Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 19 February 2023, by Katie Ho. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 99, Matthew 17:1-9.

“Love Justice”

Many of us are aware, that Hong Kong’s largest National Security Law trial has begun recently. A total of 47 people are accused of subversion or taking part in a conspiracy to subvert the nation. More injustice is seen as people found to be paid to line up for public seats to prevent supporters of the defendants from entering the courtroom. 

 

On the other side of the world, many netizens have biases on the fundraising organisations for earthquake relief for Syria and Turkey, spreading misinformation and hatred about such and terrorism. 

 

Injustices have always been in the world. But God promises us hope. The question is, how can this hope help us face reality, and what are we going to do?

Let us look at Psalm 99 today and see what the psalmist tells us. 

 

Vv.1-5 contradiction to reality

V.1 tells us that the God that we recognise and praise is the one who reigns the world. It starts with the affirmation of God as a righteous king, and the psalmist describes the situation when God is present — people tremble, and the earth shakes, because God is exalted over all the peoples and because God is holy. We know the meaning of holiness in the Bible refers to the separateness of God from human impurity and sin, and it also refers to God’s transcendence over the world. 

 

Now, this doesn’t mean God is floating in the sky, nor being irrelevant to earthly matters. God is above any king or power or authority of this world, but He is not indifferent to the injustices occurring on the earth. We read that this mighty king loves justice, and he has already established order and worked out justice and righteousness among His people. 

 

St. Augustine famously made a point about “you are what you love”, meaning that you are defined by what you love because it’s your love that governs your actions and pursuits.

 

Unfortunately, some people love money more than everything else. Ukraine has received billions of dollars of military and humanitarian aid, or so we believed until recently, it has been disclosed that a number of officials are believed to have already taken the money for themselves, and it is only now that action is taken against them. 

 

God loves justice. Whatever God does must be just.  

 

Holding this belief, the psalmist calls for worship from the people, calling them to exalt the Lord and bow down at His footstool. Note that the psalmist does not say “exalt the Lord and worship at his footstool”, but emphasised the personal relationship with God, saying “exalt the Lord our God”. Recounting all the knowledge about God’s nature and works, the psalmist knows this God not only in theory but in a personal way, knowing that God takes care of the whole community, including the psalmist and so he is right to call God “our God”. 

 

We might wonder where this faith comes from. Or in what kind of situation such a hopeful, faithful hymn be composed? 

 

This hymn is believed to be used in celebrations after the exile to remember the renewal of God’s covenant with His people. When Israel’s people are in a difficult political and social situation, they sing this song to remind themselves of hope by recounting the great work done by God in the past and by remembering the nature of God who is holy and loves justice. It is also the case for us that we are summoned to praise God and submit ourselves before Him in hard times. 

 

I believe the cultic leaders at that time were not forcing people to be happy or optimistic when they sang this song, nor did the people of Israel pretend to be hopeful when they were taken captive. What I see in this Psalm is the power of creating a contradiction to reality by transforming a strained circumstance into nothing and recounting the great works of God. 

 

Sometimes humour works in the same way by making an unexpected contradiction to reality.. 

One time a Sunday school teacher was telling the bible story about Thomas, it was not until the last moment in class the teacher found out that the kids thought they were hearing stories about Thomas the Train.

 

Philosophers tell us that humour is powerful in difficult times because it takes us away from the distressing reality and gives us the power to hold ourselves together and to see things from a relatively detached point of view before we continue to be engaged in it. 

 

Yet the kind of contradiction to reality in this Psalm differs from telling a joke or making dark humour because the contradiction we’re making is based on the historical facts of God’s salvation. Therefore, we’re not told to live in a parallel universe and disregard everything that’s happening outside the church. We are told to engage in this church community to recount God’s great work and remind us again of God’s history, so that we may gain the power to face injustices and be together with the suffering people as Jesus did. 

 

vv.6-8 you are what you love

Then the psalmist continues to mention that Moses and Aaron were among the priests, and Samuel was also among those who prayed to God. They are recalled as people in Israel’s history who were powerful in prayer. They should also be remembered as symbols of God’s deliverance of Israel from their enemies. Moses and Aaron delivered Israel from Egyptian hands, while in the days of Samuel, the hand of God was against the Philistines, who were the enemies of Israel at that time.

