feel worthless. God does that to expand your life. To expand your vision. To let you see greater truth. God does that to make you grow. God does that because he has a vision bigger than you. In this sense, being spiritual is difficult. It makes you go where you never went before. It challenges you to change who you have been. It forces you to see who you really are but also challenges you to go beyond yourself. Not only you become real to yourself but you can also take the challenge to become somebody you had never been. You always had that self within you but you were too scared to become that person. The Spirit gives you the courage to be that person. God’s Grace You become naked but you are not alone. God's grace envelops you. Like Paul, even though he didn't get what he asked for, God's grace was all around him. That was enough for him. God's grace was enough for him. He could embrace his weaknesses because God's power was made perfect in his weakness. God had to change Peter. God wanted to begin a new movement. God wanted to reach out to Gentiles. With Peter's prejudice, God could not use him to carry on his vision. As long as he considered that Gentiles were unclean, he could not reach out to them. So before Peter reached out to Cornelius, a Gentile, God had to change Peter first. He had to challenge his prejudice first. What God has made clean, you must not call profane. (Acts 11:9) This was a huge change. Two weeks ago, we reflected how Jesus restored Peter's calling by asking him three times, Do you love me? This time, God had to change Peter's thinking. Today's story was not just about food. This was about his attitude towards other people, especially people who were different from him. At that time, Jewish people did not associate with Gentiles, non-Jews. They considered going into Gentile's house as becoming unclean. During Jesus' time, a Roman solider came to Jesus and asked him to heal his servant but knowing that Jews would not come into Gentile's house, he said, Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. (Matthew 8:8) God had to help Peter and the early Christians to overcome this prejudice. The Power of Prayer That's why God appeared to Peter in his prayer. Peter courageously accepted what was very uncomfortable for him. He was able to distinguish what he was familiar with from what God wanted. He was able to open the door to the mission to Gentiles. Once this prejudice was lifted, the Spirit was able to use freely these early Christians to reach out to Gentiles without any restriction. St. Paul also understood God's desire to want to include Gentiles. So he had to confront a lot of problems. His own people hated Paul because of this kind of attitude of Paul toward Gentiles. He went much further than Peter. No circumcision, no dietary rule, and no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. No circumcision? That's huge. St. Paul said, There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28) These visionaries did not become visionaries on their own. They became these visionaries because they met God. They received the message that was beyond their own prejudice and narrow-mindedness. That is the power of prayer. Prayer does not just affirm your small world. Prayer opens up a new world that you could never imagine. Be people of prayer. You will see what others don't see. The post Prayer, Not Affirmation but Transformation appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Revelation 7:9-17 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script John’s Vision The passage we read is a beautiful vision of the future. Multitudes from all the nations worshiping God together. No more hunger or thirst. Every tear wiped away. What a vision! But this vision was far from the reality of the community that this letter was addressed to. John, the writer of Revelation, was writing to people going through great difficulties. They were under great pressure. They faced persecution because of their faith. They were weak and powerless politically, socially and economically. The world they lived in, the world as it was, was not a world that was favourable for them. In these undesirable circumstances, John had this vision of a very different future. It was so different from their present reality. It was a vision of faith. This is where I realized: faith is a vision for a different future. Faith is having a vision and belief that this future can come into being. The Hebrews writer said this: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Many people in John's communities were starting to give up on this dream. They were starting to lose faith. Life as it was seemed too entrenched, too powerful. They started to orient their lives toward life as it was, not on the future that God would bring. They began adjusting and adapting to life as it was, even if it wasn't really what they wanted. John shared his revelation so that they would continue on in faith.  To not give up.  