You Have Received Mercy

1 Peter 2:3-10

Pascal tells us in his book “Pensées,” a question that we once thought about and wanted to answer.

I think of the time that has passed, and the time that will last. And in the meantime, I think of a short time in my life that will be absorbed into eternity. I think of this small space that I am seeing, who is immersed in the infinite vastness of the small space that I fill, the space that I do not know and that I do not know. Then I am afraid. And it's amazing to see me right here, not anywhere else. There's no reason why it's not there, it's here, and it should be the present, not any other time. Who brought me here? Who orders and leads me to this place and this time?

Pascal compares his very short and very small presence with the vastness of space and time, and contrasts with the time and space. Then he becomes afraid. That fear creates another question. Who made me live here right now, not in another space at another time? Who ordered me to give this time and space, and who led me here?

We can guess a little bit of this feeling of surprise and fear, even if not all of us. Turning surprise and fear into one word can be said to be awe, a feeling of honor and fear. To feel a beautiful mystery in front of this awe is the attitude of everyone who is serious about living. Einstein, for example, said:

The most beautiful emotion we can experience is mystery. Beauty is the power of all true art and science. Those who do not know these feelings, those who can no longer wonder or become ecstatic are like dead people. There are things that are impenetrable to us. These are the sublime wisdom and the shining beauty that understands only its most primitive form with our blunt sense. Knowing and feeling these things is at the heart of true religion. So I belong to the true religious people.

In awe of fear and surprise, Einstein calls those who feel the mystery and do not want to live life through it. You can agree. Christians are these “true religionists,” but add one more characteristic to them. That is the feelings depicted from verses 3 and 10. “You have tasted the goodness of the Lord.” “I used to be a man who had never been merciful, but now he is a man of mercy.” The Greek word translated ‘merciful’, ‘Crestos’ (crhsto, j) means that people are friendly.

'To receive mercy' is 'Eleo', which is a word that embraces compassion and a loving heart at the same time. Christians are the ones who have come to realize that we are here now, through the vast space and time of the universe, through the feelings of mystery in awe, that God is "kind" and “merciful” to us.

You are born like this in a world ruled only by matter and non-materials and the laws that move them. Beyond the awe of fear and surprise, past the beauty of the mystery, the realization that kindness, warmth, compassion, and compassion are at the center of this universe, and that we get to enjoy it, which gives birth to Christians. In verse 9, Peter says this is "the work of the One who called you out of darkness and led you into his wonderful light."

The desolateness of a person dealing with the vast universe, the news of violence when he opens his eyes, the news of brutal crime, the situation in which everyone is cautious due to a global disaster, the conflicts, disputes and slander that always arise over power, wealth and honor even though there is a lot to do to figure that out. It's the darkness of frustration and disappointment that no escape from this is going to be, that it's going to be, and that there's not much hope in the future.

It is hard to find the possibility that this history and society will be fundamentally different even if you look around carefully, or even as we are ashamed of ourselves in front of the mirror every morning without blaming others, we are indeed in the dark. It is our reality that we cannot properly establish relationships with ourselves or between our closest parents and brothers. When I look at the world, see people, and see me, it seems that darkness and fog are not going to clear. But in that darkness, Christians confess that God has led us into His wonderful light.

As the light shines in the dark, we can distinguish what is right and wrong, what is beautiful and ugly, what is good and what is bad, and wisdom is created. Spring sunlight comes into the heart, which has been damp like a mold, and fundamental changes are made in the eyes of not only the surroundings, but also the history, society, and the universe. I think it can be said that this change of heart, change of mind, change of perception, in one word, has changed into a person who can write poetry in the sky. Christians have been able to write poetry, and they can write poetry with warm hearts.

Dong-joo Yoon's <Prologue>, as we all know it, begins with the phrase "There will be no shame in looking up to the sky until the day of death." It is a Christian poem. You can write poems all over the sky. Yoon feels ashamed to look up at the sky and suffers “even in the wind of the leaves”, but eventually he has a “heart that sings the stars”, so she was able to “love all dying” and pledge to love. Yes, Peter was a Christian who was called from darkness to light, and at that time he tasted and wore the Lord's kindness and mercy. Those who come out of the light from the darkness testify to the light, and those who are loved can sing and love. I am a Christian!

The range of living life meaningfully changes for a Christian who has moved from darkness to light and from cold to love. As you know, meaning occurs under a given condition. For example, sound can be done within language conditions to get meaning. If blue is blue, it is possible under the condition that there are multiple colors. It is the same with human life. Meaning arises in the conditions and circumstances given to him. Before becoming a Christian, it was among people that people could get meaning.

