by Pastor Dan Chun

Matthew 3:1-5

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.”

It’s somewhat funny. Contemporary people might think John the Baptist is weird when reading this passage. He is a voice crying out in the wilderness. He dresses differently. His diet is bizarre, and we might even gag just thinking about eating locusts (I hope they were dead before he ate them). Prophets are different.

But if you think about it, some people who have wise words for us and point us to Jesus as the Prince of Peace are not what people might expect.         

Here are the people God used to speak to me this last month to share His wisdom:

           • An elderly Jesuit priest

           • A woman in England who I don’t know well but texts me an encouraging word.

           • Two construction guys sitting on a curb

           • A candidate walking by who just won a Hawai’i election.          

They weren’t wearing camel hair or eating locusts. Still, they were totally unexpected sources of God’s messages to me – words of hope and encouragement.           

Use discernment, and be open to how the Prince of Peace might talk to you. It might be through a song, a line in a book, or even two construction guys eating and sitting on a curb. He’s continuously transmitting His love, but we need to tune our receivers.

Reflection:

• Think back to last week. What or who did God use to speak to you?

• How can you be a messenger of God’s peace this week?

by Rosella Shishido, Communications Coordinator

“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.” (Psalm 147:4-5)

On most mornings, it has been a practice of mine to recite the Apostle’s Creed just to remind me of what I believe. It also helps set the tone for my quiet time with the Lord. “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth ....” 

At times that line causes me to look up, gaze at the sky, and be in awe of God and His creation. And sometimes my mind would stray, wondering what else exists out there that the sharpest minds or the most sophisticated instruments on Earth have yet to discover. 

I’ve also wondered (and have asked the Lord many times) what’s His purpose for creating such a vast universe, which scientists say continues to expand even as you read this.

Why, Lord? Why does the universe need to get any bigger? What for? 

Then one morning, the answer came as I was listening to Psalm 147. There was no voice from heaven. But rather, a thought, an eye-opening impression that prompted tears of joy and a humbled posture before the Creator of all things: 

“Like the universe, I, too, am vast and boundless. No matter how far you go into outer space, there will always be more space than you could ever cover. And by the time you get to where you want to go, the universe will have already expanded. There is no end to it. Like there is no end to Me.” 

God showed me that the expanding universe is an illustration of how big, how limitless, and how incomprehensible He is! 

Relating this to Advent, the baby Jesus of Christmas is the same powerful Jesus through whom God the Father created everything. Colossians 1:15-17 says:

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on Earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through Him and for Him. He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together.”

Pause for a moment now and praise Jesus for how powerful and mighty He is. He holds everything together. May that truth stretch your mind and your faith in Him today.

Reflection:

• How big is God to you?

• Think of a time when you were in awe of God’s greatness because of His creation.

by Karen Makishima, Director of Family Life Ministries

I hate deciding what I am going to wear each day. Sometimes I will lie across my bed staring into my open closet, just looking at my clothes, hoping that something will jump out at me and say, "Choose me!" Once I've made my choice, I am good to begin the routine of morning. But more often than not, I am stuck in the horizontal position, trying to figure out my attire.

But Romans 13:11-14 say that my attire has ALREADY been picked out for me:

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

These commanding verses remind us to be intentional with our remaining days. The day of Christ's return is coming near. So, WAKE UP! Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ.

What does it look like to clothe yourself with our Mighty God, Jesus? 

Author and Bible teacher Beth Moore helped me understand this concept through the story of Jonathan and David found in 1 Samuel 18. The two guys were very different. Jonathan was a prince, a son of King Saul, who lived in the royal palace. Jonathan had all the fine things this world could offer –– rich food, servants to meet his every need and want, and the finest clothing, including a royal robe. Jonathan probably never went without. David, on the other hand, was a shepherd. He had to hunt for his food. He wore an outer tunic that probably smelled of sheep, dirt, and sweat. His tunic was no doubt worn and tattered from the hardship of life. I'm sure that many nights he would sleep with an empty belly. 

Jonathan loved David as a dear friend, and he wanted David to have everything he had. And so he EXCHANGED his beautiful royal robe with David's to seal his love and devotion for his friend, and symbolically gave up his rights to the throne.

Jonathan is symbolic of Jesus, the Mighty God, who also wears a royal robe. Like Jonathan, Jesus exchanged his beautiful, perfect robe with our tattered, messed-up, smelly clothes SO THAT we can clothe ourselves with who He is. We put on the royal robe of Jesus, and He puts on our robe of sin so that our souls will be knit together. We GET TO clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ. 

Reflection:

• What is your response to Jesus exchanging His royal robe (His life and righteousness) for your marred and tattered clothes (sins)?

• Do you wear His robe of righteousness every day (as part of your life), or is it just hanging in your closet when you need it?

