tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29684301951345525982024-02-18T22:22:42.575-08:00The Eudaimonia Blog". . . if we follow the traces of our own actions to their source, they intimate some understanding of the good life." -Matthew B. Crawford, motorcycle mechanic and academicMike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.comBlogger917125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-68549016229676018172023-05-09T16:17:00.004-07:002023-05-09T16:49:57.346-07:00Change of Blogging Platform<p>Hi Everyone,</p><p><a href="https://mikehsu.blog">The Eudaimonia Blog</a> has been switched over to WordPress at <i><a href="https://mikehsu.blog">https://mikehsu.blog</a> </i>If you have "followed" my blog here at this site, please switch over to the new site as you will not be receiving any email notifications on new posts. In order to receive email notifications, you will need to "subscribe" at the <a href="https://mikehsu.blog">new site</a> with an email by scrolling down in the right column to where it says "newsletter" and sign up.</p><p>Thank you and sorry for any inconvenience. Any posts that I have begun here since the start of my sabbatical a little over a week ago have been moved over to the new WordPress site. Goodbye "Blogger" as I will miss you after a fifteen year partnership!</p><p>Thank you everyone!</p><p>Mike</p>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-20837701509945600252023-05-09T11:33:00.007-07:002023-05-09T11:38:31.464-07:00Correction to Previous Post, 4.5% of Professing Christians in Metro Vancouver<p>I wanted to make a correction to the statistics on my previous post. My friend Pastor Ted Ng clarified a small misunderstanding I had in the statistics. 33% of people in metro Vancouver, population 2.6 million people, say they are a Christian of one stripe or another; that statistic I got right. </p><p>15% of those 2.6 million people, the overall population of metro Vancouver [not 15% of the 33% (858,000 people) as stated in the post] put into practice some form of their faith. And 1.5% of the overall population, 2.6 million people in Metro Vancouver (again, not of the 33% of professing Christians), attend church weekly. </p><p>Doing the math, what this means is that 4.5% of professing Christians in Metro Vancouver attend church services on a weekly basis, still a minuscule percentage, but all things being equal,... the Title of the post should have been "4.5% of professing Christians in Metro Vancouver." </p>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-22796929375384247802023-05-07T20:25:00.014-07:002023-05-08T09:24:42.562-07:001.5% of Professing Christians in Metro Vancouver<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5nkAedq0lSz-La8Zv9KqF9CRIUhJG342-x_kPjNd6lJcUrEQnNX0Nrmw0zI6E-utgBuefjZeSbkzBEWcul2jkYSZjt8znCSgeMjcPCI9L_I2SOf2rBXO4tAyT_bVHiTMbaO7XD-2jkcaylbofmi2k1zm2P6ONmw1WlhHtVQGwpT5eb4M3t276qN5_g/s225/f3c_logo_top.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5nkAedq0lSz-La8Zv9KqF9CRIUhJG342-x_kPjNd6lJcUrEQnNX0Nrmw0zI6E-utgBuefjZeSbkzBEWcul2jkYSZjt8znCSgeMjcPCI9L_I2SOf2rBXO4tAyT_bVHiTMbaO7XD-2jkcaylbofmi2k1zm2P6ONmw1WlhHtVQGwpT5eb4M3t276qN5_g/s1600/f3c_logo_top.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So it was the fourth Sunday of Eastertide, but also my first Sunday of sabbatical. Last night I had it all mapped out, in the morning I would go to one of the "larger" churches in Vancouver and in the afternoon I would attend my friend Pastor Ted Ng's church <i><a href="https://f3c.ca/f3c/">Faith Community Christian Church</a></i> which is a small church (like Grace Van) that meets in the <i>Granville Chapel</i> building near 43rd and Granville at 3:30p. But also 48 hours ago, I had an idea that I thought could be cool to try out; in my now six years at my gym <i><a href="https://www.collectivefitness.ca">Collective Fitness Kitsilano</a>, </i>I have never once been in for a Sunday morning workout. I think the reasons are obvious given my line of work : ). I thought, maybe I could pop in for a 10a workout since there are different folks who go to the gym at that time, most notably our gym owner's fiancee Natalie who coaches classes on Sunday mornings but otherwise works out at another gym. In other words, I never get to see Natalie, though she is an absolute sweetheart and a great coach. So I booked my class on Friday which you can do 46 hours in advance, to reserve your spot; however, here's the thing... if you cancel within 3 hours of the class starting, you get charged a late cancellation fee since it reserves a spot someone else could have used. But then as the weekend carried along, I decided my Sunday morning thing is <i>always </i>being in a house of worship, plus, I'm a Presbyterian from the old Puritan tradition that was very particular about keeping Sabbath <i>with particular rigour </i>(remember Eric Little of <i>Chariots of Fire </i>fame? I guess if you are younger than 45-years old, you probably don't... but he was a devout Scottish Presbyterian Olympic runner from the 1920s who refused to run on the Lord's Day). How could I possibly consider doing anything Sunday morning other than being in a house of worship? Oh silly me. But then something happened at 7:30a this morning... I realized that I was 2.5 hours away from the class I had booked on Friday and forgotten to cancel;... and therefore should I cancel I would be subject to a $15 penalty. I thought, well, I did have what we Presbyterians call a "scruple" when I took my ordination vows back in 1999 in that while I do believe Sundays are the Christian sabbath, Jesus was also the fulfillment of the Sabbath law as He achieved for us an Eternal Sabbath in His death and resurrection (see Hebrews 4);... therefore there is a reason the New Testament writers no longer referred to the Christian day of worship as the Sabbath (not in any way disagreeing that the 4th commandment should be thought of as anything less than universally binding and still in effect today) but the NT writers referred to our day of worship as "the Lord's Day" (Rev. 1:10) instead, a reference to His day of resurrection! also that even every person who is a "strict sabbatarian" must understand that even he, short of being a 7th day worshipper of God,... does not fulfill the 4th commandment in the exact way it was prescribed. Why? Because in the advent of Jesus coming into the world, an epochal shift of momentous ramifications happened. Jesus' life, death and resurrection was so monumental so as to shift the Christian observance of a universal moral law given for human flourishing, i.e. the fourth commandment of the Ten Commandments, from being fulfilled on the 7th day of the week to the 1st day. I guess we might say the Resurrection of Jesus was THAT cosmic and remarkable in scope! Therefore, the offer of "rest" in places like Matthew 11:28ff. must now be thought of in light of the Coming of Christ,... as "redemptive" in Jesus' fufillment of it,... and that there is now grace and joy in the accomplishment of Jesus at the Cross and in His resurrection. We "keep Sabbath" as a joy, rather than out of a slavish obedience (not that the Israelite of Old was to have done so any less so,... but WE have the gift of the Spirit given at Pentecost as well as well as the realized promise of the new covenant being now written on our hearts, i.e. Jeremiah 31). But here's the thing... there was also a cultural factor in play this morning... one might say an "Asian gene" in me that kicked in...so I admit it,... I'm "cheap" and did not want to be penalized $15 for a late cancellation. (Does anyone here see how exhausting it is to have the mind of a theologian?) So I decided to go to my first Sunday morning workout <i>ever </i>at my gym... and it was a delight seeing Natalie and a few new (and old faces) in the gym... I shared I was on a sabbatical and that I was able to enjoy my first Sunday morning class <i>ever</i> with all of them. It was a terrific morning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But then... the true joy of my day came,... worshipping with the <i><a href="https://f3c.ca/f3c/">Faith Community Christian Church</a> </i>community that met at 3:30p. "F3C" (as they call themselves) does not own a church building so they meet in the afternoons in <i>Granville Chapel. </i>They were planted sixteen years ago with Pastor Ted as their Lead Pastor and have been a faithful presence of our Lord ever since. I love the power of small church communities in our city like F3C and like Grace Van. I saw a few folks that I knew, met Ted's wife Eudora and two of their adult kids, but really the highlight of the morning for me was Ted's message, ironically enough, on why it is important to gather together on the Lord's Day. The text of Scripture was from Hebrews 10:19-25:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span><span class="text Heb-10-19" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial">Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Heb-10-20" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" id="en-ESV-30137">by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Heb-10-21" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" id="en-ESV-30138">and since we have a great priest over the house of God,</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Heb-10-22" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" id="en-ESV-30139">let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Heb-10-23" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" id="en-ESV-30140">Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Heb-10-24" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" id="en-ESV-30141">And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Heb-10-25" face="system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, Arial" id="en-ESV-30142">not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.</span></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the message, Ted shared some research he had discovered regarding the reasons people "skip" Sunday worship vs. "attend" Sunday worship in metro Vancouver. Ted shared this slide:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxK2KpUrClnIhjWo3_Nd-gNqN5h-1zEcPexkgiEN0bJOGeLsN1AYF9KGV5yNCX22P6F5Pd0OYF5nPnqX2DrqrKdbuBsNGDAlZaduCQI25RmGDZV7mr5CWGfJn-CbaYc3iQC2QVYG-Un3OZJCoffup6QDmyUky5mDSQe4vpwR2zZ2tUQ3ySMDVQts0fw/s4032/IMG_3355.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxK2KpUrClnIhjWo3_Nd-gNqN5h-1zEcPexkgiEN0bJOGeLsN1AYF9KGV5yNCX22P6F5Pd0OYF5nPnqX2DrqrKdbuBsNGDAlZaduCQI25RmGDZV7mr5CWGfJn-CbaYc3iQC2QVYG-Un3OZJCoffup6QDmyUky5mDSQe4vpwR2zZ2tUQ3ySMDVQts0fw/s320/IMG_3355.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To summarize the slide, especially if you are getting "old eyes' like I am, Ted stated that of the 2.6 million people in Metro Vancouver, 33% state that they are "Christian." Of those who state that they are "Christian," 15% say that they "put into practice" in some shape or form their Christian faith, pray, meditate, do some sort of proactive engagement with their faith, etc. But then here was the riveting statistic, of those who say they are Christian, only 1.5% attend church weekly. Pause.... Inhale.... Exhale.... Pause again.... Inhale again.... Exhale again.... Slow your breathing now.... Namaste. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What this means is that if you claim to be a Christian and live in Metro Vancouver and attend a church community weekly,... you are a rare bird. You are an outlier.... a weirdo (OK, I take that back,... that's just mean đ ). But forget about going to a 10a group class on Sunday morning at the gym, being an odd feeling,... something that 98.5% of "Christians" in our city know NOTHING about whatsoever,... the odd feeling is setting foot inside a church building on Sunday morning, for 98.5% of those who profess to be Christians in Metro Vancouver (who themselves are only 33% of the 2.6 million people in Metro Vancouver). By the way, did you know Grace Van people that city by-laws are set up so that there is NO religious zoning in False Creek South where our church is located? Can you think of ONE church community that owns property north of us between Burrard and Cambie? We might be the only one in False Creek South- I would be delighted if I was wrong here. But this is the shape of our city and in particular, our part of the city. We somehow hit the lottery when we were able to purchase our small property back in 1999 from an old Jehovah's Witness Hall (way to go John Smed!) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So the part that got even more interesting was when Ted explained why those who claim to be Christian skip church vs. attend church. Let's start with <u><b>SKIP</b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Greater Affluence</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kids' Activities</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Blended Families</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Individualism & Disengagement</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Can't Find a Church that Fits</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The affluence piece has to do with those who have more wealth and spend the weekend say "up in Whistler" enjoy the additional resources and benefits to be able to enjoy what those added resources bring. Wealth brings more opportunities for leisure and travel, but not necessarily deep meaningful connection (with God or with human community). Kids' activities such as youth sports is fairly obvious. Blended families has to do with parents who are no longer together and "share the kids," sometimes the believing parent not having the kids over certain weekends. The 4th category is the one I probably challenge Grace Van to the most often,... to recognize that the ways in which we isolate ourselves and keep ourselves from the weekly rhythms of community life,... something we need to recognize is deep within the cultural messages we are taught, to quote from Jamie Smith, "cultural liturgies" (think social media here) that keep us "pursuing our dreams" and not so much being our "brother's and sister's keepers." And then Ted challenged his congregation for those who fit the 5th category, have a hard time "Finding a Church that Fits." "What is our role?" Ted asked his congregation,... "if you see someone you don't know or is new, someone who might need a greeting or embrace,... do you walk up to them and engage them with the warmth of Christ?" Ted challenged his congregation that at the heart of the Gospel is "allowing strangers to become friends" (Hebrews 13:2)... do you do this every week if someone who is looking for "a church that fits" steps into the doors of this congregation?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I want to challenge our Grace Van congregation with a phrase I've said many times over the last decade,... while I am away make sure you,... <b style="text-align: center;">Put on Your People Eyes! </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Greet the newcomer in our midst, step away from your friends and your self-consciousness, give it to God and step out in faith and meet someone new,... if you are feeling awkward about the whole thing and you've at least been at Grace Van for a few weeks, months or years, how do you think they are feeling? Yet they are there, looking for something! A few weeks back, I saw a new face at Grace Van when I was giving a sermon, and I so badly wanted to meet this woman, but a few Grace Van regulars engaged me in conversation following the benediction (which you know I love, however...) by the time I was able to try and talk to this woman who I didn't get a sense was greeted by many of our folks (often we do a good job with greeting newcomers, but on this occasion, we might have dropped the ball), I reached her as she was walking out the front door,... and I shouted from about 10 feet away, "thank you for joining us in worship this morning" and then ran up to her to shake her hand... she turned around at the door, only for me to see that she had tears in her eyes, and then she walked out of the building. I didn't see her back to Grace Van the last 3 Sundays I was there since that moment. To be honest, I don't know what her tears were about,... whether they were happy tears, sad tears or angry tears? I don't really know. Maybe she was super-happy I went out of my way to "chase her down" and greet her? Maybe she was sad or angry that she hadn't been greeted by more people? I don't really know, but wouldn't it have been great for someone that morning to have gotten a bit of this woman's story? WHAT DID THOSE TEARS MEAN? The staff and even a few outgoing folks at Grace Van cannot greet everyone; my last Sunday April 30th before sabbatical, I felt we had a pretty packed out service, with many new faces. We need the WHOLE BODY OF CHRIST,... all hands on deck to do the outreach. "<b>Put on Your People Eyes!</b>" as I'm convinced there will be opportunities as Ted would say in his sermon, "to allow strangers to become our friends." But we have to put on our People Eyes and we have to engage in those sometimes awkward and uncomfortable spaces. <b>Put on Your People Eyes!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh yeah, I said there were also reasons for why people <b><u>ATTEND</u> </b>church. Here they are:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Personal Spirituality</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Family Spiritual Development</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Value Relationships</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Desire to Share the Gospel</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I loved those reasons that Ted discovered in his research for why the 1.5% among professing Christians come to worship weekly and how others might become a part of seeing that percentage grow in Metro Vancouver among those who profess to know Christ as well as bring those who have never known Christ into that blessed weekly rhythm of being with God's people <i>every </i>Lord's Day. Ephesians 2:12 says that we were all once "strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." But then in the verses that follow, we are told that we were brought near into the peace of Christ, by His blood. Will you be an active part of inviting others into this great promise of Divine inclusion, by "Putting on Your People Eyes" every Sunday at Grace Van and then every day of the rest of the week as well?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had a beautiful day of worship from morning until evening today, even now as I conclude this post. I was able to spend an additional hour at Ted's beautiful small church following the service saying hello to his family as well as other members of his congregation- I loved every minute of it. I pray you were able to enjoy this day of worship as much as I did, even if I didn't get to see you and hope you were able as Hebrews 10:25 challenges us to do, "stir others up to love and good works, not neglecting the meeting together, i.e. 'the Assembly'... but to encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Blessings to you dear friends. I finish with a quotation Ted gave in his sermon today, from Mother Teresa:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>"People who love each other fully are truly the happiest people in the world. They may have little, they may have nothing, but they are happy people. Everything depends on how we love one another." </i>(see John 13:35)</div><p></p>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-90920111041609428222023-05-03T14:04:00.019-07:002023-05-03T18:09:44.891-07:00On Sabbatical, Re-Awakening Mike's Blog<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoE9mxlKpygZ1TLszb03519nPuYaexQSlfhaRlaEkHw3UFy14-mFoU9IiyqAz3XGt3Xw7zopYNgch_Rxw21amyhDugJDe8eTx7Qml5dHCHzWdKFbseAMAcQn1XSGo9w1aVNSEwBXF1HXFK5MiPJxl25KErGCra--b0C7eoqNR7GMg4UfGc_4gJvfFtww/s1200/CFRR.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1200" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoE9mxlKpygZ1TLszb03519nPuYaexQSlfhaRlaEkHw3UFy14-mFoU9IiyqAz3XGt3Xw7zopYNgch_Rxw21amyhDugJDe8eTx7Qml5dHCHzWdKFbseAMAcQn1XSGo9w1aVNSEwBXF1HXFK5MiPJxl25KErGCra--b0C7eoqNR7GMg4UfGc_4gJvfFtww/w394-h208/CFRR.png" width="394" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>It's been over two years since I last posted on this blog. After my father passed away in June 2021, these last couple of years have represented for me a time of grieving the loss of two parents who set so much of the foundation for me regarding the man I am today (I lost mom in Sept. 2020). Truth of the matter is I haven't been very active on my blog for nearly a decade now; that's how long I've lived and served in Vancouver, BC. However, just recently I went on my first sabbatical in fifteen years (I know, long overdue and not a great example to younger pastors who should be seeking that their churches give them sabbaticals every 5-7 years). But alas, here I am on sabbatical again and what is more, this blog was started back in 2008 for the purpose of keeping my then church, Grace Chapel, up to speed on my sabbatical undertakings, while away.</p><p>So the blog has been awakened again as I go on my first sabbatical in my ten years at Grace Vancouver Church (GVC), for the same purpose to keep Grace Van up to speed on my sabbatical undertakings. I suppose I have much to say and reflect upon after ten years of ministry at GVC and in Canada, but begin with the four-chapter story of the Bible depicted in the image above, indeed a very simple explanation of the Good News of Jesus' Kingdom, and what it has come to accomplish in this world, that of redemption and restoration from a fallen creation, that came about as a result of the rebellion of our first parents long ago from that place of joyful communion with their Creator-King, instead insisting on their wish to be their own kings.