The Way to Live as a Witness of the Resurrection

(대학교회: 2020-4-26)

Acts 2: 14a, 36-41, Peter 1: 17-23, Luke 24: 13-35

◎ It is the third Sunday after Easter. I pray that God's grace and the Holy Spirit be with you all to worship together online because of COVID-19.

I'm locked into this meditation these days, by giving an online lecture with 'Social Distancing'. What is the connection between being physically and being mentally and spiritually together? Resurrection faith is not only a hope for a future heaven where we will be physically resurrected in the distant future, but also wondering if we should pay more attention to the presentness of the kingdom of God in which we experience spiritual unity even when we are physically apart.

◎ When I first studied theology at Yonsei University, I lived in the same house with my grandfather. The grandfather was a Presbyterian pastor who graduated from Pyongyang Theological Seminary. After retiring, he attended The Methodist Church with my family. By the way, when I went to the church of my grandfather, she always wore a white suit, white tie, and white shoes. At the time, I thought it was a bit strange like a stage costume, but he kept on wearing it until I passed away. Once I asked, I remember that white was the color of the church's resurrection, and that my grandfather said that all Sundays throughout the year are the day of the Lord, the day commemorating the resurrection of Jesus.

When I was ordained at the Methodist Church in USA, I had my first pastoral ministry, and I had a hard time selecting American hymns, so I invited the church organist who served for over 20 years to recommend the hymns the congregation likes to sing. At the time, I preached according to the tradition of the United Methodist Church in accordance with the liturgy, and the organist sang a resurrection hymn every week for seven weeks after Easter. The liturgy goes on for 7 weeks from Easter Sunday until Easter Day. Perhaps this organist, like my grandfather, felt at least during the Resurrection season, we need to commemorate and meditate on the Lord's resurrection.

◎ The text given on the 3rd Sunday after Easter today introduces what happened to the disciples right after the resurrection and the ministry of the disciples who have changed completely since the resurrection.

Jesus was almost a star instructor in his life. The Gospels report that when Jesus preached in front of the crowd, tens of thousands gathered. This is really a crowd of clouds. However, the twelve direct disciples he selected were not so great. The level of education or origin is very low, and the expression 'Galilee people' is often used in the Gospels and Acts.

In the Gospels and Acts, the expression “people of Galilee” is often used, and it is said that it is a name commonly referred to by lowering the level of the people.

Of the 12 disciples, Jesus again captured the three representative apostles and considered himself the closest. Peter, James, and John (these three apostles are sometimes called "apostles like a pillar" by Paul) I jokingly refer to these three people as the "Moongori Three Persons(doorknob triad)." That's why I guess he was a man who looked after Jesus' well.

Ironically, however, the Gospels show several times that these three apostles twist the opposite direction of Jesus. Even when Jesus foretells his sufferings and deaths in advance, this doorknob triad doesn't understand what he's talking about and thinks differently. Even in the meantime, when Jesus becomes king, he reveals only the ambition that he will be on the left and right. And when Jesus goes up to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane at the moment of absolute extinction, he also takes this doorknob triplet. He even wakes up and asks to pray for himself. By the way, do you know how these three people did? Just fall and sleep.

Jesus did not give up and went down the hill twice again, waking up the three-party disciple and going to pray again, but all of them slept only. Eventually, the half-armed Peter denies that he doesn't know Jesus three times before his eyes. The Gospels do not say that any of the 12 disciples, rather than the three door knockers, went to the scene of Jesus' crucifixion and witnessed his death to the end. It was Mary Magdalene and the women who went to the tomb and witnessed the resurrected empty tomb. Even the women told the story of Jesus' resurrection, but no one tried to believe it.

→ I think it is not much to say that Jesus' disciple farming was a complete failure.

◎ Today, Luke's Gospel introduces the story of the two disciples the first time the resurrected Jesus met: These were not three-way disciples or one of the 12 disciples. The reason why they headed to Emmaus shortly after Jesus' crucifixion is not explained. Perhaps they can imagine that their minds were no different from those of the 12 disciples or pillars. He said that he could have guessed enough that he had left Jerusalem in a hurry full of disappointment from Jesus 'death and confusion about the death of Jesus' body.

However, suddenly one of the two of them comes in and talks with them. The two disciples do not notice and talk. (Why? Didn't you recognize? Have you ever seen Jesus close? The weather is getting dark?) The hint comes later. Jesus takes the hour off and asks what he is talking about. No, there was a great upheaval in Jerusalem now, and the disciples said they didn't know it: Verse 21 “We knew that He was the one who would save Israel, and we were putting hope on Him. [What about now? Does it seem to contain the meaning that the wishes of such disciples were completely wiped out?

The disciples’ explanation follow. Not only that, but it has already been three days, and some of us have surprised us. They went to the grave at dawn, and came back without finding his body, and saw the vision of the angels. The angels said Jesus was alive. So some of the people who were with us went to the tomb, and as they said, they did not see him. ”

Everyone, can you feel the heart of the disciples here?

In the previous verse 17, the expression “painful expression” is also given, but they have never remembered the prophecy of the suffering Messiah and the resurrection that Jesus had spoken before his life! So where did Jesus go? It doesn't seem to have any worries to say, it's just confusing, and the empty feeling that they've been completely wrong in the meantime ?! Probably that much ...

Verse 25 Jesus told them. "Foolish people. It is such a dull mind to believe in all that the prophets have said. Shouldn't Christ be in his glory after suffering of this kind?"