• Can you see our Mighty God wearing your tattered clothes? Thank Him now for the exchange and all that means to you.

by Luke Shin, Middle School Co-coordinator

As we continue our first week of Advent and talk about our Mighty God, I am reminded of how He has worked and continues to work in and through me. There have been countless times this year when God gave me the energy, power, and wisdom to accomplish what I needed to do.

This has been a full and busy year for me. There were lots of events happening at First Prez, our middle school was fully back in person, and I also went back to school. Out of all the projects I was involved with, the one that really showcased God’s mighty power was the HIM Youth Conference in March. 

Pastor Tim Shaw and I were tasked to take charge of the conference youth camp at our Ko’olau campus. We had a week to set up, plan games and activities, and find all our volunteers to make the camp a fun weekend for all the youth campers, including those coming from the neighbor islands. Not only that, but I also had to make sure our First Prez youth group was taken care of and that I was with them.

It was one of the most challenging weeks, and I don’t know how I made it through. All I know is that God’s mighty power sustained me. Even though it was a hard weekend, His power allowed me to experience the goodness He was doing in our youth group. Many kids responded to Him and stood up for prayer. And I am happy that even though I was exhausted, God still gave me the energy to pray for some of the youth.

I close with this passage from Ephesians 3:20-21 and make it my prayer for us today:

Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May He be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.

Reflection:

• Were there times this year when God’s mighty power was working within you? Praise Him for those times.

• How has God’s mighty power been working in you this season?

by Chaplain Marianna Meachen, Director of Care Ministries

“The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still” (Exodus 14:14)

Advent is a time of expectant hope as we look forward to the Child Jesus who was born to save the world, and to be its hope and light. We like to keep the Christmas story all light and sweet – a baby in a manger, angels singing, shepherds kneeling, a star shining – but the truth is, this Baby came to fight a fearsome foe. He came with a battle plan in hand – a plan that would mean His death. A sacrificial act that would give us life.

The prophet declared that this Child who was born to save the world would be called “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6). He would be a Warrior who would fight for His people. Which of us has not needed the Lord to fight for us in some way or at some time? 

The years 1969 and 1970 were especially difficult for me. That time left me with feelings of worthlessness. Life can feel miserable at times. And yet, God fought for me as I could not fight for myself. God used that time and those deep wounds to teach me His compassion, mercy, and love so that I could overcome my situation. He was the Good Shepherd. He cultivated in me His heart and strength so I, too, could become someone who cares for others who have felt deep hurt.

During our Advent journey, may we take it to find deeper meaning in the Child who fights for us. May we renew ourselves in His love and strengthen our relationship with Him. Jesus, the One who saves. Jesus, the One who loves us and fights for us. Jesus, the One who makes us His own. Jesus, the One who came to be the Light of the world. Take the opportunity to share His light with others.  

I encourage you to pray this prayer by 19th century explorer, priest, and martyr Charles de Foucauld: 

I place my soul in Your hands.

I give it to You, my God. 

With all the love of my heart

Because I love You.

And for me it is a necessity of love, 

This gift of myself, 

This place of myself in Your hands

Without reserve

In boundless confidence

Because You are my Father.

Reflection:

• How has Jesus helped you overcome hurts and heartaches in your past?

• How do feel and see His power working in you during this time in your life?

• Thank God for His mighty love and care for you, and then ask Him to give you His heart of compassion.

by Patty Kamahele, Administrative Assistant

"The Lord thy God in the midst of you is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)

When I reflect upon this verse, I’m reminded of how mighty our God is. That He is our Lord, and He is our Savior. That He rules, and He reigns over all. What a mighty God we serve!

But it also shows me His tender and loving side. That He rejoices over us. That He rests in the love He has for us. That He joys over us with singing.

My husband Francis was an amazing vocalist, and when he sang for the Lord, he did so with such joy in his heart. A friend told me about a dream she had where Jesus went up to Francis in heaven and asked him to sing for Him because He loved when Francis would worship Him here on earth. I can imagine Francis singing before Jesus now, and it gives me such comfort and peace.

But that Jesus is singing over him and over us just completely boggles my mind. The King of kings, the Lord of lords, the powerful One, the Mighty God joys over us with singing! That He cares for each and every one of us that much? Wow. 

All I can say is, “Amazing grace. How sweet the sound.”

Reflection:

• When you think of the Lord singing over you, what do you imagine Him singing?

• How does this cause you to reflect on how mighty He is…and yet so compassionate?

by Roslyn Catracchia, Worship Director

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

I really cannot believe I'm saying those words! I feel like I just blinked, and a whole year has passed. But Advent is indeed upon us, and I am truly looking forward to reflecting more during this very special season. 

Whoever came up with the idea of having four weeks of Advent before Christmas .... thank you! I can get so lost in the busyness of Christmas that it can be easy to forget the real reason for the season. But this gives us breathing space, time, and gentle reminders for almost a month leading up to Christmas Day. 

