Tag: Rev. Jaebok Gu

Luke 4:1-13; Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16; and Romans 10:8b-13

 

It’s the first Sunday of Lent. Jesus Christ prayed on a mountain and was tempted in the wilderness before his public ministry. And as we meditate on the various episodes and his ministry that will follow, we will meditate on his actions until Easter. We invited our neighbors over for Shrove Tuesday and shared a meal. We plan to hold the Imposition of Ashes ceremony today. Many Christians think of themselves as sinners before God and indebted to the gospel. At the same time, we confess that we are beneficiaries of Jesus Christ’s endless love and grace. At this point, it is meaningful that we invited the apartment residents across the street and shared time with them last Tuesday.

Inviting or reaching out to someone is not easy these days. I have to make time for it and share my gifts, including my talent and money. No matter how hard we try, results are not guaranteed. Therefore, spreading the gospel becomes increasingly tricky as society becomes more prosperous and advanced. But God has commanded us to do this mission. And this is what Jesus Christ himself showed. I am just grateful that our church is being used for this work. We can respond to requests from our neighbors. So I am happy and thankful for my ministry at Knox. I hope you all are twice or three times as happy as I am.

In Romans verse 10, Paul says: “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Paul, who preached the gospel to Gentiles, emphasized faith repeatedly. He stressed the importance of faith wherever he went. He emphasized faith in God and Jesus as the Christ to members of the regions he visited. He sowed the seeds of the gospel in this way. It was a very long journey, and it is said that if they acknowledge and believe in Jesus as Lord, He will enrich them and provide salvation. This is a straightforward principle. However, there may be some people who have difficulty accepting this. Faith in God means accepting it with your heart and confessing it with your mouth. So you can experience the gifts and help of the Holy Spirit and gain confidence.

When we face a financial or emotional crisis, we remember those who help us. Some people value me enough to risk their lives for me. There is no need to show that much kindness to us, but that person always gives us more love than we deserve. I don’t have enough energy to raise two children. By the way, even though he has many children, he has no shortage of love to give them. Even if their children ask for many things, they do not show any displeasure. That’s why I love this person, but on the other hand, I always feel sorry. I live with the grace He gives me. His name is Jesus; sometimes, he is a good friend and a great gift. So I preach this person’s story every Sunday morning. During my preaching class, the professor said this. Many sermons today do not contain Jesus Christ. The point is that Christ-centered sermons have been lost in the flood of sermons. We all have Jesus together. We remember that love and carry it with us in our lives. Just as a mother spends 40 weeks embracing her child, we also want to spend the 40 days of Lent praying for someone in our lives with the love of Jesus. I want to remember them for that person’s salvation and provide good service for 40 weeks. In this way, we sow the seeds of the gospel and look forward to sharing the joy of salvation with Him, Jesus, and us at Christmas later this year.

Next, confession of faith is always accompanied by tests. Jesus goes into the desert full of the Holy Spirit. He remains there for 40 days. The wilderness and the number 40 are intentionally written, as Israel escaped from slavery in Egypt and entered the land of Judah after 40 years in the wilderness. There he was tempted by the devil. We can think about it. Do the devil or Satan have so much power that they can stand against the Son of God? However, knowing who led Jesus into the wilderness is essential before this question. The Holy Spirit led Jesus there. The point is that Satan was active amid God’s guidance and plan. Jesus was innocent and had divine power. That is why he was sent into the wilderness to experience the various temptations and tests humans experience. He was crucified as a representative of humankind. He paid the price for humanity’s sins. Because Jesus defeated Satan, anyone who believes in Jesus has now been given the ability to overcome Satan.

Looking at the temptation Jesus faced, we can see human weakness. In the wilderness, the difference in temperature between day and night is significant. He also fasts. It’s time to continue to feel physical difficulties. At that time, devil said to him. “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”(3) “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷ If you worship me, it will all be yours.”(6,7) “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.”(9)

The first test tempts him to make bread from a single stone and eat it. Tests always start from something small like this. Before enlisting in the military, I worked part-time at a convenience store warehouse for about six months. At that time, there was an incident where the police caught five workers. When they were thirsty, they secretly drank beverages from the storehouse. This was the start. Next, they stole expensive cookies, and then they bribed a truck driver to steal a large quantity of alcohol and other items, and were caught. Like this, temptation starts small.