◎ Beloved brothers and sisters, why didn't the disciples recognize Jesus in one shot? Most likely, even when you opened your eyes, you did not notice the risen Jesus. Because the disciples never imagined that Jesus would suffer and be killed and rise again once in the first place. As Jesus said, “Because the heart of all that the prophets said is dull.” So, from the moment Jesus was crucified, they also had their false Messiah consciousness, the hope for the Messiah, the King of Glory. So, it can be said that he had to leave Jerusalem in a desolate state.

◎ Luke 24 proclaims how disciples who did not recognize Jesus recognized Jesus again and started a new life of witnesses. When Jesus pretended to go farther, the disciples were running out of the day, and they invited him to stay with him, and there was a scene of eating together. Verse 30 says: “When he sat down with them to eat food, Jesus lifted the bread and blessed it, giving it to them. [Perhaps if these two disciples were together at the last supper of Jesus and the 12 disciples a few days ago or watched far away, then the memories may be overlapped at that time]

Verse 31: Only then did their eyes open, recognizing Jesus. But at one point, Jesus disappeared from them. (So, did Jesus appear and disappear like a ghost? How do I understand this? Shouldn't the disciples be more angry when they see a ghost?)

Hint comes in verse 32. “They talked to each other. 'As he spoke to us on the road, and when he interpreted the Bible, did not our hearts become hot [in us]?' ”(The disciples who failed to imagine the resurrection and were disappointed promised after Jesus' resurrection. This is the moment when you experience the very power of the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit's eyes are closed, you do not know if Jesus is by your side.)

◎ Then, how do we experience the Holy Spirit? Who were the Galilean disciples before? Disciples who thoroughly distorted the will of Jesus by following their own glory rather than the path of Jesus 'suffering, disciples who were hiding from the fear of Jesus' crucifixion, and even those who refused to believe the words of women witnessing the resurrection It was. Clearly, it was with the power of the Holy Spirit that these disciples were able to begin the witnessed life of a whole new resurrection.

Peter's Pentecostal sermon in Acts 2 also proclaims baptism in the name of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. It's not just for someone special. Verse 39 Peter proclaims: “The promise of the Holy Spirit is given to you and to your children and to all who are far away, to all who are called by our Lord God.” After that, 3,000 people were baptized and received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

We often think of the gift of the Holy Spirit as a special gift like speaking in tongues. Just before the text of Acts chapter 2 today, in Mark's attic, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages: so the pilgrims from all over the world were surprised to see the disciples speaking in their own language I wondered, “Isn't everyone speaking Galilean? The scene that says, “How is it possible that we hear in tongues where each of us is born?” So, is it safe to say that to be filled with the Holy Spirit = Gift of speaking in tongues ?!

◎ On the basis of the Scripture of 1 Peter today, I would like to define that the life of being born again by the Holy Spirit is the experience of real freedom with a passionate heart through the blood of Christ. How could the so-called non-mainstream Galilean, Peter and many of his disciples before the crucifixion, turn 360 degrees into a life witnessing to the resurrection? What they heard in the synagogue did not help them much. No, they couldn't even remember. However, how was the Bible spoken through the mouth of the resurrected Jesus? Even though they listened to it hundreds of times, the words that have died in your head was reinvigorated in your heart and they experienced the truth freeing yourself.

When the truth of Heaven, owned only by some priests and religious leaders, is now spread to individuals, unnamed and lightless people of God, such as the “Galilee,” anyone can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Messianic prophecy of Isaiah, which they heard countless times from the priests, did not ring anyone's heart.

Even the close disciples Jesus had by his side of life had no understanding of Jesus' suffering and proclamation of the resurrection. However, aren't they confessing that their heart is getting hotter when the disciples finally realize the word of truth through the mouth of the resurrected Jesus in real life? The moment we feel in our daily life how precious the truth and freedom Jesus Christ has given us, we become people of the Holy Spirit.

◎ President Seung-Hwan Seo chose Yonsei University's new vision for the 150th anniversary as <Learning the Truth and Freedom of Yonsei> based on the Gospel of John. What is the truth of the Bible? The truths of the world can be defined in many ways, but the truth that the Bible teaches us is that God sent Jesus to free us from sin and death that constantly constrains us to pay for our sins and death. This is the Truth.

It was said that in the early church, there were three types of people in Rome. ① slaves, ② freemen / freewomen, ③ freed men / freed women: slaves are slaves from birth, or prisoners of war, etc., and free people are born from birth. Then who is the 'free man'? They were originally slaves or prisoners. However, if they have been freed and paid for the ransom for many years, or if someone has bought the slave's ransom for money and freed it as a free person, then they become 'free people'.

Who can lead the most passionately transformed life among slaves, free people, and 'freed people'? Couldn't the “freed people” really live a life that was born again, that is, born again? When paying slaves for money and allowing freedom, the ransom is called lytron in Greek. Today's text of I Peter uses this very word in verb form. 1:17: “You have been freed from your vain lifestyle, inherited from your ancestors.

As you know, it was not meant to be decaying like silver or gold, but it was the precious blood of Christ as the blood of a lamb without blemish. The word lytroo is used here to write that the ransom was paid for by the precious blood of Christ. Who is the ransom for giving freedom? It's a ransom for you and me. 1 Peter well explains the truth that Christ shed His Blood to set us free.

Dear brothers and sisters of the university, I sincerely hope that you and me who live not just as free people but as “freed people” through the blood of Christ. Those who are born again by the Holy Spirit are those who testify to the world of Christ who paid for the ransom of mankind, with the joy of taking off bondage and passion for a new life. I bless you in the name of the Lord as you are starting such a life led by the Holy Spirit.