Mookoo's Home (木咕子的家)

#2014-1218

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4, New Revised American Version)

This morning some Camel Brothers -- including me (#27) and my former classmates #4, #11, #28, and #35 -- went to Tainan to visit another Camel Brother, #29, who became very sick after a stroke in late July.

We didn't visit him earlier because we had had no information about his illness until last week. When we were informed that Camel Brother #29 had a stroke in July and since then he'd so badly suffered, we could hardly believe it: "How could it be?" "Too bad! . . . He had been very energetic, very active." "Yes, he really loved social activities and sporting activities! . . ."

Oh Lord, be merciful to us -- to each of us! May your healing power give comfort to all people that are sick, including my important friend Camel Brother #29, whose bed used to be beside mine while we were studying in the Green Garden, as I was numbered #27 in the Camel Class in those five year!

Anyway, I'll keep praying for you, my good old friend. I'll pray for you (and your family) to the Lord God, who is the almighty and all-knowing One, our merciful Father in heaven!

= = = = =

The first picture below is part of the photo taken on Tuesday, February 10, 2014, when the annual Camel-Brother Class Reunion took place in Sanyi, Miaoli County, Taiwan (苗栗縣三義鄉).

沿著３號國道南下，在東山服務區歇息片刻，目睹

一隻「有膽識的貓」面對一隻「狂吠不止的狗」

仍能沉著面對的「英勇之姿」。佩服不已！

回程，於古坑服務區休息，我們在園區

造景中，喝杯熱咖啡，續話從前！

#2014-1207

The New Beginning
-- by The Rev. Jason Ke (trans. J.L.)

(A Sermon for Sunday, December 7, 2014, at St.James' English Language Service)

Second Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 40:1-11

Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13

2 Peter 3:8-15a

Mark 1:1-8

INTRODUCTION

Good morning, my dear friends in Christ! This is a sermon about beginnings.

Among the 66 books included in the Bible – 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in New Testament, only two books start with the word “beginning”: One is Genesis, saying “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth …” (Genesis 1:1, NRSA) and the other is the Gospel of Mark, saying “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ …” (Mark 1:1, NRSV)

The name “Genesis” comes from a Greek word meaning “beginning.” And the book of Genesis talks about the beginning of all things and all beings – all created by God, the Creator. That’s why The Nicene Creed starts with these words: “We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.”

Man was also created by God. – Do you remember the story of Adam and Eve, the very first human beings? God created them in his “image” – “In the image of God he created them.” (Genesis 1:27b, NRSV) God took some soil from the ground and formed a man out of it; he “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7b NRSV) And then God let human beings have “dominion” over everything, including the fish, the birds, and all animals. (Genesis 1:26) So, by the grace of God, the human being is the most important “life form” or “living thing” that God has ever created.

However, as a created being, man destroyed the good relationship between him and the Creator. Man, in a sense, is the only being who has broken the relationship of mutual trust with God. And, as told in Genesis 3:9-13, when God wanted to restore man to the original good condition, man “made excuses,” trying to shirk his responsibility and shift the blame to others (推卸責任、諉過於人). – Adam said it was Eve’s fault, and Eve said it was the Serpent’s fault!

If Adam had repented of his sin at the outset, he might have been forgiven by God; and after that, the world might have become a much better one – much better than the real world we are in today!

Now, let’s move from Genesis to the Gospel of Mark. I’d regard the “beginning” mentioned in Mark as the second beginning, the New Beginning. Do you know why I call it the “new beginning”?

KEY MESSAGES

There are three Key Messages, or points, in today's sermon:

I. God the Creator Comes Again to Humankind...In Person

The Gospel of Mark starts with these words: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1, NRSV) In another version, this same verse is translated like this: “The Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1, Easy-to-Read Version)

Many other English versions use the word “gospel” in place of “good news.” For example, the ASV (American Standard Version), the ESV (English Standard Version), the ISV (International Standard Version), and the KJV (King James Version) all translate the word as 'gospel.' Although “good news” is a more modern expression in English, the term may be misunderstood if no explanation of it is made. Many people today have begun to associate the phrase “good news” with commercial or material things! It's important that the Gospel, or Good News, of Jesus Christ be totally distinct from any other kind of “good news” that we might hear of. The Gospel, the “Good News” about Jesus is unique. Never has there been anything like it.

