Houston Chinese Church - English

Every person has a vision of the ultimate future (aka eschatology) that shapes his/her obligations and decisions today. In today’s passage, Jesus speaks about his second coming and the end times. However, we tend to brush off such eschatology as irrelevant to our daily lives because it seems far-fetched or too far off. But, that would be a perilous mistake. Instead, let us heed Jesus’ call to stay awake because he will return one day, and that future truth should shape how we live in the present.

Mark 13 records Jesus’s Olivet Discourse with his disciples (cf. Mt 24, Lk 21). This passage is notoriously difficult to interpret. Some believe all of Jesus’s predictions were fulfilled in the first century, while others think they will be fulfilled in the future. The answer likely lies somewhere in between. While many turn to Jesus’s teaching to predict the end times, he’s more concerned with preparing his disciples to endure the challenges of our present time.

The Pharisees and Sadducees have attempted their “swings” at Jesus and now Jesus faces the last group of Jewish leaders, the Scribes. He’s faced with the question: “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Out of the 613 commandments, which one does Jesus choose? He replies with what we now know as the “Greatest Commandment” and a commandment on loving our neighbors. So how do we follow this commandment of Loving God? What does it take? What does it look like?

In this text, Jesus faces religious leaders from a sect of Judaism that denied the existence of an afterlife. The Sadducees thought they had devised a flawless theological trap for Jesus. But his response not only exposes the fallacy in their assumptions about Scripture and the power of God but provides true hope in the face of our mortality.

We’ve been told not to talk about religion and politics at the dinner table because they often elicit strong opinions and can be divisive. But politics – when understood broadly as how a group of people make decisions to live together – undergirds what it means to be in community (society, workplace, school, church, etc.). As Christians, how should we view and engage politics in light of our faith? We derive guidance from this morning’s passage where we understand the politics of Jesus as he confronts an explosive issue of his day.

As Jesus’s earthly life and ministry speed towards a dramatic conclusion at the cross, his authority is challenged and ultimately rejected by the religious leaders of his day. While the attitude and actions of his adversaries are the focus, we can also gain profound insights into the nature and character of the God who sent his Son on a mission to the cross.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, he went to the temple searching for fruit—the fruit of true faith. Sadly, there was none to be found. Consequently, Jesus cursed the temple, foretelling its demise. The question for us is what will he find if he visits our church today?

We experience anxiety and pain when we try to anchor our lives on things that can be so easily upended. The Psalmist exhorts restless and anxious people to root their security and hope in God during times of trouble. But why is God our best safety net in times of trouble?

It’s natural for us to praise things. We praise our children before others. We praise the vacations we’ve been. We praise others for their accomplishments. But we don’t find ourselves praising God easily. In fact, it might even be unnatural. Yet the Biblical authors call upon us to praise God. How do we become more natural in our praise of God?

Psalm 96 unabashedly declares the greatness of God and calls his people to worship him accordingly. This exuberant and uplifting psalm reminds us that God created us and redeemed us as his people so that we would declare his glory among the nations.

Who’s qualified to worship God this morning? Who’s allowed to approach the King of Glory? If this line of questioning seems out of line to you, then you need to take a careful look at this psalm of David. Psalm 24:1-10 Sermon preached by Pastor Jason Tarn on June 21, 2026 Audio: Renee LeongVideo: Michael JinEdit: Alexa Lopez

For a third time, Jesus predicts his passion, and yet again his disciples fail to see that he is leading them on a path of suffering and servanthood. They’re too blind because they’re too captured by worldly ambition. But surprisingly, Jesus doesn’t expect his disciples to suppress their desire for greatness. Our ambitions don’t need to be repressed. They need to be redeemed.

Despite the necessity of money in our lives, we often (and too easily) idolize wealth and possessions in our hearts. In today’s challenging text, Jesus tells us that those who seek riches cannot come to him. Our Lord starkly warns against the dangers of materialism, which prevent us from entering the kingdom. Instead, we are to treasure not our possessions, but Christ above all.

For a second time, Jesus predicts his death and resurrection. And for a second time, his disciples don’t understand what he’s saying. On the way to Jerusalem, thoughts of rejection and suffering fill Jesus’s mind. Meanwhile, his disciples are filled with ambitions for status and power. They have yet to grasp what greatness looks like in the kingdom of God. What about us?

