Miracle vs. Message

 

오랜만에 영문설교 한 편을 올려봅니다.

강의를 주로 하다보니 설교할 기회가 많지 않네요..

요즘 제1회 설교대회를 앞두고 집중적으로 설교훈련을 시키고 있습니다.

주어진 본문(요한복음2:1-11)을 가지고 각 도와 클라스에서 대표학생들이 설교를 하게 되는데

저도 나름 설교원고를 만들어보았습니다.

설교를 이렇게 하라고 강의를 하긴 하는데 정작 설교를 하려니

한국에서 교역자 생활을 20년 하면서 수없이 설교를 하고 수련회도 인도해보았지만

요즘 한국말로 설교하기란 감이 많이 떨어졌습니다.ㅠㅠ

가끔 흑인교회에 초청받아 설교하긴 하는데도 설교보단 강의가 훨씬 더 편해졌습니다.

한국어 설교에 대한 감이 우수수 떨어져 내리는 소리가 크게 들립니다^^

연말에 가족과 함께 4년만에 처음으로 한국에 가는데 설교 하라고 시키면 어떡하나 벌써부터 걱정입니다..ㅎㅎ

 

South Africa,

김광락 선교사 올림..

 

 

Sermon note

Passage: Jn 2:1-11

Title: Miracle vs. Message

Preacher: Rev. David G.Kim

Main idea: Jesus wants us to see his glory so that we might rest in Him

Key word: Identity

Goal: Helping and challenging local pastors and church members to focus on the word

Time: 20 - 25 min

 

 

Introduction

 

The passage we have read this morning tells us that Jesus our Lord performed His first miraculous sign: turning water into wine at Cana in Galilee. The today's passage shows us that there are two groups who experienced the signs. And today's passage also teaches us about the true faith.

 

Body

 

The passage begins with a very special statement: on the third day." We must take the context into consideration to understand this specific remark. John ch 2 the last verse says what Jesus promised to reveal His glory. "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." So now we can understand the purpose of the first official sign Jesus performed in this passage is to reveal the Glory of God through turning water into wine. Actually, Jesus wanted to fulfil what he promised to reveal His glory. So it's the first sign that Jesus performed in this passage showing us of His glorious identity.

 

The bible says a wedding ceremony took place at Cana in Galilee. In those time of Jesus, Galilee was very poor area compared to Jerusalem. That means it was expensive to buy enough wine for the ceremony. So it might not be that easy for the host of the ceremony to prepare enough wine. And in order to save money, presumably, it has become a custom that everyone brings out the good wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have has too much to drink(v.10).

 

Unhappily, the wine was gone maybe because so many guests has come. Jesus mother Mary said to Jesus, "They have no more wine." Maybe Mary must have expected Jesus to do something miraculous for the ceremony. But Jesus replied, "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus refused to perform a miracle as a human being. But Jesus decided to perform a sign. Jesus wanted to reveal His secret identity. Jesus wanted to show who he was. Signs are different from miracles. Signs have special message about he who performs a miracle. It is the special message that is really important.

 

But Jesus mother felt like Jesus might do something for the ceremony, and said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." And nearby stood six stone water jars. Those jars were used by the Jewish people at that time for ceremonial washing. And each jar was holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Each jar was big. And six jars! Maybe the purpose of six jars were for those guests invited. And the number of the guests may be so many!

 

In the book of Gospel according to John, each and every phrases concerning number and time has some symbolic meaning. I believe that there are some special meaning when the author John wrote the number "Six." In Hebrew culture, the number six symbolizes the work days. All the jewish people must have their hands washed in order to have a rest. They believe they can take a rest because they are not washed. The washing water was needed to give them a rest. But Jesus made it nothing. Jesus decided to use that washing water to give them joy and pleasure. Jesus decided to use the washing water to make the banquet continue. Jesus decided to stop people's ceremonial work to give them peace and joy.

 

Jesus turned the water into wine. Jesus made the washing water into best wine. The most important thing in today's passage is verse 11, "Jesus thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in Him." We can notice that there were two kinds of people who experienced this miracles: one group is those who tasted and enjoyed only, the other is those who saw the glory of God revealing throughout the miraculous sign. The former enjoyed the wine only. But the latter experienced the glory of God, that is to say, they understood the special message that Jesus wanted to say about Himself.

 

The most powerful message that our Lord Jesus expected to say in the passage is that Jesus revealed his glory though the sign turning water into wine. only those who saw the glory could become Jesus disciples. If so, what is it that Jesus revealed about Himself? What does Jesus want us to know about His indenty? I would like to refer John.1:1-18 as the crucial key. The bible says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men."(Jn.1:1-4) The glorious identity that Jesus wanted to reveal was the glory of the Creator God. Jesus was the Word. And the Word became flesh. And Jesus used his words to turn the water into wine. Jesus showed his glory of the Creator God while turning water into wine. He created the whole world with His words.

 

He is the Creator God. He became flesh to make dwelling among us. only those who see the glory could become His disciples. If He is living with us, He can make change in our life, just like he turned water into wine. Today's bible says, Jesus is the Creator God. He is still working. He is still creating. His creating work has not yet finished. But when we see His glory, we can take a rest in Him forever.

 

Conclusion

 

This is my challenge to all of you. To follow miracles or to follow messages; that's the problem here in South Africa. In some sense, those who pursue miracles of Jesus are not the genuine disciples of Jesus. For what are you following Jesus? Is it juse because you hope to see wonderful things happen in your life? Is it because you want to taste a wonderful wine in your life through Him? But today, unfortunately, many people who are attending our churches do not seem to follow Jesus. They just follow miracles only! They are not genuine disciples of Jesus! Because they are not interested in the message of Jesus anymore. Is it so? No way! It must be because you have seen in Him the Glory of God. It must be because you have known that He is the living word of God. It must be because He is the living Son of God. We are following Jesus not for His miracles but for His message!