2002. 2.17. Lent 1st Sunday - Rev. Young Jin Cho

Living God

John 5:10-18

To preachers, one of the happiest moments is witnessing the changes of people through the gospel. Once he ignored God but now he surrendered before God with a new beginning. Nothing makes me happier than witnessing this change. In spite of adversities, failures and discouragement, enduring in faith reconfirms the power of the gospel. On the other hand, during ministry, the biggest frustration occurs if no significant improvement in faith occurs when afflictions and difficulties are encountered. Still there are people unwilling to surrender to Christ. They are saturated with self-reliance and unwillingness to accept changes. I get frustrated when I meet them. In recent days, I am more profoundly thankful to God than ever before. Our parking crisis and the shortage of church school classrooms are indicative of growth, and I am thankful for the growth. However, we are more greatly thankful that recently more unchurched people are coming. Then as days go by, we see them gradually becoming matured in faith. Because of Jesus the changes of their life pattern are becoming visible. When the work of God is revealed during their life journey, we cannot be unthankful. When I saw their tears of thankfulness, I could not resist mine. God is continuously working for our church and for the salvation of our congregation members. Most of all, I am thankful for this amazing grace.

I.

Our God in Bible and the God we believe are living. He is eternal, therefore He is living today even right this moment. He is living now and is working in us. Some people believe in God yet do not accept the fact that He is living. Among them, God is treated as an ideological being. Their whole idea and knowledge of God include only God's existence. To them God is not living today and He is just a part of my intellectual and ideological curiosity. Therefore, my relationship with God is " I and It" rather than "I and Thou" in terms of honor and character. They enjoy discussing about God but lacks mind of fear and respect for God. And some believe that God resides in stillness only in high place like paradise. He is thought to manipulate law of nature and stays in stillness. Also, he is believed to be apathetic to human's life and remain as self-claimed holy being. This type of God is useless and valueless. For our life journey, He has no influence, then do we need such a God? We do not believe such a God and the God in Bible is not same.

Friends, how is God introduced in Bible? He is living, working and acting God who called out Abraham. When the Israel people, in Egypt, were in pain and suffering, He saw it, heard about it, then He saved them. In history of Israel's people, God talked and acted then at reasonable time He sent Jesus who was raised by God from death. And through Jesus God's words and actions were expressed. This very same God is working in us through Holy Spirit. The God we believe is not an ideological being; He is not in stillness but living today and working even at this moment.

II.

In today's reading of John 5, Jesus meets a sick man of 38 years near Bethesda's pool, who was healed by Jesus. Friends, 38 years is not a short period. Somehow, this person spent most of his life in sickness and his hope was to be healed by jumping into the pool when the water was stirred. At that time it was believed that jumping into a pool, when the water was stirring, would result a cure. But that hope disappeared, for there was no one who could help him into the pool. A man was in deep desperation but Jesus healed him. Jesus told him "get up and walk." Soon he picked up his mat and began to walk. This happened on the Sabbath day, thus presented controversy among Jews. Their arguments were in two folds; firstly on Sabbath day, a healing of chronic sickness should have not taken place. Secondly, on Sabbath day moving things from public to a private house was forbidden, however, the healed man picked up his mat and moved to his house. Upon accusation of disobeying Sabbath rule, Jesus responded with this famous saying: "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working."

Yes, that is right, living God is always working, therefore Jesus did likewise. This work of God is called as "continuous creation or "caring work." God performed creation but has not taken off His hands. With care He is working in us and throughout our history. This work of God was clearly and decisively manifested in Jesus. His work was a creation of new life and saving the world. I John 4:9 says, "This how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only son into the world that we might live through Him." Friends, we were told that Jesus came so that we might live. What does it mean? Even we do not believe in God, aren't we alive instead of being dead? What came to life?

The Bible clearly testifies that a life apart from God is dead, because God is source of our life. My Flesh be alive but soul is dead, therefore through the Holy Spirit God is working to revive our souls. God's desired life that projects the original human image needs to be restored. That is why Jesus was sent and even today He is working through the Spirit. Our living God rekindles not only our souls but also through His born-again children. He is working to change our history. To achieve His desired world where the people can embrace one another and share burdens together, He is continuously working with us.

Let me read St. Francis's prayer: Where there is hatred, let me sow love, where there is injury, pardon, where there is division, unity, where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. God is using us for these purposes and we are being used as instruments of peace. God is living today and working today. To revive our souls and to save this world, He is working with us who are His chosen children.

III.

Friends, this morning the fact, that our living God is working in us, contains challenging messages. Friends, God is alive then how does this fact affect your life? At this moment do you feel that you are sitting before Him and are fearing of Him? God is living today, and don't you feel that this sounds like a dreamy tale?

(1) First of all, I like to emphasize that if we truly believe in God, we must realize my own existence before God. This attitude of respect is necessary. This awakening was described by a theologian, Rudolph Otto, as a state of respect in midst of amazing mystery. In other words, before the Holy being, our creation by the God and the limitation of human nature are reminded. To those who consider God as an ideological being, this experience will not prevail. Now, our belief should depart from the ideological concept and begin to pursue meeting living God.

