5-3-26 “Faith You Can’t See, Love You Can Show”

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“Faith You Can’t See, Love You Can Show”

I want to start with something funny that I found on an internet site. A college student was in a philosophy
class where a discussion about whether God exists was in progress. The professor presented the following logic:
“Has anyone in this class seen God?” Nobody spoke. “Has anyone in this class touched God?” Again, nobody
spoke. “Has anyone in this class ever heard God?” When nobody responded for the third time, he concluded,
“Then there is no God!”

One of the students did not like the sound of this and asked for permission to speak. The professor granted
it, and the student stood up. “Has anyone in this class seen our professor’s brain?” he asked.
We Christians believe in God, whom we cannot see. We believe in Jesus Christ, whom none of us here has
seen, because he died on the cross more than 2,000 years ago. We also believe in the Holy Spirit, whom we
cannot see, but who is with us. It may sound strange, but it is true. Even the disciples of Jesus, who learned
directly from him, were confused at first. But later they came to understand and wrote down the truth. That is the
Bible we have today. Therefore, we trust in the Bible, and through it we come to know God, even though we
cannot see Him. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Yes, we
are blessed!

Today’s scripture is part of Jesus’ final discourse, like a farewell speech. Jesus knew the path he was about
to take, and he was concerned about his disciples, who might tremble with fear after he left. He said, “Do not let
your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” Whenever I read this passage, I recall my mother’s
final moments. Sometimes I wonder what my mother really wanted me to know at the end of her life. She told
me, “When you were in the hospital with no hope of walking again because of your broken spine, I did not know
what to do. I believed the only thing I could do was pray to God. I promised God that I would dedicate you in my
prayers if He would heal you. You would become a good pastor and serve around the world, so please go to
America. I worry about how you will go this way.”

At that time, I did not fully understand what my mother meant. I tried to stop her from talking so she could
save her energy. I wondered why she spoke so much about me and worried about me, rather than about herself.
Later, I realized that it was the last moment she could speak to me. She perhaps knew something at that moment
that I did not know.

I wonder, in your final moment, what you would want your loved ones to know? Our Savior Jesus truly
wanted his beloved disciples to know how much he loved them. So he told them, “Do not let your hearts be
troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” In other words, Jesus was saying, “Even if you face difficult
moments, do not be afraid. Trust in me, because I will be with you.” It sounds like what our parents often say to
us. Yes, he is like a father and mother who always care for our safety and our growth in God.

Jesus also said, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” However, the disciples were confused.
Thomas asked him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus answered,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will
know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Yes, we know God through Jesus—through his teachings and through his love, shown when he laid down
his life for us. We come to know and believe in God through the Scriptures, even though we cannot see Him. The
Scriptures are the Word of God, “God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the people of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

If you are still unsure whether God exists, I invite you to read the Bible. The Scriptures testify that God exists and
that God loves us.

Jesus said, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of
the works themselves.” We know it is not easy to believe in someone we have never seen or experienced. So it is
also difficult to invite others to believe in God in our daily lives. Even though many people saw Jesus’ miracles,
only a few truly believed in him and followed him.

However, there is a way we can invite others to believe in Jesus and God the Father: by loving one another.
Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34–35, NIV). Through
the lives of those who believe in Jesus—through their love in action—others may come to know him.

I’m not sure if I’ve shared this with you before: When I was in the hospital, my mother brought her pastor
and members of her church to pray for me. After they prayed, they gave me a Bible and told me that if I read it, I
could walk again. But I threw the Bible back at the pastor and the church members because I didn’t believe it.
However, much later, I began to read the Bible. And in time, by the grace of God, I was able to walk again. Yes, I
believe in God because I have experienced Him. Later, after I became a pastor, friends and people around me said
to me, “I believe in God because I saw your life.” Yes, we can invite our loved ones to Christ through our actions.

Jesus also told his disciples something very important: “The one who believes in me will also do the works
that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” What kind of works did
Jesus do? When you think of Jesus’ works, you might imagine miracles—raising the dead, healing the sick,
feeding the five thousand, turning water into wine, or walking on water. Others may think of his teachings—the
Beatitudes, the Golden Rule, the Sermon on the Mount, the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission.
Still others may think of his love—that he loved his people to the very end and laid down his life to save them.
The Gospel of John says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John
15:13).

I believe that the work Jesus did—and the greater work he calls us to do—is to love God and love our
neighbors with all our heart, mind, and soul. Love is what Jesus taught through his words, demonstrated through
his actions, and commanded us to live out. As Christians, we follow Jesus not only in belief but also in action.
Even though we cannot see God, we can show God’s love to others through our deeds—through mission work
both locally and globally. Many people will recognize that we are Christians by our actions. The First Letter of
John says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we
know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence” (1 John 3:18–19).

Jesus also said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You
may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” What a powerful promise! Imagine having someone who
grants whatever you ask—what a blessing that would be! Do you have someone who always listens to you? Even
among our loved ones, it is not always easy to be fully heard. That is why Jesus’ love is greater than any human
love.

In Korean society, there is something called a “black card.” It is a type of credit card that allows you to
purchase almost anything—an unlimited card, usually reserved for the wealthiest people. When I was a student
pastor at a rural church in Korea, I encountered something like this. I was serving in education ministry. One day,
the president of the Sunday school handed me his black card and said, “Use this for whatever you need in your
ministry.” I was surprised and asked, “Do you really trust me to use your card?” He replied, “Yes, I trust you
because you are God’s servant.” When someone trusts you like that, it becomes a great encouragement to move
forward in your work. In a similar way, when Jesus says, “I will do whatever you ask,” it reveals his trust in us
and his love for us. It is as if he has given us a “black card” of grace.

What about you? Do you trust in Jesus? If you trust in him, bring your needs to him in prayer and see how he
responds with love and faithfulness. Ask in his name, experience his grace, and show others how much you love
them—and how much Jesus loves them as well.

Thanks be to God. Amen.