22 March 2026, Psalm 133: 1-3, Ezekiel 37:1-14 “Harmony, Unity and Community”

Good morning, everyone.

Let me start today with a little quiz. First question. Have a look at the screen. “There’s an award for the best airline meals called the Mercury Award. It has the same kind of prestige as the Oscars does for movies. So, out of all the economy-class meals in flight, which one do you think won the top prize in 1998, 2006, and even recently?”

Here are your options:

1. Chilli Pork , 2. Pasta, 3. Chicken Curry, 4.Bibimbap.

And the answer is… Number 4, Bibimbap! Did anyone get that right?

Let me give you the second question. “According to Global Traveller in 2024, which dish was selected as the “Best Economy Class In-flight Meal”?

1. Lasagna, 2. Sushi, 3. Chicken Rice, 4. Bibimbap. The answer is… again, Number 4, Bibimbap!

Let me move on to the third one. “In Google’s 2023 “Year in Search,” which dish saw the highest increase in recipe searches worldwide?

1. Tacos, 2. Pasta, 3. Ramen, 4. Bibimbap

I think you’re all starting to see a pattern here! The answer is… again, Number 4, Bibimbap!

Finally, let me give you the last question. “Global media like CNN, The New York Times, and The Economist have described this dish as “perfect harmony in a bowl”—where all the ingredients are brought together and mixed into one. By now, I’m 100% sure you’ll get this. 

1. Hamburger, 2. Pizza, 3. Salad, 4. Bibimbap.    

The answer is, of course… Number 4, Bibimbap!

Believe it or not, the answer to all four questions is “Bibimbap.” Now, I suspect this might be a bit unfamiliar to you. In fact, many of you here might have never even tried it before! So, let me explain.  As you can see on the screen, Bibimbap is one of Korea’s most traditional and beloved dishes. The name itself comes from two words: ‘Bibim,’ which means mixed, and ‘Bap,’ which means rice. So, quite literally, it’s “mixed rice.”

Imagine a bowl of warm rice. On top of that, we arrange a colourful variety of fresh, seasonal vegetables, things like spinach, mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts, and crisp lettuce. Then we add some protein, like beef or tofu, coved with a fried egg. And to finish it off, add a generous spoonful of our secret sauce. It’s entirely up to your personal preference, whether you want the spicy chili to paste or the savory soy sauce with sesame oil. The real beauty of Bibimbap is its flexibility. Depending on the season, your health needs, or simply what you like, you can swap the ingredients around. Vegetarian? No worries. Gluten-free? Too easy.

But here is the most important part: the magic happens when all these different ingredients are carefully stirred together with the rice to create a perfect harmony. For Koreans, it’s more than just a meal; it’s soul food. It’s even seen as a kind of medicine. And these days, people all over the world are falling in love with it. Trust me, it’s delicious. You can't go wrong with it! That’s why people say, “One bowl is good enough.” It truly is one of the most beautiful examples of harmony in a single bowl.

And I have some surprising and rather impressive news for you: the minister standing right in front of you is a ‘Master of Bibimbap.’  Now, to be fair, I don’t have an official certificate or anything like that. But I can say this with total confidence for a reason. When I first moved to Australia, my very first part-time job was as a 'Bibimbap maker.' I started as a kitchen hand at a Korean restaurant in the Macquarie Shopping Centre in Sydney.  Eventually, I got promoted to the ‘Bibimbap station.’ For the first few months, I was making about 50 bowls a day. But one day, then out of nowhere—BOOM!—I set a personal record of over 150 bowls in a single day! At that moment, I thought to myself, "Finally! The world has recognized my talent, but it wasn't my talent... it was the Sydney Morning Herald!"  It happened because Bibimbap was introduced in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Weekend Edition.

Through that experience, I found the magic ingredient for the 'Best Bibimbap'. It’s a million-dollar recipe, and I’m going to share it with you today.  I realized something profound: the secret isn't in what you add; it’s in what you let go. To reach that perfect harmony of taste, each ingredient…the spice, the texture, and the vibrant colours, must choose not to overpower the others. It’s about a little bit of sacrifice. If one flavour is too strong and tries to dominate the bowl, the harmony is lost. It stops being a meal and becomes... well, just a mess. But when each ingredient lowers its own voice and embraces the others, that’s when the magic happens. That’s when the layers of flavour stack up perfectly to create one complete, beautiful taste.

This is the true power of Bibimbap! the essence of harmony. When everything comes together in that one bowl, the taste, the nutrition, the joy…you don't need anything else. One bowl is good enough. It is complete. Talking about Bibimbap has made me quite hungry, but more than that, it brings today’s scripture, Psalm 133, powerfully to our hearts.  The mystery of Bibimbap, how it’s only perfected when each ingredient lets go of its own strong flavour to embrace the others…is exactly what we see in verse 1: 'How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Every time I read this, my heart swells. How about you? The Psalm begins with a powerful exclamation. In our English Bibles, it often says, “How good! How pleasant!” But in the Korean translation, it starts with a strong command: “Behold!” In the original Hebrew, this isn't just a casual 'look over there.' It’s a sudden cry. It’s a powerful shout! It explodes out when you see something breathtaking. Something so beautiful... that you just cannot help but shout.

