Author: knoxchurchreddeer

Psalm 65:9-13, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23, and Romans 8:1-11;

 

Here is a person. His father was a pastor of the Protestant Church in Switzerland, and his maternal grandfather was a famous pastor and seminary professor. He established the concepts of complexes and the collective unconscious, and distinguished personalities into introverted and extroverted groups. His name is Carl Gustav Jung, the founder of analytical psychology. Although he grew up in a Christian environment, he understood God as a spiritual model that humans should follow. In which category of Jesus’ parables does he belong?

As a believer and minister, I observe various factors that influence the growth of faith, such as human psychology, emotions, and interpersonal relationships. Moreover, a person’s heart and emotions sometimes serve as a support for spiritual growth, and conversely, can become a stumbling block. Three months ago, when I returned from visiting my parents in Korea, my mother told me this episode. My home church was a church that started through church planting at the largest church in that town. When I was in elementary school, my family and about 10 other church members were seed members. In fact, after the senior pastor retired, the newly appointed pastor forced other clergy members to resign, and there were conflicts, both large and small, within the church. Our family, who never left the church even during wartime since my grandfather’s time, eventually started a new church. My father was a deacon at the time, and with the presbytery’s permission, he started a new church. Afterwards, the church grew to about 200 attendees. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the church’s founding, and my mother was upset since

new leaders erased my father’s dedicated history after he retired as an elder. They celebrated it by praising themselves.

I am sharing this message with you because more than 80% of my faith comes from my mother. She is very dedicated to church service and has strong social resilience. She also served as the leader of a women’s group. She is frequently asked to pray by church members because she is the one who prays the longest at the early morning prayer meeting every day. Even she, however, is shaken by small misunderstandings or mistakes that occur between people, and her life of faith spanning over 70 years is shaken. Of course, she is fine now.

Dear friends. How is your faith? Today, Jesus’ words explain a parable in the Gospel of Matthew that encompasses our lives and inner selves. There are four places where the seeds of the Gospel have been sown. These places are along the path, in rocky places, among thorns, and on good soil. Many people today listen to the Message about the kingdom. They have various tools to access it through radio, TV, and the internet.  We have a much more convenient and effective method than people 2,000 years ago. However, very unfortunately, the field of our hearts still requires continued effort to fertilize and create good soil. This is because the evil one constantly hinders the gospel from taking root and growing within us.

If I think about the time when my faith was purest, and I readily accepted the Gospel, it was when I was a teenager. I wandered the most during my adolescence and made many mistakes. So, there were many times when I repented even more and prayed with tears. That is why I accepted the Gospel with a pure heart at that time. Through nearly 10 years of theological studies and over 20 years of church ministry, my knowledge and maturity have grown. Still, in terms of spiritual growth, I remember my teenage years as the period of the most rapid growth.

However, my current heart is like a rocky place; I easily rejoice in the Gospel, yet I still stumble. Of course, you probably won’t notice. That is because I maintain a poker face. I merely reveal my weakness to God. I hold a pastoral philosophy that faith is something demonstrated through one’s life. However, when I look into myself, I often confirm that I am a very fragile being. When trouble or persecution comes, I stumble easily. That is me. So, I entrust myself to God more often. I pray and ask God for help. It is because I lack ability and the good soil of my heart.

Many people today live in an era of unparalleled abundance. Of course, facing financial difficulties is common. Just as there is an ancient inscription in the tomb of an Egyptian Pharaoh that reads, “Kids these days have no manners,” experiencing economic hardship has always existed, regardless of time or place. However, as I get older, my worries increase. As you can see, the reason my hair is gradually turning silver compared to two years ago is worldly worries. Modern people are living in the best environment to encounter the Gospel. However, paradoxically, in this most affluent and convenient era, there are not enough places for the Gospel to take root for them.

