UNITY IN CHURCH

 

UNITY IN CHRIST

            Every three years, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship sponsors the Urbana Conference, which challenges university students to get involved in world evangelization. About 16,000 students from around the world attended the 2009 conference. After the main session each evening, students would leave the larger conference auditorium to meet in smaller groups for prayer and reflection. In one of the banquet halls, a small group comprised Chinese students, another group of Taiwanese students, and another group of students from Hong Kong.

            Large dividers stood between the three. These walls were necessary because historically, these three peoples have “harbored bitterness and animosity toward one another.” They felt it was best to pray and worship with their people. But as the Chinese students were praying one night, they told their leader they wanted to invite the other countries to join them.

            When the Taiwanese students received the invitation, they prayed and sang a little while, and then they opened up the wall divider. It wasn’t too much longer before the students from Hong Kong pulled back their divider, and some 80 students mingled together. “In Christ, we are all one family,” said one leader. “And [Christ] breaks down political boundaries.

            In Christ, we have the desire to make the first steps to connect.” The Taiwanese students asked the students from China and Hong Kong to lead them in worship. The next night, they invited the Korean and Japanese groups to join them, nations which also had experienced fierce animosity”[1] What brought down those damaging walls of hostility and division among the Intervarsity students? They let go of what divided them from the others and embraced the truth that in Jesus, Christ, now they are a family. In the passage, we read the Apostle Paul was urging the Corinthians believers to break down the dividing walls and cultivate Unity in the Church.

 

I PAUL’S APPEAL TO THE CHURCH

            Vs. 10, “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the Church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” What made Paul write this letter of correction?

            Chloe, probably a prominent member in the Corinthian house church who had written or come to visit Paul to tell him of the Church. It looks like the Unity of the Corinthian Church was at stake. Factions were going on. People were taking sides rather than working together. They either forgot or ignored the fact that they were brothers and sisters in Christ. The Apostle Paul urges them to do two things and not to do one thing. Let’s find out what they are.

 

I. LIVING IN HARMONY WITH EACH OTHER

            Vs.10a, “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other.” In the light of the report, Paul strongly urges the believers by the authority of Jesus Christ to live in harmony. Why is living in unity essential?

            We heard the statement, “United we stand, divided we fall.” This phrase can be traced back some 2,600 years to the 6th Century B.C. In modern times, the first attributed use is by one of our nation’s Founding Fathers, John Dickinson, in a song he wrote, “The Liberty Song.”

            Politicians use this phrase to excite and inspire their base to work together, and pastors use this to challenge their churches to live in Unity. We can achieve a lot when we live in harmony with each other. Consider these Biblical texts that call for the importance of Unity.

            At the tower of Babble’s construction, God came down to see people building the tower against His will. After seeing their agreement, He said, Gen 11:6, “Look!” he said.

            “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!” God is not impressed with all Unity; this is one of such kind of unities. God is pleased by Unity among his people. Psalm 133:1-3, “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.” When God’s people live together in Unity, there is life and blessing. Christians are not supposed to live in isolation.

            In his high priestly prayer, Jesus prayed to the father that we would be united as He was one with the father. John 17:11. We live in a country called the United States of America. Yet, we are conflicted and divided on various matters concerning life, religion, and freedoms. As Martin Luther King Jr noted, “We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools.”

            The Apostle Paul’s charged the Corinthian believers to live in harmony with each other. The same charge applies to all churches in the 21^st century, including Hope Church in Sharon. What disturbed the Unity in Corinthian Church can disturb ours too if we don’t pay attention.

 

II NO DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH

            Vs. 10b, “Let there be no divisions in the Church.” What caused divisions in the Corinthian Church, hence disturbing the Unity? They quarreled among themselves. They were divided into at least four factions, each one having its emphasis, following its own leader, and acting in antagonism to the other three. How often we see such cliques in local churches today?  

