A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on Sunday 14 March 2021. Fourth Sunday in Lent, by Rev Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; John 3:14-21.
Open prayer: God of light, shine upon us in the darkness. May Your word guide us to walk in the Way, the Truth and the Love of Christ. May the word of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, our redeemer and liberator. With a thankful heart we pray, Amen!
We have started the new year of 2021 for almost three months. We are still living in a world full of troubles and hardship. Many people are facing different struggles and challenges: health threat from cancer and Covid-19; broken relationships with family, friends and even with our own self; loss of loved ones, loss of job and financial security; suppression of people’s freedom and civil rights, natural disasters and climate changes and something more, you name it. Many people are suffering. Our mother earth is suffering in pain too.
No matter how devastating and broken our life, our family, our community and our world, God has never stopped healing and redeeming her people and creation.
The readings of today taken from Numbers, Psalm and the Gospel of John have given us light that help us to face the harsh reality and life challenges with hope.
I would begin with the story from the Book of Numbers.
When Moses brought the Israelites out of Egypt and on their way to the promised land, they had been wandering in the wilderness. The people of Israel complaint against God and their leader Moses. Instead of giving thanks to God and Moses who had set them free from slavery, their heart was so occupied with negativity. When they saw the problems and lives were not satisfied, they lost their patience and they forgot the grace and mercy of God. They started pointing fingers instead of finding solutions together.
What did God do with the complaints from the people? God sent poisonous serpents among the Israelites and they bit them, so that many of them died.
Do you think God is cruel in doing it? Would there be any other better way to give the Israelites a lesson instead of killing them? Well, agree with this punishment or not, it works. The people of Israel repent and seek God’s forgiveness. God who is merciful ordered Moses to make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live. The work of God in a way is strange. The snake kills but at the same time it saves. It is very ironic and paradoxical. Life is indeed ironic and full of paradox. Just like crisis could be very bad. But it is also a great opportunity to return to God, to make changes and experience God’s grace and blessing. There is also a saying “where you fall, there you rise up again.”
The Psalm 107 is a beautiful hymn of thanksgiving. The psalmist affirms God who is the steadfast love, He heals and saves his people. In 107:17, it says “Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities endured affliction”. This is a great reminder to us: sickness is not necessarily from God. Same as crisis. They could be the results of human sins and their foolish acts. Human beings have to take our full responsibility when problems and crisis arise.
Having said that, Psalm 107 emphasizes God is steadfast love. The Psalmist does not focus on the cause of hardship, but on the restoration of those who have been victims of suffering. Healing is also the priority of God. God’s agenda is to lead the people in returning to her love and restore their lives in wholeness. In the covenant with the people, God definitely expect her people to play their part as responsible and faithful people. And yet God does not go into fault finding. God is Love and Restoration. As God’s people with faith, let us seek God’s grace of healing and restoration, and offer our praise and thanksgiving to God. Let us be encouraged and empowered by the Word of Psalm. Here I highlight --- 107:19-20 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress; 107:20 he sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction.
107:1 – 2 “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, those he redeemed from trouble”
I would like to take this opportunity to share my quarantine experience and how the potential crisis turn out to be a blessing and I give thanks to God.
In early February my brother in law was diagnosed with Covid-19. It was the first time I found the coronavirus was so close to me. Since my brother in law visited our home a day before he was tested positive, the Department of Health told me I had to go for mandatory quarantine. My first response was oh NO! I felt frustrating and helpless. Why me? After I settled the work in church with pastor Maggie and on the wedding arrangement with Heddy and Revd Grace Bok, I was a bit relieved as I knew that in my two weeks absence from work in the church, the services would be continued smoothly.
My colleagues’ understanding, cooperation and support helped me to cast away my frustration and worry. They are the true light offering peace to me and to the church when I was at a time of uncertainty and anxiety.
Many of my family members and friends took pity on me as I had to spend the Lunar New Year and my birthday in Penny’s Bay quarantine centre. But my two weeks semi-isolation turned out to be a wonderful time.
