A New Beginning with the Word
Luke 3:15-22 (Jesus' baptism)
1/12/25, Mars Hill UMC
Life Is a Pilgrimage
The year 2024
quietly said goodbye, and 2025 has already walked 12 days with us on this
journey of life. We didn’t push time away, nor did we invite the new year to
come. Yet here we are, walking together. Life is like that. Many things happen
without us asking. Sometimes, unexpected and unwelcome events fall into our
lives.
Jordan Rieger
asks in his book, Is it Tourism or Pilgrimage?, "Is life like
sightseeing or pilgrimage?" Both involve travel, but they’re vastly
different. Sightseeing is about passing by and glancing
at things with our eyes or walking according to our own plans. Instead
pilgrimage is about walking along the path given to us, using our feet to move
forward. It’s not about walking where we want to go, but walking where God
leads us.
Pastor
Yongbong Kim highlights the key difference: attitude. A tourist demands and
expects, while a pilgrim walks in gratitude, as expressed in the Latin phrase: “Turistas
manden; peregrinos agradecen” (“Tourists demand; pilgrims give thanks”). A
pilgrim doesn’t focus on entitlement but on awe and thankfulness for the
journey, the people, and the situations they encounter, trusting in God’s
greater will.[1]
The Bible is
filled with stories of pilgrims—Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and even Jesus. They
show us that the Master of this journey starts every pilgrimage with His Word,
guiding us until the finish line. Last week, we found the answer to the
crossword puzzles in our newspaper. “What the Master offers us in our journey?”
“Guidance”
Abraham’s
Pilgrimage with the Word
God called
Abraham to leave everything familiar and walk a new path. In Genesis 12:1-3,
God’s words to him were clear: “Go from your country, your people, and your
father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great
nation, and I will bless you... so that you will be a blessing.” Abraham
left his comfort and walked an uncertain, challenging road. The path from Ur to
Haran was easy, but from Haran to Canaan, he faced harsh wilderness.
Abraham
didn’t choose the path; he simply obeyed God’s Word, trusting Him. Along the
way, he learned more about himself, his nephew Lot, and how to live with
others. Most importantly, he grew in awe of God. This pilgrimage didn’t end
with Abraham—it continued with his descendants, Isaac and Jacob. Before each of
their journeys, God reaffirmed His promises: “I am the God of your father
Abraham and Isaac. I will bless you and your offspring.” They believed
God’s Word, and that Word was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Other
Pilgrimages with the Word
The Bible
shows us many other journeys beginning with God’s Word.
- Moses: Before leading the Israelites,
God said, “I will be with you... when you have brought the people out
of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:12)
- Joshua: Before conquering the Promised
Land, God encouraged him: “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the
Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
- The Magi: In Matthew 2:1-12, the Magi
left their homes to follow a star, likely remembering Daniel’s prophecies
(Daniel 9:24-27) and Numbers 24:17: “A star will come out of Jacob.”
Trusting God’s promises, they journeyed far to honor the newborn King.
- John the Baptist: Before John’s ministry, the
angel Gabriel told his father Zechariah, “He will go before the Lord in
the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare the people for the Lord.”
(Luke 1:16-17) John’s life was filled with God’s Word, and he humbly
prepared the way for Jesus, knowing his ministry was not about himself but
about Christ.
Jesus’
Pilgrimage with the Word
Even Jesus
began His earthly ministry with God’s Word. When He came to John the Baptist
for baptism, He humbled Himself before God. As He emerged from the water,
heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, as God’s voice
affirmed: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you, I am well pleased.”
This divine
affirmation empowered Jesus for His 40 days in the wilderness and the trials of
His ministry, culminating in the suffering of the cross. God’s Word sustained
Him through it all.
Our
Pilgrimage with the Word
We, too, are
pilgrims, walking toward our heavenly home. As Hebrews 11:14-16 reminds us, we
are seeking a better country—a heavenly one. Even if we remain in the same
place physically, we are pilgrims when we leave behind our old selves and seek
truth, guided by God’s Word.
A pilgrim
recognizes their biases, stubbornness, and insecurities, rejecting Satan’s
destructive lies: “You’re not good enough,” “You’re a failure.” Instead,
a pilgrim clings to God’s promises:
- “I love you.” (John 3:16)
- “You are My child.” (1 John 3:1)
- “I created you with a purpose.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Some of us
already walk with God’s Word guiding us. Bonnie holds tightly to John 3:16.
Andy finds strength in Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.”
and James 4:8 “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” Sally’s God’s
Words is “This is the day that the Lord has made” (Psalm 118:24) Karen Hardy,
who tragically lost her home and five pets in a fire, shares this prayer of
faith: “I don’t know what’s ahead, but I trust that You do. Please guide my
steps and open the right doors.”
Looking back
on my life, I realize it has been a journey of transformation — from being a
tourist who simply goes sightseeing to becoming a pilgrim walking the path of
faith. I once lived trying to solve everything by my own plans, wisdom, and
strength. Even now, I continue to wrestle with that, but little by little, I am
learning to invite God to be the Lord of my life and to walk the path He has
set before me.
Especially
before giving birth, God gave me His Words. Before having the first child,
Lydia, God told me, “Don’t be afraid, I am with you.” Before having Abe, God
told me, “I don’t want you to be perfect, but to be a praying mom.” Before
having three children in Maine, God told me, “You are my beloved daughter. You
are a missionary in this County. Raise your children with them.” Likewise, God
has told me, before becoming a senior pastor of Mars Hill this July, “Don’t be
afraid, I am with you. (Joshua 1:9) I will clothe you with Salvation, and all
faithful Mars Hill people will ever sing for joy” (Psalm 132:16).
Listening
to, reading, meditating on, and memorizing God's Word is how I overcome anxiety and enter
into God's rest. John Wesley, who recorded his actions every 15 minutes
and published his journals into books every 4 to 5 years, engraved God's Word
on the soil of his heart through spiritual journaling. When our own words, the
devil's words, and people's words decrease, and God's Word fills us, returning
to how humanity was originally created, we can experience true rest.
The Lion
King, Mufasa
Our family
loves The Lion King. We’ve watched it so many times that we’ve lost
count. For my daughter’s birthday, we watched The Lion King 2 on Monday
and saw Mufasa at the theater on Friday. Apologies to those who haven’t
seen the movie yet, but let me briefly share the storyline.
Young Mufasa,
who loses his parents in a flood, becomes a wanderer, a pilgrim. On his
journey, he learns who he is and how to live with others. Guided by his
mother’s words about the Millele leading to rest, he presses on despite
enemies, betrayal, and danger. In the end, he reaches the land of rest,
reunites with his mother, finds new love, and becomes the Lion King.
A New
Beginning with the Word
Is our life a
sightseeing trip or a pilgrimage? In what areas do we still believe we can
control and plan everything on our own? What are God’s Words to help us start
our pilgrimages and keep us walking this journey? Like Abraham, Moses, Joshua,
the Magi, John the Baptist, and Jesus, may God’s Word be our guidance as we
walk this pilgrimage of 2025. Amen.
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