Philippians 2:5-8
What does it mean to be vulnerable? An NFL football team unexpectedly loses a game when an opposing coach discovers and exploits some weakness. Other teams then will exploit the same exposed weakness. A receiver attempting a difficult catch momentarily makes himself a “defenseless receiver.” The exposing of that weakness leads to vulnerability.
Not many people like to be vulnerable or weak or defenseless. We live in a culture that values strength. When we are aware of our own weaknesses (and we all have them) we have no desire to expose them. Others exploit them to their advantage and our disadvantage. That’s why we often try to cover their weaknesses. The less vulnerable I am, the less likely my weakness is exploited in our competitive culture.
But that’s not Christ’s way. The more I hide my weaknesses, the less I’m able to get help with them. The more I project only strength (or the illusion of it) the less capable I am sympathetic with others in their weaknesses. If my goal is to imitate Christ, however, then I need to resist the urge to cover my weaknesses; I need to embrace vulnerability. Following the way of Jesus rather than the ways of this world can lead to a powerful witness.
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Meekness is not the same as weakness, but it involves humility and a willingness not to use our power to dominate others. In that way, it is a type of vulnerability. We see Jesus demonstrating vulnerability with His disciples both in embracing positions of weakness and service: washing the disciples’ feet, John 13:1-17; and in His powerful expression of anguish before His disciples in Gethsemane, Matt. 26:36-46). Paul is even more explicit about embracing weakness. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor. 1:27). Paul teaches us to not deny our weakness, and to not follow the world’s so-called “wisdom” that values strength and disdains vulnerability.
There is a more central and more powerful example yet: Jesus’ choice to take on the fullness of human weakness: the vulnerability of a human baby, born in captivity; of human flesh that experienced pain, hunger, loss, and suffering; and ultimately of being hung on a cross where all His enemies could exploit the weakness of human flesh: the vulnerability of death itself. The long-expected Messiah arrived not in the triumph of politics and power, but unexpectedly in shocking humility and vulnerability. It is the vulnerability that Paul expresses so beautifully in Philippians 2:5-8. It is the hardest idea to fathom: the astounding vulnerability of God.
In what ways might you practice vulnerability? More willing to discuss your own weaknesses or struggles with others in your family? your church?
Lord, help me to grow in my honesty with others.
In the Name of our Savior who took on human flesh
with astounding vulnerability, Amen!