To hold firm. Faith In a New Future On this Mother's Day, I think of many of our parents, the 1st generation of immigrants to Canada. After experiencing war and poverty, the future they wanted was different from the present they knew. Coming to Canada was an act of faith: faith in a new future. This faith gave them tremendous energy. Starting with nothing, they worked day and night to get established and settled in this new land. Their energy and desire for a different future left them very open to faith in God. They welcomed God to usher in this new future they desired. Their faith led them to sacrifice tremendously for the church. I mean, think about it: they're working at their store from 7am to 11pm, 7 days a week. But still, they managed to go to church every Sunday. I look back now with amazement how I went to church pretty every Sunday without fail. Not only that, they gave so much and so generously.  They were not rich or wealthy. But they gave so much (time, money, energy) to build the churches we enjoy today. As I think about them I realize this: when you have faith in a new future, it gives you great energy, and you make great sacrifices to bring that future about. They had faith, and from that faith came sacrifice. John saw a clear picture of this new future. At the end of Revelation, he describes what this looks like: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:1-2) He was imploring his communities to hold fast in faith for this future that God would bring. It was a cry for them to keep the faith. The Faith of The Next Generation A common question in our churches today is: where is the faith of the next generation? We see young people leave our churches and leave the faith. This has been the concern of many 1st generations. If you probe deeply enough, I think the question that comes is: why do I need faith? That is really the reason so many have left our churches and the faith. I mean, the 1st generation needed faith.  They yearned for this new future, but knew that on their own they were weak and powerless. They had experienced their powerlessness as a nation in the face of the great global powers. They welcomed God's help. But times have changed, and we don't have the same yearnings that they had. Their wishes came true, and we live quite abundantly now. Here's the simple truth: if you are content with your present life, your present situation, and life as it is, then you don't need faith. If your goal is to simply adapt to life as it is, to plug into the world as it is, then you don't need faith. All you need is effort, smarts and good luck. The thing is, I think most people know that all is not right. Even in the midst of our abundance, we feel that things are not all right. We know the problems. We know that things need to change. I don't think people want to simply plug into the world as it is. The problem is, they don't have faith. They don't have faith in institutions and leaders. They don't have faith that anything will change. And also, in this complex and confusing world we live in, people don't have a clear picture of the future they desire. And so people fall into despair or resign themselves to the world as it is. I believe that each generation must have a new vision for the future. We cannot have the same vision for the future that the 1st generation had. Our times and circumstances are so different, and so must our vision. But still, we must imagine and dream of the kind of future that is different from what we see today. What we need is faith in this new future. Where Faith Comes From Jesus came to bring a different future. His life on earth was like today's passage: people came together to worship God, he fed people who were hungry and thirsty, and he wiped away tears by making them whole. This vision did not end with Jesus' death. In fact, the whole revelation that John received was the revelation of the risen Jesus. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place; he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John. (Revelation 1:1) When you read the whole book, the revelation of Jesus is that things will get worse, but ultimately they will get better. God will be victorious in the end. That beautiful vision of the new heaven and new earth will be the final victory of God. I struggled long and hard with this, because in today's age, people are just too skeptical and jaded to believe that God will bring about such a new future. We've seen too much. We've witnessed too much. And because we don't believe in a future that God will bring, our whole lives are focused on the present world as it is. I asked myself: where will faith come from? I said that from faith comes sacrifice. John was saying that faith in God's future would entail sacrifice in the present. In the opposite way, where there is no faith, there is no sacrifice. And that is what's happened to people today. There is no faith, so there is no sacrifice. People are jaded, people are disillusioned. They have lost their faith. And they are unwilling to sacrifice for things they don't believe in. The more I reflected, I realized that faith and sacrifice are two sides of the same coin. From faith comes sacrifice, but also: perhaps from sacrifice comes faith. And so it got me thinking: if people are too disillusioned to start with faith, then maybe we need to begin with sacrifice. If people learn to sacrifice, they will learn faith. Sacrifice and Convenience Sacrifice is giving of yourself for the well-being of others. It is putting the well-being of others ahead of yourself. The act of sacrifice is itself an act of faith. You have no idea of whether it will make any difference.  