St Timothy Presbyterian Church

Scripture Passage Matthew 21:23-32 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script A Life I Want to Live I want to live my life with authority. Whenever my final breath is, I want to know that I've done my part to the fullest. I want to know that I lived out my unique calling. I want to know that I've done everything I can to make a positive contribution to this world. That's the kind of life I want to live. I don't want to live looking over my shoulder. I don't want to cower in fear of what others will think. This is easier said than done. I know I still have my insecurities. I still desire the approval of others. But in my heart, I want to live a life true to my deepest convictions. I want to live with courage. I want to live free to love others. I want to live a life that is uniquely my own. I want to live with the power of God in my life. I want to be transformed to live according to God's will. I don't want to just settle for a comfortable and safe life. I pray that I may have the faith and courage to endure

Scripture Passage Romans 13:8-14 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Owed Love St. Paul begins the passage by saying this: Owe no one anything, except to love one another. (Romans 13:8) We owe something to those who love us and take care of us. The amount of love and help we've received, we owe that back. You owe them gratitude. You owe them your care and resources when they need it. But what about people you owe nothing to? They are people outside of your circle. People who have not been a part of your life. St. Paul is talking about a different kind of love. Not loving just those we owe that love to. But loving those we owe nothing else to. This is very different from the love we're used to. It's love that crosses my boundaries. Love for those I don't feel any connection with. Loving others sounds nice. But why should we owe love to others who have nothing to do with us? Can't I just live my own life? Isn't causing no harm good enough? Neighbour The commandments are about not doing harm to others.

Scripture Passage Romans 14:1-12 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Judgmental Attitudes In today's passage, St. Paul talks about judgmental attitudes. That is what I want to reflect on today. Judgmental attitudes destroy relationships and communities. This was the underlying issue in the community in Rome. Judgmental attitudes were threatening the community. Judgmental attitudes create divisions among people: within families, among friends, and in communities. To live in peace and harmony with one another, we have to overcome judgmental attitudes. Judgmental attitudes make you see only the flaws in other people. You start defining other people solely based on their flaws. It gives you an excuse to see them as less than human; treat them as less than human. You look down on them because of their flaws. Judgmental attitudes are corrosive. They erode the sense of community and togetherness. They kill the spirit of those around you. Not only those around you, but they also kill your spirit too. When you

Scripture Passage Matthew 20:1-16 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script The Searching Landowner Jesus is talking about the kingdom of God today. What does the kingdom of God look like? Jesus said the kingdom of God is like a landowner. For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. (Matthew 20:1) A landowner who went out early in the morning That's what the kingdom of God is like. The kingdom of God is like the landowner who is searching. He was searching from early in the morning. But not just in the morning, he was searching all day. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, Why are you standing here idle all day? (Matthew 20:5, 6) That's what the kingdom of God is like. God who searches for us. A woman who searches for the lost coin. A father who searches for the lost son. That is what our God is like. Th

Scripture Passage Romans 12:9-21 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Do Not Avenge These are beautiful words. We should read them daily and keep them in our heart. Paul is teaching us about how to live as a Christian. Or how to live as a good human being. These are marks of Christians. These are visible marks of being a good person. You don't become haughty but associate with the lowly. You extend hospitality to strangers. How beautiful it is to live like that. It doesn't matter whether you are Christians or not. It is what a good human being is supposed to do. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. It sounds simple and easy but people don't do that. Many times people are jealous with those who rejoice. They are indifferent to those who weep. We just don't know how to feel for others. St. Paul said to feel for others. That is a beautiful attitude. But Paul left the most important and the most difficult topic to the end. DO NOT AVENGE! Bless those who persecute you. Do not repay anyo

Scripture Passage Revelation 21:1-4 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Sioux Valley The writer of Revelation talks about the new heaven and new earth. He compares it to the old order. The old order consists of death, mourning, crying and pain. In the new order, tears are wiped away, and the things of the old are no longer. Sadly enough, we experienced so much of the old order during our mission trip this past week to Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. Sioux Valley is a beautiful place in southwestern Manitoba. They are a beautiful people with beautiful hearts. But the legacy of colonialism, residential schools, and everything else is visible in the lives of the people of Sioux Valley today. In Sioux Valley, every day seems to be like the old order of things. Everyday is a catastrophe waiting to happen. You never know what tragedy the next day will bring. There is a lot of pain. These days, there is a drug issue on the reserve. One evening we held a worship service at the local church building that's owned b

