Be Set Free from this Present Evil Age

In this message, we talk about the true meaning of the gospel according to the apostle Paul, and what it means to be captive to “the present evil age”.

Scripture passage is taken from Galatians 1:3-4.

 

Message Text: Being Set Free from this Present Evil Age

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen

Galatians 1:3-4

The end of this month marks the 20^th anniversary of our church – St. Timothy Presbyterian Church. 20 years is quite the occasion and I believe there is a lot to reflect on. This community has been around since all of you were born!

Understanding history is such an important part of understanding who we are and how we got here. I wanted to start talking about the history of our community and how that relates to our collective faith journey. But as I started thinking about all of you and where you’re at, I starting asking myself – does it even matter? Will what I have to say about history even register?

This question bothered me so I started thinking about why. As I reflected more, the Scripture passage for today and the message that’s about to come came to me.

Here’s the thing: you’re at the age when you’re figuring out your identity – who you are, what your place in your group is, what your place in this world is, and what the purpose for your life is. I’ve told you my belief that each of us is created by God in a unique way to serve a purpose in this world. Our faith teaches us that we are created in God’s own image.

But as I started thinking, I see clearly how there’s a greater power at work that takes over our thoughts and shapes our life direction. This is what I refer to as “the present evil age” that the author of today’s passage mentions.

Verse 4 talks about Jesus, “who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father”. “To set us free from the present evil age”. This is the gospel according the apostle Paul, who wrote this letter to the Galatians. Gospel means “good news” – that Jesus gave himself for our sins to set us free from this present evil age. So what is this “present evil age”?

The author of this letter, Paul, had something specific in mind when he wrote this. But this verse is applicable for any time and era. What constitutes the “present evil age” will differ depending on which time and place you live in. It’s up to us, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to interpret what this present evil age means for us right now.

Here is how I define “present evil age” for our time and place right now, 2016 in North America: “Our capitalistic and materialistic society that makes us extremely self-absorbed, self-centered and that robs us of our ability to think for ourselves and care for others.”

Let me explain what I mean by this. In our affluent society, our thoughts and motivations are driven by one overriding thing: to find a spot within our economic system that will allow us to live a materially comfortable life. Ideally we can also do what we’re passionate about and what motivates us, but this position must fit within the economic system. In other words, you gotta get paid for what you do. And yes, it’s become a lot more competitive to find such spots, so we work so hard to get one of those few, coveted spots.

This process starts early. You’re taken to private lessons. You’re put in extra classes. Isn’t this why you all feel pressure to do well in school and pad your resume with extra curricular activities – not really cause you enjoy it or are passionate about the clubs you join, but so that you can get into a good university program, which will then help you get into one of those desirable careers?

I’m not saying that we should just all slack off and be naïve about surviving in this world. We do need to survive in this society, and I know that.

But what I’m talking about is when all of our thoughts are consumed with thriving in this system, when we don’t take a step back to think about what it is we’re doing and what this doing does to us?

Here’s what I think this system does to us: it makes us focused only on ourselves – my success, how I’m gonna get job, make money and enjoy life. And then because I’ve worked so hard to get to where I am, I deserve to enjoy the fruits of my labour and the material comforts that come with it. And because I word so hard, in my off time I need to decompress with fun and mindless entertainment. Let me relax by watching Netflix, YouTube, and being on social media.

These are not bad things in and of themselves. But taken together, what does this system do to us? It makes us extremely self-focused and self-centered. We forget how to feel for others. Because I’m so busy surviving in this system, I become numb to the suffering of others. And before we know it, we are slaves to this system.

I understand what this is like because I was an utter slave to this system myself. As many of you know, I was a lawyer before I went into ministry. On the outside, it looked great and like I “made it”. I was a reflection of the Korean-Canadian dream. But you know what? Being a lawyer was never really a good fit with me – for my personality, my specific talents, and what I was interested in. And deep down inside I knew it.

I craved the freedom to do what I felt called to do and what I was passionate about – things like working with young people like yourselves and helping people at a deeper level find meaning and happiness in life. But I thought that this path to freedom lay within this system I’m talking about: that once I have enough money and income, THEN I can do all of this.

And so I worked really hard to build up my law practice to the point where I would make enough money and have a system going that would free me up to do the things I really wanted to do.
But you know what? The more I tried to do this, the more enslaved I become to the business. Instead of becoming more free to do the things I really wanted, my thoughts became more and more consumed with the business and how I was going to make money.

Let me tell you this: running a business is hard work. If you really love your business, then it’s a great thing, cause you can pour yourself into it. But if you don’t love it and are doing it just to make money, it can make life a lot more miserable. So what started happening is that I slowly stopped contributing to the community and became more self-absorbed with the business. I slowly stopped caring about others and became more numb to feeling what others were going through.

Thank God that he rescued me from this enslavement! Now not everyone is called to do something radical like I did and totally shift careers. It’s more about what’s keeping our minds captive.

My friends, Jesus came to set us free from the things that enslave us. He came so that we can come back to who we really are and who we’re meant to be, so that we can reconnect with our true identity as children of God.

THIS is the gospel, the good news. When we are set free from the things that enslave our minds, then we can see clearly who we are – who God created us as – and what our purpose is.   Our hearts can then feel again: feel God’s love for us and feel the hurt and suffering of those around us.

Because forget about jobs and all that, our ultimate calling in life is to love God with all our hearts, souls and minds, and to love our neighbours – to love those who are hurt, suffering, facing injustice. We cannot do this all of this when our minds are in bondage to this system.

Do you want to discern what you might be captive and enslaved to? Think about what you think about most. Is it money? Is it trying to be popular? Is it trying to get good grades? Whatever you think about most, or whatever you value the most when you’re honest with yourself, that’s what enslaves you.

Matthew 6:21

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.”

What do you most value? That is where your heart is at.

My friends, what can we do be free from this system? It starts with God. We cannot do this on our own. We need God’s grace to enter into our lives. So we first come before God, confess our enslavement, and ask Him to lead us out of this bondage.

Secondly, we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world (or age), but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We are called to be in relationship with God, and through this relationship, discern the will of God. But we cannot do this wen we blindly follow what the world tells us. Let us ask God to transform us by renewing our minds. We must think! Question whether what you’re being told is really the truth and the way to live. Think sharply! This is our calling as God’s children.

Being a Christian, being a follower of Jesus is not just some nice touchy-feely thing. It is about being sharp, thinking critically about the society we live in, and questioning the values the world is telling us.

One way to start is by examining what it is we think about. Our thoughts shape us.

Philippians 4:8-9

⁸ Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.⁹ Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

What does this mean? Think about how God has created you in a unique way – what is unique about you? And how might that be used for others? How can God use what is unique about you to make a difference in this world?

My greatest desire for you is that you be a generation that makes a difference for others; that you seek God’s will for this world; that you will be people of compassion, who stand up for justice, who side with the weak and not be blindly drawn to power.   Let us ask God for wisdom, and let us ask God to transform our hearts and minds so that we might be set free from this present evil age.