Olgeta Bilong Sem thus The End of Shame translates to Olgeta Bilong Sem

The End of Shame

Zephaniah 3:14-16

By Gabe Fluhrer

Em i go sit daun, sapos yu take Bibles bilong yu na go long Zephaniah chapter 3. Sapos yu no save wea buk i go, no wari. Mi no save if mi mas admitim as precha, but long first presbytery mi sit, mi had to lukim index blong findim buk! Oke? So datem i bin long seminari, sapos yu no findim, no wari! I go long page 790 long Bible bilong yu; 790. Na sapos yu wail, mi go givim clue wea mi go long nex couple Sunday long apinun, mi go lukim 3:14-16 long apinun na nex Sunday apinun, Lord i wail, mi go lukim wea i bin krim [[BVRJohn 3:16]] we i go wan blong favorite Bible verse bilong mi. So mi bin thinkim baot verse ia long wail na mi go jampim, long chapter 3, verse 14-16 long apinun; page 790.

Mi go pray na mi go hearim Word bilong God.

Yu Papa bilong mi, wea mi just singim i go great hope bilong mi long apinun – dat Jesus, wea i bin liftim up 2,000 yia ago i go liftim up long apinun olsem exalted, risen Savior wea i go olsem hope bilong mi olsem ruined sinner. Mi go ask yu, wea i save decrease, dat Christ i go increase na fillim ol long ol. Mi go pray long Spirit i givim power wea i make Word i go real na living na sharper long ol long tu-edged sword na mi go askim ol long Jesus i name, amen.

Zephaniah 3, stat long verse 14. I go Word bilong God:

Singim aut, O dokta bilong Zion; kraim, O Israel! Rejoice na exult long ol heart bilong yu, O dokta bilong Jerusalem! Lord i bin removeim judmen long yu; i bin clearim away enem bilong yu. King bilong Israel, Lord, i go long yu midst; yu no go fearim evil. Long dat de i go seim long Jerusalem: "No fear, O Zion; no letim han bilong yu go weak."

Gras i go witha, flawoa i go fal, but Word bilong living God i go stand long ol na ol, amen.

Airline i go we tambu olsem Southwest Airlines, na mipela no save long hem olsem, mi learnim wen mipela i move i kam! Em i bin lifeline bilong mipela long get back long kantri naraplo long Pennsylvania i go long South Carolina wen mi i stap long Westminster. Na ol i bin i gat dispela kampain i ad a few yia i go, we i bin i stap long wan i olsem best mi i ever i lukim, na tagline bilong kampain i ad i bin i stap, “Yu no wantim i go we?” Na i bin i gat wan i ad we yu i lukim dispela man na dispela woman i sit i long wan i kain korporet i boardroom luk i setting, olsem i olsem eksikuitiv i kain, na ol i lukim i go long frent na i lukim i go rait na i tok, “Yu no, mi i bin i mekim i tok i long yumi long taim i go, na mi i gat i feeling i long yumi.” Na i woman i eksait i na luk i go na grab i arm bilong i na tok, “Mi tu!” Na i man i luk i go na turn i, na yu i lukim i gat i earpiece i long, na i tok, “Hait i long sekens. Waim i dispela?” Na yu i lukim i face bilong i woman na i go, “Oh no!” Na tagline i kam, “Yu no wantim i go we?”

Gilti vs. Sem

Na mi stilim thinkim olosem dispela wik, i gat taim long laif bilong yumi, yumi no wantim olosem, a? Yumi no wantim i go we long olsem – ol sikum, ol man, olsem wanem. Moa olsem, mi think yumi no wantim i go we long ol memri na ol liklik samting bilong pasin bilong yumi, we i save long yumi long sem. Na yumi needim i no long yumi long narafel long hevi, long giut na sem. Sem resea, Brene Brown – sapos yumi no save long em, i no problem. Sapos yumi gat sans, em i doim dispela tok, we i gat 30 million man i lukim long TED long “The Power of Vulnerability na Sem.” I go wail we yumi lukim. Em i raitim planti long dispela subjek na em i no long giut na sem olsem. Em i sayim, "Giut i failim i no doim wanem, olsem standard, na i feelim giut olsem – giut psikolodzik komfot long wanem yumi brechim." Na olsem Kristen, mi no think em i, tasol olsem Kristen, yumi ken agree long dat. Taim yumi no livim up long God i Lau, yumi save feelim giut.