In these two weeks, I was able to slow down and spend more time to rest and meditate. I practiced a lot of eating meditation. The silent eating led me to connect with nature. I thank the sun, the air, the water, the soil that make the plants grow. I thank the chickens and fish that sacrificed their lives to sustain my life. I thank the farmers working on the field. I thank the truck drivers bringing the food to the markets. I thank the cooks preparing the dishes. I thank the staff at the camp bringing us the food to our room. I felt so much connected to God, being united with God’s creatures human and non-human. When I meditate, I also remembered those who have been starving and those who were in hospital or prisons that could not have good food. My heart felt for them. There was a strong sense of compassion within me. With this awareness, although the kind of food had been quite repetitive, I still found the dishes very good. I realized that all things created by God are good. Nothing bad is possibly out of God. I have no reason to complain. I am thus grateful to God’s provision. Everything that is given I would consider it as God’s gift to experience her grace. And all things happened in life I will take it as an invitation for me to Know his will. I realized that a heart that was filled with gratitude generated in me so much happiness and satisfaction.
When people found it miserable and terrible to be kept in isolation without freedom to go anywhere we like, I felt inner freedom within myself. I was free to read the book I bought. I was still able to open the window and see the sky outside. Comparing to those who are in prison and suffering from complete isolation, I was in a much better condition. During the quarantine, I remembered the righteous who were persecuted and put in prison. I prayed for them and I felt such a strong connection with them in spirit. At that very moment, I felt like all people who are suffering and in isolation are remembered by God. As common humanity created by God, no one is alone as we are All ONE. That is the power of prayer.
Apart from the rich spiritual experience, I have received so many messages of love and phone calls from families and friends. Pastor Maggie’s genius and loving idea of creating the kudoboard and asked friends from the church to send me birthday greetings and message have given me great joy. I was deeply moved. Tears rolled across my face when I was reading all your messages. This was one of the best and meaningful birthday present I have ever received. I am grateful for that. All these messages are the true light shining to bring me love and joy. With this true light, I won’t be falling into darkness. Do remember, don’t underestimate the power of a little gestures of love that may bring to others especially those who are living in sadness and isolation.
For the gospel reading today taken from John 3:14-21, what I would like to highlight is : Jesus draws on the image of the bronze serpent that brought healing to those who had been bitten in the wilderness. For the writer of the gospel of John, this is a visible sign of Jesus’ willingness to give his life to proclaim God’s healing love. God’s desire is not the condemnation of those who do wrong, but for their gracious redemption.
The message of John 14-21 should not be taken non-Christians are not saved because they do not believe in Jesus. Quite the contrary, it is God’s call and invitation to everyone to choose light instead of darkness. Jesus Christ, the incarnate represents the Light, and He is the Light. God the Light comes to the world intending to bring restoration, reconciliation and new life for all. Gospel of John reminded us if people continue to live in darkness, they will perish. As human beings share common humanity, if one person lives in darkness and do evil, others will be definitely affected. So salvation is not just an individual matter, it matters to all humanity and the whole creation. When we look around the world, we have seen how wicked government, people who are power hungry and with greed brought so much suffering and pain to others.
For the health crisis of Covid-19 pandemic, economic crisis of poverty and humanitarian crisis of human rights abuses in Myanmar, the Philippines and other parts of the world, we see how terrible the world is when so many people are living in darkness.
We have entered into the 4th Sunday in Lent today.
Lent is a time God calls us to repent. To repent is to return to God and make changes so our life will be centred in God and live more like Christ, the Light.
Lent is a time we face the darkness within and expose it to the light.
May the gospel message from John move us to choose the Light and be the Light on earth. Let the sacrificing love of Jesus on the Cross compel us never compromise with the darkness and the evil. Let us be faithful followers of Jesus Christ, to be the true light by living out our true self with small action of love and speaking the truth every day.
May Christ’s fearless love enlighten us to live as One in the Covenant of the Cross.
Closing prayer
Thank you God for your steadfast love endures forever. Thank you for coming to the earth to heal and save our broken lives and our broken world. May your light shine in us and grant us eternal life and love. Help us to live a life of thanksgiving and praise. Every day may we be empowered to sing songs of joy and live out the promise of hope. Amen.
# posted by Kowloon Union Church : Sunday, March 14, 2021