            These four factions claimed a special relationship with a particular leader. Some were following Paul. Some were following Apollos, that learned and eloquent preacher from Alexandria. Others said they followed Peter. Yet others claimed they only follow Christ.

            Paul corrected their wrong mindset by raising three questions, Vs.13, “Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? He diverts their focus from following leaders to following only Christ and His leadership. He raised the issue of Baptism to show them the priority of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

            Paul’s admonishment not to follow Church leaders, including himself, comes as a warning to Christians in our time. There are thousands of cults in America, some harmless and some that can be very dangerous. By the 1970s, America was filled with violent faiths and deadly cults; names such as Charles Manson, Reverend Jim Jones, David Koresh of WACO, Warren Jeff of the Mormon Church became familiar American household names.[2]

            A cult-like following exists among Evangelical Christians. Some Christians follow their leaders and pastors blindly without checking the truth, which amounts to idolatry. That was Paul’s concern then and indeed a problem today. However great a Pastor, Christian, or political leader that we may come to like, our ultimate loyalty and adoration is reserved only to Christ.

 

III ONE MIND AND PURPOSE

            The Apostle Paul lays out a path that would help us avoid divisions in our Churches and ultimately lead to spiritual Unity. Vs.10c, “Rather be of one mind united in thought and purpose.” Being united in thought and purpose is one of the Kingdom citizens’ qualities.

            He writes about how that kind of Unity works in his letter to the Philippians. Christians are called to be united in thought and purpose for these reasons. To stand and fight together for the sake of the Good News. (Phil 1:27). For our struggle against our enemies who seek to destroy our faith in Christ. (Phil 1:28-30). To bring joy to our pastors and leaders.

            Phil 2:1-2, “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.” The oneness of mind and purpose, in other words, “spiritual unity,” benefits all, both in and outside of the Church. How is spiritual Unity achieved?

 

IV. UNITY IN CHRIST

            People are united all the time, some for noble purposes and others to do evil. However, for the followers of Christ, Unity of mind, and purpose can be achieved only at the feet of Jesus. While writing to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul notes how Christ keeps His Church together.

            Ephesians, 4: 14-16, “We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever, they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the Church.

            He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Not only Jesus holds the Church together but also “the whole creation together.” (Col 1:17)

            Jesus is the unifying factor of this world and our lives. Outside of Christ, everything will fall apart. E. Stanly Jones, An American missionary to India, once noted, “Talk about what you believe, and you have disunity. Talk about Who you believe in, and you have unity.”[3]

            What does Unity in Christ mean? It does not mean uniformity, that we all look alike, dress alike, and speak the same language. The body of Christ is very diverse and colorful. See how diverse we are at Hope Church. We are a microcosm of Jesus’ universal Church.

            How does our functional Unity in Christ look like? As the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit live and work in perfect harmony, we are called to live and work in Unity with each other. We may disagree on preferences yet work together on Biblical principles.

            We make allowances for each other’s faults because of our love for one another. That love will prove to the world that we are Jesus’ disciples. Jesus prayed that we will live in unity. That is our goal, and we will make every effort to be United in Christ. Amen!

 

 

 

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[1] https://www.preachingtoday.com/search/?query=Unity

[2] https://www.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=7b33d5df643842a8875ff9f675ce6ae2

[3] Source: E. Stanly Jones, Leadership, Vol. 8, no. 3.

The Call

 

                                                               THE CALL

I. FROM A SCHOOL TEACHER TO A SAINT     

            "By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus." Small in stature, rocklike in faith, Mother Teresa, a school teacher of Calcutta, was entrusted with the mission of proclaiming God's thirsting love for humanity, especially for the poorest of the poor.

            On 10 September 1946, while traveling by train from Calcutta to Darjeeling for her annual retreat, Mother Teresa received her "inspiration," which she would later describe as a "call within a call." On that day, day Jesus' thirst for love and for souls took hold of her heart, and the desire to satisfy his thirst became the driving force of her life.