</p><p>In my ten years doing ministry in one of the most secular cities on the planet, I have at times and through seasons grown greatly fatigued and yet, in what has been a difficult city to sow seeds of the Gospel, actually I've often found some of my greatest encouragements to come from outside the church, from among "nonbelievers." I remember in one of the most difficult seasons in church ministry I've had in nearly a quarter-century of serving as a pastor of Jesus' church, my atheist friend and gym owner posted on the gym's Facebook page, "This is our beloved Pastor Mike. There is not one bad bone in this guy's body." I saw that message in the midst of a number of people leaving the church, out of a belief that there were many bad bones in my body! As I was hurt deeply by Jesus' Church, at the same time, my atheist friend ministered greatly to me in a great time of need. Yet before we play any "gotcha" games with why the Church isn't worth serving, understand this is the reality of life in Jesus' Church, especially if one has an undying love for the Bride of Christ and would do anything to see Her brought to completion and perfection. Isn't this what the Apostle Paul says Jesus did for His Bride the Church? (Eph. 5:26ff.) What is more in the eighth chapter of the book of Romans, we are told that all of creation groans under the weight of the curse of Adam's sin. Plus, Jesus says that God's good gifts are everywhere, even among the "unjust" (Matt. 5:45). The prophet Jeremiah tells us to seek the welfare of the city into which we as God's people have been sent into "exile" and pray for it; insofar as the city flourishes, there also we will find our own welfare and blessing (Jer. 29:7). The Church is being perfected, but before her completion, there is much ministry to be done in a place like Vancouver. As we do so being committed to the Bride of Christ, we will find many graces along the way as we seek to bring others into the knowledge of our Saviour. We serve and are blessed- it is really that simple in many ways. And where we find Christians behaving badly and nonbelievers behaving honourably,... well, to be honest, there is nothing new under the sun and none of this should throw us off so as to question whether in fact the Gospel is true. The Good News of God's Kingdom has arrived into the world and we see God's mercy and grace to all humankind in all of it. As human history follows the lines of the Biblical story (see the image above), so we have the great hope that while things are not always as they once were and should be (<b>Creation</b> and <b>Fall</b>),... as we labour in faithfulness, such things will arrive at their intended places of destination (God's people in and outside the church will be <b>Redeemed</b>) and human history will move towards its consummation, to a place of full <b>Restoration</b>, when every tear will be wiped away. </p><p>Funny thing is as I go onto sabbatical, I actually find myself in a time of refreshment and strength, which wasn't the case when I planned it with our Session, i.e. elders, over a year ago. There are many reasons for this, but the big ones are: 1) the kindness and mercy of God and 2) the power of remaining rooted in Jesus' Church, Grace Vancouver Church, through times of thick and thin. At GVC, there is a togetherness, unity of spirit and purpose that is much greater than what I experienced in my first 5-7 years here. It might have been that the pandemic was clarifying for us. I say that in humility, but also with knowledge and insight as I left a vibrant and a church powerful in unity ten years ago in Nebraska. Today I see Grace Chapel only growing deeper and stronger in that vibrancy and power. As I pray for my former church, so I pray in a similar way for the one I now serve. To me, it all comes down to God's people learning how to serve the Mission of God, rather than personal agendas. Now, that is easier said than done as we all have a sense of eternity set in our hearts and want for our lives to count for Jesus. We want to use our gifts to serve His Kingdom and to have an impact for what He is doing in the world. The trick becomes how we learn whether or not we are serving a Divine agenda or a human agenda, and that is no small task as, despite light coming into the world, the Apostle John said that "men loved darkness because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). Therefore, I learned some years ago that, despite our greatest zeal for Jesus' Kingdom and to see His mission move forward in the world, unless we learn to do it in submission to His authority in the Word as well as to those He ordains to lead His Church, then our strivings as well-intended as they might be, turn out to be fruitless and vain.</p><p>At the heart of my thoughts now having served Jesus' Church for a number of years is this, and I've asked the question time and time again, "who loves the Church?" Now, I've heard Christians give lip service to this question time and time again, but when the pressures and trials come,... despite all the lip service, "we love the church, we really do!" the truth of the matter is more often than not, we do not,... at least not as much as we love ourselves. What does it mean to live by the power and authority of His Word and in submission to the covenant membership vows we take to support one another and to the "government and discipline" of the church, i.e. to church leadership? Until Christians learn to enjoy that secret sauce of mission, the Church will not move forward on its mission (John 13:35). We at Grace Van are more well-poised to do this than I believe we have been in our 23-year-history. Yes, I know I've only been here for 10 of those years. Either way, I am thrilled to be on that journey with Jesus' Beloved Grace Van.</p><p>Well, my sabbatical started off well Sunday evening enjoying a glass of Irish whiskey with Pastor Ted Ng of Faith Community Christian Church. The gathering is usually larger, but the two other pastors could not make it that evening. This "Kitsilano" pastors group is one of two that I participate in for mutual strengthening of the Body of Christ, the other being a "Fairview" pastors' group, both groups including a total of four pastoral colleagues. Monday evening I started my first Krav Maga class at <a href="https://impactkmf.ca" target="_blank"><i>Impact Fitness</i></a> which is located near the church at Burrard and Broadway. Krav Maga is a form of Israeli martial arts built on teaching folks self-defence in real world situations. The first class was basically a great workout with a very friendly group of about twelve others as well as a kind and professional instructor named Bernie. In addition to doing my Crossfit 3xs per week, I'm now signed up for Monday nights to do Krav Maga. On Tuesday I signed up for electric guitar lessons at <a href="https://www.rufusguitarshop.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwjMiiBhA4EiwAZe6jQ7WfpxiPP1p7xW_MivJccZZgGoF6jKdsHyVI4JUisimyafT3Cow9yBoC1AYQAvD_BwE" target="_blank"><i>Rufus Guitar</i></a>, not too far from my house. I'm signed up to do guitar lessons every Tuesday afternoon. I chose the long-haired rocker teacher who I'm told will teach me how to "shred." What can I say? I'm a product of the hard rock and metal bands of the 80s. Tonight (on Wednesday), I'm looking forward to meeting up with our Westside Community Group to study the Word and then on Saturday morning I have my first reading group for two hours with a handful of participants (likely seven or eight) going through a book study on Christopher Watkin's 600-page book called <i><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Biblical-Critical-Theory-Unfolding-Culture/dp/0310128722/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=biblical+critical+theory+watkin&qid=1683147044&sprefix=biblical+critical+%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Biblical Critical Theory.</a> </i>I'm looking forward to Saturday morning, though our group has given itself the month of May to determine whether we are truly "in" or not; after all, the study is a large undertaking. </p><p>I am still trying to figure out which church to visit for this first Sunday of sabbatical. I'm thinking one of the "bigger" ones to start my round of visitations to churches- I'm already jealous I won't be at Soup and Bread lunch at GVC on Sunday; where there is food and I am missing out, I tend to sniff out (I can smell the aromas of the soups now, haha).</p><p>Well, thank you for all your prayers and interest in this sabbatical journey. Blessings and I hope to see you soon.</p><p>Mike</p>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-77287412052015758862021-04-22T07:34:00.002-07:002021-04-22T07:35:53.367-07:00Tears, Eastertide and the Hope of a New Creation<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPQA3YKZZEdCztn60vDhjD3lU24JefzrzCHEz1PJ9gzky3wRRVkLeSQazurR_VxErnJJvG0cn3uBi5xu7riHHEzVvjE-yWNXmP5p78FRT1hZLO6vtcEzARLOGCgrHPRqWoFZ1FIGRz3tC/s1920/IMG_0211.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPQA3YKZZEdCztn60vDhjD3lU24JefzrzCHEz1PJ9gzky3wRRVkLeSQazurR_VxErnJJvG0cn3uBi5xu7riHHEzVvjE-yWNXmP5p78FRT1hZLO6vtcEzARLOGCgrHPRqWoFZ1FIGRz3tC/s320/IMG_0211.jpeg" /></a></div><span face=""Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); font-size: 14px;"><p><br /></p><p>Dear Grace Van Family,</p></span><p></p><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">I wanted to pass on an Eastertide reflection. On Monday I came down to Seattle to see my dad for the first time in over two months. Dad has been stable, but also on hospice care for the last three months. It was so good to see him Monday night. Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) as I spent time with dad, he began doing what I would call a "sewing motion" with his hands, something I had never seen him do before. Dad has battled the ravages of Lewy Body Dementia for over six years now and while he recognizes me, he also is not always particularly coherent and also hallucinates often. Yet as I sat with him in a quiet moment, he began doing what looked to me to be an extremely well-skilled and technical "sewing motion." I imagine Tony Lee playing in a beautiful full orchestra (pre-Covid of course) and the conductor moving his hands skillfully like art in motion. Well, the only thing that was missing with dad's motions in the air was the beautiful music! I thought for a moment, mostly fascinated by the world dad was in, . . . but then it dawned on me that dad was once upon a time an extremely skilled surgeon! I thought dad is probably moving his hands with the utmost skill, in a way that most of us who are not trained in this fashion and who had not been in surgical practice for over forty years would not know how to do! And then I thought about the New Heavens and New Earth where the music and clarity of mind and strength of body will be brought into the New World Christ has brought in His resurrection, of which dad as a child of God in Christ will be a part of! and I ached for that New World and its King to come quickly.</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">I left dad's care home and then decided to take a visit to mom's graveside. I knew the headstone was being constructed, but wasn't sure it had been installed. . . . It had. And I sat down on the grass and wept. I thought of last year purchasing the plot with mom's approval, taking a video of the pathway how visitors can get to it, . . . its proximity to her parents graves . . . bringing the video home and showing her. Later I would take mom to visit the purchased plot, and she would joke with me as I went on and on about how beautiful the view was from her spot, that she would only be able to appreciate the view if she sat up from her grave. I then helped her along to see her parents' gravesites, though very weakened at that point by her cancer, mom insisted on standing in honour of her Beloved parents' memory. She stood there, oxygen tank and all, and wept and wept, knowing that she would soon be joining her Beloved parents in death. I hurt so deeply and was so thankful for her memory, . . . at the same time. And I wept thinking of all those sacred moments I had with mom and one I was having without her. And then I wept some more.</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Today, with some of you, I sat in Davi Rabelo's final Regent College presentation who shared parts of his paper looking at the woodcut art of J. Borges and showing us (over 100 people present on Zoom!) his own artwork, a series of linocuts, entitled "Under the Sun" and while it was such a beautiful presentation for all present, for me, it was an encounter with the Living God, . . . taking in themes of light and darkness and the hope of a New Creation through the restorative work of the Cross and Resurrection of Our Lord. I found myself for most of the presentation needing to turn off my camera, because I could barely fight back the tears knowing the hope of the resurrected Christ through Davi's visually-stunning art. My tears of deep sorrow were co-mingled with hopefulness, joy and wonder. I thought by Davi's gift, I was able to take up some of N.T. Wright's challenge in his book </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">Surprised by Hope:</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">"But we should be taking steps to celebrate Easter (during the Eastertide season) in creative new ways: in art, literature, childrenâs games, poetry, music, dance, festivals, bells, special concerts, anything that comes to mind. This is our greatest festival. . . . Take Easter away, and you donât have a New Testament; you donât have a Christianity; as Paul says, you are still in your sins. . . . if you are to flourish as a Christian and as a truly human being, then Easter should mean planting, watering and training up things in your life (personal and corporate) that ought to be blossoming, filling the garden with color and perfume, and in due course bearing fruit. The Easter season ought to be a time to take up something new, some new task or venture, something wholesome and fruitful and outgoing and self-giving. . . . if you really make a start on it, it might give you a sniff of new possibilities, new hopes, new ventures you never dreamed of. It might help you wake up in a whole new way. And thatâs what Easter is all about." </span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">So dear Church, lift up your hearts! [</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">response</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">: we lift them up to the Lord!] Christ is Risen! [</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">response</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">: He is Risen Indeed!]. As Christians, we often think of "heaven" as a reunion with our loved ones, but what if that reunion is even greater, one of Heaven and Earth, when the work of our hands, the strength of our bodies, the restoration of our hearts, minds and communities will see genuine wholeness and shalom once again? This is indeed the promise of Our Risen Lord to us, that He is coming to make all things new again! (Rev. 21:5). </span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #001320; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">If I say, âSurely the darkness shall cover me,</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #001320; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">and the light about me be night,â</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #001320; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">even the darkness is not dark to you;</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #001320; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">the night is bright as the day,</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="color: #001320; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">for darkness is as light with you.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">-Psalm 139:11,12</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">I pray the Risen Lord would meet you in marvelous ways this Eastertide season, even in the midst of so many deep and difficult heartaches and struggles. I've loved hearing "Kingdom Stories" from Grace Van folks throughout this season, and I also want to invite you this Sunday to stick around after our Zoom service, for our </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">Zoom Randomizer Social. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">There is rain in the forecast this Sunday, so as promised, instead of outdoor communion, we will have a chance to get to know one another a bit following the service, being randomly "partnered" up in break-out rooms of 3-4 people/families, discussing this question, </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">"What is something you have always wanted to learn how to do?" </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">This idea of the Zoom Randomizer Social as well as the actual question is the genius of Reuben Moes who wants to get to know Grace Van folks just a little better, so thank you Reuben!</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Blessings in Christ dear friends,</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Pastor Mike</span></div>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-4562676808042482262021-02-07T09:57:00.003-08:002021-02-07T09:57:53.844-08:00Happy 50th Tanya!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtssTqxedIDZSS_gBj5nSxuQNVTXTcC7C4bsBkgxHuptGyfRMmupNYrXiIXQfY2zcjXuCnwh7uLj_Lkr3obc2udenHqllwftgCSHn7O-MbZccsRjFNinBWz86vybme1n09DuPFMMFy2MpM/s959/13254216_10209559249001768_9035921514494943340_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="959" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtssTqxedIDZSS_gBj5nSxuQNVTXTcC7C4bsBkgxHuptGyfRMmupNYrXiIXQfY2zcjXuCnwh7uLj_Lkr3obc2udenHqllwftgCSHn7O-MbZccsRjFNinBWz86vybme1n09DuPFMMFy2MpM/w359-h219/13254216_10209559249001768_9035921514494943340_n.jpg" width="359" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When I think of my wife of over twenty-five years, this phrase comes to mind, Tanya is someone who is âfull of life and love.â I still remember when we had made a decision to continue to see one another after the summer of â89 the year of our high school graduation, despite the fact that we were going to separate universities, with a distance of one and a half hours between us, when I went to visit you for the first time in Goodnow dorm. We had decided to have an âopen relationshipâ between us so we could go to Greek parties and explore dating options as we started college life on two separate campuses; we wanted to be âopen-handedâ with our relationship, not possessive. However, we were still so drawn to one another. I will never forget after driving to KSU, seeing you for the first time after having had a really fun summer together, being apart for a few weeks⌠the look in your eyes, the way you looked at me, so full of life and love. Of course, the âopen relationshipâ thing wouldnât last very long, because despite the initial thought we should keep one another âfree,â we kept coming back to one another. I kept coming back to this warm, tender caring soul full of life and love. Through the years, weâve had so many ups and downs, and yet, that moment at Goodnow, over thirty-two years ago now, has signified for me what marriage and family have been through the years, full of life and love. Itâs the depth of Tanyaâs compassion, ability to touch someone by her caring in small moments of life, meeting someone for the first time, taking care of someoneâs kids, taking care of our kids, taking care of mom in her last days, being a friend to so many. Her laugh. Oh my goodness. Her laugh that makes her so Tanya. Itâs a beautiful, festive and yes, even hilarious laugh that she not only enjoys while experiencing and expressing, but that everyone else who is with her is brought into like a beachfront vacation or mountaintop experience all right there in the simple moment of an ordinary day, which with her is rarely ordinary at all. Itâs the color and beauty Iâve always been able to see through her eyes, a life enhanced by so many textures, layers and hues, by simply being with her. I will never forget the way she looked at me back in Goodnow dorm back in â89, a look that grabbed the deepest part of my heart and began a friendship, life partnership and family, indeed a marriage, with which I have been immeasurably blessed for over thirty-two years now. Thank you my beautiful Tanya for being so full of life and love. You are my heart, my love, my Beloved. Here is a tribute to you through the years! God is so good.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-60625524045333701782021-01-06T19:16:00.001-08:002021-01-07T20:25:01.397-08:00The Significance of January 6th<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTbisw4SxjlQFLiktPNlNE6biz3rLY9oQ8yr8NIQspVGVBHF_F_lnhGKX3SQJDvyrKyaco2Xvj4EcjDpF5aFZjunSSiAfq_CAfuqoYeRYGG24H9ak2klvDHuUmWdL9tRCRGrhoikyrNe5/s1600/Adoration-of-the-Magi-wood-Perugino-Musee.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTbisw4SxjlQFLiktPNlNE6biz3rLY9oQ8yr8NIQspVGVBHF_F_lnhGKX3SQJDvyrKyaco2Xvj4EcjDpF5aFZjunSSiAfq_CAfuqoYeRYGG24H9ak2klvDHuUmWdL9tRCRGrhoikyrNe5/w400-h214/Adoration-of-the-Magi-wood-Perugino-Musee.