I just got a tattoo last night. It’s the Korean syllables “해인” meaning literally “together people”, but translated more formally “together with us.” My students gave me this name resembling my teaching and being with them for two years. But I didn’t get these forever markings as just a nice symbol of my time here, although that would work just as well. But in my studies and living over the years, I’ve learned how richly integral is the concept of Presence for an understanding of our faith and particularly for mission. I remember people critiquing me going to seminary because it would interfere with real mission and action. Then one semester in at Covenant, I get this job in South Korea, teaching Bible to middle and high school students. Seminary essentially sent me here, and without my presence there I could not have my presence here at my favorite Korean coffee shopped owned by my dear friend, writing this essay about the last book I read “The Mission of God’s People” by Christopher Wright. Wright beautifully explains with great conviction and sincerity, the importance of reading the whole Bible discerning the implications of God’s redemptive mission of the world for his people “whom God has loved, chosen, called, redeemed, shaped and sent into the world in the name of Christ.” He does this in a way that integrates the biblical story of the Bible theologically and practically boldly asserting that “No theology without missional impact; no mission without theological foundations.”
From Genesis to Revelation, the story of the Bible is about God and his continual pursuit of perfect Presence with his people. In the beginning God made a perfect world with people who could reflect his image together with him in perfect dwelling and presence, 해인. People were made right at the beginning for worship, and to do justice for all creation even the nonhuman, “speaking for those who couldn’t help themselves.” In other words, in the beginning there was stewardship as mission and image bearing. But this togetherness was marred, broken, and tainted by sin. It is not God who’s to blame for the poverty, sickness and death in the world. It really wasn’t even primarily the devil’s, for the world was still good even when the serpent was performing his craftiness on Eve. The world fell on man’s call, and his only. From this, the good and perfect 해인 could no longer work the same.
But God kept the pursuit. Though Noah and the Patriarchs he established a covenant of blessing, protection, prosperity, and most importantly his promise of presence with them. “The call of Abraham is the beginning of God’s answer to the evil of human hearts, the strife of nations, and the groaning brokenness of his whole creation. It is the beginning of the mission of God and the mission of God’s people.” He was able to allow his people to grow in large numbers in Egypt so that in the most astounding and pivotal story in the Old Testament, he could redeem them, “buy them back” by conquering Pharoah and his gods. The Exodus not only saved Israel from slavery but it brought political, social, and also spiritual redemption from Pharoah’s world. This means that God’s mission as well as ours for the world covers every aspect of human need. This is a God who saved Israel and us not just “to freedom but to covenant.” This is a God who desires Presence, Community, 해인 with his people.
Through the law, Israel could know their mission. “It is a distorted idea to think in the Old Testament they were saved by the law and then in the New Testament it is saved by grace.” Israel was already delivered. Following the law was not just a pios order of righteousness, but a graceful action of blessing to show the nations who this God is, so that they may know him too! God’s mission has always been cosmic, because the whole earth belongs to him. Therefore, “We are the people of God redeemed from past sin, and whom God is working to bring blessing to all nations.” Since Abraham’s mission out of Babel, Israel’s calling was global, “a light to all nations” so that everyone may be curious about this God who wants to dwell with them. As God’s representatives, Israel was called to holiness as an identity and action. Obedience must be a necessary response to grace. If we are not showing God’s presence with us through our visible faith and lifestyle, how will people desire to see who this God his?
We know Israel failed, just like we do in this graceful covenant and our daily mission. And the judges, kings and prophets delivered God’s message of mission, failed and delivered again. But God kept his pursuit of 해인. “There is no plan B. Israel is God’s servant for God’s purpose, glory and mission.” God’s mission will continue, as did Israel’s, and as will ours. “The mission of God’s people is not a matter of how great we are at doing things for God, but a matter of how patient and persistent God is in doing things through us.”
And as we know, God kept pursuing this redemption, and keeps his promise. This time of the year we remember it more than ever. This God did an act of pursuit we would have never predicted. He came down to us, to live, to die, to act, to dwell. “The Incarnation brings God right alongside us in our struggle and calls us to embody and be agents of the reign of God, through Christ.” He came shamefully and left in glory, and remains in glory. The cross and resurrection give us the hope and power to share true love, hope and peace with the world “seeking the atoning work of God in the most unredeemable places.” And this presence He’s always wanted was made possible again, as He gave the perfect gift of dwelling we could imagine: His presence forever, his Holy Spirit that guides us and gives us true transformation to live for him in true mission, 해인.
So now, here we are, in the third act, the Act of Redemption, awaiting the final Restoration of time, when God purifies this beautiful world he’s made, removes all sin and evil, and renews it for a beautiful city, a New Jerusalem for His people. 해인 will be perfect like it was, but better. It will be forever, never again to be broken or marred. It will be all nations, all of creation, and all for God’s glory. It was always his story and it still is. It was always his mission of redemption, and it still is.
So what? Be who you are. You are the people of God carrying 해인 with you. Whether in the church or public marketplace we are to bring salvation and revelation to it with joy, remembering that it is God who created it, redeems it, governs it and calls us to confront the idolatry and sin we find in it and purge it. The world is not a transient, temporary place. God plans to redeem all of it, and he calls us to be a part of it with obedience and worship.
How can this not impact us and call us to worship? Interestingly, this is where the story will end: with worship. Today, we can experience how worship affects our hearts. “We are most fully ourselves as human beings when we are in a relationship with God in which God is glorified in and through our enjoyment of that relationship. Worship is the goal in bringing all nations to glorify God by worshipping trusting and obeying him.” Worship today can be the best experience of 해인.
The gospel is so much more than a ‘get out of hell free’ card or a fatalist ‘this world is going to hell so what does it matter’ worldview. This world matters. Now matters. If it didn’t God would not have gone through what he did for 해인. He would not have entered into our world, for its own saving if it didn’t matter. We have a responsibility alongside the assurance of God’s sovereignty.
Maybe I’m a little bit partial because they’re my students. Maybe I’m taking a mere coincidence out of just two symbols two eighth grade girls decided was my name. But God spoke clearly to me when I read the words and saw their faces with excitement in the name they gave me. “This is who you are. This is your purpose, and I will take you many places with this name. Places that need to hear I am with them. I desire 해인 with them. Go, tell them.” So in 27 days, the first place I will go as my mission is the U.S.A. For how long, He only knows, but his presence will never leave wherever I go, and people in every place need to know the story. Church, this is your mission. Its everywhere, and it requires your full attention, motivation, obedience and your presence, because your presence is His presence, and his redemption for all. Merry Christmas