            Mother Teressa often challenged people saying, "God still loves the world, and he sends you and me to be his love and his compassion to the poor."  God is still calling people to follow Him and be his voice, feet, hands, and heart to the hurting masses in India and the world.

            I was born and raised in a Christian family in Tanuku. At age 18, in an Evangelistic meeting of the Evangelist N. Jayapal, I gave my life to Jesus. In 1985 December, in a Missionary Conference in Cuttack Orissa, I heard the call of God to become a missionary.

            After completing my final year B.Sc. exams without even waiting for my results, I joined Youth With A Mission in 1986.  While I was serving with YWAM, one day, I met Mother Theresa. After twenty years of preaching the Gospel in various places, God took me to the USA in 2005. After completing my Master's in Divinity, I was a small church pastor for eight years and currently at a Bible-believing Church called Hope Church Sharon. The calling of a pastor is something I cherish for the rest of my life, and I do not take it lightly.

            If you are a Christian; you heard the call to follow Jesus. But to a call to serve God, through a specific ministry, is altogether different. Scripture tells us many are called, but few are chosen. What is your story? What brought you into the ministry?

            Can you recall the time and place you have heard the call with in the call? If not, maybe you came to the ministry for some other motives. For some, today may be the first time they will receive that call within a calling. Whatever may be the calling, it has a two-fold purpose. It is to be a blessing to the nations and to preach the good news of the Gospel. Let me explain.

II. AN IDOL MAKER BECOMES THE FATHER OF NATIONS

     Do you think that God calls idol makers and worshippers to serve Him? Abraham and his family were in the business of making idols. When Abraham was 75 years old, God called him to

  Genesis 12:1-3, "The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation.      I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you." Vs. 4, "So Abraham departed as the LORD had instructed."

            Abraham was obedient to God's call. He left everything his family, hometown, country except his wife Sarai and followed as the Lord directed Him. God blessed Him, Abraham became a blessing, and in Abraham, all the earth's families were blessed.

            You and I are the recipients of Abraham's blessing. If you are following Christ today means because of Abraham's obedience. God has blessed you, not just for you and your family to have a good life, but you will become a blessing to others.

            Through you, God wants to reach out to others. Are you asking God only to bless you more and more? Or are you asking the Lord to use you to become a blessing to many others? God calls us to be a blessing to others

III. WHOM SHALL I SEND WHO WILL GO FOR US?

            One of the challenging passages from the Bible as a missionary with YWAM for me was from Isaiah 6:1-9. It was Isaiah’s Call within a Call. "It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.     Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings, they covered their faces. With two, they covered their feet, and with two, they flew. They were calling out to each other, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven's Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!" Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations and the entire building was filled with smoke. Then I said, "It's all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips.

            Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven's Armies." Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, "See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven." Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?" I said, "Here I am. Send me." And he said, "Yes, go, and say to this people,

            A call within the call is an upward calling where we see God's Holiness. When we see God in his splendor and Holiness, we are confronted with our sinfulness, and we will cry out to God as Isaiah did; it is all over! I am doomed, for and a sinful man, I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. God, in His mercy, would not leave us to our sinfulness.

            He will cleanse our sins with the fire of His Holy Spirit. Then we will hear His divine call Whom should I send as a messenger to these people? Who will go for us? God is still calling out and saying, whom should I send? Who will go for us? How are you going to respond to that call?  Many of us want Jesus to come back fast to end the misery in the world, right? But let me tell you, that may not happen today, tomorrow, or even in the next several years. This is the reason why? Mat 24:14. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world so that all nations (ethnic groups) will hear it, and then the end will come."

 

            The Scripture is clear unless the Gospel is preached to all ethnic groups, Jesus won't come back. Let me explain the task ahead of us. Joshua Project. When He had a direct encounter with Jesus after His resurrection, the doubting Thomas became a firm believer in Christ. According to traditional accounts of the Saint Thomas Christians of India, the Apostle Thomas landed in Muziris (Cranganore) on the Kerala coast in AD 52.