John 17:20-23
Near the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus prayed what is sometimes called His “High Priestly Prayer.” It because Jesus intercedes for His disciples, both present and future, in a priestly way. He shows His deep care for them and their well-being, as well as their mission in the world. It is quite a stunning prayer.
First, Jesus prays that His disciples, both present and future, “may all be one” (v. 21). Then He compares their oneness to that unique unity Jesus shares with His Heavenly Father (vv. 21-23). Finally, Jesus prays that His disciples “may be brought to complete unity” (v. 23). We’re talking about serious oneness here!
The unity of Christians is essential to our mission, according to Jesus. We are to be unified in God, Jesus prays, “so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” (v. 21). In other words, our unity testifies to the truth of the gospel. We see this same point being made in a slightly different way in Eph. 2. We learn that the death of Christ not only reconciles us to God but also to each other (Eph. 2:11-22). Then, in Eph. 3, we discover that the through the church the wisdom of God will be made known to the whole universe (Eph. 3:10). When we live as unified people, we bear witness to the unifying truth of the Gospel.
The prayer of Jesus in John 17 makes one of the strongest biblical cases for the “can’t do it alone” principle. As Jesus envisions the church of the future, He sees unity among Christians as absolutely essential to our identity and our witness. In my experience, though the larger church of Christ is sadly disunified, the sort of unity Jesus envisions can happen in more intimate Christian fellowship, in healthy churches and committed small groups, in prayer partnerships and long-term friendships, in marriages and other family relationships. So, even if you don’t have much influence on the larger church, in the core relationships of your life you can seek to experience the unity for which Jesus once prayed. I think this sort of real-time, small-scale unity is necessary for all of us on the way to a more global oneness of the church.
Whenever I read Jesus’s “High Priestly Prayer,” I feel led to examine my attitude toward the church and its unity. Do I help my own church to be more united through my words and actions? Or am I someone who easily sows seeds of disunity? Am I willing to build relationships with Christians who are not quite like me theologically, sociologically, racial-ethnically, or geographically? Am I someone who cherishes the unity of the church or do I tend to focus on ways in which Christians differ and disagree?
Jesus’s prayer, with its striking request that all disciples of Jesus be unified, also challenges us to examine our own lives. Are we experiencing in our relationships the unity for which Jesus prayed? Are we helping our church to be more united and less divided? Are we living each day in the reality of the oneness we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ?
Through our unity in a world full of divisions and divisiveness,
may people see the reconciling truth of the gospel.
May they be drawn to You, O God, because of our unity in You.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)
In the movie, The Lion King, Simba fails to take his place in the circle of life. He is the rightful king of his land but is hiding in shame, fearful of accepting his rightful sovereignty. The turning point comes when a vision of Simba’s deceased father, Mufasa, appears to him. Mufasa tells his son that he should become king. When Simba hesitates, Mufasa says, “Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are.”
If the Apostle Paul had seen The Lion King, he might have quoted Mufasa when writing to the Colossians believers. If the Colossians are to fully live out the Christian way, they need to remember who they are. They are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved. When they remember who they are, then they will be ready to live who they are. Who are they? And, by implication, who are we?
V. 12 discloses that we are “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.” First, we are people God has chosen. God wants to be in relationship with us. God wants us to participate in His work in the world. Though we enter into that relationship by receiving the gospel in faith, at a deeper level of reality God has chosen us. Eph. 1:4 says that God “chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.”
Second, we are holy. This does not mean we are perfect. Nor does it mean we are outrageously religious. Holiness, in the Bible, has to do with being set apart for God. We are holy because God has set us apart from what is common and ordinary so that we might be in relationship with God as well as engaged in God’s mission in the world. Holiness involves being set apart for relationship with God and then for participation in God’s work.
Third, we are beloved. The Greek reads literally, “having been loved.” Not only has God chosen us, not only has God set us apart, but also God continues to love us in Christ. This love is not dependent on our being lovable. We are not beloved by God because we have done such an amazing job of loving God first. Rather, God’s love, like God’s choosing, is an expression of God’s sovereign grace.
It’s wonderful to be chosen, set apart, and loved. Many of us tend to define our identity mainly by our work: “I am a teacher. I am an engineer.” Others by family relationships: “I am a mother. I am a daughter. I am a grandfather.” Some by their accomplishments: “I got straight A’s. I am a decorated veteran.” This way of identifying ourselves is not necessarily wrong, but if they are our fundamental identity, then we have lost touch with what matters most. And what matters most of all is how God relates to us. God gives us our core identity.
According to Colossians 3:12, God’s relationship with you tells you who you are: chosen, holy, and beloved. The more you remember this, the more you know who you are in Christ, the more you’ll be ready to live in His way. This Mother’s Day, be sure to remember who you are. Remember who you are!
Dear Lord, may my identity be deeply connected to You
and Your relationship with me.

Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins.
If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.  No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
(Matthew 9:17b)

​The annual theme of our church is “Renovaré: I am doing a new thing.”  Since the pastoral staff have set the theme at the annual pastoral retreat last October, I have been thinking about the parable of “New Wine and New Wineskin” from the New Testament.  This parable is recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and I personally like Matthew’s the most, because Matthew added the last sentence of “No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:17b)
In Jesus’s time, wine was kept in wineskin made of sheepskin.  The new sheepskin has enough stretch so that when fresh grape juice produces gas during fermentation, it holds the new wine well.  On the contrary, if an old sheepskin that lacks elasticity was used, it would burst during the process of fermentation without doubt.  In order to protect both the wine and the wineskin (the Greek original meaning of “preservation” is also “protection”), the wine needs to be poured into a new wineskin.
Jesus used this parable in response to inquiries from John the Baptist’s disciples and Pharisees about fasting, thus extending Jesus’ attitude towards so-called “dogmatic rules” and “religious traditions.”  The appearance of Jesus was a new thing for the Jews of the time.  They were amazed by His words and deeds, His teachings, and His miracles.  The meaning of fasting was to humble oneself, let go of the needs of the flesh, and focus on God; however, the Pharisees regarded fasting as “merit” and made it obvious in front of people (Matthew 6:16-18).  Jesus harshly rebuked the Pharisees for their actions because they based their faith on “keeping the law,” forgetting that the most import essence of the law was to “love God and love men.”
Jesus was the “new wine,” and apparently the Pharisees were keeping Jesus in “old wineskin.”  They cling to past traditions, thinking, experiences, methods, systems, patterns, as well as the glorious achievements and history.  They also cling to their self-righteous identification and knowledge of the Messiah.  What a pity that they cannot be the vessels for receiving the new wine.
What about us?  When God wants to do new things in our lives, families, work, church, and ministry, are we ready to be the new wineskin to hold the new wine?  Are we resilient and adaptable?  Are we willing to let go of our insistence and let God adjust us?  Are we willing to sept out of our comfort zone and embraces the new changes with faith and hope?
May we all be the new wineskin and let the new wine fill!!