You can take all the best experiences of your entire life and it will still be nothing compared to what the three disciples got to experience up on the high mountain. What did they experience and see on the mountain? What was the purpose of the transfiguration? Why did Jesus bring them up there? We’ll answer all these questions as we see what Jesus reveals about Himself to His disciples at the Transfiguration.

This passage marks a turning point. Up to chapter 8:27, Mark has been asking one central question, “Who is Jesus?” While the demons recognize him, everyone else is confused. In v29, Peter finally answers correctly, “You are the Christ.” From this point, the question shifts from his identity to his mission. Now Mark is asking, “Why did Jesus come?” Sadly, the confusion remains.

With this series of dramatic miracles, Mark concludes the first half of his gospel where he sets forth Jesus as the authoritative Son of God. Even though Jesus’ healing power and compassion are on full display, both the Pharisees and his disciples keep failing to understand who he is because they are spiritually deaf and blind, and have hardened hearts. We too often struggle in the same way to understand Jesus’ identity and purposes for our lives. How do we address this? We should:I. See Jesus as the compassionate provider through eyes of faith (7:31–8:10)II. Heed Jesus’ warning against unbelief with ears of faith (8:11–21)III. Understand who Jesus truly is by a cross-shaped heart of faith (8:22–26)

As in Jesus’s day, many who believe in a holy God feel unclean and unworthy to approach him. And, as in Jesus’s day, we assume what defiles us comes from the outside in. From individuals or influences external to us. But Jesus taught us that defilement moves from the inside out—originating from our hearts.

We all have a voice that focuses on our uncleanness. It never has a positive thing to say. It focuses on our failures. It reminds us of past sins. It reminds us of our inadequacies. How do we respond to this voice?

After he fed the 5000, the massive crowd was ready to take Jesus by force and make him their king (Jn 6:15). Lest his disciples get caught up in this misguided messianic fervor, Jesus sends them across the Sea of Galilee, smack dab into a storm. And it’s there, in the midst of the storm, that Jesus reveals to them his true identity and his kingly authority over all.

Tolkien coined the term “eucatastrophe” to describe a joyful catastrophe that comes out of nowhere at the end of a story to change everything for the better. He argued that all stories with eucatastrophic endings—the ones that move us to happy tears—are simply echos of the grand Eucatastrophe of human history.

In this famous miracle of feeding the 5,000, our Lord shows himself to be authoritative, powerful, and wise. But, above all these, he is compassionate. Compassion is something we all need and want to receive but is not always easy to show or give. How can become more compassionate to those in need? Look to Christ and remember the compassion that he showed to us. He is the compassionate shepherd not just for his disciples and the crowd who rushed to see him, but for us, the sheep of his flock.

In Mark’s Gospel, the crowds are initially highly receptive of Jesus and his ministry. But, starting in chapter 6, they begin to take offense. This sentiment begins in his hometown of Nazareth and spreads throughout Galilee as his disciples are sent to preach his gospel. A flashback scene featuring John the Baptizer and King Herod foreshadows how many in the world will respond negatively to Jesus and his disciples.

We have seen Jesus show His power over nature when he calms a storm. Then we saw Jesus’s power over demons. In today’s passage, we will see Jesus have power over sickness and death. We encounter a father whose daughter is dying, and a sick woman, both desperate for Christ's power to be revealed in their lives. So it is with us. We are all in need of Christ and His power in our lives.

This morning’s text delves into the frightening concept of demon possession. While some may dismiss it as a relic of ancient superstition, the Bible presents demons as real beings capable of possessing individuals. But as scary as that might be, the more terrifying character in the story turns out to be the One who has the power and mercy to heal the demoniac.

As Mark records Peter’s riveting eyewitness account of Jesus’ miraculous calming of a fierce storm, we encounter the unmatched power of Jesus that should strike both fear and comfort in our hearts. But, this story is not just about how Jesus is Lord of the storm and so can calm the storms of your heart, though that is true. It is far greater than that. It goes to the very heart of who Jesus is – as Lord of all, as supremely faithful, and as Savior of the world. Even as we might empathize with the disciples’ plight and reactions, let us not forget that the Jesus who was there for them yesterday is the same Jesus who is here for us today.

