January 3rd Sermon: Changing Your Mind

Romans 12: 1-2  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

Happy New Year!  I hope it is a happy new year for my brothers and sisters at Dongshin English Service.  But if you’re like most people on this earth, I’m sure many other words could be used to describe this year.   Challenging and busy. Trying in someways.  Delightful in others.  Followers of Jesus, however, are not to interpret life’s ups and downs as the world interprets them.  We are not to respond to life the way the world responds.  Instead, our knowledge of the Creator, our sinful state and the Holy One who saved us changes us from average people to the transformed people.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes, I don’t feel all that different from my unbelieving friends or coworkers.  They’re living and breathing creatures as am I.  They like to eat.  I like to eat.  They like to read good books and watch good movies.  So do I.  They complain about stuff at work.  So do I.  Or maybe I’m the chief complainer…as far as I can tell among the English complaints.  (I’m the only foreigner at my workplace.)  They sin.  I sin.  We both sin.

In Romans 12:1, Paul, the prototype of a changed life, urges us to live sacrificially and dramatically different lifestyles from the world.  Saul, who was born from the tribe of Benjamin, viewed as an important intellectual, and a persecutor of followers of The Way, became a new man with a new name when he was knocked off his ass by Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.  Saul was set against Christ, not because of some huge conscious decision that Jesus was evil, but because of simple common reasons like upbringing, training in Jewish law, and culture socialization.  Brother Ken told us Sunday that even well-intentioned training can fix us in opposition to the ways of Jesus.

At Dongshin English Service, we’re all tuned in to the distinct differences in culture–be them Eastern, Western or somewhere in between.  The good news is in Christ, no matter how different our cultures, we are one in Him.  Jesus is supracultural.  Therefore, it’s our duty as Christians to examine our culture and take note of the ways that the ways of our countrymen led us astray.

As an American, one of the most interesting phrases I learned in Korea was “Sugaseyo”–a farewell meaning “Work hard!”  It was particularly ironic when juxtaposed with the American farewell “Take it easy!” meaning “Don’t work too hard.  Relax. Have a good time!”  Yes, Americans like to take it easy.  Koreans like to work hard.  Where is Jesus on this continuum?  Well, he stayed up all late ministering to people and then rose early the next morning for prayer.  (Mark 1: 32-35) He certainly had a good time, too, but for my personal application purposes, I’m gonna say Jesus was a hard worker.  For a few weeks, I work industriously to plan my lessons and require excellence from my students…but as an American, it’s so easy to let laziness seep in.

Americans complain a lot, too.  Complaining is just a regular conversation piece when you’re a young adult in the states.  But as a foreigner, I quickly saw the negative effects of my needless negativity on those who were desperately trying to give me a good time in their country.  Philippians 2:14 says “Do everything without complaining or arguing” so that we can become blameless and pure before God.  These are just a couple of ways that American culture fails to embody Christ’s character.

So we’re on a mission to change our minds to that which is on God’s mind.  How do we do that?  No clever blog post could have changed Saul’s mind that day on the road to Damascus.  No spiritual exercise could have made him realize that maybe killing Jesus’ followers was not a good idea.  No encounter with a super nice Christian would have helped.  It was Jesus who knocked him off his ass that day.  And it’s Jesus alone who can help us live free from the confines of our culture.  Beseech the throne and ask for help to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Ask to see the world through his eyes.

December 20th Sermon: The Incarnation of Christ

Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

J.R. Tolkein said the incarnation is “too lofty of a truth” for him to intend to work it into his book, “The Lord of the Rings.”

A look at the history and mystery of the incarnation of Christ:

History: The Incarnation as a story

Micah 5:2 says that Christ’s origin dates back to antiquity and eternity.

Setting: Place

Bethlehem Ephratha

  • Jacob’s wife died giving birth in Bethlehem to Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand.”
  • A royal city: Kings were chosen here
  • Bethlehem has a dual meaning: “House of bread” and “House of war.”  This is significant because Jesus brought life, but caused enmity between family members.

Setting: Time

  • Galatians 4:4 says God sent his son “when the time had fully come.”
  • Israelites waited for about 400 years between the last prophesy and the birth of Christ.  The incarnation of Christ teaches us to wait on the Lord in times of drought.

