Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on Sunday 14 February 2010 by Chenyi Roy Njuabe. The scripture readings that day were Exodus 34:29-35, Luke 9:28-36 and 2 Corinthian 3:12-4:2 .


When I was in the university, we had a course called Plant Physiology. Our professor one day asked us to conduct an experiment with two bean seeds; we planted 2 bean seeds and when they started to grow, we covered one of the plants with a dark cloth and named it plant “B” and the other plant with nothing over it we named plant “A”. Both were exposed to the sun. After few weeks, we visited these plants and guess what the results were, Plant “A” without a cover did extremely well; green leaves, tall, fresh and looked well, but Plant “B” with the cover, didn`t do well; pale leaves, some yellow patches and not tall. The question was why plant “B” not did well. I hope you all know the answer. Because it was shielded from the sun light which is the source of energy for plants to grow well? But once the cover cloth was taken away, a few weeks later we discovered that plant “B” started growing well.

For us humans the same phenomenon takes place within our heart in our relationship with God. God is always there just like the sun was always there for both plants. But there are thing that obstructs our heart not to hear or received the word of God; these are veils around our hearts. What are these veils, As Rev. Phyllis mention last Sunday (I have already requested for copy right) “there are destructive forces that keep us away from God” Such forces might be our fears, pride, ego-centric desire for freedom(as she said about herself), love for money, discrimination, jealousy and hate.

These veils need to be taken away. In our reading today 2 Cor. 3:16 says “but if anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” verse 24 say………. “it is only in Christ it is taken away”. Once the veil is taken, we can see the works of God in our life. If we hate we will no more hate, if we have pride, it will go away, if we discriminate we will no more discriminate. There will be a change in our hearts and minds. The way we think changes, the way we talk to people changes, and the smiles on our faces change. We can feel real joy in our life.

Is that not a wonderful thing in the Lord? I love the word of God, I love to be called God’s child. Whenever I stand to speak God’s word I feel a new, I feel like God is inside me and His voice just come out of my mouth as I open it. We reflect the glory of God.

Paul, reminds us in 2 Cor. 3:18 “and we with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit”.

Doesn’t that sound great; we reflect God’s glory.

Whenever we come closer to God, there is always a big change in our life.

When Moses met with God- His face became radiant. When Jesus met with two servants from God, His face and garments became radiant.

Today we may not see such radiance but we can see actions; that is, love, fight for justice, peace, respect, and charity.

When Paul met Jesus on His way to Damascus, there was a change in His heart.

When Jeremiah talked with God, there was a big change in his life.

When the tax collector met Jesus, there was a change in his heart.

When peter, John and James met Christ, their hearts were transformed.

So here we are today. We walk with Christ, talk with Him and even asked Him question.

Because we love Him and want to be transformed.

We may come from different backgrounds, we may have different color of skin, we may have different age, we may speak different language, we may be of different sex, we may have different gifts and passions, but we all hold one common hope, one common dream, one common future; that is to be with Jesus in His kingdom.

Fear may come, hate may keep us apart, worries may blind our mind, selfish desire may make us self center, but remember the love from God is always there for us.

When Jesus met Elijah and Moses, Do you know what way they are talking about? About His departure; when we talk about departures we think about leaving on a journey, but here they are talking about a final departure from the earth, they are talking about the death of Christ. And why does He has to die; because of our sins, because He loves us so much. But why did Christ need to talk with Moses and Elijah about His departure; you all know how Elijah and Moses left the world, very easy, Moses’ body just disappeared, Elijah just went up to the heaven in a chariot, but Jesus had to suffer pain.

Definitely He might need comfort from brothers. Do we need comfort when we face hard time in our life? Can we stand beside our friends and say I am with you no matter what you are going through? This is the love of God. I am with you no matter what happens in your life.

Even the disciples, the servant of Christ speak nicely to Him. Peter Said to Jesus in Luke 9:33 “master it is good for us to be here let us put up three shelter-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah”. I can just feel the passion in Peter.


Even Peter His servant was so concern about Christ to build a shelter for Him. Are we too concern about our Pastors when they are in crises. Or support our brothers and sisters.

I will like to take you to my little experiences.

