Yonsei University Chruch 2020. 9.13 Sunday Service Pastor Soo-young Lee

<The Time of Trial and Restoration>

John 4:19-26 (Amos 5:4-15, 1 Corinthians 12: 20-26)

Now, the Korean church is facing the biggest ordeal since its foundation. This is the same period of ordeal as the period of trials under the Japanese colonial rule when shrine visits were forced. It's because we cannot worship together. On the one hand, it's because of the COVID-19 incident, on the other hand, the current regime, which condemns the church as a group that interferes with quarantine and forces non-face-to-face worship. We must pray for the coming of the day when we can gather freely before the Lord and worship. I believe that God is preparing us for the grace of recovery in the midst of today's ordeal. What does God want the Korean Church to recover at this time of ordeal?

First, consider the nature of worship.

One day, Jesus left Judea and went to Galilee, passing through Samaria. When Jesus entered Samaria, when he reached a town called Sychar, he spoke with a Samaritan woman by a well, and revealed that he already knew everything about her, including the fact that she had five husbands. The Samaritan woman, who was amazed and considered Jesus as a prophet, seems to want to hear Jesus' answer to the question of “Where is the right place of worship as directed by God”, a long and sharp debate between Samaritans and Jews. So he said, "Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but your people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."

But Jesus' answer was given on a completely different level than the woman expected. Jesus did not say where the right place of worship was, but only who would be worshiped. It is verse 21 of the scripture: “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.” This is to say that it does not matter where you worship. He pointed out that only whom you worship is important. He taught the essence of worship. By calling God the object of worship “Father,” Jesus associates Himself with true worship from the beginning. It reminds us that the worship offered by those who have faith knowing that God will send the Son into the world and save those who believe in him is the worship God wants to receive.

The words that teach it to a Samaritan woman are the words below verse 22 of the scripture. First look at verse 22: “You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.” What is the meaning of the words “you,” or Samaritans, “worship what you do not know”? It means that they are not worshiping on the knowledge of the Son of God and the truth of salvation revealed through the Son of God. Then “we” or the Jews “worship what we do know. Because salvation is from the Jews” What is the meaning of the words?

It does not mean that the Jews all knew the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and the truth of salvation revealed through him. If they knew it, they would not have crucified Jesus to death. What Jesus meant through these words is that the Savior will come out of Judea, the revelation of God's salvation will be revealed only through Him, only knowing Him will become true faith, and only worship through true faith will be worship that God will receive. In other words, whether or not you have the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the truth of salvation revealed in him is the touchstone of whether you are “worshiping the one you know” or “worshiping the unknown.” In other words, faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the essence of true worship. Because knowing Jesus Christ and the love of God revealed and made through him is the core of the knowledge of knowing God. Worship without that knowledge is not true worship.

In the following verses 23-24, Jesus makes a very important comment on how to worship the service he said in verses 21 and 22: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” It is said that the true worship that God will be pleased with is worship in the Spirit and truth. The meaning of the word “we worship in the Spirit and truth” can be understood and explained in many ways, but the point is that true worship depends on Jesus Christ, who is the truth, and the work of the Holy Spirit to understand and know Him.

In other words, we have the Spirit of Truth through the work of the Holy Spirit, so that we can truly worship Jesus Christ and the truth of His salvation only when we understand it. Only the Holy Spirit makes us know Jesus Christ and the truths that are given in Him, and He has proclaimed that the time has come for us to worship by receiving the Spirit of truth from that Spirit. “The time comes for those who truly worship the Father to worship the Father with spirit and truth. Now is the time.” This is the Word that pointed to Jesus Himself already as the promised Messiah, Christ. So the woman said, “I know that the Messiah, called Christ, will come. When he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus taught, “I am the one who is speaking to you” (25-26).

No matter how wonderful and magnificent the service is, worship without Jesus Christ, and worship without confession and testimony of faith in it cannot be called worship. Jesus taught us that true worship does not depend on where we worship by saying, "“believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem." That's a big comfort for us right now. It's definitely a time of ordeal, but it's also a time of recovery. It is sad that we cannot freely gather in the chapel and worship, but if we take this opportunity to realize where the essence of worship is and restore it, it will certainly be a time of grace.

The second thing that God wants the Korean church to recover during this ordeal is the church's social responsibility.

Gathering in worship is of course important, but it is also important to disperse. To be dispersed is not just to go home, but to be sent away. We are sent back to the world after being called out by the world. The fact that we are sent to the world is to spread out in the world, hear and put into practice the promise we made to God. It is to live a good life as the salt and light of the world, as Jesus Christ said, and to be a witness to Christ's love and the gospel. Jesus said: " Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." said Matthew 5:15-16. Of course, what we are saved is not through our good deeds, but through God's grace and faith, but good deeds are proof of faith and salvation.