Typically what I respond to is precisely that – gentle reminders with themes of hope, peace, noel, angels, and joy, among others. But this first week of Advent, we are centering on the theme of Mighty God! And I am thinking of sweet baby Jesus in a manger, tired Mary and Joseph having traveled so far, no room at the inn. Where is there evidence of our Mighty God at this moment? 

Then I think of Luke 2:8-14

"In that region, there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

Those angels, to me, represent the Mighty God in His glory. I imagine our Heavenly Father wanting to shout this from the mountaintops He created: "Hey, everyone! World! WAKE UP! My Son has been born today! I cannot wait for you to meet Him!" 

This past Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent, and for the first service, we sang the song "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus." The lyrics remind me of the mighty power of God in a baby ... "born to set Thy people free." Everything in these lyrics reminds me of the mighty power of God. 

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free.

From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's Strength and Consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art.

Dear Desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver. Born a child and yet a King.

Born to reign in us forever, now Thy gracious Kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit, rule in all our hearts alone.

By Thine all-sufficient merit, raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Reflection:

• Read Luke 2:8-14 again, and take note of what stands out for you.

• Have you ever had a moment when you were in awe of God's might and power? Think about that time and praise Him for being our Mighty God.

by Christopher Pan, Executive Director

Isaiah 9:1-7, NRSV

But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish… The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. You have multiplied exultation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a Child has been born for us, a Son given to us; authority rests upon His shoulders, and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Great will be His authority, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and His Kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Hello again, and welcome to our Advent devotionals! For the next few weeks, up until Christmas, we’re excited to bring you devotionals to encourage you on your faith journey. Our sermon series during this time will focus on different names and titles for Jesus, and our devotionals will track with the sermons. Week 1: Mighty God. Week 2: Prince of Peace. Week 3: Light of the World. Week 4: Immanuel, God with us.

The Advent season is about anticipation and the expectant celebration of the coming of the Lord. Christians have celebrated Advent since the 4th century, so we join with millions of Christians around the world and throughout history in celebrating Advent. Today, let’s take a deep breath and turn our attention to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s focus on the expectant preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ – in three different ways:

1. Let’s expect and celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas.

2. Let’s expect his triumphant return at the second coming.

3. Let’s expect Jesus to show up in our everyday lives.

God bless you, and welcome again to our Advent devotionals.

Reflection:

• Read the passage above from Isaiah again.

• What word or phrase stands out to you?

• What is God saying to you in this passage today?

• Take a few minutes to listen to God in silence and then share with Him any thoughts you might have.

by Pastor Steve Peich

Mark 14.28-31 “But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though all become deserters, I will not.” Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said vehemently, “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And all of them said the same.”

Peter is probably one of my favorite biblical characters to talk about, mostly because I can totally relate to how he mangles things up in His walk with Christ. Or more to the point, how he can go from getting it so right one minute, then stepping into utter failure the next.

In the last hours before His arrest, Jesus makes the prediction that very soon all the disciples will desert Him (Mark 14.26). Immediately, Peter makes a bold claim about how he would never abandon Jesus. In verse 29: “Peter said to Him, “Even though all become deserters, I will not.” How’s that for confidence?

Then after Jesus tells Peter how he will deny Him three times, Peter doubles down by vehemently saying: “ ‘Even though I must die with you, I will not deny You.’ And all of them said the same” (Mark 14:31). Of course, we all know what happened shortly thereafter.

What is interesting here is that even as Jesus is predicting the impending failure of these guys, He is also communicating grace to them. Jesus said to them, “You will all become deserters… but after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee” (Mark 14.28).

Pause on that for a minute. Do you see what is happening there? Jesus is saying even though you will fail Me, I will not abandon you. In fact, after you guys blow it, I will meet up with you again to continue this Kingdom of God adventure. Your failure will not mean you won’t have a future with Me.

Shout an ‘Amen!’ if you find that encouraging.

How many of us would be so gracious after the total failure of someone we walked with, worked with, or served with, etc. for several years? How many of us blame, deny, rationalize, minimize, or excuse our own failures? Maybe you have experienced failures over the years – businesses, school, marriage, or ministry, etc. Did such failures leave within you God’s narrative of grace, or did you just spiral down into shame, self-loathing, and humiliation?

One other thing that strikes me in this whole episode is this: Jesus is not caught off guard by the failure of the disciples. Why is that encouraging? Because it says that none of our failures has surprised God and left Him bewildered. Our parents might be. Our friends might be. Our spouses or bosses might be. But not God. Think about that. God is not shocked by your epic fail. And because He isn’t, He is also looking forward to how He will strengthen us and redirect our future if we would but bring all those broken pieces of failure back to Him.

Try to take a few moments today reflecting on the divine reality that your failure, however epic, is not the last word over you. Ponder how our failure does not mean we won’t have a future with Jesus. That’s what the death and resurrection of Jesus does, it gives a future where there has been failure. Not because our love is so strong and consistent for Him, but because His love is so strong and unwavering for us.