When I was a young boy, at that time in Form 6, I told my mother that I want to go to a seminary school to become a pastor, but she refused. She tried to compare certain Pastors and drew my attention to their well beings, she said “can’t you see Pastor Thomas who for many years has been using an old car? Do you want to be poor? You better go to school and think of become a doctor or a pharmacist”. I missed that stage of my life to follow my call. How I wish she was here today to listen to this sermon

I went to the university and I had my degree in Zoology. I started working in veterinary clinic. I didn’t enjoy the job because I don’t like a job that will keep me in an office. I like a job that will bring me in contact with people allowing me to be a part of their lives. This is part of my passion; to talk. When I started talking for those who can’t talk, I stood up for our right, and got involve into the fight for human freedom, freedom from bondage that enslave many of my country mate, fought for justice and I had problems and was forced to flee from my country.

In Hong Kong, God use my agony to transform my heart and reaffirm my call as His servant. When I started to study I decided to call my mother and tell her about my studies at a seminary school and that I want to proclaim the good news. She felt so sad and said to me, “I am not worthy to be called your mother, I don’t care about your desires, indeed the Lord called you but I am so ashamed of myself to disturb your call when you were still a young Roy.”

I think something may have veiled her heart that she didn`t see the glory of God that was me. Money was the veil and fear for a better future was the veil.

What is the veil that COVERS veiled your heart?

Let me draw your attention little bit into both passages that is in Exodus 34:29-35, Luke 9:28-36.

-Moses was on the mountain so too was Jesus.

-Moses was talking to God; Jesus was talking with servants from God.

-Moses face shone, so too the face of Jesus

-some people were waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain, the same can be said for Jesus, some people were waiting for him.

But the thing that strikes me was the content of their discussions. God was talking to Moses about the law. You know what law is? “If you do not do this you will face a penalty or you will die. If you do not do that, something terrible might happen to you.” We are always afraid when we hear about law.

But for Jesus they were talking about His departure. This was about good news, the gospel that we are all free from our sin, gospel of freedom, the gospel of hope, the gospel of no condemnation, no fear, no worries and good news of love.

To be part of His love, to share in His passion, to reflect His glory, to walk in His light and to do what He want us to do, I think it is good for us to be awake. Luke 9:32 “Peter and His companions were very sleepy, but when they become fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him”............Master it is good we are here………”

All these took place when the disciples were awake. If we are in our comfort zone, sleeping spiritually, how can we reflect the glory of God? If we used material possession to veil our heart, how can it be transformed? We should be awake spiritually, pray, read God’s word, listen to sermon, share in fellowship, in charity, and let us grow together and reflect God’s glory.

We go back to the title of my sermon “BE AWAKE AND REFLECT THE GLORY OF GOD”.

Peter thought of building three tents, some scholars said he wanted to keep the memories; he wanted to always be awake of what he saw. Peter was aware that Jesus would die one day (because this was not the first time he talked about his death) but he needed something to refresh his mind whenever he went up the hill, there would be nothing except tents.

Let us be awake in our life, do something that will help us remember the glory of God.

Jesus said, “let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify our Father in heaven.”

In Exodus 34:34-35 “But Whenever he entered the Lord’s presence………35 they saw that his face was radiant”. These words “whenever he entered”… tells me of something, that at certain stage, the rays fade out, but “whenever” he entered the presence of the Lord, he received new glory and reflected it to the Israelite.

We may find ourselves in such situation where our rays may fade out, our joy disappear, our heart turns to hate, our love vanishes, our fear for the future overtakes all our thoughts becomes worst, and we preach the gospel with fear.

But remember to return to God and received His glory, the joy, the love and the boldness to preach and reflect His glory.

Peter had similar experiences. Whenever he fell, he rose up raise and keeps walking with the Lord.

Peter was the one who tried to walk on the water with Christ, but when he lost eye contact he sank later sink.

Peter was the first to say Jesus you are Christ, later was rebuke by Jesus.

Peter was the one who said Jesus, I would never deny you yet he denied Jesus not only one time but 3 times.

Yet Peter was the one who leads the disciple, who reflected God’s glory

Brothers and sisters let us be awake and let the world see God’s glory in us.

AMEN