Religion

His Face Is Shining

His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. Something wonderful was happening with their Lord, and all Peter could say was: “Let us camp out here.” This was the day when Jesus was transfigured before the disciples’ eyes. Prophets appeared before them. A bright cloud covered them and a voice from heaven said: “Listen to Jesus.” Something precious was unfolding. God reached out from His divine abode to reveal a beautiful encounter, and all Peter could do was talk about building some tents there in the mountain.

Tomorrow is Transfiguration Sunday. Please read our Lectionary Gospel Reading from Matthew 17:1-9. In our present day, we have similar experiences, akin to the mountain-top encounter of this Transfiguration. Most of us are quick to go and tell the world of our spiritual encounter. We start opening our mouths like Peter. Just like the disciples, our sharing is more of a response out of fear, distress, and confusion. Look again how Peter and the rest of the group responded in verses 6, 19, and 23. Henri Nouwen suggested that when we have a spiritual encounter, we need to nurture it in silence. Remembering God’s visit guards the fire from within. It is only from this sanctified quietness that words will start forming and a time for sharing will be revealed.

Nouwen states: “But let us at least raise the question of whether our lavish ways of sharing are not more compulsive than virtuous; that instead of creating community they tend to flatten out our life together. Often we come home from a sharing session with a feeling that something precious has been taken away from us or that holy ground has been trodden upon…. What needs to be guarded is the life of the Spirit within us.” Nouwen continues: “Our first and foremost task is faithfully to care for the inward fire so that when it is really needed it can offer warmth and light to lost travelers” (1981:53-55).

(Henri Nouwen. 1981. The Way of the Heart: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. NY: Harper Collins Publisher)


Resurrection Sunday's Reflection

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). — (John 20:15-16)

      How do we practice being alone with God? How do we start? Actually, these questions are not the right questions. They are important, but not the correct ones to begin practicing the discipline of solitude. Rather, the question should be: Where do we start? This question is not about a location or a physical place, but rather, the condition of a person’s heart and an inner self that one brings to his or her meeting place with God. We are not saying human conditions dictate the nature of our meeting with God. On the contrary, every outcome of this meeting is borne out of the grace of God. We respond to God because he first reaches out to us. Jesus longs to reveal himself to us. He loves to talk to us and share his resurrected life with every Christian. Thus, we respond by practicing the discipline of solitude.

       So, when we ask the question, Where do we start?, we really are opening our hearts to God. We simply are responding in faith and love to our resurrected Lord. Just like with Mary Magdalene, there are conditions for the practice of solitude and these conditions will prepare us to meet God and to hear his intimate voice calling out our name.  What then, are the conditions for this discipline? I am suggesting the conditions of surrender and silence.

       One is surrender. The condition of surrender is a person’s total abandon to God’s guidance and leading. One of the ways surrender shows up is in the area of our thought life. This is a moment when we can think of nothing else except being in the presence of God. Mary and the other disciples were certainly caught up in the aftermath of the death of Jesus. All they could think of is when they can see the body of Jesus. All their thoughts were for their friend, their Teacher, their Lord Jesus. It is in this state of abandon that Jesus reveals himself to them.

      Two is silence. The condition of silence is a person’s acceptance of the ways of God. There is quietness and stillness, maybe, not all the time. Sometimes, there is an exchange of words or gesture. Here, the stance of the person is an attitude of trust. The main thing is that the person is not distracted by one’s emotions or any outside circumstances. Silence gives focus to the person’s solitude. Mary’s silence brought her to a conversation with the two angels, and finally to the “gardener,” who turns out to be Jesus. Her heart was silent before God. When Jesus called her name, her solitude allowed her to listen in and from the depths of her inner soul.  It is here when Jesus reveals his resurrected self to Mary.

