Category: Sermon

Psalm 67, Matthew 15:21-28, and Romans 11: 1-2a, 29-32

 

When you think of Jesus, what image of Him do you have? We have numerous images of Jesus’ ministry, such as Jesus with his disciples, performing miracles, healing people, teaching many people on a hill, entering Jerusalem riding a donkey, being crucified, resurrecting and visiting his disciples, and ascending to heaven. The message of the Gospel of Matthew today is a little unfamiliar. This is because it differs from the image of Jesus, who always embraces others and holds their hands. Jesus gives priority value to Israel’s lost sheep. Therefore, He strictly excludes the remaining outsiders. Generally, the dogs mentioned in the Bible are mostly fierce wild dogs or dogs similar to wolves. However, the original term recorded here refers to a dog raised at home. Of course, pets are precious family members, but I think I would be a little upset if I were compared to a pet or treated as having less value. In that case, we can ask: Why did Jesus say this to her?

First, it was because of the priorities of Jesus’ ministry. At that time, Jesus and his disciples were being rejected by the Jewish leaders. To the disciples who had not yet completely abandoned their Jewish habits, the regions of Tyre and Sidon were Gentile lands and unclean places. Conversely, it was a region where many Israelites were reluctant to find Jesus. So, it was a place where Jesus and his disciples could find quieter rest and recharge. Right there, the Canaanite woman cried out and earnestly and persistently asked Jesus for help. However, Jesus wanted to use the time to train the lost sheep of Israel and his disciples. Other nations and foreigners were a secondary priority for Jesus.

Secondly, many scholars believe it was to test her faith. If you look at Matthew 15:1-20, you will see the behavior of people who pride themselves on keeping God’s laws and commandments well. They distorted the interpretation of the law. The Bible and the commandments say to honor your father and mother, but they begrudged giving to their parents and claimed to have given to God, so they did not honor their parents. They also displayed double standards, using the law as a weapon to violate the commandments. Now, they use the law as a weapon to criticize Jesus and the disciples. The Pharisees and scribes, who prided themselves on knowing God best, rejected Jesus. However, it is actually the Canaanite woman, who was mistreated by the Jews, who confesses Jesus as the Messiah. This is an event in itself.

From the time she met Jesus, she called Him “Lord, Son of David.” This confession acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah. Although this woman was a Gentile, she had a sound faith that the Jewish religious leaders did not. And she requested Jesus. “Have mercy on me. My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” It was a simple but earnest request. At the same time, she had faith that Jesus could heal her daughter. She kept requesting. Let’s look at Jesus’ actual reaction to her. In verse 23, Jesus did not answer a word. In verse 24, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” In verse 26, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” He refused as many as three times. No one likes being rejected by others. Sometimes, whether because of discrimination or economic hardship, it is not easy to remain resilient in the face of such exclusion. However, the woman did her best and humbly pleaded and pleaded again. Even though she was lower in priority than the people of Israel, she trusted and expected Jesus’ mercy and grace. Finally, Jesus praises her faith and speaks declaratively. “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”

Consequently, it foreshadows that the gospel will be extended to the Gentiles as well. We can interpret Jesus’ specific use of the phrase “dog raised in a house” as an indication that there is a place for Gentiles to dwell in the Kingdom of God as well. However, no matter how much a dog is raised in the house, Jesus deliberately contrasts ‘children’ and ‘dogs’ to remind us of this point. What we must note here is that this means the priority regarding the Gospel belongs to the Jews, but it certainly does not mean that Gentiles cannot join the ranks of the Gospel. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that Jesus did not refuse the Canaanite woman’s plea but healed her daughter’s illness, and later gave his disciples the Great Commission to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth, thereby opening the door of the gospel to the Gentiles.

 

Lastly, God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. God’s mercy and grace are directed toward all people. Therefore, He invites us every day to live as the people of the Kingdom of God. Even though the people of Israel sometimes failed to trust God’s promises and worshipped foreign gods, God’s promise of salvation did not fall to the ground. The Creator’s compassion has no limits toward us, to the extent that God even used the extreme method of sending Jesus to this earth. Presbyterian doctrine emphasizes God’s sovereign election and justification more than other denominations. Even though humans are full of mistakes, even if we lose our way, even if we are lacking and commit sins, God has chosen us. The Creator decided to make us righteous. Therefore, God conveyed the righteousness of Jesus to us and elevated our status to that of children of God. All of this is due to faith in God and God’s grace and mercy. Let us spend this week giving thanks to God, who predestined our salvation and guides us. Because of this, we are always guided by God and can humbly make requests every day. I pray that God’s mercy be with you. Amen.

