The year of peace

Luke 2:14 The year of peace
We can say without hesitation that the world topic of the last year is the terrorist attack on the world trade center in New York and the war in Afghanistan. US declared this year 2002 'the year of war'. And they increased the war budget to the utmost.
US president Bush labelled Iran, Iraq and North Korea 'axis of evil. And Bush warned these three countries not to develope the weapon of mass destruction. It means, if these three countries ignore his warning, US will go to war against these three countries.
Some countries expressed their opinion against Bush's statement. And the neighbouring countries including these three countries are worried about it. Especially South Korea government was very embarrassed at the Bush's statement because South Korea government has carrying out the sunshine policy on North Korea. President Kim Dae Jung replaced foreign minister for the tension between US and North Korea.
As you know, if war happens in Korean peninsula, you and I will be damaged directly or indirectly, and the Koran churches in foreign countries will be damaged too. Therefore we pray, "Lord, don't let the war happen again in Korean peninsula."
Brothers and sisters, have you ever fought with others ? Or have you ever been hit by others ? When you was hit by others, so that when you shed blood or when you felt hard to breathe, how did you feel ? I am sure you was very angry, wretched and terrible. If your parent or your children are hit by others, so that if they cry and die before you, you will be very angry with the person who hit your family.
Brothers and sisters, war and fight are not romantic as the comics and video games say. If war happens, many children cry for food, gas, water and electricity will not be supplied so that we have to shiver with cold, houses collapse and companies shut the door so that lots of people become homeless and jobless, and war orphans cry on the road, family's happiness breaks, young men have to go to the battlefield so that they will lose their dreams and visions for their future.
Therefore we must not beautify war but block the war with our full efforts. If you were God, do you declare this year 'the year of war' or 'the year of peace'?
Brothers and sisters, don't forget. Jesus came to us as the king of peace not the king of war. He never instigated war against the Roman government. He never fought against Rome. Instead Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's." (Matthew 22:21) And he said to Peter, "All who draw the sword will die by the sword." (Matthew 26:52) It means Jesus loves peace and he hates war.
If Jesus comes in our heart through his Spirit, we will hate war and love peace like him, and we will not fight with others nor insult others because his Spirit is the spirit of peace.
And if the person filled with his Spirit is in the family or in the church, the family and the church will be peaceful. On the contrary, if the person filled with the evil spirit is in the family or in the church, the family and the church will be battlefield.
Brothers and sisters, think of this. If a family quarrels everyday, we don't say, "The family is a happy family !" And if a church quarrels everyday, we don't say, "The church is a exemplary church !"
If husband and wife quarrel, their children will be emotionally unstable and they will be in danger of problem children. And if there is quarrels in the church, the church members will be tired and they will not come to the church so that church growth will stop.
If this year is the year of war in your family, your family's condition will be bad this year. And if this year is the year of war in our church, our church will be bad this year.
But rejoice ! This year is the year of peace. Therefore you should do away with the weapons of mass destruction. and take the tools of construction. And construct your family with peace, construct our church with peace. War brings us destruction but peace brings us construction.
Therefore don't make the weapons again for the war. Instead, say to the arms "A farewell to arms !" and declare peace to everyone.
As you know. our church was hurt by the war. Some contentious persons rose up in the church so that we lost some members. But peace has come to us. This year God has given peace to our church. This year is the year of peace to our church.
Therefore let's construct our church. Let's create the miracle of Calgary just as the Koreans created the miracle of Han River. You and I have a potential power. That's why we purchased this beautiful church building within 2 years since our church opened. And we will rise again to create the miracle of Calgary.
Brothers and sisters, look at yourselves. And ask yourselves. "Am I a man of peace or man of war ? Do I love peace or war ? Is this year the year of peace or year of war in my family and in our church ? Do I have constructive tools or destructive weapons in my hands ? Is my lips constructive tool or destructive weapon ?"
Brothers and sisters, we hate war and we love peace. We want peace not war. We want our families and our church to be in peace. You and I are the husbands and wives of peace. I am a pastor of peace and all of you are the members of peace.
Therefore peace is in our families and in our church. And where there is peace there is construction and growth. This year something great will happen to our church because this year is the year of peace.
Brothers and sisters, don't break this wonderful peace. Don't let the contentious persons come in our church again. And don't be dejected or discouraged as you see the destructed features. Dejection does not bring us construction.
The miracle of Calgary will be established from the ashes just as the miracle of Han River and miracle of Rhine River rose from the heaps of ashes. In other words, our church was hurt by the war, but our church will grow from the ashes.
Brothers and sisters, look around. We were struck on our right cheek and left cheek also. We have experienced the pain of war, and shed tears and blood in the war, so that we have realized that peace is precious.
Brothers and sisters, it is the time for us to bind up and heal each others. And we have to encourage each others and say, "At last peace has come ! Let's construct. Let's create the miracle of Calgary. Be courageous !"
Brothers and sisters, who want to be first to construct and to bear cross ? Don't say, "It is impossible ! I cannot !" But say, "Lord, I can do everything through you, who give me strength. I want to be first to construct the kingdom of God !"
Obviously this year will be the year of peace and year of hope and year of miracle, especially to the constructive persons, you and I. And on that day let's praise the Lord who uses us to create the miracle of Calgary. Amen !