Well, why do we say that the coming of Jesus was good news? – If Jesus came into the world just like a prophet or a teacher, or simply as a social or political reformer, then the book that describes what he did and said in his life should be entitled “A Biography of Jesus” or something like that. But the author of The Gospel of Mark used “good news” for the “biography” he was writing. He must have intended to tell his readers that Jesus was not merely a “great man” in a general sense, but that Jesus is God the Creator himself.

Yes, Jesus was the Word that became flesh (道成肉身): “The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us.” (John 1:14a, TEV) And most unusual of all, when coming into the world, Jesus did not disturb or startle the people as did mighty kings or emperors. Those powerful kings and emperors, when visiting a place or area, would come with their bodyguards or soldiers and be accompanied by some “key figures” and so forth, to display the pomp and splendor of the aristocracy. It was like their having an entourage of the paparazzi of that time.

But Jesus, who always has the nature of God, gave up “all he had” and took upon himself the nature of a servant. He just willingly “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:7, NRSV).

In Taiwan, we had an important election just a week ago, on Saturday, November 29. You might have noticed such a phenomenon: In order to win the election, all the candidates had tried very hard to “show” themselves – to make themselves visible, for example, on TV, on the radio, or in the print media; and some of them had even “showed off” to such an extent that made people feel a strong sense of dislike towards them. – Can any politicians “empty” themselves and become so extremely humble? I don’t think I have found any!

As for Jesus Christ, we know he did empty himself; he is God, but he humbly came into the world as a human baby who then grew to adulthood and sacrificed himself on the cross in order to save all human beings. So, his coming was good, good, good news! There is no other “good news” that is anything like it.

II. The Lord Jesus’ Coming Was Not and Is Not an Accident

The Gospel writer Mark quotes the prophet Isaiah: “As it is written in the prophet Isaiah …” (Mark 1:2a, NRSV) “It began as the prophet Isaiah had written …” (Mark 1:2a, TEV.) It was in the eighth century BC that the prophet Isaiah had spoken of the Lord’s coming. (See the endnote譯註)

In other words, what Jesus Christ said and did during his lifetime on earth was the fulfillment of what God had previously proclaimed through the ancient prophets. And the prophets’ words would not end up with nothing; their prophecies would be fulfilled, because the Lord God is a faithful God.

God controls the history of the human race; he can make come true whatever he says, very unlike human beings! Isaiah says, in chapter 40, verses 6b to 8, “All human beings are like grass; they last no longer than wild flowers. Grass withers and flowers fade when the Lord sends the wind blowing over them. People are no more enduring than grass. Yes, grass withers and flowers fade, but the word of our God endures forever.” (Isaiah 40:6b-8, TEV)

Early Christians earnestly waited for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. After waiting in vain for a period of time, they became disappointed and began to have doubts about whether Jesus would come back again.

But St. Peter tried to rectify their sense of uncertainty, saying, “Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9, TEV)

Without seeing Jesus’ coming back, those early Christians started having doubts about the second advent of Christ. That's why Peter wrote those words that he did. But how about us? Today, we live in a world of confusing values; we are inevitably faced with all sorts of tests and challenges. To avoid being led astray, we should always remember that God is faithful and that his words will never end up with nothing. In other words, it is like this: God's word is the plant that always produces good fruit.

III. Baptism Is the First Step of the New Beginning

The word of the Lord was conveyed to people through the prophets, who pointed out that human beings had sinned against God for a long time. In Chinese, God should be the “demandant” (原告) – meaning something like “plaintiff” or “claimant” or “complainant” in English; while human beings should be the “defendant(s)” (被告) – just like a defendant or respondent in a civil lawsuit. But's that is where the comparison ends, because when these defendants (human beings) had failed to get a foothold, the demandant (the Lord God himself) offered to help them . . . to show them the way . . . to provide the means for them to get a foothold. What a great grace! God wanted the prophets to comfort his people!