            Thomas was martyred in Mylapore, near Madras, in AD 72. He was the first one to bring the Gospel to India. Yet, after all these years, India, by and large, remain an unreached country for the Gospel. If India is reached with the Gospel, half of the remaining task is done?

            Who will tell the masses of India that Jesus Christ loves them? Are you still waiting for people from outside to share the good news? As you know, outside involvement is becoming harder and complicated by the day.

            Time to wait for the outside help is over, and it is now up to the local churches, pastors, Christians to become the Gospel messengers. Are you hearing the call of God that is saying, Whom shall I send and who will go for us? Would you like Isaiah to respond to God and say, Lord, Here I am, send me? Indian Christians like myself living outside India will do what we can to pray and support your efforts, but in the end, the challenge of reaching India with the Gospel is resting on your shoulders. Don't look to people for resources, but look to God for His help.

            God has all the resources that you need to bring the Good news of the Gospel to every tribe, ethnic group, and family in India. If you are blessed today, it is not for you only, but through your other families to be blessed. We just celebrated Easter and sang the songs saying Jesus has risen. Yes, Jesus has indeed risen, and He is fully alive in our hearts today by the power of His Holy Spirit.

            My prayer for you all today is that you will hear God's call within a call and cry out like the Apostle Paul who said, “God compels me to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News.” I Cor 9: 16. May we all feel terrible if we don’t preach the Good News. Amen!        

BELONGING ( A Study of I & II Corinthians)

 

BELONGING!

            A 2005 article in the National Geographic identified three regions of the world where people have consistently shown longer life spans: Okinawa, Sardinia, and Loma Linda, California. Dan Buettner, a researcher, and explorer, involved with the 2005 article, decided to do a follow-up study to determine if more regions could be discovered.

            His team found an abnormally large number of people living past 90—even into their 100s—on the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. Intrigued, Buettner and an extensive research team made their way to the region to discover what factors aided in living a longer life. They found that longevity is due in part to diet, sun exposure, and source of water, but they also found the following factors to be crucial in the survival of the people:

The people on the Nicoya Peninsula have a strong sense of purpose. They "feel needed and want to contribute to a greater good."

 

They choose to focus on the family. Persons over 100 years of age in this region "tend to live with their families…. Children or grandchildren provide support and a sense of purpose and belonging."

 

They have strong social networks. Their neighbors visit frequently, and they all seem to know the value of listening, laughing, and appreciating what they have. They know the value of hard work. They even manage to "find joy in everyday physical chores."

 

They understand and appreciate their historical roots and spiritual traditions. In essence, they know their story.[1]

 

            As I was thinking about what to share this Sunday, one morning, Wilma said, how about speaking from Corinthians? We read I Corinthians 1:1-9 in our Wednesday connect group. I asked those who were present what jumps at you from this passage? Michael was the first to respond and said, "I see belonging," which became the theme. The apostle Paul lays the right foundation for a healthy Christian community and a solution for loneliness: BELONGING

 

BACKGROUND & SETTING

            Athens and Corinth were major cities in Achaia, the southern portion of the Greek Peninsula. In Paul's day, in several ways, Corinth was the prominent city of Greece. It was a crossroad for travelers and traders. People of Corinth were interested in Greek Philosophy and placed a high premium on wisdom. It was a religious city containing at least twelve temples.

            One of the most infamous ones was the temple dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Like any large commercial city, Corinth was a center for open and unbridled immorality. The worship of Aphrodite fostered prostitution in the name of religion. At one time, 1000 prostitutes served in her temple. The immorality of Corinth became widely known. Hence the Greek verb "to Corinthianize" came to mean "to practice sexual immorality."

            In a setting like this, it is no wonder that the Corinthian church was plagued with numerous problems. The Apostle Paul is acknowledged as the author of both letters. The first letter to the Corinthians was written around A.D. 55, toward the close of Paul's three-year residency in Ephesus.  We read about the beginnings of Corinthian Church in Acts 18.

