2007. 12.2 Rev. Kang, HyunSik

“Truly, Truly"
John 3-3-5, Psalm 139:1-7

1.

Since the dawn of history, the word of Jesus Christ has never been proclaimed so widely and quickly as today. The word of God is proclaimed in every church, and sermons from renowned pastors are broadcasted live on air by Internet, radio, and TV. You can pick and choose sermons to your taste in your own living room.

Many choices are possible. You can choose from calm, intellectual, passionate, sharp, or inspirational sermons. Through bible studies, discipleship trainings, and all kinds of gatherings and seminars, our knowledge about the Bible is becoming deeper and specialized.

We are now in an age when if anyone has the slightest interest in theology, he can acquire professional level of theological knowledge through overflowing Christian publications without going through a seminary. Due to the popularity of oversea missions, missionaries have been sent to every corner of the world including the places that are far from civilization, so most everyone in the world now knows who Jesus Christ is. Through the widespread of Christian culture and an ever-increasing number of churches, even non-Christians are familiar with at least one verse of the gospel. Indeed, we are living in the time the gospel is all the rage. It seems a welcoming and encouraging sign.

But, why do we feel certain emptiness in our heart, as we continue to live in a time when gospel has gained such popularity? Why do we feel the fruits of the gospel look relatively limited and shabby while the gospel is proclaimed everywhere in a more sophisticated and brilliant ways?

2.

Jesus often said ‘Verily, verily I say unto you’. In the revised version, it’s translated as “Truly, truly I say to you”. Jesus used this expression not only in today’s scripture but also in many other places in the bible. Why did Jesus use this expression? Was it just a method He employed to emphasize his points? I used to think that the expression is just an adverb to emphasize its subsequent words. I thought it is an expression to emphasize ‘one must be born again.’ However, I have come to think that the word, ‘truly’, carries its own meaning rather than a mere adverb used for emphasis, as we live in a time when we feel gospel gained such popularity and yet its fruits seem so weak and poor.

In other words, I have come to think what we truly need in such a world is that each of us needs to be truly born again rather than just to know that we need to be born again. “Truly”!

Let me emphasize the theme of today’s sermon is not ‘born again’ but ‘Truly, truly’ as an independent adverbial expression. It is applicable to all other topics of faith as well as the topic about ‘born again.’ I believe that the power of gospel comes not from knowing its contents, but truly comes alive when I live by it. Truly!

Thus, although it is important to know a lot about gospel, what is more important is how truly we put the gospel in practice in our life, even if it may be just one small area in our life. In fact, don’t we know more than enough about what the Lord wants us to do, and how we should live our life? I believe that what we really should agonize over is how we can put this in practice in our life.

3.

I had an experience to comprehend the words, ‘truly, truly’ by chance. When I studied at the University of Toronto for a short time while living in Canada, I had a chance to attend a special seminar by Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche, an international organization which creates communities where people with developmental disabilities and those who assist them share life together. Jean Vanier was a son of George Vanier, ex-Canadian prime minister. After finishing doctoral studies in France, he became a professor in Philosophy at St. Michael College of the University of Toronto. When he visited a children’s mental hospital by chance, he was shocked to find that children do not cry instinctively unless there’s some one who listens to them. There Vanier experienced the outer limit of human loneliness. Vanier, after feeling his wealth, societal position and privileges too opulent and extravagant; abandoned everything and started living with two disabled children at a small town in France. This was the beginning of L’Arche. While living with those abandoned and disabled, he confirmed that human loneliness is the root of all evil and also that any perversion of humanity springs from loneliness. And decided to devote his life to fight against this loneliness. As he believed that we can fight against the loneliness by being kind, tender, and patient, understanding, forgiving and loving, he traveled all over the world to give lectures. In his lecture, he gave sermons in his soft voice wearing his usual shabby jacket. On one of such lectures, he gave a speech more than 40 minutes to the full house in the auditorium in spite of bitter winter weather of Toronto. We were well familiar with the contents of his speech; about forgiveness, tenderness and love! He spoke about all these without overemphasizing or excessive exaggerating. He said without love we don’t have any hope. His soft speech was very touching and encouraging. I’d never been so moved by forgiveness, tenderness and love. Why was his speech so persuasive? Because there were sincerity and truthfulness in his speech.

I think that Jesus would have had this in mind when he said “truly, truly”. The power of Gospel can only be revealed through a life of truth. How can we practice gospel by truth? How can we realize in our life the gospel we have heard and learned? Who would only want to keeps learning about it, but not practicing it? What hinders us? What are the problems? I believe it’s not due to any lack of our abilities but because of certain obstacles blocking us. I would call these obstacles ‘the tendency of deceitfulness.’

4.

I think there is a tendency in us which secretly guide us to deceitfulness. The influence of this deceitful tendency is very prevalent in our life. Apparent deceitfulness such as intentional cheating and purposeful lies might be not so much worrisome as unnoticeable deceitfulness which we might not even be aware of. Let’s think about prevalent deceitfulness in our life.