Characters/People

  • Micah 5:2 says “out of you” will come the Messiah.  God brought the Savior from flawed people who he loves.
  • For example, God used Mary to bear Jesus.  Mary cherished him from the time of his birth to the time of his death.

Mystery: The incarnation as a wonder

Jesus came to die.  He didn’t come for the manger.  It’s a wonder that he is both fully human and fully God.

Jesus’ Humanity

  • Some people emphasize the divine because Jesus was sinless.  They consider sin a necessary characteristic of humanity.  However, God didn’t create man to sin, but to be in his image.  So it’s wrong to say that sin is human.
  • Jesus had emotion, affection, intellect and choice–all human characteristics.
  • Emotion: In John 11:35, Jesus “wept.”  Jesus also became furious at the money changers in the temple and demonstrated his anger by turning over tables!
  • Intellect: In Luke 2:52, Jesus grew in wisdom and stature.  What patience Jesus had to learn even as a fully divine creature!
  • Choices: Jesus chose to die.  Note: Jesus didn’t cease to exist in heaven when he became a man.  In Colossians 1:17, we learn that in Christ, we move and live and have our being.  Christ had to coexist in both heaven and earth in order for humans to continue to live during His time as a human.

Jonathan Edwards called the incarnation “the infinite condescension.”  We must understand his greatness in order to understand what he gave up to become like us.

  • From 381-451 A.D., the church debated the degree to which Jesus was both God and man.  They had many theories.  Some thought he was sometimes God and other times man.  Some thought his God-side was stronger than his man-side, gradually ruling him to perfection.  One by one, they ruled out these options and agreed that Jesus was both 100% God and 100% man.

In Ezekial 36:26, we learn that Christ can remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh.  Praise him who is able to do such wondrous things throughout history and forever!  Have a merry Christmas!

    Christmas Party

    Have a holly jolly holiday with your Dongshin friends!  Come join us this Sunday at 5 p.m. in the English Service main room for a Christmas party.  Please bring a small gift (worth $5 or less) if you wish to participate in the white elephant gift exchange.  Hope to see you there!

    December 13 Sermon: God is Love

    Colossians 2: 6-7 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

    Rooted

    Application

    • Rooted in the Word
    • Growth always comes from past truths

    Action

    • Rooted in prayer
    • As we pray, we come to know God personally

    Attendance

    • Rooted in fellowship
    • Growth in relationships comes from spending time together
    • Example: Karl gave the example of his relationship with his wife.  As with one’s spouse, we begin relationships with an attitude of giving.  So why should we depart from that attitude?

    The word “rooted” conjures pictures of plants and trees in our minds.  In the Bible, the tree of life is one example of a fruit-bearing tree.

    Tree of Life

    • Genesis 2:9–The tree of life was in the garden of Eden in the beginning.
    • Revelation 22:2–The tree of life is with God in paradise, yielding fruit every month.
    • Revelation 22:13–Jesus blesses those who have access to the tree of life

    Just as trees are rooted in the ground and bear fruit, we are to be rooted in God and bearing spiritual fruit.

    • Psalm 1:1-3 The man who delights in the law of the Lord is “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.”
    • Romans 8: 38-39 Nothing can separate us from God’s love through Christ.  In other words, nothing can uproot us when we’re in Christ!

    Earthly Tree Examples

    Yucca trees

    • Yucca trees are impossible to kill, but they only grow to the capacity of their pot.
    • Sometimes God could do more with us if we were in a larger pot!

    Bamboo trees

    • Once bamboo trees are establishes, they don’t stop growing.  Bamboo trees can grow up to 90 feet in one year, but it takes about five years to see any sort of visible growth.
    • Sometimes it appears as if nothing is happening in our lives, as if there is no growth, but later we will see the growth God has been doing in our lives.

    The Story of the Three Trees

    • Moral: God sees the big picture.  He knows how to glorify himself and use our lives better than we do.  http://www.word4life.com/threetrees.html

    Isn’t it great to know we have a God who loves us too much to let us fall?  Or to let us live a fruitless life?

    Orphanage visit

    We will be going to Shin Saeng won Orphanage this Saturday 5th Dec and are meeting at 1:45 at Ansim Subway.  The place is about 5-10 minutes walk.  If you have any questions or would like to play/interact with the kids for a couple of hours, please contact Brandon on 010-2231-1785.  Also we will be having a special offering for the orphanage kids over the next 2 weeks and there will be a box at the rear of church for donations to provide for them at Christmas time.

