They were the reason why the team was there… -Melbourne Tean Youna Kim (Div 11)

[Hanji]

“New Wine and Old Wineskins” – This was the sermon title written on the newsletter of Dandenong Baptist Church where we visited on Wednesday. As Dongwon and I received this newsletter from Pastor Charles, the sermon title immediately reminded me of Korean EMS class lesson 3 taught by Pastor Marie. She told us about people in the bible who failed to pour new wine into new wineskins. I didn’t want to be like them.

When I was appointed as a helper leader and a gospel preacher of Melbourne team, I still doubted myself of how well I could manage those roles. I was nervous and lacking confidence so much that I almost wanted to give up of going on a mission trip. I had to constantly fight in prayer before the mission trip. This was my biggest personal prayer topic of the trip – to throw away my old wineskins. I was still depending on my old habits and characters in my life so much that the blessing of God was leaking from my old wineskins – lack of confidence and low self-esteem.

In Geelong, during our street performances, we met many youths wondering around the streets. Many of them were expelled from their school. They were smoking and swearing at each other. (I was nervous because those kids reminded me of my old classmates in Canada. I didn’t like them of how they always swear at Asians at the back of the bus.) I almost lost my confidence again in preaching gospel in front of them. I prayed to God again and again in my heart to strengthen me in the power the Holy Spirit. As soon as I prayed, God started touching my heart and made me realize how precious they were in God’s eyes. Yes, they were the reason why our team was in Geelong. They were the reason why Jesus came and died. The will of God of saving them couldn’t be forsaken by my weakness or past memories. They all must hear about Jesus – regardless of my past; I had to throw away my old wineskins by calling out for the help to Jesus. It was the time for me to pour new wine into the new wineskins. I had to hold on to the working of the Holy Spirit but not myself.

After sharing the gospel, I had a chance to talk to this girl (Molly). She had many piercings on her nose and ears, was smoking and was on a heavy makeup – resembling my classmates in high school. She asked me; why isn’t God answering my prayers, why was I kicked out of my school, why did God take my grandma away?... As soon as I heard her asking me these questions, my heart was moving so fast because it was as if she was asking me “where is God?” I told her the full gospel once again and assured her about her acceptance of Jesus and she started listening to me in bright and twinkling eyes. The last word she said as I was leaving was; Ok, I will pray in Jesus’ name. I shouted in my heart, Praise the Lord! God turned my weakness into his tool of saving one more soul. It wasn’t my work but God’s Amazing Work! Even those people that I didn’t want to approach, God was still looking for them to come back. It was my old wineskins and I was able to throw away my old patches slowly one by one during this mission trip.

On Friday of the week, QT was about a woman caught in adultery (I will skip the detailed story). When I was doing this QT, I burst into tears. Until now I was too self-conscious about other people’s reactions, gossips and behaviors. I was always too worried about how people will react at my words or actions even when no one cares - Satan would easily use these to discourage me and to make me fall down. However, I asked God for help because I wanted to overcome it so much. I felt like God was encouraging me through QT that by the grace of God I am saved and now I can fight against Satan and my weakness in Jesus’ name.

On Friday, when the team went to the ‘food for homeless’ center in Frankston, I was again fighting in prayer before preaching gospel. I was scared to speak in front of many people. However, when I was about to start preaching, I could see the crowd looking at me and I could feel how spiritually thirsty they were. To me, they looked as if they were looking for God’s love; not even money nor food. Yes! They were the reason why the team was at the center. They were the reason why Jesus came and died. God loves us so much and that’s why God had to send us Jesus. We were the reason why Jesus came and died. My heart was filled with God’s compassion.

Once again, my old-self could not hinder God’s will of saving those people. While I was sharing gospel, I could feel the Holy Spirit moving my heart and lips. I could witness many people accepting Jesus and also myself being set free from my old problems. God loves everyone – regardless of our characters, problems or issues. To take the barrier of sin away, God sent us Jesus! and now Jesus is the source of hope, strength and confidence to the children of God – for everyone we met during mission trip and for me as well.

The problem that I thought it would take a long time to fix, I was able to witness God fixing it and remolding my heart during this mission trip. The doors of many organizations in Melbourne were open and God also opened up my spiritual eyes. I feel like I am one step closer to God by re-gaining confidence in having New Life (gospel) in me. Regardless of my abilities, past or childhood memories, I have to share this accurate gospel because it is what God really wants. God has shown me his compassionate heart towards people in Melbourne during this trip. There are still so many people who haven’t heard about this accurate gospel. God loves everyone and he wants everyone to come back to him by believing in Jesus and it is now our responsibility to share this gospel to the ends of the earth!

 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

[루끄]

AMEN~