Tag: Rev. Jaebok Gu

Psalm 104:24-35, Acts 2:1-21 and 1 Corinthians 12:3-13

 

Early last week, I attended a conference with leaders from various denominations at a church in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The main themes were the church, land, and community; in reality, responses regarding the decline in the number of believers and the practical use of space. This conference provided practical assistance in preparing for the future financially, focusing on examples from large, historic local churches. The warning that one-third of churches could disappear within the next five years, compared to ten years ago, sent chills down my spine. Of course, I have been interested in the construction of the church and the development of the region where the church is located in the past. So, I remember that when I drove, I mainly focused on the church buildings. This habit persisted even after coming to Canada, and I recall finding A-shaped church buildings in Canada interesting whenever I saw them. In fact, we can sense the seriousness of the problem even when looking at the weak churches within our presbytery. However, I learned that there are many difficulties with last-minute preparation, and that I need to prepare step by step over a period of five years. Of course, our church’s situation is relatively better, and I believe it will improve if we prepare just a little more from now.

Today is Pentecost Sunday. This is a time to commemorate the Risen Jesus’ ascension to heaven and the sending of the Holy Spirit to this earth. The selection of new disciples to replace Judas and their growth into leaders of the 1st-century church have several implications for us. In today’s reading, the disciples gathered in one place on Pentecost. And there the Holy Spirit came upon each person, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in different languages. This part is a record that was previously unimaginable. Conversely, when humans rebelled against God out of pride, as in the Tower of Babel incident, God confused their language to hinder their communication. However, at Pentecost, God enabled the disciples to speak to the people who had come to Jerusalem from their regions in their own languages through the Holy Spirit. We can confirm the God who scatters and the God who gathers. These principles of God’s work also apply to our church today. There are various groups within our church. Internally, there are the Sunday School, Card Making, Board, and Sessions, while externally, there is the Mission Committee. And we are forming relationships, both large and small, with various groups within the church, receiving help and simultaneously giving help. The driving force to outreach to the local community and the world, through the grace and spiritual growth received within the church, is made possible through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must welcome God, who always comes to us by our side and speaks to us in a language that is easy to understand. How can we meet God, who opens our mouths and ears? It is the very thing we all know well. It is the Bible and prayer. It was written in a language we understand. It helps us meditate more easily on God’s will and plan. The Creator opens our eyes and ears. In this way, we must recognize that God is always with us.

Next, it is the principle of walking with the Holy Spirit and being fully used. With what mindset did the disciples gather on Pentecost? Now, they are the people who must carry out the work Jesus commanded on this earth. They likely gathered with a bit of fear and a heavy sense of responsibility. They would have asked themselves. “What are my talents or resources? Jesus is the Son of God, but I am not.” God filled these disciples with the Holy Spirit. Finally, when many Jews came to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit prompted the disciples to use their own language. When they seek God’s work with pure faith, God gives the disciples various abilities and gifts. So, they did the work 100% in accordance with God’s will.

The people who came to Jerusalem are faithful leaders from each region. They will not live in Jerusalem forever, but will return to their original homes and hometowns after Pentecost. The work of the filling of the Holy Spirit that they witnessed creates the effect of sowing seeds before the disciples go there and preach the gospel. This applies equally to today’s era.

When I confess with faith that I cannot do it myself, God uses us in His work at the Lord’s time. Let me share a shameful example. In fact, Koreans have been taught for a very long time that they are a homogeneous nation. The logic is that our country is composed of a single ethnic group. Of course, these things have weakened now. This concept became an effective weapon when Japan or China invaded. However, this is scientifically impossible. Because, given the composition of human DNA, it cannot be limited to a single race or ethnicity. Fifteen years ago, while writing my master’s thesis, I researched racial discrimination and coexistence in various countries. I have confirmed that the people of any country comprise five or more ethnic groups, regions, and races. Although I am Asian, my mother’s hair colour was mostly brown. This indicates that I carry Eurasian genes, and my small eyes provide evidence that my ancestors migrated from the north to the south.

Returning to the scripture, the Korean people treated foreigners coming from outside according to their skin colour in the past. They were very kind to white people, but treated people from less fortunate countries differently. There were many times when workers from Southeast Asia or the Middle East did not receive fair treatment or protection, even though they performed difficult and dangerous work in my place. However, the church protected the Muslim workers who came seeking help, and the Gospel was encountered. The church opened a human rights protection center for workers and collected their overdue wages on their behalf. It opened the way for treatment for workers whose health insurance benefits had expired. Foreign workers who have a favourable impression of the church return home with the tools of the Gospel and wealth after their visas expire. Of course, it is not a large number. However, in a land that is very dangerous for missionaries to visit, far more missionaries from the Middle East began to appear than just one. Of course, it is not easy. I ask the Holy Spirit, relying on the words of verse 21. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” May we become instruments of God, and may everyone we meet receive God. May we all become one in the Holy Spirit and proclaim the Lord’s gospel and peace to this land. Amen.

