If God is with us

If God Is With Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

The sermon was an expository message on the second half of Romans 8 exhorting the work of the Holy Spirit and marching boldly for God’s Kingdom.

Here is a summary of the sermon:

Next week is Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the early church. We will look at the second half of Romans 8, which speaks to the outlook the apostles had living the life of the Holy Spirit.

First, in Romans 8:18-27, it teaches us that the Holy Spirit was the Spirit of Christ. This was how early Christians viewed the Holy Spirit, such comfort to know Jesus Christ is with us. Christ died and resurrected, this is the glory we know will be revealed in us, that all of creation is waiting for. We weren’t random creations, but all of creation is waiting for Kingdom on earth, like childbirth in pain waiting for this glory. Augustine fled God, but came back to Him when realizing the good world He created. The visible church we are building is going towards the invisible church already in heaven. Christ’s salvation isn’t merely escapism, but it is a life depending on going towards that glory.

Next, in Romans 8:28-30, Paul gives us assurance of God’s goodness. He foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified us – it is these basics that are not difficult to accept. Why do so many have difficulty accepting? The era of enlightenment to existentialism now, makes our life view individual and also viewing God as an individual. In that way, God’s guidance for our life has been reduced to determinism as Hyper-Calvinism has done, or extreme Armenism which is a reliance on humanism. But this is has made faith incomprehensible, far from the Trinitarian faith the Bible teaches us. It is the God of love who has the weak and strong side. It is also Jesus Christ who paradoxical Logos coming as flesh into the world is a mystery that no dialectical reasoning can understand. To see God’s foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glory – we can only understand this in Jesus.

Finally, in Romans 8:31-39, we receive the grace that God is with us and nothing can be against us. Faith is receiving God’s ever-present love that is already there, we must simply not reject it in rebellion, but open up our hearts to it. It is by Jesus Christ and his cross that our doubts and condemnation end. For the life of the believer in hardship, just like Paul shared in 2 Corinthians 11, nothing can stop the ones marching towards the Kingdom. We must live a commitment towards the Kingdom, like a marriage, not dating, we have to have a firm convicted heart on our path.

The Lord told us to be born again of water and spirit. On Pentecost, let us receive the Holy Spirit and live newly for God’s Kingdom.

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forgiveness

The Law of Forgiveness

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

The sermon focused on the eternal blessing that living a life of forgiveness gives us.

Here is a summary of the sermon:

As Christians, we blessed that the Lord taught us how to pray in Lord’s Prayer, as we are weak and don’t even know what the pray for. “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” is known as the Law of Forgiveness. Today, we will look at why the Law of Forgiveness came, how Lord able open Law forgiveness, and the transcendence of the Law forgiveness and Gospel.

First, we should understand why the Law of Forgiveness came from Jesus. Interestingly, we see symmetry in the Law of Forgiveness, just like we see in the Law. The law is about evenness, eye for an eye, however, the problem came when Jews had this self-righteous anger and condemnation of the Law. When the Jews brought the woman caught in adultery, Jesus wrote twice on the ground. Although we don’t know what Jesus wrote, we do know Jesus came to fulfill the Law, meaning Jesus was more serious about the Law than the Jews were. Just as Jesus wrote twice on the ground, Jesus gave us the symmetry of the Law in the Law of Forgiveness, exhorting us that just as we have been forgiven, to forgive others.

Next, how was Jesus able to open the Law of Forgiveness? Adam’s deliberate disobedience led to a cycle of sin and death for generations. Adam and Cain started a history of self-righteously blaming others. Instead of blaming, Jesus took on the blame for us, dying on the cross and shedding his blood. With two thieves next to him on the cross, this is representative of the world which takes and blames, while Jesus is the one who bore punishment of our sins. The Law of forgiveness was opened up because Jesus forgave first.

Finally, we want to look at the transcendence of the Law of Forgiveness. The Danish Philosopher Kierkegaard spoke of the 3 stages of life: aesthetic (surface-level), ethical (moral direction), spiritual (loving relationship with God). This speaks accurately to the existential life worldview we see in people around the world. The aesthetic life lives only for surface-level material and worldly desires which is a life of chaos. The ethical life has balance and order, but it is ultimately limited since we put parameters on things. When Peter asked how many times we should forgive, Jesus said not to put a parameter on forgiveness. As Matthew 20 shows us, grace of God is on a different level and God’s grace has no limits. Therefore, we need to see the wisdom of the spiritual life, in a loving relationship with God, we open ourselves up to God’s amazing grace. The Holy Spirit is without boundary and transforms us. Living by the Law of Forgiveness and the Gospel allows us to experience this unending eternal love and blessing of God in our life.

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3 crosses

He Was Raised To Life For Us | Resurrection & Eternal Life

by with No Comment SermonsUncategorized

The sermon focused on the deep meaning of resurrection and eternal life.

Here is a summary of the sermon:

There is a need for us to understand the resurrection more deeply and why it is important in our faith. Through three verses, we can more deeply understand our sin and death, what the resurrection of Jesus means for us, and living in the faith of eternal life.

In Romans 4:25, Paul says that Jesus Christ was delivered to death for our sins and raised to life for justification. This summarizes the Gospel, telling us why we need the cross and resurrection. The cross is not simply a historical event or something philosophical, it has implications on the sin that I personally commit. Sin has punishment, sinners inevitably cannot go to heaven, this has been the situation since fall of man in Adam. Therefore, through a new seed, God sent His son Jesus to be the new Adam, who paid the price of punishment for our sin. We must know that every time we sin, we put Jesus on the cross. This is why Jesus came and also, Paul explains that he was raised to life for our justification.

1 Corinthians 15 is the chapter on resurrection, the first part testifying to the fact of resurrection, and the second part explaining our faith must at least reach the level of believing in resurrection of the dead. However, the third part is key, explaining what resurrection of Jesus means for us. Resurrection isn’t simply dying, coming back to life, then later dying again. Resurrection is following Jesus who ascended to heaven. While so many rulers were stuck in the power of death, Jesus went beyond death and this is the faith and power of resurrection we believe in.

As Galatians 2:20 explains, we are bound in Christ, this is our faith. Our loving relationship with Jesus is the connecting point to overcome the power of death. The Bible gives this deep message when Mary, the woman of love, was the first to the tomb, first to see the resurrection and even the disciple of love, John was the first disciple to see the beyond death empty tomb. As Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15, the eternal life we believe in is not simply life on earth in a different form, it’s something completely beyond conception, this is power of resurrection Jesus gave us. Since we are bound in Christ, we can experience eternity now, it is eternity where the infinite goes beyond the finite. As the German theologian Schleiermacher explained, we have a teleological dependence on our infinite creator, not living a static life, but going towards Him.

This is why we must worship God and live for His Kingdom. The power of resurrection is that we are bound in the eternal will of God, so let us live depending on God and striving for the Great Commission in everything we do.

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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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photo_2020-04-29_10-32-11

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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tree-1600x420

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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