The book of Ruth takes place during a very chaotic time in Israel's history and it focuses in on a family that faces great tragedy. But in the midst of tragedy, we see God's sovereignty and God's steadfast love at work. Whether leading us out of suffering or into suffering, God exercises his divine sovereignty and steadfast love. As such, God's sovereignty and steadfast love are to serve as the foundation for our lives, especially when suffering rips everything else apart. That's the only way we can truly live consecrated lives.

The Apostle Paul exhorts believers to live with eternity in mind because this will shape our values, help us to stay on mission, and fill us with hope and anticipation.

A consecrated life is not meant to be lived alone, but rather is lived within the context of community. Community consecrates us as it provides opportunities to live out the Gospel in our relationships with one another. We are consecrated in community by humbly serving one another, as we wage war against sin together, and through caring for the lost and vulnerable among us.

Consecration does not end with just purification and sanctification. God consecrates his people for purpose and mission so that we may be faithful vessels of his Spirit and power. Therefore, as God consecrates our lives and our church, we must be ready to live with boldness and urgency for His glory.

Our theme for 2026 is "A Consecrated Life" - to faithfully live a life set apart by God's grace on God's mission for God's glory. We will have a two week sermon series introducing this theme and vision for 2026. For this Sunday, I will be focusing on the Holiness of God and how that becomes the basis and strength for our own sanctification. Peter mentions in his epistle: "You shall be holy, for I am holy." Our consecration begins with beholding our Holy God and understanding the depths of his grace to make us into a holy nation, called out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Even as we, as second generation Asian-Americans, are settling into where God is leading us, God still desires for us to seek the renewal of the next generation. God deeply cares about the next generation and commands His people to lay the foundations of faith for them. The renewal of the next generation is built upon our obedience, modeled through our testimonies, and requires our consecration.