ORDER OF WORSHIP
Call To Worship
John 4 : 23 – 24
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
約翰福音 4 : 23 – 24
23 時候將到，如今就是了，那真正拜父的，要用心靈和誠實拜他，因為父要這樣的人拜他。 24 神是個靈，所以拜他的必須用心靈和誠實拜他
Worship Through Songs
Good day dear family of God—blessed recipients of the riches of his grace in Christ Jesus.
It is written in Romans 8:1-2, ‘Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.’ This marvelous declaration of freedom from sin and God’s wrath upon it, is one of the most magnificent facets of the comprehensive and multi-dimensional redemption which is ours in Jesus Christ. We are not only given pardon and a clean standing before the Judge of all the earth, but we are also adopted into God’s family, and given power and life through the indwelling, transforming presence of the Holy Spirit. We are thus set free to become all that our Heavenly Father intended us to be. This is the grandeur of the new covenant in Christ.
Describing how the New covenant not only fulfills but surpasses the Old, Bob George in his book Jesus Changes Everything, writes, “…the Old Testament is record upon record of human failure. Even David, who knew these things, was unable to live up to the Law, as the biblical record shows. His notorious sins of adultery and conspiracy to commit murder are recounted in sad detail. It makes you pause: If even the one described as “a man after God’s own heart” failed, how could you or I hope to do better?
We need God to do for us what we are incapable of doing for ourselves. This he promises to do in the New Covenant: “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” … The “written code” … could order us to obey God’s commands, but that is not enough. We need the life and power of God himself, “the Spirit,” to be the people he wants us to be.
In short, we need a new heart. We need new motivation from within. We must be changed inwardly by God before we will “delight to do his will,” as David wrote.
Under the Old Covenant, humanity’s nature and heart remained unchanged. Therefore, the people of Israel were chiefly motivated extrinsically, from the outside—that is, through rewards and punishments. That’s why the Law speaks so much about offering earthly blessings for obedience and earthly curses for disobedience. It’s the standard way of appealing to people who have only fallen natures, minds, and hearts.
Under the New Covenant, God says his people will be motivated intrinsically, from the inside—that is, they will love and serve God because they want to. Under the New Covenant, God unilaterally, unconditionally declares that he will give us new hearts. He gives us new life. Our natures, minds, and hearts will be transformed. We will be motivated and empowered from within by his Holy Spirit.”
This is how it is with those who truly belong to Christ. This is what we have. This is who we are. No wonder joy is a distinctive fruit of the Spirit. For in Christ, not only do we have pardon, freedom, and eternal life, but the very Wellspring of divine joy himself makes his dwelling within each of us—bringing delight in our hearts, a spring in our steps, and a joyful song in our mouths … whatever life may bring.
‘Dear Heavenly Father, God of holy delight and never-ending joy,
You bring beauty for ashes; the oil of joy for mourning; the garment of praise for despair. You replace the drab and dreary grays of our existence with kaleidoscope hues of vibrant light. You transform the songs our lives from grim lamentations to odes of victory and delight. Because of You, we go to and fro with joy and are led out in peace—through hills that burst out in songs of joy, and with the clapping of applauding trees. Such is the joy that your salvation brings that should we be silent and withhold the praise that is due You, then the very rocks, and all creation for that matter, will cry out!
Forgive us for not reflecting your heart clearly dear Father. For failing to remember that your joy is the strength we need daily. For frequently leaning towards quiet desperation—as if You, the Maker and Sustainer of our lives, are neither good, nor gracious, nor generous. For often displaying to the world an image unworthy of You—a portrait of a Deity merely deserving of dutiful service but not of delightful adulation.
You are indeed worthy of our deepest fear and reverence, but also of our most fervent love and adoration. For how wonderful your works are and how perfect your ways. Thank you for the glorious redemption we have in Jesus Christ. It fills our soul with peace; our hearts with joy; and our days with loving purpose. We look forward to the day when we shall at last be like him—when we shall see him as He is—and be with You forever. Until the day when our faith becomes sight, we shall hold on—by the assurance of your word and the power of your Spirit—in hope; in joy; and in love. For Christ’s sake. Amen.’
Anthem
No More Night
Scripture Reading
Matthew 22 : 1 – 14
1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
馬 太 福 音 22 : 1 – 14
1 耶 穌 又 用 比 喻 對 他 們 說 ：
2 天 國 好 比 一 個 王 為 他 兒 子 擺 設 娶 親 的 筵 席 ，
3 就 打 發 僕 人 去 ， 請 那 些 被 召 的 人 來 赴 席 ， 他 們 卻 不 肯 來 。
4 王 又 打 發 別 的 僕 人 ， 說 ： 你 們 告 訴 那 被 召 的 人 ， 我 的 筵 席 已 經 預 備 好 了 ， 牛 和 肥 畜 已 經 宰 了 ， 各 樣 都 齊 備 ， 請 你 們 來 赴 席 。
5 那 些 人 不 理 就 走 了 ； 一 個 到 自 己 田 裡 去 ； 一 個 作 買 賣 去 ；
6 其 餘 的 拿 住 僕 人 ， 凌 辱 他 們 ， 把 他 們 殺 了 。
7 王 就 大 怒 ， 發 兵 除 滅 那 些 兇 手 ， 燒 燬 他 們 的 城 。
8 於 是 對 僕 人 說 ： 喜 筵 已 經 齊 備 ， 只 是 所 召 的 人 不 配 。
9 所 以 你 們 要 往 岔 路 口 上 去 ， 凡 遇 見 的 ， 都 召 來 赴 席 。
10 那 些 僕 人 就 出 去 ， 到 大 路 上 ， 凡 遇 見 的 ， 不 論 善 惡 都 召 聚 了 來 ， 筵 席 上 就 坐 滿 了 客 。
11 王 進 來 觀 看 賓 客 ， 見 那 裡 有 一 個 沒 有 穿 禮 服 的 ，
12 就 對 他 說 ： 朋 友 ， 你 到 這 裡 來 怎 麼 不 穿 禮 服 呢 ？ 那 人 無 言 可 答 。
13 於 是 王 對 使 喚 的 人 說 ： 捆 起 他 的 手 腳 來 ， 把 他 丟 在 外 邊 的 黑 暗 裡 ； 在 那 裡 必 要 哀 哭 切 齒 了 。
14 因 為 被 召 的 人 多 ， 選 上 的 人 少 。
Sermon
Dr. Ricky Recodo
中文翻譯
Tithes And Offering
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Response Song