In many cases, it probably will not make any difference. There is often no fruit from it. But you do it simply because it is the loving and right thing to do. True sacrifice is pure and fuelled by nothing other than love. At the same time, there is nothing like the potential power of sacrifice. Loving sacrifice has the power to create faith. Sacrifice changes and moves hearts. Sacrifice is the seed for a new vision. When Russia first invaded Ukraine, the world was electrified by Zelensky's decision to stay in Ukraine.  By now, his famous words to the Americans who offered to help him escape are etched in our minds: I need ammunition, not a ride. The sacrifice of his own safety stirred people's hearts and created faith in Ukrainians that they could resist and fight for their freedom. It jolted world leaders to unify and rally around Ukraine. We need to teach our children and young people, we need to teach ourselves, how to sacrifice. This is challenging, because we live in a world and time that is so opposite of sacrifice. Our whole society and economy are built on convenience. Everything we need is at our fingertips. Our wealth and affluence have made us slaves to comfort. Everything I do is my choice. Comfort and convenience are great. They make life easier. But when our lives revolve around our comfort and convenience, it destroys our ability to sacrifice. Convenience kills sacrifice. Convenience kills faith. I believe that the fight of faith for our generation is to reclaim our ability to sacrifice. A fight to free ourselves from the bondage that comfort and convenience has over us. The very definition of sacrifice is doing what's uncomfortable and inconvenient for the sake of others. We need to build up our muscles to sacrifice for others. The ability to sacrifice is a practice and spiritual discipline. We need to practice it. Sacrificing for others is a lifestyle and habit that is cultivated. It is difficult, because we are very self-centered. But true spirituality takes us beyond ourselves, and beyond our own comfort and convenience. It is difficult but so worth it. You wil...

Scripture Passage John 21:1-19 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Peter’s Pain Jesus asked Peter, Do you love me? Why did he ask this question? He could have said many other things but he asked only this one question three times. We automatically assume that he asked this question because Peter denied Jesus. Definitely, this must have been in Peter's mind. He connected Jesus' question with his denial. So when Jesus asked him the same question three times, Peter was hurt. He said to him the third time, Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, Do you love me?' (John 21:17) This question was a very difficult question to answer for Peter. A very uncomfortable question. He must have asked himself this question numerous times. Do I really love Jesus? If I do, how could I deny him, not just once but three times? What a coward that I am! Peter was going through a painful time. Deep sorrow and deep regret! When Jesus said, everyone will become a deserter, Peter said I will never. Even though all become deserters, I will not. (Mark 14:29) But Peter realized that these were just empty words that carried no weight. He realized he was too weak. He was filled with fear. That's why he deserted Jesus. So when Peter heard this question, Do you love me? , he automatically connected that with his denial. BUT JESUS WAS DIFFERENT. Peter might have thought of it that way but Jesus' thinking was different from Peter's. His mind was not on Peter's denial. Jesus didn't even mention about Peter's denial. Jesus was not concerned about what Peter did to him in the past but he cared about how Peter would take his future. Jesus' mind was not focused on Peter' past but on his future. Every time Jesus asked Peter, Do you love me? , at the end, what did Jesus say? “Feed my lamb , Tend my sheep , and Feed my sheep. Jesus was very focused not on what Peter did but on what Peter would do. Jesus came to Peter not only to forgive what he did but also to restore his calling and prepare him for the future. What Peter needed was not just to feel better. What Peter needed was not just comfort. What Peter needed was to pull himself out of a rut he was in. Peter was too sad to think about his future. He was too heart-broken to move on. He became stuck in his past. Look at what he did! He went fishing. When he first met Jesus and followed Jesus, he left the net and followed Jesus. But now, he picked up the net that he left and went back to fishing. This whole scene was like the first time, when they met Jesus the first time. They fished all night but they caught nothing. And