Scripture Passage Romans 8:26-39 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script You Are Not Alone How beautiful these words are! So loving, so assuring, so hopeful. Every single sentence is touched with grace and love. There is not too much to add to this beautiful passage. It shows how much God cares for us. You are not alone. God is right there with you to take care of you. The Holy Spirit helps you in your weakness and prays for you with sighs too deep for words. Jesus Christ intercedes for you at the right hand of God. God the Father loves you with love that nothing in the world can separates you from. The WHOLE TRINITY is right there. They all work together to take care of you. What a wonderful news. You are blessed. You will be all right because behind the scene, there is God working hard for you. There is nothing to worry about. This is what St. Paul said. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) All things work together

Scripture Passage Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script The Problem Outside Last week, we reflected on the flesh that is within us. The flesh is not just our body but it is our dark self, shadow self. We cannot get rid of it or remove it from us. It torments us and paralyzes us. Even though we don't like it, the flesh is us. It is like our self is attacking us. So as far as the flesh is concerned, we are powerless. Knowing that we are powerless about the flesh, Jesus gave us the Spirit and now through the power of the Spirit, the power of the flesh cannot control us any more. It is there within us but it cannot dominate our lives. Now we are in the Spirit, not in the flesh. Today, I want to talk about another big dilemma that we are dealing with in our lives. It is not a problem of the flesh. Now the problem is not just in us but outside of us. It is within our society. It is the problem of the evil. Jesus’ Parable To help us deal with the problem of the evil, Jesus gave us this

Scripture Passage Romans 8:1-11 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Spiritual and Worldly Life In today's passage, we see a clear contrast between the life according to the Spirit and the life according to the flesh. The spiritual life and the worldly life. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:5) What does it mean to set the mind on the flesh? Does this mean to live morally sinful life? Does this mean breaking the law? Does this mean violating cultural norms? The most common understanding of the difference between the spiritual life and worldly life is. Spiritual life is living a moral and religious life and the worldly life is living a secular life. We think of it as something that you do or not do. Just a lifestyle on the surface. In today's passage, I think Paul is talking about something deeper than that. What is this flesh? The flesh is yourself. But a

Scripture Passage Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Unresponsive Numbness In just a few days, the City of Toronto will install a new mayor. This election was a milestone. The three leading candidates were immigrants or children of immigrants. Two of them were people of colour. For the first time in Toronto's history, we will have a mayor who is a racialized person of colour and an immigrant. It's a historic moment. It signifies the kind of place Toronto has become – as a city that draws people from all over the world It was also an important election because there are so many issues in the city: Acts of random violence have increased. The problem of homelessness and lack of shelters has grown. Our transportation system is facing issues. Cost of housing is through the roof. But when I think about it, I don't think any of this really mattered much to a lot of people. For most people, this news, if it even registered, was met with a collective shrug. Voter turnout wasn't terribl

Scripture Passage Romans 6:12-13 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Sin Sin – it is not a popular topic. We don't want to think about it or talk about it. We want to just sweep it under the rug. What is sin? Sin is breaking rules. But it is more than that. SIN IS A DARK FORCE THAT ENSLAVES US TO ITS POWER. That's why St. Paul often uses the language of SLAVERY AND FREEDOM when he talks about sin. Sin makes us feel powerless. This powerlessness is well expressed in Paul's letter to Romans. I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I th

Scripture Passage Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script The Beginning Recognizing that I need help is the beginning of everything. It is the beginning of change. It is the beginning of healing. It is the beginning of becoming righteous. It is a very simple statement and simple attitude that we can have. And yet the result is powerful. The woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years experienced healing. She had nothing to show for and she did nothing to deserve healing. The only thing she had was this attitude. I need help. The result was phenomenal. She was not just physically healed. She became free from social isolation. During Jesus' time, woman's bleeding was considered dirty. So once a month, women had to go through the humiliation of feeling dirty. It was not a good thing to do to a human being. But this woman with haemorrhages had to live with it not just once a month but every day of her life. Sometimes our culture can be cruel and quite oppressive. If o

Scripture Passage Matthew 28:16-20 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Together in Partnership I told you last week that there is a project of translating the Bible in their tribal languages. It has been translated into two languages and they will do two more translation in the future. Each translation project costs U$100,000. One person donated U$100,000 and U$300,000 were raised. The Rev. Ohm said he would donate again. There are a lot of good and generous people in the world. People in Madagascar couldn't do this alone. We need a partnership. This world is deeply connected. It is not that western countries do the mission for the developing countries. The attitude of colonial mission should not be the model we should follow any more. We work together in partnership, using each other's strengths and resources. People in Madagascar are doing much better in terms of mission than those who live in North America. But they need financial resources. So we help them and enable them to do what they do well.

