One In Christ

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 ScriptureFoster fellowshipShare in prayerObey GodForgiveBe faithfulBe honestLive with integrityCommunicate clearlyAvoid conflict by loving one another wellWhen 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.

Welcome to One in Christ Church, where the radiant story of Jesus comes to life.Today, we come to Genesis 32—one of the most striking chapters in Jacob’s story. He’s been known as a grabber, a schemer, someone always one step ahead. But in this chapter, everything changes. His name is changed. His life is transformed.Jacob is returning home after twenty years in exile. He fled after deceiving his father and brother. Now he must face Esau—the man he wronged. Jacob sends messengers ahead, and they return with a chilling report: Esau is coming—with 400 men.Fearing revenge, Jacob prepares three responses: he divides his camp for safety, sends extravagant gifts to soften Esau’s heart, and prays—pleading God’s promises for deliverance. Yet despite these strategies, Jacob’s deepest transformation happens that night—alone.Genesis 32:24 says, “And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.” This man—later revealed as God—injures Jacob’s hip and renames him Israel, saying, “You have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”Jacob names the place Peniel, saying, “I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” From that point on, he walks with a limp.So what does true transformation look like? Three things:1. You encounter God personally. Jacob sent everyone else away. Alone, he met God—not through family, community, or tradition, but firsthand. Many grow up in church, surrounded by faith, but never meet God personally. A secondhand faith cannot withstand trials. True transformation begins when you face God yourself.2. You seek blessing from God alone. Jacob had spent his life seeking approval—from his father, from Rachel, from success. Now, wounded and helpless, he clings to God: “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The true blessing he longed for wasn’t from family or wealth—it was from God Himself.3. You meet God in weakness. Jacob “prevailed” not by overpowering God, but by surrendering. His limp becomes a permanent reminder: he won by losing. He stopped relying on his cleverness and confessed his need. This is what faith looks like—broken yet blessed, weak yet loved.This story echoes the gospel: Jesus, full of power, came down in weakness. On the cross, He bore our defilement to bless us. In Him, we are fully known, fully loved. Like Jacob, we are more sinful than we knew, but more loved than we ever imagined.So lift your eyes. Have you encountered God personally? Are you clinging to Him as your only source of blessing? Have you faced Him in your weakness?Genesis 32 is not just Jacob’s story—it can be ours too.Let’s pray. Father, thank You for meeting us in our fears, in our striving, and in our weakness. Thank You for blessing us not because we are strong, but because You are gracious. Teach us to walk with You, even with a limp. In Jesus’ name, amen.Thank you for listening to our podcast. If you enjoy our content, please subscribe. One in Christ is a multiethnic church—we welcome you to join us and share your story with Jesus.

Welcome to One in Christ Church, where the radiant story of Jesus comes to life.We continue the story of Jacob—a man born into family tension. His father, Isaac, favored the rugged Esau, while Jacob, quieter and clever, was his mother’s favorite. Early on, Jacob deceived his way into a blessing, which forced him to flee to his uncle Laban’s house hundreds of miles away.There, he worked 14 years to marry Rachel but was tricked into marrying Leah first. Through both wives and their maidservants, Jacob fathered twelve sons, the heads of Israel’s tribes. Each son’s name reflects the emotions and struggles of the household. Yet through this chaos, God was at work fulfilling His promise.In Genesis 30, Jacob, now prosperous through unusual means—like placing sticks near mating animals—gains wealth. God blesses him, not because of perfect methods, but because of His covenant faithfulness.Genesis 31 records God telling Jacob to return home. Jacob shares this with Rachel and Leah, who agree, having seen their father Laban's greed. Secretly, the family leaves. Laban pursues them, but God warns him in a dream not to harm Jacob.Laban catches up and accuses Jacob of stealing his household gods—idols Rachel had taken. Unaware, Jacob invites a search, which fails. Then Jacob boldly rebukes Laban for years of mistreatment. Laban, still possessive, declares everything “mine”—children, wives, flocks—but ultimately backs down. They make a covenant, setting a boundary between their households.What can we learn from these chapters? Four key truths:1. Promise: God had promised Abraham land and descendants. That promise continues with Jacob, despite human sin and brokenness. Our failures cannot cancel God's faithfulness.2. Protection: Though cheated for 20 years, Jacob was protected. His testimony—how he endured hardship and loss—is a model of perseverance and faithful leadership.3. Providence: God is not distant. Like a GPS guiding through confusing roads, God orchestrates all events to fulfill His plan. We may not see clearly, but He sees the full map. Trust Him.4. Preeminence: Laban’s gods could be stolen. The true God cannot. In Christ, we see the fullness of God: Jesus humbled Himself, took on defilement, died on the cross, and rose again to make us clean. He is worthy of all worship.So lift your eyes. See the God who keeps His promises, protects His people, works through providence, and reigns with preeminence. Even in the mess, God is moving. Trust Him.Let’s pray:Father, thank You for showing us Your faithfulness through Jacob’s journey. Help us trust Your promises, rest in Your protection, follow Your providence, and worship Jesus, the true and preeminent Lord. In His name, amen.