In a contemporary church culture that equates size with superiority, Jesus’s parables serve as a necessary corrective. They emphasize the hiddenness and obscurity of the kingdom, illustrating that what begins as insignificant and unassuming will inevitably grow into something far greater than one could have imagined. To those who have ears to hear, let them hear Jesus’s message.

In today’s text, Jesus began to teach the crowds many things in the form of parables. Parables were helpful tools for conveying challenging truths in an illustrative and memorable manner. But Jesus’s parables were not merely intended to educate—but to expose. To unveil the true nature of the kingdom he preached and the true nature of the hearts of those who listened. The Parable of the Sower epitomizes this purpose that permeates all of our Lord’s parables.

Ever wonder what a disciple of Jesus looks like? How should we follow Him in our lives? Jesus’s disciples look nothing like you’d expect but that’s the beauty of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. That’s the beauty of Jesus. That’s the beauty of Jesus’s family. We’ll take a look at what Jesus does expect from those who follow him.

At this point in Mark’s Gospel, the opposition to Jesus has intensified. The religious leaders are enraged by how Jesus interprets and practices the Mosaic Law in a manner incompatible with their narrow interpretations and ossified practices. At one point, he tells a parable that suggests his approach to the Law will burst and destroy the traditions of men. Jesus doesn’t shy from confrontation because his mission was to proclaim the end of religion.

As we observe Sanctity of Life Sunday, the need for dialogue and persuasion over the issue of abortion is greater than ever, since abortion is now up to the States. But, the current narratives dominating the abortion debate have only led our society and many Christians into sharp disagreement and also much sorrow. The false, simplistic narratives are: to be pro-life is to be anti-woman, and to be pro-choice is to be anti-life. The Bible tells a better story. Through today’s text, we are reminded that God has always cared for the mother and her unborn baby. His heart is for both people, for they are made in his image. So, we too need to love them in ways that affirm life for both of them.

As Jesus bursts on the scene in Mark’s Gospel, his authority is on full display. Demonstrated in how he calls disciples, casts out demons, cures the sick, cleanses lepers, and—as our text reveals—forgives sins. The message couldn’t be clearer: Jesus is God in the flesh, and he’s on a mission to forgive sinners and make them into disciples.

The Gospel according to Mark begins fast and furious. Without a nativity story, we’re immediately introduced to Jesus in his public ministry. Everyone, in every scene, is trying to figure out who he is. In our text, we’re presented with a man of authority who calls disciples to respond in obedience without hesitation.

There is no better way to kick off the new year than to study the life of our Lord. The Roman emperor who reigned when Christ was born, Caesar Augustus, was hailed as the “son of god,” and the “Great Heavenly Savior.” Of course, this flatly contradicts the Bible. But in today’s age of bespoke spirituality and customized beliefs (metamodernism), it’s somehow possible to hail both the Caesar of today (whoever or whatever that is) and King Jesus at the same time even though it’s incoherent or contradictory. Thankfully though, Mark offers a powerful and refreshing response by uncompromisingly presenting Jesus, not Caesar, as the gospel, as the Savior of the world. Mark proclaims Jesus as the authoritative yet suffering Son of God, to whom we need to respond with repentance and belief.

Trouble in our lives make it difficult for us to see how God can possibly be good. Trouble takes many forms: illness, anxiety, depression, conflict, antagonism, or loneliness just to name some. It’s difficult to believe in the goodness of God when we experience such trouble. How can we trust God to be good when we experience trouble in our lives?

The last words of Jacob were words of blessing to his twelve sons. It’s true that some of these blessings read more like curses, but, in the end, it’s a blessing to be included at all. In spite of their checkered past, each brother will still populate the Twelve Tribes and receive a share of the Promised Land. Jacob’s final blessings contain important lessons on sin, grace, and our ultimate hope.

Hebrews 11’s Hall of Faith recounts those key moments in the stories of the OT saints where they exercised great faith. But notably, the Hall of Faith only mentions Jacob’s final act of blessing the sons of Joseph. Let’s delve into the significance of his actions in Genesis 48 and explore why it’s regarded as Jacob’s greatest act of faith.

