Jooseop Keum finds Christ in the margins

The incarnation of Jesus took place among the people at the margins. Jesus was not born in a palace, but a manger, a ragged cowshed, an open and unprotected place. They never expected that God would be revealed among the lowly people.

God chose the ‘margin’ to inaugurate his kingdom. God is encountered among the powerless and in unexpected locations and not only among the privileged and powerful. Therefore, we do not need to climb ecclesiastical, social and political ladders to find the kingdom. Through his cross, Jesus is bringing the reign of God to us where we are. Jesus provides a new dignity and identity to the marginalised as the people of God. He encourages us to see a new horizon of mission, mission from the margins.

We believe that the Gospel has a power to transform the world: personality, value, class, system and society. The Gospel challenges the world, which keeps the status quo of a hopeless situation. The world was not able to silence the small group of transforming disciples. We, as the servants of God, have a mission to share the Good News to all humanity and all creation, which are longing for hope. The Holy Spirit is creating many new hopes at the margins with people….

Jooseop Keum is the new General Secretary of the Council for World Mission. This article was delivered as a sermon at the United Reformed Church jubilee service on 15 April (pictured)

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This is an extract from an article published in the May 2023 edition of Reform

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