Scripture Passage Acts 1:8 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script The Ends of the Earth Acts of Apostles was written by Luke. When Luke wrote this book, there was no such thing as Christians. They were all Jews. But they were different from the majority of other Jews. They believed that Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for. So, we call them Messianic Jews. They were a very small group. After Jesus died, only 120 people gathered together to pray. A very small, insignificant group. But Luke had a great vision. He had a vision that there will be God's witnesses not only in Jerusalem but to the ends of the earth. He believed in what Jesus said. This was what Jesus said. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) What Jesus said came true. There were witnesses who went to the ends of the earth. What started with prayers of 120 people changed the whole world. Starting

Scripture Passage 1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Fiery Ordeal Our passage today begins with this verse: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12) Peter's community is going through something very difficult. To grasp what that is, we need to unpack the context a little bit. Peter is writing to a community of mostly Gentiles. Before they became Christians, they used to be a part of their communities. They lived the same way as them. They were insiders in the culture and community. But everything changed after they met Christ. After meeting Christ, they found their reason for living. The way they thought changed. The way they behaved changed. The people they hung out with changed. When people change, it disturbs those around them. It disrupts the equilibrium. It is unsettling. Their change attracted hostility. It aroused suspicion. They became marginalized in t

Scripture Passage John 14:15-21 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script An Anchor Happy Mother's Day. In our church, we celebrate our parents once a year, so I will say, Happy Parents' Day . We celebrate parents because they are anchors for their children. It is not so much what you do for them that matters. It is your presence. Your presence is the anchor for your children as they grow up. Your presence allows them to grow securely into who they are supposed to be. Your presence is the safe space in which they blossom. Your presence is the place from which they venture out into the world. Your presence is their anchor. That is the greatest thing you can do for your children – be an anchor for them through your presence. An anchor keeps a boat securely moored. It keeps the boat safe at harbour when storms hit. It keeps it from drifting out to sea and getting lost. It keeps the boat calm and steady so it can get ready to sail. Just like a parent, Jesus was the anchor for his disciples. They left everythin

Scripture Passage John 14:1-14 Worship Video Worship Audio The worship audio will be available at a later time. Thank you for your patience! Sermon Script Uncertainty Last few weeks, I have encountered many deaths. It is sad to witness the passings of people with whom I have had a close relationship. Not only that, I also have heard from people who are going through illness that makes their future very uncertain. I received a Kakao message from a person I haven't seen some time. He asked for prayer. He was diagnosed with cancer and asked me to pray for him. To all of us, life is very uncertain. More uncertain, especially for those who are going through a difficult time. But my friends, the truth is our life has been always uncertain. We always lived with the uncertainty. We don't know our future. That is what life is. God made it that way. Proverbs said, Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. (Proverbs 27:1) James said, Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to

Scripture Passage John 10:1-10 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Abundant Life Life is about giving. It is not about taking. Good life is a life of giving. There is a joy in giving. There is a secret of happiness hidden in the life of giving. This is what Jesus said. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10) He gave us the abundant life. Abundant life is a life of giving. Your life is so filled with God's blessings that it overflows. That overflowing is giving. You don't give from scarcity. You give from the abundance. Abundance is not necessarily the abundance of material. That is not what Jesus is talking about. Those who followed Jesus did not become rich materially. But they had the abundant life. Abundance is the quality of your heart. It is the quality of your existence. This is what St. Paul said. Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In

Scripture Passage Matthew 28:1-10 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script Dawning Matthew chapter 28 describes the scene of the resurrection. Listen to the first verse. After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. (Matthew 28:1) These words catch my eyes. After the sabbath The first day of the week Dawning The first creation ended with the Sabbath. Now there is a new beginning. The first day of the week was dawning. It is the language of a new beginning. The resurrection is the new beginning. That's why Luke started another book, called the Acts of the Apostles. The resurrection of Jesus started a new movement. He recorded what this new movement looked like. All four gospel writers experienced the resurrection and that prompted them to write their gospel. And they all believed that Jesus' resurrection opened a new era, a new beginning, and a new world. So Mark started with this. The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, th

Scripture Passage Matthew 27:11-26 Worship Video Worship Audio Sermon Script He Was Silent When I read today's passage, two words come to my mind. SILENCE and NOISE There is a silence of Jesus and a noise of people The only thing Jesus said was this. You say so. (Matthew 27:11) This was when Pilate asked Jesus whether he was the King of the Jews. That was it. After that, Jesus didn't say anything. Until Pilate handed him over to be crucified, he said nothing. He was completely silent. When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not say anything. when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. (Matthew 27:12) He did not defend himself. He was silent. Pilate was frustrated and told Jesus this. Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you? (Matthew 27:13) He wanted to break Jesus' silence and make him say something. Say something to defend himself. But Jesus did not say a word. Total silence! he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the