Jesus told them to cast the net to the right side of the boat and they caught so many fish. Jesus knew that Peter was stuck in his past because of his guilt. Peter was disillusioned about himself. Jesus wanted to take Peter out of a snare of his past. Move Forward You know what happened in the past does not stay in the past. Just because time went by, what happened in the past does not pass by. It still affects us. Especially, our painful past does not just stay in the past. It pulls us back into the rut. It is like a black hole. It pulls us back into the dark hole. People who suffer from PTSD still live in the fear of their past. They can never let go of their past and move on. There are people who still live with guilt, anger, and disappointment because of what happened in the past. Their past holds them back. They can't go forward. We have to go forward. Not because we did everything well in the past. We have a lot of regrets. We have a lot of mistakes that we made. But we cannot get stuck in the rut. This is what St. Paul said Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14) St. Paul also committed terrible sins against Jesus. He persecuted those who followed Jesus. Jesus appeared to Saul and said, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' (Acts 9:4) He wanted to destroy Jesus' movement. He persecuted the church. But after meeting Christ, he realized how sinful he was. He regretted what he did. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:9) But he didn't get stuck in the past. Forgetting what lied behind, he pressed on. He moved on forward. That was what Jesus wanted Peter to do. Jesus wanted Peter to move on forward. The Future Many of us think that Jesus asked him the same question three times because Peter denied Jesus three times. Maybe. Definitely, Peter might have heard it that way. But I see another reason. Jesus had hard time to say what he had to say to Peter about his future. It's all about Peter's future, not his past. Jesus had to tell him how he would die. It was not easy for Jesus to tell him what the future held for him. So Jesus hesitated and made sure that Peter loved him enough to follow him. Then, finally after asking three times the same question, he said this. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.' (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) (John 21:18-19) After that, Jesus said, Follow me. After this he said to him, Follow me.'(John 21:19) My friends, God is not interested in your past. God is interested in your future. God knows how you have lived so far. But his interest is in how you will live with the life that is ahead of you. St. Paul understood this truth so well when he said, So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17) With God, every day is a new creation. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is what we have to prepare for. Sacrifice in Love We have to learn to let go of our past. I see so many people live with their baggage. What they experienced in the past left such a deep scar that they have hard time to move on. They are stuck in the past. I know it is hard to let go of our past. But I also know that we can. We can live a new life, not just as a victim of our past. We can always start a new life. Don't look back. Look ahead. With Jesus, our past will not have power over us. What Peter needed was love. The reason Peter denied Jesus was because of his fear. It is love that drives out fear. That was what John said. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18) Jesus wanted to make sure that Peter loved Jesus because only love would be able to help him when he would face his own horrible destiny. Jesus knew that only love would give him the strength to endure the difficulties. Following Jesus is hard. Because it involves sacrifice. That's why Jesus said, if you want to follow me, take up your own cross. Sacrifice is painful but love would make your sacrifice beautiful. Sacrifice becomes beautiful only in love. In love, sacrifice has a transforming power. Peter would sacrifice his life for Jesus but this sacrifice had to be done in love. That's why Jesus kept asking Peter whether he loved him. When sacrifice is coerced, it is abuse. But when sacrifice is done in love, it is the most beautiful thing. That is the cross of Jesus Christ. My friends, we are called to follow Jesus. In following Jesus, we may encounter a very difficult road. You may fail. You may fall. But leave all your failures, frustrations, and disappointments in God's hand. And look forward. Have love for Jesus. That's all you need. If you love Jesus, you will be able to handle any situation that comes to you. Move on with love! The post Move on With Love appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage John 20:19-31 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Honesty Thomas said, Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe. (John 20:25) He was very specific. He knew exactly the condition for his belief. He demanded this condition to be met before he said he would believe. Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was resurrected. Unfortunately, Thomas wasn't there. The other disciples told him that they saw the Lord. But that wasn't enough for Thomas. He needed to see Jesus with his own eyes. He needed to feel him with his own hands. I can understand how he felt. He could not pretend that he believed when he did not have this conviction. He was honest. I think there is a lesson for us to learn. Honesty is the first step of faith. Honesty is where our spiritual journey begins. Fake Faith Faith is not something you can fake. Faith is not something you can pretend to have. What is the use of it even if you fake it? For whom? Fake faith will not give you peace and confidence. Counterfeit bills may have the same benefits and power as the real bills but not counterfeit faith. Last week, one of ESM members told me that what I said about hope rang true to him. Hope in a good situation is not really hope. And he asked me about hope without action. Is it real hope if it doesn't lead to action? I told him, if it is real hope, it would lead to action. Hope and action are not two separate things. They are connected. One and the same. Faith is the same thing. If it is a real faith, it will give you peace and confidence. Fake faith will not be able to give you that. Thomas could not fake it. He was honest. He showed us a good example of finding faith. Because of Thomas' honesty, he was able to meet Jesus again and see him. His honesty brought back the resurrected Jesus again. Just for Thomas, Jesus came again. Struggle We realize that Jesus will never leave us alone in our struggles. That's what I believe. God never leaves us alone in our struggles. That was what Jesus promised. I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. (John 14:18) God wants you to honestly struggle with your questions and even doubts. He would not rebuke you for that. He would not leave you alone as you struggle with your doubts. He would be there and reveal himself to you. That was what Jesus did to Thomas. Jesus knew Thomas' struggle. He knew Thomas' doubt. He did not abandon him. He rather revealed himself to Thomas. When you honestly seek God, God will show himself to you. Yes, that's all you need. HONEST STRUGGLE AND HONEST DESIRE TO MEET GOD. When Thomas met Jesus, what did he do? Did he look for the mark of the nails in Jesus' hands? Did he put his finger in the mark of the nails? That was his condition for his belief, wasn't it? Unless that condition was met, he said he would not believe. But when he met Jesus, this condition was not necessary. Even when Jesus invited him to see the nail marks and touch them, he didn't do that. He simply said, My Lord and my God! That was the highest confession anyone could make about Jesus. Until then, nobody really called Jesus God. At most the Son of God. But Thomas looked at Jesus and said, My Lord and my God! (John 20:28) There was change in Thomas. He thought his faith was BASED ON WHAT HE COULD SEE AND WHAT HE COULD FEEL. He thought it was very much to do with how he perceived. He thought faith was to do with him, his conviction and his assurance. We are like him too. If we feel good about God, then we can say we believe. If we see some assuring signs, then we say we believe. How we feel and how we perceive are very important to us. It's all about me and how I feel about God. Absence When I was in university, I used to study at Robarts library. It is U of T library. 13th floor, Red section. That place was like my second home. When you get to the corner, it faces East and you can see the whole campus. That corner was my sanctuary. It was my sacred place. Jesus often went to the mountain to pray. That was my mountain. I often went there to pray. One day, I wanted to feel God more. So, I asked him. Lord, can you show me a sign? You are almighty. You can use the cloud. Maybe something similar like heart shape? Or do anything to assure me that you are there. God didn't give me any sign. Even if he gave me the sign, soon, I would have wondered whether it was just a coincidence. That is not how faith comes about. In Jesus' time, people were looking for signs too. So when they saw the miracles, they believed Jesus. But that kind of faith did not last too long. As soon as they saw Jesus' suffering, they all deserted him. So Jesus said, An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it ' (Matthew 16:4) When they saw the sign, they felt good and they felt that God was right there and so they believed. BUT WHEN THEY SAW NOTHING, THEY FELT EMPTY, DOUBTFUL AND FELT THE ABSENCE OF GOD AND SO THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE. IF FAITH IS BASED ON US, how we perceive and how we feel, then that faith will be very shaky. Faith is more than me. Faith is more than how we perceive, how we feel, and how firm we are. LOOK AT JESUS ON THE CROSS. Jesus felt the total absence of God on the cross. He said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He felt forsaken. He felt abandoned by God. He felt total silence of God. And yet, in the end, this is what Jesus cried out. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. (Luke 23:46) That was Jesus' very last word on the cross. Even when he felt the absence of God, in the end, regardless of how he felt, he  handed over his life in God's hands. The Greek word for commend my spirit is hand over my spirit. Handing Over Last Thursday, one of KSM elders treated pastors for lunch. He said, when he was young, he had faith. And with the faith, he did this and that. “He had faith was important to him. But as he got older, he said, is very important. – leave his life, or hand over his life. He said he to God, to his children, and to pastors. This handing over is very important, he said. It is not about how much faith he has, it is about leaving everything in God's hands. Yes, that is faith. It is not about how much I know about God, how strong I feel about God, how convicted I am. It is simply leaving our life in God's hands. Once a father came to Jesus because his son had a serious problem. No one could cure him. Even the disciples could not heal him. So finally he came to Jesus and said, If you can, can you please heal my son? Jesus said, What do you mean if I can? Nothing is impossible for those who believe. And the father said, I believe. But immediately after that, he said, help my unbelief. Help my unbelief! That is faith. All I have is this unbelief, but I leave my son in your hand. Help my unbelief. RECOGNIZING YOUR OWN UNBELIEF AND YET LEAVING YOURSELF IN GOD'S HANDS, – THAT IS FAITH. Thomas was very honest with his doubts. That was the first step. But he didn't realize that faith was not about him, seeing or feeling. When he met Jesus, he realized that. His faith moved from the honest stage to the stage of leaving himself in God's hands stage. Yes, my friends, at times, we feel the total absence of God. When we see the world and when we go through hardships, we are not sure whether God is there. We are not very sure about ourselves and even about our faith. What Job confessed is often our confession. If I go forward, he is not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him; on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him; I turn to the right, but I cannot see him. (Job 23:8, 9) He couldn't see God anywhere but what did he say But he knows the way that I take (Job 23:10) His faith was not about how assured he was about God. HIS FAITH WAS BASED ON GOD AND GOD ALONE. HE KNOWS THE WAY THAT I TAKE As we live our lives, leaving ourselves totally in God's hands, God will show himself to us. And real faith will be slowly formed within us. And we can say at the end, my Lord and my God! Faith – it is more than me. The post Faith, More Than Me appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.

Scripture Passage Isaiah 65:17-25 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script The Importance of Easter HAPPY EASTER! May God fill you with hope on this Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is the most important day of the year for many Christians. It may not be the most fun day. It is not like Christmas. During Christmas, we see bright lights, sing carols, and exchange gifts. Easter is not like that but it is the most meaningful and important day. Easter is the season of welcoming new life. Long winter is now almost over and spring is on the way. Flowers are budding. New life is beginning. We are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Not only the resurrection of Jesus Christ we celebrate, we also celebrate the resurrection of ourselves. This is what St. Paul said. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. (Romans 8:11) There is the Spirit within us. That is the same Spirit who raised Jesus. That Spirit will raise us too. So we celebrate our own resurrection too. Death will not be the end. Knowing that is wonderful. This gives us hope. We have hope for the new world and new life. This is what John saw in his vision. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.' (Revelation 21:1, 4) Today, Isaiah also shared with us what he saw. For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice for ever in what I am creating; (Isaiah 65:17, 18) They both saw this wonderful vision, the vision of new world and new life. But they saw this wonderful vision, not necessarily because their life was easy and promising. They didn't write this in a beautiful luxurious South American resort where you can see mountain, forest, and the ocean. John wrote his vision in the midst of persecution. Their friends were killed because of their beliefs. There were a lot of temptations of losing their faith because of persecution and false teachings. Isaiah wrote this piece for the Israelites who came back from the Babylonian captivity. They came back home but the home wasn't really heaven. It was home that was ruined. The temple was destroyed. They lost their passion for God. Their reality was harsh. What they saw was not pretty. They were devastated. The Power of Faith and Hope People had a lot of questions about God. If God were real, why didn't God protect us from being captivated? If God really loved us, why did we go through this kind of hardship? What happened