* Sermon *

http://english.watv.org/

The world of the righteous and the world of sinners

1. Home of the righteous and home of sinners

What is the difference between the world of the righteous and the world of sinners?
In the world of the righteous, there is no word 'sorry.'
But in the world of sinners we can frequently hear these words-'I'm sorry,' 'It's my fault.'
Which world do you want to live in-the world of the righteous or the world of sinners?
Here, the world of the righteous does not mean the place where the true righteous people live-that is the world possible only in heaven.
There are so many people who regard themselves as the righteous in this world.
So the world of the righteous I mentioned here is the world where those claiming to be righteous live.
What about the world such people live in?
Long ago, there was a family whose members all claimed to be righteous.
One day, the father bought an expensive ceramic ware, and treasured it.
After several days, his son was playing in the room, and touched the ware on the table and it was broken into pieces.
His grandmother who saw it nearby got mad with anger and said, "You urchin, did I not tell you to play outdoors? Look what happened after you ignored what I said and played in the room!" When she scolded her grandson and switched him with a cane, her daughter-in-law heard the noise and came rushing into the room.
Then she said to her mother-in-law, "Why were you making a fuss over a little one? Would that happen if you took good care of him?"
"Why were you shouting at me? You are not worthy to say that."
Finally they came to quarrel with each other.
When her husband came home from work and heard that his treasured ware was broken and there was a quarrel because of it, he became angry and shouted, "Damn it! Get out of here, all of you!" 'I am not to blame. It's all your fault.'
This is the way of thinking in the world of the righteous.
There are constant quarrels and troubles in that world, for all claim to be the righteous, not sinners.
But, how about a family whose members all claim to be sinners in the same situation?
One day, the father bought an expensive porcelain, and his child broke it into pieces while he was playing in the room.
His grandmother came running, "Oh, dear! Are you okay?"
And she soothed her grandson, saying, "That happened after I neglected looking after you. It is my fault. I should have told you to be careful beforehand."
Her daughter-in-law heard the smash of the porcelain and came into the room, and she said to her mother-in-law, "Sorry, mother.
Yesterday I found the porcelain slanting a little, and I thought to put it right later.
But I forgot and it resulted in …. It is my fault."
Her husband, watching it beside them, said, "I made my family trouble over this matter.
It was my fault.
It would not have happened if I had not bought it.
It is I that am to blame." Thus, though the porcelain was broken, this family became more united because of it.
What about you? Which world do you want to live in-the world of the righteous or the world of sinners?