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. (1 Peter 2:2)
As a child develops, we celebrate the cute things she’s able to do. From learning to say her first words, or learning to walk by holding on to furniture of the wall. Then she will learn to ride he bicycle without her parents’ assistance. She’ll even learn to swim! It is amazing and delightful to see her grow from a baby on to a toddler. Friends and family will say, “She’s growing so lovely and so fast!”
1 Peter 2:2 alludes to a similar growth of a person who is growing strong in Christ. However, the desire to grow stronger in Christ must come from us daily. In this text, the Apostle Peter writes to the Jewish believers to pay attention to their growth – which would assist their character and conduct. They were new to the Christian faith, new followers of Jesus, hence he called them newborn babes. His call or admonition was to desire the sincere milk of the Word.
Babies drink milk for a period of time to develop and grow strong bones and body. The popular “Got Milk?” advertisement still appeals to our senses and may still cause us to desire a glass after watching the ad. However, Peter encourages us to make consuming the Word of God our number one priority. The desire is similar to the baby going after the milk; the desire to partake of the milk which provides the vital nutrients needed for strong development.
The Word (logos) and the word (rhema) are part of the character of the milk on which these newly born babes live. Here, God is like a mother providing milk for her suckling babies.
Physically when we desire food, we are moved by hunger and with delight, we are attracted to whatever we decide to eat. This should be the same in our spiritual lives. Where we are moved by a hunger to grow and mature in Christ, this hunger can only be filled with the Word of God, which has the power to also overcome areas where we were weak and wayward. The previous verse (1 Peter 2:1) challenges us to put aside malice, guile, envy, and evil speech; such negative traits should not linger within our new life in Christ. Therefore, as we desire the milk of God’s Word, we will be transformed in mind and spirit to follow the ways of our Savior.
Even small portions of God’s Word can go a long way in growing strong. We can’t afford to stay at the same place spiritually. Stagnation and lack of development in a child causes great concern for the average parent; similarly, it should cause us great concern when we fail to grow. There is also a purpose behind this challenge of our maturity, as implied in Ephesians 4:14, where we see that when we become mature we know truth and how to stand firm in Jesus Christ.
May our main goal be to grow stronger in and with Jesus. May our desire to memorize Scripture and spend time basking in His presence grant us a joyful and successful Christian walk, not to be neglected but prioritized.
 
How can you be intentional in measuring your growth over the rest of 2023?

Dear brothers and sisters, we have entered the fourth month of 2023. The importance of this month certainly lies in Good Friday and Easter, and in commemorating our Lord Jesus Christ "the only begotten Son of God...  suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, was buried, descended into Hades, was raised from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.”
 
During this holy season I would like us to meditate on a passage from Matthew 26. It happened a few days before the crucifixion of the Jesus. He was in the house of Simon the leper in Bethany (26:6), and Simon prepared a feast for him there (cf. John 12:2). During the meal, Mary of Bethany poured an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume on Jesus' head.
        
     How valuable is this jar of perfume? First of all, both Mark and John clearly recorded its price, which was worth thirty taels of silver. At that time, this was the wage of an adult man working for a year, and therefore its preciousness is without doubt. However, this price alone is not enough to measure the value of this perfume. In addition to being expensive, this perfume was a symbol of women's chastity, as a dowry for future marriage. Therefore, considering that most of the followers of the Lord Jesus came from the lower levels of society as well as the emphasis on chastity in the Jewish law, the value of this bottle of ointment to Mary is even more precious. Yet Mary poured it all out and anointed Jesus without reservation.
 
     Noted that both of Matthew and Mark’s account of this touching story are connected with another event related to "thirty taels of silver." That is, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus to the chief priests for the same "thirty pieces of silver" (Matthew 26:15), that is, thirty taels of silver.
 
     It seems that the value of Jesus to both Mary and Judas was thirty taels of silver. But the truth is that the value of Jesus in their hearts is so different that we can even say it’s completely opposite. Jesus is the supreme treasure to Mary, so she is willing to give everything for Jesus; on the other hand, Jesus is worthless to Judas, so thirty taels of silver is considered a treasure to Judas.
 
     Dear brothers and sisters, the extent of our love, obedience and devotion to Jesus depends on how much Jesus is worth to us. Yet the worth of Jesus itself is not determined by us, but by what He is (His being) and what He does (His doing.) As the Bible says: " 16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17).
 