Unity! Becoming one! Togetherness! There are so many verses in the Bible about these things. But this is exactly why I love  this Psalm the most. It's because we live in a broken and divided world, where it feels almost impossible for brothers and sisters, families, neighbours, or even nations to truly unite. In the middle of all this, I believe we desperately need this 'exclamation” But do you know what’s even more amazing? This cry of wonder wasn't just from David. It wasn't just from the twelve tribes of Israel as they marched up to the Temple. This is the exclamation of God! Can you imagine how full God’s heart must have been? People from different tribes—with different leadership styles, different jobs, and different perspectives on life—all coming together. They were like the ingredients of a Bibimbap in one bowl, united just to worship the one true God!

God looks at that sight, deeply moved, and cries out: “Behold! How good and beautiful it is when my children are one!” If we think about it this way, we can truly understand God’s heart. Let me ask you: When are we the happiest as a parent? When do we feel truly blessed? Of course, we’re happy when our children find a great career or stay healthy and strong. But isn't it true? The greatest joy for any parent is simply seeing their children get along. When they truly care for each other... when they respect one another... and when they stand together as one! That is when a parent’s heart is filled with a joy that nothing else in this world can match.

Our Heavenly Father is exactly the same. When we come together in the beauty of His presence, God is thrilled! He looks at us and shouts that same ancient joy: 'It is good! It is very good!' This is what He longs to say as He watches all of us unite in Him. But what is the reality we face today? Instead of that joyful cry of 'Behold!', we are met with a heavy silence, and the sound of a deep, aching groan. I’m not just talking about the rising cost of petrol. I’m not talking about election results, or who is winning or losing a war in some distant conflict. At its heart, this is a matter of faith. This is about the heartbreak of seeing a world that no longer looks like the one God intended.

In the middle of this, we find ourselves standing in the valley of Ezekiel 37. It is a valley of death. Dry, lifeless bones. Broken pieces of disconnected lives. We know this story well, don’t we? And then, out of the silence, God asks: 'Can these bones live?' I believe this is the very question God is asking our world today. How should we answer? Ezekiel replies with the only truth he has: 'O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.'

Then, God commands the bones. Suddenly, the whole valley begins to rattle. Rattle and clatter, rattle and clatter. You can feel the vibration as countless bones find each other and lock into place. It must have been a rough, raw sound. For those dry bones to fit together again, there is friction. They have to give up their stubborn edges; they have to soften their sharp points. It’s a struggle to find the gaps, each one giving up its own space to make room for another.

This process of 'Contact' of bones clicking into place, isn’t 'elegant.' It’s messy. It’s noisy. But because it is the only path to life, every bit of that struggle is necessary. It’s not the end of story.  Once the dust settles, God speaks: 'Come, breath, from the four winds!' As they cling to each other and share the Holy Spirit, they stand up together. No longer scattered pieces, but one heart, one family, one living community.  And so, God asks us today: 'Can these bones live?' 'Can this messy world live?' 'Can these broken lives live?'

Brothers and sisters, how should we respond to this question? How can we give back that wonderful exclamation to God: 'Behold! How good and pleasant it is!'? As we celebrate Harmony Day today, we are faced with a challenging call. It forces us to take a slow, honest look at our world and at ourselves. It’s heartbreaking, isn’t it? Every time we see conflict, war, and division. In the past, we might have thought, 'That’s their business, their problem.' But today, we feel the weight of it personally. What happens on the other side of the world affects our lives directly here in Australia. Their valleys, their dry bones—they have become our valleys. We are surrounded by these dry bones, and that is why peace and harmony are no longer just a wish; they are a desperate need.

I recently received a message asking for prayer for Christians in Iran in the middle of this conflict. “Please pray for Christian in Iran!” It’s devastating. And yes, I prayed. But I felt a deep conviction, something moved inside me. I don’t want to pray only for 'our side.' In the face of death and suffering, every life is sacred. Pain has no religion; grief has no race. No one’s pain is cheap, and no one’s pain is 'superior.' Please don't misunderstand me, I am not asking you to pray for evil.

But if our prayers are reserved only for 'our people,' we will never see true peace. We must pray with the heart of Ezekiel: 'Lord, pour out your breath of life over these dry bones—of US, of Israel, of Iran, and every nation trapped in this shadow. Breathe hope into bones dried up by hatred.

Right here in our own community, we’ve recently shared some prayer requests—for Trevor, Julie, Karen, and many others. Every time we hear such news, our hearts sink. Thank you for your prayers. These cries for help are painful, but I’ve realized there is a message in them. When we respond to the sound of suffering with prayer, love, and practical help, it creates a new kind of unity. When we answer the pain of Trevor, Julie, or Karen with our prayers, a ‘New Unity’ begins. Even if the situation isn't "happy," this is a sacred ‘Locking together’—an intense, giving it our all to love them.

This is how our Psalm 133 is completed. Just like a bowl of Bibimbap, let’s embrace each other’s unique flavours, shortcomings and vulnerabilities.  To reach that harmony, we must each give up just a little bit, a little bit of our own voice, our own arguments, and even our own past experiences.

My prayer is that our community, our families, and our broken world will become the finest dish ever served on God’s table. Let us become the ‘Bibimbap of Life’—a perfect harmony of different tastes, textures, and lives. Let’s move toward that beautiful harmony where God looks at us and smiles, saying, “Behold! It’s delicious! How good and pleasant it is! This one bowl is truly enough

As we hear the heavy news of the world, let’s lay down our worries and our anger. Instead, let’s lift our gaze to the God who delights in this holy unity. Let’s pray together: 'O Sovereign Lord, you alone know the way... and we believe you will lead the way through us.

I hope we can all say with confidence: “Lord, would you like to share a bowl of Bibimbap with us today?” Peace be with you all. Amen.