When Jesus died for our sins and gave us new life - a life that no longer leads to death nor is bound by death - we live no longer for ourselves but for the one who gave His life for us.
And so, this ministry of reconciliation is not so much people being reconciled to one another but people being reconciled to God. And who are the people called to do that? US. No, not the United States - you and me, us. We are called to be Christ's ambassadors, His representatives to tell them of a new relationship, a new life that is possible through Jesus Christ. From there, reconciliation is bound to happen between people - but what is most important is that people, God's very creation, are reconciled to their Maker.
What is the difference between charitable works and missionaries? Charitable works, social justice work focuses on people and relies on the goodness of people. Missions work involves people being reconciled to God. When any relationship involves God, things are going to happen. When relationships only involve sinful, making mistakes people -- well, other things are going to happen and sometimes it gets ugly.
Doing good isn't the only important thing... being good (as in right standing with God, the judge) through the blood of Jesus Christ matters eternally.
May we participate in the ministry of Reconciliation - reconciling our friends, families and neighbors to God.
May 5, 2010
May 4, 2010
May 4 - 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
The Message translation puts it this way:
"He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less."
Sometimes we live as if today or even this life is it. If today was a bad day and we lived only for today then life is pretty sad... but we don't have nearsightedness with God.. we look ahead into our eternal future. We have heaven to look forward to! If we're not excited about that - then there's something seriously wrong with us.. we need to do some heaven-searching.
God put a little bit of heaven in our hearts so we'll never settle for less.
Even though today or this week so far hasn't been good... don't let it bring you down. Don't settle for less - we have so much to look forward to. It's something so big and wonderful that a little bitty small bad day can't even make a dent in it.
May we not settle for less than what we are destined for!
"He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less."
Sometimes we live as if today or even this life is it. If today was a bad day and we lived only for today then life is pretty sad... but we don't have nearsightedness with God.. we look ahead into our eternal future. We have heaven to look forward to! If we're not excited about that - then there's something seriously wrong with us.. we need to do some heaven-searching.
God put a little bit of heaven in our hearts so we'll never settle for less.
Even though today or this week so far hasn't been good... don't let it bring you down. Don't settle for less - we have so much to look forward to. It's something so big and wonderful that a little bitty small bad day can't even make a dent in it.
May we not settle for less than what we are destined for!
May 3, 2010
May 3 - 2 Corinthians 4
sometimes people can, out of their own insecurity, do things that are deceptive to make themselves or even their spirituality look better. We try so hard to impress each other by trying to demonstrate how cool we are. Yet living the life of a christian is not about that. We are but jars of clay - nothing special, weak, easily breakable in and of ourselves. We have nothing to boast of ourselves. But what we have to boast about is what this plain jar holds. And we are jars filled with the precious Holy Spirit. Sometimes Christians may seem like losers. Sometimes we are being made fun of for what we believe and some are being persecuted even to the point of death. And even as they are killed people will still call them fools.. Yet even though this frail jar of clay be crushed we have something that can never be crushed.
as we sang yesterday in "Trading My Sorrows"we are crushed but not destroyed. Yes the song is from this passage.
maybe you are feeling beaten down because of your faith. Stay strong for though we as jars of clay are weak - He is strong.
as we sang yesterday in "Trading My Sorrows"we are crushed but not destroyed. Yes the song is from this passage.
maybe you are feeling beaten down because of your faith. Stay strong for though we as jars of clay are weak - He is strong.
May 2, 2010
May 2 - 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
The Mosaic Law (the law given through Moses) proves one thing. By the law - we are all deserving of death. We don't cut it. We fall short..
Yet, the new promise brings freedom because through that promise we are no longer under the law. The law has no power over us because we are saved by grace not by how we follow the law...
This is freedom.. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom - freedom from guilt, freedom to have hope that even though we are sinners today, God is transforming us at this very minute..
We don't need to nitpick at petty things.. We don't judge others based on little things but by grace we are free to hope and hope to be transformed and hope that others are transformed too.
May we release one another to the freedom that the Spirit of God gives us - that we are no longer under the law that brings death - but rather under the grace that gives us life forever.
Yet, the new promise brings freedom because through that promise we are no longer under the law. The law has no power over us because we are saved by grace not by how we follow the law...
This is freedom.. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom - freedom from guilt, freedom to have hope that even though we are sinners today, God is transforming us at this very minute..
We don't need to nitpick at petty things.. We don't judge others based on little things but by grace we are free to hope and hope to be transformed and hope that others are transformed too.
May we release one another to the freedom that the Spirit of God gives us - that we are no longer under the law that brings death - but rather under the grace that gives us life forever.
May 1, 2010
May 2010 News and Announcements
NEWS:
THANK YOU…
…to our amazing brothers and sisters (young and older) who together make a beautiful church of Jesus Christ.. and to an amazing worship and celebration at Vision 2010.
May BIRTHDAYS!
Andrew Yi (5/16)
Celine Kim (5/30)
SAVE THE DATE!
