There is something I've been thinking about for a long time.
It is about having meaningful encounters.
I have always thought that I want to have meaningful encounters rather than fleeting relationships.
By having meaningful relationships, we can influence each other deeply.
I think this era is a flood of encounter.
Too many contacts.
Social psychologists say that nowadays people have "weak connection". (ppt)
In the flood of encounter, people try to make a good first impression but they do not know how to learn from each other.
They are immature in communicating and interacting each other.
I think it is a problem.
We have many different means of encountering with others but the principle of knowing each other is missing in our relationships.
It is hard for us to get into a mature relationship at times when we are surrounded by “weak connections”.
Some psychologists say, "Life with only weak connections is to be isolated ..."
What a man need is a strong connection.
That is how it keeps us healthy and strong.
Some people enjoy weak connections.
There is a benefit of this kind of relationship.
You may be friends with people from all over the world through the social network system such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and so on.
By encountering many people on the surface level, you may experience many different things without being obligated in the relationship.
We live in Hawaii but we are updated with whatever is going on in the other side of the world.
Yes, it surely helps us broaden our perspective.
However, there is something missing this kind of relationship.
You may connect with thousands of people from all over the world to share your interests and useful information but you cannot show your love and gain trust from them.
You cannot truly touch the person’s heart deeply.
I hope that you may richly experience different encounters and relationships.
I hope we will open our eyes to the new world through the many encounters in our lives, even though we may not be able to stay there.
We will continue to make the relationship strong and meaningful.
Encounter with many people expands the horizon of life, but it can not bring about a fundamental and lasting change of life.
This is only obtained through having meaningful relationships.
So, what is the criteria for a meaningful relationship?
It is that whether we allow this relationship to affect my life or not. (ppt)
If you want to improve the relationship to be meaningful, you must permit that person to influence your life.
It's really hard.
It's often inconvenient to have someone come into my life.
However, it is the crucial part of a relationship.
You need to be willing to be open.
You need to show yourself.
And it is not easy.
In weak connections, there is only exchange of information.
But a meaningful relationship has sharing of emotion.
Instead of giving and receiving facts, you are sharing feelings.
From this perspective, we can also understand the changes of Jesus' disciples.
There was no change in the beginning of the disciples who followed Jesus.
They encountered with Jesus, but there was no change.
John and James, whose temper was wild, were still wild.
Peter still was short-tempered.
Those without wisdom ... There was still no wisdom.
The ones who used only petty tricks, they were still fools.
There was no change.
They had Jesus on their side but they kept their old behaviors.
They did not receive Jesus into their lives yet.
They did not allow Jesus to influence their lives. (ppt)
However, Jesus appeared to his disciples again after he died on the cross and resurrected.
During this 40 days, the lives of his disciples were completely changed.
The disciples welcomed Jesus.
They have allowed Jesus in their lives.
The change began to emerge.
I think this is a true change, a principle of true maturity in relationship.
I want you to have a deeper relationship with Jesus.
When you first come to church and encounter with Jesus, you see a new world.
You will discover a new and beautiful world that you have not seen before.
It is so different from this hard and complicated world we live in.
But it does not end here.
In order to live and experience the new world, you must know Jesus.
You must truly meet Jesus.
There must be a real genuine encounter.
You have to let the Lord come into your life.
Paul is talking about grafting in Romans 11 today.
The content is simple.
Israel was the branches, but they have been broken off, and the Gentile was not the original branches but they have been grafted.
If so, why did Israel get broken off and why the Gentiles have been grafted?
Think of it in the same context.
Now, why did the disciples of Jesus not change?
Because they did not truly accepted Jesus.
But why have they changed with the resurrected Lord?
Because they truly knew Jesus by accepting him.
Why was Israel broken off?
Because Israel did not truly know God.
They were broken off because of unbelief.
Why did the Gentiles get attached?
They stood by faith.
In other words, meaningful encounter brings change. (ppt)
Isarel was the branches but they have been broken off because they did not accept Jesus.
They did not allow Jesus in their lives.
Therefore, no change has occurred in their lives and they have been broken off.
However, the Gentiles hoped to be attached to Jesus even though they were not original ones.
There was a real, fundamental, and continuous change in their lives that resembled Jesus Christ.
Therefore, they have been grafted.
They have been attached.
Israel was broken off because they could not bear fruit.
