We Gather for Encouragement

In the book of Psalm 133:1 it is written:

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Qhov uas Vajtswv haivneeg koom thooj siab thooj ntsws, 

nyob ua ib ke, qhov ntawd zoo kawg li.

And then also in Romans 15:7 –it says: 

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

(v.7) Yog li ntawd nej ib leeg yuav tsum zoo siab

hlo lees yuav ib leeg ib yam li Yexus Khetos

lees yuav nej. Thaum sawvdaws pom nej ua li

ntawd lawv yuav qhuas Vajtswv.

These verses remind us that God's love surpasses all differences, and as we gather, we are reflecting His unity, love, and acceptance. As we all know, life is difficult, confusing, and frustrating. But to know that we have a place to go and be lifted up in faith every week, is truly a blessing and a great gift from God, isn’t it?

They say, “life is a marathon, not a 200 meter dash”.  There will be long stretches of relative ease and enjoyment, followed by hardship, despair, and moments of feeling like you want to give up. And to many of us, this cycle seems to repeat itself over and over, again and again, doesn’t it? 

But to all of us that are going through this, I encourage you; don’t give up, you’re not alone. You have family and friends all around you. Take a moment and look to the left and the right of you. On top of that, we have the Lord Jesus. He loves us all, and he says he will always be with us, even until the end of ages.

When we come together—whether it is for worship, prayer, Bible study, or simply fellowship—God’s Spirit moves in ways that might not happen in isolation.  When we are isolated and by ourselves, it is easy to feel defeated or discouraged. But in a community, we are reminded of the love, grace, and strength of God. We get the chance to witness the power of prayer, we get the chance to witness the wisdom of others, and we get the chance to witness the fellowship that encourages us to keep going in hard times. 

Whether you are a long-time believer, new to the faith, or have not come to know the Lord Jesus yet, you are welcome anytime here to worship with us! This is a place for everyone, regardless of where you are on your journey. Sunday services like today, are like family gatherings on holidays. We come together as a family to celebrate joy in the Lord Jesus, connect, share, and support one another in hard times. When we gather, we find encouragement, healing, and hope in each other through God’s unconditional love for us. God’s love is not limited to a select few only but it is for everyone.

It is written in John 3:16 – 

“For 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.”

It doesn’t matter what each one of our past is like. It doesn’t matter what we have done, God’s love is UNCONDITIONAL. He accepts you just the way you are.

In the bible, Jesus welcomed both the faithful and those seeking to know Him more with open arms. Jesus sat with sinners, he ate with tax collectors, and he healed the sick showing us that no one is too far from His love and forgiveness.

For those of you here who are believers, this place is meant for you to be a family. This is a place meant for you to look after each other and lift one another up.

And again, for those of us who are new just getting to know Jesus, this is a safe place where you can ask questions where you will not be judged. Everyone is invited to explore God’s love at your own pace. So, you can feel at ease. 

You do not need to have perfect faith to be welcomed here. We all here are imperfect people who worship a perfect God.

As with families, One in Christ Church is a family where we lean on each other during the tough times and celebrate together during the good times. 

Hebrews 10:24-25 says: 

(v.24) And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 

(v.25) not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

In our Hmong bible, verse 24-25 says:

(v.24) Peb yuav tsum ua tib zoo xyuas saib peb yuav ua li cas 

ib tug thiaj txhawb tau ib tug lub zog, kom ib tug txawj hlub ib tug, thiab ib tug ua zoo rau ib tug. 

(v.25) Sawvdaws yuav tsum tuaj txoos ua ke pehawm Vajtswv tsis txhob tso tseg ib yam li muaj qee leej twb tso tseg lawm. 

Nej puavleej paub hais tias, twb yuav txog hnub Yexus rov qab los.

Yog li ntawd peb ib leeg haj yam yuav tsum ntuas ib leeg heev dua qhovqub.

Vajtswv ntshaw kom peb txawj sib-hlub, sib pab.

Nws xav siv peb txhua tus qhia Nws txoj-kev hlub rau lwm tus pom.

Yog li ntawv, cia peb sawvdaws zoo siab xyaum pib ntawm peb tsev neeg mus. Thov Vajtswv foom koob hmoo rau peb txhua tus.

Amen.

One In Christ - Pastor Vameng Pha

March 9, 2025