Moreover, if others have failed you, pray for the soulful strength and fortitude to show mercy to them. Yes, they made need correction or even discipline, but don’t let them believe that failure is the last word over them. Demonstrate to them the powerful, failure-erasing grace of God.

Prayer: On this Good Friday, Lord, I confess my failures before You. Come and uproot the shame that keeps me trapped in my sense of failure, as well as all the excuses, rationalizations, and blaming I have used to buffer my heart from feeling the deep regret of missing the mark. Help me to experience Your grace today, and may I display that same grace to others who have failed me as well. In Your Gracious Name we pray, Amen.

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by Pastor Tim Shaw

John 19:38 Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy–five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. 

Author and New York Times opinion columnist, Tish Harrison Warren, wrote a blog post at the beginning of Lent (the season we are now in leading up to Easter) called, “We’re All Sinners, and Accepting That Is Actually a Good Thing.” Really? Why is our ability to accept the fact that we are all sinners a really good thing?

In her article Warren writes, “My favorite definition of sin comes from the English author Francis Spufford. He says that most of us in the West think of sin as a word that “basically means ‘indulgence’ or ‘enjoyable naughtiness.’” Instead, he calls sin “the human propensity to mess things up.”

Warren continues, “This is the slow dawning that I had about myself in college, and with it came liberation. Far from being a crushing blow of self-hatred, the realization of my actual, non-theoretical sinfulness came with something like a recognition of grace.”

Here’s the truth about me. I have the “non-theoretical” ability to do things and say things that can actually hurt other people. It is possible for me to fail to do things for others that I know are the right things for me to do. These sins of commission and omission are not only propensities that I have but descriptions of what I have done. I am a sinner.

Warren writes, “Every week now in church, I kneel with my congregation and admit, in the words of the Anglican liturgy, that I have sinned against God, “in thought, word and deed” by what I have done and by what I have left undone, that I have not loved God with my whole heart and have not loved my neighbor as myself. With my whole community around me, week in and week out, I admit, as Spufford says, that I have broken stuff, including other people and myself with my human propensity to, ahem, mess things up.”

The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is not, fundamentally, good advice, even though we are called to live out the guidance we find in the Scriptures. The Gospel is NEWS. It is the amazing announcement of what has already been done for you and me (because we could not do it for ourselves or on our own). Jesus Christ took upon Himself all of my sins as well as the sins of the world. This stunning truth about what God has freely done for you and me should lead us to fall on our knees in humility and gratitude. Jesus died in our place so that we might be forgiven for all the ways we “mess things up.”

This Holy Week, let me encourage you to not just jump from Palm Sunday to Easter. If you do that, you just might miss the heart of the Gospel. God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son. God poured out His love on the cross of Jesus. Let me encourage you to pause and remember what it cost to make the forgiveness of our sins possible. It cost the life of the Son of God.

Let me invite you to join us for the TENEBRAE SERVICE, either in person or online, tonight at 6:30 pm. We will lead you on a liberating journey to the cross of Jesus.

The most important event in the history of the world happened on Good Friday. The death of Christ on the cross reminds us that we are, indeed, all sinners, and accepting that truth and then receiving God’s forgiveness, is actually a really, really good thing for us to do. Our God is a compassionate God who is eager to extend His love and His mercy to us every time we ask. I am a sinner and I am a child of God, who is loved, forgiven and being transformed into a clearer reflection of Jesus. Embracing these truths is what can set us free.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved You with my whole heart and have not loved my neighbor as myself. I have messed things up. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

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by Lauren Stein, Elder

John 18: 21-30 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.”

Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

Betrayal is a breach of trust that places us in the tension of doubting the other person and ourselves. In its aftermath, we are barraged with questions. We wonder how we could have missed it. We assume that we could have stopped it. We question our ability to discern who is trustworthy. The pain of betrayal shakes us to our core and its shockwaves leave us wavering and unsteady. I do not have a 3-point plan on how to deal with betrayal, but when life throws us into a season of living in tension, Scripture grounds and guides us in the truth.

First, as humans, we can only know what the other person makes known to us. After three years together, the disciples thought that they knew Judas. In reality, they were completely unaware of what was going on in Judas’ heart and mind.  So often, we blame ourselves for trusting someone who was untrustworthy and for missing the signs. But Jesus’ disciples did life with Judas for years and they still had no idea. According to 1 Timothy 5:24, some sins will be well known, and others will be made known in time. When living in that tension, we can grieve the hurt, but we cannot accept the blame.

Secondly, Jesus fully understands the deep pain and heartache of betrayal. For three years, Jesus invested in Judas, teaching him to live a life of love and grace. In return, Judas took His trust and handed Him over to be killed. In our pain, we may find ourselves in the tension between wondering why God didn’t protect us from the hurt and the truth that Jesus fully knows our pain. 

