Sunday Service on November 24, 2024

Triangle Family Church Sunday Service on November 24, 2024

Sermon - Growth of Love through Faith and Devotion

The sermon discusses the growth of love through faith and devotion, using the Korean folk tale “Tiger’s Whisker” to illustrate its lessons for young people.

Key Insights

• Faith as Foundation: Faith is essential for spiritual growth and trusting in God’s guidance. It empowers individuals during uncertain times.
• Lessons from the Tiger's Whisker: The story emphasizes the importance of patience and dedication in building trust, applicable to a couple relationships.
• Love’s Journey: A strong foundation of love, nurtured through daily commitment, can transform relationships, emphasizing that love requires effort and intention.
• Practical Wisdom: The tale contrasts practical, liberal approaches to relationships with deeper, faith-based insights, suggesting that true happiness comes from commitment rather than superficial choices.
• Divine Prioritization: Emphasizing love for God above all aligns with spiritual teachings, encouraging young people to seek divine guidance in their relationships.
• Hope for the Future: Young people are reminded that, despite uncertainties, nurturing their first love and faith in God can lead to fulfilling lives and marriages.

Transcript

I would like to talk about the growth of love through faith and devotion, as illustrated by the Korean folktale “Tiger’s Whisker”. This story was covered in a lesson at Sunday school and contains valuable insights for single youth. I would like to share the story and insights with today’s youth service audiences.

Before going to the folktale, let us read a Bible verse Hebrews 11:1 and True Parents’ word about faith.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. This verse emphasizes the importance of having confidence and trust in the unseen, providing strength and assurance in one's spiritual journey.

The next is True Parents’ word.

What is faith? The Chinese character "shin" means "faith." It combines "person" on the right and "word" on the left. Thus, faith translates to a "person's word," indicating a relationship between people. Without a relationship, there is no conversation, and speaking requires this mutual basis. Therefore, forming a relationship requires faith.

According to True Parents, forming relationships requires faith as a mutual basis.

Young people often worry about their careers and future spouses. They believe finding the perfect match will ensure a happy marriage. The 'Tiger’s Whisker' offers valuable insights to help them prepare for a happy marriage.

Let us start reading the Korean folktale 'Tiger’s Whisker'. I hope you will enjoy the story. 

As the wedding day approached, the young bride grew increasingly concerned. While her fiancé was a good man, he occasionally exhibited out-of-control bursts of anger that left her uncertain about how to respond. Her mother advised her to serve and care for him diligently, reassuring her that this would lead to his increased happiness and gentleness. 

She remained concerned. Ultimately, she chose to seek counsel from the village elder, known for his wisdom.

"Please give me a potion to make my future husband loving and kind," she pleaded.

The village elder replied, "I will help, but I need a whisker from a living tiger."

The determined young bride ventured out with a bowl of meat to a tiger's cave on the mountainside. Hearing the tiger's growl, she placed the bowl down and swiftly returned home, frightened but resolute.

The next night, she crept closer to the cave where she saw the tiger. She placed the bowl near the cave and went home.

This became a routine for her and the tiger, which consumed the meat she provided every night. After weeks of leaving the bowl of meat outside the cave, she opted to take a different approach. She entered the cave with the meat, placed it down, and then left.

The following night, she repeated her actions. This time, she remained present while the tiger approached the bowl, looked at her, and then ate his meal. Observing his eyes, she noted that the tiger appeared less hostile, which encouraged her to attempt something more adventurous the next night.

The next night, she brought the bowl to the cave, placed it down, and sat beside it. The tiger arrived, ate, then brushed against her while purring. She reached out and petted him. He didn't mind; instead, he closed his eyes and fell asleep, still purring.

She took scissors from her pocket and clipped a whisker from the tiger. Amazingly, she was no longer afraid and even felt love for the tiger.

The next day, she gave the whisker to the village elder. He examined it and then threw it into the fire.

"Why did you do that? I thought you were making a potion. It took me months to win the tiger's trust!"

The elder responded, "If you can gain the trust and friendship of a wild tiger, surely you can do the same with a husband."

Inspired by these wise words, the young bride resolved to win her husband's heart with love each day. "I will make him gentle, just like the tiger," she thought. And she succeeded.

What can we learn from this folktale?

The village elder assigned the young bride a mission to teach her a valuable lesson for a happy marriage. He believed in her ability to accomplish the task and grow her love. Instead of magic potion, he let her realize her portion of responsibility for a happy marriage. She committed daily to the task, gaining the tiger's trust. She realized her ability to grow her love. This story parallels how True Parents trained first-generation members, helping them grow personally while creating a worldwide church foundation.

Young people, especially those educated in liberalism, value practical thinking and personal freedom. Liberalism supports individual choice and goal pursuit. It has promoted social justice, such as racial and gender equality, but also challenged fundamental values and moral principles.

Imagine if the village elder in the story was a liberal person and gave the young lady practical advice. Finding a spouse is like buying a car. You should test drive the car before purchasing it to see if it meets your needs and preferences. If the car doesn't meet your requirements, you can look for another one. Similarly, if your fiancé does not meet your needs and preferences, you may consider looking for another partner.

Would she have a happy marriage if she followed such practical advice?

Young people may not favor an autocratic leadership style. This could be a reason why figures such as President Trump and Elon Musk, who surround themselves with loyal followers, might not appeal to younger individuals. Is it true?

However, the leadership style of the creator of a popular item for young people was known to be autocratic. Guess what the popular item is and who is the creator. iPhone and Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs had a “my way or the highway” approach to leadership, and he believed that he was solely responsible for the decisions and direction of his team. He surrounded himself with like-minded people to follow his lead.

He had a passion for the wonders of technology and how it can change the world positively. His creation, the "iPhone," significantly influenced the world.

We will not discuss about President Trump and Elon Musk. The discussion will go on for a long time. History will evaluate President Trump and Elon Musk. As a faith community, we should pray for their success in making America great and and do our portion to make America great.

I mentioned the leadership style because I am discussing True Mother's leadership. True Mother emphasizes unity with her as the only begotten daughter. This approach might be misunderstood as autocratic or cult-like. It's important to understand why she asks for unity with her.

Jesus also instructed his followers to do the same as True Mother is asking us approximately 2000 years ago. Jesus taught his followers to prioritize love for him and God above all else, including family. He emphasized loving God first and then neighbors, as seen in Matthew 10:37 and Mark 12:30-31. Jesus exemplified this principle by maintaining first love for God while extending love to others.

True Mother is practicing the same principle as Jesus. She is deeply devoting herself to God and True Father, and she is committed to realizing their vision for Cheon Il Guk.

Conclusion

Faith involves confidence and trust in God and True Parents, providing strength in one's spiritual journey.

God and True Parents know what is best for us.

God and True Parents provide training for our growth in love.

First Love: Jesus and True Parents emphasize the importance of loving God above all and extending that love to others.

We need to keep our first love pure by loving God.

When you meet your spouse, you offer your pure first love to your spouse.

It is the best advice from God and True Parents for a happy marriage.