 

I. CHURCH AT CORINTH

            Acts 18:1-3, "Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome.

            Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was." Initially, Paul testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah when they refused to accept the message; he went and lived next door to the Synagogue in Titus Justus’s home. From there, Paul taught God's word for a year and a half. Many Jews and Gentiles were converted to Christ.

            When Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose against Paul and brought false charges. But the governor refused to get involved and threw them out of the courtroom. The crowd then grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the Synagogue, and beat him right there. Sosthenes becomes a Christian later on and joins Paul in writing the first letter to the Corinthian Church.

 

II APOSTLE PAUL’S GREETINGS

            Vs. 1-3, "This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes. I am writing to God's Church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord, and ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace."

            Paul begins by naming himself as the writer of this letter. He stresses his apostleship because his authority was later challenged. By saying Sosthenes, our brother made him part of the family of God. He refers to the Church in Corinth, “God’s Church, that is to say, churches do not belong to a state or pastors or leaders but to God and we are mere caretakers and stewards. 

            He reminds the Corinthian believers that God had invited them to be part of His Kingdom and to be holy along with all the people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The invitation to be set apart for God applies to all Christians in the 21^st Century.

 

III PAUL’S THANKSGIVING

            Vs. 4-5, “I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge.” Paul often began his letters with thanksgiving. He continuously thanked God for all the believers in the Church of Corinth. How often do we thank God for all the members of our Hope Church community?

            Begin to thank God for all our brothers and sisters in our church, including those you may find it hard to get along with, and see how your attitude will change towards them for good. Growing in gratitude is an attitude that pleases God and helps us to overcome discontentment. After thanking God for the believers in Corinth, he affirms the fact that they belonged to Christ.

 

IV. BELONGING

            The concept of belonging was a significant concern for Biblical writers because it was God’s concern for His people. Why is belonging so crucial for the welfare of humanity? And what does it mean to belong to Christ? The dictionary defines belonging as the state of being in a very personal or private relationship, a thing that belongs to one possession; property, close relationship; familiarity; and camaraderie.

            After creating the whole universe, perhaps seeing the loneliness of Adam, God said, “it is not good for the man to be alone.” I will make a helper who is just suitable for him.

            Out of one of man’s ribs, God made a Woman; Adam named her Eve. They both became husband and wife. From that point, the human race began to multiply, living in families and tribal communities. 

            Even the modern sciences agree on the significance of belonging. A recent article notes: “Belonging is a fundamental part of being human: We need people, and this need is hardwired into our brains. A recent MIT study found we crave interactions in the same region of our brains where we crave food, and another study showed we experience social exclusion in the same region of our brain where we experience physical pain.”[2]

            We are born with the need for belonging. In modern times, due to shifting societal and cultural trends for many in the western world, that need is not being fulfilled. Through Christ, God restores us to Himself and fulfills our innate need for belonging at its deepest level.

            However, that does not mean we don’t need other significant healthy human relationships. We will talk a lot more about our belonging to one another as we go through these two letters of Corinthians. For now, let us look at what it means to belong to Christ.

 

V. BELONGING TO CHRIST

            Vs. 4, “now that you belong to Christ.” This concept of belonging to Christ comes up again in 3:23, “And you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to you.” The Apostle Paul was stressing this truth to make the Corinthian believers understand that they no longer belonged to the devil, the world, to their evil vices and not even unto themselves, but Christ and Christ alone.

            I want us to understand this fact; you and I, Hope Church, and other worldwide Christians belong to Christ. God bought us at a high price. It is redeeming to know that we are His, and He loves us with an everlasting love. Our relationship with Christ affects our priorities, values, pursuits, relationships, and how we conduct church ministries and business.

            Belonging to Christ means we live in the light of Jesus as He is the light. I John 1:5-7, “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So, we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” Belonging to Christ means partnering with Christ in God's field of work.

