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The Glory Revealed on the Mountain Matthew 17:1–9 A City on a Hill: A Shining Ideal and a Weighty Warning Last week, we shared Jesus’ words, “A city built on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matt 5:14). In the Gospel of Matthew, the meaning of the mountain is distinctive. Just as Moses went up Mount Sinai, Matthew continues to record scenes in which Jesus goes up a mountain, and stories of Jesus going up the mountain with his disciples—such as the Sermon on the Mount and today’s

Living as the Light and Salt of the World Matthew 5:13–20 Introduction | Standing Before Two Awkwardly Paired Passages 1.  This week’s lectionary presents preachers with a somewhat awkward configuration of the biblical text, because it brings together two passages from the middle of the Sermon on the Mount: “salt and light” (5:13–16) and “the fulfillment of the law” (5:17–20). 2.  At first glance, and even upon a second reading, these two passages appear to be addressing diff

Remember, and Live It Out Micah 6:1–8 Introduction | An Age When Comfort Has Become the Standard of Worship These days, we live in an age where the standard for worship has become how comfortably we can worship. We consider the condition and location of church buildings, and we place importance on how well worship is “served.” The church is increasingly becoming a place that worries about how to satisfy people. Originally, the church was meant to be a community where serving

The Kingdom of God Matthew 4:12–23 The Turmoil of the Age We Are Living In There are several moments of major change that I remember clearly. When I was young, hosting the Asian Games and the Olympics in Korea marked a major turning point for the nation, and when I entered college, it seemed that computers and the internet were beginning to bring profound changes to the world. Around the time I was discharged from the military, the 2002 World Cup felt like another major turni

The One Who Dwells Among Us John 1:29–42 A Decisive Question Hidden in a Quiet Passage The passage we read together today, John 1:29–42, does not appear particularly remarkable at first glance. There is no striking miracle, no crowd rushing in. Jesus is not healing the sick, nor is He delivering a powerful sermon. It simply seems like a story where one person points to another and says, “Look,” and a few people follow Him and have a conversation. Yet as we read the passage re

Someone Was There for You Matthew 3:13–17 Encountering the “Adult Jesus” Standing at the Jordan River for the First Time 1.  With the beginning of the Season of Epiphany, today we are reading the passage from Matthew chapter 3, verses 13 through 17. This passage corresponds to a very important turning point within the Gospel. 2.  The Scripture we read today is the scene in which the child Jesus, who was born in a manger, is revealed as the adult Jesus together with the Season

Holy Invitation Ephesians 1:3–14 (New Translation) At the threshold of time, looking toward eternity 1.  Dear saints, the massive door of time called 2026 has opened. We have now left behind the joy of Christmas, and we are standing in front of the first page of the new year, on which nothing has yet been recorded. 2.  The word “beginning” gives us excitement, but at the same time it can also give us a vague fear. “What kind of things will happen this year?”, “Will we be able

The Way God Opens Matthew 2:13–23 Gratitude at the End of the Year, and Time to Prepare for the Next Step Today is the last Sunday of 2025. In a few days, we will wrap up the year and welcome a new one through the Watch Night Service (Songgu Yeongsin Worship). This last Sunday is not merely a day to organize the time that has passed, but a transitional time to prepare for the next step before God. Standing where the end meets the beginning, we look back once again at our hear

Isaiah 9:2–7Sermon The Light Came First Light Shining in the Darkness (Isaiah 9:2) “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a land of deep darkness, light has shined.” Isaiah tells us that Christmas does not begin with joy, but with darkness. The text does not first speak of “a joyful people,” but of “a people walking in darkness,” and “those living under the shadow of death.” The Christmas we are called to understand never denies real

Title: The Good News of Jesus Christ Romans 1:1–7 Christmas Is a Story We Cannot Rush Past The last handwritten letter I remember was one I sent while I was in the military. I think there may also have been letters I wrote to my wife when we were dating, but the letters I am referring to are those handwritten letters that were sent with a stamp. The passage we read today is a letter written by Paul. It was handwritten—not on paper as we know it today, but likely on something