 

God’s justice is done through people who keep God’s testimonies and statutes, and God does speak in the pillar of the cloud, which represents the wilderness experiences. 

 

We might think that God always remains silent in the days of darkness, but the psalmist says no, God does speak to us in the most difficult times and God responds to our prayers and our cries, because God is forgiving. 

 

The word “forgive” in Hebrew has a root meaning of “to carry” things, so we may understand v.8 as “you were a God who carried things for them”, which is more in line with the theme about God’s deliverance. Forgiveness in this sense means God’s deliverance of us from being captured by guilt and hopelessness, apart from physical captivity. We have a future because God is willing to carry away our burdens. We can have hope because God is willing to answer our prayers.

 

Let’s not forget that God is also the avenger of our wrongdoings. We remember that even Moses and Aaron have wronged God, one of the instances was their contravention against God’s instruction at the waters of Meribah, and God held them accountable for their wrongdoings and forbade them from entering the land of Canaan. God’s forgiveness does not fall short of justice, but it goes beyond justice to grace.

 

vv. 6-8 God does justice through His people. We know that former Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen, faced charges of subversion last year because of his involvement in the 2019 anti-extradition movement, particularly his role as a former trustee of the 612 Humanitarian relief group. Cardinal Zen is also very committed to serving those who are imprisoned not only caring for them pastorally but also standing beside them, fighting for their rights.

 

We remember Augustine’s saying, “you are what you love”. We can see Cardinal Zen’s love by his actions. And such love is in accordance with God’s love as we know that God made himself one of them through Jesus. God’s love and justice surely shines through people like Cardinal Zen to the imprisoned, to the people being forgotten and marginalised.

 

There are also people sitting among us who are working really hard to protect the rights of various minority groups; and those calling for environmental justice. Many of us try our best to fulfil our roles as parents, caretakers, friends, neighbours, citizens… God’s love and justice shine through us when we do things according to God’s love. 

 

We should not do good out of duty and responsibility nor for the impression of being a good Christian. We only need to pray for a heart that loves what is loved by God, not love God and do what you like as it is sometimes misunderstood, but just love and do what God likes, and we will become the testimony of God’s justice in this world. 

 

V. 9

Our Psalm ends by calling again for the worship of God, commanding all to bow down to His holy mountain – Zion. The mountain was holy only because God was there, and so approaching the holy mountain always meant approaching God. 

 

God alone is holy; therefore, the sanctuary is holy. So whether the psalmist refers to the footstool or the mountain, the call is actually to bow down to the holy God. 

 

May we exalt the Lord our God and worship Him by loving what is loved by God in this world, and be creative to make a contradiction to reality so that we may gain the power to hope for God’s future and make changes at the present.  

 

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 05 February 2023, by Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 112:1-9, 1 Corinthians 2:1-12.

I once heard a very reputable pastor serving in a church with over 1000 congregants said he will not develop elderly ministry and take elderly as his major target to serve. Young people are the main focus in his ministry.

 

The reason behind for this pastor is that old people who have retired cannot make good offering to the church. But young people are different. They are full of potentials with their knowledge and skills as they grow. They will also make good financial contribution to the church.

 

This pastor is very smart to make strategic plans for church growth and recruit hundreds and thousands of young people joining his church. He did a good job with human knowledge and wisdom. He was indeed successful from human eyes and worldly standard.

 

But how about God? What would Jesus Christ think about such approach in ministering to a Christian community that is called church? 

 

In a world that we are living in now is very pragmatic and calculative. People learn to do thing cost effectively – use less resources or efforts but to gain more. In general, people treasure human knowledge and skills, good planning with strategies to make things work and successful. 

 

They are all good and yet Apostle Paul, the early church leader, reminds us today we need to focus on the Holy Spirit and strive to serve by the power of God and not by human wisdom that will perish at the end of the day.  

 

I believe that Paul did not deny human efforts. Neither do I. What he emphasized was to center our lives and our being in God through the Holy Spirit. 

 

Believers of Christ should not bow before human knowledge and people with powerful position and wealth. 