Sem i no olsem. Em i sayim, "Sem i intensim feelim bilong yumi no worthim, na yumi no worthim long lov." Yumi ken putim long tri wod. Sem i sayim long yumi, "Yumi no belong." Giut i moa priva. Sem, olsem wan autor i putim, "i gat witness." I go pulik fenomen. I go samting yumi no goodim, na failim long ai bilong narafel, na i go memri we i save long yumi. I save long yumi komfot taim yumi thinkim. Na i gat kain kain sem, a? Na i gat sem we i go wail – sem we yumi save long God, long brekim i standard. Tasol i gat sem we no save long yumi. Ol samting we i donim long yumi – abus, narafel olsem. Olik long situesen we yumi i stap, we i go mesij long yumi, "Yumi no belong."

Na prophita Zephaniah i go talkim mipela long dispela nait long stinim bilong sem. Na mi laikim setim konteks bilong yu kwik. Zephaniah i wanpela man i go long ol twelve prophita i tambu. Olsem, dispela nem i no good. I no meanim ol i no gutpela long God i Word, o i no olsem ol narapela pat bilong God i Word. Ol i kolim ol prophita i tambu, long wanem ol buk bilong ol i short long Ol Testament. Olsem, yu gat ol prophita i bik – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, na Daniel. Na yu gat ol twelve prophita i tambu, na Zephaniah i wanpela. I raitim long 640 yia bipo Jisas i kam, long taim bilong king Josiah i save reform. Yu go bek long buk bilong King, na readim long Josiah, em i man i bringim bek olsemat long Israel. Em i doim olsemat reform long Israel long dispela taim.

Na wanpela samting i unik long buk bilong Zephaniah, i opanim prophita bilong em long stinim bilong judimen i kosmik. Mi meanim long stinim bilong judimen i kosmik, i no olsem ol narapela prophita, long wanem God i sayim, “Lukim, mi go kam long judimen long yu, Israel, long ol idolatri bilong yu, na long ol sin bilong yu, na long olsemat yu i go we long mi.” Em i doim dat, tasol i stat long judimen i kosmik. I tambu long ol man. I no man i save go we. Olsem, buk i gat planti bad nyus, tanim i go long dispela chapter. Na verse 11 i go sevim olsem long olsemat i go. “Long dispela de, yu no go sem.” Na mipela i go lukim, “Long dispela de” i go long tok bilong mipela long nait. Na God i promis long doim hia, i sayim, “Mi go wekim ol sem bilong yu” – long dispela kas, sem i ret – “Mi go wekim olsemat, na blisim yu olsem yu no save.” Dat i stinim bilong mipela i go nex wik.

So, dispela em i point bilong Zephaniah. Siam i stop long taim mipela i worship God, nogat save long ol samting i bin mekim, nogat judgment i kam long mipela, olsem mipela no fear long presence bilong God. Siam i stop long taim mipela i worship God, nogat save long ol samting i bin mekim, nogat judgment i kam long mipela, olsem mipela no fear long presence bilong God. Na dispela "nogat" olsem i form ol tri heading bilong mipela. So long verse 14, Nogat Save. Verse 15, Nogat Judgment. Na verse 16, Nogat Fear.

Nogat Save

Lukim tok bilong mi long verse 14 – Nogat Save. “Singaut, O dokta bilong Zion; krai, O Israel! Rejoice na exult long ol heart bilong yu, O dokta bilong Jerusalem!” Olsem mi bin tokim bipo, mipela i no hear narapela samting, na nau yu gat dispela verse i tromoi long namel bilong ol dispela. Na dispela verse i kam olsem surprise. “Krai; rejoice” – tok bilong i go we go we, olsem mipela i no save long normal, olsem mipela i save kolim Presbyterian-style worship. Mipela i hard long thinkim worship olsem. Nau i gat planti samting mi love long tradision bilong mipela long reformed theology na worship, tasol mipela i no save long joyful samting. O mipela i save? Long mi, mi bin go long football game wantaim yu, na i remindim mi long go long football game wantaim ol frend bilong mi bipo, mi gat wan fraternity brata long kolos, em i bin man i no strong, na yu putim em long Satde moning long Williams-Brice Stadium long South Carolina, na em i turn into animal! Em i save krai na dans na klap na raise voice bilong em olsem no bodi!