May 16 Annual Bible Assessment Test
May 21-22 30-Hour Famine Lock-In
Fridays (7:30-9:45 PM):
May 7 Worship and Bible Study (May is Social Justice Month)
May 14 Worship and Bible Study
May 21 30-Hour Famine and Lock-In (Program starts 7:30 PM on Friday ends Saturday at 1 PM)
May 28 GAME Night – Minute to Win it!
Missions/Community Service Project – MISSION OF HOPE
We are partnering with a missions organization in Haiti called Mission of Hope. We are making friendship bracelets to send along with letters to the children in Haiti. These children are in the orphanage, school or hospital at this ministry. We are gathering monetary gifts to send along with these handmade bracelets to the children.
Important Sunday Items:
-Bible, Notebook/Journal, Student’s Guide to the Bible
-Schedules: Sunday Worship begins promptly at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. Bible study is from 12:30-1:15 pm. Please wait for your child and refrain from calling their cell phones until 1:15 pm.
-Offering Envelopes: We have special offering envelopes available for each student. Please look for the square blue envelope in the box outside of the worship room. Please prepare your offering before entering worship.
**Bible Readings: Please go to our blog www.paliyouth.blogspot.com
If you have any questions, please call or text me at 213-500-3750 or email at ranachoi@gmail.com.
-Pastor Rana Park
THANK YOU…
…to our amazing brothers and sisters (young and older) who together make a beautiful church of Jesus Christ.. and to an amazing worship and celebration at Vision 2010.
May BIRTHDAYS!
Andrew Yi (5/16)
Celine Kim (5/30)
SAVE THE DATE!
May 16 Annual Bible Assessment Test
May 21-22 30-Hour Famine Lock-In
Fridays (7:30-9:45 PM):
May 7 Worship and Bible Study (May is Social Justice Month)
May 14 Worship and Bible Study
May 21 30-Hour Famine and Lock-In (Program starts 7:30 PM on Friday ends Saturday at 1 PM)
May 28 GAME Night – Minute to Win it!
Missions/Community Service Project – MISSION OF HOPE
We are partnering with a missions organization in Haiti called Mission of Hope. We are making friendship bracelets to send along with letters to the children in Haiti. These children are in the orphanage, school or hospital at this ministry. We are gathering monetary gifts to send along with these handmade bracelets to the children.
Important Sunday Items:
-Bible, Notebook/Journal, Student’s Guide to the Bible
-Schedules: Sunday Worship begins promptly at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. Bible study is from 12:30-1:15 pm. Please wait for your child and refrain from calling their cell phones until 1:15 pm.
-Offering Envelopes: We have special offering envelopes available for each student. Please look for the square blue envelope in the box outside of the worship room. Please prepare your offering before entering worship.
**Bible Readings: Please go to our blog www.paliyouth.blogspot.com
If you have any questions, please call or text me at 213-500-3750 or email at ranachoi@gmail.com.
-Pastor Rana Park
May 1 - 2 Corinthians 3:1-6
As we get more mature, we tend to pride ourselves on how systematic, how organized, how professional things are...
Paul says - are we getting to the point of working like everyone else in this world? Do I need a letter of recommendation to prove something?
The people are the proof, the seal of approval that something great is at work. If the people were doubting Paul's credentials, then they should look at the work he did - and he makes this clear in v. 5 - not by anything he did himself but the work He did because God gave him the competence or the ability to do it. God made Paul competent to do the work. If we were to measure our competency as God's servants we would all fail. Yet, it is God who does the work through us -- and that "seal" of the Holy Spirit is more important than any degree (MA, PhD, etc.) or letters of recommendation from various people.
May we see people the way God sees them, not as the world sees them. God sees a sinner (a broken person) used for God's glory. (and that's coming up)
Sometimes leaders do mess up - but the fact that God worked through them is because of God, not them. So, we are to respond to spiritual leaders like Ted Haggard or Jim Bakker with the grace and mercy... for despite their sinfulness - the work of the Holy Spirit through them is still valid.
Paul says - are we getting to the point of working like everyone else in this world? Do I need a letter of recommendation to prove something?
The people are the proof, the seal of approval that something great is at work. If the people were doubting Paul's credentials, then they should look at the work he did - and he makes this clear in v. 5 - not by anything he did himself but the work He did because God gave him the competence or the ability to do it. God made Paul competent to do the work. If we were to measure our competency as God's servants we would all fail. Yet, it is God who does the work through us -- and that "seal" of the Holy Spirit is more important than any degree (MA, PhD, etc.) or letters of recommendation from various people.
May we see people the way God sees them, not as the world sees them. God sees a sinner (a broken person) used for God's glory. (and that's coming up)
Sometimes leaders do mess up - but the fact that God worked through them is because of God, not them. So, we are to respond to spiritual leaders like Ted Haggard or Jim Bakker with the grace and mercy... for despite their sinfulness - the work of the Holy Spirit through them is still valid.
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