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Gwanak3 UBF, Korea
March 27, 2014

(Shared at Gwanak3 UBF Bible Academy, March 2014)

Hello! My name is John Yoon (Sohee, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2013). I am the second son of Msn. Mark and Jackie Yoon in Kenya. When I was young, I spent most of my time with my older brother because my parents were too busy serving God’s ministry. Whatever I did, I tried to overcome my brother and to be the first in my school studies in order to get human recognition from my parents and people. Apparently, although I was gentle and courageous, I was a timid person. So I could not make friends with others very well. As a result, I spent a lot of time playing computer games without my parents’ knowledge though they only allowed me just one hour a week. Then I was tempted by sexual videos and I was looking for more videos and pictures to satisfy my lustful desires. Because of that I avoided people and was overwhelmed by fear that people would discover it.

In my high school year there was a pretty girl whom I had been chasing after for about ten years ever since my elementary school. Finally, I wrote a 12-page letter to her confessing my love to her but I was rejected. After that I was rejected by many other girls whom I loved. Because of that I could not but sleep in deep sorrow. I was depressed, thinking I was worse than garbage. I could not get out of this thinking for several months and finally I decided to stop thinking by committing suicide. However, when I was about to do it, I gave up because of the fear of death. I thought I would suffer severely in order to die. After that I felt that I was totally useless in the world.

In the meantime, I struggled to refresh my pure life and tried to read my parents’ Bible. Through Bible reading, I fall face down before Jesus Christ confessing all my sins and sufferings crying out for help. Through Bible reading, I deeply realized that I had done nothing good but was only a wretched sinner. But Jesus Christ died on the cross shedding his precious blood for my sins because he loves me. I continued Bible reading for the last two years. Then I felt so happy experiencing the delight of the kingdom of heaven because Jesus my Lord had set me free from all my depression and deep darkness.

By God’s grace, I entered SNU with a full scholarship in 2013. Soon after, I began one to one Bible study in UBF with a senior student once a week at SNU. Whenever I had Bible study, I wrote a short reflection based on the passage applying it to my school life and shared it. To me it was refreshing and good. Then I began to learn obedience to Jesus based on my reflections.

During the last winter break, I also wrote my life testimony of 40 pages looking back over my past 20 years of life. Through this I recalled my life of pursuing girls and my depressed life in deep darkness.

I could see that I was a wretched sinner in the presence of God and was living a meaningless life like when the wine was gone in the wedding banquet in John 2. I also realized that Jesus Christ came into my life as he has done for sinners like me and is transforming me into a new creation. I continued to study the Bible and learn obedience to Jesus my Lord. Then God gave me new desire to overcome my school studies in this new semester. He also strengthened me to overcome my lustful desires through Bible reading and applying it in my life. I know that I am still weak but I am stronger than before and I know that I can overcome my sinful desires by the power of Jesus Christ.

Now I have great joy in my heart as I begin this new semester because I have adjusted to campus life and am convinced that in Christ I can overcome the world. Most of all, I feel so happy because Jesus loves me and is changing me into a new creation.

I pray that God may enable me to continue to come near to Jesus who has transforming power and let me enjoy the delight of the new wine of Jesus’ kingdom in obedience to his word. I also may become like new wine of Jesus’ kingdom so that I may share his delight and happiness to all people around me.

One word: Jesus is transforming sinners like me into new wine in Jesus Christ

By John Yoon