ORDER OF WORSHIP
Call To Worship
Psalm 118 : 24
The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.
詩篇 118 : 24
這是耶和華所定的日子，我們在其中要高興歡喜。
Worship Through Songs
Good day precious flock of our Good Shepherd, children of our Abba in heaven. May this day find you filled to overflowing with the joy of the Lord—the joy which is our true strength.
For many of us in the Evangelical tradition, the primacy of affirming, believing and proclaiming the authority and truthfulness of Scripture forms a bedrock of doctrinal correctness that guards against religious extremes and deviancies. This is a very good thing since truth is not only very important to God, but also one of the essential attributes of his nature. Right belief is absolutely crucial in our relationship with God. That is why God revealed himself, not only in creation and human nature, but in divinely inspired Scripture, to show us what is true.
However, for many of us, we have equated right belief, along with right behavior, as the sum total of the Christian experience. Some of us may be content to be merely doctrinally sound and morally upright—lacking any genuine desire, delight and devotion to Christ. We tell ourselves that as long as we are ‘Biblical’ and ‘behaved’, it does not bother us if there is no passion for God in our hearts, as we often label such enthusiasm as bordering on fanaticism at best or downright heretical at worst. Settling for a flat, joyless, routine religion—instead of a vibrant, passionate, and authentic relationship with our God and Savior—we end up losing our first love and worshiping God with our lips and not our hearts. We end up knowing so much about God, yet scarcely knowing him at all.
Friends, as we see in the gospels, any encounter with Jesus Christ—the exact representation and image of God—is anything but static and lifeless. Wherever Jesus went, people were affected in a deep, deep way. Though not all of them responded positively to him, yet we can see that He evoked profound reactions in those around him—the outcast found acceptance; the sinner found forgiveness; the sick found healing; the desperate found hope; the self-righteous found rebuke. At the sound of his voice the waves are stilled; the demons flee; and the dead are raised. At the touch of his hand the food was multiplied, the children are blessed, and the lepers are cleansed. In his presence the lowly are welcome; the proud are humbled; and the lost are found. A genuine encounter with God, in Christ, is nothing short of life changing. It was true then, it remains true now.
As we draw near to him in worship, may we ask of God to grant us a heart that is fervent, sensitive, and responsive to him—that we may truly taste that He is good; and wise; and holy; and merciful; and just; and glorious; and kind. That He would truly open the eyes of our heart, and enable us to see him as He is, seated on the throne, high and lifted up, sovereign over the universe, yet loving us with an everlasting love. That we may learn to love him—with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength—for He deserves nothing less.
‘Good and gracious God who reigns on high. We come before you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. We humble ourselves before the Mighty one who inhabits Eternity—before whom no sinner can stand. Yet because of the finished work of the Perfect Lamb whose blood washes our sin away, and whose righteousness covers us, we come confidently to the loving embrace of our Abba Father expecting mercy from heaven’s throne of grace—our only source of help in time of need.
Father, you know us, and you know our needs. You know things about us that we are not even aware of, as well as things that we, in our limited understanding, do not even realize that we need; and from your generous hand, You supply it all. For you know our frame and remember that we are dust. Yet You knew us before we were born—as You have intricately formed us in our mother’s womb. You have made us fearfully and wonderfully, and are intimately acquainted with all our ways. How wonderful is your tender knowledge and providential care for us. We are in awe, not just of your infinite power, wisdom, and righteousness, but much more so of your amazing graciousness; your unwavering faithfulness; and your everlasting love.
Cause us to grow in our love for You and consequently in our love for others and may the mind of Christ be ever in us as we determine in our hearts that in each of our lives He must increase, and we must decrease. For the glory of your name. Amen.’
Anthem
Christ, My Hope, My Glory
Scripture Reading
1st John 2 : 1 – 6
1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
約 翰 一 書 2 : 1 – 6
1 我 小 子 們 哪 ， 我 將 這 些 話 寫 給 你 們 ， 是 要 叫 你 們 不 犯 罪 。 若 有 人 犯 罪 ， 在 父 那 裡 我 們 有 一 位 中 保 ， 就 是 那 義 者 耶 穌 基 督 。
2 他 為 我 們 的 罪 作 了 挽 回 祭 ， 不 是 單 為 我 們 的 罪 ， 也 是 為 普 天 下 人 的 罪 。
3 我 們 若 遵 守 他 的 誡 命 ， 就 曉 得 是 認 識 他 。
4 人 若 說 我 認 識 他 ， 卻 不 遵 守 他 的 誡 命 ， 便 是 說 謊 話 的 ， 真 理 也 不 在 他 心 裡 了 。
5 凡 遵 守 主 道 的 ， 愛 神 的 心 在 他 裡 面 實 在 是 完 全 的 。 從 此 我 們 知 道 我 們 是 在 主 裡 面 。
6 人 若 說 他 住 在 主 裡 面 ， 就 該 自 己 照 主 所 行 的 去 行 。
Sermon
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Tithes And Offering
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Response Song