By Genesis 47, the main plot points of the narrative have been resolved. Joseph has ascended to power, the brothers are reconciled, and God's people have been preserved. While the remaining chapters may seem less important, when you read Genesis as the first of the five Books of Moses (Pentateuch), it becomes evident that these final chapters are preparing us for Exodus and the broader biblical story of redemption. When you pull back the lens, each movement in this chapter reveals a larger theological point.

In today’s text, Jacob makes his journey from Canaan into Egypt. It is a land of sojourn where his family will eventually grow into the nation of Israel to be led one day back to their true home in Canaan. We too are in a land of sojourn while on this earth, for our true home is in heaven. But, we often find such sojourning a hard and fearful experience, and we can grow strongly attached to this world. Yet, working backwards through this episode of Jacob’s life, we learn what it means to be a sojourner led and assured by God. We need not be afraid while we are sojourners in this life because like Jacob, we belong to God as his people, and he is our God who preserves us and keeps his promises.

The moment of truth has arrived in Joseph’s story. As he reveals himself to his estranged brothers, they react in horror, fearing the worst. But instead of wrath in Joseph’s eyes, they see tears. This beautiful picture of reconciliation in Genesis 45 is meant to inspire us to pursue the same in our broken relationships.

In this chapter, we come to the end of the second test from Joseph. How will they respond? What does God want to do with them through these tests? What do these tests reveal about God’s grace in their lives? How has God changed them? In what ways are we changed by God’s grace and work in our lives?

When we fail God, we feel defeated. We fail to avert our eyes from a forbidden image. We fail to refrain from office gossip. We fail to reign in our spending habits and buy another set of golf clubs. Failing God causes us to feel ashamed and dejected. What does God do when we fail him? Does he cast us aside?

The first run in between Joseph and his older brothers, after twenty years of estrangement, results in an awkward encounter filled with harsh accusations, guilty consciences, and an intricate test of integrity. But as the story unfolds, it’s apparent that Joseph’s actions are a severe mercy designed to expose the true character of his brothers. That’s what biblical tests are meant to do. They reveal the true nature of person – the true state of our soul.

So far in the life and trials of Joseph, we have seen him repeatedly betrayed and suffer injustices; yet God was faithful and caused him to be fruitful even in jail. Now in chapter 41, we come to an inflection point where God orchestrates his remarkable, meteoric rise to power from prison to Pharaoh’s palace, from prisoner to prime minister over all of Egypt. This rise though came about through his afflictions. Today’s text then teaches us this precious truth: God is faithful in our sufferings and helps us be fruitful through them. Whether feast or famine, God is faithful and fruitful for our flourishing.

The experience of delay is a common occurrence in the life of faith. Many biblical figures are characterized by a posture of waiting. Joseph waited thirteen years before his dreams started coming true. And that’s a short interval compared to others. But regardless of the duration of delay, the eyes of faith recognize that the LORD has not forgotten and will fulfill his promises at the right time.

Genesis 39 is often read as an example of how to resist sexual sins. Which it is. But there is a bigger theological message being conveyed about the LORD’s presence and steadfast love being with you – even in the lowest points and darkest times in life. For God’s people, unrelenting temptations, untrue accusations, and unjust treatment are not evidence of his anger or abandonment. They’re steps in his unfolding redemptive plan for our lives.

Genesis 38 is a microcosm of the book at large. Every story presents raw and honest portrayals of these biblical characters, highlighting God’s grace when they fall. In Judah’s case, his story arc swiftly descends into a sordid mess of sin and shame. But, by the end, he confesses and undergoes a transformation that explains the profound change in him when he reappears later in the narrative.

The life of Joseph is full of highs and lows. Before we get to the highs, the story of Joseph begins at a real low point in his life. There’s not a lot of good happening to Joseph in Genesis 37. His situation seems to get worse and worse, and finally, he finds himself at one of his lowest points in life, a slave at the bottom of a pit. Although the life of Joseph can seem very bleak at this point, we can find comfort knowing how God works this difficult time in his life. We will focus on three truths as we begin to dive into the life of Joseph.

Hebrews is self-described as a “word of exhortation.” Which means it’s more like a sermon than a typical New Testament letter. And like any good sermon, Hebrews concludes with illustrations and applications for how believers can live out its main point. Which can be summarized like this: Do not neglect the great salvation we have in Jesus, but instead, hold fast our confession and persevere in the faith. This ancient sermon ends with three practical ways to persevere.