How to Relate to God

Na mi tok olsem. Taim we lukim ol man pasin sport na tim bilong mi win – mi no nidim long yu tokim mi olsem wanem kain look we Ole Miss i beat Alabama, o, olsem wail ol man inap long narapela, o taim State i beat Ole Miss long yia ia. Mi lukim planti man i glad long bot sid. Na taim we i happen, ol man i lusim kontrol. Mi lusim tingting bilong yumi. Taim tim bilong yumi win. Na dat’s wanem prophet i tok. Prophet i tok taim we i happen, taim yumi understand wanem God i wokim, taim i kamap long yumi, dis i result – olkain glad; singim; glad long wanem God i wokim. Na hia i kwestion. Wanem i long laif bilong yumi we i givim yumi glad nau? Wanem yumi glad long? Na God i tok, “Wanpela ting i wokim mi, mi i takim ol glad yumi experiens,” we i gut na wail na i no problem long eksait long sport tim, tasol i tok olsem i pointer long grater reality. “Dat’s olsem mi laikim yu respond long Mi. Dat’s olsem mi laikim yu relate long Mi.” Dat’s wanem God i tok long ol. “Mi laikim yu long gat kain glad long wanem mi wokim long laif bilong yu.”

Na, lukim taim we God i komandim ol man i doim. I no i taim we ol samting i go wail. Ol promis i ol about ol samting we God i go do. Ol samting i ol futuristic. Ol i no happen yet. Na God i say, “Wail yu wait, long taim we ol samting i fal apart, Israel, i laikim!” I gat no sense o nogat? Na hia i wat i sayim long yumi. I sayim, “Wat i kain thing we i givim yu shame? I kain samting long pas? I kain samting yu tok long dinner party? I kain we yu behave wail yu no long taun na i gat witness? Wat i kain thing we i givim yu shame?” Long Israel, i wus her givim up long God. Ol i lef im. Ol i wok away na say, “Yumi i go long ol idol.” Na God i say, “Mi no finis wail yu yet. Na long taim we mi i deil wail yu shame” – na yumi i tok about dat long narapla taim – I sayim, “Wail yu wait, laikim.” Yu na mi i ken gat amsa long wail yumi i stap long hia, long nait. Dat i wan wail promis. Na yumi i lukim long fis plas God i kol yumi long lavim I, na wosipim I, na enjoyim I wail no save. No save. I laikim giaman long enjoyment wail God.

No Judgment

Or then, lukim verse 15 long No Judgment. “God i tambuim ol tok bilong kros long yu; God i rausim ol birua bilong yu. King bilong Israel, God, i stap long narafun bilong yu; yu no save fearim olgeta bagarap.” Yumi save rejus? Profet i tok, “Long wanem i tambuim ol tok bilong kros long yu na rausim ol autea bilong enjoyim Mi.” Yu lukim dispela tok? “God i tambuim ol tok bilong kros long yu.” Lukim, dispela i ol tok bilong kros long inside bilong yumi na sem bilong yumi olgeta i gat. Yumi save, long narafun, yumi no stap gut long God, no long Jisas. Yumi olgeta gat dispela kain deep-seat anxiety. Yumi try long maskim long narafun. Yumi no save long wanem yumi doim, till God i opim ai bilong yumi. Yumi save yumi no holim. Yumi save yumi save sem bifo God. Yumi feelim. Na God i tok, “Mi go tambuim dispela.”

Na God i go long ol kain bilong autea. I tok, “Mi go rausim ol birua bilong yu. Olgeta man i bin threatim yu, Israel, mi go rausim.” Now, thinkim long sem. Ol man i bin causim sem long laif bilong yumi, ol i birua, o nogat. Point i stap long narafun. Wanem God i promis long he, i tambuim olgeta autea long yumi, i no save causim sem. Long narafun, promis i stap, “I no more witness, long wanem i no more reason long sem.” Dispela i kain God i wokim, long wanem sem i reality created long narafun.