Amos is a prophet who was active in the days of Jeroboam II, king of Israel, the northern kingdom. Under the reign of Jeroboam II, Israel became strong enough to regain the territory of David and Solomon's days, and enjoyed economic strength. But spiritually, it became very poor. It is because the famine of God's Word was heard (Am 8:11). Social injustice became widespread, and the difference between the rich and the poor grew severe. Judges were bribed and judged unrighteously, so that the righteous were abused and sinners, while the poor were often unjust. The helpless people were trampled, unfair tax exploited, and often sold as slaves for insignificant debts for a pair of shoes (Am 2:6, 5:11-12, 8:6). Judicial justice collapsed and economic justice disappeared.

At such a time, God spoke to the Israelites through Amos: “This is what the Lord says to Israel: “Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.” (Am 5:4-5).

Bethel was a place where Jacob, who had stolen Esau's birthright from his brother, was afraid of retaliation from his brother, and fell asleep with a stone pillow on his way to his mother-in-law who lived far away. (Genesis 28:10-22).

In addition, when Jacob, who had stayed with his uncle for a long time and formed a large family, left his uncle's house with all of his household, he abandoned all foreign gods in the house and built an altar to God. And from God who appeared to him at that time, he received the promise that his descendants would prosper greatly with the new name Israel instead of Jacob.(Genesis 35:1-15). Later, Bethel became the religious center of the northern kingdom of Israel, and the royal temple built there became the central temple of the northern kingdom.

Gilgal is the place where the exiled Israelites crossed the Jordan River and camped on the eastern border of Jericho after 40 years of life in the wilderness (Joshua 4:19). Joshua built twelve stones brought from the Jordan River there to remind all the people that God dried the waters of the Jordan River so that the Israelites could cross safely as in the Red Sea (Joshua 4:20-24). In addition, Joshua circumcised all men there to make it clear that the Israelites were God's people before entering Canaan, the land that God promised (Joshua 5:2-9). And it was Gilgal where the Israelites celebrated their first Passover in the land of Canaan.

Beersheba is the place where Abraham made a covenant with Abimelek king of Gerar in the Philistine land and was recognized for the well that Abraham dug. It was a place where tamarisk trees were planted and the name of the eternal God was called, and He lived there for a long time (Genesis 21:22-34, 22: 19). And Jacob stopped on his way to his son Joseph, who had become the prime minister of Egypt, offered a sacrifice to God, and said, "I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

As such, Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba are all of great significance and importance to Israel, historically, politically and spiritually. Even when Israel's faith was altered, they could be considered as sacred places to visit when they wanted to rely. But God told Amos not to go anywhere. Instead of looking for those places, He said, “Seek the Lord and live” (Amos 5:6). And he also gave the specific meaning of the word. A summary of its meaning appears in Amos 5:15: “Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.” Don't just look for places of worship without realizing justice.

“Judge right in court” is translated as “set justice in the gates” in the Revised Revision Bible. The gates weren't just a place for trials. The gate was a place where all residents went, a market was opened, all kinds of transactions were made, and various contracts were concluded. It was the seat of the people's economic and social life. If so, the word to establish justice “in the gates” may be understood to mean to practice justice in every place of life.

Instead of going to places like Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba, you should accept it as the message that it is important to live right wherever you are in your life. This is a great encouragement for us right now. Although it is not free to gather in the chapel because of COVID-19, if we can practice justice in each place of life, share the love of Christ, become witnesses of the Gospel, and raise the name of God, this time of trial will surely be grace. I believe it will be the time for me.

At this time of trial, God wants the Korean church to recover. Third, I also think of the “oneness” or “delay” of the church. There are many churches in the world, but in fact there is only one true church, and the head of that church is Jesus Christ, and all the churches realize that they are members of one body of Christ, and practice that unity.

The government does not even allow regular Sunday services to be held under strict restrictions, citing the defense of COVID-19. This is a serious violation of the basic rights of the church. Because the five functions of the church are worship, education, friendship, service, and missionary work, especially education and friendship are mainly achieved through small activities. This is because a church that cannot be educated and does not have friendship cannot be a full-fledged church.

However, despite these imposed constraints, the church must find out what to do. All kinds of sanctions and bans imposed on the church can still be endured by large churches. However, the smaller the church, the harder it is to bear the pain. There is a lot of financial pressure that makes it difficult to hold up week by week. There are many churches that cannot provide online worship because they do not have manpower, skills, and equipment. In this case, the big churches should help out smaller churches. We need to help directly financially, provide manpower, equipment, and technology to provide online worship, as well as develop programs and textbooks for education and fellowship online so that small churches can utilize them. In doing so, we must not only confirm that all the churches are one body of Christ, but also demonstrate practically the unity of the churches. I believe that this time of trial will surely be a time of grace if we can take advantage of all the constraints currently imposed on the church as an opportunity to anew and strengthen the unity and delay of all churches.

If the Korean church, which is facing an unprecedented crisis, has the will and wisdom to make this opportunity to restore the true church spirit of the church, the Korean church will be reborn as a stronger and more beautiful church. I wish all of us will be able to experience God's unfailing grace and love toward the Korean church and win over the evil world during this time of hardship.