Psalm 21:1–7, John 17:1–11 and Ephesians: 1:15–23

 

Some Christians like the expression that they received an answer from God through prayer. In that case, can I receive an answer from God every time I pray? In fact, all prayers are answered. It may be answered according to my will, according to God’s will, or neither. If so, would one be happy if one’s prayers were always answered? Conversely, would life be unhappy just because things don’t go my way? There are times in our lives when we face results that do not go according to our prayers, but for which we are even more grateful. I am very happy these days because the prayers from 20 years ago and 10 years ago have not been answered. At that time, my prayer did not include ministry in Canada. But I am very thankful to God right now.

Here, through Jesus’ prayer, we can see the various aspects of prayer and answer. In John 17, through Jesus’ prayer, we witness prayer in a situation that goes beyond my hopes and plans. Right now, Jesus is in a situation where things are not going according to his will and plans, on the path of the cross. What thoughts did Jesus have at that time before ascending to heaven? He must have had various complex thoughts and worries. However, Jesus faithfully carried out God’s work. We can understand this well through verses 4 and 6. “⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. ⁶ “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word.”  Jesus prays to God. I have completed the things my father told me to do. I have glorified the Father’s name on this earth, and I have revealed You. Those who believe in God have been left on this earth. I proclaimed God to them and taught the gospel.

However, the mysterious thing is the fact that Jesus’ prayer changes. As we now know, the situation Jesus faced was challenging. With the omnipotence received from God, Jesus has performed countless miracles to this day. However, from now on, Jesus must do the exact opposite and lay down all his divine power. He can strike the evil forces threatening Him with lightning and blow them away with a windstorm. However, he is well aware that this deviates from God’s will and plan. He has the ability, but he is in a situation where he must not use it. In a very difficult situation, Jesus still prays to God. In verse 5, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

Jesus, who must be placed in the most dishonourable situation through death on the cross, asks God: “Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory.” However, the prayer directed toward Jesus himself changes direction to a prayer for his disciples. These are verses 9 and 11. “⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you.” Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. I want to cry every time I read this prayer. This is because Jesus’ prayer very clearly reveals His heart toward His disciples. Jesus said, “I pray for them. I can no longer be with them in the world. But God, please protect them and make them one, just as we are.” In this prayer, you can read Jesus’ love, concern, and various complex emotions. Perhaps Jesus predicted that after the crucifixion and resurrection, Christians and the church would be persecuted, scattered, and sometimes repeatedly divided through conflict. However, the key point is that Jesus’ prayer shifted toward conforming to God’s will and prioritizing others over oneself. Through this, we learn the lesson of discerning God’s will before our own plans.

The same is true of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. Intercessory prayer for others has power. This is because it is what God has commanded and requested. At that time, the believers received valuable teachings from the Apostle Paul for three years. However, immigrants from various regions of Türkiye had weak roots in faith. They were easily deceived by heretics. People who were knowledgeable and faithful lacked the heart to embrace beginners. So they were busy condemning one another, and the church lost its love and passion for God. It was at this time that the Apostle Paul wrote a letter while praying in prison.

Through this prayer, we can see that the Apostle Paul introduces Jesus to the believers and teaches about the church community. Paul prays that the believers will receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation and know the hope of God who calls them. He also proclaims to Christians who have just come to know Jesus that He is truly the Son of God. He continued to pray that the eyes of their hearts would be opened and that they would understand and know this so that they could accept it with faith. So he explains that Jesus is the head of the church God established for the people of this earth, and that the church is His body. Through Paul’s prayer, we come to know that Jesus is everything in our lives. This is because He gave us everything, and when we know Him, we can enjoy fullness.

Beloved, I would like to recommend this one thing through the prayers of Jesus and Paul. I hope that we become people who look beyond our circumstances and environment to God’s will and plan, whether or not our prayers are fulfilled. I pray that this week will be a time when we earnestly pray for our families and neighbours around us, just as Jesus and Paul did. Amen.

Psalm 115, John 14:15-21, and 1 Peter 3:13-22

 

I thank all the mothers and women of this land. Your life of dedication, driven by the desire for your children’s well-being, has guided many children onto the right path. I pay my deepest respects to all the women who still pray for and bless their families. In fact, in Korea, May 8th is designated as Parents’ Day. So, it is a culture to give carnations to father and mother.