Real Peace

Na God i tokim yumi olsem, Em i askim yumi long lukim tok i tambu olsem: yumi ol, long ol kain threat i kam long yumi – olsem long narapela man, long inim, long man i save givim shame, olsem wanem – Em i tok olsem i leadim yumi long wari long taim. Yumi no wari tumas? Shame i no causim yumi long wari? Mbai yu bin givim shame long liklik, na long olgeta laif yu bin wonder, “Yu no wail yu ever long akseptans? Yu no wail yu ever long tim? Yu no wail yu ever long gut enuf?” Na i leadim, gen, long anxiti. Yumi wari long yumi save. “Yu no wail yu harmed long bodi, long emosion long narapela man? Wanem i go long hapun?” Wari, wari, wari. Na hia i tok God i tok. Em i tok yumi ken have real peace, real jo, wanem ol man i search long, na ol i no find. Em i tok i available, long tap, long askim, long dispela nait.

Na lukim olsem Em i putim. Em i tok, “Yu no wail yu fear long olsem i tambu.” Yu afwaid long olsem i tambu? Mi afwaid. Mi no save wanem. Mi findim mi yet long get more anxius long olgeta pikinin i grow up. Yu bin papa long taim long yu; yu ken tokim mi long helpim! Tasol olgeta pikinin i grow up, mi more findim mi fear long olsem i tambu long wail, na mi wari long ol. Na yes, mi ripent na askim Lord long help, tasol i stap long mi long mi wake up long moning. Na i tok God i tok long yumi. I tambu promise i never again long fear long olsem i tambu. Yumi ken stop wari na stop afwaid na experience God i peace. Yumi go bek long dispela long en tu.

Or then lukim wanem God i say long narapla. I say “King bilong Israel, Bikman, i stap long midst bilong yu.” Dat i olgeta hope bilong Israel, a? Yu read go bek long Testament Ol, yu start long Genesis – olsem man i kamap, na tok i go long Abraham na God i kolim dispela pipel na ol i stap long slaveri. Na i bringim ol out long slaveri na ol i livim narapla long bond bilong Ijipt. Na ol i stat long tok? “Mi laik king olsem narapla i gat!” Na God i say, “Nogat, long wanem yu no laik, long wanem king i go long yu, i go long yu, i go mekim yu pikinini i go long slaveri, na i no go wail long yu. Na long wanem yu laik king, long wanem mi Bikman bilong yu?” Na ol i go, “Nogat, givim king!” Na i givim king. Na yumi hia, long fourskor o faiv hundert yia long Israel i gat king, na lukim olsem ol i go. Kingdom i spilt long nart na saut; i gat planti apsta na rebellion. Even man bilong em i laik God, i fail long olsem, God i kutim em i haus na pikinini bilong en long em i mekim adultery na muru! I no go wail long Israel! Na dispela promis i, “Mi i kam long yu. Mi i go long yu king olsem mi promis.”

Dispela No Jast Tok

Em i remindim mi long wanpela stori mi read recently long wanpela woman i bin married, i gat tupela pikini na i gat marit long ol. And wanpela de, i jast up na i go. I say, “Mi no save mekim olosem, mi no more.” Na i walk away. I husband i bin kros na i keep kolim i, wantaim pikini long fon, na i say, “Jast tok long ol.” Na i no save hang up. So finli i save track daun i na finda we i stap na long bik cost long i sels – financially, emotionally, physically, ol narapela – i finda i na i kam long i na i say, “Mi laikim yu. Ples kam bek!” Na i break daun long han bilong i. Na i say, “Mi kolim yu. Mi raitim leta. Yumi no save yumi no save mekim impact?” I say, “Bifoa, i jast wod. Then yu kam.”

