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When: Nov. 5. 2000
Where: Trainer's Training for Asian Women
-Korean Student Christian Federation(KSCF)
Sermon: The first witness of the Good News
The Word: Mt. 28:1-10
Peace be all of with you!
Dear my sisters and brothers in Jesus Christ,
I am very glad to be here today morning and to reflect the Word of God with you.
I would like at first to tell you my own story. When I had my ordination spring of 1999, I invited my family including my 10 years old nephew to the ceremony. He asked me, "What does mean ordination?" I explained, "It means, I am becoming Minister." And he was so surprised and responded immediately, "But, you are woman, how can a woman become Minister?" He is just 10 years old. But he is already so influenced by the social common prejudice. We still didn't get rid of this kind of prejudice in Korea.
It was true, in the Christian history woman didn't have right to speak officially. It took very long time to get the right to be ordained female minister and to preach the good news in the Church. About 1900 years the women were force to be silent in the Church. Still in the Korean Church women are doing so-called woman's work, for instance to prepare the lunch after the worship, or to make arrange flowers, to visit the patients, to teach the kids in the Sunday school etc. But it is still hard to find to see the female minister, who proclaimed the Good news in the Church on Sunday or female elder, who can say the opinion in the synod meeting. About 500 Women's Minister we have in all of Korea. I don't know exactly the situation, where you came from. But I think generally speaking it is almost same, although some differences exist in each country.
In the Western Society began since 19th Century to have female Minister. And 20th Century is the women Minister became popular there.
In the Old and New Testament time seems woman didn't have right to make witness officially. It was a typical Jewish culture and tradition. The man didn't believe what the woman said. Usually man is used to speak something, while woman is just used to listen. For instance in a group discussion, which is composed one man and nine women usually, speaks the man, even the women are majority in this group.
Since the beginning of early Church itself is male oriented. They didn't allow the women to speak in the Church officially. There is some ridiculous Argument, why the women didn't have that kind of right. For example Jesus didn't have female disciples. Among the 12 Apostles was no woman. In Genesis 2 woman is created as helper etc. So woman must be subordinated under the man and be quite in the Church.
But how about the attitude of Jesus for the woman generally? Jesus was totally different. Jesus broke the cultural rule and negative tradition. In the Gospel and Paul's epistle mentioned so many kind of women, who helped Jesus and so diligent to build the early Church. We just ignored these women. So we have to make an effort to memory of them.
In the four Gospels were reported about the first witness of Jesus resurrection. Not only Matthew 28: 1-10, which we road today morning together, but also Mark 16: 1-8, Luke 24: 1-12, John 20: 1-10 reported this meeting between resurrected Jesus and women.
After the Sabbath, as Sunday morning was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the grave. They visit the grave to take care of the dead body of Jesus. But they went there, not because they believe the promise of Jesus, that Jesus will be raised. So they were also afraid. But in compare to the man they had courage, in spite of the risk, they would accuse as a follower of Jesus.
In this moment they experienced there Jesus is raised. So they left the grave in a hurry, afraid and yet filled with joy, and ran to tell Jesus disciples. And suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Peace be with you" although they couldn't believe at first. Jesus encourages the women to tell this event to the disciples and people. That is important request. "Do not be afraid," Jesus said to them. "Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me"
Jesus gave them important task to proclaim this good news into the World. Without resurrection of Jesus couldn't build up the Christianity. Jesus overcomes the death and bad power. This event makes the Christianity possible. And Jesus himself let the woman to speak loudly into the world. What a wonderful and great mission!
Women got double missions one from the angel, the other one from Jesus. After they got this precious mission they are changed. They were no more afraid and became open. Woman was the first witness, who met the resurrected Jesus and told this good news to the people. They are the first important woman leader after Jesus resurrection.
It takes so long time to refine this task, which we lost what we got from Jesus. Now more or less the woman is allowed to speak at least in the reformed Church officially. What can we do? What can we say in this situation?
What we need is empowerment. It means we can encourage the other people, who are all kind of oppressed, powerless in the society. We can give and share our power to the other people, instead of monopolistically to possess the power. It's bad enough to experience the patriarchy in the Asian society and churches. But if the woman has power, she plays the same roll as man. That means patriarchy-transformed matriarchy. The main melody of Feminist Theology is played out in the context of patriarchal systems. But its goal is not a transformation to matriarchy. The patriarchal tendencies in Christianity combine with Confucianism in Asian countries to strengthen the male dominated nature of society.
Feminist theology insists in Empowerment. Empowerment means totally different attitude. It is sharing power with other people in order to make harmony just like circle. Our Earth lost her own circular character. Instead human societies are structured like Pyramids. In a circle each element is bound equally to the next, but in a Pyramid the elements are separate, each one dominating the one below and submissive to the one above.
The Pyramid system is especially developed in our Asian Society and has supplanted any kind of round system. From a feminist viewpoint, I think, that to reform the church and therefore society what we need first of all, is a Paradigm shift from the Pyramid to the Round System.
We also have to try to build Life-oriented economy system in a globalisation era.
We as woman are blessed by Jesus to say Good news to the people. Therefore don't be hesitating! Don' be afraid to speak Good News, which is given us as the Life-oriented power.
I wish God's blessing all of you, who want to live as courage woman leader on your own work and daily life.
Amen
Let us pray!
Dear lovely God!
We thank you for this opportunity to meet us each other. Let us don't be afraid to say the Good News in every place. Let us share our power, which we got from you, with our sisters and brothers.
Let us strength other people just Jesus did for us.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen | |
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