to God's promise? Is God real? It is in this context that both John and Isaiah wrote these beautiful words. In the gloomy reality, they saw the possibility of their future. Surrounded by negative things in life, they saw something positive, something hopeful, and something beautiful. That is wonderful. THAT IS THE POWER OF FAITH AND THE POWER OF HOPE. The power of faith and hope allows you to be able to see something beautiful no matter how difficult life may be. They didn't allow their circumstances to blind them, dictate them, and victimize them. Through the eyes of faith and hope, they saw light in the midst of darkness. They didn't define their reality only as being miserable and unbearable. I think that is the wisdom, the wisdom of life. The wisdom is to see both sides of our reality. Our reality is both good and bad. Our reality is both beautiful and can be ugly. Our reality is both bright and dark. The wisdom is to see beautiful things in life instead of seeing only ugly things. You can choose to see only dark side of life. A lot of people do that. It's your choice. But be prepared. If you choose to see only dark and negative things in life, you will get swept away by the darkness of life. They will damage your soul. You will become cynical and critical. Many people have this distorted understanding of life. What is good is not real. What is bad is real and what is good is just fantasy. Because we see so many bad things. Life Amidst Death Yes, our reality can be cruel and scary. We see that in what's happening in Ukraine. We see that very clearly during this global pandemic. We also see it right where we live. House price is going up so much that many people cannot even think of buying a house. The interest rate is going up. Reality can be cruel and scary. Just the other day, I was walking and I experienced gun shot right beside me. It wasn't a targeted shot. It wasn't gang related. This guy just shot a stranger, no motive. The person who was shot died. Then in 48 hours later, he shot another stranger. This guy shot two completely innocent men just going about their lives. It could be very much me. My heart was pounding and my ears were ringing because of the sound of the shot. My legs were shaky. Yes, our reality can be scary and harsh. But my friends, there is a beautiful side of our life. You need more effort to discover that. You need faith and hope to see that. That's what Easter is all about. That's what resurrection is all about. We see life in the midst of death. Hope in a good situation is not really hope. Hope is the power you have when you see nothing going for you. I see some people living with hope in a very difficult situation. This hope keeps them strong and keeps them going. To them this hope is real. Don't tell me that what they have is just fantasy. Don't tell me that they are just fooling themselves. Don't tell me that they are just living with a wishful thinking. Hope is for them the greatest power they have. Hope that they have is as real as anything. That's what keeps them going. That hope will save them. Hope is God’s Gift Hope is not what you decide to have. Hope is God's gift for you. John and Isaiah did not write what they wished to have. THEY WERE GIVEN THIS VISION. What they saw was not just psychological manipulation. It was a spiritual experience they had. Through their spiritual eyes, they were able to see HOPEFUL REALITY in all the negative things they saw. It was like finding a flower in the ashes. It is like finding treasure hidden in the mud. They experienced long nights of struggle but they saw that the morning would come. That is the beauty of life. That was what our choir sang beautifully today. Hear the music of the morning, rising with the sun. Light has come to fill the darkness, now the night is done. So let us take time to pause, take time to pray, And pray to God, who made us, God, who made the day. Spiritual people do not see only ashes or mud in life. They see treasure in life. They not only see fights and wars. They see harmony where nobody hurts each other. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, (Isaiah 65:25) They not only see futility of life. They see abundance and blessings. They shall not labour in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord and their descendants as well. (Isaiah 65:23) My friends, I know life is hard. I know you are all struggling. Many of you feel that you are stuck in a rut. You do the same old things. You are not getting anywhere. Instead of doing something meaningful and moving towards your goal, your life seems to go nowhere. But your life can change. Let your faith and hope work in your life. Ask God to help you. God is right there ready to help you. That was what Isaiah said. Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24) God will help you. With God's help, you will see the hopeful reality. You will discover life filled with laughter, confidence, courage, passion for life, and deep satisfaction. That's what Easter is all about. Happy Easter! The post Hopeful Reality appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.