Once I had a similar experience, in my youth period. According to my minister's advice, I began to have daily prayer and the Bible reading. One day I encountered a story in Exodus which included Israelites crossing the Red Sea. It touched my heart deeply. The God who divided this sea is eternal and definitely living today. How is the relationship between that God and me? After realizing that I was kneeling before such a God, I became fearful and shaken. This past episode still lingers in my heart. Friends, this morning we all are gathered before the living God and sitting in front of Him. Let's awake and cherish this awareness.

(2) The second challenging message requires us opening our hearts not refusing to His calling. God is working today to save us and calling us to the way of life through our friends, wife and parents; sometimes through tribulations and failures. Even this morning through the Bible we read, He is calling us. God's calling directions are diverse. Today again, God is trying to revive our souls and renew our history. Friends, don't take His calling lightly, but be serious with gratitude. Most of time it s not that we do not believe but showing reluctance. Before God, we are rejecting renewal and refusing to believe. If covered by our own skin, a comfort may prevail but this skin separates the new world from my own. Unless this skin is broken, you will not experience new life. Please do not refuse this amazing love.

(3) The third challenging message encompasses praying diligently to bring changes in my faith journey and to sustain my life. Often the trivial attributes of our spiritual life are not brought to God, thus we do not anticipate God's response. Also the fear of changes might discourage from praying. Dear friends, every one of you today is pursuing to be an elite in this world and investing many efforts. However, today, to be an elite in the spiritual world, how hard are you working and praying? To be a valuable person, how hard are you praying? Of course we need to be elites in this world, but more importantly we should endeavor to become elites in spiritual journey and pray for this purpose. Prayer is the best avenue bringing God's power. God is living today and working for our salvation. Today He is listening to our prayers with response.

Now, we shall hear a personal testimony from a person who experienced living God's presence in his life. He came to Washington, D. C. about three years ago to work at the Korean embassy. His name is Mr. Chul Huh, and he was baptized today.

For many years I rejected God not because of ignorance about God but I just did not want to. I went to a church, first time in my life, during my middle-school area and I used to be active in church school and choir. But my motivation was not faith driven. When a baptism was recommended, I could not say 'yes" because I was attending without seriousness. I was afraid of minister's visitation and didn't want to be conspicuous, thus I went to big churches. However, continuously I was reading the Bible and for that reason I thought I knew a lot about Christianity and God. In other words, I was full of arrogance and unbelief. Although, I had attended church and read the Bible, my refusal was strong. In order to give hard time to believers, I used to ask whether they believed resurrection and if did, I demanded the reasons and explanation so that I would see them stumbling.

Three years ago, when I came to the embassy, my wife was attending this church alone, and was baptized two years ago on Easter Sunday. Because this day happened to be our wedding anniversary day, I came here with children and took some pictures. All these time I did guess that my wife was praying for me and perhaps her first priority subject was about myself. I felt sorry, so occasionally I accompanied her to this church but I could not be changed. I kept reading the Bible but all the stories seem to be unrelated to my concern. Somehow, in spite of my apathy, I did not have courage to put down the Bible. I felt that for 30 years, I was peeking over some one else's fence to see the house. I was going to church like wise manner. I heard that "the owner of that house is known to be a good person." Is he really and is he living? If so, can he be good to me? I was full of skepticism. Whenever a preference of religion was mentioned in job applications, I used to write "none." Patiently, God has stayed with me.

One night of the last year, I was on my way to home through Route 66 listening a sermon in tape as usual. The sermon contained a story of Mary Magdalene's visit to tomb of Jesus. Suddenly, a thought came to my mind that the resurrected Jesus could be present inside of my car. Tears began to stream down such that it was interfering the driving. I felt like a running away orphan who believed to locate his father but saying "you are not my father and I do not have a father." God did not leave me as an orphan and has never forsaken me.

About three months ago, when my wife left for an early morning prayer service, I could not regain my sleep, so I opened the Bible and start reading the book of Psalm and the sermon text. Here God revealed His presence to me saying, "spirit is with you and you are believing me." I did not hear the audible voice of God but this was the sure and unmistakable conviction given to me. Perhaps, God thought this direct approach was the only way He could change a stubborn person like me. I found myself praying; I thanked for His amazing grace and asked for forgiveness of my refusal. Also I prayed for my two sons in Korea to accept Jesus, thus we all four can walk with Jesus. Since then my worldly appetites and desires departed from me. I could not explain how this could happen in such a short period of time. I thought I could never accept God in my life.

After going to church with my wife for some time, she suggested that I should be baptized. In retrospect, I did not believe in God because I did not want to. I wanted to live freely in the world and by my own will. I did not realize that following Jesus and carrying the cross was a real freedom. At late stage of my life, God bestowed grace upon me, perhaps He does not want to see me refusing any further. A person like me was saved, and I am not sure of His purpose but hope to find as I live according to His way.

Two days later, I am returning to Korea. I almost lost the opportunity for baptism but because of Rev. Cho's sabbatical leave, this became possible. Because my spiritual journey started late, I did not have opportunity to serve the church and share the fellowship in cell meetings. We are leaving Washington, D. C. with new life, therefore this city will be birthplace of our new beginning and this church will be room of our new birth. During our stay, Rev. Cho and other friends gave us valuable advice and love. We thank you all and before long we hope to visit you again and worship together. May God bless you all.

God is living today and still working to save us and the world. Because God is alive, there will be always hope although difficulties may confront us. Today, He is working in us and in me; that's why there is hope. We all believe our God who gave a new life to Mr. Huh's family and this God is working today and living even very this moment.