Most of the time a prophet would blame or reproach the people, instead of giving them comfort. But, here in Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 1, are words of consolation. Not only that, but here it is good news, saying that humans’ sin has been forgiven. This is the good news that should be passed on . . . broadcast . . . advertised . . . to all people in towns and in villages, for “their God is coming!” (Isaiah 40:9, TEV)

Isaiah says it this way: “See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” (Isaiah 40:10-11, NRSV)

This prophecy was fulfilled about 700 years later when Jesus was born, wasn’t it? – That Jesus came into the world is the really Good News for all human beings, isn't it?

And yet, over 700 years after that prophecy, when so very many people came to be baptized by “John the Baptist” by the river Jordan, this charismatic “Baptist” said, “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:7-8, TEV)

The Lord God, whom I compared to “the demandant” a moment ago, just demanded that the human beings (so-called “the defendants”) should sincerely repent and be baptized – Yes, repentance and baptism is the only thing required by the Lord, the only thing for human beings to do to restore the original good relationship with God. And when we truly think about it, that is an easiest thing to do, isn't it?

Possibly, we might ask ourselves these questions: “Am I really sinful? What have I done wrong?” In Chinese the word for “sin” is “zui” (罪), and this same word (罪) also means “crime.” There are not two different words to mean “sin” and “crime” separately. So, when a non-Christian Taiwanese is told that all human beings have got “zui” (罪), they might be confused and annoyed, asking what kind of “crime” (罪) he or she has committed.

Well, talking about “sin,” the Scottish-born theologian John Macquarrie (1919 - 2007), the author of Principles of Christian Theology, had a sensible explanation. Macquarrie pointed out that “sin” is “alienation”; for instance, the created beings keep themselves apart from the Creator, and wrongly regard one or some other created things or beings (so-called “idols”) as their creator or creators.

When a person relies solely upon himself or herself, or pays more attention to money, social status, personal relationships, etc., than he or she does to God the Creator, then that person is a sinner. That includes everybody at some time in their lives. When a person gets a lot of money, or a very high social status, and so on, that person might become so proud of themselves or of that achievement that he has committed a grave sin – just like Adam, the first human being!

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I would like to say that the whole purpose of The Bible is to “save the world”: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17, New International Version)

And St. Mark put the life story of the Son of God into a book and named it “The Good News of Jesus Christ.” (Mark 1:1) He must have had three reasons to say so:

(1) The Lord God had come in person.

(2) His coming was not an accident, but a well-planned event, which had been previously prophesized.

(3) He did not come to condemn the world, but to offer a simple way of salvation – that is, faith.
Even the Son of God, who has always been sinless, was baptized by John the Baptist to set up a good example for all people to follow!

= = =

譯註：原文「先知的預言早在主前第七世紀」，但一般公認以賽亞是主前第八世紀的猶太先知。參考英文維基百科：Isaiah must have begun his ministry a few years before Uzziah's death, probably in the 740s BC. Isaiah lived until the fourteenth year of Hezekiah's reign. Hezekiah died in 698 BC.)

Mookoo's Home (木咕子的家)

2014年12月19日星期五

聖雅各語文中心 2014 Christmas Party (Part One)

2014年12月18日星期四

A Visit to Camel Brother No. 29

2014年12月14日星期日

表情照片（共 16 張）

2014年12月9日星期二

The Book of Common Prayer -- 舊版《公禱書》照片

2014年12月7日星期日

The New Beginning (新的開始)

2014年12月4日星期四

完美的打破？-- Oh! The Eleventh Ticket I've Received

關於我自己

標籤

網誌存檔

熱門文章

特選文章

Gemini 合成圖 (另一項實驗)

2014年12月19日 星期五

2014年12月18日 星期四

2014年12月14日 星期日

2014年12月9日 星期二

2014年12月7日 星期日

2014年12月4日 星期四