Lastly, despite our distrust, we are called to welcome others into discipleship under Jesus. Jesus wasn’t surprised by Judas’ betrayal. I imagine that even as he called Judas to follow Him, He knew that this was the man who would eventually betray Him. Despite His knowledge of this, He didn’t cease investing in nor did he live only expecting the worst of Judas. In the same way, Jesus isn’t surprised by our failures and shortcomings. Just as Jesus called Judas, he has also called us into discipleship, and so we must do the same. 

The story of Jesus’ betrayal challenges us to live in the tension between grief and hope. This betrayal was the impetus for a sorrowful weekend that would ultimately bring deep joy to the rest of the world for generations to come. While we know the glorious victory of the cross and tomb, in the days of Holy Week, it is also important to wrestle with the sorrow that led up to it. If you find yourself living life in the tension of two contrasting seasons, be still and know that our God is with you. He is trustworthy above all things. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for being with us in the midst of life’s pain. As we prepare for Easter Sunday, we are especially thankful for the gift of Jesus’ death on the cross. May we love each other, trusting in Your faithfulness. Make us aware of how You are at work in the world and how we can join You in it. Amen.

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by Paul Zukunft, Elder

John 12:23-26 “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me.”

We have arrived at our Holy Week, and in five days will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who rescued us from sin. In our Scripture passage, Jesus explains why He must die and also calls upon us to serve Him. When I first read this passage many decades ago as a teenager in high school, I was troubled with the notion that anyone who loves their life will lose it. At that time, I was clearly living in the HOV lane of worldly person with a love for life. Here’s my story.

My nickname in high school was “Jock” since I lettered in three varsity sports all four years. I was the football quarterback, all-state baseball pitcher, team captain, class president, and graduated at the top of my class. There’s a clear distinction between being confident in one’s abilities and being arrogant, and I clearly fell into that latter category. A man very much of this world.

Fast forward to 2013. While riding my bicycle in Oakland, CA, I was hit from behind by a panel truck driving in excess of 50 miles per hour. I was launched horizontally like a missile, and my head made first impact with a chain link fence that split my helmet in half. As I laid there with a pool of blood gathering around me and still conscious, I praised God for the many gifts He had bestowed upon me, particularly my wife Fran, our children and grandchildren, family, and friends. And, if it was God’s will to be done, I was ready to serve Him for eternal life. It brought back images of my favorite movie It’s A Wonderful Life, where George Bailey experiences a world into which he had never been born. The many seeds that had flourished from that one kernel of wheat. And like George Bailey, I was fortunate to have had a positive impact on many lives and live again.

As we look at the world we live in today, surrounded by the devastation of a pandemic, the slaughter of innocent civilians, food and financial insecurity, a global climate that is becoming less hospitable to mankind, homelessness and divisiveness, you might ask, “What’s there to love?”

The answer is quite simple, and it is out of this world through our love for the Lord our Savior, Jesus Christ. This Lenten season has drawn us closer to Him by putting our worldly concerns aside; by being Christ-centered and not self-centered; and by serving others with a joyful heart. These are the attributes of someone who “hates” their life in this world and will keep it for eternal life.

Prayer: Lord, we too often find ourselves consumed by the troubles of this world that surround us and place our needs and wants at the forefront in defiance of the prayer You taught us to say. We are thankful for the many and unique gifts that You have bestowed upon each and every one of us, that are truly of Your making and not ours. We praise Your forgiveness of sins, Your resurrection, and life everlasting. Amen

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by Jeremy Lim, Elder

Though I’m a physical therapist, my undergraduate degree is in English literature. Bear with me for a minute as I put that degree to work. I don’t get to do this very often!

I am a big fan of the words “so that.” They begin an adverb clause that describes the relationship between two actions. More specifically, they begin an adverb clause of purpose. Their use in the middle of a sentence implies the need to clarify the purpose of the initial action in the sentence. 

For example, I put soap by each sink in my house so that my kids can wash, not just rinse, their dirty hands (a reality I have to point out too often sometimes!). “So that” begins an attempt to answer the question of why the initial action is important. The purpose of the first action is fulfilled by the second. 

Through the Spirit, Christ offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice, freeing us from all those dead-end efforts to make ourselves respectable, so that we can live all out for God. Hebrews 9:14 (MSG)

As we prepare to recognize Jesus’ incredible sacrifice on the cross and celebrate His victory over death through His resurrection, I encourage you to ask the question, “Why?” Why is it so important that Jesus did what He did? Why does it matter that Christ sacrificed Himself to free us from our own futile efforts to live well? 

So that…

“…we can live all out for God.” I’m still figuring out exactly what this means, but the more I understand the significance of what Jesus did and continues to do for me, the more it makes sense to live for Him in every way possible. His death has given you and me a way to fully live into His purposes so that we don’t have to face the never-ending dead-ends of our own. 

