- 입력:2010.02.12 13:35
폐쇄된 나라들과 은퇴 이후의 삶
폐쇄된 나라들은 정말로 닫혀 있을까. 예루살렘은 예수님의 공생애 마지막 해에 예수님의 사역에 문을 닫고 있었는가? 아니다. 예수님이 예루살렘에서 체포되고 죽음을 당하신 건 사실이나 예루살렘은 닫혀있지 않았다. 예수님은 예루살렘에 들어가서 처형당할 때까지 사역을 행하셨다. 그렇다면 무엇이 닫혀있는가? 박해를 당하지 않고도 사역을 행할 수 있는 길. 바로 그 길이 닫혀있다. “그의 능욕을 짊어지고 영문 밖으로 그에게 나아갈”(히 13:13) 길은 얼마든지 열려 있다.
영국의 성직자 찰스 시므온(1759∼1836)은 평소 60세에 은퇴해 여생을 편안히 즐기리라 꿈꾸었었다. 하지만 그 나이가 되기 13년 전부터 그의 건강은 극도로 악화되어 사역을 그만두고 쉴 수밖에 없었다 것을 느꼈다. 그 때 주님의 음성이 들리는 것 같았다. “내가 너의 건강을 앗아간 것은 어느 시점에 네가 일을 그만두고 여생을 편안히 즐기기로 작정했기 때문이다. 이제 그 시점에 도달했지만 넌 생각을 바꾸어, 생애 마지막까지 나를 위해 너의 힘을 사용하기로 결심했다. 그러므로 난 너의 힘을 두 배, 세 배, 네 배로 증강시킨 것이다.”
은퇴 이후에 휴식과 여행 등으로 편안한 여생을 보내리라 기대하고 있는 그리스도인들이 얼마나 많은가? 그건 천국을 믿지 않는 세상이 천국의 대체물로 만들어 놓은 것이다. 오랜 세월 고생하며 살았으니 금생에서 뭔가 보상을 받아야 한다. 내세가 있다 해도 그 때 무슨 일이 있을지 누가 알겠는가. 이런 식으로 말이다. 그리스도인들이 최후 20년간의 놀이와 즐김에 시선을 고정하고 산다는 건 얼마나 이상한 일인가. 주님 앞에 서기 전 마지막 기간을 그렇게 마친다는 것은 얼마나 슬픈 일인가. 주님은 인생을 그렇게 마치지 않으셨다!
1235년 스페인의 명망 있는 가문에서 태어난 레이몬드 룰은 79세가 되던 1314년 이슬람 땅인 북아프리카의 부기아로 나갔다. 거기서 1년 동안 그는 이전의 몇 차례 방문을 통해 주님께로 인도했던 작은 무리의 개종자들을 위해 은밀하게 사역했다.
순교를 갈망하던 그는 드디어 공개적인 시장터로 나와 자신이 과거에 거기에서 추방당했던 바로 그 장본인이라고 고백했다. 룰은 사랑으로 호소하며 그들이 계속 죄악 가운데 살아간다면 하나님의 진노가 임할 것이라고 선포하고 진리 전체를 명백히 전했다. 그의 담대한 태도와 논리적인 설교에 대답할 말이 없었던 군중은 광적인 분노가 가득 차올라 그를 붙잡아 성 밖으로 끌고 나갔다. 1315년 6월의 그날 거기서, 왕의 명령 내지 묵인 하에 그는 돌에 맞아 순교를 당했다.
. 그런데 60세 되던 해인 1819년 그는 다시 사역을 시작하리라 다짐하고 스코틀랜드로 들어서게 된다. 순간, 놀랍게도 육체의 힘이 솟구치는
룰의 명상록에 이런 글이 나온다. “오, 주여, 대다수의 인생은 고령과 신체 기능의 소진, 독감 등으로 죽습니다. 하지만 주님의 뜻이라면 주의 종은 그렇게 죽고 싶지 않습니다. 주께서 나를 위해 기꺼이 그렇게 하셨듯이 나도 사랑의 열기가 작열하는 가운데서 죽고 싶습니다.”
목마른 육체가 흐르는 강물을 갈망하듯 성도의 영혼은 그리스도의 얼굴 뵙기를 간절히 사모한다. 성도는 말년의 섬김을 통해, 또 자신의 죽음으로 주님을 영화롭게 하기를(요 21:9) 갈망한다. 십자가 군병들은 승리의 나팔 소리가 울리기 직전, 그리고 대관식장으로 들어가기 직전, 최후의 만족과 행복 가운데 전투를 끝낼 것이다. 이것은 우리의 이해를 초월하는 놀라운 영광이다.