1 Kings 19:9-18, Psalm 85:8-13, and Matthew 14:22-33

 

There are biblical figures named Elijah and Peter. One is a representative prophet of the Old Testament. The other person is someone who could be called Jesus’ chief disciple. However, apart from their nickname, today’s biblical expression describes them differently. Elijah was deeply hurt by Queen Jezebel and the people of Israel, who ignored the prophecy and threatened his life. He was in despair amidst deep frustration and burnout. He didn’t know what to do and didn’t have the ability to solve the problem. All he could do was complain. However, looking back, before this situation, Elijah had blessed the widow at Zarephath’s house, ensuring the jar of flour never ran out and providing the jug of oil. Even her son became ill. And he could not breathe and died. Elijah prayed to God, and God saved her son. It is an amazing thing. On Mount Carmel, Elijah confronted and defeated 850 prophets of Baals and Asherah. He, who was brave enough to win a fight against 850, has now fled to Mount Horeb and is in fear.

Peter’s situation is no different. Shameful stories of Jesus’ disciples are recorded in various places in the Gospels. Even modern people 2,000 years later can easily identify their shortcomings and mistakes. The disciples, whose faith was weak and lacking, saw Jesus walking on the lake and thought he was a ghost. Among them, Peter wanted to walk on water like Jesus. And with Jesus’ help, he finally walked. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink. Leaving behind the power of Jesus, who makes one walk on water, he nearly lost his life due to fear and doubt. Even though just moments before, he had witnessed the miracle of feeding over 5,000 to 10,000 people on the shores of the Sea of Galilee with five loaves of bread and two fish.

In the example of Peter and Elijah, I would like to share the following three things with you. The first is to remember the miracle. There are personal and collective memories. While the history of individuals and society is important, the memories held through the community of the church are also very precious. Church members are baptized at the church, lead a life of faith, and attend the Sunday Service. Many of them help someone through various events prepared by the church and experience the dynamics of faith and the touch of God. Some people sometimes have astonishing experiences through the Holy Spirit. Some Christians experience continuing grace in their very ordinary religious lives. The important thing is to remember the grace we received. It is remembering the miraculous things we have experienced.

Among the many famous people in this world and renowned ministers in the church, there are quite a few who experience great frustration and failure after achieving remarkable accomplishments. We often come across news about people who have lost their talents and are complaining of burnout. How often do many modern people get stressed because they do their best at many tasks beyond their capabilities?

If there is one key to be found in the face of all these religious and social difficulties, it is to start anew from memory. It is to remember that Christianity is a religion that, through the Bible over the past thousands of years, remembers and practices God’s unchanging love for humanity. By remembering our church’s past, we can gain the strength to overcome present difficulties. It is to have the expectation that the members can revive again, and that their descendants can grow just like us. How is this possible? You can begin by trusting the Lord through those very memories.

The second is to focus on being together. There were so many members of the Baby Boom generation that the church space was insufficient. As a result, there are often places that built very large church buildings back then but are struggling with maintenance today. On the other hand, we can meditate on God Immanuel, who was with us in those times and is with us in these difficult times now. Jesus approached Peter, who was sinking into the water in fear and trembling. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. Peter met Jesus, who came to him immediately. Sometimes even the disciples could not trust Jesus, even though He was right beside them. They failed to recognize the presence of Jesus, the source of the greatest power. However, we know of God’s omniscience and omnipotence. We cannot walk and eat together as the disciples did 2,000 years ago, but we can confess. “God is with us.” The Lord is with me, and it resonates in my heart. Both Peter and Elijah often missed God Immanuel. We may do the same. However, you just need to remember and focus again. “God is with us.”

Finally, those who fear God prepare the way of the Lord. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps. This verse is an expression that brings to mind a royal procession. In other words, “righteousness” goes ahead before God the King, and following the guidance of “righteousness,” God the King marches to open a new era of salvation. We can also understand this to mean that God is present as the King of Israel and transforms the state of Israel into righteousness.

The poet emphasizes God’s righteousness and highlights God’s work of leading His people to the path of righteousness. The psalmist understood this to mean that God’s justice and God’s peace will be fully realized on this earth. Beloved, the faithful God desires to usher in an era of righteousness and peace through us. I pray that we may all become people who experience and anticipate God’s presence in hope. Amen.

Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21, Isaiah 55:1-5, and Matthew 14:13-21

 

The words of Matthew make us recall many things. Herod the tetrarch killed John the Baptist. However, upon hearing the news of Jesus’ ministry, he thought that John the Baptist had risen. Upon hearing this news in Galilee, Jesus must have thought about the mission and time given to him.

First, resurrection makes us think of someone. The concept of resurrection was held among Zoroastrians and Jews in the Persian region at that time. However, they also could not see this with their own eyes. Herod was filled with fear and guilt, so he mistakenly thought that John the Baptist had risen. At the same time, Jesus came to be recognized as a prophet surpassing John the Baptist through various miracles and teachings.

Beloved, John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus through his faithful ministry. It is a valuable thing to be remembered by many people to the extent that they think of John through the ministry of Jesus. Likewise, if someone can think of Jesus through our lives, it will be a great and valuable thing.

Second, we need to pay close attention to the beginning of the miracle of feeding over 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. This is because there is Jesus’ compassion and gratitude there. Jesus wanted to go to a solitary place, but a large crowd followed him. This was an act that helped Herod, who wanted to execute Jesus. If 5,000 to 10,000 people suddenly marched in downtown Red Deer and gathered at Bower Ponds or Westerner Park right now, it would be news. Likewise, at that time, the fact that as many as 10,000 people who were not favourable to the regime gathered and moved was an event that would cause a major problem. Despite the threats approaching Jesus, He first felt compassion for the people.

The original word for this large crowd is “oklos,” and they were not rich or nobles. It is a word used to refer to disadvantaged people in society. So, Jesus understood their hunger and worried about them. Naturally, these were people who didn’t even have a good house. For them, mealtime is meaningless. Since there was nothing to eat, it would be reasonable for the disciples to suggest sending them to a village to buy food. However, that was not responsible behaviour. Faced with the attempt to separate the disciples from “Oklos,” Jesus speaks to the disciples. “You give them something to eat.” The disciples’ response to Jesus’ statement is also very right. “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish.” It is difficult to share what I have with others when I don’t even have enough to eat myself. It was not enough for the 13 of them to eat, so how could they share this with over 5,000 or 10,000 people? Here, we can discover compassion and gratitude that transcend rationality. Jesus tells his disciples to bring bread and fish. Then, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Everyone ate their fill, and the leftover pieces filled twelve baskets. Jesus performs miracles starting with thanksgiving. He confirms their mission to the disciples, who are disappointed by the less bread and fish. He tells them, “You are the ones who must serve them and give them something to eat.” Of course, it may be difficult for us to perform miracles as Jesus did. However, our identity is as clear as that of the disciples. The fact is that we are servants. At the same time, we are also children who receive grace from Jesus.

As one example, I believe that the magic of exchange rates can create another miracle. The fact is that if the power of the dollar grows stronger as Canada becomes wealthier, we can effectively work miracles by pooling small amounts of money through Presbyterian Sharing and Presbyterian World Service and Development.

Most recently, last winter, we delivered groceries to the Food Bank and Mustard Seed through our church’s Mission Committee. This spring, we supported the Red Deer Amethyst House (Canadian Mental Health Association) through pancake fundraising. I believe that although our church is small, it is a meaningful community. And I hope that we become a church that expands these miraculous things.

So, I would like to deliver this message to you again and again. Please tell everyone—neighbours and friends—“Come all of you.” As proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah, “Come all who are thirsty, have no money. Give ear and come to me. Listen, that you may live.” Please continue to invite all of them to come to God. Let us continue to encourage our friends to live a satisfying life in the Lord, just like the people who became the main characters of the miracles performed by Jesus. If my soul lives and the souls of my neighbours live, and the sure grace granted by God does not cease, we will be able to experience the Kingdom of God on earth. I hope you dwell in God’s sovereignty.

Finally, the gracious and compassionate Lord will give the Lord’s peace to all of us. Let us live responding with “Amen.”

1 Kings 3:5-12, Psalm 119:129-136, and Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

 

Jesus speaks to His disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven and the end of the world in parables. What kind of place is the Kingdom of Heaven? Jesus says the following five things. They are mustard seed, yeast, treasure hidden in a field, merchant looking for fine pearls, and net that caught all types of fish.