Na yumi stua Israel i bin promis long hia. Ol i no jast wod. “The Lord, yu King, i kam long midst bilong yu.” Na Israel i long long king, no? Yumi liv long wanpela brokin, disjointed, disconnected age. No save yumi fasinating long age bilong ol communicative abulity long smartphone, computer, na iPad, yumi i most disconnected relational age maybe i ever liv. Na yumi long long hanem somebody i tellim yumi we go, how i go, wot i luk like long yumi geta. Yumi long long king. Yumi long long somebody i tellim yumi wot i do, tasol long sin, long wanpela time, yumi no wantim nobody i tellim yumi wot i do. Yumi dip trust long autoriti long yumi de na age, sometime rite. Yu maybe i bin abus long somebody long autoriti. Yu maybe i bin suffer long han bilong somebody long autoriti posision. Dat i real. Tasol long yumi het, ol yumi resent autoriti long yumi. Na God i say, “Mi King yu save trust. Mi i kam long yu. Mi no olsem narapela autoriti. Mi no save letim yu daun. Mi i Wan i kam long ol pipel i shame long wokabaut wantaim ol.”

No Fear

Na dispela i bringim mipela i go long las stret bilong yumi, verse 16. No Fear – mipela third heading. “Long dispela de, bai i tokim Jerusalem: ‘No fear, O Zion; no larim han bilong yu go wail.’” Wail “dispela de”? Mipela i readim oltaim long Testament Ol, “long dispela de; long dispela de.” Mi think hia, spesin i gat wan referens. Thinkim olsem. Sapos yu sanap na lukim maunten long wan sait, ol i luk olsem pik long olsem – up na down. Sapos yu sanap long wan bilong ol, ol i luk olsem wan mauntenop. Olsem Zechariah i lukim kamap bilong Jisas long futu. So kamap bilong Jisas i olsem first mauntenop klostu long em; first kamap bilong Jisas. Second kamap bilong Jisas i olsem dispela mauntenop long distans. Na em i putim tupela long koridor bilong taim. Na em i tok, “I gat de bilong kamap wen ol dispela i go long finis” na dispela de i stat long first kamap bilong Jisas. Em i statim kingdom. Em i bringim God klostu. Em i kam long yumi. I no longer wods; i presence. I Jisas, husat i God wantaim yumi. Na em i lukim forward long dispela de yumi ol waitim hia. Dispela de wen ol dispela i promis form nau bai i kamap realiti. Wen bilif bai i go we na yumi bai i lukim olgeta long ai bilong yumi olsem prophet i soim yumi nau long piksa na long sombra. Dispela de great, wen olsem i no moa cause yumi long go we long God, long sham long presence bilong Em, long sham long presence bilong narapela i go we, i go we. Em i tok, “Long dispela de, bai i tok, ‘No fear.’”

No Despair long yumi

Na, lukim olsem em i putim. “No larim han bilong yu i go longlong.” Wan man i eksplainim olsem. Em i say, “Han i go longlong i describe long stori bilong ol man i no hope long ol samting i happen, olsem i no ken doim narapla.” Ol man i no hope long ol samting i happen, olsem i no ken doim narapla. Yu ever i feel olsem? Yu ever i lukim laif bilong yu, na lukim sem bilong yu, na say, “Mi no wantim i go ausim bet long moning”? God i save long olsem. Em i say, olsem i han i go longlong. Na Em i say, “No larim han bilong yu i go longlong.” Bai, long wanem i go doim long dispela de. Yu save wanem i liklik “Yu no ken” bilong Jisu? Yumi ken thinkim ol narapla samting. Mi think sometime yumi getim olsem rong long yumi thinkim Jisu olsem wan man i no save long life, i alwayz i say, “Yu no ken.” Em i save long olsem. Tasol, i liklik “Yu no ken” bilong Em i “Yu no ken fear. No fear.” Olsem Em i say long yumi no doim, long fulfillim dispela wers. Na God i say, “Long taim i come, long yumi no feelim olsem i go ausim, long yumi i krus long ol samting i happen,” Em i say, “No despaya. I gat de i kam long no more despaya. Thinkim olsem. Livim long olsem.” Yumi go bek long olsem long narapla minit.