Therefore, you who have heard the word and understood should produce a hundred times as many crops. I hope that you all live as good soil and good trees. I hope you provide shade and fruit to someone. I hope that when someone sees you, they can smell the fragrance of positivity and the Gospel. This is because you are the Knox Church, and each one of you is an agent of Jesus Christ.

As the Apostle Paul said, you are in the realm of the Spirit. The Spirit of God lives in us. We have the Spirit of Christ. Therefore, beloved ones, let us live as Christians. Just as this single seed holds infinite potential, let us also live as seeds of the Gospel. Amen.

Psalm 145:8-14, Zechariah 9:9-12, and Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

 

The vacation season has officially begun. Having weathered the past winter and spring, summer is a time for us to find special rest and recharge. Actually, in Korea, where I grew up, summer is the hottest and most humid season, and it is a difficult time because rainfall and typhoons occur frequently. Conversely, in Canada, I often feel cool just by going into the shade. Although there are many mosquitoes these days, I find a sense of peace when sitting in a rocking chair and quietly gazing at the sky.

Jesus invites us to peace and rest. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.” Looking at the original biblical words for “weary” and “burdened,” they refer to a state of physical fatigue and emotional exhaustion. That is why Jesus went to find those who had lost courage and were in despair. Why were people at that time so exhausted? The reason was that they were burdened with heavy loads by others. One of them is the stress caused by the oppression of the Roman Empire. Another was the practices of the law enforced by the Pharisees and scribes.

Compared to today, the income of modern people has increased compared to 30 years ago. However, housing prices and living costs have risen much more than that. Therefore, we have entered an era where it is no longer very difficult to support a family or buy a house with the income of just one person. In North America, it is easy to find news that the percentage of people who consider themselves middle class has significantly decreased today. Of course, I think Canada is relatively better than the US. The important thing is the fact that many people are losing their jobs due to industrial automation and mechanization. Therefore, modern people are each experiencing various threats, both economically and existentially. One cannot imagine how much stress and tension this resulting psychological and physical burden places on so many people.

Jesus speaks to us again. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. I feel very grateful through these words of Jesus. When we meet someone, there are times when we feel a sense of stability just by being together. I left my hometown to live in a boarding school starting from high school. So, strangely enough, whenever I went back to my hometown, I would get very sleepy whenever I met my parents. Looking back now, I think it’s because I felt a sense of stability and peace by my parents’ side. However, Jesus promises us a peace that is deeper and wider than this.

However, the following statement is very paradoxical. “²⁹ 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. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” How many people in the world would like a yoke? However, Jesus explains. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Jesus was the King of Kings. However, He laid down all that authority and came to this earth. Although He was the Son of God, He lived as a thoroughly suffering servant. He lived our lives exactly as they were for the salvation of us humans. He shared in the various worries and difficulties we face in life. Jesus also faced the various problems encountered in the life of faith. Because He fully understands our human problems and their causes, He provides appropriate solutions. That is precisely the invitation to bear the yoke of Jesus.

What is the easy and light yoke that Jesus spoke of? It is lighter than the 613 laws imposed on the people by Jewish religious leaders. It is easier than the heavy religious rituals and practices they made people observe. Therefore, the words of Jesus are a yoke based on God’s overflowing grace and love. Therefore, the burden that Jesus placed on humanity can be learned through Jesus. Jesus tells us about salvation and rest that go beyond our human abilities and deeds that we consider righteous. It means that humans do not open the door to salvation through their own works, but that God, in His sovereign power, calls us through Jesus. And it means that when we walk that path with faith, we enjoy the state of salvation through God’s grace. Therefore, let us silently follow the path of Jesus Christ, our King.

Finally, the Messiah prophesied by Zechariah was proven 500 years later by the coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus gave peace to Israel, a colonized people suffering from oppression, in a way different from their expectations. He bestowed grace and blessings different from their hopes. There are times when we feel that God’s timing is much further away and slower to be answered than we think, just like the prophets’ prophecies. So, even when my situation is so desperate, there are times when God’s presence feels distant. However, grace that surpasses our hopes and the peace of Jesus, who deeply understands our sorrows, will surely come. I hope this rest will be with you in your daily life forever. Amen.