    Advent

    This week we started looking at Advent and this will lead up to Christmas so here are some details below:

    What is advent?

    • It is the four-week period leading up to Christmas
    • It is a time of preparation for the coming of the Christ Child
    • The season is also a preparation for the Second Coming of Christ

    What is the focus of advent week?

    • Celebrate the first Advent of Christ’s birth.
    • Anticipate the Second Advent of Christ the King’s return.

    What is the meaning of advent wreath?

    • Circle shape of the wreath – God has no beginning or end.
    • Color green of the wreath – We have hope in eternal life.
    • Blue candles-Royalty of King Jesus, repent and turn from the darkness of sin.
    • Pink candle – Awake out of darkness into the celebration of life through Jesus.
    • White candle or Christ candle – Jesus is true God and true man and this is the heart of the season.

    How will we celebrate advent at Dongshin

    • Each Sunday for the next 4 weeks we will:
    • Read the Scriptures for the Christmas story.
    • Light the candles.
    • Read a prayer together.

    Luke 2: 1-6 Life Application Study Bible
    1. At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire
    2. (This was the first census taken when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
    3. All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.
    4. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He travleed there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.
    5. He took with him Mary, who was now obviously pregnant.
    6. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.

    Advent Prayer
    Emmanuel, Jesus Christ,
    desire of every nation,
    Savior of all people,
    come and dwell among us

    God bless everyone

    Thanksgiving is in the history books

    A November 22nd Thanksgiving may be unusual for some but for the people who attended the annual dinner, it was a great night with heaps of turkey, dessert, friends and frivolity! We had a special appearance by Ebenezer Scrooge’s cousin – Jebenezer Stooge who was transformed by the Thanksgiving angel from hating to loving Thanksgiving. The angel then said

    Well I wish it was just that easy to change someone’s attitude but God gave us free will to choose how we respond to situations. Sometimes we don’t like or hate what God is doing and we take it out on other people. Sometimes we just don’t care about what other people are going through and we don’t recognise the effort required to get things done. But then, there are times when we love our life, we are grateful for family, friends and the blessings from God. So how you are feeling towards God? Are you hurting and feeling bad or are you feeling indifferent that God doesn’t see your struggle or are you feeling safe and secure in God’s love that whatever happens, God is in control and wants the best for you.

    We have added some photos at the link below and also we thank God for his amazing provision and putting the right people in the right places (the workers) to make the dinner happen and be able to celebrate with one another.

    http://picasaweb.google.com/dongshinenglish/ThanksgivingDinner?feat=directlink

    Thanksgiving Dinner 22 Nov (after church)

    It’s happening again, the massive, monstrous, mega, mighty, marvellous meal of the year that your stomach can only take once.  We are planning to have the dinner after church and will need people to help with setup (decorating the room and setting out tables and chairs), cooking (you don’t need to be a master chef) and cleaning up (arrgh the dishes) afterwards.  Please invite your work colleagues and we will have a signup sheet to get an idea of numbers for catering purposes.  We hope you can join us for a wonderful time of giving thanks not only for our personal blessings but for our spiritual blessings.

    Survival Korean Lessons (Oct 17th to Dec 12th)

    DETAILS BELOW:

    INSTRUCTOR:

    Daniel, Kim is in charge of Kids English Ministry

    TARGET:
    Survival Korean Class is for all foreigners from all over the world

    TEXTBOOK:

    – Beginner’s Korean 1 (Language Plus) for Beginners
    – Beginner’s Korean 2 (Language Plus) for Intermediate Students

    FOCUS:

    1) Mastering basic vowels and consonants
    2) Reading and practicing Korean words
    3) Learning survival expressions

    WHERE?:

    New Comer’s Education. Room

    (on the first floor of Dong-Shin Church Main Sanctuary)

    TIME?:

    Saturday at 11:30-13:00

    PERIOD?:

    The second term of S. K. C. is

    from October 17th, to December 12th, 2009

    REGISTRATION FEE:

    20,000 won

    (It’s for snacks and drinks)

    TEXTBOOK:

    A textbook with tape is 15,000 won.