Olsem, em i meanim wanem? Mi bin tok, “Mi go kam bek long olsem, long narapela taim.” Olsem, dispela taim i kam. Wanem i meanim? Em i olsem, “How we lukim Jisas i stap?” Mi thinkim, i gat planti olsem. Wanem i no ken missim, em i God i holim promis long mipela long kamap long Krais. Mipela i ken fokus long Em, no long storii na narativ blong shame i tokim mipela. Mipela i ken fokus long laif blong Em, laif blong Em i perfek. Laif blong Em i leadim Em i go long kru, olsem, laif blong luv, na kompation, na pasiens, na jemalness long ol pipel olsem mipela we i shame. Sapos yu no save, sampela man i understandim yu shame, em i Jisas. Na sapos yu no save, God i luvim yu, sapos yu feelim, “Mi no worth,” sapos yu feelim, “Mi no belong,” Jisas i tok, “Yu belong. Yu belong long Mi. Mi kam long yu.” Em i kam long mipela, na Jisas i dispela man we i remuvim fear blong mipela. Olsem, God i mekim olsem promis? “Yu no save fear, no more.” Long wanem i fearim mipela, Jisas i tekim long ples blong mipela. Em i King i stap long mipela, we i promis, a? Em i King blong ol king, na Lord blong ol lord. Em i baim King blong ol Jiu. Herod, dispela man i no save God, i harim tok. Tasol, Em i King we i kam, no luk olsem narapela king. Em i King we i kam long wikness, long saffering, na olsem, Em i dai long kru, nakat, na shame.

Long wanem? Long olsem, long taim blong first couple long garden, ol i nakat na shame, ol pipel i feelim shame. Ol pipel i mekim shame long narapela man. Na i takim second Adam, Jisas, i go long shame blong mipela, i tekim nakatness blong mipela, na i dai long kru, “i bearim shame blong mipela na skofing.” Olsem, mipela i no ken fear. Fear blong God i judgment, we ol pipel i deserve, we Israel i deserve. Na God i promis, “Mi go mekim olsem, fear i no ken i stap long yu,” olsem i fulfill long Krais, long first kamap blong Em. Zephaniah 3:17

Namas nau ino lusim olsem, no? Yu no ken wishim we. Yu no ken just thinkim thought gutpela. Yu needim save wanpela man i stap wantaim yu long namas. Na narapela taim, em i go bek long Jisas. Em i laikim wekim ol manmeri i gat planti namas. Namas gutpela o nogutpela. Em i laikim wekim ol manmeri i no save long God, ol manmeri i ting ol i stret; ol manmeri i mekim mistake olsem olsem na i stil mekim. Em i sayim, “Kam long Mi. Mi i wekim ol manmeri olsem. Yu no stap alon na yu no wail lusim.” Olsem na yu no ken fearim.

No Need to Pretend Anymore

Em i wanpela we yu ken fightim namas na worry long taim yu save Jisas i noim ol fear long laif bilong yu. Na taim em i doim, em i mekim yu olsem manmeri i no ken fearim. Dat i wanpela problem yu ken struggle wantaim olsem Kristen long kirk, no? Yu i pretensim olsem. Na problem long pretensim i sayim yu i go gutpela long en. Tasol God i save heart bilong yu, no? Na Em i sayim, "Yu no ken pretensim moa." Noken fearim long larim ol narapela manmeri save yu i mekim mistake. Orait? Ol yu i mekim. I go long wik! Ol taim! Na olsem i lukim long narapela man i laif bilong em, olsem pastor, mi i remindim long bikpela grais bilong Em na Em i sabim long sinners na ol manmeri i mekim mistake olsem ol manmeri i lukim mi na olsem man i sanap long narapela i talkim. Ol yu, ol yu, ol yu i mekim mistake. Na God i sayim, "Mi i putim Pikinini bilong Mi long namas long ples bilong yu olsem yu no ken faceim dat." Na taim yu save dat, taim i go long narapela level long heart bilong yu, yu i become olsem manmeri i no ken fearim. Na dat i deth bilong namas, taim yu i gat kain kain culture.

