por One In Christ
The Psalm of Ascents: Look to the Lord (Psalm 123) by Pastor Paul Liu Psalm 123 describes the experience of being scorned and treated with contempt by the world. As Christians, we inevitably face such moments, because following Jesus means living by values that differ from those around us. Yet this psalm teaches us to lift our eyes to the sovereign God, who is living, true, and actively at work. Through Jesus, who endured scorn and contempt on the cross, we are able to draw near and find mercy in His sight. From knowing a God who sees us, loves us, holds authority, and remains faithful, we receive true peace.
The Psalm of Ascents: (Psalm 122) by Pastor Paul Liu
Reconciliation & Reunion (Genesis 45-47) by Pastor Paul Liu
The Psalm of Ascents: Help (Psalm 121) by Pastor Paul Liu
The Psalm of Ascents: Psalm 120 by Pastor Paul Liu
The Blessings (Genesis 49-50) by Pastor Paul Liu
Welcome to One in Christ, where the radiant story of Jesus comes to life. Today, we’ll look at Genesis 38 and 39. Chapter 39 is familiar—Joseph resisting temptation from Potiphar’s wife. A story even children know. Joseph is often considered a hero of faith. But chapter 38, often skipped, is just as important and deeply challenging. 1. Judah’s Failure and Repentance Genesis 38 is a dark chapter. Judah’s son Er dies. His second son Onan refuses his duty and is struck down. Judah sends Tamar away. Later, Tamar disguises herself as a prostitute, sleeps with Judah, and becomes pregnant. When confronted, Judah says, “She is more righteous than I.” This marks real repentance. He doesn’t excuse himself but admits guilt and changes course. 2. Joseph’s Purity and Suffering In chapter 39, Joseph faces persistent temptation. He refuses, calling it “great wickedness and sin against God.” Though he acts righteously, he is falsely accused and imprisoned. Yet the Lord was with him—three times the chapter says so. Joseph's integrity leads to suffering, not reward—yet God is present. 3. The Nature of Temptation Temptation is powerful because it is: Subtle – appealing to needs, disguised as opportunity. Persistent – Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph day after day. 4. Resisting Temptation Joseph’s resistance shows three principles: Call sin what it is – not weakness or mistake, but sin. Fear the Lord – Joseph said, “How can I sin against God?” Don’t play with fire – he avoided being near temptation. 5. True Repentance Judah’s repentance included: Admitting sin honestly Acting accordingly (he did not sleep with Tamar again) Turning toward God – real repentance leads to a deepened spiritual life. 6. God’s Bigger Plan These chapters reveal God’s hand: God’s Blessing – often comes through hardship (e.g. prison). God’s Providence – Joseph’s suffering led to salvation for many. God’s Grace – Judah, not Joseph, becomes forefather of Jesus. God chose the broken, not the polished. Final Encouragement If Judah and Tamar can be part of Jesus’ lineage, so can you. If Joseph’s faithfulness could preserve a nation, your obedience matters. God’s grace works through brokenness. Be faithful. Fear the Lord. Don’t underestimate what God can do through you. Let us pray: Father, we confess our sin and our need for your grace. If anyone here has not yet tasted that grace, may today be the day. You are the God who redeems, not because of our merit, but because of your mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen. Thank you for listening. Please subscribe if you found this helpful. One in Christ Church is a multiethnic family—we invite you to worship with us and share your story with Jesus.