      Mary Magdalene’s silence and her surrender bring her to a time and place of solitude. In turn, this solitude opens her heart to hear Jesus’ call and receive the gift of the presence of God. In our present time, Jesus is searching for people who have silence and surrender in their walk with God. Jesus desires from us to enter into solitude, to be alone with him. When you are in prayer, meditating in God’s word, or spending time in fellowship with your brothers and sisters, take time to be alone with Jesus. He loves you so much. He wants to reveal Himself to you. Find a place to be in solitude with Jesus. 

Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday, 2021 !!!


Being Alone With God : An Easter Message

(This is a sermon I shared at a church on Easter Day, 2020.)

      Good morning everyone. Christ is risen! And your response is: “He is risen indeed.” Let us do that one more time. I say, Christ is risen. And your response is . . . . Today is Resurrection Sunday. We will talk about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and talk about the depth of our “knowing” him. How much do you know Jesus?

      Let me start with a question. Pick a family member, a good friend, or a love one whom you know very well. Here is the question: Would you recognize your love one if he or she comes to you in an “alien” form? You know, an E.T. (extra-terrestrial) form. Now, if your answer is no, why do you think you would not recognize them? If your answer is yes, tell us what things the ET form would do to help you recognize them? Maybe, a facial expression? Or, some words that are known to only you and your love one? This activity really brings us back to the question: How much do you know a person?

      Right now, turn to your seat mates or the person next to you and say: “I know you.” If you truly know this person, then these words will sound natural. But, if you don’t, then you have a problem. You need to know that person better.

      At this point, let us look at the resurrection story and see how Jesus and the disciples know each other deeply. Let us open our Bibles to John 20:11-18. As you read, ask yourself the question: How much do they know each other? Let us read now.

(John 20:11-18) But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ’I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. (John 20:11-18 ESV)

      Let us pray and ask God to help us understand his words for us today. “Dear God, send your Holy Spirit to help us receive your words for us today, on this Resurrection Sunday. In the name of Jesus, amen.”

      In this resurrection story, John narrates to us the first encounter of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. She is the first person to whom Jesus revealed himself after he rose from the dead. As we continue studying this story, let us ask ourselves the question: How much do the disciples know Jesus? To answer this question, let me suggest three levels of “knowing” Jesus. First is the level of acceptance. Second is the level of admiration. Third is the level of intimacy and recognition, or what I will be calling a heart-to-heart knowledge of a person. Let us now go to the story.

      First level is when the disciples saw the empty tomb and they believed. If we look at verses 8-9, we see that Peter and John believe, but they still did not “understand the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.” (See, John 20:8-9.) This is the level of acceptance. They saw and believed. They did not fully understand what is going on, but their hearts tell them it is okay to accept this new reality. The body is not there. Something is happening, something that they cannot yet fully understand. But, they know Jesus—know him enough to believe this new event of the empty tomb is God’s work. And so, they respond with acceptance.

      Second level is when Mary stayed in the garden and asked the “gardener” where to find the body of Jesus. Mary goes beyond the first level. She continues and comes to the second level, the level of admiration. This is the point in time when she is talking to the angels. She believes and partially understands. In another narration, in Luke 24:8, Mary is described as remembering Jesus’ words. She sees the empty tomb. She believes. She remembers. She knows in her partial understanding that Jesus was going to be resurrected. She just does not know the timeline, not yet. In still another narration, Mary is described as seeking Jesus. We find in Matthew 28:5 that one of the angels said: “I know that you seek Jesus.” Mary does not stop in this experience of belief and remembrance of Jesus’ words. She keeps seeking and asking the gardener for more information. She continues by searching for the body in hope that, maybe, she could be there when Jesus rises from being dead. She knows there is a better possibility. And so, she responds with admiration.

      The third level is when Mary recognizes the person whom she is talking with. He is not really the gardener, but Jesus himself. Perhaps, she felt her heart move when he called her name. Maybe, it was something in his facial expression or the tone of his voice. Whatever happened at the moment when he called her name, the story is clear that she recognizes Jesus. There is a level of intimacy, a heart-to-heart connection. Mary responds in recognition and worship.