We meet various advocates as we go through life. I also met them during my recent visit to Korea. I was able to meet my Sunday School teachers and friends. They reminded me of childhood episodes when I dreamed of becoming a pastor. There were parts I didn’t remember, but when the Sunday School pastor and teacher asked those who dreamed of becoming pastors to raise their hands, I was the only one out of 100 children to do so. Another friend told my mother that he didn’t raise his hand because I did. I was able to return with great strength and comfort because they told me that they are still praying for me.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus explains a new concept to his disciples. That is precisely another advocate. It is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Truth. What kind of advocates do Jesus’ disciples need? I would like you to think about this. Jesus previously explained to His disciples the path of the cross and His various journeys. Perhaps it is a time filled with fear of what lies ahead, rather than a positive future. Political and religious persecution will come to the disciples. However, Jesus is not the only one who cares for them. God also loves them and looks forward to the world after Jesus. So, the Creator plans to send a new advocate to them. Jesus says that the Spirit comes to earth and will be with us forever. Jesus encourages them by saying that the Spirit of Truth is with the disciples and will show them what they ought to do. Even if we drive on unfamiliar roads, we have little to fear as long as we have a GPS navigation system, a cell phone, and gas. If we were to liken these three things to the Holy Spirit, truth is like a navigation system in our lives. It helps you discern what to do and what to avoid. However, there are often sections where the navigation system fails while we are driving. I once had a time when Google Maps didn’t work for about an hour in the middle of vast cornfields while passing through Montana and South Dakota. At that time, I felt very afraid. It was because it had more corn and cattle than people. Likewise, if we drift away from the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we go through life, or if we live a path that deviates from God’s guidance, we may face great fear and threat.

Next, the Holy Spirit can be compared to a mobile phone. I visited Korea recently and replaced my mother’s cell phone with a smartphone. As a result, I have been able to video call my parents more often than before. In this way, mobile phones are very helpful for communicating with people who live far apart. Likewise, the Holy Spirit helps us communicate with the invisible God. It connects us with the Creator and confirms His love for us. It often serves as a bridge between God and us, ensuring opportunities to communicate with God at all times. Even the fee is free.

Finally, the Holy Spirit can be likened to fuel. The fuel that keeps a car running enables it to keep moving anywhere. Likewise, the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to recover even when we are weary. The Holy Spirit also gives us various gifts and fruits. Through them, we gain the energy to dedicate ourselves to God’s work even now. I realize the value of gas again after the war between Iran and the U.S. What I feel even more acutely than the rising price of oil is the presence of the Holy Spirit. What would it have been like if the Holy Spirit were not in my life? If I were to ask myself, “Could I live without the help of the Holy Spirit?”, I would undoubtedly not even be able to preach here and now. It is all thanks to the Holy Advocate that I am able to preach God’s word and live by faith with you here, nearly 10,000 km from my hometown.

I believe that having a heart to help you understand and be considerate of me, a stranger, is, once again, also the help of the Holy Spirit. I, too, can wait one more time when misunderstandings arise from cultural differences or language barriers, thanks to the Holy Spirit’s help. The reason I have a heart to love you even more, and the reason you always welcome me, is because we are in God. Therefore, I describe the church as a community of faith and its members as one family in faith. If we share one faith and truth, and eat and live together, we could consider this an extended family.

Beloved, Jesus spoke clearly to His disciples. It is in verse 18: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” The Lord is surely with us. A good advocate also comes into our lives. And we, too, will come to know that Jesus is within us. What greater comfort could there be than this?

You may sometimes suffer hardships for doing good. Unintended accidents may occur in my life or to my neighbours. And as Tolstoy expressed in the novel “Anna Karenina”, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Misfortune and hardship torment humans in all kinds of forms. However, what is clear is that God gives believers the strength to rise again over those difficulties. Therefore, I hope you dwell with the Spirit of Truth this week as well. Your family will be enriched by the peace given by the Lord. Amen.

 

 

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16, John 14:1-14, and 1 Peter 2:2-10

 

Thanks to your consideration, I was able to have a safe trip to Korea last month. Thank you. Spending a lot of time with my parents allowed me to realize the importance of family again. I thank God for giving us the gift of family.

Today’s readings help us to meditate on Jesus Christ and the life of God’s people. Today’s Gospel of John is set after events such as Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the various attempts to kill Him, the prediction of His death, Judas’ betrayal, Peter’s denial, and the washing of His disciples’ feet. At that time, the disciples were very worried amidst various anxious and urgent situations. However, Jesus comforted his disciples. He says that even if I die, I am going to prepare places for you. And that in the future, you too will dwell with me where I am. The disciples could not immediately understand Jesus’ words amidst anxiety and worry. However, Jesus answers Thomas’s question as follows. “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” It is a very bold and declarative expression. Jesus, who was speaking these words, was also filled with anxiety and worry. However, Jesus comforts the disciples with steadfast faith in God.

