Hello to Knowing God, and Upholding Life and Loving Our Neighbor Again, and Again.

 

Photo credits to BEACON

For HMC Christian Emphasis 2024

Message for the Opening Worship                    

Date written: November 19, 2024

Edited and revised: November 28, 2024

Theme: Knowing God: Upholding Life, Loving the Neighbor

Note: Relate to advent season and international human rights (Right to be loved)

Scripture: Luke 4:18-19; Matthew 1:23

Matthew 1:23

²³ “Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, “God is with us.”

Luke 4:18-19

¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed,¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Intro:

Christian Emphasis theme for this year is Knowing God: Upholding life, loving our neighbor. As we observe and become aware of the situation around us may it be in your home, school, society, community, country or other nations, do you think that life and love are being supported? What is God telling us to do when it comes to upholding life and love?

Our biblical references for today are found in Matthew 1:23 ²³ “Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, “God is with us.” and in Luke 4:18-19. ¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed,¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

From these biblical references, on what area of your life you can attest that God is with you? In this generation, is there liberty or freedom for the oppressed, is there healing for the sick, is there proclamation of the good news and Lord’s favor? Can we still say “hello to knowing God and upholding life and loving our neighbor again?”

 

Body

Upholding life and loving our neighbor start with knowing God. The idea of life and love are from God. It started long ago in the history of Israel when God established His kingdom. God offered blessings and abundance. However, Israel kept on disobeying, sinning, and turning away from God that leads them to sickness and oppression. This is the reality that we have now that the world rebels against God and as a result the humanity is drifting away from the blessings, life, and rights that God has prepared for us. But God is a faithful, gracious and loving God. When He promised and made a covenant, He will fulfill it. God doesn’t want us to feel like being forsaken by Him. Now this is the good news that through the Spirit of God working to a virgin, she will give birth to son and they shall call him “Emmanuel” which means “God is with us”. The child that was conceived by a virgin through the Holy Spirit is none other than Jesus. Matthew 1:23 is about the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ as God’s fulfillment to His covenant to the Israel people and later on the salvation of all who believe in Him. Thus, Jesus represents God’s unconditional love to humanity.

1 John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another, For love is of God, And everyone that loveth is born of God, And knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, For God is love. Beloved, let us love one another.”

Upholding life and loving our neighbor are supported by Jesus’ ministry. Jesus began the ministry of word and deed in Galilee. Jesus said that the Spirit of the Lord is with Him and anointed Him to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). God is continuously building His Kingdom through the life and works of Jesus Christ. And this kingdom of God is heaven and talks about the eternal kingdom where ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4). While Jesus is here on earth, He spent His time to do the will of God. To give hope, show love and bring salvation to all. Jesus’ works is upholding life and love both spiritual and physical and could extend holistically. Jesus shows how love needs to be shown in both word and action (1 John 3:18 “¹⁸ Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.”) Since, the Spirit of God is with Him, He was able to make the blind restore his sight, healing people from unclean spirit, and healing other kinds of diseases. These kinds of freedom from suffering happened because Jesus believes that God is at work. Jesus Christ first attempt of the proclamation of God’s favor happened in his childhood hometown Nazareth, but he was rejected. He doesn’t stop there, instead He went to Galilee and extended the blessing of God not only to Israel but to the Gentiles. Meaning, Jesus is reaching out to all the nations. And this is how Jesus’ upholds life and loving people at the same time. Jesus was with them meaning God is with them. And still Jesus cares for the people because God cares for them too. 

Upholding life and loving our neighbor are now our commission. In the following chapters of Luke, Jesus calls the disciples. The disciples joined Jesus’ ministry and in later part gives them the authority and commissioned them and leaving them the Holy Spirit to be with them every step of the way. We are the product of the ministry from the past and now it is our turn to keep the ministry going. Let us pause and take a time look and observe around you. What is the situation of the world in our generation? Is anyone hungry or thirsty? Give them food and drinks. Is there stranger around you? Welcome them. Is there anyone who doesn’t have clothing? Give them clothes. Is there someone who is sick or imprisoned? Take care, visit and pray for them (Matthew 25:31-46).  Are there any injustices around you? Act for justice and do what is right. Quote and Quote I would like to share this statement from the New Interpreter’s Bible “No worship of God is genuine if it coincides with unjust actions, with neglect of the needs of the poor.” Being aware of the situation around you, you may know about the human rights in terms of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and it talks about right to life and to be loved. Maybe, you are asking yourself right now, how can I really uphold life and love my neighbor?

I would like to remind you of the first thing that I have learned during my first church appointment which is 10 “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.” Luke 16:10.

We can start upholding life and loving our neighbor in this generation by taking small step with a great Faith in God. Through our faithful and loving action to God and to other people. I believe that when we support life and love according to what is God telling us to do. It will work. Just like what Jesus did before.

Conclusion

Finally, upholding life and loving our neighbor starts with knowing God, and it is supported by Jesus’ ministry through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and now, it is our call to act on it for we are commissioned to keep this ministry God has for all us.

Now, the question for all of us is that, “Can we still say “hello to knowing God, and upholding life and loving our neighbor again, and again?”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen.

Reference:

Gaventa, B. R., & Petersen, D. (2010). THE NEW INTERPRETER'S® BIBLE ONE-VOLUME COMMENTARY. https://library.malua.edu.ws/MTCfileserver/EBOOKS%20AND%20ARTICLES/Edited%20by%20Gaventa,%20Beverly.%20Roberts%20and%20Petersen,%20David%20-%20The%20NIB%20-%20One-Volume%20COMMENTARY.pdf