The second test is humans’ desire for authority and splendor. Recently, I had this thought while having a conversation with a doctor. It is about the extent of a person’s desire for advancement and achievement. There is a man. He has been fighting cancer for a long time. Now that he is terminally ill, he has little time left to live. By the way, he was appointed as the highest police officer in a country. What choice would you make at this time? The doctor told me that this was the time to let go of everything and take the time to heal fully. But the man put off treatment, got promoted, and faced a health crisis.

However, Jesus overcame all these temptations and tests. I cannot say that it is very easy to overcome many temptations if you believe. However, by relying on Psalm 14 today, I hope we can overcome when we are tested. ““Because you love me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue you; I will protect you, for you acknowledge my name.” Amen.

Luke 9:28–43a, Psalm 99, and 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

 

What has been the most significant change in your life? By far, the biggest change in my life was when I had the dream of becoming a pastor. Since then, there have been significant and small episodes, but I spent my time studying at a seminary, serving in the military, and then working as a pastor. I cannot explain my life without God in this journey. Has your life changed before and now after believing in Jesus?

Today, Jesus takes his disciples up the mountain to pray. And in verse 29, Luke writes: “As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” The fact that his face changed is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, but is missing from the Gospel of Mark. Rather than simply saying his face changed, adding the Greek expression eidos emphasizes an apparent change in the face and entire body. A noticeable change occurred when he prayed.

In elementary school, there were many Bible Conference Movements in my hometown. I often followed my mother. I felt like the faces of the church members who gathered to learn the Bible and pray were like angels. Also, towards the end of the conference, the church gave us rice cakes. It’s a pleasant memory for me. A life that brings us closer to God through the Word and prayer is blessed. Our face changes when we confess Jesus as the Christ and live a life of faith. Why is that so? Because our lives are changing. We can let go of our competitive spirit and control our desires to exceed what is necessary. What do we start with? Verse 35 contains the answer. “A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”” Yes. It is listening to and following the words of Jesus. It is something that we do by faith. This is what God commanded us. It is simple. This is what we all know very well. All we have to do is believe and follow Jesus’ words.

Second, if we have faith, we become free. This is verse 17 of 2 Corinthians. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” God gives us faith and shows us a new path to salvation. Through Jesus, the Creator saves and forgives us. And God is creating the highways of Zion for us in our lives. This is a high-speed and convenient route, like a highway. Therefore, we are invited to go beyond the religious life bound by the law symbolized by Moses. Paul continues to emphasize: It explains that you are not bound by laws that will disappear like the Veil. A life controlled by the Law is tough. More than 613 Laws weighed down the Jews in the past. They had to follow the law or face a penalty. There were even many harsh provisions for low-income people who worked daily to earn their living expenses. However, God fulfills that law through Jesus. And then he destroys it. The Creator does not allow people to become slaves of the law. God shows us how to enjoy freedom as a child of light. We don’t have to be nervous about whether we might have broken the law. This freedom is God’s gift to us. We have received this through Jesus Christ. Through this way of life, we enjoy freedom from everywhere the Spirit of the Lord is. Jesus is the origin of light and life. Through him, we can cast off the veil of misunderstanding and inconvenience and turn from death to life. After the era of the Law, we can now enjoy freedom through the power of the gospel.

Finally, through Transfiguration, we can become new people. We can build a new life. This is verse 18 of Corinthians. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” We believed in the gospel and were set free. And we become a witness of the new covenant. Salvation is no longer limited to one class or race but extends to everyone. The gospel does not discriminate against people. It grants everyone, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, the same opportunity for salvation. It’s up to us whether we take that chance or not. And it is our responsibility to encourage our neighbors to take advantage of that opportunity. It is as if we, who were sent to this earth first, raise our children with faith.

Paul described this glory as the glory of the Lord and said that we will remove the veil and see clearly. Just as Moses reflected the glory of the Lord when he took off the veil before the Lord, when we take off the veil, which is a spiritual obstacle, we reflect the glory of the Lord with a face that is not covered. Those who have joy in their religious life display the glory of the Lord. Last week, two members went to the condo across from the church to invite them to the Pancake Tuesday event that will be held this Tuesday. A member of our church spoke to me with great excitement and encouragement. We are delighted to invite people from the region like this. Although not a Christian, one of the residents was thrilled to be asked by our members from the church. In this way, we live in the power of God every day, consciously or unconsciously. We are experiencing new life and spreading God’s love. We are so grateful that our church is used in this ministry. Let us all become new people who magnify the glory of Christ. The Holy Spirit will renew us daily. Let’s praise God who gives us the strength to live a new life. Amen.