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #001320; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">"</span><span face=""Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #001320; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by dayâand there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations." </span><span face=""Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #001320; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">-Rev. 21:22-26 </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #001320; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><div align="right" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; text-align: right;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">January 6th, 2021</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Dear Grace Van Family,</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">The news of the US Capitol being overtaken today by insurrectionists has filled our hearts with grief and sorrow; Tanya and I have certainly been crying out to God on behalf of our home country. I'm reminded of a piece of writing from Pastor John Piper from back in October called, "</span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017itHtW_GnCj-DLXDHKg1TUzbX_N-IMaAkcAJDjwzSDRVh9ihpm8iKmCkVnF49GDrvgpREFF4KssF0bIYkLYT3r5vSEt_y1TfH8T4iJxMswzsmrQdoOIz3wn4t0KDbKFm2MAiKER1XKJv88nU08vQfoM14cpT2QL7-_6-xyzOjNeVXMLvNtjIf4-O6zt-2qW8l2vDRoDXb0ne19y1ho_PWuhZmBCVWq2JAefFLn5UywjK9YwnAh6AF9GtpBv3JbdIEdU563UuxcyuN-WN59wYmhvuc9z2X0flMaapLscrimbp7kAXPkDldg==&c=vDarg1iQ8_lmKofLJz3SrOGqkREMXCotmKdYoUCxs4dV-F2ZR8QwBg==&ch=jgQiTcVF1RQNXo91W0c0J_k6v58l0Smrm4YmNt3YK9GutuPw05t_2w==" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Policies, Persons and Paths to Ruin; Pondering the Implications of the 2020 Electio</a><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017itHtW_GnCj-DLXDHKg1TUzbX_N-IMaAkcAJDjwzSDRVh9ihpm8iKmCkVnF49GDrvgpREFF4KssF0bIYkLYT3r5vSEt_y1TfH8T4iJxMswzsmrQdoOIz3wn4t0KDbKFm2MAiKER1XKJv88nU08vQfoM14cpT2QL7-_6-xyzOjNeVXMLvNtjIf4-O6zt-2qW8l2vDRoDXb0ne19y1ho_PWuhZmBCVWq2JAefFLn5UywjK9YwnAh6AF9GtpBv3JbdIEdU563UuxcyuN-WN59wYmhvuc9z2X0flMaapLscrimbp7kAXPkDldg==&c=vDarg1iQ8_lmKofLJz3SrOGqkREMXCotmKdYoUCxs4dV-F2ZR8QwBg==&ch=jgQiTcVF1RQNXo91W0c0J_k6v58l0Smrm4YmNt3YK9GutuPw05t_2w==" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">n</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">." In that article Piper writes, "I find it bewildering that Christians can be so sure that greater damage will be done by bad judges, bad laws, and bad policies than is being done by the culture-infecting spread of the gangrene of sinful self-exaltation, and boasting, and strife-stirring. How do they know this? Seriously! Where do they get the sure knowledge that judges, laws, and policies are less destructive than boastful factiousness in high places?" </span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">In Israel's own history, we saw this from having spent a lot of time in the prophetic book of Isaiah, but there were good kings and bad kings; the wickedness of the kings to the North meant a much faster demise of the Northern Kingdom of Israel than the Southern Kingdom; however, in the end even the Southern Kingdom of Israel would come under the judgement of God being unable to keep itself from the love of idolatry, of self-exaltation and the high places. Even the people of the South would be sent off to exile in Babylon as you know. In a word, ALL the kings of Israel taught us that the human condition was such that a True King from the line of David, a heavenly King called the Son of David would have to come to provide the people with an ultimate deliverance and salvation. </span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">And isn't the arrival of this Coming (Adventus) King the One Whom we just celebrated? How quickly we forget the larger story around our sin-sick world led by corrupt megalomaniac "kings" all around us as oppressed peoples suffer under their wicked and abhorrent thumbs. </span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">But January 6th has far more significance from a cosmic perspective than the date every four years when the US Congress comes together to count the electoral college votes according to the 12th Amendment of the US Constitution. January 6th is the 12th day of Christmas, one of </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">"Epiphany" </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">which celebrates the Gentile Magi bringing gifts to Christ the Child King, as a foretaste of the nations and their Kings coming to the Holy City of God to bow before Christ the King of kings. In other words, Epiphany signifies the reversal of this dark love of self and of sin and self-glorification; in their place the Good News of the Reign of God's Kingdom that has arrived in the world because of the gift of Christ, the One who is coming to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). January 6th has been honoured for far longer on the Church Calendar than in US Constitutional history.</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Dear People of God, so let your hearts grieve, but do not let them be troubled, rather believe in God and in His Son (John 14:1). Limit your consumption of your social media feeds, step out of the dark rabbit holes of what I call the "I told you so's!" in chat rooms. We fight with a different set of weapons than the world (2 Cor. 10:4). Develop new weekly practices, rather than simply letting technology shape your story. Create spaces for holy rhythms, quiet, rest and mostly prayer in your lives. Why? So you can escape "the world"? NO! Rather so you can step most fully into the world that is eternal and that has come in Christ, the world that is currently overcoming the evil of this world (reflect on Revelation 11:15).... so that you can be most useful to this world rather than continue to conform to the vanity of how it pursues change through power, argumentativeness and coercion. Finally, make weekly worship on the Lord's Day with your church family the highest of all priorities. For this Sunday, we get to hear from our brother Rolland Li one last time before he moves to Singapore later in the month. Rolland will be talking about... you guessed it... the significance of </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">Epiphany</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">!!!</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">God's people must know that a new situation, a dramatically new state of affairs (from the one we see around us) has arrived in the gift of Christ,... not only so, but we must herald this Good News to the nations. We can only do that if we see it. I begin a series in the Gospel of Mark in a couple of weeks; Jesus said it there so plainly in Mark's opening chapter, "The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Grieve, but do not let your hearts be troubled. Rather, let your hearts be shaped by the story of Scripture; start a "read through the Bible program" this January; most are 1 or 2 year plans. Or begin with the practice of Daily Office, morning and evening prayers in your lives. </span><a href="mailto:mike@gracevancouver.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">Let me know</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> if you would like some help getting started here. What is more, recognise that God moves mightily in the painful and dramatic moments of human history, whether Covid, cancer or (attempted) coups; do you not remember that spending two years in Isaiah or more recently in 1 Peter? As James Burns in his study of revivals through the history of the church has said, revivals and renewals come at low ebbs of church and culture. As Burns writes, "When the night is at its darkest, the dawn is on the way." Or as Mark Sayers says "crisis is the gateway to renewal."</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px;">Epiphany</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> is our story dear Church and it is the story of the One who said that despite the fact that we would have trouble in the world, He has overcome it (John 16:33); that is the significance of January 6th.</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">In Christ,</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Pastor Mike</span></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div align="left" style="caret-color: rgb(113, 122, 128); color: #717a80; font-family: "Century Gothic", Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever." </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">-Psalm 125:1</span></div>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-31244232427227479162020-09-16T13:24:00.004-07:002020-09-16T13:27:23.761-07:00Grateful for Mom. Aug. 17th, 1943 - Sept. 7th, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOl8ltv1ovmChVsUTpeU77PlKqZbMzUYQky-E2E4Kffn-9U9RO85mPO9vOWCMQXtOyUSPfVcJ8xQtSXri45tHnQfpWK9VRkipbn7nhoP87BMr7R5oBXX9eTpfTHSZ6ajzOLeHIS6AYoxVV/s854/obit+pic+of+mom+in+water+%2528dark%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="581" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOl8ltv1ovmChVsUTpeU77PlKqZbMzUYQky-E2E4Kffn-9U9RO85mPO9vOWCMQXtOyUSPfVcJ8xQtSXri45tHnQfpWK9VRkipbn7nhoP87BMr7R5oBXX9eTpfTHSZ6ajzOLeHIS6AYoxVV/s320/obit+pic+of+mom+in+water+%2528dark%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/bellevue-wa/yao-hsu-9350293"><i>Yao Lin Hsu Obituary</i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Memorial service is tomorrow Thursday at 2:30p PST. I will be conducting the service and it will be available via lifestream <a href="https://oneroomstreaming.com/family-and-friends">here</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Event ID: Sunsethills</div><div style="text-align: left;">Password ID: SZOSRU</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Also, here was a wonderful article run in the Seattle times this last Sunday. The newspaper started work on the article back in July to document couples who had been unable to see one another through Covid. It is a sad article in many ways, but mostly beautiful to me as my parents were able to see one another and I was able to be there.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/married-for-decades-separated-by-covid-19/">Married for Decades, Separated by Covid-19</a></i><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZIlbTH_ynbd2mLXNkciJmGUmxEcmp4BXjKSKxWdi2DV6bJjIHnPTqwc5PBWrihhF4KM4QUo6lSFJkMY6npl5JchbRbj9J7jhJoSJFnzE8NUMAcdcfhgFLl7eHISJk6thLJC3cEaa7zAf/s1024/WhatsApp+Image+2020-07-09+at+3.12.13+PM+copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZIlbTH_ynbd2mLXNkciJmGUmxEcmp4BXjKSKxWdi2DV6bJjIHnPTqwc5PBWrihhF4KM4QUo6lSFJkMY6npl5JchbRbj9J7jhJoSJFnzE8NUMAcdcfhgFLl7eHISJk6thLJC3cEaa7zAf/s320/WhatsApp+Image+2020-07-09+at+3.12.13+PM+copy.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-82703272271165274102020-07-21T16:34:00.003-07:002020-07-21T16:36:55.157-07:00Stu Kerns Honouring J.I. Packer<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="275" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fzionpca%2Fvideos%2F366308704358677%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="500"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Pastor Stu Kerns was my pastoral mentor in Nebraska where our three kids were born and where Tanya and I lived for fifteen remarkable years. This is a great tribute because Stu also gives some quick highlights of where to get started if you have never read Packer and his tremendous works. </div>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-25069690163770462272020-07-17T17:31:00.004-07:002020-07-17T17:33:24.275-07:00NT Wright on Coronavirus, Suffering & Early Church<div style="text-align: left;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="285" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cSCRD7tOVeg" width="500"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>I found this reflection by NT Wright to be so helpful regarding the role of lament and letting ourselves be filled with the joy of the Lord during these most difficult times. Wright also reflects on the kind of response God's people ought to have to the swirling questions around the "why's" of the pandemic.</div>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-36745346937059692012020-07-10T10:49:00.003-07:002020-07-10T10:56:59.515-07:00Hope for US Evangelicals Still?<div style="text-align: left;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="275" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lOBhHs_1n_I" width="500"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is one of the best interviews of a Christian I've heard on mainstream media (maybe the best one), since Trump was voted into office nearly four years ago. Rev. Rob Schenck speaks with clarity regarding what is wrong with the "white evangelical" alliance with Trump's administration. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">Back in February of 2016, nine months before Trump would be elected to office, I wrote </span><a href="http://hsumike.blogspot.com/2016/02/donald-trump-and-evangelical-vote.html" style="text-align: center;">here</a><span style="text-align: center;"> as to why I was deflated, but not entirely surprised in light of the history of civic idolatry among US Christians, at the growing support among US Christians for Donald Trump.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">In this very good interview by Michel Martin of <a href="https://www.npr.org/">NPR</a>, Christiane Amanpour "sets the table," and Rob Schenck speaks with a kind of clarity that gives me hope that the evangelical church in the US can still rise from the ashes of its own ruins.</span></div>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-64609772329959425732020-06-21T09:24:00.000-07:002020-06-21T09:24:05.772-07:00SOP for Gathering Again<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-size-adjust: auto;">
Dear GV Family,</div>
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Here are the "Standard Operating Procedures" that we will abide by for those who choose to return to public worship at 7th and Pine. Please read over very closely. As mentioned in our "Friday Notes," we have had some technological set-backs and are working on them so that we can continue to run online services concurrently with our re-gathered services. As of right now, our planned re-gathered date has been pushed back by a week to July 5th. Let's stay on our knees and keep in front of us Proverbs 19:21, "Many are the plans in the mind of man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." </div>
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We ask each of you to pray intentionally, in light of the SOP, about whether you should return or continue to stay at home. Our leadership team has discussed that until a vaccine comes out for Covid-19, that it is not possible to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>eliminate</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>risk of transmission of infection. What we have sought to do is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>mitigate</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>risk, taking in the best available information we have, and having been cautious to "watch and wait" since BC's "phase 2 reopening" in May. Also, I want for us to have the long view in mind, and therefore expect that there could be starts and stops to our re-opening plans, especially if we see a "second wave" this fall when flu season arrives. It's possible that we re-open for a while and then need to close up public worship again; we truly are on a day-by-day faith journey together. We have determined the biggest "risk factor" for potential transmission is congregational singing, so, with the exception of the one giving the sermon and our Lead Musician(s), we will require all present for our one-hour service to wear masks. The preacher and the Lead Musician(s) will be kept at safe distances from the congregation, the greater concern being the Lead Musician(s) who sing; they will be kept at least 16 feet from the front row.</div>
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As for me, I travel to Seattle to help care for my mom about once per month for a week at a time. When I am back in Vancouver, I am on a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine. I am allowed to "leave" quarantine for tasks specifically related to my work, since I am deemed to "be essential to business operations." I have great self-interest in avoiding infection as my mother's stage 4 cancer is a respiratory cancer, and so I take every precaution to keep my mother safe whenever I am in Seattle or Vancouver. Our leadership team of elders, staff and diaconate have communicated that they are comfortable with me coming to Grace Van on the Sundays of my self-quarantines, but I thought you should be aware. I plan to avoid the "after service" times at 6th and Fir to limit my contact for your sake as well as mom's. In addition, I will not handle any elements of communion (though I will give the words of administration). </div>
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Though I had said you we would have a survey this week, with things being pushed back by at least a week, Dale and I plan to send you a survey this coming week of June 22nd, to get a sense of how many are planning on coming back July 5th. Please return those surveys to us in a timely manner when receiving them; this will help us with our planning.</div>
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If you have any further questions needing clarification regarding the SOP, please contact<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a _mce_href="mailto:johntchanwfg@gmail.com" _mce_shape="rect" _mce_style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="mailto:johntchanwfg@gmail.com" linktype="2" shape="rect" style="color: blue !important;" target="_blank">John Chan</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>or<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a _mce_href="mailto:tanyahsu5@gmail.com" _mce_shape="rect" _mce_style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="mailto:tanyahsu5@gmail.com" linktype="2" shape="rect" style="color: blue !important;" target="_blank">Tanya Hsu</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of our Building and Hospitality Team. They have spent considerable time putting together this "simplified SOP," so we thank them for their service and work!</div>
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Blessings in Christ dear friends,</div>
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Mike</div>
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<strong>Standard Operating Procedures for opening up GVC</strong></div>
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<li>service length will be kept to one hour.</li>
</ul>
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<li>doors to the church building will open at 9:45a.</li>
</ul>
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<li>seating will be socially-distanced by household (initially we will limit our space capacity to under 40 people; ensuring social-distancing rules are kept and maintained). 3-4 spots will be reserved for any potential "walk-in" people.</li>
</ul>
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<li>keep social distance and have no physical contact with others.<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></li>
</ul>
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<li>paper bulletins will not be provided (powerpoint will be functioning, also bring devices if you wish to have a virtual bulletin).</li>
</ul>
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<li>a box for the offering will be in the back of the worship hall for anyone wanting to give their tithes and offerings before or after the service.</li>
</ul>
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<li>masks are required throughout the service.</li>
</ul>
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<li>hand sanitizer will be available at the front door and also at various locations throughout the building.</li>
</ul>
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<li>the washrooms will be sprayed with disinfectant between each use (instructions to be followed will be taped to the inside of the washroom doors). Someone will be at the top of the stairs to ensure only 2 people or family units are down in the washroom area at a time; use washrooms only if absolutely necessary.</li>
</ul>
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<li>people are asked to sign up in advance using eventbrite ticketing.</li>
</ul>
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<li>children will need to stay at parents' side at all times.</li>
</ul>
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<li>people are asked to socialize outside, before or after the service (not inside the building).</li>
</ul>
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<li>the service will continue to be streamed online for those who choose to remain at home during this time.</li>
</ul>
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<li>communion will be served in a safe manner- the wine/juice will be in disposable cups and the bread will be given to congregants in a no-contact manner.</li>
</ul>
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<li>all are invited to meet at the park at 6th and Fir after the service for a time of socially-distanced fellowship [all who stay home, (especially those with young children), are invited to join us at this kid-friendly park] Folks coming to the park to join us, are permitted (not required) to "leave" the online service once communion begins, in order to meet us at the park by around 11:15a. This fellowship time will also be somewhat weather-dependent. </li>
</ul>
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<li>the preacher and the lead musicians(s) who sing will not be wearing masks but the lead musician(s) will be 16 feet away from the front row and the preacher kept at a safe distance.</li>
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<li>people will need to bring their own masks, but there will be some available if they forget or for visitors.</li>
</ul>
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<li>those who are at higher risk for infection (people who are 65 yrs and older; people with pre-existing medical conditions; or those with compromised immune systems) are encouraged (not required) to stay home.</li>
</ul>
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<li>do not attend worship if, in the last 14 days, you have:</li>
</ul>
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* <span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">returned from travel outside of Canada.</span></div>
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* been in close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19.</div>
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* lived/worked in a setting that is part of a COVID-19 outbreak.</div>
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* been advised to self-isolate or quarantine at home by public health.</div>
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<li>do not attend worship if you have any of the following:</li>
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* fever</div>
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* cough: new or worse than usual</div>
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* shortness of breath</div>
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* diarrhea</div>