Jesus died so that you and I can live–not just for eternity with Him in heaven, but truly live a life worth living here on earth. When the “so that” statements of our lives align with the purposes of God, we’ll begin to experience life as God created us to experience it!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for loving me so that I can live life to the fullest. Sometimes it’s hard to choose to live this way, so please help me remember that living for You is simply the most rational response to who You are and all You’ve done. Amen.

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by Kelli Wong, Director of Hospitality, Finance, and Human Resources

Again the Jews who had challenged Him (Jesus) picked up stones to kill Him. But Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which good work are you throwing stones at Me for?”

“We are not throwing stones at You for any good work,” they replied. “We are stoning You for saying a very evil thing. You are only a man. But You claim to be God.” Jesus answered them, “Didn’t God say in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods?’” (Psalm 82:6) We know that Scripture is always true. God spoke to some people and called them ‘gods.’ If that is true, what about the one the Father set apart as His very own? What about this one the Father sent into the world? Why do you charge Me with saying a very evil thing? Is it because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Don’t believe Me unless I do the works of My Father. But what if I do them? Even if you don’t believe Me, believe these works. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father.”

Again they tried to arrest Him. But He escaped from them. Then Jesus went back across the Jordan River. He went to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There He stayed. Many people came to Him. They said, “John never performed a sign. But everything he said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus. (John 10:31-42)

In this passage we see how the community around Jesus challenged His claim to be God, and learned from the way Jesus responded. As I consider the claims that I make, there is one that stands out; a claim that I’d like others to find believable: that I am a disciple of Jesus. Part of the family of Jesus.

God’s heart for us is to know Him as our loving, heavenly Father, and He invites us to be His adopted sons and daughters. As I pursue the transformation that comes from the love of Christ, I am encouraged to remember the example of Jesus, to be mindful of the things that I say and the things that I do (in His name). And let it be that wherever we go or stay, we would be a people that leads others to believe in Jesus. 

Prayer: Lord, help us to find humility before You and among our brothers and sisters around us. I pray that You would help us pursue our spiritual formation and be transformed today, that we would demonstrate Your heart and love for humanity through our words and actions. Holy Spirit, we invite You into our lives. Let us see the work of Your love in our day, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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by Chris Pan, Executive Director

For today’s devotional, I just wanted to share a prayer that I came across while working my way through Pete Scazerro’s devotional Emotionally Healthy Relationships Day by Day, A 40-Day Journey to Deeply Change Your Relationships. In the book, Pete quotes a prayer from Richard Rohr, a priest and author who has been a conference speaker at Hawaiian Islands Ministries. So, for today, will you join me for a few minutes of silence and reflection before God, then pray this prayer below, at your own pace?

I thank You, Lord Jesus, for becoming a human being, so I do not have to pretend or try to be a God.

I thank You, Lord Jesus, for becoming finite and limited, so I do not have to pretend that I am infinite and limitless.

I thank You, crucified God, for becoming mortal, so I do not have to try to make myself immortal.

I thank You, Lord Jesus, for becoming inferior, so I do not have to pretend that I am superior to anyone.

I thank You for becoming weak, so I don’t have to be strong.

I thank You for being willing to be considered imperfect and strange, so I do not have to be perfect and normal.

I thank You, Lord Jesus, for being willing to be disapproved of, so I do not have to try so hard to be approved and liked.

I thank You for being considered a failure, so I do not have to give my life trying to pretend I’m a success.

I thank You for being wrong by the standards of religion and state, so I do not have to be right anywhere.

I thank You for being poor in every way, so I do not have to be rich in any way.

I thank You, Lord Jesus, for being all of the things humanity despises and fears, so I can accept myself and others in You.             

(Richard Rohr from Hope Against Darkness: The Transforming Vision of St. Francis in an Age of Anxiety)

Now, take another minute or so, in silence before God. What line stood out to you the most? What does it have to say to you today? Can you sense an invitation from God for today that can prepare your heart even more for Easter?

Repeat the prayer if you like, and have a wonderful day.

Email Chris

by Kelly Miyamura, Elder

Matthew 21: 12-13 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” He said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday. Jesus enters into Jerusalem claiming His kingship while riding on a donkey, not the steed of a victorious general, but of a humble servant. The juxtaposition of power and weakness in this moment beautifully encapsulates the profound message of the Gospel––that we are saved not through strength but through weakness and by Godʻs amazing grace.

Some people call the day after Palm Sunday as Holy Monday, when we read about Jesus entering the temple courts, overturning the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. The money changers were making it hard for common people to access God and in some cases exploiting those coming to worship. The courts were filled with animals and merchants selling their goods and exchanging money. The scene was the antithesis of worship against the backdrop of the holiest of places. No one was focused on God.

In this moment we witness Jesusʻ righteous anger in a demonstrative way, and this scene is often referred to as “the cleansing of the temple.” Today believers in Christ are the church; we are the temple. In this season of Lent, as we prepare our hearts for Easter, we cleanse ourselves through fasting, making more room for God in our lives, finding ways to give Him more of our prayerful focus and attention. 