      At this point, Mary is ready to connect with Jesus. Henri Nouwen, in his book Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life (1974), describes the readiness of a person in entering into fellowship with other people. “Those who can sit in silence with their [fellow] not knowing what to say but knowing that they should be there, can bring new life in a dying heart. Those who are not afraid to hold a hand of gratitude, to shed tears in grief, and to let a sigh of distress arise straight from the heart, can break through paralyzing boundaries and witness the birth of a new fellowship, the fellowship of the broken” (1974:40-41). This is a good description of Mary’s heart. What about you? Are you ready to connect “heart-to-heart” with others? At this time, please turn to your seat mates or the person next to you and say: “I am ready to know you.” Also, in the same breath, say to yourself, say it from the depths of your heart: “I am ready to know Jesus deeper.”

      Jesus wanted to reveal his resurrected self to all the disciples. He wanted to call each one of them by their names. However, all of them, except for Mary (and maybe a few of the women disciples), were still on the first and second levels. They are accepting and believing without understanding. They are admiring without intimate knowledge of the risen Lord. They are remembering and are seeking. And even if Jesus would appear to them, they still would not be able to recognize Jesus. Mary was ready to recognize Jesus and receive him as the resurrected Lord.

      We need to go back to our original question: How much do we know Jesus? We need to ask this question to ourselves in this present generation. Attendant to this question are the following questions for reflection. Do you know Jesus in an intimate way, just like Mary Magdalene? Are you ready to receive our resurrected Lord and Savior? Would you recognize him if he comes today in your life and in this generation? What are the ways or means of grace that would help us become ready to receive Jesus in an intimate way? This last question is what I want to spend time on at the continuation of this sharing time. We can have a better heart-to-heart level of knowing Jesus.

      Let me suggest the discipline of solitude as a means of grace or a way of preparing our hearts to connect with Jesus in an intimate manner. What is solitude? Simply said, solitude is being alone with God. Jesus himself demonstrated this in his life. During his time of earthly ministry and the busyness of the life of a Rabbi, he found time to be alone with God. At several occasions, he forsook ministry and people so that he can spend moments of solitude and a time of prayer with God the Father. So, it is not surprising that Jesus had a heart-to-heart connection with Mary Magdalene at that moment when she was alone and seeking solitude. They both had a shared experience—a heart in solitude with God.

      We need to practice the discipline of solitude so that we can connect with God in an intimate way. On this Resurrection Sunday, let us start the practice of this spiritual discipline. This is most appropriate, especially in this time of global crisis, when the Covid19 pandemic is forcing many of us to isolation and seclusion. We can continue to pray for God’s healing and comfort for many who are affected by this virus. We can pray for protection for our health care workers and other volunteers who are keeping our communities going. Moreover, we can also pray for a vaccine to be soon produced and distributed to everyone. After saying all of these prayers, then we can continue in this practice of being alone with God. Set your heart and focus on God alone.

      How do we practice being alone with God? How do we start? Actually, these questions are not the right questions. They are important, but not the correct ones to begin practicing the discipline of solitude. Rather, the question should be: Where do we start? This question is not about a location or a physical place, but rather, the condition of a person’s heart and an inner self that one brings to his or her meeting place with God. We are not saying human conditions dictate the nature of our meeting with God. On the contrary, every outcome of this meeting is borne out of the grace of God. We respond to God because he first reaches out to us. Jesus longs to reveal himself to us. He loves to talk with us and share his resurrected life with every Christian. Thus, we respond by practicing the discipline of solitude.

      So, when we ask the question, Where do we start?, we really are opening our hearts to God. We simply are responding in faith and love to our resurrected Lord. Just like with Mary Magdalene, there are conditions for the practice of solitude and these conditions will prepare us to meet God and to hear his intimate voice calling our name.  What then, are the conditions for this discipline? I am suggesting the conditions of surrender and silence.

