(I gave a morning prayer sermon during Jesus Academia 55th Class. It was originally given in Korean)
At 7 PM yesterday, I was asked to give a sermon in less than 12 hours! As someone who hasn’t studied theology and is a layperson, did I sleep soundly after such a request? Or did I toss and turn in worry? Of course, I slept well! Like Pastor John Ko, I told myself: “Who am I? I am a cosmic being! Ego Eimi! I am Joseph Bae!” and I slept soundly. 😄
So, I’ve decided to begin this sermon in this way: Let’s imitate Pastor John Ko! Pastor said that sermons should not be based on sentences, but rather on keywords. Therefore, I will continue this sermon using several keywords.
First Keyword: The Name of Jesus
We are now in the middle of a heavenly time in the “Jesus Academia, 55th Class.” Fantastical surroundings, overwhelming meals and accommodations, amazing teachings, and fellowship of saints… But now, standing at the halfway point, we must ask ourselves this question: “When we leave this Transfiguration Mountain and return to our everyday lives next year, how will we live out this life of mimesis (imitation of Christ)?”
Let’s seek an answer to this question through the words of Jesus.
“Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32-33
One of the things I realised during my time working in Korea and the UK, and studying in the US, is that in every culture, God always gives us clear opportunities to publicly proclaim our faith in Jesus. I think this is the reason Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Me and is baptised in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will be saved.” Baptism is a public ceremony that announces the reality of Jesus that we have believed in our hearts, like a wedding ceremony.
The Korean church has a unique culture. When Western missionaries first brought the gospel to Joseon (Korea), they encountered a society in disorder, a “hellish Joseon” at the time, where all men lived in abject squalor and debauchery—gambling, concubines, and drinking. In response, the missionaries wisely established a rule that to join the church, people had to give up these three things: gambling, prostitution, and drinking. Over time, this became a culture, and in Korea, the general notion is that Christians are teetotallers. Though the Bible doesn’t explicitly say not to drink alcohol (but it does say not to be drunk with alcohol), according to the love principle in Romans 14:14-23, it’s proper and right for believers living in Korea to refrain from drinking for the sake of weaker brethren.
When I first began working at Samsung SDI’s Central Research Institute, I always faced the issue of not drinking at company dinners. One day, when the head of HR handed out drinks to all new employees, I was the only one who refused, and he seemed upset. The next day, the HR head apologised, saying he heard that I was the son of a missionary/pastor, and he was sorry for the previous day’s incident.
In English-speaking countries like the US and the UK, drinking is never an issue. It’s a personal choice, and people respect that. However, even in these countries, there are still opportunities to publicly proclaim one’s faith in Jesus, and this is through the name of Jesus.
In my experience, I frequently encounter the misuse of Jesus’ name as a curse word. “Jesus Christ!” is used in a disrespectful manner. Whenever I hear it, I feel deep anger rising. I refuse to simply accept this as a product of modern Western culture. Over the last ten years at my workplace, I have quietly approached over ten colleagues to address this issue. I would say, “Would you mind not using that language in front of me? It is extremely offensive to me. How would you feel if I used your mother’s name as a curse?” Most of them would apologise and refrain from doing it in front of me again. Even if they slip up, they would approach me afterward and apologise.
Once, my line manager’s line manager (my big boss) in the department used the curse loudly three times in front of everyone. He was clearly upset and tense. I had addressed this issue with colleagues many times before, but when it came to my superior’s superior, I hesitated. But I also knew that if I let this moment pass (with an excuse to think or pray about it more), then I would miss this opportunity altogether. So, without thinking, I stood up, approached him quietly, and explained that as a Christian, using my Lord’s name like that was offensive. Before I could finish my sentence, my boss apologised profusely and promised not to do it again. He seemed a bit surprised by my courage, and treated me with special favour ever since. A few years later, a new department head came in, and one day, he also used the same curse in front of me. This time, I politely asked him to speak with me in a meeting room. I explained the situation, and once again, he apologised sincerely and even sent an email to the whole department, warning everyone not to repeat such behaviour. Hallelujah!
In the same way, when we return to our daily lives, we must gather the courage to publicly announce our faith in Jesus and also to make sure that the name of Jesus is honoured and revered in everything we do.
Now, let me share a bit about my life.