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* nausea and/or vomiting</div>
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* headache</div>
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* runny nose/nasal congestion</div>
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* sore throat or painful swallowing</div>
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* loss of sense of smell</div>
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">* loss of appetite</span></div>
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* chills</div>
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* muscle aches</div>
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* fatigue</div>
Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-16830665041227457822020-06-17T18:15:00.007-07:002020-06-17T18:20:48.623-07:00BLM. I Am A Man. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPttDfcVIWwg_zZ5aMi1RvaeEeLlNWFCU7BUc5sey_l37QdL96g8ipT8MOOe1wn-C0y4zCrFEx67xjqN3naBs7BOilrEHslllPffyCxgC0kKafTXAiGr6_dTjDxLowR0FCmJDNFliFkB2g/s1600/IMG_20200602_082003_707.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPttDfcVIWwg_zZ5aMi1RvaeEeLlNWFCU7BUc5sey_l37QdL96g8ipT8MOOe1wn-C0y4zCrFEx67xjqN3naBs7BOilrEHslllPffyCxgC0kKafTXAiGr6_dTjDxLowR0FCmJDNFliFkB2g/s320/IMG_20200602_082003_707.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dear GV Family,</div>
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In March of 1879 Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca tribe moved a band of his followers from Oklahoma back to Nebraska. The Poncas originally were forcibly removed from their homeland along the beautiful Niobrara river. Standing Bear and his followers decided they wanted to go back home and ended up being arrested. Standing Bear then stood trial for two days. The verdict came back two weeks later by federal Judge Elmer Dundy who ruled, "an Indian is a person within the meaning of the law, entitled to the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens." <span style="font-size: 12pt;">The entire trial consisted in Standing Bear making a case for the fact that he was a human being. His argumentation throughout the course of the trial was to establish that he was a person rather than a non-person; as Standing Bear argued, "That hand is not the colour of yours, but if I pierce it, I shall feel pain. The blood that will flow from mine will be the same colour as yours. I am a man. The same God made us both."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Forgive me as I get a little snippy and sarcastic here,... </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">it only took two weeks to come back with a verdict from Judge Dundy, "Yes the native is a person within the meaning of the law." At least the judge got the ruling right!!! But, two stupid long weeks?! Are you kidding me?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I envision some poor members from the Ponca tribe in 1879 holding up a placard saying, "Ponca Lives Matter." And those from outside the tribe pushing back, "All Lives Matter." The PLM people and supporters calling the ALM people tone deaf and racist and the ALM people wondering, why are we singling out the Poncas when it is an unassailable fact that all lives matter and that God loves all people of all nations and tribes? And the PLM people pushing back, "But Jesus would have left the 99 for the 1 and so we should be able to see the life of the Ponca in the value of the 1." </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Why Must We Even Have This Conversation At All?</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">You know what I would want to say knowing what I know, if I could get into a time capsule and travel back to Nebraska to the latter part of the 19th century? Here it is, "Oh, I wish it would all just stop; why must we even have this conversation at all?! And why is a debate raging regarding Standing Bear? and why is he being put on trial for being a man? and why is he needing to prove his case at all?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The black people I've heard from wish the statement "BLM" was never necessary and the fact that we are having this conversation is an unspeakable sadness,... but it is a necessary conversation, because people of colour have so often felt marginalized, voiceless and not even considered to be persons. They have felt like Poncas in the late 19th century, on trial for needing to make a case for their humanity; that is indeed sad.</span></div>
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Black lives matter is a statement of fact. I do not believe it is helpful in this time to point out that there is a larger movement around the phrase BLM with its broader agenda that does not necessarily follow all the tenets of faithful Biblical Christianity. It's a worthy conversation; what should be the relationship of those who follow Jesus, to the broader movement of BLM? but is not currently a timely conversation at least for most of my audience here that is not Black. The Black Christ-followers I've heard from regarding standing by the statement BLM do not buy into the larger organizational movement, rather as already mentioned, grieve altogether that a statement like BLM ever had to be made in the first place. But for so long they have felt like Standing Bear, invisible, so feel it necessary to make a simple statement of fact, "I am a human being." </div>
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Though I've said a lot already, nonetheless, I resist getting sucked into the dark rabbit hole of debate on this very point (I'm glad I'm not on social media with quick back and forth comments... I generally leave social media more disillusioned about humanity than ever). Shouldn't it be enough to affirm that our brothers and sisters who have suffered so much, do in fact matter? Rather than arguing the point further, what I prefer to get us to consider here, regarding this conversation, is that the source of our problem is not so much social, political, economic or even psychological (as much upheaval as we've seen in all these areas as of late),... but our deeper root problem is theological.</div>
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<strong>A Theological Problem; North American Christianity and "The Gospel"</strong></div>
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<i>The Social Gospel</i></div>
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Here it helps to know a little something about the shape of some of the significant cultural movements around Christianity here in North America. In<span size="3"> the early part of the 20th century there was a movement here in North America that established the notion that the gospel most Christians proclaimed was an individualized one placing so much emphasis on personal sin and the need for regeneration in Christ, that institutionalized sinfulness was ignored. This movement became known as the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>Social Gospel</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>movement. Other powerful movements were happening throughout the 20th century, with some churches </span>that<span size="3"> began to borrow from higher critical scholarship of theological institutions in Europe, embracing modernity, challenging notions of the believability of miracles in the Bible, including core doctrines such as the resurrection of Christ and the virgin birth of Jesus. Many of these churches that became defined as "mainline" churches (as opposed to the "fundamental" churches that split off from them), began to adopt the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>Social Gospel,</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>as their key platform, working towards building a better world, pursuing a kind of utopia here on earth,... but many of these "Soc.G" (Social Gospel abbreviated) advocates also rejected historical teachings of the Christian faith, i.e. "fundamental" doctrines such as the historicity of the resurrection of Christ (as mentioned). </span></div>
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<span size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">When the Civil Rights movement came along in the US in the 1960s, many of its major movement leaders, including Martin Luther King, Jr. while not repudiating the core of the historic Christian faith (as a number of churches and their leaders had been doing since the beginning of the 20th century), nonetheless, began to embrace and teach themes from the Soc.G movement. While evangelical scholars who were bore out of "fundamental" churches would in time become quite critical of MLK Jr. for having a theology more akin to the Soc.G, they would miss something significant regarding North American cultural history. This is what they would miss: many years ago, I learned from Civil Rights leader Dr. John Perkins of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Christian Community </i><i>Development Association</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, that MLK Jr. actually desired to do his theological training at a more "evangelical" institution, but that such institutions were not open to black people in the 1940s and 50s. So the irony was that MLK Jr. was criticized for having a theology that didn't place a strong emphasis on themes around personal atonement and justification, what many evangelical Christians consider to be "fidelity to the heart of the true Christian faith." Yet the same critics did not recognize that the receiving of such a so-called "faithful" theological education was not open to the MLK Jrs. of the world at the time he was doing his theological training.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">That might all take just a moment to sink in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>The Simple Gospel</em></span></div>
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<span size="3">So the reaction of many Christians to what we have been calling the "Soc.G." was that we needed a return to emphasize the "Simple Gospel" (we'll call this the "Sim.G." for reference) and preach repentance to souls, because it doesn't really matter if we try and make a better society (which history isn't very kind to such a reality being sustained over the longer term), if souls end up going to hell anyways. As the Sim.G. people would likely say, "what is the point of that?" Sim.G. people were likely to say the call is to preach the Gospel to "all nations" and not get too caught up in the social and political upheavals of the day,... this is where the impulse seems to come from among Christians who would push back, "All Lives Matter" because the mandate of the church is to "make disciples of all nations" as Jesus' Great Commission goes (Matthew 28:18-20). </span></div>
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<span size="3">Yet people of colour especially south of the border and First Nations here north are hurting and have felt like "invisible" people for most of their history. We need not repeat here the terrible things that have been done to them creating a kind of corporate trauma that has impacted them for generations... and by the way, slavery was abolished, really, not that long ago. To give some perspective, my late grandfather who passed away in 2002 was born in 1917. Let's assume his parents were in their 30s when they had him; that means his parents would have been born roughly twenty years after slavery was abolished in the US. Let's say grandpa's grandma gave birth to grandpa's mom (did you catch that?) in her 30s; she would have been born approximately twenty years after slavery was abolished in Canada and approximately ten-years-old when it was abolished in the US. We're talking only 5, maybe 6 generations removed from legal institutionalized slavery here in the US and Canada! The trauma of racism and systemic oppression is very real and also fairly<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>recent<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em>as far as human history goes. </span></div>
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<span size="3">So how do we respond to the Soc.G. and the Sim.G. people who seem often to be in a kind of ongoing social media war between what faithfulness to Jesus is? Well, first of all, we should do our best to stand at the side of the oppressed, and have no problem saying "Black Lives Matter." We should stand against police brutality, though recognize that seeing and naming structural problems in a system in no way is a blanket judgement against the many hard-working, faithful and sincere servants in law enforcement who risk their lives every day for the welfare of our communities.</span></div>
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<span size="3">It's hard to "lean" towards one side of a polarized and heated argument, without seeming to diminish the other side,... but Jesus often seems to describe what Catholic theologians call a "preferential option for the poor." I can't always explain it well, I just know it when I see it, in places like Luke 4:18-19, when Jesus announces the fulfillment of His Kingdom, reading from the scroll of Isaiah:</span></div>
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<span size="3">"The Spirt of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong>to proclaim good news to the poor.</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."</span></div>
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<span size="3"><em>The Whole Gospel</em></span></div>
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At the heart of the Gospel wasn't only the announcement of salvation to the world (though it was that!), but ultimately the heralding the "Good News of His Kingdom" that had come into the world in Jesus Christ (feel free to check me on that one Bible scholars... Matt. 4:23, 9:35, 24:14; Luke 4:3, 8:1, 16:16; Acts 1:3, 8:12, 19:8, 28:23, 28:31). In a simple reflection, in Jesus' own ministry, He had authority over sins (to forgive them), but also over the created order (calming the storms) as well as the spiritual/demonic realm (casting out demons). The presence of the Kingdom of God was in Him, because of course He was the Eternal King and in His coming the Good News of the Kingdom of God was heralded to all the world!</div>
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So when I think of the Soc.G people, my main concern is that without the preaching of repentance and for hearts to be given to Jesus, for renovation to begin with the wickedness of the human heart, the cleansing and washing of Jesus's blood by rebirth,... the hope for any meaningful longterm change in society is severely limited. But I also have a concern for Sim.G people; my main concern with Sim.G people is that Christ's power over the whole of His created order is undersold and therefore our acknowledgment of the glory of God over all that is rightfully His is diminished (Psalm 24:1). And as His glory over all of creation is diminished, so is the cosmic scope of the accomplishment of Christ at the Cross. As a young believer, most of my Sim.G teachers could not give an adequate explanation of Paul's teachings in Col. 1:20 as well as Romans 8:21 that says the blood of Jesus and the restoring work of God in Christ is far more cosmic in scope than simply ensuring that as many people as possible get to heaven. As the wonderful Christmas hymn goes, "He comes to make His blessings flow,... far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as,... far as the curse is found! Joy to the World,... the Lord has come!!!"</div>
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We have to keep in front of us always what I would call the "third way of the Gospel" (thank you Tim Keller). The third way is neither the Soc.G. nor the Sim.G. but the "Whole Gospel" that applies God's sovereign reign over all; both the redemptive work of Christ over all of human life<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>as well as</em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>every square inch of the whole of God's created universe. </div>
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We should be politically engaged and care about "social justice" but as we stand, also we should be on our knees, recognizing that the power of God's Kingdom draws closest as we utilize "weapons" which are not of this world, weapons of peace... Ephesians. 2:17 says that our preaching is that of peace to those who are "near-by" as well as "far-off," the desire for shalom to come to all. Let me put it this way, being blind to systemic racism or being a willful participant in it, is a dehumanizing of self, because the animal-like instincts of fallen man are on full display in those moments of human darkness. While it is a different kind of pity and compassion we have towards oppressors, there are no ultimate winners in the carrying out of racism. Perhaps this is so much of what the Bible means when it says "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son" (consider John 3:16 against John 3:19 and exactly how radical the love of God is) and perhaps this is also what it means when Jesus asks the Father regarding those driving the nails into His hands, "forgive them for they do not know what they do." Somehow all cosmic powers of heaven and earth broke and bowed down to the true King of kings in that moment of "God's own kind of love" (Romans 5:8) being put on full display for the world to see, the hope of its renovation beginning in earnest.</div>
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We should never pit the wholesale depravity of the human heart (Jer. 17:9) against the depravity of man we find in institutions and human systems (Romans 8:22). We should see that just as humanity<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em>all of God's created world fell in Adam,... so all will be redeemed and restored in Christ (Romans 8:21). So we must participate in efforts that would work for change and goodness to come to our world,... but we must work on our knees as a form of expectant prayer, trusting in the power of God in Jesus Christ to bring the wholesale change we truly desire to see in our world, "your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth it is in heaven" (I think someone taught us to pray in that way?) Wendell Berry once said, "for the ancients, to work was to pray." Imagine the farmer planting the seed, looking to the heavens for expectant rain, despite years of drought, never giving up on the prayer,... "give us this day our daily bread." </div>
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Isn't that the Whole Gospel, to proclaim the reign of Christ the King over all things? To Sim.G people I say, please stand with the hurting and the marginalized especially in this time and hear their hearts, ask if Jesus wouldn't indeed have you listen more and to speak less, and to be OK with statements of BLM, for the reasons already mentioned? (I exhort you with the somber note in Matthew 25:31-40 regarding what truly is a "heaven or hell" issue... let the Scripture here challenge and reform you). To Soc.G. people I remind you that it is only the power of Jesus from above and preaching His reign over all things that an ultimate solution to our sad history will be found... as Alexander Schmemann wrote, "Adam still sits outside paradise weeping." </div>
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Quoting from Mark Sayers in his helpful 2019 book,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>Reappearing Church,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em>"Our culture lurches from attempts at renewal to reaction and back again in a feverish sickness. . . . the West continues to fail at its projects of renewal. In this exhaustion and disorder, we see the hand of God's merciful judgment, which allows us to rest on nothing but His presence." As Sayers observes, "God allows cultural crises to bring us back to Him."</div>
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Let's do what we can to educate ourselves on our part of the "sad history of humanity" nearby, so that we can love better, listen better and better participate in the work of the Whole Gospel over all of life. </div>
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Why must we even have this conversation at all? Do I even need to say it? </div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Unfortunately, I do.... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Standing Bear is a man. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Black lives matter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">If you didn't know that before in the core part of your being, repent with tears of sorrow, and God in Christ will forgive you. If you already knew that, then repent (and lament) on behalf of people all of whom are "Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve" (C.S. Lewis) and of which you are a part. Then step into our sad, beautiful world by bearing fruit that keeps with repentance (Matthew 3:8). </span></div>
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I leave you with words I left you with a couple of Sundays ago from Wendell Berry's<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>Jayber Crow,</em></div>
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<em>"Those who wish to see Him must see Him in the poor, the hungry, and the hurt, the wordless creatures, the groaning and travailing beautiful world.... We are too tightly tangled together to be able to separate ourselves from one another either by good or by evil. We all are involved in all and any good, and in all and any evil. For any sin, we all suffer. That is why our suffering is endless. It is why God grieves and Christ's wounds are still bleeding."</em></div>
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Blessings in Christ,</div>
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Pastor Mike</div>
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<strong>Some Other Helpful Items:</strong></div>
