Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 04 September 2022, by Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 1 and Luke 14:25-33. 

God’s Righteous Way

Today, the Old Testament reading take from Psalm 1 presents to us two ways in life – the righteous way and the wicked way. 

 

It sounds very dualistic. Good or bad; right or wrong.

 

In reality, is it that simple? Only black and white, no grey area?

 

In the last verse of Psalm 1, the Psalmist proclaims with this statement: 

 

⁶ for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.

 

In reality, we may find life does not happen that way. We have indeed witnessed in many societies all over the world, a lot of righteous people have been suffering a lot. They have been threatened to be silent, jailed, attacked violently or even been killed because they advocated for social justice and for the common good. But those who abused their power and waged wars to kill lives are possessing a lot of wealth and upholding authorities to make decisions that have long lasting impacts to others. 

 

There are people earning good money and enjoy comfortable lives by cheating others while some people are working hard and faithful to their jobs do not receive good income or treatment.  

 

Things happened like these are quite a contradiction to what the Psalmist said “The Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (v6) 

 

Perhaps, that is one of the reasons some Christians decided to leave the Church, denounce their identity as Christians and their faith in God. They were upset by God who did not punish the wicked and save the righteous. 

 

As a human being bearing human flesh, I feel the sentiment and fully understand the disappointment, anger and sadness behind such ridiculous and absurd human reality surrounding us on earth. I personally had experienced and processed all these negative emotions and struggled with God when things have gone so wrong and unacceptable in our society in recent years.

 

As people of faith in God, how does the message from Psalm 1 give meaning to our life and to our world today?

 

The promise, proclamation and teaching of Psalm 1 set the scene to show who this God is.

 

God is looking after the way of the righteous at the end of the day. God has never forsaken his people who walk in his righteous way.  

 

God blesses the righteous and gives them life that bear fruits of abundance. Goodness and blessing in God’s definition could be different from us as human flesh.

 

Human beings on earth in general urge for possessions - wealth, power, status, good relationship, comfortable lives….

 

But for God, the Psalmist reiterates: the people of God choose and live a life of righteousness that matters. 

 

What does it mean to live a life of righteousness?

 

What is the advice from the Psalmist? 

 

It is to desire and to love God’s Law, by meditating it day and night. It means that - for the people of God, they need to be serious about the essence of God’s word, to pray and to live out the true meaning of the Law. According to the Jewish Law, the Greatest Commandment is about love, to love God, to love our neighbours as ourselves with all our heart, mind, strength and soul. As true believers, we need to open our hearts to read, listen, to reflect and to pray. It is through this process, we know God and ourselves better. Through the process of prayer and meditation, we develop a better and good relationship with God. 

 

The righteous way is to turn to God and be connected to God.

 

The Psalmist describe the righteous is like the tree planted by the stream which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.

 

The image of a tree planted close to the source of water that nurtures life is a great reminder to us – we have to stay close to the source of life – God. Through reading the Bible and spending time to pray, our life will be nourished. We will then grow spiritually and live an abundant life.

 

God is life, the Creator of heaven and earth. People of God who choose God will naturally bear fruits. We don’t need to do too much extra or hurry to achieve what we want. The sovereign God will do his part according to his time frame.

 

We live in a super busy, rapidly changing and competitive world. Our challenge today  is to make time for God, to be still and set aside time with God. 

 

God’s righteous way is different from our human way. 

 

We are living in a world full of challenges. The world is so overwhelmed by dark forces: wars, aggression, violation and discrimination against the minorities and vulnerable; unequal share of power and resources because of greed…

 

Psalm 1 is radical and profound for people of faith and for church community to insist our faith and our action to choose the righteous way, to follow the path of God no matter what. 

 

After the Security Law of Hong Kong was enacted and enforced, a number of democratic activists have been put in jail. While many of their supporters and friends are worried about them and upset by the hard life they encounter in jail or detention centre, some of these activists for justice and freedom have kept their great spirit within. They, in return, offer comfort and give words of encouragement to those who are not in jail but have been in despair and hopelessness. From these righteous people, I see how God has blessed them and how the Lord has watched over their way in a radical manner. God blesses them by granting them strong faith and deep peace within their hearts. It is amazing!

 

The dualistic way proclaimed by the Psalmist proposed that the people of faith have to make a decisive choice: to choose God and to walk in the righteous way. 

 

We are committed to walk in righteous way because God is righteous.

 

We don’t give up because God first does not give us up.

 

God came to the world in human flesh revealed in Jesus Christ. Through Christ God shows to us his everlasting love and forever presence in human lives and human history. God came to save, to call upon disciples to be his work and life partners, to change lives that are like Christ, to reconnect people with God .

 

The Gospel reading taken from Luke 14:25-33 invites us to reflect on and reaffirm our commitment as Jesus’ disciples to walk in his Way.

 

In v26 Jesus says:  “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” (v26)

 

Jesus’s demand for discipleship is so tough and sounds in contradiction to what he has preached about love and peace, and his action to care for others.

 

The Jewish Commandment on honouring your parents made Jesus’s statement about to hate father and mothers looked very tough and unreasonable. 

 

Why did Jesus say such words that sounded so contradictory to his words and deeds?

 

This is the extreme approach by Jesus to highlight the cost of discipleship. The extreme wordings is to convey an important message for those who are following him in the crowd to make a decisive choice. Like the two ways that are presented by the Psalmist. 

 

Jesus has to make sure that those who follow him are not because of his power to heal, to feed the hungry, to make them successful or to give them good lives as expected by earthly humans. 

 

Healing, people who are well fed and life satisfaction are all good. But for Jesus, it is not enough for being his disciples.

 

Jesus demands his disciples to make a choice to walk in His Way. 

 

For the last verse of Luke 14:33; it says - “So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” 

 

Jesus’ challenge to his true followers is don’t be possessive nor attached to anything that become a barrier for us to focus our lives in Christ.

 

The invitation of Jesus to become his disciples, is extended in an honest but tough manner. It is up to the people, up to us if we are willing to make a decisive choice to follow him by letting go of our attachments, to make self-sacrifices and carry the Cross. 

 

The Way of Jesus Christ is God’s Way.

 

The Way to life! The Way to love! This Life and Love is move beyond suffering and death.

 

The empty tomb and empty cross are the sign that ensure this promise.

 

Sisters and brothers, 

 

Are you willing to make this decisive choice today to follow God’s righteous way, to follow Jesus’ way of eternal life?