Title: Energy of Eternal Life
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<Fifth Sunday of Pentecost, July 6, 2003>
Training Sermon / [Video]
spirit of eternal life
Psalm 19: 1-6
Ephesians 1:15-23
Among the methods for people with poor health to recover their health and cure diseases, there is a method called qi treatment (治療). It is to gather 'ki' to strengthen the mind and body. It is said that by collecting qi through danjeon breathing and supplying qi to each part of the body, it makes the body healthy. So, people are interested in Ki, and it is said that the West is also studying the philosophy of Ki in the East. Looking back, we can see that there are quite a lot of terms related to 'ki' among the words we commonly use. The air we breathe, the earth, the energy of the earth we live in, and the weather that speaks of the air, electricity, vitality, atmosphere, living, and yin. Qi), Yang Qi, Moisture, Warm Qi, Cold Qi, Chill Qi, Fragrance, etc. It is impossible to list, I’m choked up, I’m alive, I’m alive There are many words about qi, such as cold, qi is dead, qi is strong, qi is weak, qi etc., full of energy, no qi, out of qi, and they are used without any objection.
So what the heck is a 'gi'? Looking at the dictionary definition, it is said that "the source and essence of matter as a basic element constituting all things or the universe". In Chinese philosophy, all phenomena of existence arise and disappear according to the gathering and dispersal of qi, and thus are also viewed as the source of life and life. It is said to be a fundamental force that moves everything in the universe, like the wind, without being grasped by the hand, invisible, and without weight. It is difficult to prove scientifically, but it is said that the existence of cosmic power that is real is expressed as 'Qi'.
I don't know anything about Ki philosophy because I've never studied it. However, looking at simple materials, it is said that Seo Gyeong-deok, a Confucian scholar of the Joseon Dynasty who appeared in the 15th century, took Ki as the center of his philosophy. Seo Gyeong-deok reasoned that the universe before the creation of the Earth and the Sun, Moon, and Seongsin seemed to be empty, but it was not empty, but a world full of energy. He defined this intangible, void-like world as the Great Heo (太虛) or the Presence of Heaven (先天). The world has no beginning and no end in time, and it is an infinite world whose vastness is unfathomable in space. Seo Kyeong-deok saw that 一 was differentiated at some point, divided into yin and yang, and yin and yang, and after that, natural things such as heaven, earth, sun, moon, water, and fire are all created by the action of qi. The world of all things formed by the union of
This is reminiscent of the words in Genesis chapter 1 verse 2.
The earth was chaotic and empty, darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the waters.
Here, the Hebrew word translated as the Spirit of God is 'ruach', which can be translated as 'wind', 'breath', 'spirit', etc. This is a word that can be translated as 'ki' in Ki philosophy. The Spirit of God moving over the waters created all things in six days and finally created man. In Genesis 2, it is said that God formed a man out of clay and breathed life into his nostrils. However, the Old Testament tells us that this Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit. In the end, we can see that the Holy Spirit created the heavens and the earth and breathed life into the created world. In this way, when the Spirit of God blows into this world like the wind, the world becomes full of life and creative work takes place.
In some ways, Ki philosophy can be said to have approached a fairly biblical worldview. However, the fundamental difference between Ki philosophy and Christianity is that Christianity presupposes the fact that there is a personal God at all sources. It is said that there was a qi in the beginning, but the qi is not endowed with a personality. It is said that all things are created by saying that the qi gathers and disperses, but we do not know where the power comes from. Ki philosophy only partially explains the phenomenon of God's creation, and because it does not know or acknowledge the God who is the source of Qi, it ends up staying in a philosophy.
Heaven reveals the glory of God
In today's text, Psalm 19, it is said, "The heavens reveal the glory of God, and the sky reveals his craftsmanship." From the beginning, the Bible declares that all things are a world created by God. When the ancients felt the mystery of the infinite sky, the believers of Israel saw that heaven as a manifestation of the glory of the very God who made it. In ancient times, when people knelt before the blazing sun, the biblical poet sings that God tents the sun in the sky, and the sun rejoices like a bridegroom from the bridal chamber, and rejoices like a warrior who runs his way. In other words, instead of worshiping the sun as a god to be feared, the collection was viewed as a being, like a groom coming out of a bridal room. Israelite believers worshiped and glorified God instead of fearing the sky or the sun, because they believed that all the energy of life in the sky and the heat of the sun came from God.
