20261011 메드포드한인교회 주일설교 박청수 목사 (Medford Korean Church Sunday Service Message)

물가에 심긴 나무 Threes Planted by Streams of Water: 시편 Psalm 1:1-3 Last week, I shared a message based on Matthew 7:16-20 that we must nurture ourselves inwardly and outwardly so as to become good trees that produce good fruit. There is an underlying idea in this message: all human beings have the potential to grow into good trees. This observation can be supported by the fact that Jesus does not use a framework of destiny in describing the fate of people, as though some are born to live as bad trees throughout their entire lives, while others are born to live as good trees. Further, Jesus gave this message as a warning so that whoever hears it may turn away from the way of bad trees—another sign of His nondiscriminatory view of the potential inherent in all people. In fact, the Bible supports this idea. It finds the foundational root of this potential in the way we were all created: in the image of God ("So God created mankind in his own image...” Gen 1:27) The image of God inherent in us implies that we have been given the potential to discern and live according to His will, thereby producing fruit corresponding to it. In this sense, we can say that a foundational effort in becoming good trees is to foster this image so that it exerts its fullest influence on our inner and outer beings, allowing all that comes from us to align suitably with God’s intention. Fostering the Image of God As for how to foster this image, we may first consider limiting our behaviors. This was actually the case for the Israelites during the Old Testament era. They confined their lifestyles to what the Law allowed; they would eat only permitted foods, observe designated festivals, and offer sacrifices in the prescribed way. This approach did have an effect, helping them align their lifestyles with what was fitting in God’s sight. Yet, it had some significant deficiencies as well, eventually failing to produce good fruit. In one notable case, their faithful observance of worship was not enough to draw them fully toward living up to the image of God, eventually triggering His harsh rebuke of this failure (cf., Hosea 6:6) The Bible offers a better alternative in this effort: spiritual nourishment. Specifically, in Psalm 1:2, meditating on the Law is presented as the decisive means of attaining this effect: “but [blessed is the one] whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” There are two noteworthy ideas in this verse: one is “the law,” and the other is “meditating day and night.” In the Old Testament, the Law was given by God as a means for Israel to remain in a right relationship with Him. In other words, the Law is the essential passage through which one relies on Him and receives His thoughts and heart. By adding “meditating day and night,” this verse goes further in highlighting that the righteous person whose life embodies the image of God is the one who “continues” to receive the heart and mind of God. Using the imagery of water that sustains trees, verse 3 identifies the provision from God through the Law as the foundational source that enables us to live up to the image of God, paving the way for us to produce good fruit. As such, the expression “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season” stresses reliance on spiritual nourishment from God as the decisive foundation for becoming good trees. Message When we hear the message of bearing fruit or feel responsible for living in such a way, we sometimes turn our attention to the aspect of deeds that the idea of bearing fruit carries with it. Thus, the emphasis falls on the production aspect of this idea. While shaping our behaviors in desirable ways is important, today’s text, along with many other biblical passages, places greater emphasis on securing and receiving spiritual nourishment that lays the foundation for moving on to the production stage. It further teaches us that this nourishment is provided by God and that, to obtain it, we must remain close to the God-given passage through which we reach His heart and mind. This passage is expressed as the Law in today’s text. As those living in an era in which Jesus has expanded this passage to include all who believe in Him, we have been given faith in Christ and the Spirit in the name of Christ as passages through which to receive spiritual nourishment, alongside the Word of God. It is when we “plant” ourselves by the Word, faith, and the Spirit “day and night” that we can bear abundant good fruit, like trees planted by streams of water. Final Words Fruit is not produced by our own effort alone. It comes naturally when we have grown enough to bear it. Therefore, we must nurture ourselves until we are mature enough to bear fruit. God will lead us to do so by providing the spiritual nourishment we need as we continue holding on to faith in Christ, seeking the guidance of the Spirit, and meditating on the Word of God day and night. Amen.