Luke 6:27–38; Psalm 37:1–11, 39–40; and 1 Corinthians 15:35–38, 42–50

 

Team Canada became champions after beating the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off. I felt the Canadian passion when I saw three fights in last week’s game. So, on the one hand, I have been concerned about recent American leaders and their policies. Of course, in my home country, there are jokes like this. When Korea and Japan play football, the Korean team must win. Adults say we should not lose to Japan, even in rock, scissors, paper, and shoot. I often feel this way when I watch ice hockey games. And I think about hope and desire.

David confesses. In verse 9, “but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.” What are your hopes? When I first arrived in Canada, I wished to complete my studies well. I thought pastoring a Canadian church was a distant future. About ten days ago, two alumni pastors from the United Church visited our church. They came to Canada long before me but serve in a more rural area. And they looked at me with such wonder. Of course, their tendencies are closer to the Presbyterian church than the United Church. At the same time, they praised me for pioneering a new path in the Presbyterian Church in Canada. When I moved to Red Deer six months ago, I was heartbroken to discover that there was no Presbyterian church east of Red Deer to the Saskatchewan border. When we last looked at Alberta Christian statistics, there were about 20,000 Presbyterians in our province, or 1% of all Christians. Of course, we can make the world more beautiful with just a few meaningful people. But I hope more. It is a thought about the hope of sharing the same values, having healthy discussions with direction, and living a life of faith and serving. And I thought I should serve the church beautifully here. I had hoped that there would be a growing Presbyterian Church in central Alberta. No, I had a desire. And then I prayed. I thought it would be nice if Knox church were like a reservoir. Reservoirs send water to places it is needed and maintain its abundance daily. I dream that our church will become a reservoir of grace like that, helping those around us, retaining abundant grace, and becoming a hope and model for many churches. Thankfully, I feel joy as many church members actively try many things and dedicate themselves to creating a beautiful community of faith together. And this is top secret. My wife loves our church members and loves Red Deer, so she often looks at houses on real estate websites and hopes to purchase a house as a long-term plan. Of course, I think I will buy it someday. She will take the land because she hopes and loves the Lord.

Secondly, if David walked the path of hope, Jesus Christ presents us with the path of love. Love is about taking on challenges. Jesus’ perspective shows that love transcends all boundaries. It goes beyond just taking care of people who are comfortable with us. So, in verse 32, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And this love is expanding its scope even further. Jesus advises us to love even our enemies, those who hate us. Maybe these words of Jesus are also words of hope. We know very well how difficult this can be. What about loving the person who bullied my child? Or would it be easy to love those who gave my parents a hard time? However, it is not easy. What about embracing the person who breaks our hearts? Jesus’ words today are very challenging. It’s hard. Nevertheless, there is a reason why Jesus speaks to us and asks us to do so. Why is that so? That’s because Jesus did it. Because God did like it. He sent His beloved Jesus Christ to this earth to save people who had become distant from God due to sin. Through him, God built a bridge between God and humans. Jesus was used as a peace offering. As we all know, God proved His love for us by spending a time of extreme suffering on that cross. He says that he loves us humans so deeply and sincerely. Jesus Christ also prays to God for those who have crucified and condemned him. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk 23:34)

Most people cannot sleep comfortably when someone insults or humiliates them. What if something unfair happens to us? I feel very stressed. What about when someone I trust betrays me? That sense of betrayal comes as a great pain in proportion to the trust you had placed in it. However, Jesus now prays for those who have gone far beyond this and perhaps caused even more suffering than the enemy. “Father, forgive them.” The principle of faith is simple. It is to imitate Christ and follow his words. So let us follow this path. Just as Jesus said, “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Let us forgive and try to forgive again. The more we try to understand someone, the better God will treat us.