Welcome to the One in Christ podcast—where the radiant story of Jesus comes to life. Today, we’re doing something a little different. At the start of this sermon, Pastor John encouraged everyone to find someone they didn’t know, introduce themselves, and sit together. Why? Because the gospel calls us into one body—different people, one in Christ. This message explores four challenges the early church faced—assimilation, persecution, hypocrisy, and discrimination—found in Acts 2–6. These aren’t just ancient struggles. They’re real for us today. Through personal stories and biblical reflection, Pastor John draws connections between cultural differences, growing pains, and the Spirit’s unifying work. From stickball in Chicago streets to dodging cow patties in Southern pastures, we’re reminded how our stories shape us—but Christ reshapes us for something greater. Challenge 1: Assimilation How do we become one body with different cultures, languages, and experiences? The early church grew from 120 to 3,000 people in one day. Acts 2:42–47 gives us the key: teaching Scripture, sharing meals, prayer, and fellowship. These aren’t just activities—they’re how we become family. Challenge 2: Persecution Acts 3–4 and 5:12–42 show how the early believers faced threats. Their response? Obey God, not man. Forgive, not retaliate. Keep preaching Jesus. Are we ready for that kind of faithfulness? Challenge 3: Hypocrisy In Acts 5:1–11, Ananias and Sapphira lied to appear more spiritual than they were. Hypocrisy erodes trust. We must live with honesty and integrity—admitting we are broken sinners saved by grace. Challenge 4: Discrimination Acts 6:1–7 reveals a crisis when certain widows were overlooked. The solution? Listen. Speak up. Appoint leaders from those affected. Communicate clearly. Adapt. The gospel demands that no one is left out—not by accident, not by bias. Pastor John emphasizes effective communication—especially in a multiethnic church. We need clarity, empathy, adaptability, and active listening. Misunderstanding divides; good communication unites. Ultimately, these ten principles guide us forward: Teach Scripture Foster fellowship Share in prayer Obey God Forgive Be faithful Be honest Live with integrity Communicate clearly Avoid conflict by loving one another well When the early church lived these out, “the Lord added to their number.” Growth followed unity. And it all begins with the gospel. Jesus died, rose again, and invites us to build our lives on His words—like a house on solid rock (Matthew 7:24–27). Believe and live. Reject and fall. Let’s pray. Thank you for listening. If you’ve been encouraged, subscribe to hear more. One in Christ is a multiethnic church. You’re always welcome to worship with us—and we’d love to hear your story too.
Welcome to One in Christ Church, where the radiant story of Jesus comes to life. Genesis 34 is a heavy chapter. It tells a story of violence, deception, silence, and the consequences of unfaithfulness—not just from outsiders, but from within God’s covenant family. Dinah, Jacob’s daughter by Leah, goes out to visit the women of the land. Shechem, a local prince, sees her, seizes her, and rapes her. Afterward, he speaks kindly to her and asks his father Hamor to arrange marriage. It’s a twisted picture—where the abuser now seeks union. Jacob hears of it but remains silent until his sons return. Hamor and Shechem approach with a proposal: intermarriage, economic sharing, and unity between their people. They make it sound like peace, but it’s built on a terrible crime. Jacob’s sons, especially Simeon and Levi, burn with anger. They deceitfully agree to the union—only if all the men of the city are circumcised. While the men are still in pain, Simeon and Levi attack and kill every male, including Shechem and Hamor. Then the rest of Jacob’s sons plunder the city. Jacob responds not with moral clarity, but with fear: “You have brought trouble on me… I am few in number, and they will attack me.” The chapter ends with Simeon and Levi’s question: “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?” The silence is haunting. Dinah never speaks. Jacob never speaks to her. God does not speak in this chapter either. So what can we learn from such a dark moment? 1. Cultural compromise leads to moral confusion. Jacob had settled near Shechem, not fully in the land God promised. He built an altar, but compromised in where he led his family. Dinah, left unprotected, enters a world that doesn’t fear God. The result is devastation. When we flirt with the values of the world while claiming the name of God, confusion and harm follow. 2. Violence cannot fix violation. Simeon and Levi’s response feels like justice, but it is not righteousness. Their vengeance is deceitful, excessive, and dishonoring to God. They destroy an entire city. Later in Genesis 49, Jacob will curse their anger and deny them blessing. True justice belongs to God. 3. Silence is not safety. Jacob says nothing when he hears what happened to Dinah. He’s passive, indecisive, and self-focused. His concern is about danger to himself, not dignity for his daughter. In contrast, his sons act decisively—but without wisdom. The absence of godly leadership creates a vacuum that anger fills. 4. God is not absent—He is preparing a move. Though God is silent in this chapter, He speaks immediately in Genesis 35:1: “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there.” In the face of sin, compromise, and brokenness, God calls Jacob back to the place of worship, repentance, and remembrance. That’s grace. If your life is in a season where God seems silent, or chaos surrounds you, remember this: silence is not absence. Even when we are unfaithful, God is not done. He calls us again—back to Himself. Let’s pray. Father, we grieve the darkness in this chapter—and in our world. We long for true justice, for protection of the vulnerable, and for healing in broken families. Forgive us when we are silent or angry without righteousness. Restore us, lead us to worship, and show us Christ, who bore violence to bring peace. In His name, amen. Thank you for listening. This is a hard passage, but the gospel speaks into every corner of our lives. One in Christ Church welcomes you to walk this journey of faith with us.