Isaiah 35:1–10 “On the Holy Way” New Life Beginning in the Wilderness On this third Sunday of Advent, we turn to Isaiah 35, a passage that vividly reveals how God brings forth new life in the midst of a dried-up and desolate reality. Isaiah declares, “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus.” The words “wilderness” and “dry land” come from the Hebrew midbar  and tsiyyah . Midbar  is not merely an empty field but a la

“Waiting and Expecting” Matthew 3:1–12 A Strange Voice in the Season of Advent Beloved, as we gather on this Second Sunday of Advent, I pray that the grace and peace of our Lord will fill your hearts deeply. This season of December is, as always, beautiful. Sparkling lights, the scent of pine trees, Christmas cookies, and carols stir our hearts with warmth and anticipation. And yet, in this very season—when our hearts grow warmer and our affections deepen—the Gospel confronts

“Waiting for an Impossible Peace” Romans 13:11–14 Advent -A Time to Wait for Peace Once Again Beloved, today is the First Sunday of Advent. In this season when we wait for the Lord who will come again, may the grace of the Lord be deeply upon you who continue to dream of peace even in a reality that seems impossible. Advent is not merely a time to prepare the atmosphere before Christmas. It is a profound spiritual season in which we reorder our hearts as we wait for the Lord

Philippians 4:4–9 From Joy to Thanksgiving! It is Thanksgiving. In the church year, today is called “Reign of Christ Sunday,” or “Christ the King.” It is the last Sunday of the liturgical calendar, the Sunday on which we proclaim that Jesus Christ is King of kings. This year, this Reign of Christ Sunday is being observed together with “Thanksgiving Sunday.” In fact, in the Korean church, Thanksgiving Sunday is kept as an important feast day, but most American churches do not

Hoping for the Day of Justice Malachi 4:1–2a Hoping for the Day of Justice** The book of Malachi is a passage that is not easily read. It is like a restaurant located in a remote alley that no one visits and that does not even have a particularly special flavor. I am not sure if this is an appropriate expression, but I thought that preparing a sermon from such a passage, particularly for a stewardship campaign, is anything but easy. Malachi appears to have been written during

Luke 20:27–38 Communal Imagination   1.     Before sharing today's passage, I'd like to begin with a brief testimony. Not long ago, we sent mission support to Nepal after prayer. The missionary replied that our offering was like "rain falling on dry land"—a tremendous help to Jina School. Because of Nepal's political instability, the school had been struggling, and teachers hadn't been paid for three months. But with the mission fund we sent, they were able to pay two months

2 Thessalonians 1:1–4, 11–12 What We Must Hold On To This is the first Sunday of November, the Sunday when Daylight Saving Time ends and everything starts one hour later. I don't know about you, but this time of year always makes me reflective. Yesterday we finished our charge conference, which for pastors usually marks the close of one year and the beginning of another. The charge conference becomes a reference point for ministry. This means that as the remaining time of the

Luke 18:9–14 Humble Faith! The passage we read today continues the parables that Jesus spoke last week. Last week, I said that prayer is something we must do constantly—to keep from losing heart and to remain steadfast. It would be wonderful if our hearts were strong, but we often experience discouragement even in the church. No matter how long we have believed in Jesus, we still find ourselves hurt by small things. I said last week that even when we say, "But I've gone to c

Luke 18:1–8 "Unwavering Faith" Today's passage centers on prayer, yet I chose the title "Faith." Why? Because as we explore this text, we discover the profound connection between prayer and faith. I recently returned safely from a two-week trip to Korea. With medical appointments scheduled in advance, I spent much of my time traveling between clinics—for dental work, health screenings, and follow-up visits. While receiving treatment, I was deeply impressed by the excellence o

God's Standards vs. The World's Standards Scripture: Luke 16:19-31 Before We Begin Last week we had an earthquake. It was about magnitude...