First, what is the reason Jesus spoke of the mustard seed? Although mustard seeds are so small that they are barely visible, when planted in the ground and fully grown, they grow to be more than 3 meters tall. Therefore, mustard is depicted as a symbolic plant that grows to a size incomparable to the original size of its seed. So the theme of this parable is that the Kingdom of Heaven begins by appearing insignificant at first, but later expands remarkably.

It is to show that just as a mustard seed grows large enough for birds of the air to perch on it, heaven, although it begins in a small and insignificant form, grows outwardly enough for countless people to enjoy rest there once it is completed. Jesus, who came to this earth, was not of high status, as He was the son of a mere carpenter born in a stable in Bethlehem. However, the gospel preached by Jesus spread through Judea and Samaria to Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Far East. The scale has grown beyond recognition. Furthermore, the small faith dwelling in the disciples’ hearts grew secretly into a great faith that the world could not withstand, forming the church and becoming the seed of modern Christianity.

Second is yeast. When yeast is mixed with flour to make dough, it rises several times its original size. The amount of yeast in sixty pounds of flour was not large. However, thanks to this small thing, we can share a fairly large amount of bread with several people. So, Jesus chose yeast as an example of something extremely small and insignificant that achieves great inner growth. So He wanted to show that the beginning of Heaven also starts from something extremely small. Just like yeast, when the Gospel enters my life, it changes me. It helps me grow. So it allows us to experience heaven. Furthermore, through that power, the realm and sovereignty of God’s rule are expanded tremendously.

The third is that the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. This parable is recorded only in the Gospel of Matthew. It shows that the owner of the treasure dug deep into the field and hid it. In Palestine, a region frequently subjected to foreign invasions, and in times when there were no banks, hiding valuable treasures underground was not unusual. Heaven is a reality that is not easily visible to ordinary people, like a treasure hidden in a field. However, its value is so great that it would not be a waste to sell all one’s possessions to buy it. In other words, just as the man who discovered the treasure hidden in the field sold all his possessions to buy the field where the treasure was hidden, the Kingdom of Heaven is worth obtaining even at the cost of sacrificing everything one has.

The fourth is “merchant looking for fine pearls.” Likewise, it is a parable that shows that heaven is worth obtaining, even at the cost of tremendous sacrifice. Jesus wanted to emphasize this again by telling the parable of the pearl, which has a similar content, in addition to the parable of the treasure hidden in the field. So, He shows us how valuable heaven is. The original word for “merchant” is “andropho emporo,” which refers to a wholesaler who travels from place to place in search of fine pearls. The pearl merchant diligently searching here and there for an exceptionally fine pearl, and upon finding it, selling all his possessions to buy it, demonstrates that Heaven is worth possessing even if it means selling everything one has.

Lastly, it is like a net that caught all kinds of fish. The essence of the net parable lies not in catching fish with a net, but in distinguishing between good and bad fish at the shore and discarding the bad ones. Just like the parable of the weeds mentioned earlier (verses 24-30), the eschatological judgment on this world, in which the righteous and the wicked are mixed, carries the image of separating the righteous from the wicked and throwing the wicked into the furnace of fire. This net is a method of catching all the fish using a bottom trawling technique from both sides of the lake. Then, the good fish are gathered in one place, and the bad ones are thrown away. Likewise, Heaven is accessible to those who are worthy of the qualifications. The end of the world is just like this. Those who are prepared by the gospel can enter. Those who are not qualified will not be able to enter the Kingdom of God, as stated in verse 50.

Beloved, Jesus spoke through various parables like this to help us better understand the Gospel and the Kingdom of God, and to invite others. Like a merchant working diligently to possess good treasures, I also hope we complete the tasks given to us on this earth faithfully. Furthermore, we desire that the hope for heaven grows within us and helps us grow. We will continue to meet the transformed version of ourselves through the Gospel and welcome a new tomorrow. And let us invite others. So let’s enter that kingdom together with our neighbours. Amen.

Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, and Romans 8:12-25

 

It’s a bit of a funny story. I once had a friend who said this: “I want to be the person who pays the most tithes in our church.” Of course, when it comes to offerings, one contributes well when they have ample cash and sound faith. I am telling you this because I was able to verify the budget established by the presbytery treasurer last month. Among them, our church’s contribution caught my eye. Our church contributed the fourth largest amount. Some people may feel that the money paid to the presbytery or national office like this is like a tax. However, I would like our church to reach a level where it contributes the most to the presbytery. On the contrary, I say this based on our church’s solid financial stability and our desire to support the seminary and ministries in need worldwide.

