Dear Friends,
As we look forward to celebrate Jesus on this Lord’s Day, I’d like to invite you to meditate on Genesis 11:1-9, an Old Testament narrative text, and prepare our hearts for worship.
John Calvin says that every human being is born with a knowledge that God exists (sensus divinitatis). Based on this assumption, I believe that the story of the Babel Tower helps us understand who we are. The story also shows how sin affects our original identity.
Genesis is the book of origins and tells the story of all mankind. In the first big section (Genesis 1-11), starting with Adam and Eve, the book shows that we have lost our original “home.” Genesis 11:1-9 concludes this first section and tells us, that in essence, we are sojourners, longing to find a place that will provide us safety and fulfillment.
The world presents to us a multitude of false hopes and fake promises – all of them promising a safe place that will make us feel secure. Like the little pig, who built a house made of straw, foolishly thinking that the house would protect him from the bad wolf.
We tend to think that the things we make, based on our own efforts and merits, will eventually protect us from the evil days. What if we are wrong in thinking this way? What are the implications? One of them, of course, is idolatry.
The good news is that Jesus affirms that, in the Father’s house, there are many rooms (John 14:2), and He has secured a place for all those who believe in His name (John 14:3).
Jesus sojourned among us for 3 years. He was later crucified, on our behalf. And now, through Him and in Him, we all find rest, with the assurance that now our names are written in the Book of Life, and our permanent home in heaven is secured forever.
Encourage one another with these words as we get ready to worship the King of Kings.
Yours,
Guest Pastor Daniel Yang