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* Please take time to read this simple, yet powerful poem Corey Porter wrote for the young people his P2C ministry seeks to equip:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em><a alt="https://p2c.com/students/articles/lamenting-the-killing-of-george-floyd/" href="https://p2c.com/students/articles/lamenting-the-killing-of-george-floyd/" shape="rect" style="color: blue;">Lamenting the Killing of George Floyd</a></em></div>
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* Last Sunday, Karl Peterson forwarded this powerful video that gives us a deep window into the black experience in America. It is an educational tool that also helps us to feel the pain of our black brothers and sisters. Maybe the most powerful statement I found in it was "Jesus blessed as He bled."<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em><a alt="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6985UG0Z3k&t=123s" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6985UG0Z3k&t=123s" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">The Cross and the Lynching Tree: A Requiem for Ahmaud Arbery</a> </em></div>
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* Finally, you are invited to join me this Thursday (tomorrow) at 11a for part 3 of 3 of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><em>Mission to North America's<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em>webinar series on "<em><a alt="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4R3Hx0dVQM65hJ14abicDg?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_6_1_2020_15_18_COPY_01)" href="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4R3Hx0dVQM65hJ14abicDg?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_6_1_2020_15_18_COPY_01)" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Racial Brokenness in America and Our Gospel Response</a></em>." You will need to register in advance by clicking the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a alt="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4R3Hx0dVQM65hJ14abicDg?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_6_1_2020_15_18_COPY_01)" href="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4R3Hx0dVQM65hJ14abicDg?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_6_1_2020_15_18_COPY_01)" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">link</a>. MNA is our denomination's church-planting arm. Did you know Tanya and I are missionaries to Canada sponsored by MNA? While this series more directly addresses the situation in the US and the response of churches there, it gives you a window into the PCA (<em>Presbyterian Church in America)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em>history being a denomination with deep roots in the "South," working through important issues of racial reconciliation.</div>
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Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-23807958742575032452020-06-03T08:17:00.000-07:002020-06-17T18:39:21.548-07:00A Hopeful Vision in this Time<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B4ocP8XD1Sw" width="500"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Dear Grace Van Family,</span></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left"><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></i></b></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">As protests erupt all around us revealing systemic issues of institutionalized racism that have plagued us as a race of people for generations, I wanted to pass on this video that was put together in 2017 by people in Nebraska very close to us. The Lead Musician in the video Crystal Davy has been the Music Director for 14 years at the church we planted called Grace Chapel. Mona Reeves, the African-American lady featured in the video is a dear woman we got to know in the late 90s when I was interning at our mother church. Renee Welstead is one of the singers at the end of the video, a white woman, mother of four African-American children (also featured in the video). Renee and her husband Ben were our first youth leaders in our church. There are others in the video who mean a lot to us as well. I forward it because though the video is called "I'm Not Fine," you'll see that it is a hopeful vision of shalom and the peace of God.</span></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Coming off the Eastertide season, I want for us to keep our eyes on the "hope that does not disappoint because God's love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us" (Romans 5:5). The Gospel is bigger than even the greatest evils, sorrows and injustices in our world. I know it's not Christmas time, but I had this line from this great hymn running in my head today: </span><br />
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</span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span _mce_style="font-size: 10pt;">"No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow, far as the curse is found, f</span><span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;">ar as the curse is found."</span></i></span></span></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Be blessed today friends,</span></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left"><span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Pastor Mike</span></div><div _mce_style="text-align: left;" align="left" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><div></div></div></div></div>Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-90576736758544357272020-05-30T15:39:00.002-07:002020-05-30T15:45:20.616-07:00Reflections on the Table, Part 5 (Finale May 30)<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
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<i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him (Jesus), "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" But he (Jesus) said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'" </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Dear Grace Vancouver Family,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">At the centre of any home with any sense of health, joy, togetherness, belonging and family. . . is a Table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">As Eastertide comes to a close tomorrow Sunday May 31st on Pentecost Sunday (50 days following Easter), this piece will be my last in this series on "Reflections on the Table." Last week, I said I would write another piece on the Table of the Lord's regarding this question, "Who Comes to the Banquet Feast (and Who Refuses It?)" We've been spending a fair amount of time in this series reflecting on the blessing of gathering together as God's people on the Lord's Day around the preaching of His Word and participating at His Table together. I've written this to continue to help us gain a deeper, richer and fuller understanding of who we are as God's people together and what is the meaning behind the sacrament of the Table we participate in together. I felt especially compelled to write this series since we have been kept from gathering and participating in the Lord's Table together as a church family for a number of months now and the longing to be at His Table seems to be stirring in many of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In today's piece, I suppose I write in the prophetic tradition of guys like Isaiah who end with a warning. I am a pastor and a shepherd first and foremost, but it might be that, with God's help, a great warning might be exactly what the Great Physician ordered. After all, the Word of God is often described as a sharpening sword (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17). I share this particular set of verses in Luke 14 because, for a number of years now, they have captured my imagination regarding the Kingdom of God and that the people who come to it might look a lot different than who I typically am around in the middle-class professional educated churches I have mostly been a part of through my thirty years of following Jesus. That's not to say that there aren't true believers in those/my churches (I think we mostly are at Grace Van!), but to say we might get to the New Heavens and New Earth and discover that people who look like most of us (upwardly mobile, professional and educated) turn out to be minority residents in the Holy City of God. Luke's passage in particular, reveals idols that people with means, income and who have the "most to lose" as far as earthly blessings, are most likely to serve. Such folks are the most likely to turn down the invitation to "eat bread in the Kingdom." Again, I close my writing today in the prophetic tradition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Of course, mostly I've sought to encourage you through this series. We've spent a fair amount of time through this series reflecting on the power of God's work in drawing His children to His Table, to feed, nurture and care for them. We talked about the yearning we have to be together again, gathered around the power of His Word and participation together at His Table. My hope has been that if you have followed the series to this point, you have been strengthened and encouraged by your time of being at home and away from the kind of daily meaningful "neighbourly" contact we were meant to experience on a regular basis. Mostly I've wanted to encourage you.... So here comes the "holy but" (as one of my friends used to say)...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">BUT, you know this if you read passages like 1 Cor. 11 closely,... participation in the Table also comes with a sober warning of judgement regarding those who come "unworthily" to the Table (1 Cor. 11:27). Coming to the Lord's Table is a bit different than the casual nature of my dinners at home, with a table full of teenagers, where we mostly have light-hearted conversations about everything under the sun, sometimes joking, sometimes talking over one another, sometimes teasing one another. At the Lord's Table, ultimately we "remember" our sin that sent Christ to the Cross and we take into our hearts His great love for us. We examine our hearts to see where we have not been right with God and with others. In a word we "repent." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">So, since there is this glorious vision of the nations coming into the Holy City of God at the end of the Bible and to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19) and that the warning is to come "worthily" to His Table,... I thought it might be helpful to ask on a grand scale, who comes exactly in the end? Also, who refuses the Table ultimately? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">This is where our Luke 14 passage comes in handy, because it identifies three particular excuses individuals give for refusing the invitation of this great banquet feast that signifies the Kingdom of God. Interestingly enough, the excuses are not particularly dramatic but pertain to the stuff of everyday life for most who live in the world of "professional, middle-class working families."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">By the way, if you had to guess, knowing nothing about Luke 14, what might you think were the reasons invitations were refused to this great banquet feast of the Kingdom? Would you say, "well, I'm sure they were bad things that served as excuses"? For example, I'm sure a lot of people wanted to have a night out partying on the town, doing illicit drugs, maybe smoking some weed? Maybe even worse, frequent the engaging of prostitutes and steal from others, loot and promote violence? Would you say, rapists and serial killers are the ones kept from God's house? Maybe another guy cursed a lot and was always taking the Lord's name in vain? As the story of goes of the Christian who boasted of his moral purity, "I don't curse, smoke, drink or chew... neither do I date the girls who do!" Maybe "chewing" was a thing of my generation, but the "naughty kids" would get hold of the "skoal bandits" chewing tobacco tins and try to get away with hiding the little tobacco packets in their lips at school. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The REALLY BAD STUFF must have been the reasons given for refusing the Feast of the Kingdom. Is that what you would guess? If so, you would be completely wrong; we find Jesus illustrating a completely different set of excuses... in this passage, he is in the house of an accomplished and spiritual Pharisee, so Jesus exposes a set of excuses that cut to the heart of not first and foremost the people doing "bad things," but to those many consider to have "good lives." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What are the three excuses given for refusing the Kingdom of God in Luke 14?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">"The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'"<i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">-Luke 14:18-20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">1. <b>Land. </b>I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">2. <b>Work. </b>I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">3. <b>Family. </b>I have married a wife and therefore cannot come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Excessive concerns around "Land, Work and Family" are the primary excuses that revolve around turning down the invitation to the Banquet Feast of the Kingdom of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">These are generally three things we consider to be good gifts of God, right? To have <b>Land</b> (a place to inhabit),... in our case as city-dwellers, to have a home a place of habitation, earthly possessions to bring a level of stability and security to our lives. <b>Work</b> is a blessing that allows us to provide for our needs and those of our family and of others,... Personally, I've always thought it to be easier to be generous towards others than to receive generosity from others. Work gives me the income to be able to be generous towards others. Some even find a deeply-rooted "life meaning and purpose" out of their work. We think of frontline workers in this time of Covid as nothing less than heroic. Work can represent heroism for others. <b>Marriage</b> and family... no one can argue here that marriage and family, when together, healthy and loving,... to be anything other than a good thing. YET, these "good things" are precisely that which represents the three excuses that are given for REFUSING the Table of the Kingdom here in Luke 14.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">How do we make heads or tails out of this passage? Well, what Jesus is pointing us to is what we might call three classic idols of the heart, "Land (or Possessions), Work and Family." What is an idol? An idol is something we worship in the place of God. An idol isn't necessarily a bad thing (it can be, having a lust for power over others as one example), but an idol can also, at least begin, with a good thing; where that good thing becomes a dark thing is when it goes from being good to ultimate in our lives. In fact, the Apostle Paul defines idolatry as the worshipping and serving of "created things rather than the Creator who is to be forever praised" (Romans 1:25). We know that all things God created were originally created good. An idol can be anything we place in our lives over God as more important and more worthy to be pursued, worshipped over and above God Himself. An idol is what we might call an "over-desire," an "excessive desire," turning a good love into an ultimate love,... going from "that would be a blessing if I got that job/degree/pursuit to,... I HAVE to HAVE that job/degree/pursuit or my life will be meaningless." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In C.S. Lewis' narrative <i>The Great Divorce </i>we come across a bitter old lady who refuses the blessings of heaven because while on earth she had lost her son prematurely; she argues vehemently with the gnashing of teeth that by taking her son far too early, God had violated the most universally-held and greatest principle of love, that of "motherly love." So for all of the rest of her dark eternity, she gnashes her teeth refusing to move even one inch towards such a God who, in her mind, would do such an unspeakable evil. The narrative ends with her shrill voice yelling with hatred and vitriol to the heavens, "Give me back my son! Give me back my son!" You see, for this woman, her son was the ultimate thing and the great non-negotiable, not God,... Her son had moved from being a good love from the Lord to an ultimate love her life could not do without, so she discarded God and worshipped the dark idol of her son... into hell,... for all eternity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In Lewis' character, we can hear echoes Jesus' rebuke of the woman in the crowd in Luke 11:27,28, "As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, 'Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!' But he said, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">There is so much more that could be said about these three classic idols of "land, work and family," especially as we reflect on their place in the creation account at the beginning of the Bible in the book Genesis. We are limited here, as this is supposed to be only a reflection, not a dissertation! But let me say this much about this "Big Three" in the creation account... All three of these "good things" were actually creational ordinances, blessed and sacred gifts of God, meant to be places of blessing, "sacramental" as I talked about in these reflections, part 3. Our first parents were to live and minister out of their togetherness, as "one" sharing the joys of the covenant bond of marriage (Gen. 2:24,25). Through our years struggling with infertility in our 20s, I read a terrific piece by Roman Catholic ethics professor Gilbert Meilaender where he described the laughing and joy of children as an embodiment of the love of their parents. Meilaender spoke of "loving-giving leading to life-giving" and children being an embodiment of that love and life.... Then again, late Presbyterian theologian John Gerstner also was fond of referring to children as "vipers in diapers," hahaha (so I suppose there is a balancing out of these ideal visions of marriage and family with their sometimes unpleasant realities in our homes). Either way, the point is that marriage and family could only be "conceived of" originally (pardon the pun!) as very good things, as a creational ordinance of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The same goes for work. The man and the woman were to do good work for the Lord as a way of co-reigning with God, and the work was to reflect/"image" faithful stewardship and care for the land (Gen. 2:15... much more could be said here regarding Gen. 1:28 too). Today we think of marriages that are holy places of loving mutual service, of the most effective couples working in concert together to love and serve. Also we pray at our church for God's people to see that "Mondays Matter" and ask God to give us wisdom in life and to establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:12,17). The same goes for "land" in the creation account. We have in our vision statement that we are to be "faithful stewards of the Kingdom of God." We don't shy away from topics around generosity and being open-handed with our resources and possessions, through tithing, giving to our Care Fund and supporting various partnership ministries,... to opening our homes in hospitality to others. For those who have the blessing of "space" in Vancouver,... outside of this time of pandemic, normally we have genuine opportunities in our city that is often described as "lonely" and "disconnected," to welcome others to our tables. We've always wanted our people to be intentional in thinking and praying about what faithful stewardship of their "land" looks like for them in their lives and how to be neighbourly with those good gifts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Land, Work and Family were all God's good gifts in the beginning, indeed creational ordinances. And for the redeemed in Christ they continue to be viewed as such. Yet Adam's sin made a mess of things and the good things of creation easily became elevated as ultimate things,... our fallen sinful hearts began to worship the good gifts of God above the Giver. We began to replace the Benefactor with the Benefits and worship the Benefits in the place of the Benefactor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">And in this time of pandemic, it's as if God kicked the legs out right from under the three-legged idol stool of "land, work and family." If we have been worshipping at the altar of any of the three of these classic idols, we have found ourselves more fearful, anxious, stressed and uncertain than ever. In a way, this time has revealed where our ultimate hopes are found for our joy, meaning and even salvation. When I was interviewed for the Lead Pastor position at Grace Van some years ago, I was asked the idol I most struggle with in life. My answer was my wife Tanya; I can't imagine life without my best friend, marriage partner in life for 25 years and the girl with whom I became friends at the age of 16 and fell in love with at the age of 18, the person who was most instrumental in bringing me to Christ too. Yet I've discovered through the years that while Tanya is a terrific wife, she is a severely inadequate Saviour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">So what might be some ways this time of pandemic, i.e. testing, has kicked the legs out from under this three-legged stool? Let's consider. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">1) <b>Land</b> (including possessions and resources) have become even more unstable with concerns about being able to pay the rent/mortgage and cover our basic expenses. Will what we have enough and be able to provide for the life we hope and believe we should have? Are our spending habits shaped by consumer society sustainable ultimately in this time of what is described by investors as a significant "capital loss environment"? I've been helping to manage my parents' estate ever since mom was given her terminal diagnosis. My parents have spent a lifetime accumulating their wealth; I heard mom voicing out loud the other day, "will it all be gone through this economic disaster created by the pandemic?" They've accumulated a lot, so they stand to lose a lot,... of course this altar of "land" is much easier for them to worship at, than those who never had much in the first place. Remember the empty promises of the Devil to Jesus offering the greatest of all possessions? and Jesus' response in Matt. 4:8-10? "...the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 'All this I will give you,' he said, 'if you will bow down and worship me.' Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'''<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">2) <b>Work</b> has left many either unemployed or underemployed through a significant downturn in our economy. Even for those who still have steady jobs, the nature of work has shifted dramatically with most of our work being done online for the last few months. What will work look like moving forward as we re-engage? And while some jobs might be steady, we see the global connectedness of our work and know that our businesses if not now, a few months down the road, could be receiving significant cutbacks, adjustments and possible layoffs. Tanya's sister who is the president of a large advertising firm in New York has had to lay off a number of long-time employees who have been like "family" to her for many years now. A cousin of mine in a similar position of influence has had to do the same; in tears, she let a number of her employees go. With appreciation for these workers, in addition to the severance they received, my cousin divided her bonus (as CEO of the company) among the workers she had to let go. We see some beautiful gestures in this time, even heroic ones,... yet even such kindnesses do not mask the realities of some significant economic shifts in our work environments that are coming. These are challenging times, especially for the most established and "successful" people many might have assumed (wrongfully), prior to Covid, would continue to enjoy their economic successes, without interruption, for many years to come. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">3) <b>Families</b> have been challenged both in their "forced togetherness" as well as concerns for the welfare of our children. I know mine seem like small costs in light of all the suffering from Covid, but Tanya and I have grieved the loss of an actual high school graduation ceremony for our graduating daughter Mia (and loss of all the activities that come with this significant achievement in our daughter's life). Again, perhaps small, but I was set up to coach my son Calvin's flag football team, which we believe had a good chance to win BC provincials in early June (scheduled for next weekend), among a field of what would have likely been 60 teams. Perhaps more significantly, two of our engaged couples at Grace Van (Jon and Gloria and Rolland and Hannah) have had to either dramatically alter their plans or hold them with a great deal of flexibility. And then those longing to be married with family have perhaps felt isolation and loneliness more acutely being forced to shelter in place during this time. I haven't been able to see my dad in his care home since last March and I find myself always wanting to be in two places at once, to be everything I can be to my mother through her cancer fight and to be present to my kids, especially as Mia graduates from high school here in a few days. What a year it has been! I've discovered I can only be in one place at one time! Will I trust God with my family here in Vancouver and also in Seattle? The idolatry of marriage and family tends to be there whether married or single, and either way, at least in our parable,... it has kept many from coming to the banquet feast of the Kingdom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">What is God trying to teach us NOW in this time of pandemic dear friends? Which idol(s) is He seeking to reveal in you so that you will dislodge your heart from their devious grip? Is it one of the "Big Three" described here in Luke 14? Perhaps all of the above? and then some more? As one good brother asked us staff to pray for him and his family that they would not only survive, but flourishing and thrive through this difficult time. Are you flourishing and thriving during this time? If not, why not? Could this passage in Luke 14 reveal some of the reason? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">For me the lesson has been to learn to love and fear the Lord more than the very best things I have going on in my life. As an example, if I love and fear the Lord more than the welfare of my children, then I find I am no longer controlled by my anxieties about their lives, for they are in the Lord's hands. If I love and fear the Lord more than my work as pastor, then whatever economic uncertainties are there (we have had a drop in giving since the time of pandemic, which is understandable in some ways, and we had a huge transitional year in 2019 losing a number of families),... such uncertainties are overcome by my trust in the Lord who holds all things in His hands and who is the Lover of His people. If I love and fear the Lord more than my "land," then I don't have to worry about the uncertainties of being a renter in this very expensive city, a city now struggling even further. I don't have to worry about if there will be enough there to support a daughter now headed off to university in Langley (I think life is about to get a lot more expensive!) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">As we finish here, we answered the question regarding who refused to eat the "bread of the Kingdom" and the excuses that were given, but we never quite got around to reflecting on those who actually would come to fill the banquet hall of the King... Luke is pretty clear on that in verse 21... "the poor and crippled and blind and lame" as well as in verse 23 those in the "highways and hedges" (the far-off places, travelers who do not occupy places of power, influence and wealth). Jesus' banquet hall in the New Heavens and New Earth, it turns out, will be filled with many more people who DO NOT look like me with my degrees and professional upwardly-mobile friends and family. Instead, it will be filled with people who never had much in terms of "land, work and family," so had little occasion to use them as excuses for refusing His Table at His Great Banquet Feast of His Kingdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I have to admit, this passage puts some holy fear into my heart, but that's good right? What is God trying to teach us in this time of pandemic? Ending this series in the prophetic tradition with a word of warning and exhortation, I give you again the words of our Lord, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">As you do, I'm convinced you will discover that at the centre of the Lord's Table is health, joy, togetherness, belonging and family. . . . with the bread of the Kingdom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I am very much looking forward to that time when we will be able again to re-gather together around His Table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Blessings dear friends,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Pastor Mike</span></div>
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Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-91413989371825294802020-05-21T11:42:00.000-07:002020-05-26T11:47:35.171-07:00Reflections on the Table, Part 4 (written May 21)<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>"Today is Ascension Day, and that means that it is a day of great joy for all who can believe that Christ rules the world and our lives."</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>-Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">and were continually in the temple blessing God." </span></em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">-Luke 24:50-53</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>"He was lifted up on clouds of glory in order to go to His Father for the purpose of His coronation as our King - as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He ascended into heaven to fulfill His role as our Great High Priest, interceding for His people daily. So as He sits at the right hand of the Father, exercising His lordship over the whole world and His intercession before the Father on behalf of His people, He improves our condition dramatically. Not only this, but before Pentecost could come and the Holy Spirit could be poured out upon the church, empowering the church for its missionary enterprise to the whole world, it was necessary for Christ to ascend so that together with the Father He might dispatch from heaven the Holy Spirit in all of His power."</em> -R.C. Sproul</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>"On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people</em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"> a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"> of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;">And he will swallow up on this mountain</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> the covering that is cast over all peoples,</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> the veil that is spread over all nations.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> He will swallow up death forever;</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;">and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;"> and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i style="font-size: 12pt;"> for the Lord has spoken." <i style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">-Isaiah 25:6-8</i></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: 12pt;">"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." -</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">John 14:3</span></div>
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<i style="font-size: 12pt;">"And the angel said to me, 'Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of </i><i>the</i><i style="font-size: 12pt;"> Lamb." </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">-Revelation 19:9</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dear Grace Vancouver Family,</span><br />
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At the centre of any home with any sense of health, joy, togetherness, belonging and family. . . is a Table. . . . and today is Ascension Day!!!</div>
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My heart is about to explode as I write this fourth part in our Reflections on the Table series. Today is exactly forty days from Easter Sunday, in the Scriptures signifying the day Jesus raises into the heavens and is coronated at the right hand of God the Father as King of kings and Lord of lords. From that place of Kingship, Jesus is orchestrating all the events of human history to culminate in His children from among the nations gathering to a great Table of feasting, in fact a Table that is called the "Marriage Supper of the Lamb" near the end of the Bible in Rev. 19.</div>
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Mom had just been diagnosed with an aggressive stage 4 cancer back in late November of last year. I was meeting with my spiritual director every few weeks,... and I had begun traveling to Seattle on a weekly basis to help out mom as well as the family. I confided in Mark (my spiritual director) that I had been praying for my mom to give her life to Jesus for almost 30 years now, and so often for so many years those prayers seemed to fall on hard soil and to produce little fruit. I had developed a really great relationship with my mom for the last 20 years; ever since I became an emerging adult, mom and I had become good friends, and in many ways I had become her confidant as she would often run things by me.... yet she seemed to be so far and distant from the Lord as the years would pass one after another. And now she had received a terminal diagnosis and the weight of her eternal soul came down on me like a one ton steel beam where it seemed that neither I nor a hundred men could lift. If my efforts had seemed so often fruitless in bringing her to Christ over 30 years, what if she only had 30 days? What was I going to do now? </div>
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About a week before that conversation with my spiritual director Mark, mom had said something amazing to me, using words that I had never heard come out of her mouth in my 48-yr relationship with her. She said regarding her cancer diagnosis, "Michael, this cancer is so much bigger than me; I feel like the Lord has been in my heart for some time now and that He is humbling me." I shared those words with Mark, but then I immediately jumped into sharing how much pressure I felt to "close the deal," to bring my mom to Jesus, given the limited time she had left.</div>
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Mark mostly listened to my great fears and anxieties for about twenty minutes. And then he said, "Mike, you've been a pastor for a long time and you know the Bible well, so you go ahead and test what I'm about to say with the Scriptures." </div>
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I leaned in. </div>
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Mark continued, "Salvation is the work of God, not us humans. God is gathering His children to His table; it's His work, not yours. What we get to do as His Beloved children is witness what He is doing and participate with Him in His work." </div>
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My heart was beating fast with fear, joy, hope, anxiety, yearning, awe and worship all at the same time. I was completely locked in. </div>
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Mark continued, "When your mom said that the Lord has been in her heart for some time now and that He is humbling her, where do you think those words came from? Again, test what I am saying, but her words are enough for me. Shouldn't they be enough for you to know that God is gathering your mom to His Table? He seems pleased to include you in His story of salvation, but the writing of the story is His work, not yours."</div>
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Mark wasn't speaking; it was the Holy Spirit. I had no words, only tears. <span style="font-size: 12pt;">I began to weep uncontrollably. A</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> one ton steel beam had just been removed from my shoulders.</span></div>
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Throughout our Eastertide series, we have heard powerful and wonderful messages from Professors Ross Hastings and Jonathan Wilson, as well as our staff Tunyi and Rolland. This Sunday we get to hear from Tony Lee. A couple of weeks ago, our pastoral intern Rolland got us to think about Christ as Prophet, Priest and King and what a terrific message Rolland gave.</div>
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I want to add to Rolland's message today, that it is from that place of Jesus' enthronement as the Risen and Ascended King that Jesus continues to serve as Prophet, Priest and King. Whether it is through His priestly work of intercession or Kingly work of reigning, Jesus does this work as the Incarnated Son of God, from His exalted throne in the heavens at the right hand of God the Father. And it is a work that is immutable we might say; unlike the work of human hands. His work as a part of the Triune Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, cannot be frustrated or thwarted. To return to Mark's statement, "Salvation is God's work, not ours." </div>
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It's a home, a Table that the Lord is bringing His children to, as He reigns and as His Kingdom comes. </div>
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I cannot wait to participate in the Eucharist, the Table of thanksgiving, with you again. We wait for our ability to regather as His Church again before we participate together again, but in the meantime we open our eyes to seeing the Power of the Table at work all around us and in our lives, the lives of our loved ones and family members, friends and neighbours, especially among those who mourn, thirst and hunger. Let us not neglect the gathering/communion of the Saints when the doors of Grace Van reopen again (Hebrews 10:24,25), but let us also reject the belief that somehow God's power or mission is limited because we are so severely limited. God is gathering His children to His Table; it is indeed His work, not ours. Might we participate with Him in that work, regardless of our limitations, seeing that the work of His Table is powerfully at work all around us in the small moments of life, in our relationships and in our world. </div>
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And might we rejoice in all of it because today is Ascension Day, <span style="font-size: 12pt;">"Today is Ascension Day, and that means that it is a day of great joy for all who can believe that Christ rules the world and our lives."</span></div>
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Blessings dear friends,</div>
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Pastor Mike</div>
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<strong>Next Message in this Series: </strong>Who Comes to the Banquet Feast (and Who Refuses It?)</div>
Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-87186442108506388242020-05-21T09:42:00.000-07:002020-06-03T21:05:20.543-07:00Reflections on the Table, Part 3 (written May 13)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">Dear Grace Vancouver Family,</span><br />
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At the centre of any home with any sense of health, joy, togetherness, belonging and family... is a Table. </div>
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Well, here we are in week 3, part 3, already with this series of reflections on the Lord's Table. We ended last week's reflection on the Table with this: what is the sacramental life? On the backside of every bulletin we pick up on Sunday mornings at Grace Van or more recently have downloaded as a link, there is the fine print describing some of Grace Van's vision. Under the middle section on "Inward: Transformed by the Peace of God in Christ," there is a simple statement on the sacramental life and it simply reads like this, "our participation in the sacraments of bread and wine flow into our everyday lives." Have you read the fine print? Sometimes the fine print matters.</div>
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So maybe a starting point for today's reflection is asking, "what do the bread and wine signify for us?" Well, there are certain words that we as believers use that are not explicitly Biblical words, but they are words that can easily and necessarily be "deduced" from Scripture and they are important words; the two that jump to mind immediately for me are "Trinity" and,... well,... "Sacrament." </div>
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Sacrament comes from the latin word <em>Sacramentum </em>which simply means "mystery." The New Testament Greek word for mystery is <em>musterion</em> and what musterion always refers to is the "mystery of the Gospel." The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 3:6, "This mystery (musterion) is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promises in Christ Jesus through the gospel." Who are the Gentiles? The Gentiles are all who are outside the ethnic people of Israel from the Old Testament,... in essence, Jewish people. So the grand "mystery" of the Gospel is that you and I (as Gentiles, nonJewish people) have been included in the promises of God, incorporated into the family of Israel by faith,... whoa... AWESOME. </div>
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The mystery of the Gospel is that we have been included, that you and I BELONG. Romans 1:6 says this grand mystery of the Gospel includes the Gentiles/Nations who now belong to Christ Jesus. There are very few words in my vocabulary that penetrate my heart as the word "belonging," so much so that I spent six long years working on a doctorate on the very topic! </div>
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Remember how I opened this series and have repeated each part of it? "<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">At the centre of any home with any sense of health, joy, togetherness, belonging and family... is a Table." So when we participate at the Table </span>together<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">, we participate in a table of BELONGING. And the "musterion," the awesome, unbelievable, hidden truth revealed is that we have been included as children of God to belong! </span></div>
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">Well, the children of the King must also behave in a way that befits their status as royalty, so this is also why we must repent and make sure we are right with King Jesus as well as our brothers and sisters every time we come to the Table.</span></div>
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">Alexander Schmemann wrote this in his terrific book <em>For the Life of the World:</em></span></div>
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;"><em>"No one has been 'worthy' to receive communion,... all merits, all righteousness, all devotions disappear and dissolve. Life comes again to us as Gift, a free and divine gift.... we call the Eucharistic elements Holy Gifts. Adam is again introduced to Paradise, taken out of nothingness and crowned king of creation. Everything is free, nothing is due and yet all is given. And therefore, the greatest humility and obedience is to accept the gift, to say yes- in joy and gratitude."</em></span></div>
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It is this gift of G-R-A-C-E (<strong>G</strong>od's <strong>R</strong>iches <strong>A</strong>t <strong>C</strong>hrist's <strong>E</strong>xpense,... thank you J.I. Packer) that we celebrate and receive every time we come to the Table. John Calvin called the Table a "visible word" of the Gospel of Christ, of this great wondrous mystery that we have received His Grace.</div>
