Scripture Passage
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Sermon Script
Different Water
Time flows forward, never backward. Also time never stops. It never stays the same. It always moves forward. It never lets you stay the same.
It always brings changes. So as a temporal being, you have to accept that life will always change. We cannot say whether changes are good or bad. We just cannot avoid changes. It is our inevitable reality as people who live in time.
Ancient philosopher knew this reality very well.
Heraclitus said,
No one ever steps in the same river twice.
By the time you step into the river the second time, it will be a different water.
I went to Korea in a long time. I went there 21 years ago when my another brother passed away. This year, unfortunately, my second brother passed away. My sister went to Korea for the first time in 50 years. She said she could not recognize anything. She felt like she was in a different country. That was what we experienced.
CHANGE
Did I like the change or not? I can’t tell. It is just the way it is.
Living your life, expecting nothing will change is not good. You will get only disappointed. People change. Our relationships change. Our circumstances change. Sometimes it is sad but that is the way it is.
Rooted
Yes, changes bring not only sadness but also chaos, confusion, and uncertainties. When you are not prepared, you will be knocked down by the strong waves of change.
We once went to a beautiful small village in France. There was a beach. When my kids walked, all of a sudden a strong wave came and my kids were knocked down. Josh lost his wedding ring and my camera was ruined. Yes, changes can knock you down.
You will have to be strongly rooted. You have to know who you are, what you want to do, and what your goal is. You cannot just hold unto the past. You have to look ahead. Instead of resisting the waves, or being knocked down by them, you have to ride the waves. Changes bring you chaos, confusion, and uncertainties but they also bring you new opportunities. Don’t be stuck in the past. Pursue what is ahead.
St. Paul experienced tremendous changes in his life. Knowing Christ was a big change for him. That brought so many changes in his life. He was kicked out from his community. He was rejected by his friends. He was even disowned by his family. These changes brought so much pain, sadness, and suffering.
But St. Paul was very rooted. Instead of being knocked down by the waves of change, he was able to ride the waves.
Listen to what he said and judge for yourself.
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (Philippians 3:11-12)
He knew clearly what he wanted. He was not stuck in his past. He was able to ride the waves of change and sailed through the storm. He pressed on towards the goal.
New Journey
There is a song I like. Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water. The last verse goes like this.
Sail on silver girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh, if you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Today, we are celebrating the Graduates. Graduation is also called Commencement. Commencement means beginning. So graduation is the new beginning. Somebody told me retirement is re-tire. It’s like changing tire for the new journey.
Yes, the new beginning will bring so many changes. You will experience what you never experienced before. You are stepping into the unknown. But don’t be scared of changes. Experience the power of resurrection.
Resurrection
Go back to v. 11.
If somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:11)
To St. Paul, the resurrection was not what would happen after he died. The resurrection was what he experienced now. The resurrection was the power he experienced in his present life.
Let us read v. 10:
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection… (Philippians 3:10)
He was not scared of changes. He wanted to know the power of his resurrection. When you enter into the unknown, be rooted in Christ and the power of his resurrection. In these changes, you will experience the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
When we experience the power of resurrection, every cell of our body will come alive. My thinking will come alive. My consciousness will be awakened. My soul will dance with joy and aliveness. That is the power of resurrection. When the power of resurrection comes upon us, then our life can move forward. The power of resurrection is like an engine that move your life forward. The power of resurrection turns the destructive power of waves into propelling power of sailing towards the goal. When we sail through the storms and challenges of our life with our own strength, we become tired and drained. We cannot move forward. I need power within me that energizes my life to move forward.
Move Ahead
I see many people who don’t do much for the dreams and purposes of life anymore. They used to live with the deep passion for life, but now they just live doing what they have to do. Just coast along. They experienced one too many failures and disappointment in their lives. They were so completely controlled by their life situations that they lost their own dreams and purposes. They don’t even have power to resist against what takes away life from them.
They are satisfied with maintaining the status quo. But that is not how the power of resurrection works in our lives.
Listen to St. Paul:
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own…I press on toward the goal. (Philippians 3:12)
If the power of resurrection works in us, we are not fooled by the false satisfaction and false destination. We know that oasis is only a temporary place to enjoy but for the real destination, we have to take the journey. The power of resurrection gives us the courage to move forward.
People who prepare for marathon, they go through hard training for the last 10, 20 minutes. Swimmers go through the hard training for the last 10th or 100th of a second. In the middle, everyone runs well. But the important thing is to pursue to the end.
What’s done is done. Don’t look back. You have a journey ahead of you to take. You have a road ahead of you to walk.
St. Paul said,
…forgetting what lies behind and straining forward what lies ahead, I press on… (Philippians 3:13, 14)
Don’t give up. Don’t get settled down with just maintaining the status quo.
Let the power of resurrection work in you. The way you see life will change. You will have energy, vision, passion and excitement. Even when you are tired and drained, you will feel the power that moves you forward.
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