- Do you know what I have in my hand? Yesterday, during the Love Block Summer Camp, each child was given a glass jar, colored pens, and a small light. They drew their dreams or hobbies on the jar. When the lights were turned off, the jars glowed beautifully in the dark.
- Although it was just a one-day camp, I believe it will leave a lasting impact on the children's memories. We prepared for this day for a year through the Love Block Café, and for four years since founding the church. Despite some challenges, seven kids came, even though we initially had 11 registered.
- The kids couldn’t know everything that went into the camp. They couldn’t know the sacrifices our teachers made or the efforts of our volunteers, some of whom kept their commitments despite not feeling well. I was proud of the Uptinz kids who helped lead and build relationships with the younger children.
- Helping children find their dreams is always valuable. Yesterday, a seventh grader named Kevin came. His brother, Eduardo, who has Down syndrome, is the reason we started the Love Block Café. We also saw Kevin’s sister, Gloria, who shared her dream of working in the medical field four years ago. Yesterday, I learned she is now studying mental therapy at the university and receiving scholarships.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,” (Luke 4:18, NIV)
- Even non-believers do good deeds, but the good deeds of believers are different. They are led by the ‘Spirit of the Lord’ and aim to save souls and expand the kingdom of God.
“Then Jesus asked, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.’ Again he asked, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.’” (Luke 13:18-21, NIV)
- This passage reveals the 'mechanisms of the kingdom of God.' The kingdom of God works invisibly, like a mustard seed growing into a tree or yeast spreading through dough. The process is visible to people of faith.
- The rare “moso bamboo” in China grows only 3cm in four years but can grow up to a meter a day in the fifth year. Similarly, the kingdom of God grows steadily, often unseen.
“For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.” (Matthew 11:13, NIV)
- The kingdom of God was long anticipated from Genesis, growing invisibly through history. John the Baptist declared the arrival of Jesus, who began the full restoration of the kingdom of God.
“‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (Mark 1:15, NIV)
- Jesus' central message was the 'kingdom of God.' His ministry extended beyond salvation to encompass the work of the kingdom, which includes the cross. Believers must live according to God’s principles, spreading their faith like yeast.
- Yeast, often symbolizing sin, also represents the expanding kingdom of God. Jesus used yeast to describe the kingdom's spread, a concept familiar to the Jews.
“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is in your midst.’” (Luke 17:20-21, NIV)
- The world demands visible evidence, but God says the kingdom of God is in our midst, embodied by Jesus. Jesus, like a mustard seed or yeast, brought the kingdom to Israel.
“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24, NIV)
- We are the fruit of Jesus, who died like a grain of wheat. The incorruptible word of God has given us new life.
“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23, NIV)
- Believers are born again through the word of God, living for God’s purposes, not the world's. Our faith-driven efforts are sacred, and the kingdom of God grows fiercely, though often unseen.
- Like Jesus, we must endure hardships to bear fruit. The kingdom of God must be realized in our hearts and in our lives.
- Local missions can be easier than short-term missions, but they come with their own challenges. It’s hard to maintain dedicated commitment due to our realistic situations.
- Regardless of the type of mission, we must commit fully for the kingdom of God to grow. Our church will continue to ‘Dream On,’ sowing the incorruptible seed repeatedly. Let us pray for the kingdom of God to start, expand, and bear fruit where we live.
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