Sermon Text: Isaiah 61:1a; Ephesians 3:8
This sermon above was preached at the Free Reformed Church of Grand Rapids with an opening message by Rev. Ian Macleod. The following is a report on the ordination service written by Henk Kleyn, Grand Rapids Free Reformed Church clerk. This was published in The Messenger, a periodical by the Free Reformed denomination, and quoted in full here with permission. The issue this is found in is Volume 66, no. 1 and the pdf archive can be viewed on the denominational website.
On Friday, December 14, 2018, the Free Reformed congregation of Grand Rapids and the Lee family gathered with friends from various church and ethnic backgrounds for an evening of worship and commissioning.
After singing Psalter 237, Pastor Macleod read Articles 1-3 of the First Head of the Canons of Dort, where we confess the foundational truth that God chooses His people and brings them to Himself through the preaching of the gospel.
The Scripture text of the ordination sermon was Ephesians 3:8: “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. The theme of his sermon was “A Remarkable Service,” with three foci: What a preacher! What a congregation! and What a message! We tend to think of Paul as the best of the best, but God had taught Paul who he was as a sinner and made him dependent on grace alone. He preached to Gentiles who were dead in sins, children of wrath, and without God in the world. His preaching centered on the most glorious person: Jesus Christ. He is an inexhaustible treasury of grace for pastors and people.
After the encouraging sermon and prayer, the congregation sang Psalm 100 (Psalter 268) acapella. The experiential, Scripture-filled form for the ordination of missionaries was read and in answer to the questions posed him, Mr. Young Jae Lee answered: “Yes, truly, with all my heart, God helping me from this moment forward.” Seven ministers present participated in the laying on of hands, with Pastor Lee kneeling under the open pulpit Bible. It was a beautiful picture of the unity the church has in Christ as ministers of four denominations spoke encouragements from God’s Word.
Pastor Lee stood to confirm his agreement with the formula of subscription and the congregation stood to sing the prayer of Psalter 421:5, “Look on Thy servant, wholly Thine, and keep him Lord, Thou great Defender!”
Our new missionary pastor proceeded to proclaim the “Messiah’s Saving Ministry” from Isaiah 61:1. His three-fold emphasis described the Messenger, the message, and the audience. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me: because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek:” Pastor Lee implored the anointing of the Spirit of God on him and the congregation as a new pioneering ministry is launched. He also aimed to bring home the need for each hearer to look alone to this Christ for salvation and to know this Christ in an experimental way. He showed also the richness of being united to this Christ by the Spirit in order to share in His riches of grace.
The congregation sang in response from Psalter 257 “Let all the peoples of the earth give glory to the Lord … let all the earth with reverence come and serve Jehovah now.”
After Pastor Lee raised his hands over the congregation pronouncing the benediction of the Lord, the congregation stood to sing the doxology from Psalter 315, “Praise Jehovah, all ye nations …”
Three ministers of the Word addressed our missionary with words of congratulations and encouragement. Dr. Jerry Bilkes spoke on behalf of our congregation and federation noting a number of historic events. He took Pastor’s Lee’s charge from 1 Corinthians 1:23, “We preach Christ crucified.”
Dr. Joel Beeke addressed Pastor Lee on behalf of the Heritage Reformed Congregations and Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, encouraging our missionary with the triple gift described in 2 Corinthians 4:1: “Seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not.” He cited ministry, mercy, and perseverance as the gifts referenced in this text.
Pastor Hanseong Choi addressed Pastor Lee with personal reflections on the amazing grace and providence of God leading up to this evening. He spoke from Genesis 12:3, “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Pastor Choi noted the historical decision of the Grand Rapids congregation to send out another missionary. His concluding prayer was that the great commission of Christ to His church would grow among us.
Pastor Lee addressed the brothers and congregation in English and Korean giving honor to God for His sustaining grace. The congregation stood to praise our Lord as the Korean Christians present sang “Praise God from whom all blessings flow” in their language.
May Christ who builds His Church
Henk Kleyn, Grand Rapids Free Reformed Church clerk