This morning’s sermon was part 6 of a series of messages based on the book “The Wesleyan Way: A Faith that Matters.” The scripture underlying Pastor Kee’s message was Romans 12:9-21.
Some years ago the New York City Police issued an All Points Bulletin… because a car was stolen. An APB for one car theft??? Cars are stolen every day in New York. But this one was special; not because of the car or owner, but because of what was left on the front seat. The owner reported that he had left a box of crackers… laced with rat poison! Police issued an APB and took extra efforts to track down the car thief. Not in order to solve the case, but to save the car thief’s life!
In the same way, we need to “surrender” to God; not in hopes that He’ll give us a “lighter sentence” but in the secure knowledge that He’ll save our life. Christ has already paid the price for us, but God wants to transform us into a people who fully love Him and are committed to doing His will. Our goal in life’s journey isn’t wealth or fame, it’s Spiritual Maturity. In the scripture reading, God commands us to become people who “bless those who persecute you,” who “do not repay evil for evil,” who “do not take revenge but leave room for God’s wrath.” He wants us to feed our enemies and overcome evil with good.
Like the “underground church” in China and North Korea, we must be willing to risk our lives for our faith, even while praying for the very leaders who are persecuting Christians.
But how do we get there? We get there by “surrendering to God.” Let Him change you through His “Sanctifying Grace.” The natural world doesn’t do anything to help us reach spiritual maturity; in fact it fights us every step of the way. We must realize that, and instead depend on God to the point where we risk running against the world’s norms. Make holiness a daily goal and allow God’s Sanctifying Grace to transform us day by day.
You can read the script of the entire sermon by opening the “read more” box below…
Read the Sermon
I have read a very interesting article a while ago.
Thousands of cars are stolen every year in New York city, but on October 25, 1983, there was one car theft that made all the local papers and was the lead story on the evening news. The police had issued an all-points bulletin to find the missing car and to make contact with the person who stole it.
Why was the car theft getting so much attention?
The owner of the stolen car had informed the police that on the front seat of the car was a box of crackers laced with a deadly poison. The car owner had planned to use the crackers as rat bait. So the police were desperately trying to find the thief- not to punish him but to save his life.
When I read the article, I have thought about this.
In the same way, our Heavenly Father pursues us not because he wants to punish us but because he wants to save us. Many people may be running away from God because they are sinners like the car thief. We all human beings have broken God’s law. But what we may not realize is that God is trying to rescue us, not condemn us. Although we don’t deserve it, the penalty for our sin has been already paid by Jesus Christ on the cross.
So now we have to stop running away from our God and turn ourselves in and surrender ourselves to our God.
God loves us, not because we are good, but because we need his love in order to be good. God forgives our sins and our infirmities, not because we are good, but because we need his love and grace in order to be good. God offers us his continuous enabling presence and power, not because we are good, but because we need him in order to be transformed so that we may change the world by the grace of God.
My loving sisters and brothers,
Have you ever heard about the underground church in China or North Korea?
I have read that the underground church members in North Korea pray for things we would never think to pray for, such as the strength to never deny Christ under torture or to be blessed to possess a Bible. They still pray for a time to read the Bible freely. They even pray for the salvation of their leader, Jung Eun Kim who persecutes them.
We may not understand why the Apostle Paul wrote this letter, Romans, to those Christians in Rome where so many persecutions and threaten happened but the underground church members will understand this.
In verse 14, it says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”
Can you understand this verse when those persecutors would kill your parents or your children? Our brothers and sisters in the underground church in North Korea are doing this. Can you imagine what kind of situation they are in now? Every night, they may go to the bed with fear or terror of death. They may have a nightmare every night. Maybe they might overcome the fear of death. They may live every single day as the last day of their lives. I am not talking about 2000 years ago but I am talking about things happening right now in 21st century.
In verse 17, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”
In verse 19, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves.”
In verse 20, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink;”
In verse 21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
A couple of weeks ago, pastor Larry shared with you about what happened to my car. Someone broke my car on the driveway during the night. In the beginning, it made me upset and angry but I found the peace of God that transcends all understanding in these verses. And also I thought about this question, “What would Jesus do?”
So I have prayed for those who broke my car that God’s love and grace reach their hearts so that they may know the love of God.
Even though we have no physical persecution or threaten or even though we have religious freedom, this generation does not leave us alone nor help us keep our faith sincerely and faithfully. We live in a very difficult time to keep our faith. This world persecutes us with seven deadly sins; wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony. We are easily tempted, deceived, and addicted by those things in the world.
So the Apostle Paul says, “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”
My dear sisters and brothers,
Today’s scripture is talking about spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity is about our heart being transformed to become more and more like Jesus.
How can we be transformed?
John Wesley describes the process of spiritual maturity as going on to perfection.
Is it possible to be perfect? No one is perfect, but by the grace of God we are making progress as individuals and groups toward the goal of holiness.
God’s grace, “sanctifying grace” is constantly working in us to help transform our minds and lives to love and to serve the Lord.
We watch the Winter Olympic games. I like to watch the games because I want to see the players perform their own best on the games. Honestly, I would like to give all players gold medals no matter what result because they all are winners on their play.
I don’t think it is fair to measure their value with medals. They all are precious to their parents and families and countries. For the Olympic games, they have trained and disciplined themselves to shape their body and mind and soul for many years. They have run and jumped, or fallen and failed so many times to overcome their limits. Now they get the glory to become Olympic players.
Likewise, we, Christians, are the same to be true Christians. Not simply church goer but true disciples of Jesus Christ who can give up our own sake for Christ, or who never give up our faith in Christ no matter what situation we are in.
Before the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Communist persecuted Christians for their faith.
One such story involves a house church in a city in the former Soviet Union.
Each week they would arrive at the house at different times, to avoid arousing the suspicions of KGB informers. On one particular Sunday the church members were all safely inside the building, with the windows closed and doors locked. They began the serve by softly singing a hymn and praying.
Suddenly, the door burst open and two soldiers armed with automatic weapons walked in. One shouted, “All right, everybody up against the wall. If you wish to renounce your faith in Jesus Christ, you can leave now and no harm will come to you.” Two or three church members left, then another.
The other soldier warned, “This is your last chance. Either turn your back on this Jesus or stay and suffer the consequences!”
Another member left. Two more covered their faces in shame and slipped out into the night. No one else moved. Parents with small children trembling beside them looked down reassuringly. They fully expected to be gunned down on the spot-or, at the very least, imprisoned.
After a few moments of silence, the soldiers closed the door and looked back at the church members left standing against the wall. One of them said, “Keep your hands up but this time in praise to our Lord Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters. We, too, are Christians. We were sent to another house church several weeks ago to arrest a group of believers. But instead, we were converted.”
The other soldier added, “We are sorry to have frightened those who left, but we have learned that unless people are willing to die for their faith, they cannot be fully trusted.”
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Here is my question to you.
What would you have done when the soldiers arrived? Would you have left or stayed to suffer the consequences?
I have found a letter written by a young pastor martyred in Zimbabwe.
Let me conclude my sermon with this letter.
“I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit’s power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made — I’m a disciple of his. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.”
“I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean in his presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and I labor with power.”
“My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifices, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.”
“I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And, when he comes for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me … my banner will be clear.”
Prayer
O dear God,
There are so many people and missionaries in the world who still proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ even though they are threatened or persecuted for their faith in Christ. Lord we pray for their safety and security. O God, we also pray for us to be used for your gospel. Help us and train us to keep our faith in Christ. Help us take all opportunities of spiritual disciplines to be mature Christians. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.
