Greed and the fight for contentment

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”  He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,  Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”  When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”  When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved? But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:16-26 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Jesus talks more about money and possessions than heaven and hell. Why? Because our approach to money and possessions can take us away or move us towards God.

We will readily call greed a vice but we will not look for examples in our lives. It is okay to call Wall Street evil, but we don't consider if there us any examples of greed in our own lives.

Nature of greed

Greed is idolatry. Here's what Brian Rosner has to say on the topic: "a strong desire to acquire and keep for yourself more and more money and material things is an attack on God’s exclusive rights to human love and devotion, trust and confidence, and service and obedience." Our hearts are devoted to things rather than God. We derive our safety and security from money and material things. We spend our time and order our lives based on seeking more money rather than what God desires of us.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. -
1 Timothy 6:10 ESV

Christians are marked by generosity and love. Greed blocks love. Prioritizing money and things over people is the opposite of love. We see the poor and greed tells us to walk away. We will start to judge the poor rather than share our wealth and love them. Workaholics lose relationships with their family and friends. No dying person will say they wished they spent more time in the office. They wished they spent more time with their partners and their children. Greed kills.

Christian Contentment

This doesn't come from willpower. This is supernatural from God. We have a savior, the Prince of an everlasting kingdom, who became poor so that we could be rich. In Jesus we have life eternal and an inheritance unimaginable. The one who gives us his son will not withhold any good thing from us. We will have peace, joy, and contentment regardless of circumstance.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. -
Philippians 4:11-13 ESV

The Lord's Prayer: Petition

Give us  this day our daily bread,- Matthew 6:11 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The first half of this prayer is God focused. This is the beginning of the second half which speaks about our needs. But it is not disconnected; they are connected.

The Reality of our need

This is confusing. From praying for spiritual direction and God's kingdom, we start praying for bread. Confusing for the early church fathers. Bread is not just the word of God. It is representative of our physical needs. Food, shelter, and other daily needs.

Why? To remind us of our utter dependence on God. Our job, health, and very breath... all comes from God. We believe that we are self sufficient. We don't consider that God gave us our intelligence, our health, our ability to work for daily provision... It is all by the grace of God.

Our Responsibility to others

We don't say MY father in this prayer. We say OUR father. In our sinfulness, we have the default of being self focused. But in Christ, we are praying for other believers, family, and those around us. We pray this prayer so that we can learn how to share. God may use us to answer other's prayers for daily bread. We are to serve the poor, so that we can pray this without being hypocritical.

How the Gospel guides our request

When we pray, we are asking for daily needs. Not extravagance nor abundance. Just our needs. There is not a one-size-fits-all set of "needs". God is not saying that we should only pray for food and a tent. It is different for each person and situation.

How then should we approach this? We should pray for it and rest.

Jesus explains:

“Therefore I tell you,  do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.- Matthew 6:25-33 ESV

Pray persistently. But we should pray faithfully. Not pray because we distrust and worry. God is our heavenly father. We are not orphans. Do not worry. God knows our needs. Lay them at His feet and rest.

The Lord's Prayer: Submission

Your kingdom come,  your will be done,   on earth as it is in heaven. - Matthew 6:10 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The point of the petitions

We are not praying for God's kingdom to come into existence. God rules. But since the fall, earth and sinners resist His reign. We are praying for the full coming of His kingdom here on earth. In order for this to happen, the opposition must be crushed.

Christ has come and dealt the deathblow. Victory is already here. But the opposition continues to fight. The kingdom doesn't come like a light switch, it comes like a mustard seed. Slowly and imperceptibly coming. Like a dawn, starting in darkness and shadows slowly receding until everything is light.

We pray for bringing glory and reverence of God. Immediately afterwards, we pray for missions. The growth of the kingdom. For people to come into saving knowledge of God. That is a priority over asking for daily bread. The daily provision is to support the seeking of God's kingdom. If we think it strange, then this is simply the Word pointing out our twisted priorities.

The posture of the petitions

We are not to mindlessly ask these things. It should not be going thorough the motions. We should be consumed about doing all things for God. Our primary concern should be for pleasing God.