One year I chose to fast from complaining. When I felt the urge to make a negative comment or vent my frustration, I tried to hold my tongue, suspend my judgment, and prayerfully ponder my emotions. This didn’t feel natural, but it certainly made me more aware of how my critical thoughts can sometimes lead me to dark places.

Even during tough times, I prayed to experience more joy and discovered that joy was never withheld from me. Fasting from my complaining had helped to clarify my vision and open up my spirit that’s often clogged with dissatisfaction and discouragement. It reminded me to pause and refocus my attention to the light all around me.

As we approach Easter, what are some of your reflections from this Lenten season? What new practices have given you life, or what has been most challenging for you to surrender? Whether through prayer, through fasting, or through worship, let us continue to empty ourselves and cleanse our souls so the Spirit of God can dwell fully within us and flow powerfully through us.

Prayer: Jesus, we praise and worship You as our King, our Savior, our Deliverer. Thank You for Your grace and for Your power made perfect in our weakness. Cleanse us, Lord, of anything that keeps us from a deeper and stronger relationship with You. Amen.

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by Patti Marshall, Elder

With Easter fast approaching, my mind’s eye, head, and heart are dwelling on the hands of Jesus during His life, crucifixion, and resurrection. His hands were always doing things and advancing the Kingdom because He knew the hand of His Father was on Him.

Surely, Jesus’ hands waved, clapped, gave hi-fives, pointed, held, carved, hammered, cupped themselves around his mouth and ears, whistled, blew his nose, cooked, wrote, knocked, and felt sensations of smooth or rough, wet or dry, hot or cold. It’s doubtful that He swiped, tapped, or scrolled a smartphone, texted, played a piano, filled a gas tank, or dealt with worry beads.

Hands can bless or bully. They can show care or contempt. They can cultivate or control. They can give or get. They can help or harm. They can be raised high in praise or be rude. They can be sacrificial or selfish. They can serve or be self-serving. They can clarify (sign language), create, and convert. They can exhort and rebuke. They can pray.

Jesus’ hands blessed. When parents brought their children to Jesus, He placed His hands on them and blessed them. Whenever He ate with friends, He placed His hands in a gesture of thanksgiving, broke bread and shared. Can you see Him making a point with His hands when He appeared as a stranger to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus?

Jesus’ hands cared. On the Sea of Galilee, He reached out His hand to panicky Peter, and caught and calmed him. His hands raised Lazarus, His friend and beloved brother of Mary and Martha, from the grave.

Jesus’ hands cultivated relationships. He called Zacchaeus, a scorned tax collector, out of a tree for a visit. He gave fishermen feelings of self-worth and purpose by loving and forgiving them.

Jesus’ hands helped and healed. He fed five-thousand hungry people with five loaves of bread and two fish. He took the blind man at Bethsaida by the hand, brought him to a quiet place, spat on his eyes, and then put His hands on the blind man’s eyes so that he could see.

Jesus’ hands sacrificed. His praying hands were violently ripped apart and pierced for you and me. “See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands (Isaiah 49:16). In a sense, our names were on His hands at the crucifixion.

Jesus’ hands served. He, in humility and love during the Last Supper, knelt down before His disciples and washed their feet.

Jesus’ hands created and converted. In the beginning, God (Jesus, the Holy Spirit) created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). His hands converted persecuting Saul to Paul, who stayed committed to Jesus until his own death.

Jesus’s hands exhorted and rebuked. He was tempted by the devil, but Jesus rebuked him with Scripture (and His hands). His “Quiet! Be Still!” verbal rebuke must have been accompanied with the authority of His hands. 

Jesus’s hands prayed. He often went to solitary places, sometimes for hours at a time, to talk and listen to His Father. On the night of His betrayal, His hands clasped together, palm to palm, fingers pointing away from Himself toward God, His Father. He prayed for us, the people of the earth.

What about our hands? What are we doing with them? Whatever God places in our hands is in our care and control. What He places in our hands, we are to use for His glory.

“Yet still, Yahweh, You are our Father. We are like clay and You are our Potter. Each one of us is the creative, artistic work of Your hands.” (Isaiah 64:8 The Passion Translation)

Prayer: O Lord, we are the clay, and You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand. Bless the work of our hands. Make our hands useful to You. Make our hands like the hands of Jesus. Show us how to be people with a soft touch and a strong grip on truth. In our Savior’s name, Amen.

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by Marianna Meachen, Director of Care Ministries

Have you ever had your name misspelled or mispronounced? Or have you been called by some derivative of your name, or a name that starts with the same first letter? I have spent my life correcting people as they mispronounce my name. “My name is Marianna, it has an A at the end, not an E."