1) Let’s look over our language. People very often exaggerate to express themselves. There are people who always repeat “very much” and “truly”. Even when you can say things in a simple sentence, we often tend to exaggerate to satisfy our needs. Though it might not be serious, but it is an apparent habit of lying. Language is said to be a house of existing beings. Exaggerated expression only reveals exaggerated beings. It might be a simply habit, but could be a barrier for truthful life and a platform for more serious lies, so it is worthwhile to make an effort to correct this habit of exaggeration.

2) We also often lie because we care too much about how other think about us. Excuse me using some slang. Do you know the difference of being ashamed and being embarrassed? You might feel ashamed when others find your weakness while you might feel embarrassed when you find your weakness. While many people feel ashamed, few feel embarrassed. It is very important whether you feel ashamed or embarrassed. People who feel embarrassed and care more about how they think about themselves than how others think about them, are likely to lead a truthful life, while people who feel ashamed and care more about how others think about themselves, are likely to lead a deceitful life.

3) Another prevalent deceit in our life is the belief that “my life is mine.” Is my life truly mine? Where I come from and where I am going? Who decide the beginning and ending of my life? Those questions are very difficult to answer because the beginning and the end of my life, and before and after of my life don’t belong to me. This is the evidence that my life is not mine. We are responsible for our lives, so we confess that we are stewards and that we have our lord. However, those who believe that “my life is mine” would lead a very different life. They would feel perplexed when their lives don’ go as planned because they build their lives on a big lie. My life is not mine.

4) Another serious deceitfulness is a view of life that the purpose of life is to be wealthy and successful and happiness can be achieved through wealth and success. This is a very serious lie. The purpose of life can’t be to enjoy all privileges won by defeating others. However, it is ironical that no one seems to agree with the view of life, but many follow this life style. I believe that the purpose of life is to find the true meaning of my being in God.

Let me take an example of flower. If we are born as flower, what would be the purpose of our life? To be put in an expensive vase would be the purpose of life? To be beautifully bundled and put in arms of a lady? No. The purpose of flower is to bloom as flower. It doesn’t matter where flower blooms, whether it is on hillside or deep in the forest. If flower wants to be put in an expensive base or in the arms of a lady, the flower will die soon. Though it might not be noticeable, the flower which has a deep root and bloom wherever it is planted will enjoy beautiful life. So, I believe that the purpose of our lives is not success or wealth, but to live a truthful life every moment where we stand. By doing that we can live up to the purpose that God has given us and can be most precious being as beautiful flower.

5.

There is a book titled, “who are you when no one is around?” Without having read it, I can visualize the contents of the book. When alone, people tend to change abruptly. They change from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hide or Hulk, they change from a gentleman to a bum, they change from a reasonable person to a cold-hearted-fellow, and they change from an exemplary person to a playboy. When we are all alone, all sorts of sinful impulses are rushing toward us. So, when we are alone, then who are we? Not when we are still on the stage, but when we are down from the stage after the play, then who are we? The thought, action or heart we have, when there is no one around us, may be our true identity.

Then how can we suppress this enormous power of deceitfulness? Today’s scripture, Psalm chapter 139, teaches us the secret. While the face of deceitfulness comes in various shapes and colors, there is one way to overcome the deceitfulness. It is to acknowledge in our life that there is nowhere to escape from the face of God. It is my understanding that God looks at every minute part of me no matter where I am, and therefore He knows me inside out. Whether we are seated or standing, whether we are on the road or in bed, whether we speak with our tongue or keep silence, God already knows all our thoughts and actions. We must live our life holding this amazing truth. This is the only and true way to fight and win over the deceitfulness. The author of Psalm confesses that this realization is so amazing and lofty that he cannot even measure it. Although the phenomenon of deceitfulness is so complicated and flowery, the only way to break the deceitfulness is surprisingly simple and clear. It is living in God, and living with God.

As the sunshine sheds the lights every corner of the earth, our Lord is residing in any small and trivial things in our daily life. With this awareness of the Lord, we must lead our daily life. Even though our inner life is complicated and dark, we must invite the Lord to the inside of us. We must invite the Lord not only during the moments of rejoice and happiness, but also during the moments of sorrow, misery and dismay. We must reveal to our Lord our pretenses, greed, and habit of lies and sins. No matter where we are and what we do, we must approach it honestly and truthfully as if we do it before God.

6.

It is to say calmly and honestly. It is to truly feel our shame, but not to feel humiliation. It is to live a life while recognizing that I am not the master of myself and my life. It is not to long for an expensive vase or for arms of a beautiful woman, but to blossom beautifully within me, the body where the life was given to me. It is in God and with God. I imagine this may be the ultimate meaning of the word, “I truly and truly tell you this,” through which Jesus wanted to save us who are living in the huge dark shades of lies and deceitfulness. I honestly hope all of us to blossom as truthful flowers without deceitfulness, and as the beautiful flowers of God.