            The apostle Paul reminds Corinthians of such partnership. Vs. 9, “God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” What a privilege that God invites us to partner with His Son to change the world. Who do you belong to today, to Jesus or the devil?  As you go: Lean into this powerful reality that you belong to Christ, and nothing will be able to separate you from His Love. Amen!

 

 

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[1] Dan Buettner, "Costa Rica Secrets to a Long Life," AARP magazine (May/June 2008), p. 69

[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2021/01/10/missing-your-people-why-belonging-is-so-important-and-how-to-create-it/?sh=3b200ca27c43

Jesus Restores the Broken

 

JESUS RESTORES THE BROKEN!

Introduction: Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. It was John Newton who wrote that song. Many perhaps do not know the story behind that song. John Newton was nurtured by a Christian mother who taught him the Bible at an early age, but he was raised in his father's image after she died of tuberculosis when Newton was seven.

            At age 11, Newton went on his first of six sea voyages with the merchant navy captain. Newton lost his first job, in a merchant's office, because of "unsettled behavior and impatience of restraint"—a pattern that would persist for years. He took up employment with a slave-trader named Clow, who owned a plantation of lemon trees on an island of west Africa.

            He was transferred to the Greyhound's captain's service, a Liverpool ship, in 1747, and on its homeward journey, the ship was overtaken by an enormous storm. He was converted during the storm. After that, he followed Jesus until he reached 80. He refused to retire even though he became almost blind and partially deaf. He owed his redemption in Christ to God’s mercy.

            Later in life, John Newton became an influential abolitionist. He died in 1807. We read these words on his tomb at St. Mary Woolnoth: "Once an Infidel and Libertine, A Servant of Slaves in Africa, Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST, Preserved, restored and pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith He had long labored to destroy."[1]

            In our passage, we will see as though before His ascension to heaven, Jesus had some unfinished work to do. It was to restore one of his close friends, a broken and remorse-filled disciple. Upon encountering Jesus, this disciples' life was radically transformed and became more impactful. We reap the benefits of his restored life even after 2000 years. John 21:1-19

            John Chapter 21 is the epilogue or conclusion of the story of the resurrection, where Jesus ties up a few loose ends. Before His great commission and ascension, Jesus restored confidence in seven disciples who were discouraged. After His resurrection, he appears to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee for the third time Peter and his friends had gone fishing.

 

I. GONE FISHING

            John 21: 3-6, "Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said. So, they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn, Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who he was. He called out, "Fellows, (children)have you caught any fish?" "No," they replied. Then he said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get some!" So, they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it." Let me share an earlier event where Peter got his first call to follow Jesus.

            Luke 5:5-11, Despite working all night and not catching a single fish at the command of Jesus, Simon Peter lets down his fishing net only to catch a considerable number of fish. Vs. 8-11, "When Simon Peter realized what happened, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh, Lord, please leave me—I am too much of a sinner to be around you. For he was awestruck.

            "Jesus replied to Simon, "Don't be afraid! From now on, you'll be fishing for people! As soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus." That was the beginning of Peter's adventures with Jesus. Fast forward now to the incidents of the crucifixion and resurrection.    In our passage, we see Peter found himself in a similar situation, "fishing." The only difference this time was, Peter didn't have all the bravado he exhibited earlier. He was perhaps ashamed of his failure of denial. He was a broken man.

            When he was told it was the Lord, he was the first one to respond. While others remained in the boat, he put his cloak around and headed to the shore, wondering how he would be received. Would he be ignored or accepted?

 

II. JESUS RESTORES PETER

            The Lord did not leave him in the first incident and certainly will not leave him now. When they got to the shore, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire; and some bread. Jesus said, bring some fish you have just caught, come and have some breakfast! It was a fatherly act Jesus performed towards His guilt-ridden children. None of the disciples dared to ask him any questions as little children caught by the father in their mischief. After breakfast, Jesus and Peter had a dialogue of healing and restoration.

