A
sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on Sunday 4 August 2019, the Eighth Sunday
after Pentecost, by the Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that
day were Psalm
107:1-9, 43; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21.
Opening prayer
God of life,
May Your word strengthen our faith, fill us with your
love and transform us to be more like Christ. Holy Spirit, come and speak to
us.
May the word of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable and pleasing to you, our redeemer and saviour. Amen.
Message
Today I would like to share with a message about love.
Love is the core of Christian faith. We all agree that
love is very much needed by everyone.
Love is a powerful driving force to human beings.
I believe love is the answer to many problems and
challenges we are encountering in our personal lives, our city and in our world today.
Recently Hong Kong has become a city of protests.
Since 9th of June, there are protests every weekend and even on some
weekdays. Tomorrow there is an online
call for a general strike. Many protesters walking the streets are students and young working
adults. Why do the young people
walk to the street and go to the frontline?
I would like to present you a video. It is about a student from the Chinese University who spoke and
questioned the Vice Chancellor in a forum.
This student wore a full gear - a helmet, eye protective goggles and a black mask to cover his
whole face.
He said that this full gear outfit that he was wearing was common amongst
his fellow students and friends who are staying in the frontline. The
student shared that he wore this outfit not to embarrass the
University but it deliberately manifests their fear. Fear of heavy weapons (tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets) from the
police. And fear of white terror.
I watched the video for a few times. I was sad but was touched at the same time.
I was sad for what they have suffered and sacrificed for Hong Kong:
being injured, and being arrested
and prosecuted. I was touched
on the other hand by their
love to HK and other people. Out of this selfless love, they overcome fear and
risk their future and even risk their life. Actually it is not only me. Many people from all walks to life are touched by their self-sacrificing love to Hong Kong.
Even people do not agree with their strategies and
methods, their love and heart to HK should be appreciated and should not be denied.
I personally witnessed how housewives, retired
elderly, young social workers and pastors young and old went to the street in
late night in support of the young protesters. They loved them and wanted to
protect them. These people are not necessarily in support of the young
protesters to block the roads and risk their life to confront the police. They
went there just because they didn’t want our children get hurt. They wanted to
be peace ambassadors on site and helped the young people to find a safe place
to stay.
Yesterday a group of young volunteers came to our church to make food for the protesters. Yesterday the
protest was organized in Mongkok but the protesters walked to Tsimshashui in
the evening.
In the past week, stories were shared in social media
that there are young people starving while they were joining the protests
because they spent their money to buy gear or simply they don’t have money
because they are just students without income or support from family. Many
working adults have been moved by these stories and volunteered to donate food
coupons to the young protesters in need.
In the anti-extradition bill protests, people have
been supporting each other and caring for each other even though they don’t
know each other. It is amazing.
In the midst of crisis, I see the beauty of love and
connectedness amongst people.
I am not trying to romanticize the movement. I
recognize the harsh reality in which there is increasing hatred between the
protesters and police, many people are depressed and feeling hopeless, there
are friends who unfriend each other and there are fights between parents and
their children because of different political stands. A few weeks ago, a young
man who was kicked out by his family committed suicide. It was sad and breaking
people’s heart.
From the stories above, we see love can help people
overcome fear.
Love can heal and save a life.
At the same time, life without love brings people to a dead end.
In today’s lectionary reading taken from Psalm 107, we
are affirmed by God of their steadfast love.
We see how the kind and generous manners in the social movement reveal God’s steadfast love. The God of steadfast love redeemed people from trouble, delivered them from distress
and satisfied the thirsty and filled the hungry.
The gospel account from Luke today is taking about a selfish and greedy rich man who stored up his wealth. His act
is a great contrast to people young and old who selflessly give and support
each other in the movement right
now. When people are
filled with love, they are generous to share and even have no fear to sacrifice
their own interests.
The message
from the book of Colossians 3 this morning is timely. The early church leader reminded the followers of Christ
not to be greedy, not to lie and not to speak abusive language. The love of
Christ compels the disciples to live a
new life to reveal the image of Creator God. Jesus Christ who manifests God’s
image and glory is the example that all disciples should have to follow.
God’s love is
revealed in Christ.
Jesus Christ,
the incarnated God, powerful and yet humble himself. He came to serve but not
to be served. When God’s people sinned, Jesus came to identify with humanity. He forgives and heals.
Jesus Christ,
the world’s redeemer and liberator had shown us what’s love all about. A love to forgive. A love to sacrifice. A love to die. A love to liberate and set people
free from oppression. A love to heal the sick and to mend the broken hearted
and give new life to the dead.
Jesus Christ
has demonstrated a love that is changing people’s heart and life.
Jesus Christ
calls people, you and me, to repent and return to God, the Steadfast Love.
With the
example of Jesus in God’s steadfast love, I would share with you how we live
out a life of love. Please listen carefully and see which aspect of love is
close to your heart and calls you for action.
Love is not to convince but to listen and to
understand
Love is not to hate but to embrace
Love is not to seek revenge but to forgive
Love is not
to possess with greed but to share with generosity
Love is not
to make people frightened but to grant peace
Love is not
to lie but to speak the truth
Love is not
to hurt but to heal
Love is not
to control but to let go
Love is not only relevant to individuals,
it matters to community. Move beyond our personal life, with the perfect love that lives within us, I
would like you to join me in prayer for those who are in power with positions:
- may love move them not
to kill but to give life
- may love move them not
to oppress but to serve the people
To end my sermon, I would like to
share with you the song - “Love changes everything”.
This was a song composed by Andrew LIoyd Webber and
was first released 30 years ago in 1989. The inspiration of my sermon title is
from this song.
As the song
“Love Changes Everything” said,
“Love will
never let you be the same”
Love will not
let the world be the same.
In the
steadfast love of God, nothing will ever be the same!
Lyrics below:
Love, love changes everything
Hands and faces, earth and sky
Love, love changes everything
How you live and how you die
Love, can make the summer fly
Or a night seem like a lifetime
Yes love, love changes everything
Now I tremble at your name
Nothing in the world will ever be the same
Love, love changes everything
Days are longer, words mean more
Love, love changes everything
Pain is deeper than before
Love will turn your world around
And that world will last forever
Yes love, love changes everything
Brings you glory, brings you shame
Nothing in the world will ever be the same
Off into the world we go
Planning futures, shaping years
Love bursts in and suddenly all our wisdom disappears
Love makes fools of everyone
All the rules we made are broken
Yes love, love changes everyone
Live or perish in its flame
Love will never never let you be the same
Love will never never let you be the same
Let us pray
Creator God,
We pray that
your steadfast LOVE fills everyone’s heart. May we all live a life of love that
brings hope, joy and peace.
May love
change us for the goodness of God.
May on earth
every mouth give you thanks and glorify your holy name. Amen!
# posted by Kowloon Union Church : Sunday, August 04, 2019
