Chinese Version: Rev. 3:14-22
Anything a person say in his heart to himself, will determine the direction of his future.
Martin Buber's I and Thou. But true relativity of of these relationships is in the Bible first. And the deeper relationship is a person can talk to himself, with himself. Evolutionists are shallow here, as they only could see the similarities among species, not their differences.
When would a person talk to himself: Most sorrow, happy, lonely, in danger.
My conclusion: Rather than I and Thou, this is about "I and I" - "I and myself"
v.17 "you said" - who say? the church of Laodicea said to herself.
We must watch what we said to ourselves.
Tong shared that he once noticed a rich person pretty proud of his wealth until he saw the church's museum. Lots of wealthy only have more money, land property, but know nothing else (i.e. arts, literature, history, etc.)
We evaluate ourselves, God also evaluates us. Thus there are two kinds of estimations. In v. 17, first half is men's evaluation, God's the second part. Tong relates to the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen's "The Emperor's New Clothes".
Another analogy of a patient cannot hide from the doctor that x-rayed him, that he was rich. The doctor had found tens of thousands of dollars when he was x-raying him.
Tong shared a Hong Kong big Chinese church once invited him, saying that a great church should invite a great preacher. Tong said he's not great, and the debate went on. Then Tong challenged the audience and proved that their audience ain't that great because they couldn't answer his questions. Thus, everyone humbled and listened. My question would be if it is a "rally" as claimed by Tong, why challenging the audience with questions as if they were Christians - wouldn't rally be mostly non-Christians. I guess I missed something somewhere.
v. 18's summary same as the 3 points in the Indonesian version.
Why buy instead of getting them for free? Because must 付代价！
After the sermon, Tong announced Ivan Kristiono to be his successor.
Indonesian Version:
Scripture reading: Luke 14:16-24
v. 17: You said to yourself - self worship. Relation of self & self, not horizontal (fellowship of believers) and not vertical (with God). i.e. When a guy rejected by a woman, he hates himself to a point that he hates all women. I add: thus he hates God's creation and thus hates God.
Jean Paul Sartre - Being in itself, Being to itself [Being for itself]. Talks about how man view relationships around him and also himself. And the fault in such views.
Those who cannot see his own faults, cannot improve.
v. 18: Why buy the gold? It's the faith refined by fire.
- A Church doesn't have khotbah yang handung iman yang sehati/murni (emas yang diuji), better ditutup.
- Clothed in white: kelakuan yang moral yang suci.
- Vision of mission. Visi yang jelas.
The thought of Rev. Laura Lin's church keeps come to mind when Tong preached on this passage on Laodicea. Mainly, the absence of vision, lukewarm, "I am rich, I need nothing", etc.