Second Keyword: Early Morning Prayer
When I moved to the UK in 5th grade, until my college years, my father would wake my younger sibling and me up every day at 6 AM to attend early morning prayer. At first, I was reluctant and often dozed off during the prayer, but over time, as we read through the Bible using the McCheyne Bible Reading Plan, and prayed with the Word, I began to develop a deep desire to pray. (“Let me be the best at pray-er in this world!”) Throughout my university and graduate years, I continued attending early morning prayers, and now, I lead early morning prayers with fellow church members in the UK on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
In 2017, the experience of joining the UK Prayer Mission was a significant turning point for me. At that time, I clung to the following passage from Isaiah 40:28-31:
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:28-31
“God! Please help me pray with the strength of an eagle’s wings! Right now, my prayers are like the shallow wings of a pigeon!”
In answer to that prayer, God led me to meet Derek Prince, and through this Jesus Academia, I met Pastor John Ko. I believe that these were God’s answers to the earnest prayer I made back then. Hallelujah!
Third Keyword: Memorising Scripture
When we talk about “praying in the Word,” the first thing that comes to mind for me is memorising of Scripture. When I first moved to the UK in 5th grade, my younger brother and I couldn’t speak any English. (I remember memorising the alphabet on the plane.) At that time, I was so frustrated because I couldn’t communicate that I even cried, wishing I could return to Korea alone. My father challenged us to memorise Matthew 5-7 in English, and if we did, he would buy us a Lego set we wanted, the Lego Technic 8880 Supercar (worth about 500 dollars in 2024 money).
Thus motivated, in five months, without knowing any English grammar, my brother and I brute-force memorised those chapters in NIV. True to his word, my father bought us the toy, and then took us to an English church and had us recite Matthew 5 in front of the congregation. That experience gave us confidence in our English skills.
During the pandemic, I memorised Psalm 119 (all 176 verses) with my oldest son (who was 6-7 years old at the time). For the incredulous, I even recorded a video evidence on YouTube.
I can say with certainty that there is no other spiritual activity with greater returns on the time invested than Scripture memorisation. An hour spent memorising Scripture yields immeasurable benefits and return on investment (ROI) for your lifetime. When I was memorising Psalm 119, I had an amazing experience. Particularly when memorising the “Mem (מ)” section (verses 97-104), I had a remarkable breakthrough at work. I had been struggling with a problem, but God gave me a double portion of wisdom, and the problem was resolved in a single moment. It was an insight I would never have thought of myself, and I still remember that moment vividly.
When we think of memorising Scripture, fasting naturally comes to mind. Fasting and memorising Scripture form a perfect combination! During a fast, we have more time, and using that time to memorise Bible verses brings great spiritual blessings. My wife and I have been starting each year with a 21-day fast for the past two years. I highly recommend it—it’s incredibly powerful. Fasting is the means God has given us by which we can humble ourselves before Him.
Fourth Keyword: Spiritual Connection
As I mentioned earlier, I prayed, “I want to become a master of prayer! I want to have deep conversations with God the Father, empowered by the Holy Spirit’s help in the name of Jesus!” Recently, while reading, I gained another important realisation: prayer is a spiritual connection with God.
I’ve long believed that humans are naturally drawn to connection. When we read a book, we’re not just seeking knowledge or entertainment, but we also desire to communicate and connect with the author. The joy we experience from movies or video games comes at least in part from that sense of communication with the creators.
For example, I love Nintendo games, not just for the fun, but for the thoughtful care and creativity of the developers. There’s a unique sense of connection with Nintendo’s EPD (Entertainment Planning & Development) when playing. Apple products also evoke this feeling—using an iPhone or MacBook isn’t just about the hardware, but the seamless experience designed with care and consideration. Every time I use them, I feel a connection with Apple’s engineers.
This desire to connect is universal. But what about connecting with the Creator of the universe? In the past, many early scientists in Europe, while exploring the mysteries of the universe, were deeply moved by the connection with their Creator. They expressed their awe and wonder in doxologies. As believers, we too are awestruck by God’s providence and sovereignty as revealed through life and Scripture. Through prayer, we can open our hearts to our Heavenly Father, and experience the incredible blessing of partnering with Him in prayer. I’ve come to realise that deepening our relationship with God is one of the greatest rewards of prayer.