 

Apostle Paul teaches us and reminds us as Christians and faithful followers of Christ, our faith and our actions should not rest on human wisdom that would perish but on the power of God.

 

In the message of Paul to the church of Corinth, he said with a very humble heart – “I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and fear and in much trembling.”

 

Paul has received proper education as a Jew and was very well educated with good knowledge of the scriptures. But he has decided he did not claim all this human knowledge. Bearing in mind that Paul was facing a divisive church in Corinth in his time. He did receive criticism and attacks from some Christians and leaders. Instead of arguing back with his knowledge and position, he chose to speak in a humble way and was not afraid to express his views by exposing his weakness and vulnerability.  

 

He said: “I decided to know nothing except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (v2).

 

To apply and echo the pledge of Paul above to our church mission, I would emphasize KUC needs to continue her mission to serve the poor, the minorities, the marginalized and the vulnerable.

 

With the increasing control and suppression from authoritarian governments in different countries nowadays, to demonstrate solidarity with the vulnerable and marginalized as well organizations/churches that are not supported but targeted by the government have become more and more difficult.  

 

There are more risks to take in doing it. There is higher cost to bear in doing it. There are more unpleasant sacrifices to give in doing it.

 

This is the challenge that we are facing today in our society and in our world. 

 

What is our choice? Are we be led by human knowledge and wisdom to protect our own interests or are we be led by the Holy Spirit and the power of God by deciding to know nothing except Jesus Christ, and him crucified? 

 

My dear friends who claim to be Christian and following Christ, are you willing to do the same as Apostle and the same as Jesus who died on the Cross – to know the God who is humble and obedient; to overcome fear to take risks for serving our neighbor in need; to make self-sacrifice for the sake of love and justice? 

 

Honestly they are very harsh questions to answer. They all require our mature personality and spirit in pursuing God’s will and God’s Kin-dom. Let us grow and walk together in this journey with humility as a community of Christ.  

 

Today I chose 1 Cor 2 from the revised lectionary reading. It is because I was struck by verse 9, here I read:  

 

“What no eyes has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him - these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”

 

My teacher of the homiletics course after all lectures finished, he met with all students in the class individually and prayed for each one of us. In his prayer, he recited this verse taken from 1 Cor 2:9: What no eyes has been seen, nor ear heard, nor the human hearts conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (He read it in Chinese and it touched my heart.) 

 

God led me to KUC to serve and being ordained. This was a mysteries arrangement to me that I have never expected.

 

Time flies, I have been working and giving my service to KUC for over 15 years. I can’t imagine I stay in a same workplace for such a long time. It breaks my record. 

 

There have been good times and bad times in all these years.  But in the past 2 to 3 years, both my work life and the society of HK that I love so much have encountered tremendous difficulties and challenges. I have gone through different stages with various emotions: sadness, anger, disappointment, frustration, self-doubt, anxiety and fear… you name it. 

 

After going through all the ups and downs, in my desperate seeking for God’s guidance and help through my contemplative prayers, the Holy Spirit leads me to realize and affirm what Apostle Paul ‘s proclamation: 

 

“I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness, and I fear and in much trembling.”

 

“I decided to know nothing except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (v2).

 

The crucified Christ reveals who God is and the wisdom of God: 

 

Jesus Christ the incarnate, reveals a suffering God, a humble God, a forgiving God, an obedient God who have made himself low and broken for the sake of love and mercy. 

 

This quality of love, this radical love is beyond human understanding. This sacrificing love can only be revealed in the Divine from above. 

 

We as human beings and followers of Christ must have to connect to the Holy Spirit that lives within us in order to manifest that divine love. 

 

I am thankful to God. God has guided me to experience his deep love of forgiveness and mercy through the life trial that I have gone through. God’s amazing grace leads me to keep my faith and courage to love and serve with my life and gifts. 

 

May the Word of God that empowers me empower you as well. May God bless you all!

 

At the end of my sermon, I invite you to pray to God in silence. To invite God to speak and listen to you through your stillness. I will close the silence by reading the scripture below.

 

 

 “What no eyes has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.”  Amen! (1 Cor 2:9)