Olsem, Jesus i no wailim olsem, i stopim shame long mipela, no? Shame i gat kontrol long mipela, no? I tambu. Lukim olsem. Olsem wanem samting i tambu long yu long dispela wik? Yu no wailim long wanem pasin bilong yu, na i no influence desin bilong yu. Yu tok, “Mi no go long olsem, long wanem mi no wailim olsem, na mi go long narapela olsem, long wanem mi no wailim go bek long dispela taim.” Shame i gat kontrol long mipela, na mipela i laip long frustration, long anxieties. Na wat Jesus i no wailim, i kam na tok, “Mi i bringim dispela dei long present.” Olsem wanem shame i dai long laip bilong mipela? Long taim mipela i moa moa realize olsem resurrection bilong Krais i no wailim olsem, i no wailim wanem. Go we mipela long olsem. Resurrection bilong Krais i wailim olsem, i wailim wanem, i wailim wanem event, wanem event i no wailim olsem, i no wailim olsem, na mipela i laip long middle bilong olsem. Na long taim i kam bek, na mipela i no wailim long dei, dat i no wailim olsem, i no wailim second episode bilong olsem event i no wailim olsem, i no wailim long Calvary 2000 yia i go. Na long taim mipela i wailim, olsem Paul i tok, “Outer man bilong mipela i no wailim, tasol inner man bilong mipela i no wailim olsem, long dai.” Wit wat? Resurrection power bilong Holispirit.

Olsem, Jesus i mekim wanem long yumi long sham? I tambu, “Yu no wailim apin mi! Yu no moa man i bin olsem. Yu no defini long wanem i bin sham long pas. Yu defini olsem man i stap insait long em i go kamap long laif i go long resureksen, na wan dei, ol kosmos i go lukim.” Powel long resureksen long Krais i no just mirakel i celebret long Isita. I dai reyaliti i yumi go apropriet long bilip long mekim yumi liv long Krais na kilim ol samting i take enjoyment bilong yumi long em. Putim simpel, long olsem, long pracha i lavim multiplikim wods, liv long futuer long present nau. Dat i wan long olsem Jesus i go dealim sham bilong yu. I tambu, “Mi defini yu long futuer olsem man i resurektem” na dat i reyaliti long present long bilip na long powel long Holispirit olsem yumi go senim na mi go senim. Dat i ples i yumi liv. Dat i storin Jesus i telsave yumi. Tru storin.

Anota Storin i Go

Na, dispela question i go long olgeta yumi dis wik. Husat yumi goin lisinim? Shame long pas, narapela man i tokim yumi long narapela stor, o God, Jisas, i tokim yumi long narapela stor? Husat yumi goin lisinim? Husat yumi lisinim, em i goin detemine olsem yumi livim. Em i remindim mi long wanpela sin long wanpela buk, Les Miserables long Victor Hugo. I gat dispela wailaut sin long ex-convict, Jean Valjean i resivim forgiveness long biskop. Em i stilim, biskop i kisim em in, em i stilim silva long biskop. Polis i kam na ol i redi long kisim Jean Valjean we, na biskop i say, “Nogut, nogut, nogut. Mi letim i borum.” Na Valjean i askim em, “Wai?” Na em i say, “Mi forgiveim yu.” Na Valjean i sovercome long forgiveness long biskop, em i singim dispela gutpela song, “Wat mi done?” Na point long song i, em i goin lidim narapela laif. Na las view lines long dat song i kapturem wat Zephaniah i try long tellim yumi tnait. Ol i go long dis stail. “Mi i reachim, tasol mi i fal, na nait i klosim in. Na mi i stare long void long whirlpool long mi sin. Mi i escape nau long wol, long wol long Jean Valjean. Jean Valjean i notin nau, narapela stor i mas begin.”

Dat i mesij long krus. Long olgeta yumi na olgeta shame, narapela stor i mas begin. Na hea i gutpela nius. I bin begin, 2,000 yia ago. Yumi i say long Valjean, “Dat ol yumi i notin nau, long narapela stor i bin begin long Krais.” En long dat stor i resurrection – pas na futur. Na en long dat stor, therefore, i en long shame. Yumi i pray.

Papam, long long na, mipela i feelim olsem strong. Mipela i feelim shame bilong mipela na mipela nidim narapela stori long replaceim. Na mipela i glad olsem when mipela i listenim Word bilong Yu, mipela no hearim tok bilong narapela man i tambu long taim long olsem. Mipela i hearim tok bilong Yu we i redefine mipela, givim mipela laif nibu, na olsem i givim mipela stori tru we mipela i livim long olgeta dei bilong laif bilong mipela. Mekim olsem i kamap long mipela long wik i kam, mipela i praim, long nem bilong Jisas, amen.