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So, if we are restored to our Kingly status of royalty every time we partake in this Table of belonging together as children of royalty, how ought we then step into the world on "Monday"? Well, I think the answer is fairly straight-forward, isn't it? As children of the King who continue to renew themselves in the power of the Table week-in and week-out. We live according to this "Gospel Remembrance" in all that we do and in everything that we are,... this is the Sacramental Life.</div>
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Paul put it this way in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Do we understand we participate in His sacrificial death, again and again, whenever we participate at the Table? At the centre of any home with any sense of health, joy, togetherness, belonging and family... is a Table. We "touch and taste" the "Visible Word" of God that tells us Jesus loves us.</div>
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Pre-eminent 20th century theologian Karl Barth was once asked, "what is the most profound truth found in all the pages of Scripture?" Barth answered, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." So we touch and taste this goodness when we gather around the Table by faith. Jesus loves us indeed.</div>
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The Sacramental Life is the whole of life set apart in love and service to our Great God. This morning I fixed my mom breakfast, paid some bills, talked to mom about going to the bank for her, picking up some meds,... also talked to her about the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16 and the fully sufficient sacrifice of Christ in Hebrews 10. She asked questions about Moses and Jesus, who they were,... the relationship and timeline of the Old and New Testaments (she's never professed faith in Christ before!) She learned the meaning behind the word "atonement" and that the first five books of the Bible are also known by the name "The Book of Moses." I've asked many to pray for her to receive Jesus. She is now on her iPad, als<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">o taking her blood pressure,... oh, reading the New Testament book of Hebrews too in her Chinese Bible! </span></div>
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">I am writing this article, though I did take a break watching some YouTube clips. I'm a sucker for old professional wrestling clips with Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan (I wasn't a churched kid, but I was very faithful to be in one place every Sunday at 10a... sitting in the church of the World Wrestling Federation with patron saint Hulk Hogan, haha)... I was just ushered back into one of the sweetest moments of my childhood... Hulk Hogan body-slammed 500 lb. Andre the Giant in Wrestlemania III,... amazing (Andre did a terrific job in the Princess Bride too, not too long before he passed away). </span><span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">In recent weeks, I've been getting into "The Last Dance" on Netflix about Michael Jordan's remarkable basketball career; yes, I had "Air Jordans" as a young teenager in the early 80s. When I was home in Vancouver "on quarantine" because of my travels to Seattle, I worked out with my daughter Mia, when I was "off quarantine," I went and threw the football at Memorial park with my boys. We celebrated Mother's Day together last Sunday, and will celebrate Calvin's 15th birthday this Sunday. Today I have a 5:30p online workout and will talk to an asset manager about nexts steps in getting mom and dad's estate in order. I will FaceTime my dad and get new tires on my car. My sister will drive me, even though it will take less than an hour to change the tires, for precautionary reasons, I choose not to sit in the shop at this time. Tomorrow I will take my mom to get a blood test at a lab. Meanwhile, I meet with my small group on Zoom on Thursday nights, staff meetings Tuesday afternoons, had an elder candidate and advisory member training session Monday night through the Westminster Confession of Faith and a book by </span><span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">Michael</span><span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;"> Horton called "Putting Amazing Back into Grace." I hope to be home on Saturday and back on a 14-day mandatory quarantine. I've struggled with being home-bound so much and get down at times too like many of you.</span></div>
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Why do I give you all these mundane details of the minutiae around my life?... actually, I forgot to add that I brushed my teeth this morning and prefer Colgate to Crest! ... I give you these details because I want you to know that all of life is sacramental,... yes, I even brush my teeth for Jesus : ) Actually,... I do, because I want to take care of this life I have been given and honour Him with it, because it is ultimately His,... my teeth too!</div>
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This is the Sacramental Life,... the elements of the bread and wine flow into everyday life. This Sunday cannot come soon enough as Tunyi will be giving his message this Eastertide season out of John 21, where he will point us to how the disciples returned to their trade as fishermen in the wake of the resurrection. There will be much to receive from Tunyi regarding all of life as being sacramental, as Tunyi continues our series on "Living the Resurrection."</div>
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That's the Sacramental Life... sometimes the fine print matters.</div>
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Blessings dear friends,</div>
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Pastor Mike</div>
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<strong>Next Message in this Series: </strong>The Wedding Supper of the Lamb and Who Comes</div>
Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-54905425746698611502020-05-21T09:36:00.002-07:002020-05-21T12:01:27.272-07:00Reflections on the Table, Part 2 (written May 6)<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">Dear Grace Vancouver Family,</span></div>
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At the centre of any home with any sense of health, joy, togetherness, belonging and family... is a Table. </div>
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Last week I shared a reflection from Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his class work <em>Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community. </em>In Bonhoeffer's excerpt, he reflects wonderfully on the blessing of the physical presence of a brother or sister in the Lord as holding a kind of yearning for the presence of the Triune God Himself.</div>
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Let me quote from the first couple of lines from last week's Bonhoeffer excerpt:</div>
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<em>"So between the death of Christ and the Last Day it is only by a gracious anticipation of the last things that Christians are privileged to live in visible fellowship with other Christians. It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God's Word and sacrament."</em></div>
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Let me reflect on these lines, alongside a reflection on some Scripture verses from the Gospel of Luke 22:14-29a:</div>
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<em>"And when the hour came, he (Jesus) reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, 'I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, 'Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.' And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it..." </em></div>
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What are some observations from these verses as well as Bonhoeffer's words?</div>
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<strong>1. Yearning is Described. </strong>Jesus "eagerly desired" to eat the meal of the Passover with his disciples. Bonhoeffer describes the great yearning isolated believers have for one another as a sign of the presence of Christ Himself.</div>
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<strong>2. Gathering Around Word and Sacrament is an Anticipation of "Last Things." </strong>Jesus said that eating of this meal, we now know as the Lord's Table, was an anticipation of the Day when He would return to make all things new, establish the fullness of His Kingdom and participate once again with His people in "eating and drinking of the fruit of the vine." Bonhoeffer called this the "gracious anticipation of last things." </div>
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<strong>3. There is Undoubtedly a "Physical Togetherness" We Witness in the Promises of this Coming Kingdom. </strong>This is why Bonhoeffer was so adamant to speak of the presence of a brother or sister in the Lord "showing up" to the exile or prisoner as a sign of the presence of Christ Himself. There is the reference in Luke 22 where Jesus speaks of His own yearning to eat of the Passover Meal "with you." In other words, as much as His desire was great, there was no fulfilling of it until He was with His people and once again would be.</div>
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<strong>Conclusion: </strong>do we realize that when we come together as the Body of Christ on the Lord's Day and "assemble" as the Israelites of the Old Covenant,... when we do those things Jesus said we should do, "until He comes,"... we are participating in the powers of the Coming Age in a way we are unable to do the rest of the week? If I can get a little technical here quoting from New Testament commentator Joel Green, when we come together, we participate in the "eschatological advent of God's dominion." </div>
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Yes we are Jesus' Church when we "scatter" into the world and yes we are Jesus' Church throughout the week; as we like to say at Grace Van, "Monday Matters!" Yet there is something unique and distinctive about the actual physical gathering, the "coming together" of God's people around His Word and Sacrament. My pastor Mike Malone, during my seminary years, used to say, if we really understood what was happening on the Lord's Day when we gather together, and if we truly had the eyes to see, we would be coming to "church" in crash helmets. Makes sense, if we expect Jesus and the powers of the Coming Age to meet us in such a powerful and dramatic way as we gather.</div>
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<strong>Reflections: </strong>so this leads me to a question that has come up in a handful off conversations from different quarters in our congregation; should we participate in the Lord's Table virtually via Zoom, while we are unable to gather together physically? As I said last week what this reflection would be about, my answer has been, we should "wait upon the Lord to partake." </div>
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ONE (<strong>Yearning</strong>), we should let the yearning and anticipation in our hearts grow larger, all the while feeding ourselves off of the fat of the Word of God and its promises. Our prayer lives should grow robust during this time of not being able to "touch and taste" the Lord's goodness in the elements of the bread and wine and not being able to do so together. </div>
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TWO (<strong>the Church</strong>), we should reconsider if we have too much defined our Christian walks primarily by our own individual lives, rather than as set in the context of the larger, physical covenanted community that is called to gather physically together regularly, but given our extraordinary circumstances, has been unable to do so. Pastor Malone used to give an annual preaching series called "Who Loves the Church?" And by "Church," Mike meant the physical people who are really there in the church community and not merely some kind of spiritualized ideal of a universal church somewhere in the world, but not in our lives. What is more, when we come to the Table on the Lord's Day, we should always be looking to our left and right (as well as above to Him) to seeing who comprises God's family, His Church, and who we are together as His. It wouldn't be difficult to write another lengthy series on the many occurrences of the "one anothers" in Scripture.</div>
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THREE (<strong>the In-Breaking of the Kingdom</strong>), if we catch this vision of the gathering of the physical presence of the Body of Christ, covenanted by faithfulness of God and the promises of one member to another, our hearts just might begin to see each Sunday in our coming together (once we are able to do so again) as nothing less than the New Heavens and the New Earth breaking through (and maybe we will start getting to "church' on time too for the opening call to worship that invites God's people to assemble,... as who wants to miss the crashing in of this "eschatological advent"?!!! : ) Oh yeah, and maybe we will start showing up,... with crash helmets too!!!</div>
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I want to suggest that the great yearning to partake in the Table as soon as possible comes from a good place. Let that yearning grow, but let's also not short-circuit the meaning of the Table by trying to find a short-cut back to it, before we the Body of Christ are able to gather together by being able to be present with one another. In the meantime, let's take the proper amount of time to reflect more fully on who we are in relationship to the Grace Van community and what kind of answer we might give to the question, "Who Loves the Church?"</div>
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<strong>Next Message in this Series: </strong>The Sacramental Life; What is It?</div>
Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-76969297527673515902020-05-21T09:31:00.002-07:002020-05-21T16:23:03.638-07:00Reflections on the Table, Part 1 (written Apr. 29)<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">Here is a series of posts I wrote for our church family beginning in late April. I thought I would post them here.</span></div>
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" style="font-size: 12pt;">Dear Grace Vancouver Family,</span></div>
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At the centre of any home with any sense of health, joy, togetherness, belonging and family... is a Table. </div>
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Today, I wanted to pass on a reading from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's classic <em>Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community. </em>This excerpt has been one of my favourites for almost two decades now, and is especially meaningful in light of the times we are in. I was especially moved to share it, after Dr. Ross Hastings talked a bit in our Q&A time last Sunday about how this pandemic has challenged the very notion of what it means to be human and also what it means to be human together. He commented on how the best way to love our neighbour these days has been to stay away from them; whereas, true love and honouring our humanity includes embraces, touch and in the context of the Body of Christ, participation together in the sacrament of communion. </div>
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I was so moved by Ross' comment that I thought I would do a multi-part series in the coming days on the meaning of the Table. How many parts to this series? I don't know; two? three maybe? More? We'll see. </div>
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The first part of the series here will begin with me mostly quoting Bonhoeffer, because there is so much to appreciate about what he has to say here. Bonhoeffer wrote in Germany in an underground seminary at a time when the world was very unstable, between world wars. He gets us to think about how often when fellowship and worship with other brothers and sisters in the Lord is readily available, that we too often take it for granted. I think in a way that we have never been as Jesus' Church, at least in my lifetime, we are more open than ever to hearing and receiving Bonhoeffer's message.</div>
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So here it is, taken from his <em>Life Together:</em></div>
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"So between the death of Christ and the Last Day it is only by a gracious anticipation of the last things that Christians are privileged to live in visible fellowship with other Christians. It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God's Word and sacrament. Not all Christians receive this blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the Gospel in heathen lands stand alone. They know that visible fellowship is a blessing. They remember, as the Psalmist did, how they went 'with the multitude... to the home of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday' (Ps. 42:4). But they remain alone in far countries, a scattered seed according to God's will. Yet what is denied them as an actual experience they seize upon more fervently in faith. Thus the exiled disciple of the Lord, John the Apocalytist, celebrates in the loneliness of Patmos the heavenly worship with his congregations, 'in the Spirit on the Lord's day' (Rev. 1:10). He sees the seven candlesticks, his congregations, the seven stars, the angels of the congregations, and in the midst and above it all the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, in all the splendor of the resurrection. He strengthens and fortifies him by His Word. This is the heavenly fellowship, shared by an exile on the day of the Lord's resurrection.</div>
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The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer. Longingly, the imprisoned apostle Paul calls his 'dearly beloved son in the faith,' Timothy, to come to him in prison in the last days of his life; he would see him again and have him near. Paul has not forgotten the tears Timothy shed when last they parted (II Tim. 1:4). Remembering the congregation in Thessalonica, Paul prays 'night and day... exceedingly that we might see your face' (I Thess. 3:10). The aged John knows that his joy will not be full until he can come to his own people and speak face to face instead of writing with ink (III John 1:14).</div>
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The believer feels no shame, as though he were still living too much in the flesh, when he years for the physical presence of other Christians. Man was created a body, the Son of God appeared on earth in the body, he was raised in the body, in the sacrament (the Lord's Table) the believer receives the Lord Christ in the body, and the resurrection of the dead will bring about the perfected fellowship of God's spiritual-physical creatures. The believer therefore lauds the Creator, the Redeemer, God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for the bodily presence of a brother. The prisoner, the sick person, the Christian in exile sees in the companionship of a fellow Christian a physical sign of the gracious presence of the triune God. Visitor and visited in loneliness recognize in each other the Christ who is present in the body; they receive and meet each other as one meets the Lord, in reverence, humility, and joy. They receive each other's benedictions as the benediction of the Lord Jesus Christ. But if there is so much blessing and joy even in a single encounter of brother with brother, how inexhaustible are the riches that open up for those who by God's will are privileged to live in the daily fellowship of life with other Christians!</div>
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It is true, of course, that what is an unspeakable gift of God for the lonely individual is easily disregarded and trodden under foot by those who have the gift every day. It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace, a gift of the Kingdom of God that any day may be taken from us, that the time that still separates us from utter loneliness may be brief indeed. Therefore, let him who now has had the privilege of living a common Christian life with other Christians praise God's grace from the bottom of his heart. Let him thank God on his knees and declare: It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren." <strong>END QUOTE.</strong></div>
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<strong>Reflection: </strong>when we are able once again to come back together and to assemble together as the Body of Christ, will we have spent meaningful time in our time of isolation, repenting of our complacency towards the local church where Christ organizes His people and pours out His "inexhaustible riches"? Will we reject the spirit of consumerism that tries to "get something out of church," whether inspiring sermons or great music or otherwise? Instead will we come to see Jesus' Church as that place, despite all its flaws and foibles, lack of having it together in so many ways, where we are called to press into a common life of "incomparable joy and strength" offered to those who by faith willingly see a remarkable work present by Divine Grace and through God's People gathered around the Word and His Table?</div>
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<strong>Next Message in this Series: </strong>Waiting Upon the Lord to Partake Together. </div>
Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-49273022032564161062020-01-23T09:21:00.000-08:002020-01-23T09:29:10.016-08:00SuperBowl Bound!!!<div style="text-align: justify;">