Lastly, let us live in hope of God’s kingdom. Paul explains to us the resurrection of the body and the new world. He provides detailed information about his perspective on existence after death. He explains that it returns to new life only when a seed dies. If it remains only as a seed, it will not change into any future being. Likewise, humans can live as altruistic beings only if we die from selfish desires. Your horizons can expand from a life where you only thought about things on earth. You can look at the sky and see the world through God’s eyes. Finally, with this hope of the kingdom of God, we can become heavenly people. God spoke the way through Jesus Christ and Paul. My beloved, let us walk this way together. The way of love, the way of hope, and the way of service. Through this, I believe that God will accomplish His plan and work. Amen.

Luke 5:1-11; Psalm 138; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

 

In preparation for this sermon, I researched Canada’s religious population. As we all know, the percentage of the population with religious affiliation is decreasing. However, the number of followers of Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism has doubled since 10 years ago. Even among the Christian population, although they believe in God, only 20% of them are active and attend worship services more than once a month. I am very proud of our church members who are increasing attendance and continuing to try things during these difficult times. When I looked at Alberta statistics, one interesting thing was that while the population with citizenship was 4.17 million, the number of people born in Canada was 3.1 million. The number of citizens who immigrated from outside Canada was as many as 1.07 million. Of these, 20% are from Europe, 13% are from the Americas, 13% are from Africa, and 60% (600,000 people) are from Asia. In detail, there are 170,000 in the Philippines, 140,000 in India, 70,000 in China, and about 30,000 each in Vietnam and Pakistan. Alberta has welcomed a large number of immigrants. Christians have embraced them despite the continuing impact of policies. Additionally, over 2 million people do not have Christian faith. I want to begin today’s sermon at this point.

Jesus Christ came to the land of Israel 2,000 years ago. At that time, the majority of the Israelites believed in Jehovah God. Is there a reason why Christ had to come to this earth? Yes. I can find one reason why, in Luke 5, Jesus went to the side of the disciples who were laboring all night. At that time, the Jews were trapped by legalism and lived only toiling for what was right for them. Disciples have worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. I think these overlap each other. But Jesus says to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Because you say so, I will let down the nets. The Lord speaks, and we Christians follow his words. We obey. The most straightforward and essential principles of religious life can be found in today’s Word. That is following the words of Jesus. Following the Word means following the messages and teachings of the Bible. Simply put, this begins with completely serving and worshipping God. It means meditating on the Word of God ourselves. It is about reflecting our lives in front of the mirror of the Word. That is why we live in a way that is right in the eyes of God.

And like James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and Simon’s partners, we too must follow and put Jesus’ words into practice. Jesus says. “Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”

The disciples who met Jesus left home, leaving their boats behind. They follow Jesus. This is not a choice everyone can make, nor is it something we can make right now. But what’s notable is the change in their lives. The fact is that they chose Jesus Christ. They abandoned their previous ways of living. Peasant fishers and processors suffered from fishing license fees and taxes under Roman control. However, Peter and the other disciples seem to have been in a more stable position than the others. So it looks like they had their own boat and left it behind. Archaeological findings can confirm that Peter’s hometown was relatively prosperous in terms of the size of the houses where the fishermen of Bethsaida lived and the structure and economy of the house where he lived with his mother-in-law in Capernaum. The critical fact is that they decided to follow Jesus Christ and, from now on, become fishers for people.

What kind of people are these? From the perspective of Jerusalem’s leaders, the fishermen of the Galilee were of a very low class. The Jews had deep-rooted prejudice against Galilee. “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”(John 1:46) “The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees realized that Peter and John were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13).” The disciples must have been relatively familiar with learning, considering that their names were Greek and the academic and cultural style of the time was Greek. Looking at John 12:20, we see that they could speak Greek. There was no important reason for fishermen to speak Greek, unless it was to understand Greek philosophy and scholarship. However, now the disciples have decided to give up many things and follow Jesus Christ. Why is that so? Because they witnessed Jesus Christ, who is the way and the truth.

Today, we have the Bible given as a gift from God. We can know the footsteps of Jesus Christ’s grace. Even many dramas and materials help us understand Jesus. Believing in Jesus and creating a church community demands energy from us. It demands commitment. However, God gave us Jesus as a gift. He provides us with unending love. He gives grace. Let’s look at Apostle Paul’s confession. It’s verse 10. “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”

By the grace of God, the enemy of the gospel became a messenger of the gospel. That same grace of God will be with us. Like the disciples, we, too, will fish people with the grace of God. Jesus visiting his disciples and Saul changing into Paul are all the grace of God. Jesus visits Galilee, a place that others have ignored. Jesus, who called his disciples there, is calling us today. Jesus called us to Knox for those who believe in Jesus but stay there and for those who do not have faith. I’m thinking about making today Soup Sunday, inviting our neighbors, and sometimes passing it on to them. On the evening of Tuesday, March 4th, we will be holding a Pancake Tuesday event, and we are also planning to invite our neighbors. We will continue to invite and sow the gospel like mustard seeds. We sow and pray that by the grace of God, it will bear fruit 30, 60, or 100 times that amount. Let us do this together with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord will guide us. Amen.