Fifth Keyword: Fine-Tuning of the Universe
You’re probably familiar with the concept of the universe’s fine-tuning. The fact that life exists and thrives on Earth is already an incredible wonder. As our understanding of the physical universe increases with the development of science and technology, what is clear is the fact of how finely tuned the universe and Earth are for life.
One example is the apparent size of the Sun and the Moon. While not essential for life, this purely aesthetic touch displays God’s fingerprints.
The Sun’s diameter is about 1.39 million km, and it’s around 150 million km from Earth. The Moon’s diameter is about 3,474 km, and it orbits Earth at an average distance of 384,400 km. The size ratio between the two is about 401:1, but their distance ratio fluctuates between 362:1 and 419:1 due to their elliptical orbits. This precise arrangement allows for the stunning phenomenon of solar eclipses and contributes to the stability of Earth’s climate.
The Earth’s iron core, with a radius of about 3,400 km, generates a powerful magnetic field that shields us from harmful cosmic radiation. Jupiter, located 778 million km from the Sun, protects Earth from potential threats like comets by absorbing or deflecting them with its strong gravity.
Hebrews 3:4 says, “For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.” When we compare the universe’s complex design to man-made structures, it’s clear that the universe is far more intricately designed, pointing to God’s purposeful creation.
This insight is curiously embedded in the Chinese characters. The Chinese characters for “universe” (宇宙) is made up of two letters, both meaning “house” or “home”; this suggest the universe is not just a vast physical space but a “home” with deep meaning and purpose, created by God.
One fascinating point in modern cosmology is the concept of the cosmological constant (or “dark energy”), often denoted by Lambda (Λ). Theoretical calculations of a vacuum energy using quantum mechanics predict it should be vastly larger than what we observe, by a factor of 10^120 (“the worst theoretical prediction in the history of physics”). This means the universe’s fine-tuning is incredibly precise, and even the slightest deviation would have made life, as we know it, impossible.
Considering all this evidence, the beliefs of atheists are truly astounding. They must believe in the following four non-observable miracles:
- Something from nothing.
- Life from non-life.
- Order from chaos.
- Consciousness from matter.
Recently, the absurd theory of the “multiverse” has been making its rounds as if it were a legitimate scientific hypothesis. This theory says there is an infinite array of universes, including one made entirely of goat cheese! Atheists would rather believe in literally anything except God.
I’ve concluded that the two questions we should ask atheists are:
- “Why do you hate God so much?”
- “Who hurt you so bad?”
Sixth Keyword: Information and the Cosmic Love of Jesus
Related to the fine-tuning of the universe we discussed earlier, another important keyword comes to mind: “information.” On June 15, 1948, the brilliant American mathematician Claude Elwood Shannon published a paper titled “A Mathematical Theory of Communication,” ushering in the information age we live in today. The key question Shannon posed in his 1948 paper was:
“How can information be represented numerically, encoded, and transmitted reliably over a noisy channel?”
Shannon answered this question and introduced the concept of the “bit”, laying the foundation for modern information theory. His research became the theoretical basis for all the information systems we use today. Meanwhile, modern physics suggests that the universe has a limited capacity for information. For example, black holes have a finite information capacity, and the amount of information they can hold is determined by their surface area, not their volume.
So, how can we connect information theory with the cosmic nature of Jesus? The answer lies in the final verse of the Gospel of John. Many consider John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word,” to be the most profound verse. However, I believe the most profound verse in John’s Gospel is the final one, John 21:25, which states:
“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.”
Additionally, Colossians 1:16-17 tells us:
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
In light of the Colossians passage, the last verse in John seems to reference the limitations of the universe in containing all the information about the works and nature of Jesus. Not only did Jesus create the entire universe, but He also holds it together. The information required to describe all of His actions and His infinite power and dominion over all things (visible and invisible) far exceeds the amount of information the universe can hold. Therefore, John is right in his estimation that it’s impossible to record everything He has done.
In this way, modern information theory and the teachings of Scripture remarkably align. What we understand from this is that the love and power of Jesus are so infinite that no amount of information can fully describe them. His activities and love transcend the universe. I’ll conclude with the lyrics of this hymn by F. M. Lehman:
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade;To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Tho’ stretched from sky to sky.Oh love of God, how rich and pure!
F. M. Lehman, 1917
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure,
The saints’ and angels’ song.
