Sunday Worship Sermon Manuscript – November 9

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 of overdue salaries.

2.     It was so meaningful that our support arrived at just the right time and became a tremendous help to a ministry so far away. Personally, I thought it would be wonderful if they could purchase some school supplies and label them "A gift from Yeolin Church," so that when our members someday visit, they could see them with joy. Yet God surprised me—He led us to help in exactly the way that was needed.

3.     We often try to do what seems right or what we are able to do, but God's work often goes far beyond our limits and boundaries. That is why we need humility and the courage to obey the direction in which God leads us.

4.     Today's passage is a conversation between Jesus and some Sadducees—those who claimed that there is no resurrection. To put it in modern terms, it's a conversation between people who are always realistic and rational, and an idealistic person who speaks of something difficult to grasp—the "movement of God's Kingdom."

5.     Luke chapter 20 is composed of various stories—about Jesus' authority, the parable of the vineyard owner and the servants, about taxes, and more. Among these many themes and stories, the passage we read today is perhaps the most unique.

6.     Before going deeper, we need to understand Israel's traditional view of marriage. Although it's different now, back then, if a husband died, his brother would take the widow as his wife—this was called levirate marriage. This system existed to protect the widow's livelihood, to preserve inheritance, and to continue the family line of the deceased man. If we remember that it was a social system well-suited to that time and culture, the passage will not feel uncomfortable to us.

7.     The Sadducees brought up this levirate marriage tradition to argue that the idea of resurrection is logically impossible. Their story is quite extreme: a woman's husband dies, and then one by one, each of the seven brothers marries her and dies. Finally, they ask Jesus, "In the resurrection, whose wife will she be?" They crafted this story to show that resurrection is an illogical, irrational idea.

8.     People might indeed wonder—if such a resurrection were real, whose wife would she be? We can call this kind of reasoning "realistic critique" or "rational doubt." Philosophically speaking, the Sadducees were like materialists who, much like Aristotle's critique of Plato's theory of ideas, only believed in what could be proven by experience—acknowledging only what is visible and tangible.

9.     In contrast, the kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus is the realm of the "opener to possibility." This phrase comes from Heidegger—meaning that what we see now is not all that exists; reality holds potential for transformation. That resonates deeply with the kind of life we hope for today.

10.   This duality also reflected the attitude of believers within the early church to whom Luke was writing. The passage reminds us that resurrection—or eschatological salvation—is not simply a continuation of this life, but an entirely new existence. The life of the redeemed is not an extension of the old, but something completely distinct and transformed.

11.   That might sound abstract, so let me illustrate. A young man likes a certain young woman very much. He has admired her from afar for a long time and always wishes to talk to her, but he lacks courage. One day, she drops her pen while chatting with friends. Watching from a distance, he notices it and quickly picks it up. It's the perfect chance to start a conversation—but again, he hesitates.

12.   It's frustrating! Yet to this young man, that pen is no longer an ordinary pen. Why? Because now it's her pen. Its meaning has changed. The object itself is transformed.

13.   This is what it means to believe in Jesus. Life gains new meaning. We are no longer who we once were—we have been given new life. As we said last week, we have become people who reveal faith by striving to love one another and to grow in that love.

14.   Our way of seeing the world changes. Jesus said, "You will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth," and like Paul, we try to live as witnesses every day. Even when unseen, we strive to live as true Christians.

15.   Once, when I was still a student and not yet a skilled driver, I scratched an expensive car while parking at a retreat center. I could easily have driven away unnoticed—no one was around. But I couldn't. I took down the phone number on the car and sent a text explaining what happened, asking for the repair cost. The reply came: "₩100,000." That was a lot of money then—I earned only ₩300,000 a month as a student minister. Did I regret it? Or did I feel peace?

16.   We are people who live differently from the world. Even when others would act differently, we must show that we do not. That is not easy.

17.   Then Jesus says in verse 38, "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive." This challenging sentence opens deep reflection on our present life.

18.   To the Sadducees, Jesus' words shattered their doubts about resurrection. But for us who believe, these are words to engrave on our hearts as we live here and now.

19.   We often think salvation is something we will experience only after death—believing in Jesus so that we go to heaven instead of hell. That future hope is precious—it's not wrong. But we must also realize that in our present life, as God dwells with us, we already taste and live out the life of heaven.

