According to Time magazine, I just watched the best episode of Homeland. But I don’t watch the show, so I don’t know the context. I have no connection to the characters. The show was alright; it was entertaining. But I am in no place to judge its value. Imagine if you recommended your favorite show to a friend. Your friend watches its “best episode” and says it was “pretty good.” pretty good?! It was amazing! After all this time, they finally get together! He finally gets the courage to speak his mind. or something like that.

When people read parts of the Bible without reading the whole Bible, it’s like watching the greatest episode with no context. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is truly the best episode, even for those who don’t know about the previous seasons. But they’re really missing out.

The “best episode” is a culmination of several seasons, the fulfillment of the promise made in Season 1, the priesthood brought to life in Leviticus, the Second Moses and the final Adam, the Kinsman Redeemer of Ruth from Season 7 returns for his bride in the series finale! The “Son of David” is not just a weird title when you realize that this is the David who killed Goliath. When you don’t know all the twists and turns, when you haven’t seen the previous seasons, you can’t appreciate the story. Shiboleth!

You don’t have to watch every episode of Friends to enjoy one episode, but it takes all 10 seasons to fully appreciate Ross and Rachel. Now, the Bible is more than a TV show for entertainment. So, how much more should we read all of it, not just the ‘best of”?


Pastor Jason

I washed my hands just 3 hours ago and didn’t touch anything dirty since. But while washing my hands with soap again, I notice my hands are dirty again. It looked clean just a minute ago. Sometimes people ask if it’s possible to go a whole day without sinning. I don’t see why not, just like it’s possible to go a whole day with your hands clean. but not likely. even 3 hours. Because even if your “hands” don’t look dirty, it is. We are sometimes unaware of where the dirt touches our soul. But at the end of the day, when we spend time with God, we realize how dirty we were in even those “good” days, as he washes the dirt down the drain.

Imagine how hard it is to keep those hands clean, even for one day. How much harder for the soul. All the more reason to go back to the “faucet” and ask His holy blood to wash us clean (1 John 1:9).


Make history. Don’t just live in it.
Pastor Jason

So I made a bet with her, and if I lose I would have to admit, “God doesn’t work” (God can’t help people). I told her that it’s hard to hear God’s voice if you don’t read his Word, and you will continue to have pain and confusion. She didn’t believe me. I challenged her to read the Bible everyday until the end of the year, about 10 chapters or so, and if at the end, there is no change, I’ll admit that I was wrong.
She calls me a few days later to say that the Word is really affecting her, and she can’t help reading so many chapters! wow, I was encouraged by that. I offer no magical cures, and my counseling is no better than another’s. but if I pray and get them to read the Word, I know there will be transformation. God stands behind his Word, and he promises that it won’t return to him empty.
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Make history. Don’t just live in it.
Pastor Jason

Maybe not everyone can lead, but everyone can serve.

I was working as a volunteer janitor at City Hall for a couple of weeks, and the head janitor told me he makes $30/hour! This is his first year as janitor but he worked for the city cutting trees for 8 years. Then I asked, “Cutting city trees give you enough experience to be a janitor?” He looked at me blankly and said, “Learning to be a janitor isn’t that hard. All you gotta do is keep the place clean. And do the stuff no one else wants to do.”

Anybody can be God’s servant. And it’s not that difficult to learn to be a servant. You just gotta “do the stuff no one else wants to do.” But maybe that’s what makes it so hard: no one wants to do it. Everybody wants to be a leader, but no one wants to be a servant. Well, Jesus came to do just that, and he proved it on the cross. We need to learn what it means to be a servant, and how to serve with a cheerful heart. Not only is it the path to obedience, it’s also how we become more like Jesus.

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Make history. don’t just live in it.
Pastor Jason