Dear brothers and sisters, in April 2023, in commemoration of the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, let us ponder this question again: How much is Jesus Christ worth to me?

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. (Acts 7:55)
Stephen preaches a powerful sermon in Acts chapter seven, where he recalls the great record of God’s presence and promises in the life of Israel. He recalls the presence of God in and through the great ancestors of the faith: they hold stories of identity, the trauma of exile, belonging, and pain. God’s presence traveled through time through specific people in specific places. Stephen knows where he is situated in the great story of God and God’s faithfulness to God’s own people. God’s grace has abounded time and time again.
As we near the end of Stephen’s life, we see that God has been with him in his every beginning, middle and ending. With gritty grace, Stephen tells the truth about their hearts. To those that cannot stand God’s grace and Good News spreading, he calls them “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart” (Acts 7:51) and recalls how their ancestors always resisted the Holy Spirit. The Spirit always grants this grace whenever we are missing the mark and miss another’s heart.
They drag Stephen a second time and they’re about to stone him. Stephen was the first (recorded) martyr in Acts. It’s a beautiful and brutal scene: brutal because this mob has the traces of an angry and aggressive lynching mob; but beautiful because in the midst of this chaos, Stephen gazes at heaven and the Trinity is present right there, in and around him. He beholds God the Father. The Son is standing at the right hand of the Father, witnessing Stephen’s suffering. The Spirit is within Stephen to help him see the glory of God. The gaze of grace is beholding Jesus’ face.
Don’t let the sensational and supernatural aspect of this story intimidate you about your own story. God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit know their place in the story of your life and are actively working in and through you. Your story is no less meaningful and it’s made up of one thousand moments where Christ comes after you in the chaos that is your life: be it the carpool line heading to work, rush hour traffic, a deadline to meet, a therapy session to attend, a wayward child or friend. Grace in the ordinary.
Author, speaker, retreat leader Paula D’Arcy wrote: “God comes to you disguised as your life.” This story was the end of Stephen’s life, but don’t miss this legacy of grace in everyday life. I want to share Tongua Williams’ benediction with you: “Where you are in your life is where God is and where God is, is where you are.” You have all the grace you need. 

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8).
Stephen’s task, along with other men, was to serve tables and care for the overlooked Hellenistic widows in the daily distribution of food. Wisdom and the Holy Spirit were needed to discern this grave inequality that left a particular group underserved. The apostles did not want to neglect the ministry of the word and prayer, so they chose a group to care for the widows. However, Stephen, who was tasked to serve tables, performs signs and wonders and suddenly finds himself serving a sermon (Acts 7).
Stephen is on trial before some of the men of the synagogue. They are stirring up the people, the elders, and the scribes and even bringing up false witnesses against him. Sound familiar? Stephen is a threat to those in power. The word of God was spreading. The number of disciples was exponentially increasing. Even priests were becoming obedient to the faith! In a world obsessed with acquiring and misusing power, they are afraid of Stephen’s grace.
Stephen, full of grace and power… We may want to jump quickly to the word “power” and say “yeah, give me some of that!” But wait…
Grace. The undeserved and unmerited favor of God.
Grace. The gift and divine influence on our hearts.
Grace. The one that cares more about the person than the rules and laws.
Grace. The force that withholds retribution and revenge.
Grace. The grounding that helps you stand in the face of those that oppose you.
They were unable to cope with Stephen’s grace, unable to cope against the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking (v.10). Grace was the power that helped Stephen stand in truth. Grace offered him grit for his resistance. We need this great grace!
We need God’s Spirit to fill us with grace. May we champion truth but not at the expense of grace. May we embody grace while not neglecting truth. God is gracious to us and He also hopes to be gracious through us. May the Holy Spirit send forth God’s grace to all the places in our hearts, our relationships, and our service where it is greatly needed.
Where do you need God’s grace in your life?
Whom can you surprise with grace today?