Psalm 71:1-6, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, and Luke 4:21-30

 

Our church is conducting research with various churches under the coaching of the Center for Missional Leadership, a mission research institute of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. For this purpose, Sessions, the Board of Managers, and various group leaders meet regularly. We have a valuable opportunity to understand our church, region, and neighbors. We can also learn from the models of churches in other areas. We can look at our church’s missionary tasks in the region and organize our assets. During this process, I can meditate positively about the future of our church. I am also grateful that many leaders actively develop ideas for the ministry. Not only that but I am very impressed by the efforts they make to put this into practice. Soup ministry is the beginning. As we know, little drops of water and little sand grains make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land. Starting this Sunday, we will share church news, mission news, and prayer requests with you on Sunday mornings. I am grateful to be able to do missionary work systematically with the denomination and to pray for others. I am glad to be able to share church news and participate in God’s kingdom ministry together.

Even if I am small and weak, God will use us for God’s Kingdom. Today’s verses that reveal this fact very well are verses 25 to 27 of the Gospel of Luke. “²⁵ I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. ²⁶ Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. ²⁷ And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” I want to draw attention here to place names and regions. When there was a famine in Israel for three and a half years, God sent Elijah to Sidon in northern Israel. The widow in Zarephath helped him. Many in Israel had leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet. But the only Naaman, the Syrian, was cleansed. What country is Syria? It is a country in the northeast of Israel. The kingdom of Aram was established here in the 11th to 8th centuries BC. Aram was a weak nation that paid tribute to Israel until the time of David and Solomon (2 Samuel 8:6). However, when Israel was divided into North and South and weakened, they expanded their influence.

Aram frequently invaded northern Israel, and King Ahab of Israel was fatally wounded by an arrow fired by an Aramean soldier and died (1 Kings 22:34). Because of this, the hostility between Aram and Northern Israel reached its peak. Naaman was a war hero who saved the Syrian people. But today, Jesus is honoring Naaman more than the Israelites in front of them. Many people had leprosy, but only he was cured. This is an expression that makes the Israelites angry and upset. However, the area of this widow and Naaman happens to be outside the borders of Israel, the chosen people. Jesus expresses that salvation and the work of God happen to people outside of Israel who think of themselves as very holy and chosen. I find the word of God to be of great strength and comfort to us at this point.

Jesus changed the thinking of the Jews, who previously thought there was no salvation outside the land of Israel. Also, Gentiles who thought they were second or third-class citizens were given a new perspective on salvation. This is the beginning of greater love for all humankind and the beginning of a broader and more profound work of salvation. Why was it the widow and Naaman? One of them is a representative social underprivileged person. Another one is an enemy of the nation. Even the lowest people can know God’s deep love that saves them. We can witness the great embrace of God, who loves even our enemies. How difficult is it to forgive a friend who breaks a promise, a friend who doesn’t pay you back, or acknowledge a team that beat the ice hockey team you support? Of course, I’m holding off on choosing between the Oilers or Flames. So, my son also wears Flames pajamas and Oilers hoodies.

However, as 1 Corinthians said, I want to focus on love. We know God loved the world so much that the Creator sent us only begotten Son. We know that God opened the door of salvation to Israel and the Gentiles long before Jesus came. Well, what can we do? In answer to this question, the Apostle Paul tells us a significant confession. “¹ If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” Even if I do amazing things and leave outstanding achievements with God’s help, I am nothing if I do not have love.

The love story of Apostle Paul, who prides himself on being an apostle and disciple for Gentiles and creating the framework of modern Christianity, deeply moved my heart. So when there is no love, problems arise in the church, my life, and my family. So, beloved, “⁷ Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” I hope you live in the love of the Lord. And always perseveres. Don’t let anyone take that love away. I hope you maintain your love for others. The Lord of hope will guide us forever. Amen.