Slide #1

Living in the New Normal

Slide #1 through #10

Way Maker

Slide #11 The Lord of Grace

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have
one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then
approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to
help us in our time of need.”
 
Hebrews 4:15-16

Slide #12 Questions

1. Do you feel that you’re going through any trials or a crisis lately?
2. What are your weaknesses and pitfalls to usually fail you?
3. What are your general reactions to those tough challenges?

Slide #13 New Normal

There is a new term called, New Normal!

Have you ever heard about this trendy word?

A new normal is a state to which an economy, society, etc. settles following a crisis, when this
differs from the situation that prevailed prior to the start of the crisis. The term has been used in
relation to the financial crisis of 2007-2008, the aftermath of the 2008-2012 global recession, and
the Covid-19 pandemic.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Slide #14

What this crisis could make us…feel this way!!!

Slide #15 The Characteristics of Crisis

“The key aspect of crisis is that the outcome is fundamentally uncertain. To experience a true
crisis is a bit like walking a tightrope, blindfolded, without a net.”
- Kelly Geary
Slide #16 The Definition of Crisis

early 15c., crise, crisis, "decisive point in the progress of a disease," also "vitally important
or decisive state of things, point at which change must come, for better or worse," from
Latinized form of Greek krisis "turning point in a disease, that change which indicates
recovery or death" (used as such by Hippocrates and Galen), literally "judgment, result of a
trial, selection," from krinein "to separate, decide, judge," from PIE root krei- "to sieve,"
thus "discriminate, distinguish.” Transferred non-medical sense is 1620s in English. A German
term for "mid-life crisis" is Torschlusspanik, literally "shut-door-panic," fear of being on the
wrong side of a closing gate.

Slide #17

"When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters

- one represents danger, and the other represents opportunity." 
John F. Kennedy

위危
DANGER
기機
OPPORTUNITY

Slide #18 A Chance of A New Normal

When there is a sudden threat of a weighty change, we need to learn this will become to us a
great chance of a new normal we should bravely embrace!!!

Slide #19 Jacob Wrestled with God

We remember the story of Jacob wrestling with God by Jabbok riverside. The meaning of the
name Jacob, as you might know, “deceiver.” So we assume that he was a sort of opportunist,
cunning liar, or manipulator and so on. Do you ever see “Jacob” in us? Yes, definitely!

It is true in some sense that Jacob acted as a ruthless deceiver against his brother by stealing
Essau’s blessing. However, somehow God blessed Jacob to be remembered as a historic person
in the Bible. As you know, he was given a new name, “Israel” for the incident of wrestling with
God at the river Jabbok. What is the secret of it?

Right before confronting the seemingly enraged brother Essau who vowed to kill his brother
Jacob, Jacob himself trembled for the fear for the impending death ahead of him. he tried to
pacify Essau by sending bribes and gifts and his wives and children before him. But his fear
didn’t go away. He was totally exhausted both physically and emotionally. Now he encounters
even more severe struggle, which is the wrestling with God himself. But Due to the wrestling
with God throughout the night, he got disabled with a limp for the rest of his life. However, the
interesting thing is that God blessed him right there instantaneously for wrestling with God.

In the minds of Jewish people, Jacob is the one of the most honorable men in their history. Why?
He was known as the pursuer of God’s blessing, not just the earthly blessing to make happy on
earth, but the heavenly blessing, which could bless others on the globe.

Like Jacob, we have never-ending struggles in our lives, one after another. But we are full of fear
and anxiety. Frederick Buechner who is an American writer and minister said of Jacob’s divine
encounter at the Jabbok River as “magnificent defeat of the human soul at the hands of God.” In
the story of Jacob, we turn our attention to our own reality full of fears, loneliness, anxieties,
vulnerabilities, powerlessness, tiredness, pains and all kinds of bad feelings. Are there anybody
who is unrelated to these issues? Absolutely none!!!