Matthew 4:12-22
As you read the above passage, you will discover that it hearkens back to a familiar passage from Isaiah, most commonly read during the Christmas season.  Isaiah’s prophecy proclaims that a great light would dawn, not only on the people of Israel, but on “Galilee of the Gentiles.” As Matthew tells the story of Jesus’s early public ministry, he notes that Jesus’ move from Nazareth (where He had presumably spent several years as a carpenter in the family business) to Capernaum fulfilled this prophecy (Matt. 4:12-17).
The context of this move happens just after Jesus experienced His temptation in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11) and had just found out that His cousin and forerunner John has been arrested. John’s arrest and death is a sad story in which we see Jesus reacting to it and grieving.
Jesus picks up on and begins to proclaim the exact message which we know John was preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matt. 3:2, 4:17). He also begins to call disciples to Him. In this passage, Jesus calls the brothers Andrew and Simon Peter and the brothers James and John. John 1:35-42 gives us the added, and intriguing detail that Andrew and Simon had been John’s disciples first.
In the middle of a season that asks us where we see new signs of God at work, I think it’s very interesting that this passage reminds us that the new is not completely discontinuous from the old. Jesus moves to a new place to do a new thing – and it fulfills an old prophecy. Jesus begins doing the new thing – and He does not reject the message or the disciples of His cousin the prophet, but folds them into what He is doing, connecting them to the story of salvation history that has been going on since the very beginning.
As you look for manifestations of God’s glory during this season, remember that some of them may surprise you because you would never have thought to look for God in a new place – and some of them may surprise you because you never would have thought to look for God in an old place.
The great hymn of the church, “Now Thank We All Our God” (copy and paste on your browser: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCKRHp2Yuzs) beautifully ties together God’s presence in the past with hope for the future as it reminds us”
“Now thank we all our God, with heart, and hands, and voices, Who wondrous things hath done, in Whom His world rejoices; who from our mother's arms hath blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.”
Listen to the hymn and think about the way Jesus has manifested His glory in your life and the lives of those you know and love. Ponder where his glory might lead you to follow.
As you reflect on this passage, ask yourself two questions. First, where do you see God doing something new and unexpected? And second, where do you see God doing something continuous?

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
In my lifetime, I have attended dozens of weddings and I’ve also officiated many weddings during my 25+ years as a pastor. At every wedding, there is a passage of Scripture, usually chosen by the bride and groom. When I preside over a wedding, I encourage the couple to choose a passage that reflects the biblical truth that speaks to them personally.
They almost always choose one of three passages. 1 Corinthians 13, “The Love Chapter,” is a favorite, especially for those who want a more traditional ambiance at their wedding. Colossians 3:12-17 is a frequent choice because of its practical exhortations and affirmation that love “binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col. 3:14). The third very popular biblical passage for weddings is Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
Brides and grooms understandably love the opening affirmation of this passage: “Two are better than one” (Eccl. 4:9). In a nutshell, this explains one main reason they’re getting married. They believe their lives will be better together. Moreover, they like the thought that “if they fall, one will lift up the other,” because they know that difficult times will come (v. 10). Brides and grooms are especially fond of this affirmation: “If two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?” (v.11) I’m not sure, however, that keeping warm is what they’re looking forward to most of all.
Christian couples see in the final line of Eccl. 4:9-12 a veiled reference to the role of Christ in a marriage: “A threefold cord is not quickly broken” (v. 12). The original saying referred to the simple fact that you need at least three braided strands to make a rope. Such a triple-strand cord will, of course, be much stronger than a single strand. So, though the author of Ecclesiastes was not thinking specifically about Christ in a marriage, the application of this imagery to Christian marriage works quite well. Couples for whom Christ is essential and welcome will have strong marriages, marriages that can sustain the challenges and hardships that husbands and wives routinely face.
Yet, we should understand that Eccl. 4:9-12 is relevant not only to marriage relationships, but also to a wide variety of relationships, including relationships among friends, co-workers, roommates, neighbors, small group members, siblings, relatives, and so forth. Though you would be advised to reserve the lying together part for family life, the other benefits of relationships in this passage are more widely relevant. I think, for example, what my family and I experienced in early 2016 when I resigned from my pastoral position in a previous church. I was unemployed for more than two years. This was, of course, devastating to my sense of self. Yet my brothers in Christ from the church hung in there with me. When my family finances were pretty much non-existent, folks brought help in the form of money, food, and even some pretty amazing presents. One family relative helped me with a pastoral position opening, which finally helped me get a job. If my family had attempted to go through this time of life alone, it would have been so much worse than what we experienced.
No matter where you are in life, no matter what you’re going through right now, whether you’re in a time of plenty or a time of want, whether you’re rejoicing or sorrowing, remember this: Two are better than one. If you want to thrive, or even just to survive, you need other people.
And, yes, you also need the “third strand” in your life, in every part of life, not just in marriage. Christ is with you at all times, to strengthen you, guide you, protect you, heal you, and encourage you. The more you live each day in relationship with Christ and His people, the more you will never have to do it alone.
Lord Jesus, thank You for the truth that two are better than one. Thank you for creating us to be in relationship with others. Thank you for being in relationship with us.