Title: The Wonderful Light of Jesus
Jesus' Wonderful Light
1 Peter 2:1-10, 4th Sunday of Easter, May 15, 2011
Today's second reading, 1 Peter 2:1-10, is difficult to understand just by reading it with your own eyes. First of all, the word itself is unfamiliar. Let's list a few words. Spiritual Milk (2), Precious Living Stones (4), Spiritual Houses, Spiritual Priests, Holy Priests (5), Forsaken Stones and Headstones (7), Royal Priests, Holy Kingdom, Wonderful Lights (9). It would take a lot of time to describe just one of the nine words listed here. If there is one thing that runs through this whole thing, it is Jesus Christ. If you think of each word in connection with Jesus Christ, you can understand what the text is trying to say.
Peter clearly explained it this way: “A spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” The sacrifice that God received through Jesus Christ is spiritual. It is absolute. You already know what it is specifically. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus Christ is the sacrifice of the holy sacrifice. Through this sacrifice, we received forgiveness and received life. It is the beginning of the Christian doctrine we are familiar with. Think more deeply about it. would this make sense? Because you were baptized, of course you think you believe. Will the world recognize this? They will tilt their heads. I can't force you to believe this. First of all, we, who are to become holy priests, must first understand clearly.
Think first of the words that hit the stone. The crucifixion of Jesus is an event that no one wants to face. Because facing this exposes the sins of mankind. Humanity was implicated in the crucifixion of the innocent. According to the story of the Gospels, the Jewish religious leaders, including the priests, Pharisees, and Sadducees, as well as the Roman governor Pilate, as well as the people of Jerusalem who cried out to spare Barabbas and crucify Jesus, are equally responsible. They condemned Jesus' words and actions as blasphemy. It was a kind of people's trial and a witch hunt. Those involved in this kind of thing want to quickly forget about this incident. Even if you did not directly participate, the psychology is similar. I feel remorse for neglecting injustice. In the end, we have no choice but to think that Jesus died well. It is only then that their minds are at ease. Jesus Christ is the stone that strikes them.
For those who believe backwards, Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. With that stone as the foundation stone, a spiritual house is built. What does it mean that Jesus Christ is the foundation stone and the cornerstone? It means that our life itself would not be complete without Jesus. This is the paradox of faith. The stone that was discarded became the cornerstone. It means that the event of the cross that the world does not pay attention to or bothers with is our salvation. Is this possible? Isn't it our self-compassion? Doesn't our belief look the same as the religious behavior of other pseudo-cults to the world? Do you live in a nice house with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone? Can you show it to people? Do you have the design drawings? Am I confident to explain to people that the cross of Jesus Christ is everything in my life?
It will be hard. Even the change in appearance after believing in Jesus is not convincing evidence. It doesn't matter that the business is going well or that you feel at ease. Strictly speaking, not only non-believers but believers alike feel uncomfortable with the cross. That is our daily life. Even the disciples of Jesus were to the point of tearing him apart, saying that such a thing should not happen. Jesus himself wanted to avoid it as much as possible. The saying that the stone rejected has become the cornerstone is convincing only in the resurrection. If there was no resurrection, Jesus' death on the cross is similar to the unjust death of a righteous prophet, as has been repeated throughout Israel's history. Because of the Resurrection, the cross was revealed in a completely different light. The cross, as was commonly known at the time, was not a rejection from God, but a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God. In order for believers to become holy priests who offer these spiritual sacrifices, they must know the life of resurrection. That's a prerequisite. Without such experience, you can become a reformer and moral teacher who tries to correct the world, but you cannot become a priest.
The Korean Christians to which we belong today are too secular compared to the early Christians. It is evident that there is no experience with the source of the faith. The religious life is also secular. They only use God to fulfill worldly desires. Don't be discouraged, thinking, "It's inevitable, life is like that, how can we follow the apostles' faith?" Remember again the teachings of the Apostle Peter and be courageous. The apostle tells us to be holy priests who offer spiritual sacrifices. It is the story of becoming a witness to the resurrection. Beloved saints, we will soon enter the wondrous and marvelous world of light. Not only that, but that light is already shining brightly on us. Sin and death have already gone away. Give thanks and praise to the risen Lord.