I thought this was a great occasion to come out of blogging hibernation. I was not a churched kid, but I did spend many Sunday mornings through my childhood at Arrowhead stadium, rooting on my hapless Chiefs. I remember as a 12-yr-old kid being filled with so much hope following the 1983 draft when the Chiefs drafted national champion Penn State QB Todd Blackledge (taking him before future hall-of-famers Dan Marino and Jim Kelly), only for Blackledge to be perhaps the greatest draft bust in Chiefs' history. So great a disappointment was Blackledge that the organization would not draft another QB in the first round until... 34-years later in 2017,... BUT WHAT A PICK!!! Patrick Mahomes is now the face of the NFL and as they say a true generational talent. And now as a result of that decision to move up from the 27th spot to the 10th spot in that 2017 draft to get Mahomes, the Chiefs are going to the SuperBowl for the first time since January of 1970 (50 years ago, over a year before I was born in 1971!) I'm especially pumped up for the late Lamar Hunt, Chiefs' owner and founder of the original AFL, and for his family. The AFC championship trophy bears his name, and in this video we see his widow Norma, who has never missed a SuperBowl game in 54 years of SuperBowls, enjoying the moment so much! Lamar's son Clark who is now CEO/owner of the Chiefs in his quiet, humble way, gives a shout-out to the Lord- how great is that? </div>
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HOW ABOUT THOSE CHIEFS???!!!</div>
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Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-86621437038683277602018-11-29T10:21:00.001-08:002018-11-29T10:23:50.086-08:00A Christian's Role in a Politically Polarized Time<div style="text-align: left;">
"What is a Christian's role in this politically polarized time?" I thought this short clip by Dr. Scott Redd of Reformed Theological Seminary was helpful. Redd speaks of public repentance when someone discovers that they have said something untrue about another, has bore false witness against another. What a concept, if only followers of Christ would do a better job of living a lifestyle of repentance, both privately and publicly.</div>
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Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-5257253343712635782018-06-18T12:08:00.003-07:002018-06-19T13:41:39.154-07:00That You Might Become a Good Man<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>". . . for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord." </i>-Acts 11:24</div>
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Just yesterday on Father's Day, I received one of the most meaningful notes I have ever received. It came from our foster son Darius who is twenty years of age and expecting his first child in July. Darius comes from the hood (his own words) and has had his fair share of troubles throughout his life. Our hearts and our prayers have always been with him, though we have not always agreed with his choices and also have grieved the oppressive nature of poverty which he has known his entire life.<br />
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Darius texted to me, "Thank you for everything you've done for me on the scene and behind them. You always have made sure I was straight and I'm not even your biological son. I couldn't thank you enough for all you do and all you already have done and I don't think I could pay it back in a million years. Your love is priceless man. I'm super grateful I've had a man like you to look up to and guide me when I've needed it. Thanks for being more of a father to me than my own dad and thanks for being the man. I love you Mike. Happy Father's Day."<br />
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Needless to say, I had a hard time holding it together when I read D's text. Don't get me wrong, the notes my biological children wrote to me were terrific, but this one was probably the best Father's Day message I have ever received.<br />
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In many ways, Darius continues to struggle with life and poor life patterns passed down to him from his family of origin- we worry about him often. I also know that life on the streets is a lot different than the world my children and I have known, that "street smarts" and pointers on how to handle a situation when a gun is pulled on you, as one example, is something I have never been able to pass down to D (unlike his biological father). I still remember weeping before D when he was barely a teenager when he shared with me that he had beat up another kid- I pleaded with him to become a good young man. But I've always also understood that there are some things I do not understand, and that he would always be a recipient of my love and care regardless of his choices, bad or good. I had always been a recipient of the Lord's great mercies, despite deserving none of them, and so for nearly his entire life, spiritual fatherhood has been my joyful obligation to discharge to D.<br />
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This last year, Darius has been pursuing a barbering degree, something Tanya and I are helping him to do, but also a vocation, a kind of work, that represents that of one of my favorite characters in all of literature, Wendell Berry's <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jayber-Crow-Wendell-Berry/dp/1582431604">Jayber Crow</a>. </i>My prayers are that Darius would become a good man like Jayber, who had a early childhood full of sorrows like Darius. Jayber was twice-orphaned, would as an older man befriend a woman who was in a loveless marriage. Despite his love for this woman, he promised himself fiercely to guard the proper boundary that his friend remain true to her marriage vows. Jayber always yearned to love and be loved, but also very much grew up in the world "alone," except for the loving local community he had been welcomed into and of which he had become a member. He did have a ministry, and it became most fully expressed in the work of barbering.<i> </i><br />
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Jayber as an old man reflects on his life and how his calling from above was always to be a barber, though early on in life being orphaned as he was, and hearing messages at the Christian orphanage of the value of "full-time Christian work," that he should become a pastor. Jayber initially set out to pursue a pastoral education, but having the kindness of a seminary professor, being guided by this dear man, he learned that his calling was to be elsewhere. Many years later, he would learn that it was primarily through the vocation of barbering that he would most faithfully discharge his service and work.<br />
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Jayber reflects on his work as a barber and those he would tend to who had come from an agrarian society (p. 127 of <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jayber-Crow-Wendell-Berry/dp/1582431604">Jayber Crow</a></i>), "I came to feel a tenderness for them all. This was something new to me. It gave me curious pleasure to touch them, to help them in and out of the chair, to shave their weather toughened old faces. They had known hard use, nearly all of them. You could tell it by the way they held themselves and moved. Most of all you could tell it by their hands, which were shaped by wear and often by the twists and swellings of arthritis. They had used their hands forgetfully, as hooks and pliers and hammers, and in every kind of weather. The backs of their hands showed a network of little scars, where they had been cut, nicked, thornstruck, pinched, punctured, scraped, and burned. . . . I loved to listen to them. . . ."<br />
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Recently, I was reading <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Every-Job-Parable-Greeters-Astronauts/dp/1631465481/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529348882&sr=8-1&keywords=every+job+a+parable&dpID=41fGARlB6KL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch">Every Job a Parable</a> </i>(pp. 147-48)<i>, </i>and the author (a Calgarian) reflects on the vocation of hairstyling, "A stylist holds your head as you lean back into a washing basin. With her own hands she washes your hair and, if you are lucky, gives you a scalp massage. After she towel-dries you and moves you to the chair, she then takes a part of who you are physically-your hair-and cuts it, reshapes it, and (for some) recolors it! A stylist touches your body and uses sharp instruments near your eyes, and you sit there, wide open to this very intimate aesthetic intervention. In order to see God's hand at work in the parable of another person's job, you have to let their good work touch you. God knows every intimate detail of who you are-your flaws, your gray areas, the places where you are thinning-and he wants to make every square inch of your being and body new. He wants to shape you-to wash, cut, dry, and style your life. . . . Discussing what she loved most about her work, my stylist said, "Hearing the words, 'I trust you.'" Customers often step into her salon totally exasperated and give her total freedom to cut and style their hair in whatever way she thinks best. Knowing hair the way she does, assessing a person's face shape, and considering their overall look, she will come up with something her customer could never have imagined, often to their great delight. But it takes trust to get there. You need to let go and put your life in another's hands. It is only then that you will be able to experience the delight-both yours and that of the one who is making you over. Just as a stylist delights in being given this kind of trust, God does too."<br />
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Darius is pursuing barber college, and Tanya and I are doing everything we can to ensure that he finishes, but even more than that, that he sees his life as one full of possibilities to become the good man that God means for him to be, like Jayber, or perhaps like Barnabas who is described in the Holy Scriptures as a "good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith."<br />
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Our prayers for you dear D, have always been and continue to be, that you might become a good man.Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-40477490060476002392018-06-16T14:53:00.001-07:002018-06-16T16:19:27.893-07:00Liturgy of the Ordinary and Purposelessness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm currently working through this book <a href="https://www.ivpress.com/liturgy-of-the-ordinary"><i>Liturgy of the Ordinary</i></a> written by Tish Warren. I find it to be simple, accessible, thoughtful and very helpful to get us to think about God's work in the everyday rhythms of our lives. Regarding modernity, on p. 96, Warren writes:<br />
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"There can be a deep sense of purposelessness in modern work, in our day in and day out punching the clock. We live in a world where I can sit at my desk and email people I've never met in order to discuss work that I will do by staring at a screen And though we must fight against the injustice and inhumane conditions that can make modern work intolerable, we must not inadvertently create a new 'hierarchy of holiness' that elevates ancient work above our modern jobs. Part of our particular task as believers sent out by the church for the <i>mission Dei </i>is to learn to embody holiness, not only in blacksmithing and cheese making, but in and through work that is inevitably shaped by modernity and technology. I have to check my email. In this hour, that is the work that God has given me to do.<br />
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Most of us are not called to simply abandon the modern world for a back-to-nature ideal. Instead, even now, we must hone the crafts and habits that allow us to work well and to love our neighbors through our work, whether that neighbor is someone I've known for decades or someone sitting at a computer screen far away. I have been blessed and helped by people who do modern work well, people who have served me, their neighbor..."<br />
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I think Warren is right on, though admittedly there is a larger story around why modern work in a post-industrial, technological age can seem to be so dehumanizing, to reflect on Miroslav's word, we find much of our work to be "<a href="http://hsumike.blogspot.com/2011/03/work-in-spirit-part-2.html">alienating</a>" and to separate us from our humanity given larger structural and economic forces outside our control. A part of what Warren is pushing us towards though is a recovery of the imagination to <i>see </i>that even our work now does have a meaningful impact on our neighbors and contribute to their welfare and flourishing. I think of workers at a nearby factory who made oxygen masks for airplanes, who received a letter and a visit from a Kansas City-based pastor, after this pastor had a harrowing flight that lost altitude. Pastor Reid Kapple thought his life might come to an end and through the ordeal used the oxygen masks that were deployed as a result- he came out of this terrible scare and began to think about the makers of these oxygen masks put in airplanes, learning they were made by a nearby company in his "backyard" in Kansas City. Kapple wrote to the CEO of the company and shared his story. In turn, he was invited to speak to the workers, and the workers responded that no one had every helped them to see just how significant their work was; tears ensued- you can watch Kapple's testimonial <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKuTx3MUIl8">here</a>. So, if we can enlarge the imagination of God's people to seeing our work to be meaningful in ways beyond our current limited vision, but also acknowledge that we must always work to remove the larger structural forces that are oppressive in our work, then we will live in a proper tension that is our responsibility to assume as God's people.<br />
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I have much more to say about this, but I think finding tangible ways to translate the skills and gifts that we have developed in the workplace to a neighborhood or local economy of some kind where we see them directly benefiting people we know, love and care about, can go a long ways towards giving meaning to our work, but that is another conversation for another time. <a href="http://www.abundantcommunity.com/home/other_books/peter_john_and_walter_brueggemanns_new_book.html">This book</a> helps if this topic is of interest to you.Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-34822923483622663582018-05-18T11:38:00.002-07:002018-05-18T11:40:23.681-07:00Close of Eastertide, "Friday Notes" Sunday Worship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hope this week has been one of expectant joy for you- it certainly has been for me as I was able to take up my part in Grace Vanâs <a href="http://hsumike.blogspot.ca/2018/04/the-eastertide-joy-challenge.html">Eastertide Joy Challenge</a> a little over a week ago by assisting my parents for ten days on a trip to Florida to visit their friends. The many unexpected joys of serving my dad in particular who is nearly in a wheelchair put a jump in my step this week, made me smile a lot in the ordinary rhythms of my week and gave me sweet, focused times of fellowship with the Lord in my daily times of prayer and reading. How has or is God stretching and growing you? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While we have a stat holiday (Victoria Day) this weekend, the church calendar recognizes an even greater event that the world is yet to fully see. This Sunday is the final day in our Eastertide season, Pentecost Sunday! Pentecostos means âfiftiethâ and represents that moment when fifty days following Jesusâ resurrection on Easter, the Holy Spirit was poured out in power onto Godâs Beloved who had gathered from among the nations of the Mediterranean basin. Come hear about the wonder of this day in history when Godâs people experienced a remarkable miracle and having received the Holy Spirit were filled with joy to the point of being thought by some to be drunk! We plan to celebrate the close of the Easter season with<b class=""> ICE CREAM SUNDAES!!! </b>Also, please reflect on where God has met you with joy this season and write a one-sentence testimonial and place on our GV apple tree- the tree will be up for one more week after this Sunday! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We will enjoy the Lordâs Supper together this Sunday. John Chan will be offering his Concepts of Financial Stewardship Class from 12:15-2:15p for those who are interested in talking through some of the practical side of managing resources. During the service, Christine Huh will be giving a short testimonial regarding her experience with our church retreat in Mt. Baker, WA which is coming up the first weekend of June,⌠so we have a lot of great things planned. You wonât want to miss it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blessings and see you Sunday!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mike</span></div>
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<b class=""><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bulletin Quotations:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">âBut you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.â -Acts 1:8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">âEver since the early church fathers, commentators have seen the blessing of Pentecost as a deliberate and dramatic reversal of the curse of Babel. . . . at Babel earth proudly tried to ascend to heaven, whereas here in Jerusalem heaven humbly descended to earth.â -John R.W. Stott</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">âAnd in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.â -Acts 2:17,18</span></div>
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<span class="" style="caret-color: rgb(75, 73, 73);"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">âShe had often such views of the glory of the Divine perfections, and of Christâs excellencies,⌠that she was overwhelmed, and as it were swallowed up, in the light and joy of the love of God.â -Description of Sarah Edwards during The First Great Awakening</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">âAll shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.â -Julian of Norwich</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b class="">Sermon Title: </b>The Gift of the Holy Spirit</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b class="">Sermon Text: </b>Acts 2:1-21</span></div>
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<b class=""><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sermon Outline:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. The Miracle of the Moment</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. The Reversal of the Curse</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. The Muting of Distinctions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. The Joy of the Spirit</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. Still Needing to Be Saved</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b class="">Benediction: </b>Romans 15:13</span></div>
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Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2968430195134552598.post-3128188954764865552018-04-16T09:24:00.002-07:002018-04-16T09:27:13.445-07:00The Eastertide Joy Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is the Eastertide Joy Challenge we are issuing at Grace Vancouver Church this season, as we continue to travel through our sermon series in the book of Daniel. Consider taking the challenge with us!<br />
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Daniel lived in a world filled with sorrow, evil and persecution. And the Lord gave him prophetic visions detailing this evil in great detail. All this was so disturbing, that Daniel is even described at the end of chapter 8 as remaining in bed for a few days. Still, in the midst of his sorrow, Daniel knew that he served the God of Heaven whose Kingdom alone would always win out. Because of that knowledge, Daniel approached the world with a hopeful vision serving it faithfully in his daily responsibilities and praying fervently for it (Daniel 8:27 into Daniel 9).</div>
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This Eastertide season we recognize Godâs sovereign reign in the world in a way that Daniel only anticipated, because Jesusâ resurrection was the ultimate vindication of Godâs power over all evil, injustice, sin and death. Our story is one of triumph and resurrection. We can be like Treebeard in Tolkienâs trilogy who is described as âsad, but not unhappy.â He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! </div>
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So the Eastertide Joy Challenge for the rest of this wondrous season until Pentecost Sunday (May 20th) is this:</div>
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1. Take up the challenge for <b class="">the next five weeks </b>to renew yourself in the areas of:</div>
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a. <b class="">Prayer</b>- egs. could be interceding for a neighbour, friend or family member<br />
to know Christ, doing daily morning and evening prayers, i.e. Daily<br />
Office, praying each day for the world, the church and city.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>and/or</div>
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b. <b class="">Service</b>- egs. could be in serving a neighbour, friend or family member in<br />
intentional ways or re-committing your daily life and work to the<br />
Lord each day, taking up a new service project or opportunity.</div>
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2. Expect to be <b class="">surprised by joy</b> as you renew your obedience in these areas.</div>
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3. <b class="">Write down </b>some of those moments of joy, great and small alike.</div>
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4. <b class="">Post </b>one-sentence testimonials on the Grace Van âapple treeâ that our GV kids will be constructing in the coming weeks.</div>
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5. Look forward to <b class="">celebrating Christâs resurrection joy </b>with the GV family around Ascension Day or Pentecost Sunday!</div>
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Mike Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17345931409745318186noreply@blogger.com0