Closed countries and retirement
Are closed countries really closed? Was Jerusalem closed to the ministry of Jesus in the last year of his life. No. Oh, yes he would get arrested and killed for his ministry there, but it was not closed. There was a way for him to get in and to go about his work until they cut him down. What then is closed? A place where you can minister without sure reprisal? Odd definition for those bidden to "go forth with him outside the camp, bearing abuse for him" (Hebrews 13:13).
How about using Christian retirement as a time for entering closed countries to proclaim Christ!
In 1807, after 25 years of ministry at Trinity Church in Cambridge, the health of Charles Simeon broke. He became very weak and had to take an extended leave from his labor.
But the broken condition lasted with variations for thirteen years, till he was just sixty, and then it passed away quite suddenly and without any evident physical cause. He was on his last visit to Scotland, with Marsh, in 1819, and found himself to his great surprise, just as he crossed the Border, `almost as perceptibly renewed in strength as the woman was after she had touched the hem of our Lord's garment.' He saw in this revival no miracle, in the common sense of the word, yet as a distinct providence. He says that he had been promising himself, before he began to break down, a very active life up to sixty, and then a Sabbath evening; and that now he seemed to hear his Master saying: "I laid you aside, because you entertained with satisfaction the thought of resting from your labour; but now you have arrived at the very period when you had promised yourself that satisfaction, and have determined instead to spend your strength for me to the latest hour of your life, I have doubled, trebled, quadrupled your strength, that you may execute your desire on a more extended plan." (Charles Simeon, by Handley C. G. Moule, London: The Inter-Varsity Fellowship, 1948, orig. 1892, p. 125)
How many Christians set their sights on a Sabbath evening of life? resting, playing, travelling, etc.?the world's suggested substitute for heaven since they do not believe that there will be one beyond the grave. We must reward ourselves in this life for the long years of labor, for who knows what the life beyond may hold, if there is one at all. What a strange thing for a Christian to set his sights on?20 years of play and putzing. What a tragic way to finish the last lap before entering the presence of the king who finished his so differently!
Why not be like Raymond Lull?
He was born of an illustrious family at Palma in the island of Majorca of the Balearic group, Spain in 1235. At 79 he enjoyed the fruit of some of his labors in that the universities of Europe finally began to teach Oriental languages for which he had labored.
His pupils and friends naturally desired that he should end his days in the peaceful pursuit of learning and the comfort of companionship.
Such however was not Lull's wish. His ambition was to die as a missionary and not as a teacher of philosophy. Ever his favorite "Ars Major" had to give way to that ars maxima expressed in Lull's own motto, "He that lives by the life can not die." . . .
In Lull's contemplations we read . . . "Men are wont to die, O Lord, from old age, the failure of natural warmth and excess of cold; but thus, if it be Thy will, Thy servant would not wish to die; he would prefer to die in the glow of love, even as Thou wast willing to die for him."
The dangers and difficulties that made Lull shrink back from his journey at Genoa in 1291 only urged him forward to North Africa once more in 1314. His love had not grown cold, but burned the brighter "with the failure of natural warmth and the weakness of old age." He longed not only for the martyr's crown, but also once more to see his little band of believers. Animated by these sentiments he crossed over to Bugia on August 14, and for nearly a whole year labored secretly among a little circle of converts, whom on his previous visits he had won over to the Christian faith.
At length, weary of seclusion, and longing for martyrdom, he came forth into the open market and presented himself to the people as the same man whom they had once expelled from their town. It was Elijah showing himself to a mob of Ahabs! Lull stood before them and threatened them with divine wrath if they still persisted in their errors. He pleaded with love, but spoke plainly the whole truth. The consequences can be easily anticipated. Filled with fanatic fury at his boldness, and unable to reply to his arguments, the populace seized him, and dragged him out of the town; there by the command, or at least the connivance, of the king, he was stoned on the 30th of June 1315. (Raymund Lull: First Missionary to the Moslems, by Samuel Zwemer, New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1902, pp. 132-45)
We need not assume or follow all the bad theology surrounding the atoning effects of martyrdom taught in the middle ages. As a heart longs for the flowing streams, and longs the more as the brook approaches and the smell sweetens and the thirst deepens, so longs the soul of the saint to see Christ and to glorify him in his dying (John 21:19) and in his final years of service in this earth of testing and preparation. It is beyond comprehension that soldiers of the cross would be satisfied in retiring from the battle just before the trumpet blast of victory?or just before admission to the coronation ceremony.
존 파이퍼 미국 베들레헴침례교회 목사
(번역 김춘섭 예수로교회 목사)