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A Runaway Slave Became A Great Bishop

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

The sermon focused on Paul’s exhortation to Philemon and to all of us to carry each other burdens and live a life in grace.

Here is a summary of the sermon:

We will be studying the Book of Philemon over two sermons, it is a short but meaningful letter from the Apostle Paul. We will look at it in three parts: first the background, then the purpose of the letter, and finally Paul’s interpretation of meaning.

First, in v 1-7, the background to the letter is that Paul is writing a personal letter from prison to a wealthy believer named Philemon, who Paul personally raised in faith. However, who is delivering this letter to Philemon? It is his runaway slave named Onesimus, who also stole from Philemon in the process of running away. In this era, slavery was common place and with the authority of the Roman Empire, they needed to keep order, including strict punishments for runaway slaves. Although we can’t imagine it now, runaway slaves were considered great sinners back then. Philemon must have had mixed feeling, angry at first seeing Onesimus, but excited to read the letter from Apostle Paul. The greatness of Paul was that even though he was a teacher and Apostle to Philemon, he wrote this letter with deep feeling of fellowship and harmony with Philemon. We too, must treat each other in fellowship with the love of Jesus Christ, that is the Kingdom of God.

Next, v8-14, why is Paul writing this letter? He is appealing to Philemon on the basis of love to accept Onesimus. As his teacher, he could order Philemon to do what he should do, but instead the basis of love is what Jesus Christ taught us. Paul is putting down everything, lowering himself to save this one soul Onesimus. Onesimus was probably a useful person to Paul who was old and sick in prison. However, it is Paul who embraced this great sinner, a runaway slave, just Paul himself was a great sinner and embraced by Jesus. Later, Onesimus became a great Bishop of Ephesus, truly used by God for the Kingdom. God doesn’t look at our past, so we also shouldn’t look at the past of the brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead, we should know that God has a plan and uses us all greatly for the Kingdom.

Finally, in v15, Paul interprets the situation to Philemon, saying that perhaps Onesimus ran away for a while so he could be back with you eternally. In faith, we wonder why the people who are around us, our brothers and sisters, spouse, co-workers, leaders are with us. God has his mysterious providence and reason that we do not know. How do Christians look at God’s Providence? There is God’s level which He determines and since He is eternal, we cannot comprehend or fathom. Then, there is our level in this finite world, where God has given us freewill by His love. How do the two levels cohere? Our faith has an “in spite of” aspect, that in spite of all man’s freewill, sin, depravity, broken relationship, there is mystery of God’s providence in everything. Harmony in the world is like the theory of economics, where each person’s selfishness somehow reaches a rational equilibrium of the buyer-seller marketplace. Harmony in God’s love is like Greek “eros” love, where each of us a passionately drawn to God, so it drives all of us brothers and sisters together as one too. It’s a mystery how it all works together, but that is the beautiful harmony in God’s love.

Whoever God has placed with us, especially now when we are all stuck at home, remember that this is the mystery and harmony of God’s providence. Let us not treat each other like master-slave, but treat each other on the basis of love and in this way seeing God’s glory and Kingdom.

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Let Us Not Treat Each Other Like Master-Slave, But On The Basis Of Love

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

The sermon focused on Paul’s letter to Philemon and our relationship in Jesus Christ on the basis of love.

Here is a summary of the sermon:

We will be studying the Book of Philemon over two sermons, it is a short but meaningful letter from the Apostle Paul. We will look at it in three parts: first the background, then the purpose of the letter, and finally Paul’s interpretation of meaning.

First, in v 1-7, the background to the letter is that Paul is writing a personal letter from prison to a wealthy believer named Philemon, who Paul personally raised in faith. However, who is delivering this letter to Philemon? It is his runaway slave named Onesimus, who also stole from Philemon in the process of running away. In this era, slavery was common place and with the authority of the Roman Empire, they needed to keep order, including strict punishments for runaway slaves. Although we can’t imagine it now, runaway slaves were considered great sinners back then. Philemon must have had mixed feeling, angry at first seeing Onesimus, but excited to read the letter from Apostle Paul. The greatness of Paul was that even though he was a teacher and Apostle to Philemon, he wrote this letter with deep feeling of fellowship and harmony with Philemon. We too, must treat each other in fellowship with the love of Jesus Christ, that is the Kingdom of God.