Welcome to One in Christ Church, where the radiant story of Jesus comes to life. Today we turn to Genesis 33—a powerful story of family reunion between Jacob and Esau. After twenty years of separation, deception, and fear, Jacob now faces the brother he once cheated. This moment, filled with tension and vulnerability, becomes one of unexpected grace and restoration. Jacob had spent the night before wrestling with God (Gen. 32), and now he limps forward, changed in both name and character. The man once known as the grabber now walks humbly. He arranges his family carefully and bows before Esau seven times, uncertain of the reception. But Esau runs to meet him, embraces him, and weeps. In a stunning reversal, the feared enemy becomes a reconciler. Jacob, overwhelmed, says to Esau: “Seeing your face is like seeing the face of God” (v.10)—echoing his encounter at Peniel, where he had seen God and lived. This chapter reveals two key movements in Jacob’s journey: reconciliation and return. 1. Reconciliation with Esau This is not a shallow reunion—it’s full of significance. Jacob had planned carefully to appease Esau, but the actual encounter is marked not by calculation, but by grace. Esau accepts Jacob, and Jacob insists on giving him gifts—not as a bribe, but as a token of peace. They do not dwell on the past. Instead, they focus on what they now have: restored relationship and shared peace. There’s wisdom here for us. True reconciliation often involves: Releasing the need to rewrite the past. Focusing on present grace, not old wounds. Letting generosity, humility, and patience lead. 2. Return to the Land After parting from Esau, Jacob continues his journey and arrives safely in Canaan. He builds an altar and calls it El Elohe Israel—“God, the God of Israel.” This is the first time Jacob uses his new name publicly. His journey, marked by struggle, deception, exile, and divine encounters, has brought him home—not just geographically, but spiritually. Jacob’s return mirrors his transformation. The man who left as a fearful deceiver now returns as one dependent on God. The four key locations in his journey mark this transformation: Bethel – where he met God and made a vow. Mahanaim – where heaven met earth. Peniel – where he wrestled and was renamed. Succoth/Shechem – where he built a home and altar. So what’s the message for us? Our life journeys may involve conflict, fear, loss, or uncertainty. Like Jacob, we may face relational wounds or uncertain paths ahead. But God remains faithful. He leads us through brokenness into blessing, from striving to surrender, from wandering to home. When we trust Him, we not only arrive—we are transformed. The goal is not just safe return, but spiritual renewal. Let’s pray. Father, thank You for Your mercy through our journeys—when we fear, when we fail, and when we return. Like Jacob, may we see Your hand at work, transforming us into people who trust You fully. Lead us home, and change us along the way. In Jesus’ name, amen. Thank you for listening to our podcast. Please subscribe if you enjoy our content. One in Christ is a multiethnic church, and you are warmly invited to join us and share your story with Jesus.