Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on Second Sunday of Lent 13 March 2022, by Rev Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 27; Philippians 3:14-4:1; Luke 13: 31-35.

Hong Kong and the world are in deep trouble, fear and threats. 

The Covid crisis with the increasing number of people contracting Covid 19 variants, the increasing death rate especially the elderly people, the breaking down of medical care system, the closing down of many businesses, some people are still stuck overseas and not able to come back home. Beyond Hong Kong is the Russian invasion of Ukraine that has touched many people’s hearts all over the world.

In such a chaotic, uncertain and fearful world that we are living in, the scriptures we heard today inspire me to share a message --- “Stand firm in the Lord!” 

From Psalm 27, the Psalmist’s confidence in God has given us light and encouragement. Here I highlight the 1st and the last verse. 

27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

 

27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

We, as Christians and God’s people, let us stand firm in the Lord by trusting in Him. 

Trusting God and having faith in God does not mean there is no trouble and fear. But with confidence in God, who is the source of good life and power, we shall overcome! Remember, God is our source of hope! God is our solid foundation like the big mountain that we can rely on. So stand firm in the Lord, trust in the Lord with confidence and patience to wait! When we have confidence in God, God will in return give confidence in us to trust ourselves that we can have new imagination and creative power to cope and to live. Remember too that the confidence the Psalmist shared with us is not just for individuals but for a community. Therefore, as a community we can help each other to build up confidence in our God through prayers, genuine sharing and words of encouragement. 

Stand firm in the Lord!

The second reading today is the letter taken from the book of Philippians. My sermon title and theme of the message today is inspired by the verse taken from 4:1.

It says:

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.”

Apostle Paul encouraged and instructed the disciples in his time and us today, stand firm in the Lord in this way. 

What is meant “in this way” by Apostle Paul? 

Here is the way: taken from verses 19 & 20

3:19 Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.

3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

In summary, Paul urged the disciples of Christ do not set our minds on earthly desires to fulfil our own interest. To the contrary, Christ’s followers should focus our lives in Jesus, our Lord and our Saviour, and very importantly is to keep our identity as citizens in heaven. 

This is the way to go as suggested by Apostle Paul – to stand firm in the Lord by living out the Kingdom of heaven on earth with our lives being focused in Christ.

Luke 13

The gospel reading taken from Luke 13: 31-35 today helps us to see how Jesus had set an example on ‘stand firm in the Lord’ when he was living a human and divine life on earth.

First of all, Jesus was fearless in facing the threat of death from his enemy. He refused to leave Jerusalem. He was courageous to continue the work and mission God has entrusted in him. He was clear about his calling and mission in the world.

Jesus’s rejection to leave Jerusalem because of the threat of being killed by Herod led me to think of the president of Ukraine, Mr Zelensky.

 After the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, Mr Zelensky was warned to move out from the capital but he stated very firmly that he will not leave his country but would stay on and fight for his people and his homeland. 

Secondly, Jesus’ love to the people was so deep. Although the people turned away from him and even tried to kill him, Jesus still showed his love and care like a mother hen to open her wings to cover and protect them. 

Thirdly, Jesus never gave up the people God asked him to love and save. He had been longing for their return and to recognize his divinity in him and in them. 

From Jesus, we are clear that “stand firm in the Lord” is to be courageous to face danger and threat in life. 

“Stand firm in the Lord” includes also compassion like Jesus Christ, to love and to humbly obey before God.

Echoed by Apostle Paul, to stand firm in the Lord also required disciples to seek God with our clear identity as citizens of heaven, and to wait for the Lord with confidence and trust as highlighted by the Psalmist.

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When we are focusing our life in God, and our work and our mission in Christ, we will be fearless. We will be also strengthened with love like Christ. 

As the profound verse taken from 1 John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear”.

Now I would like to share how the community of faith witnesses to Christ and “stand firm in the Lord” in a time of crisis brought by the Covid pandemic recently in our city.  

In the midst of limited supplies and increasing cost of food especially vegetables, daily necessities and medical supplies to refugees and asylum seekers, our church, some other Christian organizations and NGOs have mobilized resources to support this community. 

When migrant domestic workers were terminated by their merciless employers and left homeless after testing positive, organizations and churches working with this community have provided immediate shelter and support to the sisters. KUC is one of those to offer support in such a critical moment. When the migrant organizations appealed for food, masks and medical supplies etc, boxes and boxes of these supplies were brought to their offices. It is amazing to see the miracle of five loaves and two fish happening in our city in the midst of crisis and suffering of many people. 

It is heart-warming to see how the under-privileged refugees/asylum seekers and migrant domestic workers are treated with dignity and love. I see hope and joy when there are caring and kind people, focusing their energy to do good things for others.   

In the refugee community that we have been pastoring for years, I witness how those who have been desperate for help and support because of limited resources are helping each other. After we received donations like food, rapid antigen kits and face masks from Christian organizations and other sources, there were brothers and sisters from the community helping on distributing and organizing them in the store room systematically. There were brothers volunteering to take food and medical supplies to single mothers with small children, who were not feeling well and unable to come to church to collect. 

With a serving heart, they came to the church with courage by overcoming the fear of getting the virus. Of course we have done our best to ensure public hygiene and social distancing measures to protect everyone. But still I really appreciate their kind support.

I shared with my other co-workers in church, zero risk is impossible. We are willing to offer whatever we can for the service of others who are in need. This is the mission of the church – to love God and our neighbors as ourselves.

While the Covid variant Omicron is super contagious, the love from God and the love in Christ is equally contagious when people are sharing with each other selflessly and generously.

As I shared right at the beginning in my sermon, recently many people all over the world have been very concerned about the people and situation in Ukraine. At the end of my sermon, I would like to share a video from OM *, a Mission organization that has sent missionaries to Ukraine and the nearby country Poland. After the war and violence broke out in Ukraine, their mission team in Poland has started to receive and take care of refugees from this country. Some missionaries in Ukraine chose to stay with the people even after the outbreak of the war. We see how these missionaries have demonstrated their godly life and how they stand firm in the Lord with confidence and trust in Christ, with courage in the midst of danger and threat, with compassionate love for the Ukrainians who are living in the trauma of war.

May we learn from these missionaries and join them in prayers and loving actions that we are able to do.

May we all stand firm in the Lord as we continue our Lenten journey – Grace through the darkness.

*Link of the video-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyN5sb0ZDYs 

The part shared by the missionary Wayne in English – from 4:28 to 7:41