[Sunday Sermon] God of Immigrants and God of Mine
“12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.
9 Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.”
Since our first worship service in 2005, we have continually reflected on our church’s identity and mission, emphasizing the theme: “Rejoicing God and Singing Life.” Through Abraham’s calling, we are reminded that we, too, as Christians, are called to live with a spirituality of pilgrimage, leaving behind the values of this world to live in obedience to the voice of God. This “leaving” is not merely a geographic move, but a turning away from worldly values toward a new life centered on God.
God promised Abraham that He would “make of him a great nation,” which signifies a new, God-centered community. This community is to be built on the foundation of God’s grace, with love, forgiveness, and embrace at its center. We are grateful to every member who has journeyed with us thus far, and we hope to continue building this community with even greater love and devotion.
God’s purpose in calling Abraham was not only for his personal blessing, but so that he and his community would become a blessing to the world. The church is called to be a channel through which God’s mercy, love, and the gospel of salvation are revealed to the world. Through our lives and our church, we are to continue embracing and serving the wounds and fears of the world.
Whether immigrant or native-born, every Christian is a spiritual immigrant from the moment God calls them. We are encouraged to always live with the posture of departure—letting go of worldly values, forming a new community, and living to serve the world.
Prayer: God who called Abraham, we praise You, who still calls us to leave behind the values we’ve built in the world and turn our hearts to You. We offer our lives to You again, building altars of worship and walking as channels of blessing—serving the world and building a community of faith. Use us in our weakness, and just as You have led us until now, continue to pour out Your grace and guidance upon KCON. Even when we face challenges, help us renew our commitment and walk faithfully. Lead us so that, on the day we meet again, we may joyfully share how we have remained faithful and built a beautiful church together. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)