Our hearts should be thankful and desiring to obey God. But often we do it begrudgingly. Not willingly or fully engaged to doing anything for God. If we hold anything back from God, we are not submitted. We want to say this is partial submission, but really we are saying our priorities matter more than God's. We are desiring our kingdom rather than God's. When we hold something back, we are saying... I'm the boss; I'm in control. We are not submitted.

Our unwillingness to fully submit is our lack of trust in God. We can only release control to those we trust. So we think it will be better to live for ourselves. We believe that obedience to God will not being joy, contentment, or happiness. We think that disobeying God will give us joy. We chase our dreams, party it up, or reach our goals and find ourselves feeling Meh.

Then perhaps we are beginning to understand the lie. It is not obeying God on one side and happiness on the other. God really desires the best for us.

The power to pray these petitions

Full submission means that God will take us up on it. He will bring us to suffering. There is no glory without a cross. That is the pattern set by our Lord, Jesus Christ. No matter what suffering God bring you to, Jesus understands our suffering. He bore the sins of the world.

God gave up his son for us. We can underwhelmed by things on this earth. But when we come into heaven, we will all be awed and overwhelmed. We will think that we did not spend enough time, money, resources on God's kingdom.

The Lord's Prayer: Adoration

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love  to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.   “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as  the Gentiles do, for  they think that they will be heard  for their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  Pray then like this:  “Our Father in heaven,  hallowed be  your name.- Matthew 6:5-9 ESV

Rev. Charles Han

For those with plans and those without any idea of what lies ahead, this is a clarification and a promise. This is a call of going back to fundamentals. Back to the basics to achieve all that God had placed before us. Today's fundamental is prayer.

The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life by Bruce Wilkinson was a landmark book. It became a popular book, even for non-Christians. It became a merchandised extravaganza. Prayer guides, book bags, etc. But how about Jesus' prayer? Why does it not capture our attention in the same way? It is a model prayer given from Christ to his disciples. Let's examine it closely.

Our Father

We have the privilege to call God our father. The Jews back in that day never would have called the Holy One, father. In Aramaic, it was the familiar version as a child calls their father. Abba (Aramaic), Dad, Appa (Korean), Baba (Canto)... It means we are not just justified, we are adopted. It is not a clinical application of law, but a familiar relationship that God provides. We have gone from enemies to beloved children. This has been bought for us by the perfect relationship and rejection of Jesus by God, the Father. This is grace; unconditional love of God, our father.

This affects our prayers. We are confident, at peace, confident, secure, and drawn into intimacy with God. We consider our earthly fathers, but we don't all know about a father's love. God knows about the fatherless and has adopted us. We are not orphans. We are his children. We don't need to make an appointment. We don't have to be afraid to ask for something. We have intimate access.

In Heaven

He is powerful and transcendent. He is also holy. He calls us to intimacy, but he also deserves all reverence. He gives both tough and tender love. It is a balance that we have trouble keeping. He is not a domestic pet.

Hallowed be your name

This is the first request. What does it mean to hallow something? It means to make and keep sacred. God's name should be feared, respected, and adored. First in our lives, then the world. The first request is what is hallowed. What do we bring the most before Him? What drives us to pray? That is what is sacred and we desire to hallow in our lives. It is our idol. God should be first and foremost.

This is what centers our lives and our prayers rightly. It also will make us happier and more content. But this should not come from a sense of duty, but because it is our joy and desire. This is what keeps God holy and sacred in our lives.

The Child of Promise

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.  You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.  For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:1-9 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The promise

   Isaiah was speaking to Israel. But this was split in two kingdoms. A northern and southern kingdom that fought against one another in civil war. The northern kingdom was falling to the assault of the Assyrians. This is the context that Isaiah was preaching in. The prophet was painting a picture of abundance, peace, and joy against the backdrop of Israel's northern territories being conquered, ransacked, and plundered. God is giving a promise of future peace and perfection written in past tense. In other words, consider it done.

  How will this come about? Through a child, a son, a king filled with wisdom (counselor), God (not just a man), loves the people like a father loves his children, and mighty/strong. We are not given advice, a solution to a problem, but rather God gives us himself. That is what we need and truly want. In Him is where we find all glory, beauty, and satisfaction.