            Let's see how Jesus gently restores Peter to his original calling to follow Him. Vs. 15-17, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? "Yes, Lord," Peter replied, "you know I love you." In Greek, two terms were used for the word translated as love. When Jesus asked Peter two times do you love me in Greek, Agape signified total commitment.

            Peter responded with a word for love, Phileo, representing his love for Jesus but not his total commitment. It was not because he was unwilling to express the supreme love, because he had been disobedient and denied Christ three times. Perhaps now, he was reluctant to make any boastful claims. The message here is that Jesus demands total commitment from his followers.

            Peter may have thought it is all over. I denied the Lord three times for which I may never be forgiven. I could never follow Jesus as I did before. But Jesus didn't let Peter remain in his brokenness. He walked straight to where Peter was, restored him unto himself. With each of Peter's responses, Jesus entrusted him with a specific responsibility.

            We read about this pardoned, restored, and re-appointed disciple's preaching in Acts three, which gathered three thousand souls into God's family. Talk about fishing for people! He became a strong pillar of the Church of Jesus Christ. Peter stands as an example of Jesus' restorative work of broken people. In one way, we all are broken people in need of restoration.

 

III JESUS RESTORES THE BROKEN

            Restoration is a reoccurring theme in the Bible. It is synonymous with healing, repairing, returning to a previous state of being. Since Adam and Eve's sin, we all became broken and are living in a broken world. Jesus came into this world to restore our broken relationship with God.

Through His death on the cross, burial, and resurrection, humanity can be restored to God again. When we believe in Jesus, we will be saved, and our relationship with God is restored. How about after getting saved? Are we still in need of restoration? Stephen A. Macchia, in his book, Broken and Whole, "Healthy spiritual leaders (Christians) recognize the reality of living in the tension of the already-and-not-yet nature of the kingdom. They expect to experience both transformative redemption and continued brokenness in their generational life."

             In Christ, we are a new creation, and our father profoundly loves us. Yet, we struggle with sin and need to be restored and renewed daily. Salvation happens at the moment we confess our sins and accept Jesus as our savior. But restoration is a process. God in his mercy, restoring his people. A wretch and saint alike, we all experience brokenness. Our brokenness varies.

            Some of our souls are weary (Ps 23:3). Some have been afflicted with physical sickness and need of healing. Jer 30:17, "But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord." Some may have lost the joy of their salvation (Ps 51:12). Maybe your heart is broken.          

            Psalm 147:3, "He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds (pains)." Some are enduring suffering; listen to Peter's advice. I Pet 5:10, "In his kindness, God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So, after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." Whatever your brokenness, maybe Jesus sees it. He will have compassion for you. He won't ignore you but walk right where you are, restores you, and re-appoints you to preach the Good News. Amen!

 

 

 

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[1] https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/pastorsandpreachers/john-newton.html

https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/70544/christian-witness-by-owen-bourgaize

Don't Be A Skeptic. Believe!

 

DON'T BE A SKEPTIC. BELIEVE!

Introduction: An article in the Washington Post is titled "I'm an atheist. So why can't I shake God?" and it suggests that it's "hard to believe in nothing when your psyche is wired for faith." The author Elizabeth King tells how she abandoned her childhood Christian faith for atheism. "Until my mid-teens, I was a 'born again' Christian who loved God with all her heart. These days, though, I'm an atheist with nothing to prove.

            "The story of my departure from the church resembles those of many others who have abandoned the flock. When I was about 16, I started asking questions during services that my youth pastors couldn't or didn't want to answer: Why is it a sin to be gay? Why is it okay to spank children? Where does the Bible say we can't have premarital sex?"

            Still, despite her atheism, King states, "somehow God has found a way to stick around in my mind." She thinks that "God's lingering presence" could be attributed to "the inner-workings of the human mind" against which the atheist battles hard. She claims, "If I could … banish this figure from my psyche, I would." In the end, she has to admit, "I have no choice but to accept that I'm an atheist with a sense for God."[1] No matter what you do you cannot shake off God.