      One. The condition of surrender is a person’s total abandon to God’s guidance and leading. One of the ways surrender shows up is in the area of our thought life. This is a moment when we can think of nothing else except being in the presence of God. Mary and the other disciples were certainly caught up in the aftermath of the death of Jesus. All they could think of is when they can see the body of Jesus. All their thoughts were for their friend, their Teacher, their Lord Jesus. It is in this state of abandon that Jesus reveals himself to them.

      Two. The condition of silence is a person’s acceptance of the ways of God. There is quietness and stillness, maybe, not all the time. Sometimes, there is an exchange of words or gesture. Here, the stance of the person is an attitude of trust. The main thing is that the person is not distracted by one’s emotions or any outside circumstances. Silence gives focus to the person’s solitude. Mary’s silence brought her to a conversation with the two angels, and finally to the “gardener,” who turns out to be Jesus. Her heart was silent before God. When Jesus called her name, her solitude allowed her to listen in and from the depths of her inner soul.  It is here when Jesus reveals his resurrected self to Mary.

      Henri Nouwen asks this question: “Is God present or is he absent?” In the midst of one’s sadness and search for meaning one can find God’s presence. “And that in the middle of our longings we discover the footprints of the one who has created them.” (See, Out Of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life. 1974:61). Mary Magdalene’s silence and surrender bring her to a time and place of solitude. In turn, this solitude opens her heart to hear Jesus’ call and receive the gift of the presence of God. Now, turn to your seat mates or the person next to you and say: “Jesus is calling you.”

      In our present time, Jesus is searching for people who have silence and surrender in their walk with God. Jesus desires from us to enter into solitude, to be alone with him. When you are in prayer, meditating in God’s word, or spending time in fellowship with your brothers and sisters, take time to be alone with Jesus. He loves you so much. Find a place to be in solitude. Ask yourself these questions: Am I silent before God? Am I ready to hear him call my name? Am I in total surrender to God’s control? Do I have the desire to enter into a deeper level of intimacy with Jesus? Jesus wants to have a heart-to-heart connection with you. Our Lord is inviting you to enter into solitude with him. Ask yourself: “Will I accept Jesus’ invitation to know him deeply?”

      On this Resurrection Sunday, my prayer is that everyone will have a deeper heart-to-heart knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To conclude this sharing time, let me tell you the true story of an experiment regarding a mother’s voice and how it could help little children in times of emergencies.

      (The following is an excerpt of a news article from the New York Times.) Researchers recruited 176 five- to twelve-year-olds to test smoke alarms. They taught the children a simulated escape procedure: Get out of bed at the alarm, walk to the door , and leave the room. They monitored the children (connected to a machine) with EEG electrodes until they entered a deep stage of sleep. Then they set off either a standard tone alarm or one of three versions of the mother’s recorded voice shouting instructions and the child’s name. The study found that the standard tone (smoke) alarm woke the children about 50 percent of the time, and it took them an average of nearly five minutes to get out of the room.

      With the mother’s voice—shouting names, instructions, or both—almost 90 percent of the children awoke and were out of the room in an average of under 30 seconds.  A mother’s recorded voice will wake a child and get him out the room much faster than a standard smoke alarm. (See, New York Times. Oct. 28, 2018). The value of this story is that a mother’s voice represents to a child a person whom the child has a deep and heart-to-heart connection. The child can truly say to his or her mother: “I know you.” They are connected.

      Jesus wants to have a heart-to-heart connection with you. Our Lord is inviting you to enter into solitude with him. Come and accept Jesus’ invitation to draw close to him in an intimate way. Be alone with God.

(This sermon was shared to members of the Higher Ground International Fellowship, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, last April 12, 2020.)