20180218 Sunday Sermon
Romans 11: 13-36 /
"Meaningful Encounter"
There is something I've been thinking about for a long time.
It is about having meaningful encounters.
I have always thought that I want to have meaningful encounters rather than fleeting relationships.
By having meaningful relationships, we can influence each other deeply.
I think this era is a flood of encounter.
Too many contacts.
Social psychologists say that nowadays people have "weak connection". (ppt)
In the flood of encounter, people try to make a good first impression but they do not know how to learn from each other.
They are immature in communicating and interacting each other.
I think it is a problem.
We have many different means of encountering with others but the principle of knowing each other is missing in our relationships.
It is hard for us to get into a mature relationship at times when we are surrounded by “weak connections”.
Some psychologists say, "Life with only weak connections is to be isolated ..."
What a man need is a strong connection.
That is how it keeps us healthy and strong.
Some people enjoy weak connections.
There is a benefit of this kind of relationship.
You may be friends with people from all over the world through the social network system such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and so on.
By encountering many people on the surface level, you may experience many different things without being obligated in the relationship.
We live in Hawaii but we are updated with whatever is going on in the other side of the world.
Yes, it surely helps us broaden our perspective.
However, there is something missing this kind of relationship.
You may connect with thousands of people from all over the world to share your interests and useful information but you cannot show your love and gain trust from them.
You cannot truly touch the person’s heart deeply.
I hope that you may richly experience different encounters and relationships.
I hope we will open our eyes to the new world through the many encounters in our lives, even though we may not be able to stay there.
We will continue to make the relationship strong and meaningful.
Encounter with many people expands the horizon of life, but it can not bring about a fundamental and lasting change of life.
This is only obtained through having meaningful relationships.
So, what is the criteria for a meaningful relationship?
It is that whether we allow this relationship to affect my life or not. (ppt)
If you want to improve the relationship to be meaningful, you must permit that person to influence your life.
It's really hard.
It's often inconvenient to have someone come into my life.
However, it is the crucial part of a relationship.
You need to be willing to be open.
You need to show yourself.
And it is not easy.
In weak connections, there is only exchange of information.
But a meaningful relationship has sharing of emotion.
Instead of giving and receiving facts, you are sharing feelings.
From this perspective, we can also understand the changes of Jesus' disciples.
There was no change in the beginning of the disciples who followed Jesus.
They encountered with Jesus, but there was no change.
John and James, whose temper was wild, were still wild.
Peter still was short-tempered.
Those without wisdom ... There was still no wisdom.
The ones who used only petty tricks, they were still fools.
There was no change.
They had Jesus on their side but they kept their old behaviors.
They did not receive Jesus into their lives yet.
They did not allow Jesus to influence their lives. (ppt)
However, Jesus appeared to his disciples again after he died on the cross and resurrected.
During this 40 days, the lives of his disciples were completely changed.
The disciples welcomed Jesus.
They have allowed Jesus in their lives.
The change began to emerge.
I think this is a true change, a principle of true maturity in relationship.
I want you to have a deeper relationship with Jesus.
When you first come to church and encounter with Jesus, you see a new world.
You will discover a new and beautiful world that you have not seen before.
It is so different from this hard and complicated world we live in.
But it does not end here.
In order to live and experience the new world, you must know Jesus.
You must truly meet Jesus.
There must be a real genuine encounter.
You have to let the Lord come into your life.
Paul is talking about grafting in Romans 11 today.
The content is simple.
Israel was the branches, but they have been broken off, and the Gentile was not the original branches but they have been grafted.
If so, why did Israel get broken off and why the Gentiles have been grafted?
Think of it in the same context.
Now, why did the disciples of Jesus not change?
Because they did not truly accepted Jesus.
But why have they changed with the resurrected Lord?
Because they truly knew Jesus by accepting him.
Why was Israel broken off?
Because Israel did not truly know God.
They were broken off because of unbelief.
Why did the Gentiles get attached?
They stood by faith.
In other words, meaningful encounter brings change. (ppt)
Isarel was the branches but they have been broken off because they did not accept Jesus.
They did not allow Jesus in their lives.
Therefore, no change has occurred in their lives and they have been broken off.
However, the Gentiles hoped to be attached to Jesus even though they were not original ones.
There was a real, fundamental, and continuous change in their lives that resembled Jesus Christ.
Therefore, they have been grafted.
They have been attached.
Israel was broken off because they could not bear fruit.