“Marianna” is spelled as one name. My family has always called me by that name; they never shortened it. I have been called almost every M name you can list–– Marianne, Marian, Mary, Marlene, Martha, Margaret, and even Merridee. Then if you add my surname, which is Meachen, it gets worse. Meachen somehow becomes Meachan, Meachum, and even Machin.

Our names are an incredibly important part of our identity. They carry deep personal, cultural, familial, and historical connections. They also give us a sense of who we are, the communities in which we belong, and our place in the world. Our names give us stature and status.

That is why I love the different Scripture names for God. He is referred to by more than just a single name. One of the ways God reveals Himself to us in Scripture is through His names. Each of these names has significance. They describe His nature and His character. Each of God's names tells us something important about God, and how He relates to us.

Meditate on one of these names today:

Abba: Father

Alpha and Omega: The Beginning and End

Attiyq Youm: The Ancient of Days

Christos: The Anointed One

El Chuwl: The God who gave you Birth

El Deah: The God of Knowledge

El Elyon: The God most high

El Olam: The Everlasting God

El Roi: The God who sees

El Shaddai: God Almighty

Elohim: The Creator

Jehovah (Yahweh): T he Self-existent one

Jehovah-Bore: The Lord creator

Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord our provider

Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord our banner

Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord our healer

Johovah-Rohi: The Lord our shepherd

Jehovah-Sabaoth: The Lord of hosts

Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is peace

Jehovah-Shammah: The Lord is there

Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The Lord our righteousness

In all of these names, there is a God who loves us, who chose us and called us to Him. Our response to this God of wonder, love, mercy, compassion, and grace should always be:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV)

Prayer: Abba, You are our God and we glorify You in all we do. During this season of Lent, may we always remember Your many names, characteristics and attributes, and Your unparalleled love. Thank You for loving us, caring for us, and sending Jesus to die for us. May we sing Your praises forever. In Jesus’ Holy name. Amen.

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by David Chang, Director of Ministry Support

Watch out, today is April Fool’s––a day when we play pranks on one another. I confess, I was a bad boy growing up. My pranks included injecting wasabi paste into a donut. This worked particularly well because the person I was aiming to prank usually gulped down his food. Another prank involved bananas. There’s a way to take a whole banana and cut the inside into slices, WITHOUT taking the peel off. It was funny to watch people’s faces when they discovered they were peeling banana discs! And then there was the time I would loosen the tops of salt shakers in restaurants. Yes, I was a bad, bad boy.

I think the devil is the ultimate prankster. John 10:10 reminds us that the enemy is the thief that comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Now that is malicious. The goal of these pranks is to get us to question and doubt God’s love and care for us. The devil throws these troubles at us in an effort to cause us to look for solutions everywhere else but God. The enemy is tricky in this because he knows that when we try to solve our troubles on our own and apart from God, we only get deeper into trouble.

But God gives us a wonderful promise:

Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all. (Psalm 34:19)

Our Heavenly Father reminds us that trouble comes to us even if we’re doing everything right because the enemy is trying to pull us down, no matter how strong we are. The one who created the universe with just His words promises that He will deliver us from all, not some, of the troubles that come to us.

So, it is April Fool’s on the devil. He is defeated by Jesus’ going to the cross. The resurrection of Jesus shows us there is no trouble, not even death, from which God is not able to deliver us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for this reminder that You will deliver us from all trouble. In the name of the One who made it possible, Jesus. Amen.

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by Marianna Meachen, Chaplain and Director of Care Ministries

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. (Psalm 34:8)

I am fascinated by people who take photos of their food and post on social media. I have read different explanations for this practice––from it enhancing the flavor of the food by increasing the anticipation of eating, to it being a ritualistic form of grace before meals. 

The scripture for today begins with “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” What does it mean to taste the Lord? Don’t we already know that He is good? To taste seems to be an invitation to draw close to God, first inhaling the aroma of God. We also find in Ephesians 5:2 that we are to walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us “as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

As that fragrance lingers in our hearts, especially during this 40-Day Fast, we then marinate in it and experience His love and the goodness surrounding Him. His goodness is protection, strength, direction, peace, forgiveness, wisdom, and so much more.

When we trust God, we turn to Him, take refuge in Him whether or not those situation or circumstances are good or bad. We go to Him for the little things in life, as well as the big ones,. And sometimes, leaning on God during those hard situations are when we truly taste and see His goodness the most. 

When we depend on God and willingly look to Him to meet our needs, provide all of our needs, He calls us blessed and surrounds us with His favor. Interestingly as He invites us to taste and see that He is good, He entreats us to be the salt of the earth, to reflect to others what He freely gives us.

With so many references of God’s love and goodness with words that are food-based, it makes me think that my favorite photo that is often used to represent Christ is the photo of bread and wine, and He as the host of the table.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You that You give yourself continually that I might see, smell, and taste Your goodness. Let it stir the juices of my heart to be more like You, deeply experience Your love daily, and share Your love with all, so that the world might know You as well. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

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