Storming The Gates

"I come inside through the big wooden doors. These are elaborately decorated with religious symbols of dragons, monsters, and fiery animals real only to an Asian religious practitioner. I see many people with their prayer sticks. I smell the incense engulfing the whole prayer room. I come inside this beautiful temple and soak in the presence of spirituality that I cannot comprehend. To my right, a person whom I presume is an expert--not only because of his dashing robe and regal hat, but mainly because of his confident way of explaining things--is showing some visitors the way to use the prayer gong in their time of worship. Everyone is lost in their utterance, petitions for a need that I will never understand. I say a prayer to the Almighty God and Savior of all people to hear the prayers of these people."

One afternoon, I was in the streets of Kowloon and came into a Chinese temple. I went inside through the doors that were open to both tourists and worshippers. I went in, in a manner of speaking, "storming the gates of heaven" for the people who are seeking true spirituality and needing the answers to their supplications from the Creator of the universe. I went in and prayed with the Chinese people in that prayer room. I was engulfed in the smell of the incense. I was lost in the rhythmic sound of the prayer gong. I was shoulder to shoulder with them. However, I will never know the intent of their hearts. Nor will I ever come close to comprehending their religiosity. All I could do is say a simple prayer on their behalf, or as some of my friends would say: storm the gates of heaven. In that Kowloon temple, I asked God to listen to us. I probably would never witness the answers to these prayers. One thing I knew then that is still true now: God is moving in every place of worship and all the prayer rooms in the world, and He is drawing every Asian to Himself. 


Easter Greetings From Up in a Mountain

The angels said, "Why do you stand here looking into the sky?" (Acts 1:11) Here in this biblical account, the angels are simply reminding the disciples that Jesus is coming back again. They left the Mount of Olives and went to the Upper Room to pray. It is at this point that the Holy Spirit came in mighty power, giving the gift of tongues to the disciples that resulted in many people coming to God in salvation and repentance. But first things first--they had to leave the mountain where Jesus was taken up into heaven right before their very eyes.

This week is holy week. Back in the Philippines during this whole week, time comes to a stand still. Holy Week traditions abound in this country, some not so good but a few brings the Filipino Christians to remember Jesus' sacrifice in the cross and His glorious resurrection. This week here in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, here in the seminary, nothing much is happening. We have a little worship service tomorrow, full of Easter liturgy commemorating Christ' death and rising from the dead. I am playing the guitar in one of the songs. Very simple. It is not really a big holiday. Unlike the Philippines and the USA with its Easter bunnies, egg hunts, and, in some large churches, a grandiose choral presentation--the Easter Cantata.

Today, we are going to start a Worship Band here in the seminary. Not a grandiose musical production, just a little band of 6-8 students deciding to get together to play music and sing songs. I have no high expectations. We will see what we can do. We do not have any music genius among us. We only have Christians who have a heart for worship and a desire to assist local churches in their music ministries.

This coming Monday, I am going with a bunch of students to climb Ali Shan, or Mount Ali, here in central Taiwan. Next week is the seminary's Spring Break vacation. The mountain is about 2663 meters above sea level. I doubt if we ever will go up that high. At least we will be in out of the city and into nature for two whole days. There are three students who are coming with me. I want to make it clear to them that this is my personal retreat, a time to focus on God and in prayer. I think they will understand. Maybe, up there in Ali Shan, I will hear God's voice in a fresh way. I pray that His Spirit will visit me in His mighty power . . . I can only wait on Him. He will do whatever He wants to do with me. One thing I know is that I will see God in Ali Shan, "right before my very eyes" (Acts 1:9).


Harvest in Taiwan

Today I learned a new Chinese word, Gan Hsiang (感想), meaning, reflection.  And this is how I will start my blog—a reflection on the past two months.  The highlight of January to February 2009 is the visit of a group of friends from Illinois (USA).  Below are my thoughts on their 2009 Short-Term Missions in Taiwan.  I am writing this reflection primarily with the Taiwanese leaders in mind.  My prayer is that, as a result of mission trips like this one, more Taiwanese Free Methodists will venture into cross-cultural work in Christian missions.