It is my wish, but today we can also examine the Lectionary from the perspective of hope. From the perspective of faith, hope is invisible. This is Romans verse 24. “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all.” The fact that I am saved is not visible. Theologians have developed various doctrines regarding this salvation over the past two thousand years. It goes beyond the doctrine that one is saved simply by believing. That is the beginning, and the process of sanctification must accompany it. Therefore, throughout the process of conversion, faith, discipline, and sanctification, we always continually hope. We renew our faith and live trusting in God’s faithful promises. That is why hope begins in this entire process. Only when we have hope for the Kingdom of God can we carry out God’s work in the world without getting weary.

Beloved, the most important value as a person of faith is living according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Paul says that when we are led by the Holy Spirit and live, we become children of God. Throughout our lives, we have received various experiences, values, and education, but our guide must be the Holy Spirit. This is because the Holy Spirit is our guarantor and is the wisest. The Holy Spirit tells us what ought to be done. He also gives the Spirit of God as a gift. By receiving this, we have been adopted as children of God. God has called me, an unworthy person, as His child through the Holy Spirit. There is no greater grace and glory in the world than this. Therefore, let us live according to the Holy Spirit. Let us meditate on what the Holy Spirit desires. Then the Spirit of wisdom will show us ways that go beyond our knowledge. Overcoming the temptation to make decisions based on how I have lived and my own wisdom is a challenge. However, continually praying for what God desires is the way to cast off our old self. There is nothing as difficult to change as a person’s personality and temperament. We must resolve to change and live according to the Holy Spirit. We must ask ourselves if this is truly what God wants.

Someone heard my wife and me preaching and told us that we live a truly hopeful life. Of course, I haven’t heard my wife’s sermon either, so I don’t really know her sermon. The important thing is that I wasn’t originally that kind of person. Since coming to Knox, I have come to sing more of hope and try to see the positive side more.

I want to show you two photos here. On the left is the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul, Türkiye. It was built as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral and is now used as a mosque. It was a Greek Orthodox church from 537 to 1453, and was used as a Roman Catholic church from 1204 to 1261 after being occupied by the Latin Empire. Afterwards, it was used as a mosque from 1453, when the Ottoman Empire occupied Constantinople, until 1931, and then reopened as a museum in 1935. In 2020, it was converted back from a museum to a mosque by order of the President of Türkiye and is now known as the ‘Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque’.

The photo on the right shows two figures who are occasionally mentioned in the news these days. This is a photo of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who reached the World Cup final, washing Spain’s forward Lamine Yamal. Yamal was born in 2007 in Roca Fonda, a slum 30 km away from Barcelona, Spain. More than half of the residents were poor. Both of Yamal’s parents were poor immigrants. However, after showing talent in soccer, he honed his skills with the support of the FC Barcelona youth academy.

Argentina’s Messi had exceptional soccer talent, but he barely grew taller after around age 10. He was diagnosed with ‘growth hormone deficiency’ at the hospital. It was a rare disease where growth stopped because growth hormone was not secreted sufficiently, and the only treatment was to receive growth hormone injections costing over $1,000 every day. The medical expenses are at a level that an ordinary working-class family in Argentina cannot afford. Messi’s father thought that finding a wealthy European club would be a breakthrough for his son, so when Messi was 13, they went to Spain for a trial with FC Barcelona. With the club’s technical director vouching for his skills, Messi began receiving support for his treatment and overall life. He had a rare disease that prevented him from growing tall, but with consistent growth hormone injections, he reached a height of 170 cm.

This photo was taken in 2007, when Messi, then 20 years old, posed for a UNICEF charity calendar as a promising FC Barcelona player. He staged a scene where he bathed a baby born in a slum, and that very baby would later face him in the World Cup final. For reference, Messi is a Catholic and Yamal is a Muslim. The important fact is that we must see, create, and coexist with hope within God’s love. Instead of hostilely pushing away other religions, we must show them through our lives that our Jesus Christ is hope and salvation.

We all continue to live seeking the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then God confirms us as His children. Glory and freedom that will unfold in the future are prepared for us. Therefore, Beloved, let us pray with hope. Let us live by keeping our distance from those who sow weeds in our hearts and lives, and drawing closer to the Holy Spirit, who is our hope. Amen.