Jacob was blessed by the Lord for the wrestle with God at the river. Why? Because he admitted
the reality of his shortcoming, failure, weaknesses, and his sinful nature. The limitation of mortal
humanness irritated his feeling all the more but he just faced God. He just wrestled with the Lord
not with a human being. The encounter with God being in his presence in the midst of great trials
made him realize that he could not keep on with the Lord. The absolute need of God’s presence
especially in the crisis made him much more humble than ever.

Through the whole story of Jacob especially the story of Jacob wrestling with God, we learn that
the crisis can make a drastically change with a new normal.

“Crisis can ultimately give you a chance to your mind to be renewed in the way of thinking so
that your your heart may be exuberant again to be ushered into a new normal.”

Slide #20 Ssireum

Let us watch a clip of a famous entertainer and a Korean historic Ssireum wrestler, Mangi Lee.

SSIRUEM

•A type of Korean traditional wrestling, taking place in any available space in a neighborhood, in
which two players wearing long fabric belts around their waists and one thigh grip their
opponents’ belt and deploy various techniques to send them to the ground.
•Played on various occasions, including traditional holidays, market days and festivals.
•Opens to community members of all ages, from children to seniors.
•Different regions have developed variants of ssireum based on their specific backgrounds, but
they all share the common social function of ssireum – enhancing community solidarity and
collaboration.
•The winner of the final game for adults is awarded an ox, symbolizing agricultural abundance.
•The title of ‘Jangsa’. When the games are over, the Jangsa parades around the neighbourhood
riding the ox in celebration.
Slide #21 Ssireum Jangsa

장사의 뜻

1.장사 (帳事): business; commerce; trade; 거래 a transaction; a deal.

2.장사 (壯士): a man of great strength; a strong man; a man of Herculean strength.
3.장사 (葬事): a burial.

Slide #22 My Impression on Mangi Lee, Ssireum Jangsa

My impression on Mangi Lee, the former Ssireum national champion

I was quite impressed with what he talked about the process of becoming the Korean champion
in Ssireum national contest. He recalls how he ended up winning the second championship.
Regarding the first national contest when he became the national champion, he didn’t like to hear
others say that he won the prize just by luck not by his talent, like catching a rat when an ox
walks back. So for the second championship, he made an extreme effort not to be knocked down
by the opponent. And the power he could resist the force of the opponent to win the whole games
sprang from the day and night training for the contest. And he said, “I fully engaged with my
strength to the very last moment not to be knocked down” The final victory did not just happen
by luck. He had an extraordinary secret. What are your own secrets in the face of your crisis?

Slide #23

You can defeat the opponent when…

•You’re skilled in the overall technics of Ssireum.

•You know how to wrestle with your own mentality as well as the oppponent’s.
•Espcially you have the crucial technic to utilize the opponent’s strength in subtle ways as
well as your own strength effectively.
•You should not give up until the end.

Slide #24

Who is the Worst enemy in your life?

You!!!

Slide #25

Old Normal : The old way of life

 Crisis : It may be unpredictable, yet can be otherwise. A crisis might take many forms: you
heard about tragic events in your parent’s home during exam week, you may be robbed when
you were severely sick. You can be harassed or assaulted by your most trusted ones, you may be
facing illness or death of your beloved. You can be losing your job when you have family
members are at stake for natural disaster. However, sometimes a crisis situation can be triggered
by internal stressors such as depression as such.

New Normal : The new way of life

Slide #26

Old Normal

1. Why did he choose the way of life in the past? How can you describe his old normal?
2. Defense mechanism against all the judgments and condemnation. It is a fierce act of survival.
The presence and the message of the devil is to steal, kill, and destroy our lives. We should come
to realize that we have been exposed the suffering past for a long time. Zacchaeus suffered a
number of bullying and humiliating gestures from people around him. He had to overcome those
threatening and humiliating behaviors against him through building his own power that
overpower them.
3. How does his life look like? Did he really enjoy the pattern his life full of tremendous tensions
and excruciating inner struggles?