“Harvest in Taiwan: A Reflection.”

“Many of us have learned so many things from the Harvest team members—not only about the skills of leading worship, but also about their great attitudes in serving God.” Linda Huang, a member of JioChuTang FM Church, gave this observation. In the thirteen days that the Harvest team was in Kaohsiung, many Free Methodists witnessed God moving among these team members and with the people they were serving. This period of two weeks was filled with lots of music, times of recommitment to God, and an overflow of learning new ways to serve one’s local church. God was moving in a special way during these few days with the Harvest team.

There were six members who came to Taiwan last January 20 to February 3, 2009. Tim Price, the leader of Harvest, came with his brother Jackson Price. Theo Harden and his good friend, Willie Jones, were also here. They were joined by the husband and wife team of Justin and Abbie Aymer. They all came from five different local churches located in Illinois, USA. Currently, they are involved with Harvest Ministry Teams. Harvest has been in existence since 1996 with a mission to “equip young adults for ministry while providing a resource for the local church.” Every year, they go to different churches, conferences and seminars to lead in workshops and other training modules. They focus on the Praise and Worship ministry of a local church.

I first heard of Harvest when I was studying at Asbury Seminary (KY, USA). Tim Price was a student then at Asbury. In 1996, Tim graduated from seminary and later founded Harvest Ministry Team. Meanwhile, I came to Taiwan in 2005 to serve the Taiwan Free Methodist Church. Here, I saw God moving among the Free Methodist youth. I also witnessed many church leaders trying out new ways of worshipping God through the use of “Praise and Worship” music. It was then that I thought to myself: “Wouldn’t it be great if the youth and leaders of Free Methodist Church of Taiwan get connected with Tim Price and the Harvest Ministry Team.” So, after a year of many emails and phone calls, Harvest team came to Kaohsiung, Taiwan this year.

When Harvest was here, they went to the following churches and schools: FengShan FM Church, JuiGuang FM Church, JioChuTang FM Church, SanHe FM Church, as well as LongShan Elementary School at ChiKu (Tainan) and Morrison Christian Academy at TaiChung. They also spent time with Filipino churches, including Nantze Higher Ground Community Church and Tree of Life Church. In summary, there were over 32 local churches represented at all the Harvest training and workshops. One group in particular came all the way from Taipei, a six-hour travel by church van. During the Harvest training and seminars, Harvest members talked about “The Four Core Values of a Worship Team,” “The Heart of Worship,” and “A Vision and Mission for Worship Teams.” In addition, there were different workshops including topics on Guitars, Drums and Bass, Keyboards, Vocals, Songwriting, and Drama. All these topics were designed to help Christian leaders better their worship ministry in the local church.

“It’s a day of pure energy. I myself don’t want to stop singing every time the band starts to lead us in worshipping God. I am really encouraged to pray more for others.” Angela Gammad, a Filipina from one of the Filipino churches, gives this observation. Angela’s view is just an example of how people are so engaged during the ministry of the Harvest mission team. Whether Harvest members are teaching or singing, one can feel the Spirit of God moving. Everyone participates in every session.

Sophia Chang, from FengShan FM Church and one of the translators for the Harvest team, gives us a good summary of the short missions work of Harvest team here in Taiwan. “It looks like a variety of cross cultural ministries,” she writes. “What a great connection between so many churches.” It is this Christian connection we want to encourage among our local churches. It is my prayer that the Free Methodist Church of Taiwan will lead in this work of connecting different ministries together and joining various groups in one vision and purpose—the vision of worshipping our Living God. Maybe we can start with our local church music and worship ministry. Perhaps we can continue what Harvest Ministry Team already started. Sophia continues, “I am so glad to have the chance to learn more about missions work to different places and different peoples.” Indeed, God is working in Taiwan.  **  **