Next, v8-14, why is Paul writing this letter? He is appealing to Philemon on the basis of love to accept Onesimus. As his teacher, he could order Philemon to do what he should do, but instead the basis of love is what Jesus Christ taught us. Paul is putting down everything, lowering himself to save this one soul Onesimus. Onesimus was probably a useful person to Paul who was old and sick in prison. However, it is Paul who embraced this great sinner, a runaway slave, just Paul himself was a great sinner and embraced by Jesus. Later, Onesimus became a great Bishop of Ephesus, truly used by God for the Kingdom. God doesn’t look at our past, so we also shouldn’t look at the past of the brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead, we should know that God has a plan and uses us all greatly for the Kingdom.

Finally, in v15, Paul interprets the situation to Philemon, saying that perhaps Onesimus ran away for a while so he could be back with you eternally. In faith, we wonder why the people who are around us, our brothers and sisters, spouse, co-workers, leaders are with us. God has his mysterious providence and reason that we do not know. How do Christians look at God’s Providence? There is God’s level which He determines and since He is eternal, we cannot comprehend or fathom. Then, there is our level in this finite world, where God has given us freewill by His love. How do the two levels cohere? Our faith has an “in spite of” aspect, that in spite of all man’s freewill, sin, depravity, broken relationship, there is mystery of God’s providence in everything. Harmony in the world is like the theory of economics, where each person’s selfishness somehow reaches a rational equilibrium of the buyer-seller marketplace. Harmony in God’s love is like Greek “eros” love, where each of us a passionately drawn to God, so it drives all of us brothers and sisters together as one too. It’s a mystery how it all works together, but that is the beautiful harmony in God’s love.

Whoever God has placed with us, especially now when we are all stuck at home, remember that this is the mystery and harmony of God’s providence. Let us not treat each other like master-slave, but treat each other on the basis of love and in this way seeing God’s glory and Kingdom

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Job who went to God in tragedy

Job Who Went To God In Tragedy

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

Job 1:1-22

The sermon focused on Job, who went to God amidst the tragedy he faced in his life. The book of Job is about a man who was left suffering alone, yet still had faith in God. This message is appropriate now as many of us are facing time along amidst this viral pandemic. Today, we will look at the story of Job, see how he drew closer to God, and completely trusted in Him. 

First, in Job 1:1-19 Job was an exceedingly prosperous man with animals, servants, and family, but lost it all at once. Imagining this happening to us, we may face torment and bitterness towards God. However, we must not misunderstand God, be devoured by bitterness, and blame Him. As the book of James teaches us, there is a difference between testing and temptation. Testing in faith happens so that we can persevere, mature, and receive the crown of life. God does not tempt us, He is not evil – temptation comes from our own selfish desire. Therefore, when tragedy strikes our life, we should distinguish well, the challenges to overcome to become stronger in faith, and the evil which comes from our selfish desire. 

Next, in Job 1:20-21, we see the image of Job who immediately after learning the news, bowed down and worshipped God. Many of us deal with tragedy by hiding away and cutting off our communication with God. Instead, we must draw closer to Him in prayer because God helps us in our weakness. The mysterious power of prayer allows us to feel his presence and it comforts us. The real tragedy is not what we’ve lost in the world, but it is losing our relationship with God. Thinking about the pandemic, we remember the early church who didn’t think about self-preserving, but ran towards the plague, running towards the cross, and the church flourished. The Lord already gained ultimate victory on Easter, resurrecting, and eternal life is given to us. 

Finally, in Job 1:22, we see Job who maintained complete trust in God. Job never blamed God amidst testing and temptations that happened during his life, and staying with God, eventually Job is immensely blessed by Him. Our blessing may or may not be a material blessing, but that is not the point. God’s crown of life is different for each of us, God knows us and loves us, and guides us in our life. The people of faith trust in God, that even negative things that happen, push us, mature us, and out of that, something great and new developments happen we wouldn’t know before. Let us keep our faith in God and as His children, let the crown of life be revealed in kingdom of God and heaven..

 

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Gratia Church Offers an Online Sunday Service

by with No Comment NewsUncategorized

Gratia Church offers an online Sunday service through zoom. Members were able to be connected and received grace and be strengthened through the powerful message. After the service, members remained in the chatting shared each other and it became the great time to be united even in this time of social distance. We pray that all members can be stay healthy and looking forward to meet in person one day sooner.