    Please contact Daniel below if interested and tell your friends

    DANIEL KIM 010-5467-1198 ([email protected])

    Church Retreat / Conference Fri evening 9th- Sat afternoon 10th Oct

    Dongshin Church’s English Ministry is hosting it’s first retreat!!!!! Here’s some information:

    Who: Anyone who wants to learn more about God’s purpose for us. Feel free to invite others!

    Guest Speaker: Pastor Young Ho

    Where: Mu-hak Chapel 경산시 와촌면 강학 리 26-3 www.mhs.or.kr

    What are we going to be doing?:

    Friday night: ice breakers, worship, fellowship, campfire

    – Saturday: worship, workshops, small group discussions, games, prayer time

    There will be 4 workshops focusing on the following;

    Discipleship (in Korean)

    Waiting on God

    Community Service

    Relationships

    This is a great chance to leave the bustle of city life and be alone with God and His community of believers. Please invite your friends so they can share in this experience. Food, God, and a campfire! What more could you ask for?!!?

    Registration is 25,000 for food, accommodation & conference materials (you can pay at the location)

    Please sign up at church

    Transport from Dongshin will be around 7.30pm Friday, 9.30pm Fri & Sat 8am so if you require a ride, please arrive a few minutes early.  If you have a car or need a ride please advise Pete at [email protected]

    Map if you are driving

    muhak chapel

    Conference map

    16th Church Picnic

    The picnic was held at Bong Mu Park near Palgongsan and was fantastic!  We had hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill (Andy was top chef), great salads, chocolate brownie just to name a few.  There were 65 people in attendance and we had  a lucky number draw – 30 people took home prizes! After that, we had some Bible trivia and the scholars were out there choosing true or false to the statements such as the oldest person in the bible was 969 years old – yes it’s true.

    Later some of the lads played soccer and there was a lot of fun and laughter.  God gave us great weather, perfect location and awesome fellowship.

    If you have any ancedotes to pass on or photos, please forward them to my email address [email protected]

    Once again, another legendary Dongshin Event, don’t miss out on the next one!

    Aug 9 Sermon – Special Testimonials

    This particular Sunday was special as 5 people chose to share what God was doing in their life and how they were dealing with life’s issues.

    If you have any questions or comments then you can talk to these guys at church

    Rob – Renewing the mind

    Scripture Romans 12:2

    Narina – Spiritual gifts

    Scripture Romans 12:4-8

    Daniel

    Needing God

    Scripture Psalms 2:7,8,9

    David

    Suffering

    Scripture Mark 8:34-35

    Elise

    Desire – Spiritual vs Flesh

    Scripture Rom 7:18-25

    Well done to these guys sharing their personal thoughts and trials.

    Aug 2 Sermon James 3:9-12

    Summary (apologies for the delay)

    James points out to us the glaring inconsistencies between what we say we believe and what we say, and even what we believe. All of this is revealed by a tiny little thing called the tongue

    1. The tongue reveals deep seated inconsistencies in the lives of every person.
    2. The inconsistencies revealed by the tongue go to the very source of the problem
    3. The inconsistencies revealed by the tongue must be reconciled

    1. The inconsistency revealed by our tongues is quite bluntly and evidently put to us by James in Verse 9. He says you’re praising God one minute, and cursing people you know the next.

    2. vs. 11 and 12 together as we seek the root, orsource of the problem James puts to us today.

    “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

    3. James even asks the question for us.

    He says, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. How can there be reconciliation between a man and his wife, a child and his parents, a person and their God?

    A fig tree cannot produce olives. How might we make it produce olives?

    What if we were to rename it? We could take a sign and hang it on the branches or even nail it to the trunk. We could brand it into the bark. It would read, “OLIVE TREE”. Would that make the fig tree produce olives?

    We see people try to do this. They try to call something or some group Christian when it’s not true at all. Americans answer in polls that they are 81 % Christian. This doesn’t make the claim any more true about their lives.

    The tongue speaks from the heart. It reveals a grave inconsistency in our lives that must be mended spiritually, or we will die in our sin. God looks on the heart. He sees your heart. He knows your thoughts. How will you respond to his gracious invitation to be forgiven for how you speak to and of your brothers and sisters in Christ and indeed all of his creatures? There is life changing grace to be found in Christ today.

    Sunday 26th Small group questions

    This is the abridged version, there will be a copy available on the day.