In the Bible, this Spirit of God appeared in the form of the Word or Law, drawing man to God and enlightening his soul.
Your precepts are perfect, they give life to men; Your testimonies are true, and they enlighten the fool. The precepts of the Lord are upright and rejoice in the heart, and the commandments of the Lord are pure and enlighten the eyes.
In the Bible, God's Word is not just a record or a vibration of the air, but is accompanied by creative power. It is said that God created the heavens and the earth with words. Therefore, we can see that the Word is a wonderful force that creates life. That is why the psalmist said that the word invigorates us, brings joy to the heart, and even enlightens our eyes.
But when man sinned and fell, he was forced to separate himself from God, and this choked the breath of God. It meant death to man. The Law, which is God's word of life, was placed in Israel's hands, but the ability to understand and understand the word was lost, and the Holy Spirit was not with it. God's Word of Life is not only the driving force that sustains our life and leads us to grow inwardly while we live on this earth, but it has also been a great force that leads us to go one step further and finally to eternal life. But as we sinned, we lost all the power of life. As a result, human beings fell into weak beings, and they had no choice but to despair in the face of death. There was eternal life beyond death, but since the Holy Spirit who leads us to it has departed, eternal life has become the bread of the picture.
The fall of man not only killed man, but made the whole of God's creation sick. Because the world created by God is an organism, and human beings have sinned and fallen and have been horrified. The energy of life should be circulated throughout the whole of creation, which is an organism, but the path was blocked by human sin, and the cycle of life was interrupted. Ultimately, the fall of man brought the death of all things. That is why “the creation is eagerly waiting for the children of God to appear” (Romans 8:19), and “all creation has been groaning together and suffering childbirth together” (8:22). In other words, when humans restore their life again, all creation will come to life together, so they are eagerly waiting for the day of redemption.
A powerful force that completes the history of life
God heard the groans of creation and sent his Son to this earth. The Word came to this earth in the flesh. The name of the Son as the 'Word' is to show that life is in him.
All things came into being through the Word, and nothing came into being without this Word. All that was created came to life from him, John 1:3-4a
The fact that the Word that fulfilled the creation came to this earth in the flesh means that the sin that blocked the heavens and the earth was destroyed and the wind of life from heaven was blown onto this earth. Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, proclaimed the resurrection and the life. It means that both humans and creation, who were driven to death because of sin, will be brought back to life and the normal work of life will be established. The coming of Jesus Christ and his cross and resurrection resurrect all human beings and creatures who were driven to death, and lead them to eternal life. .
In today's text, Ephesians 1:19, we pray, "I want you to know how great is the power of God to act with great force in us who believe." It is a prayer for us to know that the work of resurrection that God accomplishes through his Son is a great work accomplished by pouring out tremendous power. Eventually, the wind of eternal life was blown into this earth through Christ. Therefore, all human beings and creatures that were dying were resurrected and given new life, and it was possible to go one step further and reach eternal life. And as all the creatures who have obtained eternal life in this way participate in the fellowship with the Triune God, it has become possible to form a beautiful community of life. This is the kingdom of God. In this kingdom of God, God's creation is complete.
The church is the body of Christ, in which the plan of the One who completes all things is fully accomplished. Ephesians 1:23 (Joint Translation)
The spirit of eternal life, which is now blowing upon us in Christ, is a wonderful force that takes away death and makes us grow into eternal life. Gathering qi through danjeon breathing may make our body healthy, but when we receive the filling of the Holy Spirit through prayer, the energy of eternal life that the Holy Spirit pours on us does not stop at making our life on this earth healthy, but our life. It is a marvelous power that reaches out within us to be perfected with this eternal life.
Beloved, may you feel the spirit of eternal life that the Holy Spirit has blown upon you. Even though we cannot see or touch it, please activate the energy of eternal life, which stirs our life with a powerful force and finally leaps into the eternal world. I hope that you do not frown over the trivial worries and worries of this earth, but feel conscious of the amazing power of life that radiates within you, shake off all your worries and move forward vigorously toward the kingdom of God. May we be renewed day by day, knowing clearly that death will never reign over us again, and strive to bear beautiful fruit in all we do.
By participating in the Holy Communion service today and sharing the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, who became the resurrection and life, I hope that you will not be dwelling on the weak life of this earth, but that you will be able to keep the dynamism of heavenly life in you.
Now, as you breathe the energy of eternal life, I hope that you will live a life that always glorifies God by being healthy both in spirit and body.