Join our Sunday service at 10:40 am.
Zoom Meeting ID: 724 761 2612/ Password: 108468

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The Lord God Clothed Them

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

Genesis 3:20-21

The sermon focused on God’s love in his salvation, giving a garment of skin to Adam and Eve. Here is a summary of the sermon: Genesis 3:20-21 are important verses with great depth about God’s love and salvation. We’ll look in three parts: Big picture framework of judgment, interpreting garments skin, and insight to salvation and God’s grace. 

First, judgment happens to everyone as Hebrews says, we all die and face judgment. Besides Christianity, two other views on afterlife include the physical view where there is nothing afterlife and also reincarnation where life repeats in a different form. Both are miserable views with not eternal meaning. Christianity’s worldview is beautiful, it’s that our time on earth is temporary, before going to our Father in heaven. The Bible also teaches us that the day we die will come like a thief, therefore the time we live on earth should be used preciously and to live properly. This time of virus is a time of judgment and especially now, we should live properly. Our spirit knows if we’ve lived improperly, so that is why non-believers have a face of horror being dragged to death, with the Spirit knowing where they will go. As Christians, we have the assurance of Jesus Christ, so we can die peacefully, this is God’s love for us, even covering our sins. 

Next, we see what the garments of skin are used to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve. Nakedness is a feeling only humans can have, it is fear and shame, just like Adam and Eve had when they sinned. The truth is, we can’t cover our sins and we also can’t go to heaven with sin, since heaven is a place without sin. The commentator Matthew Henry said that since Adam and Eve’s fig-leave covering made by themselves were too narrow, so God gave us garments of skin, which took shed blood in order to create. As Christians, we believe in Jesus Christ who shed his blood for our sins so that we have the confidence to enter the holy place in eternity. Jesus gave us the clean white robes to go to heaven. For believers, we need to constantly wash our robes in wine. Furthermore, we must gain the fine linens, this is becoming fruitful. God guides this in our life and we gain the fine linens by following God’s will for us in working for the Kingdom of God here on earth. 

Finally, Genesis teaches us deep insight into salvation and God’s love and grace which is prevalent throughout the Bible. The naming of Eve, which means “life”, is an act of faith for Adam. Previously, we saw his pride, disobedience, and disbelief. But after God passes judgment and hope of salvation, Adam trusts the enmity God puts with the serpent and that out of the Seed of the Woman, the savior will come. It’s that even in judgment, God uses judgment as a medium for salvation to come. The judgment doesn’t end at the judgment, but through he wishes to restore a loving relationship, which requires our faith that God saves us. God is love and he wishes to save us. The truth is that sin must be judged and the punishment for sin cannot be ignored. But the garment of skin that God gave us to cover our sins was made by Jesus Christ who shed blood and paid the punishment for us. 

Today’s verse is a continuation of the protoevangelium, the first glimmer of the Gospel in Genesis. Jesus Christ came and crushed the head of the serpent and was the garment of skin, his cross which bore our sin and shame. Let us always remember God’s love and grace which saves us.

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The Way To The Tree Of Life

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

Genesis 3:14-24

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,“Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals!.You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman,and between your offspring[a] and hers;he will crush your head,and you will strike his heel.”

To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children.Your desire will be for your husband,and he will rule over you.”

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He Will Crush The Head Of The Serpent

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

Genesis 3:4-15

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

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fall of man

The Fall

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

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Gratia Church Opens A New Chapter at USF Campus Mission

by with No Comment NewsUncategorized

Gratia church is opening a new chapter at the University of San Francisco(USF) and Gratia ministers had a graceful time of evangelism on campus on March 5. The USF is founded by the Jesuits in 1855 and the campus is surrounded by the Catholic church and statues of the Jesuit missionaries. There is a big Catholic church in the middle of the campus and students come to pray even for a short time.

 

Pastor Julia, Nancy, and Eunice spent about an hour for evangelism and met 4 students who showed interest in the bible study. They found a suitable place for next week’s bible study and excited to see the students are nice and respond to their invitation with a gentle heart. Ministers felt that there are lots of prayers piled up on the campus and pray that the great mission rival came alive once again.

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