 Even Sisyps. As it is well known, "Sisyps was the king of the ancient Greek mythology, who built the city of Corinth. It is well known to the present day as the incarnation of an eternal prisoner. Sisyphus had a reputation for being tricky, and he was greedy and loved to cheat. He also killed passengers and nomads. He had to roll a large stone over a steep hill as a punishment from the other. Upon reaching the top, the stone had to roll down again, and from the beginning he had to begin pushing the stone up again (Odyssey, xi. 593-600). It is not clear why he was punished.

 Some say he is the punishment for telling the secrets of the gods to human beings, and others are the punishment for murdering those he travels. Even Sisyphus' infinitely repetitive punishment will mean something if done in front of a person. Soon, if there is a person in front of you when you do that painful thing, and if there is someone to compliment and criticize and to cheer and grieve when the stone rolls, unlike the previous, the meaningless action of Sisyphus acquires 'meaning'.

People live in front of people until we are called from darkness to light. It was an honor to get there. And we tried not to be forgotten, and it was hard to do anything more than live with full confidence in front of people. However, being a Christian means going to Jesus Christ in response to the call to “Come unto the Lord” as verse 4 says. This will open up another way you never thought of before. We have other conditions and circumstances that take the meaning of God and Jesus Christ, besides humans.

Jesus Christ was the first person to think of God and to live in front of him. It is God's way, and Jesus became “a living precious stone that was forsaken by man, but chosen by God”. “Look, put a precious cornerstone I picked in Zion. He who believes in him will never be ashamed,” God says in verse 6, which quotes Isaiah. In today's scripture, though, for those who don't believe, "the stone that made the houses go, but for believers, it's the cornerstone of the corner." It is the cornerstone.

Likewise, we are people who have gained a new way to live their lives by following the path of Jesus Christ who lived before God. Christians are those who believe in Jesus Christ, who is free from the gaze of the world, aims for true values, and takes the path of life to live with joy, even in pain and sadness. At the moment, you can think of eternity and give thanks and praise before God. Sometimes I can't be so good at praying before eating. We can be given the meaning that comes from God in every moment of our specific everyday life. How grateful and happy we are to be able to thank God and my brothers and sisters who gave us this meal while we were eating it. Even this little prayer feels like “declaring the accomplishments of the one who called you out of darkness and led him into his wonderful light.

A Christian is a person who realizes that he is loved by coming out of the darkness and shining in the light. A Christian is a person who is grateful, praises, and prays in all things in the way of Jesus Christ before God. The last thing this scripture tells us today is our changed identity and role. Verse 9 says: “You are a chosen race, a priest like a king, a holy nation, and a people who are God's property.” Another verse 5 says, "As a living stone, you are also used to build a house and become a spiritual house."

There are two. One is that even if people don't see everything, we see our little minds, our little moments of good deeds that we have done with our strength, the courage that we have endured injustice, the will to overcome hatred and love, and we also regard ourselves as living stones. Second, He uses it when he builds a house. It means that we are given the status and role of a family member in building God's house, His family. It is a pleasure to have a job and belonging. It can be said that the joy and mission of Yoon Dong-ju's poetry are “I will walk in the path that is given to me.” Although a person is abandoned, a Christian is a living stone in God's house, taking his part and place on one side. A Christian is a person who believes in Him and goes that way. To such a Christian, Peter gives confidence in verse 6, which quotes the words of Isaiah. “Look, put a precious cornerstone I picked in Zion. Those who believe in him will never be ashamed. "

Furthermore, we are blessed as God's people and live as kings rather than being crushed by the world as priests like kings and serve God as priests. In addition, we are bound by the world and end up living and become a “holy people” and enjoy a differentiated and differentiated quality of life. Being a Christian does not have a longer lifespan than others. Soon the amount of life is not long, but I believe the quality of life is very different. I would like to read today’s scripture once again dearly and with gratitude.

3 You have tasted the goodness of the Lord. 4 Come to the Lord. He is a living precious stone that has been forsaken by man, but chosen by God. 5 As a living stone, you too are used to build a house and become a spiritual house. That is why you are a holy priest offering spiritual sacrifices that God is pleased with through Jesus Christ. 6 The Bible says this. "Look, put a precious cornerstone I picked in Zion. He who believes in him will never be ashamed." 7 So this stone is precious to you who are believers, but to those who do not believe, it is "the stone that the builders have abandoned, but it has become the cornerstone of the corner", and 8 is also the "hanging stone and the rock that stumbles." They stumble and fall because they do not obey the Word, and they have decided to do so.

9 ○ But you are a chosen people, a priest like a king, a holy nation, and a people owned by God. That is why you are proclaiming the work of the One who called you out of the darkness and led you into his amazing light. 10 You were not God's people before, but now you are God's people, and before you were a man without mercy, but now you are a man of mercy.