A strong affinity felt toward the congregation with a profound knowledge of the Bible
The congregation here at Pyungkang Cheil Church still talks about your sermon, “The History of Redemption in the Matthean Genealogy of Our Savior” from your first visit last June. The sermon left strong impression to all of us.
You also said that the congregation of Pyungkang Cheil Church understands your sermon better than the seminary students in the US. Is there anything you’d like to say more to the congregation?
Why I feel natural affinity for this community is that they understand the history of redemption and they are thinking about the whole Canon. Especially the Old Testament was written for our instruction upon the end ages from God. We need that instruction.
And Dr. Park has brought that instruction to his people, uniquely, in my judgment. His disciples know their Old Testament. In America, the Old Testament is falling into a great disfavor, which is terrible. Very few sermons are preached on the Old Testament, and most are focused on the New Testament, even among conservative scholars. And unless you know the whole bible, I don’t think you will have a solid foundation even for the New Testament. So, I appreciate what Dr. Park has done immensely. His people know the bible. When you read the bible as a whole, its message is the message of redemption. And the message is overwhelmingly Christo-centric. So, I find tremendous affinity with Dr. Park and his disciples because they can think their way through the entire scriptures, and think how does this show me Christ? This is exactly what Christ said, “You search the scriptures [the Old Testament] because they speak of Me.” And on the road to Emmaus, he was saying that the whole Old Testament was speaking about the suffering of the Christ and the glory to follow, and that is the great theme. And here is a community that is uniquely pursuing that very subject. That I so much appreciate and draw so much strength from, to see that others have seen that and are working with those same categories.
I’m aware that Rev. Park has led his church through much suffering and persecutions. Both Dr. James Kennedy who founded Knox Theological Seminary and Rev. Billy Graham who brought forth worldwide evangelical movement received much persecutions and misunderstandings. It seems that great pastors go through such sufferings. I hope that this honorary doctorate today will bring consolation to Rev. Abraham Park and the congregation of Pyungkang Cheil Church for all the misunderstandings and sufferings they had received during these past years.