Genesis 22:1-14, Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18, and Matthew 10:40-42

I had a very busy week. Actually, rather than having many schedules, there were a lot of things to think about. The lectionary also invited me to cover very important and in-depth topics.

The first is death. Recently, gun-related accidents have been occurring all over the country. There have been incidents where a considerable number of police officers lost their lives for the sake of public safety. What particularly impressed me was that broadcasters live-streamed the funerals of these police officers. I recently watched parts of the Funeral for Toronto Police Constable Marc Pinizzotto on CTV. I feel that the culture of the entire society mourning together, including the funeral of Vancouver Police Officer Shaelyn Yang last year, is precious.

There are various ways to interpret and mourn death from a humanities perspective. Differences in religion can arise depending on the interpretation of continuity and discontinuity regarding life and death. There are psychological and philosophical approaches surrounding loss and healing. As seen in the collective memorial service for police officers mentioned earlier, there is a culture of sharing communal solidarity and memories. Here, the Bible and theology share diverse perspectives on death. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can confirm a connection to a world beyond the time on Earth where the body resides. Furthermore, today, as in the words of Genesis, we discover God, who uses even death as a tool to test our faith.

How can we understand God’s command to offer Abraham’s only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering to God? This is a completely different matter from asking someone to pluck the stars from the sky when dating. Honestly, if God were to ask me to sacrifice my son Sean’s life for God, I wouldn’t be able to do it. I simply expect and pray that the God I believe in will not demand such things from me, at least. Of course, God simply wanted to confirm Abraham’s obedience based on his faith. Abraham proved his faith through very fundamental and thorough obedience. God praised him as He saw that he did not withhold anything in the world from God. Abraham’s determination to return everything he has because it was given by God is very sincere. Even if God required my death, it would be difficult to obey, so the command to offer my children is very tough. However, God tests him so that many people may take Abraham as a model through him. Abraham’s attitude of placing no great value on anything before God challenges today’s Christians who fear God. The important thing is whether I, like Abraham, am choosing God first and above all other values.

Today, we will have Holy Communion shortly. What can we remember today through the death of Jesus? The fact is that even if it differs from my will, if God wills it, I must do God’s work. We can reflect on whether we have the faith to obey, even if we cannot understand all of God’s plans through our own reason, knowledge, and experience. Jesus also struggled. However, just like Jesus, who finally obeyed God’s will, and like Abraham, I want to walk this path of faith that transcends death with you today. This journey of faith is never easy. So, prayer is needed, and companions in faith are needed.

As one example, there were drug-addicted homeless people on the church lawn last Thursday. Glenn Allen was mowing the lawn and watering, but the homeless’ condition was not good. The Safe Harbour social division team arrived and attempted to handle the situation, but they were unable to do so. Unlike the typical case of fentanyl addiction, where physical signs are low, he ran around wildly here and there. He crossed the road across the middle school playground, and eventually, peace officers and even the RCMP were dispatched. As a result, the Safe Harbour team found him. It made me think a lot. It was a very pitiful situation, and at the same time, it was one in which the children at the daycare center and the middle school students could feel threatened. In addition, the young man under the influence of drugs was also at risk of being involved in a traffic accident. In addition, as part of our mission, we sometimes receive complaints, both large and small. For some, this can easily turn into criticism, with people asking, “How could the church do such a thing?” I actually receive a stipend for my ministry, but it deeply hurts my heart when church members who volunteer are criticized by others.

However, I thought about it the other way around. I think that such things can happen because of the high expectations for Christians and the high demands from society on the Knox congregation. The question, “Shouldn’t a church be like this?” is asked only when the church still has a reason to exist. People do not demand such expectations or high standards from churches that have stopped growing and are just waiting to close their doors. People are making requests of us because we are seen as a church with the capacity for a mission. I invite you to continue this precious ministry. Amen.