He is the way, the truth, and the life toward God. Jesus is the way and the method toward God. Through Him, we can pray, know the truth, and obtain eternal life. With Him, we can know the nature of God and His deep love. From verse 10, we can learn about the doctrine of the Trinity. “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?” We learn the concept of Perichoresis, which states that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. What does Perichoresis mean? Perichoresis in Christian theology refers to the mutual interpenetration and indwelling of the Father and the Son. We believe this. We believe in God’s love shown through Jesus. We believe in the boundless love of God the Father who sent Jesus. Therefore, we believe in God’s presence in Jesus. We believe in the miracles and ministry shown through Jesus. We also believe in the promise that He will answer when we ask in the name of Jesus. Therefore, I hope that we all walk together with Jesus, who has become the way and the bridge toward God, upon this faith. By believing in Jesus, we hope that we, as His disciples, will do today what He did in the past.

Lastly, the Apostle Paul gives us an identity as the people of God. This is 1 Peter verse 9. “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” We are chosen people. And we are the people who responded to that choice. Two thousand years ago, Jesus came into the world and invited many Jews, including the Pharisees and Scribes, to a new life. However, not many people responded to that. Even among the disciples, many betrayed Jesus in the days leading up to his crucifixion. Therefore, we must all share this gospel with our families and neighbours. I was chosen, and my family was invited as well. And we must encourage our friends to live as people of a holy nation. This work is not easy, and sometimes it can be embarrassing. The results may not be dramatic compared to the time invested. However, we must remember. Right now, we are merely sowing the seeds of the gospel. Now is the season to sow the seeds of it in this land, and the harvest may come 30 or 60 years from now. One thing is certain: the time of harvest will surely come. The history of the Christian gospel began 2,000 years ago with a single grain of good news falling to the ground. That has given us the gift of assurance of heaven and the hope of resurrection today. Let us live as God’s holy people this week as well. Remembering God’s grace and mercy given to us, I hope you abide in the truth. Amen.

Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16, and Matthew 27:27-54

 

It is Palm Sunday. There were crowds who welcomed Jesus by waving palm branches to celebrate the coming of the King. Through them, we can read the crowd’s mind. There was a group that dreamed of political independence from the Roman Empire through Jesus. There were also religious groups that viewed Jesus as the Messiah. All of them desired to achieve something through Jesus. They thought of Jesus as a means. It is a very blasphemous expression. They had to worship Jesus and live as His disciples well. However, they had their own ulterior motives.

I feel very sad when I imagine Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem. As Jesus enters the midst of suffering, the disciples fight over who will have power second only to Jesus. Some people calculate the potential benefits they might gain. Some people are plotting to betray Jesus. I think that even the donkey carrying Jesus must have mistaken the cheers people were sending to Jesus for being directed at itself. But was it only the donkey that did like that? I can easily imagine some disciples acting all high and mighty and boasting as if they were Jesus himself. How desperate must Jesus have been to tell His disciples to perform miracles and cast out demons without Him?

When expectations for Jesus turned into disappointment, betrayal was widespread. Peter, who promised to protect Jesus, denies Jesus three times in the future. Jesus’s final entry into Jerusalem, made despite knowing all of this, is an incredibly painful moment. It breaks my heart to look at Jesus from a human perspective. Jesus must repeatedly witness the betrayal of the disciples He trusted. Jesus must helplessly watch as what He had educated and trained for three years crumbles. Even though Jesus has great power, He does not use it. He just acts that way solely to obey God’s will.

He was even placed in a worse position than Barabbas, the robber. How distressing is it if someone tries to kill me? However, the chief priests and leaders make various efforts to kill Jesus. The governor’s soldiers insult and mock Jesus. They make Jesus kneel, spit on him, hit him on the head, and assault him. They nail his arms to the cross and mock him to the very end, calling him the King of the Jews.

If I were in Jesus’ position, I would not have been able to endure it as Jesus did. I probably wasn’t thorough enough with God’s will and plan. However, Jesus trusted God even in the worst moment of his life. In the midst of suffering, he sought God and relied on the Creator. It is to accomplish God’s work. It is for the glory of God. Beyond the passion, it is to complete God’s plan of salvation for us.

It is very challenging for us to follow Jesus’ ministry and perseverance. However, what I wish to propose is to remember the one person who exists in the midst of this pain. The Bible described him with this one verse. He is from Cyrene, named Simon, and the soldiers forced him to carry the cross. He came on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem from Cyrene in Libya, Africa. He happened to encounter the procession of Jesus’s crucifixion. Even Jesus, who bore the cross, was wronged, and Simon was also forced to carry Jesus’ cross. It would be very shameful if he did not know about Jesus. However, he was with Jesus during that tough moment of suffering. Due to this sacred intervention, he was recorded in the Bible and continues to be repeated by Christians to this day.

The work of the holy God sometimes visits humans at unexpected moments like this. At that time, I hope that we will become like Simon of Cyrene, silently carrying out the Lord’s work and helping God’s ministry. May we spend this holy week as disciples, creating the mysteries of God that are currently unknowable. Amen.