Jesus is Lord by Pastor John Thompson

If Christ is Not Raised (1 Corinthians 15) by Pastor Paul Liu

Blessings (Genesis 27:18-34) by Pastor Paul Liu

Heavenly Marriage (Genesis 24) by Pastor Paul Liu

God Provides (Genesis 22:1-19) by Pastor Paul Liu

Promise Fulfilled (Genesis 21:1-34) by Pastor Paul Liu

Judgement on Sodom (Genesis 19) by Pastor Paul Liu

Encountering God (Genesis 18: 1-33) by Pastor Paul Liu

Our Covenant God (Genesis 17: 1-27) by Pastor Paul Liu

The God who sees me (Genesis 16) by Pastor John Thompson

Oath of God (Genesis 15 1-21) by Pastor Paul Liu

The New Year Resolution (Matthew 16:24-25) by Pastor Paul Liu

The Meaning of Christmas (1 John 1:1-4) by Pastor Paul Liu

Rejoice (Luke 2:10, John 9:1-5, John 3:17-21, 1 John 1:1-4, 7) by Pastor John Thompson

From Genesis to OIC (Genesis 1-12, Revelation 7:9-12) by Pastor Paul Liu

Thanksgiving (Psalm 16:2, James 1:17) by Pastor John Thompson

City of Men and City of God (Genesis 10-11) by Pastor Paul Liu

Creation Renewed (Genesis 9) by Pastor Paul Liu

Noah and the flood (Genesis 6) by Pastor John Thompson

The tale of the two family lines (Genesis 4) by Pastor Paul Liu

Face Yourself and Face God 面对自己，面对上帝 (Gen 3) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

Where are you? 你在哪里? (Genesis 3) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

Essential Questions 核心问题 (Genesis 2) by Pastor John Thompson

In the beginning 起初 (Genesis 1) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

Pleasing to God 被神悦纳 (Hebrews 13) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

The Discipled Faithful 被神管教的信徒 (Hebrews 12:4-13) by Pastor John 约翰牧师

True Marks of Faith 真信心的标志 (Hebrews 11:23-12:3) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

Apostate & Antidote 叛教者和解药 (Hebrews 10: 26-39) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

Draw Near 近前来 (Hebrews 10: 1-25) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

Christ is Better 更美的基督 (Hebrews 9:23-28) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

The New Covenant 新约的中保基督 (Hebrews 7:26-8:13) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

The Perfect Priest 完美的祭司 (Hebrews 7) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

Enter the Perfection of God 进入神的完全 (Hebrews 6) by Long Cheng 程龙弟兄

Jesus the High Priest 耶稣基督大祭司 by Pastor John Thompson 约翰牧师

Rest in Christ 基督里的安息 (希伯来书4) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

Consider Jesus 思想耶稣 (Hebrews 3) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

Concerned with Spiritual Drift 灵魂的流亡 by Pastor John Thompson 约翰牧师

The Supremacy of Christ 超越的基督 by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

The Destination of the Soul 灵魂的归宿 by Elder Jay Song 宋宽文长老

Knowing Jesus 认识耶稣 by Pastor John Thompson 约翰牧师

Remember 纪念 (Deut 8 申命记 8) by David Kao 高绅祐弟兄

Sun of Righteousness 公义的日头 (Malachi 玛拉基书) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

The Presence of God 上帝的同在 (Exodus 40) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师

The Tabernacle 会幕 (Exodus 37-38) by Pastor John Thompson 约翰牧师

Merciful and Gracious God 憐憫與恩典的主 (Exodus 34) by Pastor Paul Liu 刘清牧师