20.   Thus, today's passage invites us to a "completely different way of living." On the surface, the question seems to be about understanding resurrection, but at its core, it asks: How can we transcend our limited understanding? That question is given equally to us and to our church today.

21.   We know that the actual life of a church community is often far less ideal than the ideal image of "church" we hold. We might expect a place full of love—yet sometimes we receive criticism when we make mistakes, or feel that we must speak and behave in certain ways to be accepted. Many people say church relationships can be exhausting—full of words, misunderstandings, and wounds.

22.   But is that truly the essence of the church? No. The visible, everyday side of church life is simply the natural result of our human lives intersecting. Where people gather, there will be talk—even in temples or anywhere else. So it's not unique to the church.

23.   This means that the church we often imagine or judge harshly may be just a superficial or incomplete understanding of the real church—much like the Sadducees who doubted the resurrection based on their own self-made, impossible premise.

24.   So how can we understand the church more maturely? For that, we need spiritual imagination—the capacity to allow "an entirely different approach."

25.   The church should indeed be a community where everyone is welcomed and loved—yet we all know its limits. We should be able to proclaim that all people are under God's salvation, but our biases and fears often hold us back. Even though the gospel offers hope and Jesus is the "opener of possibility," our fears and need for self-protection can suppress that energy.

26.   To overcome such limitations, we must learn to see the world in "an entirely different way." This is what Jesus did when he proclaimed the gospel—calling forth unseen possibilities, traveling alone across the world, courageously breaking boundaries like Paul. Through what I call "communal imagination," we too can transcend limits and boundaries. That is the power that has built and continues to build the church to this day.

27.   In today's passage, Jesus invites us to imagine a world where death is no longer fearful. Then we can embody this new, different life as Christians.

28.   As I mentioned last week, we are entering our Stewardship Campaign. In this era, stewardship means both vision for the coming year's ministry and the financial commitment to support it. But before asking for such commitment, I believe what we most need at Yeolin Church is to open our eyes to communal imagination—to look beyond our common limits and restrictions.

29.   Our church's reality is this: we are a medium-sized congregation that needs multiple ministers. That means much of our budget must support staff—and so, finances are always tight.

30.   Practically speaking, we have two options: increase income by growing the congregation, or cut back by reducing staff. But neither option works perfectly. Growing attendance doesn't guarantee increased giving, and reducing staff would seriously hinder ministry, which could in turn reduce giving further. That's the honest assessment of our current situation.

31.   But does analysis solve the problem? No. Here is where communal imagination must come in. We must, as I've been saying, take a "completely different approach"—not the usual direction, but a wholly new one.

32.   Another reality is this: our church—in Berkeley, Oakland, and Lamorinda—has the most newcomers among Korean UMC churches in Northern California. For this year's charge conference, I checked: 42 new members registered. We are also one of the most active churches—with English Dinner Church, youth retreats, and continuous programs. Some may say, "That's nothing special," but churches with surplus budgets rarely have such vibrant ministries.

33.   That's another reality. Also, we have significant property assets—the church building in Oakland, and both the church and parsonage here in Orinda. A developer has even approached us with concrete offers to build 45 apartments or townhouses on our Orinda land. That's reality too.

34.   So, should we reduce ministry because of financial strain? Or should we boldly exercise imagination to build a new vision? Naturally, opinions differ—depending on one's role or viewpoint. And yes, that gives me headaches!

35.   But today, I'm not bringing this up to have us solve all these complex issues right now. It's impossible for everyone to think the same way. Rather, I want to suggest this: let us change our direction of thinking. Let's call this "communal imagination." Let's together imagine how God might be working through Yeolin Church in unexpected ways.

36.   This isn't about chasing unrealistic dreams. It's about facing reality honestly, yet refusing to be trapped by our limitations. If you've set a boundary for how much you can love—try to love beyond it. If you've hesitated to share the gospel because of fear or doubt—step over that line and proclaim it boldly. If you've been tied to what feels familiar—let 2026 be the year you try what feels uncomfortable instead.

37.   Even giving—something many find difficult to talk about—can become an act of love and trust when we see it as a way to build a strong community and bless others. Through giving, may each of you discover your own understanding and grace in stewardship.

38.   And as we together face our shared reality, may we humbly seek how God will lead us through new plans and shared dreams—perhaps in ways we never expected. May that confession carry us from the end of 2025 into 2026. Through the imagination we dream and live together, I believe God will grant abundant fruit.