Slide #27

Crisis

1. What kind of crisis did he have to face every single day?

2. Absense of peace. War within. Constant questions on himself. No rest in mind and heart.
3. Above all, the tag in his forehead and chest, “Sinner!”
4. Another crisis is his limitation to meet up with Jesus in a close distance. He had a desire to see
him but he had no clue.
5. His unchanging act of climbing up worked even for the encounter with Jesus. Jesus always look
at the innermost part of your life struggle. He used to climb up to make himself look taller than
any others. He just wanted to be greater than any other people. Jesus saw the sad reality that he
always strived to get things that make him greater.

Slide #28

New Normal
1. He met Jesus face to face in a very personal level. As you might know, we claim to know God
when we only know about God. God should be known through our obedient submission to the
Lord’s will for us. Zacchaeus responded at once to the call of Jesus who asked him to come
down immediately. He did not linger or hesitate on the tree but quickened himself to the Lord.
This immediacy means to have faith activated in the heart of Zacchaeus. This was the starting
point of living in his new normal.
2. We should be noted that Jesus clothed himself with all kinds of judgments people mutter, “He
has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” I was very impressed with the description and made me
meditate on this specific comments on Jesus’ act to come be with Zacchaeus. It reminds me of
the purpose of Jesus’ coming on earth that is expressed at the end of the story. “For the Son of
Man cam to seek and to save what was lost.” We sang the song, “Amazing Grace” sining,
“Amazing grace, How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once lost, but now I’m
found. Was blind, but now I see.” It is mandatory that we know what Jesus did for us. He
covered our guilt and shame through his participation in our own place of guilt and shame by
taking up the cross.
3. The good act of releasing his wealth to the poor and to those whom he cheated is the new way of
seeing and valuing things different from the past standard. It was through his deep communion
with Jesus, without the devotion ourselves to be with Jesus, the empty-handed surrender might
not happen to our lives.
4. Jesus declared about Zacchaeus in this way: “Today salvation has come to this house, because
his man, too, is a son of Abraham.” The salvation Jesus mentions must not only be personal, but
corporate. He said, “to this house.” Under the Zacchaeus’ leadership and influences, people
under and after him will follow his steps of faith. And Jesus also said, “this man, too, is a son of
Abraham.” His act of faith was openly approved. Now his self-identity is newly grounded in the
Word of God.

Slide #29 Summary

“A crisis after crisis is a must to get renewed in the walk with the Lord!!!
1. Be aware of you own chronic spiritual disease caused by constant willful disobedience that has
led you to an awful sense of condemnation. And you should get out of the devilish dungeon of
self-pity, fear, guilt, and shame. It requires of your bold faith in God who loves you. You should
combine the word of promise with your own faith that you can find rest in the Word of God.
2. Listen to the voice of the Lord calling to come down from your tiring endeavor to earn grace and
gain praises from God. God knows that you have been victimized by sinful people around you,
vicious social systems, and family dysfunction. Our righteous acts can never satisfy the heart of
the righteous God. Rather, you have to respond to the gentle call of God to come to Him. Bring
yourselves down to be with the Lord.
3. You should remember that Jesus invites you to come over to Himself. You should be very
thankful that you are in the mercy of God. Thanking and praising God is the miracle making act
of faith.
4. When you once come to the Lord, you will realize that he will teach his character of gentleness
and humility so that you can carry his burden which light and easy.

Slide #30 Wounded Healer

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon
you  and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your
souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30
Have you heard of “Wounded Healer?” We’re like a wounded healer for the brokenhearted. It is
God’s design that the failures and brokenness for the weaklings we’ve had will be used to
manifest the glory of God after all. We need to know how to overturn the power once prevailed
in our past lives and how to make the power of the devil crumble down.

We have to humbly admit that we need Jesus at all times. Without him, we cannot defeat any of
our enemies. Thus, the means of grace and the meaningfully connected community of God are
desperately needed.