    Week 24: LOVE                                     For Sunday July 26, 2009

    John 13:34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

    A. How well do we / you follow this command?

    B. Is it easy to honor others above yourself?

    Romans 12: 9-10 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

    A. How can love be sincere?

    B. How are the apologetics of hating evil? How can you love a sinner and hate the sin, when they are so intertwined?

    C. Is it easy to honor others above yourself? Why / why not?

    Ephesians 4:2-3 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

    A. How important is this verse? Why?

    B. What happens when every effort is made, and the “bond of peace” is still strained?

    1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

    A. How can love be life?

    B. Are you alive? Always?

    1 John 3:17-18 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of GOD be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

    A. What is the correlation between love and pity?

    B. How do you love with your actions? How do you love with your words?

    C. Compare this verse to the themes in the Epistle of James. The tongue may be powerful, but how should we use it?

    Colossians 3:12-14 Therefore, as GOD’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the LORD forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

    A. Why is love the best of these? Why not joy or thanksgiving or another?

    Luke 10:27 He answered, “Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

    A. Heart: feelings, emotion, core being, lifeblood.

    B. Soul: eternal self, breath, passion

    C. Mind: control center, logic, brain, thinking, focus

    D. Strength: body, character, attributes, skills

    B. How can we put love first? How can we achieve this unity?

    Week 24: LOVE For Sunday July 26, 2009

    Memory verse = Romans 12:9-10

    Text Box: Memory verse = Romans 12:9-10

    John 13:34 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

    A. How well do we / you follow this command?

    B. Is it easy to honor others above yourself?

    What kinds of LOVE exist? Make a list.

    Text Box: What kinds of LOVE exist? Make a list.Romans 12: 9-10 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

    A. How can love be sincere?

    B. How are the apologetics of hating evil? How can you love a sinner and hate the sin, when they are so intertwined?

    C. Is it easy to honor others above yourself? Why / why not?

    Ephesians 4:2-3 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

    A. How important is this verse? Why?

    B. What happens when every effort is made, and the “bond of peace” is still strained?

    Vocabulary words: command, sincere, cling, devoted, apologetics, correlation, virtue

    Text Box: Vocabulary words: command, sincere, cling, devoted, apologetics, correlation, virtue

    1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

    A. How can love be life?

    B. Are you alive? Always?

    1 John 3:17-18 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of GOD be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

    A. What is the correlation between love and pity?

    B. How do you love with your actions? How do you love with your words?

    C. Compare this verse to the themes in the Epistle of James. The tongue may be powerful, but how should we use it?

    Colossians 3:12-14 Therefore, as GOD’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the LORD forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

    A. Why is love the best of these? Why not joy or thanksgiving or another?

    Luke 10:27 He answered, “Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

    A. Heart: feelings, emotion, core being, lifeblood.

    B. Soul: eternal self, breath, passion

    C. Mind: control center, logic, brain, thinking, focus

    D. Strength: body, character, attributes, skills

    B. How can we put love first? How can we achieve this unity?

    16th August Church Picnic

    We are going to have a monster picnic on this day, everyone is encouraged and expected to attend.  We will be arranging food at the Leader’s meeting on July 26th.  The location is still to be arranged but we will inform everyone soon (park or mountain).  More details will be advised at church.

    Testimonial Service 9th August

    This is a special service to give the opportunity for some of the congregation to share part of their life and how God is working through them while in Korea or from past experiences.  If you would like to participate, we require 5-7 people to share for approximately 5 mins.  All that we require is that you prepare something before the day and also include a scripture reference.  Please inform Karl at church if you are interested or require further information / guidance.

    Remember God made you unique and everyone has a story to tell.

    8th August Small group leaders' meeting

    We will be meeting at Karl and Narina’s apartment for this month’s meeting.  It will be from 7:30 onwards and please have dinner before you come.  Their apartment is

    Sa-dong, 670-1 Beon Ji, Geulinmaleul (그린말을), Boo Young (부영) 503동(building) 403호 (room).

    Gyeongsan Bus 100 or 399 from Sawol Subway stop will stop outside the complex.

    Any directions or queries, please contact Karl 010-62064470

    Sunday 12 noon Services

    Join us for a multi-cultural and vibrant Christian experience in English! See the Direction page for the step-by-step “how-to” on reaching us Sundays at 12 noon.