The challenge

   God offers us this gift of his son. And we go, Meh. We are not excited. It is six hundred years between the promise of the prophet and the birth of Jesus. And even now, we still await the fullness of the coming kingdom. We are still awaiting the fulfillment of this future reality.

   Sometimes, our present reality can cloud the present. And often make it impossible to see the perfect and distant future. We lose sight of the heaven we are promised and then we will seek earthly pleasures and glory. We will look for idols rather than God. We chose the immediate tangible pleasures over the perfect joy of Christ in our future. That is the essence of spiritual maturity. All that we have in Christ becomes more tangible than our current reality and circumstances.

The promiser

God loves us. Loves enough to do a crazy foolish thing to come in weakness and frail baby form. To die being mocked and jeered as a fool so that we could have life.

The prince of peace and the Paradise He brings

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.  And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord .  And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord . He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,  but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.  Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.  The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.  The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.  They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.  In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.- Isaiah 11:1-10 ESV

Rev. Charles Han

How do we summarize the story of the Bible? Four words: Creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.

The Prince of peace

The prophet is telling of the sins of Israel and the coming judgment of Assyria. And then from this transitions to speaking of hope. There is a coming Messiah who comes from Jesse. Why the reference to Jesse rather than King David? Jesse was a man of humble means. He is a sprout of Jesse, yet also the root of Jesse. How can this be? Both sprout and root? Jesus is of God and also God incarnated in flesh. Both before, the source, as well as after, the coming one. One of the Holy Spirit, who does the will of God, which we cannot do.

The Paradise he brings

What does heaven look like? Is this a literal description? I believe this is a figurative description. Describing the peace and contentment of heaven. It is a poetic description. Jesus has come and he is coming back to bring a Paradise of perfect peace. He will bring Shalom. Not just inner serenity, but flourishing & wholeness. Justice and fulfillment. The way things ought to be, restored. Lions represent the enemies of Israel, the dangers and rending of all that they held dear. The weak not being bullied by the weak. The children playing by the nest of snakes... a compete reversal of the child of Eve and the serpent from the fall in the garden of Eden. Jesus is the one who will repair broken relationships, hearts, and lives. He brings hope to the citizens of heaven. Regardless of the troubles of this life, it is tiny in comparison to eternity in heaven. Why are we so focused on the tiny sliver of time before eternity?

Homeward bound

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;  it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord , the majesty of our God.  Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.  Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;  then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;  the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.  And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.  No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.  And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:1-10 ESV

Pastor Paul Park

Illusiveness of a worldly home

Where are you from? We can answer from many different angles. Cultural background, where we were raised, where we were born, where we live now... Does this change when we get married? Does it change when we've lived in a certain place for awhile?

A home is where we find rest. Verse 7 describes a mirage. A place of water in a desert. But the closer we get to a mirage, the more we find that it is an illusion. Our lives are a long journey are searching for a place of rest and belonging. We go from place to place seeking a home. The prophets were tasked with bringing people from illusions to our real home. The people were content with mirages and the illusion of home. We all do this. When we are anxious or troubled, we turn to the distraction of entertainment, the comfort of financial security, the comfort of relational security, etc. All the things of this world are insufficient to give us a real sense of belonging or security. They are all fleeting and will ultimately disappoint.

Concreteness of our Spiritual home

Where then is our biblical and real home? It is not a place, but rather a person. It is our God. He is our sanctuary. The springs of living water are alluding to the Holy Spirit. God wishes to make His home in us. What then does it mean to be home in this sense? God becomes to us the most important person in our lives. He is the most loved in our mind and in our hearts. As it says in the first commandment... This is how you find home. You will yearn to see His face. You were desire to spend time with Him.

We are unclean. So we must get new hearts. We must be redeemed and cleaned. This was purchased through the cross by Jesus. We are promised a new home because of the blood of Christ. A place to belong and of ultimate security.

The ramifications?

Our future is with God. We are to love God and that means that we will have a growing desire of holiness. Why? Because God is holy. We will grow in repentance for sin, in turning towards God away from things of this world. We can be generous because God has given us everything for eternity.

We are to grow in our yearning to see God's face. To wish to be with God, is the proper reaction to God's sacrifice upon the cross. It is not a simple ritual of prayer and Bible study. But a genuine desire within our hearts for God and the place He has prepared for us.