            Sadly, many Christians, including born-again Christians like Elizabeth King, turn away from their Christian faith. We live in a time of wild conspiracy theories, from Pizzagate to QAnon, to the notion that Covid is a hoax and the vaccine an instrument of Government control.            Unfortunately, many believing Christians believe in them. Amid such weird ideas, we Christians must hold on to the tenants of our Christian Faith. One of them is the resurrection of Christ. On the day of the resurrection of Jesus, His disciples, who were very close to Him, had a hard time believing that he had indeed risen. Let's see how Jesus confronted their skepticism.

 

I THE DISCIPLES STRUGGLE TO BELIEVE 

            Early on Sunday morning, Jesus made his first appearance to Mary Magdalene, from whom he drove out seven demons. She is the first eyewitness to see (and hear and touch) the resurrected Jesus. Jesus told her to "go" find my brothers and tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Mary became the first messenger.

            When Mary told the disciples that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn't believe her. (Mk 16:11). That Sunday evening, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly Jesus was standing there among them!   How could that be possible? Well, the grave couldn't hold him. How about these flimsy closed doors to the resurrected Lord? The power of the resurrected Lord is such that nothing could stop Him anymore to accomplish His purposes, no closed doors, and no closed hearts.

            Jesus gave convincing proof to His skeptic disciples by showing them the wounds in his hands and sides to let them know that He was not a ghost but their Lord who once was with them. The disciples were overjoyed by seeing the risen Lord. He commissioned them, saying, "as the father has sent me, so I am sending you." Then He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit as they would need His power to carry the message of the resurrection to the world.

 

II A SKEPTIC BECOMES A BELIEVER

            While the disciples were witnessing Jesus' resurrection for the first time, their fellow disciple named Thomas, who is commonly known as "Doubting Thomas," was not with them. I wonder where he must have gone? Probably out there gathering evidence as to what happened.        When the disciples told him, "we have seen the Lord." He replied like a true skeptic. A skeptic is a person who doesn't believe something is true unless they see the evidence. Skeptics are doubters —they need to see proof before they will accept. That's what Thomas wanted.

            Thomas said, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side." In other words, he was saying, unless I examine Jesus, I won't believe your story of His resurrection. He must have struggled with that idea and couldn't have shaken that thought of Jesus' bodily resurrection for eight days.

            Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this time our skeptic Thomas was with them. The same powerful account has happened again. Jesus walked right through the locked doors, went straight for doubting Thomas, and put Himself to personal scrutiny.

            He invited Thomas to come close and put his finger in his hands and his hand in the wound on His side. Then He said to Thomas, "Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!" In other words, "Don't Be a Skeptic. Believe! Those words were powerful and convicting. Thomas was no longer a skeptic but became a firm believer. He exclaimed, "My Lord and my God."

            With that firm conviction, later on, Thomas became an apostle to India. He preached the gospel in India and many Hindus have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. According to Syrian Christian tradition, Saint Thomas was allegedly martyred at St. Thomas Mount in Chennai on 3 July in AD 72, and his body was interred in Mylapore. I saw the place where he was martyred.

            What does this all mean to us on this resurrection Sunday morning? This particular message is not only for skeptics but also for the followers of Christ. Like the close disciples of Christ, we too struggle with skepticism and unbelief, not necessarily regarding His resurrection but on other matters of faith. We often let the world's philosophy cloud our theology.

            The truth is! We can rely on Jesus entirely, for He is trustworthy, but we must come to Him with child-like faith. Children are not skeptics, but grown-up adults can be. We have a hard time trusting the Lord for who He says He is and what He can do. If the risen Lord shows up this morning at this lakeside, His message for us would be, “Don't be a Skeptic. Believe!” Amen.

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

 

           

 

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[1] Source: Elizabeth King, "I'm an atheist. So why can't I shake God? Turns out it's pretty hard to believe in nothing when your psyche is wired for faith," Washington Post (2-4-16)